The Iskandarian June 2014 Issue by The Iskandarian-WAVES Lifestyle

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The Iskandarian Monthly Drill

We get in touch with CEOs and Chairmen of organisations and drill them with question This Drill: Managing Director at HAZ Polaris Centre of Excellence Mr. Elilen Chandra

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STOP Taking Shortcuts with Illegal Parking Concern: With years of repeated reminders, motorists still continue to double and triple park, park on pavements and walkways as well as along roads with yellow lines without any regards to the law By Maisarah & Zarakay

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ouble-parking has become such a normal sight that we rarely flinch when we see it nowadays. What’s even better is that some motorists have gone a step further by coming up with a ‘friendly’ system whereby they place a note with their contact details on the windscreen. The condition has gotten from bad to worse with the growing number of vehicles that are registered daily. Countless offenders are however undeterred by being slapped with summons and compounds as often, tattered and torn summonses

issued by the police and local councils can be seen still stuck to their car wipers. Many say the problem is getting worse as more building projects are approved and there is not enough parking lots to meet the demand which will inevitably lead to the continuation of this predicament. As city roads are widened with broader road shoulders, motorists now boldly park across single white lines and even double yellow lines. The blatant disregard of the law is obvious when we can see this downward parking trend at Johor Bahru’s city centre and even at the Johor Bahru City Council (MBJB) office. Continued on page 4

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INSIDE

Minister KJ shows his support to Youth Collective 2014 >>PAGE 12

Cars illegally parked at Larkin Bus Terminal

>>PAGE 3

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WOMEN GIVEN THE PRIORITY Community: Women Entrepreneurial Incubator (shell-based handicrafts) programme in Iskandar Malaysia

skandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) with Johor Women Development Department (JPW) together with Perbadanan Kemajuan Kraftangan Malaysia, Johor Branch had recently collaborated and organised a Women Entrepreneurial Incubator Programme (shell-based handicrafts). The programme aims to provide intensive skills training and entrepreneurship assistance for low-income women within the area of craft. It is also to empower women to develop their potential in business and thus improve the family economic standing. It is a platform for women to learn new things, trends and create network to inspire them to enhance their skills. This programme was part of the human capital development programme plan under “Program Kawan Iskandar Malaysia”. It was designed to ensure the people are sufficiently skilled, capable and prepared to take up the opportunities available in Iskandar Malaysia. About 20 women from Kg.Sg.Melayu Gelang Patah, Kg. Sg. Latoh Masai and Kg.Senibong Permas Jaya have participated in this programme. The participants are selected based on the following criteria; women who earn below RM 1500 monthly and interested in crafts. Participants would be monitored for a year after the training to provide further guidance in terms of producing, packaging,

Some of the craft works done branding, marketing, networking and etc. The participants are expected to be able to raise their income by 50%. Through this programme, Iskandar

Malaysia’s aspiration in upgrading knowledge, skills and increasing opportunities for local population to participate in meaningful economic activities will be realised.

HIGHLIGHTS

Johor Bahru Happy Club celebrated the World Laughter Day 2014 at Taman Merdeka Johor Bahru (Pic by John Lee)

Tan Sri Shahrir Abdul Samad officiated the 10th year celebration of the Breast Cancer Support Group JB (BCSG) (Pic by John Lee)

Hotlines Johor Police HQ 07-221 2999 / 07-225 4499

JB North Police IPD 07-556 3122

Ministry of Tourism (Johor) 07-223 3171

Tourism Malaysia Johor 07-222 3590 / 91

Immigration 07-224 4233

JB South Police IPD 07-2218 999

Nusajaya Police IPD 07-511 4222

Tourism Malaysia Hotline 1300 88 5050

Johor Tourism 07-223 4935 / 224 9960

Senai International Airport 07-599 4500

Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) 07-233 3000

Please recycle this newspaper after reading. Thank you Published by True Soul Entertainment [14, Jln. Selasih 10, Taman Kemas, 81200, Johor Bahru] Printed by Percetakan Gemilang Sinar/Gan Seng Printing(M) Sdn.Bhd. [No.100, Jalan Tampoi, 81200, Johor Bahru] Copyright of articles, contributions and photos which are published by The Iskandarian is the property of True Soul Entertainment. The Iskandarian does its best to ensure the authenticity and accuracy of its contents, the publisher cannot accept any responsibilities for errors, mistakes and inaccuracies. The publisher reserves the rights of this product and no part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the permission of the publisher.

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Do’s & Don’ts The good, the bad and the ugly of fellow Iskandarians.

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YOUTH’S PERSPECTIVE ON

Iskandar Malaysia

The Iskandarian speaks to everyday teens to derive their suggestions and opinions about Iskandar Malaysia. The Iskandarian also invites all youths to share your thoughts with us via email at: newsdesk@theiskandarian.com What is your opinion on the impact of JB transformation towards the youth community? It has been positive so far and I feel more such programmes should be conducted here on a regular basis. How do you think is the best way to get youths involved in cultural and heritage programmes? The JB Arts Festival is one good example which involves the youths involvement. Many either took part as participants or volunteers and there should be more such activities or gigs targeting youths’ participation.

The ignorance of our fellow citizens is extremely distasteful -Submitted by Abd Shukri (KDN Setia Tropika)

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What do you think is one key success factor to make JB Transformation programme a success? I think it will be a good idea to involve the Gen-Y in decision makings. What do you think is lacking in Johor Bahru? Developments are rapid at the moment but it will be nice to see a world class art centre and museums.

What are some suggestions you have to make JB city centre livelier? A lot of buildings should get a facelift; perhaps a fresh coat of paint which is not necessarily of one colour. If your friends are visiting JB, where would you bring them? The current hotspot on everyone’s lips – LEGOLAND Malaysia!

Mohd Lizan Ezra Age:19

Chellam is an everyday Joe encountering the trials and tribulations of everyday folks. Chellam’s encounters aren’t merely for comic relief but more to instigate mindset change. Email us if you have any suggestions: newsdesk@theiskandarian.com

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Bad parking is rampant even inside shopping mall carparks With the recent change in rest days in Johor, many were wondering if Sunday will remain as a free parking day. MBJB’s Corporate Communications and Public Relations Department Director Abdul Aziz Ithnin clarified that the usage of parking coupons in public parking spaces in areas under MBJB would remain unchanged and Sunday’s will be maintained as the day for free parking in areas under the jurisdiction of Johor Bahru City Council (MBJB). Even with the kind gesture by the city council, rampant haphazard parking is still visible. Many say that it boils down to individual discipline or more like the lack of it. At Tan Hiok Nee Heritage Walk, the sight of haphazardly parked cars on both sides of the narrow road will put off any tourists trying to explore the place. The ambitious Meldrum Walk or the network of roads around Jalan Siu Nam and Jalan Siu Chin are no longer pedestrian friendly with cars and motorcycles extending their parking lots onto the curbs. Further adding to this mess are the hawkers who have set

up tables and chairs there. Concepts of ‘heritage walk’ and ‘walkable cities’ fail miserably with the lackadaisical attitude of motorists. Motorists who have been abroad are aware of the traffic enforcement in cities like Singapore and Australia and strongly feel that our state should also deploy stricter rules and penalties for illegal parking offenders. Those parking on the roadside, narrow the path leading into mall parking areas and the cars parked on the divider create a hazardous environment for other drivers. Jalan Tun Abdul Razak is a busy road and other road users are forced to squeeze into a single lane because many cars are illegally parked along the road. Iskandar Malaysia’s vision of transforming our city into a first class society with vibrant business enclaves will be marred by third world behaviour and complacency of our fellow citizens. If we want to progress as a developed city, we cannot continue setting poor examples on the road and develop new generations of drivers with bad attitudes.

A common sight at Jalan Kolam Air and Nong Chik

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quick Reads Master English language urges Menteri Besar

The Johor Government is developing taxi online booking application to provide efficient public transport service within the Iskandar Malaysia region. “The RM130,000 project of Iskandar Malaysia Public Transport Corporation (PAIM) is expected to be completed in August,” said Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin. He also urged taxi drivers to master English language to better serve passengers especially the foreign travellers. “Johor is receiving increasing foreign tourists who depend largely on public transport, especially taxis. Therefore, taxi drivers should take the opportunity of taking up English courses offered by private training centres,” he said.

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Benchmark: Goldbury Communications Sdn Bhd is the first local KL based company to set up shop at Medini Iskandar Malaysia and aspires to become a global ICT Automotive Hub By Maisarah & Zarakay

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ecognising the need for more local SAP (Systems, Applications and Data Processing) experts, Goldbury Communications Sdn Bhd launched an initiative specially designed for passionate Johorians called Goldbury Enhancement Training Program (GET PRO). This initiative is the initial process of upskilling Malaysian in the area of ICT and SAP Auto which is highly in demand in the local and global market. Goldbury will be kicking off GET PRO with 50 applicants to begin with to undergo a six months training period. The company aims to train and employ 100 trained knowledge workers in the next year. The announcement was made during Goldbury’s launching of its Global IT Automotive Hub in Medini Iskandar Malaysia. The establishment of the hub is for the company’s expansion to become a global ICT Automotive hub mainly in the implementation and support of SAP and Business Solution Software for the automotive industry. Goldbury has set a new benchmark

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin witnessing the MoU signing as the first local KL based company to set up their operations in Medini Iskandar Malaysia. “The location was decided considering the potential to cater for a global operation with state of the art facilities. The operations will start with 7,500 sq ft facilities in Medini 6, Medini’s first purpose built office and will expand to occupy 29,000 sq ft of office space in Medini 7 in June 2015.

Tis effort is realised with close collaboration with Medini Iskandar Malaysia Sdn Bhd,” said Goldbury’s Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Zuhri bin Mohamed Yusof. The MoU signing ceremony and launching was witnessed by Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin. Further information on the initiative can be obtained from the official website, www.goldburycommunications.com

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LEGOLAND MALAYSIA’s Special day out Community: LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort recently hosted a special day out for 100 seriously ill, disabled and disadvantaged children in conjunction with the launch of Merlin’s Entertainments Group 100th attraction opening

Ms Honor Wadeley presenting the mock ticket to Mr. Chang Chee Keong from Rotary Club of Johor Straits View representing children from Hospital Sultan Ismail

he Merlin 100 is part of a worldwide activity where 10,000 children will enjoy magical experiences at various Merlin attractions in 22 countries to mark the milestone opening. Children from various organisations were invited to a special presentation ceremony with Model Citizens (staffs of LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort) at Berkat Children’s Home. LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort presented the tickets to Berkat Children’s Home, Hospital Sultan Ismail and Persatuan Ibu Bapa dan Penjaga Anak-anak Pekak (JBPESIBA). The event was supported by Rotary Club of Johor Centennial. “This CSR activity is an initiative under the charitable trust owned by Merlin Entertainment Group, the leading name in location-based, family entertainment. Currently, Merlin has ten attractions in Asia including LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort with its Theme Park, Hotel and Water Park,” said Mark Germyn, General Manager LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort. He also added, “We are really looking forward to treating the children

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and giving them a day away from their regular lives. The project is at the heart of what we do best – bringing children and families together for memories that stay with them forever.” Since the opening of the first LEGOLAND in Asia, the Resort has hosted various CSR activities. In 2013, the Park in collaboration with local authorities and tourism partners donated 50,000 tickets to underprivileged homes and community in Johor. LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort also announced that it will offer a discounted price for Standard Annual Passes for Johor residents. This is part of the Resort’s objective to give back to the community it operates in. The Standard Annual Pass allows unlimited entry to the Theme Park and will be sold at RM195. Standard Child Annual Pass will be sold at RM150. To be eligible for the offer, guests will need to provide the Sales Counter with proof of residence in Johor on day of visit. Details on activities and promotions are available on the website: www.legoland.my or call: 07-597 8888 / toll-free: 1 800 816 100.

Group shot of all the participating associations for Merlin’s Magic Wand event

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Mother’s Day Celebration with C.A.R.E

Responsible: C.A.R.E Single Mothers Association Johor celebrated Mother’s Day with Thistle Johor Bahru and Columbia Asia

histle Johor Bahru recently invited about sixty mothers from the C.A.R.E Single Mothers Association Johor to participate in a special health and wellness event in conjunction with Mother’s Day celebration. Themed ‘The Gift Of Wellness’, the hotel co-partnered with Columbia Asia Hospital and Body Work Fitness & Spa. The event was the first in Johor to be organised in a memorable and caring way that focused on the importance of the well-being of mothers. The programme started off with health screening tests by Columbia Asia Hospital. Anxious mothers took the opportunity to test their Blood Pressure, Body Mass Index, Glucose and Cholesterol. The staff from Columbia Asia Hospital also spent time with the mothers advising them on health and diet issues. While some of the mothers treated themselves to local delicacies, the rest could not wait to get their ten minutes hand and shoulder massage, courtesy of the Body Work Fitness & Spa located in Thistle Johor Bahru. Mothers were extremely delighted with the appearance of the hotel’s chef Kamal Damiri who presented a culinary demonstration on how to make Chicken Burritos. The air in the function room was filled with exciting vibes as the mothers

were eager to take home the recipe and try it out for their loved ones. A ‘Master Chef ’ competition was then held to test which mother made the best Chicken Burritos. Also a highlight was the learning how to ice and decorate cakes by Chef Ibrahim Md. Elah. Mothers went head to head in a cake decorating competition and they got to take home their ‘master pieces’. The finale of the competition was the mothers were happy to get their Chef hats autographed by Chef Kamal, Chef Ibrahim and Executive Chef Imran Hamid. Columbia Asia Hospital Dr. Rohaini Jonit inspired the mothers with her interactive wellness sharing on selfcare practices, awareness of available health services and resources in the country and also to have positive health behaviour changes in their daily lives. The event was followed by a delicious surprise when a beautifully decorated Mother’s Day Red Velvet cake baked by the hotel’s Pastry Chef Ibrahim Md. Elah was rolled in for the mothers to celebrate and enjoy. Joining them on this joyous cake-cutting ceremony was M.S. Bobby, Director of Marketing Communications and Public Relations of Thistle Hotels & Resorts Malaysia, Rahani Yaacob, General Manager of Columbia Asia Hospital and Lynda Eunos, General Manager of Body Work Fitness & Spa.

M.S Bobby, Thistle Hotels & Resorts Dir. of MarCom & PR (center) with Rahani Yaacob,GM of ColumbiaAsia Hospital Nusaja (left) cake cutting with the mothers The event was further enhanced by a mouth-watering spread of local and international delights prepared by the Thistle Chefs. Mothers indulged into delicacies like roasted chicken with barbeque sauce, chicken burrito, kampung fried rice, mee mamak, lamb on skewers, salmon quiche and an assortment of desserts, not forgetting the signature Thistle cupcake. The Mother’s Day celebration ended with a sweet ‘thank you’ as each mother

received Thistle cookies and a red rose. Body Work Fitness and Spa also handed out complimentary vouchers worth RM225 and exclusive aromatherapy shower gel to each mother. ‘Health is Wealth’ and the main objective that Thistle Johor Bahru, Columbia Asia Hospital and Body Work Fitness & Spa organised this event was to encourage mothers to take preventive measures to avoid health issues and to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

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The Iskandarian Monthly Drill The Iskandarian aspires to be the voice of the rakyat and with that in mind, our Editor touches base with CEOs and Chairmen of organisations to Drill them with questions to hear their opinions and perspectives.

Elilen is one of the most known Human Capital Consultant in Johor Bahru. He helms over 25 years of experience in the areas of Education, Hospitality, Corporate Training and Corporate Law. He owned and operated several restaurants in Toronto, Canada, from 1992 to 2003. There, he pursued TESL and taught at several language schools in Toronto. In Malaysia, he owned and operated UK Language Centre and Al-Ikhlas Education Group. He has also worked for several educational institutions such as Raffles Education Group, KL Metropolitan University, UCSI, Taylors University College, Stamford University College, Sunway University College, SEGI University College, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and UTHM. Elilen was instrumental in conducting the soft skills/ English Modules for the Graduate Employment Enhancement Scheme Programme organised by Khazanah Nasional. Working closely with the human capital blueprint of Iskandar Malaysia. He was the project director for the Employment Enhancement English Programme. Currently, he is working on several projects in collaboration with the respective state governments in Malaysia promoting employment enhancement programmes for the employed and unemployed graduates under the HAZ Polaris Centre of Excellence banner. How did you go from being a law graduate to becoming a restaurant owner in Canada?

In a sentence, I’m an advocate of human capital development growth in Malaysia. My humble beginning was after my STPM, I went on to get my Law Degree from University of London. However I didn’t pursue to do my certificate of legal

practice since I had intentions of leaving to Canada, which was a childhood dream of mine. So I went to Canada and there, the hospitality and culinary industry really captivated me so I went on to obtain a degree in Management Science from the University of Toronto. I specialised in hospitality and management. While studying, I worked as a waiter and eventually I made partner of an F&B outlet. From there, I went on to work at a few established restaurant chains and continued my learning process till I finally opened my own restaurant.

The restaurant business and human capital development are like the other ends of the world. So how did you go from holding the knife to holding the chalk so to say?

While staying busy in the restaurant business, I pursued my TESL at Ontario College and took up part time teaching as it was always my passion. So while doing my TESL, I was also teaching English to the immigrants over there. I realised that teaching and developing skills was gift I had which I had to share.

When did you return to Malaysia and how was the transition? In 2004, I got the calling to return to Malaysia and I would say it was a blessing in disguise because the moment I arrived, I landed a teaching job at Olympia College. I learned a lot over there and it opened up my academia vision. At that time, Tun Mahathir was giving a lot of importance to the English language and he wanted people to communicate better in English and I took that calling to heart. I obtained my Masters in teaching English as a second language and started getting involved in human capital development projects.

From what you’re saying, you’re quite a go getter aren’t you? I am very result oriented and personal advancement is an aspect that every human being needs to look at. You must have a sense of conviction; with the correct dedication you will see the change.

Elilen Chandra LLB(London), B.A (Hosp) Toronto, M.A TESOL, ADTHE (Notthingham) Managing Director at HAZ Polaris Centre of Excellence

What’s the common misconception you’ve faced? To sell a language based programme with a Caucasian man as a face of the business is much easier to sell in comparison to putting an Asian face (laughs). That’s our colonised mentality speaking right there. We assume that since English is the mother tongue of Caucasians, they are the ‘natives’ of the language and everyone else is below par in comparison which is not true. When we learn and speak English, we actually go the extra mile to understand the rudiments of grammar while many Caucasians’ themselves make many mistakes in. Johor has a very rich history when it comes to English because we produced some of the best English teachers in the country.

“60% of our graduates lack communication

skills and 70% from that same pool lack critical thinking skills. If we don’t set critical thinking as the benchmark, then we will not be creating credible leaders”

Are you all theory and by the book or more practical oriented? The learning process has to be fun and interactive. In my modules, I always incorporate role-plays and open dialogues to keep the students constantly engaged. Instead of going grammar, grammar, grammar, I went into teaching language in context. We have to end the lesson with a positive after thought for it to have a lasting effect.

What are you working on currently? I’ve actually developed a programme for the under achievers whereby those who get their grades below the 3-point CGPA. I’ve come to realise that the low achievers also often suffer from low self confidence and low self-esteem so we subject them to a personal growth programme to help empower them and what happens is they undergo a transformation. We have to understand something here, not all low achievers are unintelligent but they are sometimes the victims of the system which is skewed towards passing of exams and memorising instead of developing critical and creative thinking. 60% of our graduates lack communication skills and 70% from that same pool lack critical thinking skills. If we don’t set critical thinking as the benchmark, then we will not be creating credible leaders. Leaders are leaders because they understand how to assess a situation and apply critical

thinking and problem solving skills to it. You can’t do that if you only memorise the answer. The ‘Employment Enhance Programme’ has been pitched to the Menteri Besar’s office and we are hoping to tap into IRDA’s Social Projects Fund to get the ball rolling.

What differentiates your methods in comparison to your competition? There are many trainers and human capital development companies in the market but not all of them are doing it for the passion. Some charge exorbitant prices but lack the substance and skills in delivering results. What I’m trying to do is, I’m working backwards whereby I want to give my students job matching and further development training based on that matching. We have to tackle this problem holistically because we now have graduates that at times, don’t even know how to send a proper email. It is a paradox that many of us are ignorant of our true potential and have become our own worst enemy. Many people don’t see themselves clearly; they magnify their weakness and overlook their strengths. This distorted perception of themselves leads to low self worth hence my training helps individuals to fully discover and utilise their true self. You’re not perfect but parts of you are excellent.

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Giving old buildings new lives

he rhyme, “Make new friends but keep the old. One is silver, the other is gold,” comes to mind when I think of Johor Bahru’s rapidly changing skyline. Previously, a popular picture of Johor Bahru used in travel brochures was a view from the causeway that featured a few tall buildings clustered to the left of the checkpoint. In December 2008, the view from the causeway changed when arrivals from Singapore were diverted to the new Customs Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex in the Sultan Iskandar Building. Drivers also welcomed the expressway that replaced the temporary winding racetrack-like route that links the causeway directly to the CIQ. Towering new buildings are coming up along our Southern coastline and construction is still in progress for the rebuilding of the former Komplex Tun Abdul Razak or Komtar. Nearby, construction of more high-rise buildings along Jalan Wong Ah Fook is also in progress at the spots that were once occupied by Rex and Lido cinemas and the former Bangunan Azizah. When all the buildings are completed, this end of Jalan Wong Ah Fook will have a brand new persona. And while I welcome modern development and changes for the better, I’m also keen for old buildings to be preserved and to see how their owners are adapting them for current use.

premises when I was there for their festive and fund-raising events and I recall climbing up the sturdy wooden stairs that reminded me of similar stairs at my grandfather’s old house. I know many Johorians fondly remember spending happy pre-school years here and later when they had families of their own, their children and even their grandchildren also attended this school! An old mansion at 23 Jalan Straits View, Johor Bahru was also adapted for use as a school when the Sri Ara Private Schools opened there in 2007. Students of various nationalities including Japanese, Australian, Indian and Pakistani from expatriate families in JB as well as locals who prefer to study in the English medium attend their Primary and Secondary schools in a choice of the Malaysian or Cambridge school syllabus. When I was invited to their annual fundraising event, I saw how the school was housed in the interesting mansion while the playing field was turned into a carnival ground for the event.

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into one of JB’s leading Indian fine-dining restaurants, is Chakra. Housed in a 74-year old double-storey bungalow, the restaurant can be seen from the Inner Ring Road and is accessible from the parallel slip road as you drive in from Jalan Yahya Awal. I’m told that this family home once hosted Indian celebrities and now it remains a popular dining destination for politicians, dignitaries as well as the Johor royalty. There is an upstairs dining hall as well as private dining rooms downstairs and an alfresco terrace that’s perfect for tandoori parties. Along the coast road, No. 8 Jalan Skudai has become one of JB’s landmark destination for dining and entertainment since it opened in 2011. Situated on a hillock that overlooks JB’s renowned Lido Beach, EightLido is a trendy club housed within a 99-year old Spanish casa. Refurbished with just a few modern improvements, the original beams and structure of the sprawling hacienda remains largely intact and adds to the charm and ambience of one of the most

A family’s former home at Jalan Abdul Samad, Johor Bahru, was refurbished and fitted out as Tera Thai Fine-Dine Restaurant

Many Johorians can remember spending their happy pre-school years in Hilltop Private School which is housed in an old mansion at Jalan Hassan Alatas, Johor Bahru This is not a new concept because since 1940, Hilltop Private School has adapted an old mansion at Jalan Hassan Alatas, for use as a pre-school. The double-storey mansion is designed with servant’s quarters and annex buildings that the school has creatively put to good use as classrooms, music and activity areas. I had the chance to tour the school

Throughout the city, many old buildings have been successfully adapted for use as chic cafes and restaurants. A traditional wooden house built on stilts at No. 31, Jalan Abdul Samad is owned by an entrepreneur couple – Thai husband and Malay wife, who originally bought the property as their home. But as the building was being refurbished, the architecture was so reminiscent of structures in the husband’s homeland that they decided to use it for a restaurant that specialises in Thai cuisine. Since my first dining experience at Tera-Thai Fine Dine Restaurant in 2009, I have returned many times, not just for the food but because I appreciate the rustic beauty of the building. Imagine my surprise and delight when a reader wrote to tell me that the building that houses the restaurant now was once their family home and he shared with me, an interesting anecdote about his grandfather who was a familiar figure in that neighbourhood! Another former family home at No. 1, Jalan Yusuf Taha that is successfully turned

happening nightspots in our city. Created as a destination that exceeds the standards of clubs in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, EightLido is a popular venue for private events, garden weddings as well as live music entertainment that features a host of guest artistes. I’m excited to see an increasing number of enlightened entrepreneurs who can

Inside No. 8 Jalan Skudai, Johor Bahru, the original beams and structures are maintained to add to the charm and ambience of EightLido, one of the most happening nightspots in our city visualise the huge potential of old buildings in JB and have invested their resources to transform them with new ideas. The vision and commitment of these entrepreneurs are absolutely mind-boggling as can be seen in the trendy cafes and charming restaurants designed within old shops. I hope more enterprising people will follow the excellent examples set by entrepreneurs who opened Faculty of Caffeine (Jalan Trus), Maco Vintage Café (Jalan Tan Hiok Nee) and One63 European Bistro & Bar (Jalan Ngee Heng). As Johor Bahru is being transformed into a modern metropolis, we must do everything to preserve our city’s character and one of the ways is by giving old buildings new lives. While modern malls may contribute to the economy, heritage buildings have earned their right to remain as the heart and soul of our city. Just as we make new friends and keep the old, our city must preserve old buildings while constructing new ones because, “One is silver, the other is gold.”

A corner shop at No. 163 Jalan Ngee Heng, Johor Bahru, has been transformed into a chic European Bistro & Bar aptly named, One63

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quick Reads DoubleTree by Hilton Johor Bahru appoints Directors

DoubleTree by Hilton Johor Bahru announced the appointment of Freddie Coleman as Director of Operations and Amarinder Sadana as Director of Business Development, for the second DoubleTree by Hilton property in Malaysia. Both Coleman and Sadana carry with them extensive experience in the hospitality and hotel industry to the new DoubleTree by Hilton Johor Bahru which is scheduled to open in July 2014. Originating from Sabah, Freddie Coleman carries with him more than 20 years of hotel management experience under his belt. He was the Director of Operations and Director of Food & Beverage at Thistle Johor Bahru prior to his appointment at DoubleTree by Hilton Johor Bahru. Amarinder Sadana draws from more than 11 years of international Hospitality experience across hotel operations, revenue management and sales in notable companies, including Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Intercontinental Hotel Group, Lemontree Hotels & Resorts and The Carlson Group of Hotels. DoubleTree by Hilton Johor Bahru, which is located in Johor’s Central Business District, features 335 guest rooms and apartment-style suites, and is the ideal hotel for business and leisure travellers. Reservations can be made via its website, http://doubletree3.hilton.com

Xpress Air Indonesia flies to Johor Xpress Air will begin its international flights from Pontianak, Indonesia to Senai Airport Johor Bahru from 14 June 2014 as an effort to expand the introduction of the airline services from Indonesia to Johor in conjunction of the Visit Malaysia Year 2014. This marks a second airline from Indonesia which is extending its operations to Johor, making the state a popular tourist destination among the Indonesians. “An estimated of 2.1 million Indonesian tourists visited Johor last year, and we target a 10 to 20 per cent increase this year with the new service,” said Y.B Datuk Tee Siew Kiong, Chairman of Johor Tourism, Domestic Trade & Consumerism Executive Committee during the press confrence.

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EXPLORE JOHOR FEST 2014 Amenities: The state government with Johor Tourism will be carrying out a three-day festival at Senai International Airport

YB Datuk Tee Siew Kiong (centre), Chairman of Johor Tourism, Domestic Trade & Consumerism Executive Committee with officers from Johor Tourism, Tourism Malaysia and IRDA officiate Explore Johor Fest 2014 (pic by John Lee)

xplore Johor Fest 2014 is intended to promote, introduce and highlight the diversity of products and the major tourist destinations in Johor. The fest also aims to make Johor as the preferred destination by tourists, both domestic and foreign. The fest will commence on the 6th of June till the 8th at Senai International Airport with Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin attending and officiating the event. “The state’s tourism plan from 2014 till 2023 will include the development of tourism products in 10 districts. Using the ‘Tourism Development Cluster’ concept, we envision creating a critical mass and increasing our competitive edge. Promotions will encompass six main criteria which is to have lucrative travel packages, marketing, events, incentives, branding and cooperation,” said YB Datuk Tee Siew Kiong, Chairman of Johor Tourism, Domestic Trade & Consumerism Executive Committee. The festival will run concurrently from 10am till 10pm and the state government is currently in talks with Pengangkutan Awam Iskandar Malaysia (PAIM) to provide free bus shuttle services. The initiative will involve the participation of various stakeholders, including government agencies, NGOs and the players, particularly in the tourism industry. Last year’s Explore Johor programme focused on three major components of tourism in the state; Johor icons, attractive destinations, and local or international events.

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KJ Attends Youth Collective 2014 Community: Youths were given an opportunity to showcase their products and talents

An estimated crowd of 10,000 attended the three-day programme at Dataran Majlis Bandaraya Johor Bahru (pic by John Lee)

oung entrepreneurs in the country had a chance to market their products and demonstrate their creativity at the inaugural Youth Collective 2014 event held at Dataran Majlis Bandaraya Johor Bahru. Johor is the first state to carry out this initiative mooted by the Youth and Sports Ministry. Youth Collective 2014 is a

programme shaped around the concept of trade fairs with demonstrations and performances of youth groups. State Youth and Sports Director Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman said, “the threeday programme is one of the platforms prearranged for the youths to bring out their talents and creativity in various fields such as arts and crafts and sports.” “The products sold here have to

Youth and Sports Minister, Khairy Jamaluddin visiting the stalls at the programme to touch base with the latest offerings by the youths (pic by John Lee) be of original creation and not from any known brand. That’s the rule of law, we will not accept well known brands from around or outside the country. The objective of the event is to highlight local talent,” added Abdul Aziz. “They should market their own products ranging from apparels, cupcakes, to anything that will really showcase their creative talents to the masses,” he added.

In the programme, as many as fifty vendors sold apparel and accessory products, fourteen sold food items and beverages, fifteen beauty products, five products of art, four sports brand vendors and thirteen reputable corporate companies. The programme was officiated by the Minister of Youth and Sports, Khairy Jamaluddin.

Johor Green continues the effort Awareness: Johor Green, a movement that shows its fervour for green topics in the state held their second gathering

Chris Parry , Founder of Johor Green educating the guests about the benefits of everyday plants. (pic by John Lee)

or the second time around, green enthusiasts’ came together for Johor Green’s potluck evening themed Garden Party. Hosted by Chris Parry, founder of Johor Green, the get-together was a good networking session on top of the educational tour organised by Chris to inculcate and enlighten those present about the basic usages of everyday plants as an alternative to modern medicine. As the founder of Johor Green, Chris’s mission is to inform, inspire, influence, encourage and connect members on a social path to a greener Johor. With a myriad of medicinal and herbal plants, the attendees learned the

importance of knowing about everyday plants and how they can be used as a substitute to the modern chemical alternatives. The enthusiasts’ were given detailed explanation by Chris on the usages of kaffir limes, lemongrass and other commonly sighted green leaves. Chris is a former New York-based graphic artist is now a designer with a green thumb. His passion is to see more green enthusiasts’ in Johor. To find out more about Johor Green and their activities, log on to their facebook page for details: www.facebook. com/johorgreen

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Huge turnout at Tarian Muafakat 2014 Racial Integration: Johor Human Resources and Unity Exco YB Vidyananthan’s office and IRDA held the inaugural school level multi cultural dance competition By Maisarah & John Lee

newsdesk@theiskandarian.com

ith over three hundred and eighty parctipants from 40 schools, the dance competition aptly named ‘Pertandingan Tarian Muafakat Johor 2014 (PTMJ2014)’ was a major success with parents, teachers and students mingling and having a great time. The competition was an initiative to provide opportunity for students from the various types (national and vernacular) of primary schools to mingle. What might be perceived as just a fun filled event is subliminally a platform to provide racial integration and caring community interventions during the execution of the said event through workshops, seminars and group activities. “By joining in the competition, I get to understand the cultural differences of my fellow Malaysians and by understanding, I get to appreciate it better,” said Wong Kah Hoon, one of the students participating in the competition. “PTMJ 2014 is a platform to inculcate a spirit of unity from among the various

races through content that are practical and experiential in nature. The event featuring dance routines, workshops and seminars are to be carried out by competent stakeholders with proven and tested modules,” said IRDA. During the event, there were workshops held and conducted by Yayasan 1 Malaysia and Teater Sakinah Team from Serambi Production who have years of proven modules on integration and harmony among communities. The dance competition involves pre-selected schools (determined by the Education Department) in Johor and it covers two zones specifically Zone A consisting of Johor Bahru, Pasir Gudang, Kulai, Pontian, Kota Tinggi and Zone B consisting of Batu Pahat, Muar, Kluang, Mersing and Segamat. The dance competition focuses on various types of primary schools to include Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan (SRK), Sekolah Rendah Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil (SRJKT) and last but not least Sekolah Rendah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SRJKC). With the success of PTMJ2014, the state will be looking at running the competition annually.

HIGHLIGHTS

Overview of ‘Johor Pavilion’ at Putrajaya Youth Festival

The students came out in full force to show their talents

Johor Human Resources and Unity Exco YB Vidyananthan (centre) with IRDA Social Development Division Head of Department Nor Hisham Hussein (right)

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All About JLO Things that speed up your healing

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Travel

Travel Diaries from Qatar: Doha >>pg 4

June 2014 | Page 2

The Iskandarian | WAVES Lifestyle

Editor ’s Note

Priya Manikam editor@waveslifestyle.com

t’s already middle of the year and there is still a lot more to look forward to until the year ends. 29th June (TBC) will mark the beginning of the fasting month for the Muslims and of course the mushrooming of Bazaar Ramadan at selected places around JB. Word of caution – go slow on your indulgences and moderate is the key here. Music News - it’s all about JLO! Read about this talented Latina beauty who debuted to fame since 1999 and Cornetto, one of the most iconic ice creams in the world, is sponsoring the seven-time GRAMMY winning singer/songwriter Taylor Swift’s The RED Tour in Asia! As part of her ASEAN tour, Taylor Swift will be performing her blockbuster The RED Tour show live onstage on Thursday, 12 June 2014, at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. So, be sure to catch her show. For all you photography enthusiasts, learn it the professional way through John Lee. Rose, our motivation columnist continues about the healing process and in our travel column, we bring you sights from an oil-rich country – Qatar. Preserving old as new; Tony brings you a unique café run by two talented youngsters in the heart of JB city and sticking to the theme, Peggy brings you heritage houses that have been transformed in her Johor Stories column. As always, for those wishing to share their clothing line, travel tales, or like us to review your restaurant/property, or want to appear under the Personality column, drop us an e-mail at admin@waveslifestyle. com today and be featured.

MUSI C UPD AT ES

ALL ABOUT JENNIFER LOPEZ

ctor, entertainer, musician, film & television producer, fashion designer, entrepreneur and humanitarian Jennifer Lopez has created one of the most successful and well-known brands in entertainment. With an unmatched global appeal, her “Dance Again” world tour has sold over 1 million tickets, her films have brought in over $1.4 billion in worldwide box office receipts, and her fragrances have become the most successful celebrity line in the world with sales exceeding $2 billion. Since Lopez’s first album “On the 6” debuted in 1999 she has been transforming the global music scene and has sold over 75 million records worldwide. She has had 16 top 10 hit songs and three #1 albums. Lopez is also a two-time Grammy nominee. She will be releasing her tenth album, “AKA,” in June 2014, which will include “I Luh Ya Papi” and her current single “First Love.” On A.K.A. Lopez collaborates with French Montana, Rick Ross, TI, Pitbull, Iggy Azalea , Tyga, Sia, Chantal Kreviazuk, Kirby, Chris Brown , and producers Max Martin and Savan, Detail, RoccStar, DJ Mustard, Diplo, Harmony Pop and Oak and long-time collaborator Cory Rooney. In 2001 Jennifer Lopez made history by being the first female artist to have a #1 movie and #1 album simultaneously. “The Wedding

Planner” was the nation’s top grossing film while her second album “J.Lo” was #1 on the Billboard Top 200 chart. Lopez joined the cast of American Idol in 2010 and helped make it the most watched US television series for two years in a row. She won the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Celebrity Judge for her work on Idol as well as a Teen Choice Award for Favorite TV Personality. She was also named “World’s Most Beautiful Woman” by People Magazine in 2011. She is currently part of the Idol judge’s table for the 2014 season. Lopez’s career achievements continue to grow. In 2013, Lopez received the honour of having a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, won Favourite

Approaching ART Photography Light and Dark

ighting conditions at events or celebrations appear beyond our control: when it’s dark, we may feel the need for flash. Another approach is to make the best of any light conditions; however poor it may seem to be if you can appreciate its qualities, you can make it work for you. In the Dark Exposure control system works in a similar way as the eye in attempting under circumstances to render mid tones correctly. This ensures that skin - tones natural colours and other colours remain as true as possible. Photographic exposure controls can continue to increase exposure to compensate for low light, but the eye cannot - this leads to a common error. The Key Exposure One way of addressing is to ‘underexpose’. In fact, you simply proceed as normal: expose to ensure that key tones-light on the face or catch light in the eyes – looks as we would see it in reality. This forces shadow to be completely black and your camera meter will show under expose. However, a dark image will be sharper and have better colour than the one that is too light. With the simple understanding, dark conditions that once seemed challenging will become inviting. If you are limited to lenses with a relatively small aperture, concentrate your attention where there is light such as rimlight or highlights and use them to define and shape the shadows. Choice of Lens For the best result in low light conditions, where light sources that cause veiling flare in the lens, you need to use prime lens-fixed focal lengthlenses. These have fewer elements than zoom lenses and are generally superior at suppressing flare and offer larger aperture. A relatively useful lens is the 50mm f/1.4, 85mm f/2.0 lenses offer a little bit more on the cost. These lenses are excellent for full or half length shots. At large events, 50mm may be useful for shots of audience or the entire stage but you need longer lenses. The shortest useful lens is 135mm, but for head and shoulders’ shots you need focal length of 200mm or greater. In addition, a monopod is useful for steadying your camera.

Actress and the World Icon Award at the Premios Juventud Awards, and was honoured at the amfAR Inspiration Gala. She has received the Glamour “Woman of the Year” award, ShoWest “Female Star of the Year,” multiple Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards, a Blockbuster Entertainment Award, several ALMA awards, a Women in Film Crystal Award, the March of Dimes’ Grace Kelly Award for her charitable work, and GLAAD’s Vanguard Award. In 2012, Forbes Magazine named her as the number one Most Powerful Celebrity in the world. Cover & Source: Universal Music Singapore

By John Lee Professional Photographer leejohn59@gmail.com

June 2014 | Page 3

The Iskandarian | WAVES Lifestyle

Things That Speed Up Your Healing (part 2)

alk about healing more than you talk about your illness. Have you noticed that many of us are prone to speak about the illness more than the healing? This is not just in the level of individual but also society and it has become a collective consciousness. For example, many people talk about the negative effects of cancer rather than the healing process of cancer itself. Cancer gets the attention, whereas healing gets the second page. To increase your inner healing, practise to pay attention

to those words you use frequently to describe your health. Are you describing your health or your illness? Once you see the difference between these two, you have shifted the inner energy towards healing. Avoid fighting the illness. Fight, even if it is just a word can bring a sign of aggressiveness towards the illness. The analogy is simple; anything that experiences fight will increase its defence system. This is not just true to

By Rose Osman Personal Motivator & Energy Coach www.facebook.com/ yourpersonalmotivator Twitter:@BucketOfRoses

our body but also to the illness. Fighting the illness means increasing the defence system of the illness itself. Therefore, the more you fight the illness, the more you get sick. Instead of fighting the illness, take the healing process with pure intention of love and care. Whatever treatments that you go for, do it because you want to help the illness transmute or dissolve and not because you want to fight it.

Change of lifestyle means shifting in energy flow. Any change from one point to another, no matter how small it is, shows your effort and sincerity to heal. Your body then will feel the effect of the changes and respond to it accordingly. Note that a change in lifestyle means a change of diet, exercise routines, social circle and change of the mind-set.

MOVIE News DISNEY’S “FROZEN” CROSSES $1BILLION WORLDWIDE

est Animated Feature “Frozen’, Walt Disney Animation Studios’ 53rd feature film, crossed $1 billion at the worldwide box office. The biggest non-sequel animated film ever released and the second biggest animated film of all time globally, “Frozen” has earned an estimated $388.8 million at the domestic box office and $611.5 million internationally for a global total of $1,000.3 million. It is The Walt Disney Studios’ seventh release to reach the $1 billion mark, joining “Marvel’s The Avengers” and “Iron Man 3,” Disney’s second and fourth “Pirates of the Caribbean” films, Disney Pixar’s “Toy Story 3,” and Disney’s “Alice in Wonderland.” “With ‘Frozen,’ we knew we had something truly special on our hands, and it has connected with fans and filmgoers around the world in a way we only dreamed was possible,” said Alan Horn, Chairman, The Walt Disney Studios. “Animation is the cornerstone of our company, and thanks to the vision, dedication, and talent of our tremendous cast and filmmaking team, Disney Animation has come roaring back with a new classic for fans of all ages,” he added. Universally embraced by audiences and critics alike, “Frozen” is the winner of two Academy Awards, for Best Animated Feature and Original Song (“Let It Go”). This the first animated feature Oscar win for Walt Disney Animation Studios in the category’s 13-year history. The film has also won Golden Globe, BAFTA, Critics’ Choice, and Producers Guild of America awards for best animated film, five Annie Awards, and four Visual Effects Society Awards, among many other honors. The film is directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee and produced by Peter Del Vecho.

DISNEY’S “MALEFICENT” FEATURES NEW LANA DEL REY SONG

never-before-heard Lana Del Rey rendition of “Once Upon a Dream,” was unveiled as part of a 90-second sneak peek of Disney’s “Maleficent” during the 56th Annual Grammy Awards. Maleficent” was just released in Malaysia cinemas on May 29, 2014. Award-winning, American singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey has recorded a unique reimagining of the renowned fairy-tale tune from Disney’s classic animated film “Sleeping Beauty,” which will feature in the end credits of the Disney film. Lana Del Rey’s “Once Upon a Dream” was available free for a limited time, only on Google Play, Google’s online store offering digital music, movies, books, games and more. The song was made available as a free download exclusively on Google Play until February 3rd. Source: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, Malaysia

The Iskandarian | WAVES Lifestyle Calendar of Events

June 2014 | Page 4

Travel diaries from Qatar - Doha (part 1)

June 2014 Spore, 1st - 2nd June S’pore Food Expo 2014 @ S’pore Convention & Exhibition Centre

JB, 6th - 7th June PC Expo @ Persada Johor

JB, 6th - 7th June Ghazal Concert @ BP Stadium

JB, 6th - 8th June Classic Motor Malaysia Gathering 2014 @ JB

JB, 7th June Fishing Competition @ Hutan Bandar JB

JB, 7th - 8th June “Pocong” Night Ride 2014 @ Ulu Tiram

15th June Happy Father’s Day!

By Priya Manikam & Mithil Tawde editor@waveslifestyle.com

e have brought to you travel tales from Oman and UAE in our past issues. This time we bring you places of interest from another Middle East country – Qatar. It’s a small developing country, rich in oil and located near Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. Most major airlines flies to its capital city; Doha and the best time to visit here would be during the winter season (November until March). Although relatively a small city, Doha per se has a beautiful skyline overlooking the Corniche area (sea front), museums, scattered malls, and a traditional yet a modern souq (market). Things to do in Doha: Doha Skyline, Museum of Islamic Arts & Park

JB, 20th - 22nd June Homedec @ Persada Johor

JB, 21st June Sundown Malaysia Race @ Eductiy Sports Complex, Nusajaya

JB, 22nd June Penawar Pengerang Run 2014 @ Bandar Penawar

JB, 26th - 29th June World Indian Festival 2014 @ S’pore Convention & Exhibition Centre

JB, 29th June - 27th July Bazaar Ramadhan @ Pekan Rabu

If you need more information on the above mentioned events, drop us an email at:

admin@waveslifestyle.com

It is possible to cover the city area in two or three days. Hire a car and drive along the Corniche for a picturesque skyline view of Doha city. Along this route, you will come across the Museum of Islamic Arts (MIA) and its vast park. The museum has a large collection of Islamic Arts, manuscripts, ceramics, and textiles from various parts of the world. It also has a study, library and a fine dining restaurant. There is a large outdoor area which overlooks the Corniche and its dhow boats. Step outside onto the park where it has a large play area for children and a trendy café. The MIA Park also hosts cultural events and bazaars during the cooler

months which is a big success amongst its residents and citizens. Do take note that the museum and the park are closed on Tuesdays.

Souq Waqif Very close by the museum lies the Souq Waqif. Souq means market and this is a popular place with tourists as well as the residents. The architecture of this place is simply beautiful and it’s a good place to get souvenirs, handicrafts, spices, textiles, pets and household things. You can also have a great night out for meals and shisha with friends at its various choices of reasonable to trendy restaurants and cafes. On site, there are also several boutique hotels, Gold Souq, Al-Rayyan Theatre and an Art Centre. During certain seasons of the year, the souq hosts carnivals and special concerts which are not to be missed. Katara Cultural Village and The Pearl Drive further along the Corniche and you would reach the City Centre mall – one of the first and larger malls here. Beyond that, drive towards the

West Bay area to Katara Cultural Village and The Pearl. Katara was opened late 2010 and houses offices, art galleries and workshops as well as notable restaurants. Katara aims to become a world leader for multi-cultural activities and hosts international, regional and local festivals, workshops, performances and exhibitions. Currently, there is an upcoming project of making a Children’s Mall specialising in retail and entertainment for children.

Drive further and you would reach The Pearl which is a unique, man-made island resembling a pearl. It is the first land, which allows for freehold ownership for foreigners and has a beautiful coastline, and many high-end retail outlets, car showrooms, restaurants and cafes. Most of the residents here have their own yatchs and boats berthed at the marina front facing their townhouses. It is worth coming out here just for a stroll and do bring along your camera for some good snaps. Stay tuned for other places of interest in Qatar in the next issue!

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Mastering Mandarin from Kunkwan, the largest learning center in JB Ms. Sally Khor Seh Lee Principal of Kunkwan

What is Mandarin? Mandarin is the most widelyspoken language in the world. One out of five world’s population speaks Mandarin. It is commonly referred to as ‘Chinese’, but in fact it is just one Chinese language among many. Chinese language includes Cantonese, Hokkien, Hunanese, Hakka and more. Therefore, Mandarin is not completely same as Chinese, but is simply the standard and the most common dialect of the Chinese language. All Chinese languages are tonal, which means same pronunciation with different tones will differ its meaning. There are four tones in Mandarin, for example, (mā means mother), (má means numbness), (ma means horse) and (mà means scold).

Why learning Mandarin is a must? Nowadays, everyone is talking about the rise of China economy. China currently has the second largest economy in the world, and has a huge growth rate averaging 10% per year. Learning to speak Chinese is a great way to give you and your children an advantage in the increasingly competitive business world. China has the largest population and is one of the most historical places in the world. The rise of economy; influences more and more people to start learning the Chinese language and getting interested in the Chinese culture. Even Hollywood movies include some Chinese elements, for example the movie “Karate kid (2010)”, “Pacific Rim (2013)”, “Man of Tai Chi (2013)”, “Gravity (2014)”, to name a few. “Transformers 4 (2014)” is only the latest in a string of high-profile films that have received financial and/or logistical support from Chinese sources. Given the increased focus on Chinese box offices, it’s likely that these kinds of partnerships will only increase in the future.

In Malaysia, our Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Najib Tun Razak encourages Malaysians to learn Mandarin as China has emerged to be an economic superpower. “Today, more Malays speak Mandarin than ever before – part of transforming Malaysia to help give us the vital business edge in years to come, as China consolidates its economic power,” local Sin Chew Daily quoted him saying on 27th September, 2011. This shows that how important it is to learn Mandarin now. In addition, the governments of Malaysia and China announced Year 2014 as a ‘Friendship Year’ for both countries as Year 2014 marks 40 years anniversary of diplomatic relations. Both strong relations can be shown from commercial trading. In Year 2011, it already hit 90 billion U.S. dollars. Undeniably, Chinese language is getting more important starting from this moment. Furthermore, in Malaysia, most of the senior government officers start to learn Mandarin. Even in some of the private sectors, fluent or basic knowledge of Mandarin is a must for a job requirement.

Therefore, knowing one more extra language will make you more outstanding compared to other competitors.

“In 1982, Malaysia implemented the Look East Policy Programme and nowadays, Mandarin is the most taught foreign language after English in Japan. Therefore, if Japanese are learning it, shouldn’t Malaysians learn it as well?”

How can one learn Mandarin fast? The first step towards effective studying is to create an ideal study atmosphere that nurtures productivity. An ideal study atmosphere is considered on a broad vision and provided teaching resources to create a perfect study environment. Therefore, Kunkwan commits to provide you with its creative ‘Kunkwanization’ teaching method. (To be continued)

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The Preferred Pathway to a Career in Professional Accountancy Learning: ACCA or the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants is a leading international accountancy body from the UK. The ACCA qualification is recognised and is accepted globally as being equivalent to the local professional accounting qualification in most countries Mrs. Hor Poh Choo Principal and Chief Executive of Sunway Johor Bahru

n ACCA qualification proves to employers of a candidate’s ability in all aspects of business and is the largest and fastest growing qualification in the world, with over 500,000 members and students in 170 countries to-date. This professional qualification enables one to become a Chartered Certified Accountant, use the designatory letters ACCA and work in any aspect of finance or management in any business or industry. An ACCA affiliate enjoys better employment prospects as a result of having shown an ability and understanding in all areas of business. This assures an employer of the skills necessary to progress to more senior management positions as candidates not only gain specialist knowledge in finance and accounting, but also acquire valuable skills in organisational management and strategy. Choosing to study accounting with ACCA will provide one with skills and knowledge relevant to any business, which allows one’s freedom to choose which type of accountancy role and preferred organisation. There is a strong focus on professional values, ethics and governance. This is essential because the accounting profession is moving towards strengthened codes of conduct, regulation and legislation. Sunway College Johor Bahru (Sunway JB) was awarded Platinum Status Approved Learning Partner (ALP) by ACCA, UK in 2012. This approval signifies that as a student tuition provider, the College has met the challenging quality assurance measures and performance indicators set by ACCA. In addition to meeting the Gold performance

(from right) Hor Poh Choo, Principal and Chief Executive of Sunway JB targets, Platinum ALPs have to provide evidence of continual improvement and innovation, while consistently meeting examination results targets, by exceeding ACCA’s worldwide pass rates. “To date our College has nurtured 23 World and Malaysian Prize Winners,” said Hor Poh Choo, Principal and Chief Executive of Sunway JB. Hor also reinforced that with the award, the Professional Accounting programmes offered by Sunway College Johor Bahru are endorsed to be of the highest standard. “There are currently only a handful of Platinum ALPs in Malaysia and Sunway JB is the only one in the Southern Region of Malaysia,” added Hor. SPM school leavers will need to undertake the Certified Accounting Technician (CAT) as a pathway

to the ACCA qualification. Sunway JB has developed a system whereby students are assessed based on a combination of computer-based and paper-based examinations to ensure a smoother flow from start to the finish. Intakes are in January, April and July and the duration to complete the CAT level is approximately one year. As for the ACCA qualification, applicants must have completed the CAT or obtained 2 principal passes at STPM or an equivalent pre-university qualification. Intakes are in January and July and most students take approximately 3 years to achieve affiliate status. For more information on the professional accounting pathway, call Sunway College Johor Bahru at 07-3596880 to speak with a programme counsellor or visit www.sunway.edu.my/jb to download the e-brochure.

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Workplace Well-being

he concept of well-being comprises two main elements: feeling good and functioning well. Feelings of happiness, contentment, enjoyment, curiosity and engagement are characteristic of someone who has a positive experience of their life. Equally important for wellbeing is our functioning in the world. Experiencing positive relationships, having some control over one’s life and having a sense of purpose are all important attributes of wellbeing. In recent years, there has been a discernible shift of focus in the field of psychology from illness to well-being. The emergence of positive psychology and the science of well-being has brought with it greater interest in establishing the underlying causes of feeling and functioning well. The first study in the UK to measure well-being estimated that only 14% of the population has a high level of well-being, referred to as ‘flourishing’. A further 14% has very low well-being, notwithstanding individuals with a diagnosed mental disorder. A whole range of factors determine an individual’s level of personal well-being but evidence indicates that the things we do and the way we think can have the greatest impact. A survey suggests that building the following five actions into our day-to-day

lives is important for well-being: 1. Connect With the people around you. With family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. At home, work, school or in your local community. Think of these as the cornerstones of your life and invest

time in developing them. Building these connections will support and enrich you every day. 2. Be active Go for a walk or run. Step outside. Cycle. Play a game. Garden. Dance.

Exercising makes you feel good. Most importantly, discover a physical activity you enjoy and that suits your level of mobility and fitness. 3. Take notice Be curious. Catch sight of the beautiful. Remark on the unusual. Notice the changing seasons. Savour the moment, whether you are walking to work, eating lunch or talking to friends. Be aware of the world around you and what you are feeling. Reflecting on your experiences will help you appreciate what matters to you. 4. Keep learning Try something new. Rediscover an old interest. Sign up for that course. Take on a different responsibility at work. Fix a bike. Learn to play an instrument or how to cook your favourite food. Set a challenge you will enjoy achieving. Learning new things will make you more confident as well as being fun. 5. Give

Do something nice for a friend, or a stranger. Thank someone. Smile. Volunteer your time. Join a community group. Look out, as well as in. Seeing yourself, and your happiness, linked to the wider community can be incredibly rewarding and creates connections with the people around you.

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ACCUMULATING WEALTH?

¬ Discovering Treasures by Reading the Company Annual Report (part 1)

ecently, the stock market is a bit quiet in terms of lower trading volume and underperformed share prices. You might have heard some noises lately, such as, ‘Sell in May and go away’, or “The World Cup is coming, better sell and keep cash” and so on. But to me, May and June of this year are the two months of opportunity. First, the price correction as a result of people’s fear means that you can buy undervalued stocks at better price. Second, May is a typical earning report season, and it’s also the month of releasing company annual reports. If you want to make serious money in the stock market, company annual report is the important source that you don’t want to miss reading. Why is it so? Because if you read the right content, you’d discover treasures that inevitably help you make tremendous profit. Therefore, where should we start in reading this few hundred pages ‘book’? Let’s start with the first one today:

Chairman / CEO Statement:

The CEO normally mentions the company’s past year performance, financial highlights, order book, development of new product or services (if any), business strategies, prospect and so on. To me, this is the most crucial part of the report. Why? Imagine this, would you like the CEO reporting first hand information to you, back by their expertise, projects tendered, order

intake, and possibly the estimated revenue growth for the coming years? Reading a CEO / Chairman Statement has this privilege! If you’re sharp, you can somehow get the overview of how will the company be doing for the current financial year (yes, it’s 2014 in this case). Normally, the CEO / Chairman would rather be more conservative in their statement, because if they painted an overly optimistic picture and far from realistic, they will be questioned by the investors during the Annual General Meeting (AGM). On the other hand, if the CEO is confident on what he is doing, he could make very positive statements, such as, “The future of our company remains to be bright due to the world’s demand of XXX (their product or services) remains strong.” Or, “2014 will be a more exciting year as we are

Tey Bin Yuen is the founder of BY Enrich Resources and the author of ‘Life beyond the Comfort Zone’. His books are available at major bookstores in Singapore & Malaysia. He’ll be conducting a seminar ‘Profit from Share Investment 8’ on 15 June 14. Reach him at contact@teybinyuen.com

seeing the order book to be doubled, contributed from our newly developed products….” Here’s a tip of reading CEO/ Chairman statement - try to read at least three years annual report together, and compare the correlation between them. If you understood the rationale, you will be able to see the association between the company’s revenue (increasing or decreasing), profit and eventually, their share price performance in the future. As the Chinese saying goes, ‘In books you can find not only gold but glowing beauty’. It means for one to get rich and marry a beautiful wife (or a handsome husband?), he or she needs to study diligently and gain knowledge. So let’s continue our journey of exploring gold through discussing the company’s annual report in the next issue.

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Faculty of Caffeine - Specialty Cafe

recently met up with my friend William Yap at the Faculty of Caffeine - Johor Bahru’s newest café on JB’s oldest street - Jalan Trus. Stepping inside Faculty of Caffeine; we enter a small, quaint space blending the old and new that perhaps is the forerunner of the transformation of JB’s oldest street filled with youthful energy and aspiration yet well rooted in the city’s rich heritage. Faculty of Caffeine is the brainchild of two childhood buddies, Vinc and Edward. Vinc is an interior designer by training and Edward will be graduating from medical school soon. They both share a passion for coffee, dreaming and talking about having their own café since a long time. So when this old shop lot at Jalan Trus became available, the buddies jumped at the opportunity. Everything inside Faculty of Caffeine has the talented owners’ personal stamp. The artworks here were done by Vinc and Edward. The charming decor is an artful blend of the new and old, and pleasingly blended together tastefully and in harmony. The menu at Faculty of Caffeine is simple - just premium coffee and all-day brunch. Here’s what we tried:

cosmopolitan set who have studied, worked or lived in the West. Everything on the plate was prepared by the owners. No excessive condiments like salt or sugar added, so we were able to taste the natural flavours of the eggs, tomatoes, and mushrooms.

Next, was the garlic bread. Personally, I am not a big fan of garlic bread but the ones made here was very appetising. Most average garlic bread has a bland or salty taste and is

The Food Faculty of Caffeine’s English breakfast brunch set is named “Generous Breakfast”. There is demand in JB for well-prepared Western style breakfast from the well-travelled

quite greasy as they are made with commercial garlic butter spread. But the garlic bread here looked generic and was one of the better ones that I have tasted for a long time. The slice of toasted French loaf had the right amount of crispiness and the olive oil, chopped fresh garlic and mozzarella cheese topping was a good balance of savouriness (not sodium saltiness). After the delicious garlic bread, we were served with “The Minty Beef Sandwich”. Between the soft and bouncy ciabatta bread were chopped beef bacon, button mushrooms, and caramelised onions. I enjoyed the soft texture and blend of savoury flavours this Minty Beef Sandwich had. The Coffee Faculty of Caffeine uses 100% Arabica in their coffees. The coffees are strong with nice body as all are double shot espresso, yet they are not overwhelming.

Just pleasant and easy to like, and you may fall in love with it! It had none of the bitterness and acidity of average blended coffee that adds Robusta. I enjoyed my coffee at Faculty of Caffeine without needing to add any sugar at all. The Dessert We rounded up our session with chocolate brownie topped with vanilla ice cream made by Edward’s mum. It was a nice blend of warm cake and cold ice cream; soft

Choosing the right Gym (part 2)

ith the continuing building boom and subsequent growth of population throughout Johor, we see a growth in the amount of Gyms available, vying for your business.

How do you find a gym that is suitable for you? Finding the right gym is a lot like finding new restaurant. A good gym will need to fit your personality, and it will need something to motivate you to come back and exercise on a regular basis. If you don’t make a regular commitment to a gym; you will not reach your target. We explore part 2 of ‘Choosing the right Gym’ to get better insight. f) Equipment Take a good look around. Are there enough of the “popular” machines to go around, or do members have to wait in line to use them? Find out if there is a sign-up sheet or a time limit on cardio equipment. If you run on a treadmill for an hour, then a 30-minute time limit won’t really suit

you, (however, have you considered trying a different type of machine or exercise?) Make sure that there are a wide variety of machines, notice whether or not instructions and pictures are posted on the machines, or if staffs are available to help you. Keep an eye out for out-of-order machines, as this might be indicative of a poorly maintained gym. g) Classes If you are interested in group classes, check the schedule for those offered at the gym. Make sure that the classes you want to take are offered at the times you can attend, and find out if you need to show up early to reserve a spot. High-energy classes like Zumba or functional training or maybe a calming yoga class might be more up your alley. If group classes are the

staple of your exercise programme, find out if the gym charges extra for classes before you join. h) Fees

We all have a budget for our hobbies and going to a gym will be no different. If you made a shortlist of gyms based upon the above criteria, cost might be the deciding factor. Some gyms offer their members little extra’s such as free Wi-Fi, refreshments, and even classes. Be aware of what you are signing for. Some gyms will try to tie you down to an annual membership. Read the terms carefully. Most gyms will offer a range of membership options from annual, six months, monthly, or three monthly. Find out payment

icy cream, moist spongy cake and crunchy nutty granola; sweet cake, vanilla and caramel. A definite winner!

Restaurant name: Faculty of Caffeine Address: 106, Jalan Trus, Johor Bahru (across the road from the Johor Old Temple and beside Plaza Seni) Map: http://goo.gl/maps/Z9i3L GPS: 1.460365,103.763511 Hours: 11:00 am to 10:00pm No pork, no lard, no Halal cert.

options as well. There is a history of unscrupulous gyms taking members money and running away with it. There was a recent example of that in Johor, with members going to court to get their money back. So, always be aware of excessive amounts of ‘special offers’ or multi-year membership offers. Most gyms will offer the cheapest rate for those signing up for a year and that’s a fair deal, as any business grows on commitment. Your commitment enables them to plan for longer term growth. Look for a gym which fits your need and if you have any doubts why not initially sign up for a month just to see how it goes. It’s a simple fact as most people last less than 90 days as members anyway, so this way you should be able to find out how committed you are to your new fitness lifestyle. Remember that finding the right gym can be your key to a healthy lifestyle. Article by Kim Lee Tan – REPS Fitness Sdn Bhd, Johor. @repsfitness

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ISSUE 22 | JUNE 2014

T HE I SKANDAR I AN

PROPERTY

RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS

Must Read Property Corner

Case Study 1: House in PJ >> pg 27

APARTMENTS

VILLAS

CONDOMINIUMS

OFFICE/ RETAILSPACE

Cover Story MAPEX 2014 >> pg 30,31

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The Iskandarian

quick Reads

Singapore cautions foreign property investment

Singapore’s central bank has warned citizens of the risks attached to buying properties overseas, after data showed a surge in Singaporeans’ investment in real estate abroad. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said local real estate agencies had handled overseas property deals worth S$2bil last year – a 43% rise since 2012. “MAS would like to remind potential investors to be mindful of various risks associated with overseas property purchases,” the central bank said, citing foreign exchange and interest rate risks as examples, along with less stringent rules governing foreign property developers. “Risks are more difficult to assess or manage when investors are unfamiliar with conditions in overseas markets, such as the prospects for oversupply of properties, or of a deterioration in economic conditions,” it added. MAS said it was closely monitoring overseas purchases ‘with a view to ensuring financial stability as well as financial prudence among Singaporean.’

Leisure Farm JV’s to build roads in Iskandar Malaysia UEM Sunrise Bhd and Mulpha International Bhd have formed a joint venture for three road projects in the vicinity of Iskandar Malaysia valued at RM107mil. UEM Sunrise subsidiary Nusajaya Rise Sdn Bhd (NRSB) will own 59% stake in the venture while Mulpha International unit Leisure Farm Corp Sdn Bhd (LFC) will hold the balance stake. It is the developers’ first joint venture. In a joint statement, the companies said they would build and upgrade roads in Gelang Patah and Gerbang Nusajaya. To better serve the needs of the Leisure Farm Resort (LFR) community, LFR had obtained approvals from the local authority to build three interchange roads. Mulpha International executive chairman Lee Seng Huang said the collaboration was set to create a direct link from Gerbang Nusajaya and Leisure Farm Resort to the Malaysia-Singapore Second Link (Linkedua).

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Adjustment to OPR after July Highlight: Bank Negara Malaysia’s Governor Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz said the degree of monetary accommodation or the overnight policy rate (OPR) may need to be adjusted

ank Negara Malaysia (BNM) said the degree of monetary accommodation or the overnight policy rate (OPR) may need to be adjusted amid signs of continued build-up of economic and financial imbalances. Governor Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz said the central bank will look at what is the optimal policy to be implemented in order to address the issue. “We want to be anticipatory and pre-emptive rather than waiting for another imbalance,” said Zeti. For the first quarter, the OPR was maintained at 3.00% and the monetary

conditions remained supportive of economic activity. The three-month interbank rate was higher during the quarter following the absence of trades with BNM at the three-month tenure as a result of the reduction in the maximum tenure of BNM’s Range Maturity Auction from three months to two months. Any adjustment related to the overnight policy rate (OPR) will probably be announced after the monetary policy committee meeting in July. “Any adjustment on the OPR will be based on the outlook for inflation, outlook for growth and risk to growth

and any other risks arising from financial imbalances that may be destabilising,” she added. Zeti said the current measures by the central bank are taking effect and it did not want to cause over adjustment. “Our economy has reached growth on very stable trajectory and this is what we want to achieve. “We are not trying to make any adjustment that will result in higher growth or even lower growth. What is important is a steady growth path that will be sustainable over a longer period of time,” she said.

Property Corner

¬ Case Study 1: House in PJ A.Devadason CA(M), FCCA, MDRT Deva is a partner in the firm of Dason & Dason, Chartered Accountants who specialice in tax advisory and consultancy. He can be reached at deva@dason.com.my

call came from a client residing in Petaling Jaya (PJ) and he wants my opinion based on the following

facts: • H e is currently staying in a 2 ½ storey house in the SS area, at a rent of RM2k/month. There has been an offer from the landlord to sell the house at RM780k. • The house is surrounded by a plot of land at the back and acts as a buffer from the water tank that caters to the entire section of the housing scheme. The neighbourhood is relatively quiet as most houses are owner occupied. • There is a mosque around 300 meters away and the LRT is about 5 minutes walk, making it convenient to commute to his office at KLCC. The children’s school are 10 minutes away and is on the same route as his wife’s office thus making driving a relatively pleasant experience in the congested Klang Valley. He thus posed the following questions:1. Financially, should I buy the house? 2. What other financial factors must I consider?

3. What non-financial must I consider?

factors

After hitting my trusty calculator I called him back with the following thoughts that financially, it does not make economical sense because :• The rent saved is merely about 3.1% (RM24k rent per year/RM780k) of the purchase price. • Most banks give loans at around BLR – 2.4% and this amount to 4.2% of interest charged (current BLR being 6.6%). • On a net basis, his wealth would deteriorate by 1.1% (4.2% - 3.1%) as the interest paid is higher than rent saved. Other financial factors to consider are:• Bank valuation on the said property. • The agreement of the landlord to sign an Option Letter so as to lock him from offering to someone else. Usually, the Purchaser has to fork out 1-2% of the purchase price and should be expressly mentioned that this Earnest Deposit should be refunded in the event loan facilities are not granted by banks. • The earnest deposit should also be mentioned that it forms part of the 10% of consideration on the signing of the Sales & Purchase Agreement. • The actual interest rate charged by the banks. • Lock-in period of loan tenure and the penalty for early settlement/refinancing. • Cash flow to cater to the initial 10%, any shortage from valuation and legal fees that on its own can be over

RM55k. Non-financial matters to consider are:• The land at the back of the house can be used as “farm land” to plant some household produce such as long beans, lady’s finger, brinjal, etc. • The existence of a water tank towering over the house is not everyone’s cup of tea. The idea of an imposing structure shadowing the house can have psychological effect on the next buyer as he/she may see it as a threat in case the tower cracks/breaks. • The convenience factor of having important facilities nearby can negate the financial drawbacks of buying the property. If commuting time reduction between the home to school/office can provide significant monetary savings, it may be enough to mitigate the net effect discussed in point 6 above. • The presence of the mosque is a double edged sword. The call to prayer is appreciated by Muslims but this may not be so for everyone. Thus, selling the house in future may prove to be a big challenge unless it is purchased by the segment of population who likes having the place of worship within a stone’s throw away. In summary, I ended by asking him to place all the positives and drawbacks’s of this property on a piece of paper and weigh the net effect. Evaluate the outcome objectively and make the final decision with no or low emotional attachment. Whatever outcome he chooses, he should look forward and never look back in regret.

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Property Investment ¬ Prosper in Health or Sickness Ed Cheong is the Singapore founder of the Iskandar Malaysia Investors Forum and Rafflesland Group of Companies which provides platform for property investors to gain insights and world-class investment strategies. He is contactable at iskandar@rafflesland.com

or successful businesses, the external economic condition matters the most. Very few industries can stay isolated from bigger environmental factors such as economic down cycle, stagnation, recovery and policy changes. In my experience, most businesses and investments go bust when they mistimed opportunities. As I have written much on in the last few months, external signals are not encouraging. Many economies grew based on cheap borrowings which will end soon with

policy tightening and bubbles will bust. In this issue, I will present one super insulated industry that will prosper regardless of global economic cycles. If we take heed, the best times are ahead and you will see multiple fold returns on your investments and business in Iskandar Malaysia. Regardless of times, people need medical care. According to its master plan, one of Iskandar Malaysia’s industry focuses on medical and allied-health services. Although we haven’t had much news on this subject, I strongly believe healthcare deserves our private sector’s attention the most in this region. To understand that, let me point out that Singapore is the leading healthcare hub in South-East and South Asia. With over 32% of the world’s population and 11% of its GDP, South East Asia’s rapidly growing and aging population enables Singapore to register double digit growth in medical seeking visitors’ arrival every year. Take a walk on a Monday into Mount

Elizabeth Hospital and you will really know what I mean. Busier than the Stock Exchange of Singapore, it resembles the Great Singapore Sale and Changi Airport combined! However, investments in private healthcare infrastructure have lagged behind growth. There lies the immense opportunity for complementary services in Iskandar. A word of caution is needed as medical services’ reputation is highly dependent with great barriers of entry. Talents require years to develop and patients are picky. With Thailand still in political turmoil, its medical industry which was often ranked just after Singapore is greatly affected. This has in turn benefitted Singapore with unprecedented spurts of growth. In order for Iskandar Malaysia to benefit from the overflowing medical business, it has to speed up the building of new private hospitals, arrange for talent migration and recognition of professional

qualifications. Iskandar Malaysia should start specialised training for nursing and allied health services to develop a local pool of professionals which will stay. In five years time, when the high speed rail connects central Singapore to Nusajaya, it is highly possible that this region can rival Thailand as the second most important medical hub in South East Asia. The key success factor is talent development. I am sure with Khazanah’s focus in IHH, the leading health conglomerate in Singapore; it has the wherewithal to make Nusajaya successful. Developers like Sunway too should accelerate their healthcare developments in Medini instead of selling residential properties. If you have any question on business and investment strategy for healthcare, please write to me at iskandar@rafflesland. com. We have helped many companies and investors penetrate this sector across Singapore and Malaysia.

UMLand to Collaborate with Samsung Highlight: Samsung Malaysia Electronics (SME) Sdn Bhd will be the official supplier for consumer electronics products of UMLand’s new development

nited Malayan Land Berhad (“UMLand”) and Samsung Malaysia Electronics (“SME”) Sdn Bhd has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to appoint Samsung Malaysia Electronics as its exclusive Smart Lifestyle Partner and official supplier for consumer electronic products in UMLand’s current and future developments. This is a significant milestone for UMLand in positioning itself to become the lifestyle developer and to provide luxury and quality products in all their projects. UMLand Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr Charlie Chia said in his opening speech, “It is an honour and great privilege that Samsung Malaysia Electronics have agreed to be our Smart Lifestyle Partner, it is hope that this will mark another achievement in mutual collaboration with Samsung”. “With this MoU, all our current and future developments and also our sales gallery will be equipped with Samsung consumer electronic products. This will surely elevate our developments to the next level,” he added. During the event, UMLand Medini

Lakeside Development Sdn Bhd (“MLSB”) a subsidiary of United Malayan Land Bhd (“UMLand”) also officially opened its new sales gallery in Puteri Harbour which will showcase the UMCity @ Medini Lakeside project comprising of Business Suites, Serviced Apartments, Branded Residence, Hotel and a unique neighbourhood Mall with great F&B offerings and conveniences with an expected GDV of RM 1 Billion. UMCity is part of UMLand’s 30 acre Medini Lakeside Masterplan which is situated at the gateway into Medini Iskandar is strategically positioned to be an ideal enclave in this new metropolis. Medini Lakeside combines vibrant development components with sustainable green concepts. Positioned as the commercial hub of the Medini Lakeside Masterplan UMCITY a one of its kind commercial lakeside development designed for a vibrant community and will feature distinctive qualities expected of a UMLand project to set itself apart from other developments within Medini. The launch ceremony was officiated by YAB Tun Musa bin Hitam the Chairman of UMLand.

UMLand Group CEO Charlie Chia (seated second from left) and Samsung’s Lee Don Yong sign the MoU witnessed by YAB Tun Musa bin Hitam

YAB Tun Musa bin Hitam officiating UMCity Galleria at The Little Red Cube

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22,000 HOUSES PUT UP FOR SALE Highlight: MAPEX 2014 sets the pace for property outlook for the year as the second half of 2014 is set to witness a change in the rules of property investment By Maisarah & Zarakay

newsdesk@theiskandarian.com

APEX continues to be a must see fixture for property hunters who want to make the right purchase decision and MAPEX 2014 will once again feature renowned investment gurus imparting their expert advice to possible investors. This year’s MAPEX showcases 107 booths which were snapped up by developers 2 months ahead of the event. “This year, 35 developers confirmed their participation beforehand. These include EcoWorld, UM Land, SP Setia, Seri Austin, UEM Sunrise, Tanah Sutera, IOI, Iskandar Waterfront, I&P, IJM, MB Group, Southkey and many more who will be showcasing their projects,” said KK Wong, Chairman of MAPEX Organising Committee. Koh Moo Hing, Branch Chairman of REHDA Johor said, “From the third quarter onwards, it is anticipated that continued high liquidity, additional public expenditure on infrastructure and renewed confidence in the future will bring residential property values to new heights.” MAPEX 2014 was officiated by Johor Housing & Local Government

Committe Chairman YB Datuk Abdul Latif bin Bandi. This year’s event saw a total value of RM18.7 billion which is more than a hundred percent increase in comparison to 2013’s RM9 billion in value. A total number of 22,000 houses were up for grabs which is 10,000 houses more than what was put up for sale in 2013. “Despite cooling measures, the market indicators have proved that the second half of 2014 might show a stronger property market,” added KK Wong. MAPEX is a series of property exhibitions organised by the Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association Malaysia (REHDA). MAPEX is well established as the premier and largest convenient onestop centre in bringing together a wide range of innovative property developments from under construction to completed properties and attractive financial packages for potential purchasers and investors. REHDA Johor aims to provide housing in pleasant environment for Johorians, assisting the proper development and construction of buildings for commercial, industrial and residential purposes for buyers while assisting the creation of better employment opportunities in the building industry.

YB Datuk Abdul Latif bin Bandi officiating MAPEX 2014 alongside the members of REHDA

YB Datuk Abdul Latif bin Bandi (centre) during the walkabout at MAPEX accompanied by Koh Moo Hing (second from left) and KK Wong (right)

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