The Iskandarian July 2015 Issue by The Iskandarian-WAVES Lifestyle

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The Iskandarian ISSUE 35 | JULY 2015

Official Newspaper

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The Iskandarian,

Iskandar Malaysia’s Official Newspaper, is a synergistic product by IRDA’s Social Development Division & True Soul Media PLT

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The Iskandarian Monthly Drill

We get in touch with CEOs & Chairmen to drill them with questions

The strengthening of the Singapore Dollar is also another catalyst for Iskandar’s property market

- Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Leong Hoy Kum, Group Managing Director/ Group Chief Executive of Mah Sing Group

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HIGH SPEED DRAIN? Highlight

pg 9

Will the High Speed Rail service drain the existing talent pool in Iskandar Malaysia or will it be the catalyst to its expansion towards becoming an International City?

More on pg5

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INSIDE EduCity Sundown Malaysia 2015 will be held on 5th September 2015 at Nusajaya. Registration is now open (subject to availability) President of the Malaysian Bar, Steven Thiru at the Prevention of Terrorism Act & Amendments to Sedition Act 1948 (POTA) forum held in Johor Bahru pg 13 recently

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“

We share and communicate our vision across various platforms

The Iskandarian

Our Friends

Social entrepreneurship is a vital part of our focus on a people’s pg 26 economy

pg 24 Dr. Mohd Azlan bin Ab Jalil GM of RTC Johor

Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak Prime Minister of Malaysia

JB’s first ever film festival Benchmark

The inaugural Johor Bahru Film Festival featured films and filmmakers from the region and beyond By Priya Manikam newsdesk@theiskandarian.com

he Johor Society for the Performing Arts (JSPA) recently presented its inaugural Johor Bahru Film Festival (JBFF), which screened films from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Philippines, India, France, and Japan at MAP and Multimedia University, Nusajaya. A red carpet reception took place on June 11th at the launch venue – MAP Nusajaya where YAM Tunku Tun Aminah Maimunah Binti Sultan Ibrahim was the guest of honour. The event was also attended by other distinguished guests, film directors, filmmakers and actors of the movies featured. The evening kicked off with the screening of the Malaysian film Cuak; a film jointly directed by five local directors Khairil M Bahar, Manesh Nesaratnam, Lim Benji, Tony Pietra Arjuna and Shamaine Othman. When asked why five

directors, Khairil was happy to say that, “Having one director is common and we wanted to challenge ourselves and was glad that we were able to pull it off”. “The introduction of the JB Film Festival 2015 is JB: IFC’s response to the demand for film-related activities from the success of past film events under the JB Arts Festival,” said Yap Siong Cheng, President and founder of JSPA and organiser of the JBFF. He also added that with more funding, the festival could achieve greater lengths next year and expose more people to the Iskandar Malaysia region. Five short films by amateur filmmakers were also screened. Lawrence Johnson an awardwinning filmmaker from the USA told The Iskandarian that he saw a lot of creativity, fun, and passion in the films, but the quality of the movies could be improved with a scriptwriter. Nevertheless, he added that the local filmmakers have got what it takes and there are always room to improve.

One of the movies featured at the Film Festival Besides the movie screenings, two workshops and a forum were held by Lawrence Johnson (USA), Sheron Dayoc (Philippines), and other directors and producers of the numerous films screened during the festival. The inaugural JB Film Festival is the third of a series of Festivals under the JB: IFC (Johor Bahru: International Festival City)

Quick Reads

umbrella. JB: IFC is a bold initiative by JSPA to catapult and position JB as a leading festival city in the region, hosting world acclaimed arts, music, cultural and lifestyle events. Upcoming festivals under JB:IFC slated for later this year include the much-anticipated 12th JB Arts and Fringe Festival (10 September– 9 October), and the JB Food & Visual Arts Festival (October– December).

JB – Spore Shuttle Service

Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTMB) will operate a KTM Intercity shuttle service between JB Sentral, Johor Bahru and Woodlands, Singapore from July 1, Bernama reports. Named the Tebrau Shuttle, the rail service aims to cut Johor Causeway congestion by running 14 trains daily – seven in each direction. The

shuttle from JB Sentral will run from 5.30 am to 10.00 pm; and from Woodlands from 6.30 am to 11.00 pm. Single trips will cost RM5 from JB Sentral and S$5 from Woodlands. The introduction of the Tebrau Shuttle means that KTM Intercity West Coast Line express services will terminate at JB Sentral instead of Woodlands.

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Published by True Soul Media PLT [No.51-B, Jalan Impian Emas 5/1, Taman Impian Emas, 81300 Johor Bahru] Printed by Twinstar Synergy Sdn. Bhd. [Lot2A, Jln 13/2, Seksyen 13, 46200, Petaling Jaya, Selangor] Copyright of articles, contributions and photos which are published by The Iskandarian is the property of True Soul Media PLT. 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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The Iskandarian

Doâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s & Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ts The good, the bad and the ugly of fellow Iskandarians.

The benefit of the doubt given that it could have been a real emergency? -Sent by Ronald Seng

Royal LEGO Touch By Priya Manikam newsdesk@theiskandarian.com

egoland Malaysia Resort proudly presented the LEGO version of the Istana Bukit Serene in a special ceremony to His Majesty, DYMM Sultan of Johor. The majestic palace was constructed using over 278,023 LEGO bricks including special gold LEGO bricks which was custom made. The entire LEGO palace model display sits on an area of 155.824 square meters and it took a team of six model builders and one model designer with slightly over 2,300 man hours to

Attraction

Legoland Malaysia Resort unveiled the LEGO Istana Bukit Serene

DYMM Sultan of Johor gracing the unveiling of his palace at Legoland complete the structure. HRH DYMM Sultan

Ibrahim Ismail graced the unveiling at Legoland. TI

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Happenings

Good cause

recap

streets Charity Iftar for children

Sharing with you the happenings from last month

A Home For Nepal Charity Zumba at Southern College

ranada Hotel Johor Bahru hosted a Charity Iftar Dinner for orphans, special needs children and old folks. Orphans from the Baitul Maghfirah Home in Bandar Baru Uda and special needs children from the Nusajaya Disabled Development Department as well as the elderly from Happy Old Folks Home in Taman Ungku Aminah were treated to the Rasa Nusantara Ramadhan Buffet at Granada Hotel, Johor Bahru (GHJB) recently. Donations in form of general supplies and groceries

The children receiving their ‘duit raya’ green packets as well as ‘duit raya’ were also presented to the homes by the Management of GHJB. YB Haji Dr Zaini Abu Bakar, State Assemblyman

A Ramadan to Remember

Rohani Mohamed (2nd from left) and M.S. Bobby handing out the goodies

Forum

Iskandar Malaysia Youth Business Eco Business Forum

histle Johor Bahru (Thistle) treated 100 students from Sekolah Kebangsaan Pendidikan Khas Princess Elizabeth to a “Kampung Kita” Iftar at its

Orchid Ballroom. Over 400 guests from the corporate, government sectors, long staying guests and partners also attended this special Ramadan fast breaking event.

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

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

JB South Police IPD 07-2218 999

Ministry of Tourism (Johor) 07-223 3171

Tourism Malaysia Johor 07-222 3590 / 91

Immigration 07-224 4233

Iskandar Regional

Hotlines

for Nusajaya was present to officiate the iftar. He was accompanied by General Manager of GHJB, Stephen Teo. TI

All guests feasted over a various spread of authentic ‘home-cooked’ delicacies and were also entertained by special performances by students from Smart Readers BBU. Rohani Mohamed, Director of Sales of Thistle said that, “Let us make this occasion a memorable one for the less fortunate and those who are in need”. The night ended with M.S. Bobby, Director of Marketing Communications & Public Relations giving away specially made chocolates and butter cakes to the students and teachers.

Development Authority (IRDA) 07-233 3000

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FOOD

Fusion Flair at Spice Grill by Johor Kaki

pg 28

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pg 38

PROPERTY

Big turnout at Affordable Housing Showcase

The train to brain drain? Highlight

Will the High Speed Rail service drain the existing talent pool in Iskandar Malaysia or will it be the catalyst to its expansion towards becoming an International City? By Harish Mustak newsdesk@theiskandarian.com

uestions have been arising lately about the planning and development of the High Speed Rail (HSR) service that will link the nation’s capital, Kuala Lumpur to neighbouring Singapore. The HSR service will have a route connecting cities starting from Kuala Lumpur and will travel along the coast to Singapore through Seremban, Melaka, Muar, Batu Pahat and Nusajaya. The HSR and its travel route is an obvious initiative by the federal government to promote mobility, accessibility and also connectivity between the two capital cities Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. According to the Land Public Transport Commission, there is a need to improve connectivity between the two countries, as current traffic congestion is acute and far exceeds the capacity of

the Causeway, with the current infrastructure provisions. At present, the demands on the Causeway exceed capacity by 33 %. Traffic will continue to grow at a rate comparable to GDP growth of Malaysia-Singapore, at an average 3-5 %. Over the longer term, growth rates are expected to taper off, in line with expectations for a maturing market, with an average growth of 3.2 % per year from 2011-2060, with a market of 251 million passenger trips by 2060. The primary objective for the construction of the HSR is to reduce the travel time between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore to 90 minutes by strengthening the link between two of Southeast Asia’s most vibrant and fast-growing economic engines. Case in study will be the situation of the Iskandar Malaysia (IM) region once this project is underway and the outcome in a socioeconomic sense upon completion of the HSR service line. How will the region cope with the

From Cover

surge of population movement via the HSR line? Chief Executive of Iskandar Malaysia Regional Development Authority (IRDA), Datuk Ismail Ibrahim mentioned in a statement that IM region is growing fast and with an estimated increase in job opportunities and economic growth, the HSR rail system will present itself as a catalyst to the sustainability of the International City. “IM is a fast growing economic region. Since its inception in 2006, IM is targeting to create 817,500 job opportunities by the year 2025. Looking at IM’s current population, there is a clear need for talents from outside this region.” However, some may argue that the infrastructure would act more as a bane, redirecting traffic between the two capital cities and also siphoning out the talent pool in the IM region. The sluggish state of IM region lately has made many graduates and job seekers tend

to look to bigger cities like Kuala Lumpur and Shah Alam for better opportunities. The obvious choice for some Johorians would be our higherpaying neighbour, Singapore, due to the exchange rate. Who wouldn’t want to work in Singapore with almost three times the return? “Having good and efficient connectivity like the HSR service will increase IM’s value proposition to the investor. With more foreign and renowned companies coming into IM to set up their businesses, this simply means there are jobs available here in this region and hence will improve IM’s ability to attract talents to work and live in the region.” Datuk Ismail added in response to the migration of population to other regions, that IM presents so many opportunities for the local residents. From now, human capital is being developed by multiple initiatives with collaboration from the Government, GLCs, MNCs and Social Enterprises. Soon, when IM is

much more developed and with the development of the HSR service, the region will see floods of talent from outside the region. Following the recent announcement on RMK11, IM is poised to increase the level of education and skilled capacity of human capital in the region. IM also aims to harness talent through Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and Life-long Learning, and the increase of economic participation through knowledgeable and skilled human capital. Datuk Ismail told The Iskandarian, “Moving forward, the enhanced Comprehensive Development Plan II (CDP II 20142025) is giving focus to increasing the economic participation through knowledgeable and skilled human capital. Under this strategy, IM will be developing cluster-driven human capital which would support the promoted and emerging economic sectors in the region.” TI

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RENOWN Academy, UMLand and Rotary Medical Tourism Grows in JB Highlight Club Join Hands for Nepal & Sabah Funds raised by education institutions, NGO’s and developers for the victims of the devastating earthquakes that recently hit both Nepal and Sabah

Responsible

By Maisarah newsdesk@theiskandarian.com

n response to the devastating earthquakes that hit Nepal and Sabah, RENOWN Academy, together with UMLand and Rotar y Club of Johor Bahru organised a fundraising programme at Opal Residenz Bandar Seri Alam. Tan Siew Bee, the principal of RENOWN Academy said the objective of the Fundraising Event is to create awareness of the situation and raise funds for the many lives affected by the tragedy. “Our target is to raise RM100,000, and all proceeds will be donated to Nepal Disaster Relief Fund through The Rotary Club of Johor Bahru as well as to the Sabah victims” said Tan. “We need the support from everyone in the community to do their part and hope this effort will unite all of us towards the humanitarian goal” added Tan. Charity food fair, games, dance, zumba dance, jazz and pop music, musical orchestra, magic

The community of Seri Alam come together to lend their support show and singing performances were the highlights of the event. Freddie Lee, Executive Director of Seri Alam Properties Sdn Bhd (a subsidiary of UMLand) and also the in-coming President of Rotary Club of Johor Bahru said, “Seri Alam has carried out many of CSR initiatives in the past and we are happy to collaborate with Renown Academy in this noble cause”. “With the support of everyone, we hope to raise sufficient funds to help those in dire

need,” he added. As part of the event, the public were encouraged to donate recyclable products such as newspaper, glass, plastic, aluminium and tin cans to raise public awareness on recycling and the reuse of recyclable products. Seri Alam also took the opportunity to showcase their latest project comprising of cluster homes (Opal Ivory) and semi-detached villas (Opal Amber) series within Opal Residenz to the public.

New Hall for Kg Sungai Melayu Highlight

UEM Sunrise presents a newly refurbished and restored hall for the Kampung Sungai Melayu community

roudly announcing the newly refurbished and restored community hall, UEM Sunrise continues to engage with the community of Kampung Sungai Melayu. Master Developer of Nusajaya, UEM Sunrise aims to improve the facility at the village with a strategic initiative where major local community events can be conducted and host numerous public engagement activities ranging from fishing and tourist attraction activities. A total value of RM50,000 was contributed and sponsored by UEM Sunrise earlier this year to cover electricity works, door replacements and metal deck roofs installation as well as wall-repainting. All damaged parts hit by a major storm during the past monsoon season were restored and fixed within two months. “Kampung Sungai Melayu has a population of approximately 800 people and most of us are fishermen while some are attached to small-medium industries. We have been receiving over 3,000 locals as well as overseas tourists since being declared as an eco-tourism village on November 2014,” said Pandak Ahmad, Village Head of Kampung Sungai Melayu. He added, “We are very delighted to have this refurbished hall and I am sure it will support the villagers in showcasing their small-medium industry products.” Officiating and speaking at the event,

Pandak explaining to Rusli the products offered by the small-medium industries Rusli Zainal Abidin, General Manager Township Infrastructure and Planning of UEM Sunrise said, “As a responsible corporate citizen, UEM Sunrise is pleased to partake and engage with Kampung Sungai Melayu. In line with our corporate responsibility objective, we want to help to create a better living for the people within our developments and the areas that we operate.” UEM Sunrise has also planned and organised numerous CSR events this year that focus on High Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) development such as Academic Excellence Programme, Road Safety Programme, Motivational Camp and Talks and many more exclusively for the UEM Sunrise PINTAR Schools Adoption Programme in Gelang Patah area. TI

Menara Landmark Medical Suites caters to growing demand for private medical services and medical tourism

alaysia’s aspiration of becoming a regional hub for healthcare took a positive step forward with the opening of Menara Landmark Medical Suites in Johor Bahru City Centre. Wholly owned by Daiman Properties Sdn Bhd, the medical suites provide convenient, world-class healthcare at globally competitive prices that is catering to rising demand for private and medical tourism services. Daiman Properties Sdn Bhd Managing Director of Business Development Mr. Tay Hui Fong says, “With the overall increase in ASEAN’s consumer spending power, and thus the rising demand for private medical services, Malaysia is poised to be a leading regional medical tourism destination. Menara Landmark Medical Suites’ first-class facilities in a strategic location and roster of highly specialised and well-known health professionals; are a push towards this aspiration”. Menara Landmark Medical Suites caters to both local and international markets. According to a 2014 Qualitas Health survey, 65% of locals visit private clinics for primary medical needs. At the same time, Medical Tourism Association (MTA) statistics

show that the country’s medical revenue reached RM690.2 million in 2014, while its number of medical tourists increased 129% from 583,000 in 2011 to 768,000 in 2013. The MTA cites cheaper air travel and competitive rates on medical care as key factors in the growth of this sector. Chief Executive of IRDA, Datuk Ismail Ibrahim said Menara Landmark Medical Suites’ services are in line with Iskandar Malaysia’s ‘Smart and Healthy Cities and Communities’ initiative to ensure the economic region enjoys a higher quality of life through utilising and advancing technology in health services. “As such, we are proud to have Menara Landmark Medical Suites offering a new avenue for medical practitioners to deliver world-class services to local and international patients, at globally competitive rates. This could also potentially boost medical tourism in Iskandar Malaysia,” said Datuk Ismail. Menara Landmark Medical Suites’ fully integrated and multidisciplinary facility has enabled a synergy amongst its practitioners that directly benefit patients. Physicians are able to offer convenient medical referrals to other outpatient and medical services within the building.

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Bring on the night By Harish Mustak newsdesk@theiskandarian.com

ack for the second time, EduCity Sundown Malaysia 2015 will be held on 5th September 2015 at Nusajaya. World Endurance Malaysia Sdn Bhd, the organiser of this night run recently announced the flag off location and time which has been confirmed to be at the EduCity Sports Complex in Nusajaya, Johor at 8pm. According to the organisers, more than 3,000 participants have registered for the night run so far. The number of participants are expected to increase, optimistically, more than last year’s highly successful event with over 5,000 runners.

Interest

EduCity invites participants for the second installment of SunDown Malaysia Night Run “We would like to promise a more thrilling excitement and experience in this year’s edition and also would like to encourage those who are not running to come along in support for their friends and family who are running,” said CG Lim, General Manager of World Endurance Malaysia Sdn Bhd. As the premier night run in Johor, EduCity SunDown Malaysia will take runners on a scenic track across the beautiful coastal side of

Nusajaya. Sugumaran Kailasan, Chief Operating Officer of EduCity Iskandar Sdn Bhd said, “EduCity is proud to be the title and venue sponsor for the second year running. We believe the unique landscape around EduCity and Nusajaya provides the ideal backdrop for a scenic night run such as this.” The race will feature two distance categories, a Half-Marathon (21km) and a 12km run, with six

The VIP’s presenting the event logo and the Malaysian team logo runner categories – Half Marathon (Men’s and Women’s Open, Men’s and Women’s Junior Veteran, Men’s and Women’s Senior Veteran) and a further two categories in the 12km (Men’s and Women’s Open). Participants can look forward to receiving a running vest, official timing, finisher’s medal, e-certificate

and of course, goodie bags. Runners in the 21km category will also receive an exclusive finisher’s tee. For more information, visit the event’s official website at http:// sundownmalaysia.com. Registration fees in July are RM96 and will increase to RM106 in August (subject to availability). TI

IRDA Proud of RTC Johor’s Initiative Highlight

Chief Executive of IRDA commends RTC Johor for their efforts in promoting Urban Farming to the community in line with the mission to make Iskandar Malaysia a sustainable and healthy region

By Harish Mustak newsdesk@theiskandarian.com

he Rural Transformation Centre of Johor (RTC Johor) is expanding its reach from the rural areas and venturing into helping the urban community as well. One of its pioneer initiatives is to promote the effort of Urban Farming. “Farming as most people know and typically assumed to be run in rural areas and on big plots of land. That is true and is considered as traditional farming. However, this Urban Farming initiative is not something new. Other countries have long adapted this idea such as in Japan, and RTC Johor has done well to initiate this effort,” said Chief Executive of Iskandar Regional Development Authority, Datuk Ismail Ibrahim. Expressing his interest in a recent visit to an Urban Farming

plot in Kempas, Datuk Ismail said, “This Urban Farming initiative can be such a significant addition to the landscape of the urban community. There are also many plots of empty land in the region and these can be used for such initiatives.” Urban Farming can help change landscapes and provide better utilisation of empty plots of land in the region. This is because the land can be used to initiate and yield crop and resources for the community in a small scale. “What RTC Johor have done here can be a benchmark for future plans and initiatives. Starting small scale with the community and expanding to the state and nationwide in the future,” added Datuk Ismail. RTC Johor started these projects as part of its National Blue Ocean Strategy initiatives and has shown much promise in previous projects. TI

High Value Community Farming Project conducted by RTC Johor under the NBOS Initiative

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DRILL

EXCLUSIVE 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.

Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Leong Hoy Kum

Group Managing Director/Group Chief Executive

Monthly Drill

Mah Sing Group

Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Leong Hoy Kum started off as a plastic manufacturer and was very ambitious since his 20’s. He quickly acquired one factory, to starting three more and by the age of 35, his plastic company was listed in Bursa Malaysia. Coming from humble beginnings; punctuality, cleanliness, courteousness and hardworking characteristics which he had learnt from dealing with his Japanese customers, are the seeds behind his success. Venturing new frontiers, he then kicked off Mah Sing, his property baby and with the same perseverance, Mah Sing is now Malaysia’s leading property developer at the forefront of building quality homes and prime commercial and industrial projects. For over two decades, Mah Sing has continuously created iconic developments that have won more than 100 national and international awards for product design, concept, innovation and quality. The Group currently has 48 projects spread throughout Malaysia’s economic nexus and property hotspots, namely Kuala Lumpur and the Klang Valley, Johor Bahru (Iskandar Malaysia), Penang (North Corridor Economic Region) and Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.

How do you perceive the property market in Iskandar Malaysia at present? Malaysia’s property market is experiencing a softening of demand as buyers are still adjusting to the various cooling measures and the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST). For short term, Iskandar’s property market remains cautious. However, in long term, both transaction price and volume will remain uptrend as market demand continues to rise. At Mah Sing, we offer a mixed portfolio of products ranging from residential and commercial properties. More affordable homes will be launched to provide

opportunities to first-time buyers, upgraders and also middle-income earners as we have homes priced below RM 500,000. The strengthening of the Singapore Dollar is also another catalyst for Iskandar’s property market, as many Singaporean buyers are keen in looking for properties with great potential in capital appreciation. In Iskandar, we are pleased to note that overall take-up rates for both Phase 1 and Phase 2 of Mah Sing’s The Meridin@ Medini is currently at 82%. In my opinion, the right products at the right locations will continue to see real demand from property buyers who are buying to own, or buying to invest for long-term rental income.

Are banks helping or hurting the market especially with first time home buyers? The current housing loan interest is still favourable for property buyers, as Bank Negara maintained the OPR at 3.25%, and local banks’ effective lending rates are around 4.45% to 5.5%. Although banks have implemented stringent rules in housing loan approval, but eligible, genuine buyers who fulfil the financial requirements should not have problems in securing their loan.

Known as a man who champions social causes, share your vision on the importance of a sustainable society We acknowledge that our success in the long run is defined and influenced by the communities. Most initiatives for the community are rolled out under the Company’s CSR platform – the “Mah Sing Foundation”. The Foundation is a charitable trust set up to receive and administer funds solely for medical, educational and charitable purposes as well as to raise more funds via annual fund raising activities and events. The Company also believes in developing its people. Internal and external trainings been provided for

all employees, from non-executives to senior management to promote the continuous learning and improvement of each individual. We also sponsor employees to join community sporting events as we are an ardent supporter of community sports which unites people regardless of their age and cultural backgrounds while inculcating a healthy lifestyle amongst the community. Additionally, we also make it a point to incorporate environmental-friendly green features and innovations in our property development products. We have registered many of our development projects for green certification such as World Green Building Council which includes Malaysia’s Green Building Index (GBI), Singapore’s Green Mark; or United States’ Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED); or Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association Malaysia’s (“REHDA”) GreenRE.

You went from being a plastic manufacturer to Forbes Malaysia’s 50 Richest. What is the secret behind your success? I founded the plastic manufacturing business and it was listed on Bursa Malaysia in 1992. As for Mah Sing, our group efforts have made us the second largest property developer in Malaysia by sales value and named as an emerging proxy to the property development industry. The transition from plastic manufacturing to property development was a steep learning curve and was very challenging. The main challenge then and now was to carve out a niche in a crowded market place.

Your thoughts on Johor’s Affordable Housing Scheme? The state government has put a lot of efforts in building more affordable homes for the lower and middle income group and Mah Sing supports this motion. 44% of our planned residential products are launched and

priced below RM500,000 such as Sierra Perdana Meridin Bayvue apartments (block 3-4), and Meridin East link homes. We have also offered a mixed portfolio of products ranging from residential and commercial properties. Currently, we have a total of 1,585 acres landbank in Iskandar with 7 upcoming projects. Our remaining gross development value (GDV) is RM6.5 billion, unbilled sales at RM1 billion.

What can we expect from Mah Sing in Johor till 2016? Mah Sing recently opened the doors to its new Meridin East City Sales Gallery, where we showcased our largest township (to-date) to the public. We also launched The Willows, which comprises of double-storey link homes measuring 18’ x 65’ sq ft in Meridin East. The Willows is the first component to be previewed in the first precinct fondly named CasaEden in Meridin East. Meridin East is Mah Sing’s fifth and largest township in Johor with the intent to tap into the Group’s expertise in township master planning. The freehold land has an estimated GDV of RM5billion and measures approximately 1,352 acres. The township is strategically situated, fronting Jalan Kong Kong and Jalan Kota Masai, and is easily accessed using the Senai-Desaru Highway, where the land is just 1km from the Cahaya Baru interchange. To date, Mah Sing has a total of 7 projects in Johor. Mah Sing’s track record in Johor has been built over 14 years with the Group’s first township project of Sri Pulai Perdana in the year 2000, followed by Austin Perdana, Sri Pulai Perdana 2 and more recently, Bandar Meridin East. Further to this, Mah Sing recently launched Mah Sing iParc@Port of Tanjung Pelepas, located only 1km from the port. Mah Sing’s Meridin@Medini in Iskandar Malaysia is into its second and final phase with the release of affordable small sized commercial units, the Meridin Suites and Meridin SOVO. TI

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peggy loh

My johor stories

Peggy is a regular contributor to NST and The Malaysian Insider. She actively writes in her blog www.peggyloh.com about matters that are close to her heart. She can be reached at write2peggyloh@gmail.com

Cross-Cultural Comfort Cuisine

Stir-fried flat rice noodles, better known as char kway teow

South Indian rice meal served on a banana leaf plate

ne of my earliest memories of local food. The various race groups here have tasting delicious cendol was when become so socially and culturally integrated seated in dad’s parked car by a that it is now common to see people of all cendol stall near the Kota Tinggi races sitting in the same restaurant or food market. One of our regular stops in our non- court to enjoy a meal. In fact, if you walked air conditioned car en route to the waterfalls into an Indian restaurant for a South Indian for a picnic and swim was to enjoy icy cool rice meal, don’t be surprised that the majority cendol. After dad placed our order in Tamil, of customers are non-Indians. And notice the vendor would pass bowls of shaved, that the Chinese are enjoying the spiciest slushy ice topped with green worm-like jelly, dishes and expertly eating with their hands through the open window to us. I was too from sheets of banana leaves! It’s interesting that non-Indian fans young to hold the bowl then but distinctly remember slurping this refreshing dessert of South Indian food are so familiar with the variety of dishes and meals that they know on those sunny days. In tours to Senai, Kluang and Muar, exactly how and what to order. Some even I discovered that traditional cendol vendors know how to enjoy rasam; a spicy South are now third generation members of Indian- Indian soup and will remind the staff to bring Muslim families. Just as in other popular the air-tight drum of crispy papadam around to serve them. And Malaysian food and after the meal, these drinks, cendol is now diners even know served in most food the Indian etiquette courts and is also on the to fold the sheet of menu of kopitiam cafes banana leaf inwards and Asian restaurants. as a sign of gratitude. Having been introduced As more to this family favourite at restaurants are an early age, I can vouch halal certified, the that Indian vendors still cuisine they serve serve the best-tasting are now introduced original recipe cendol to a wider clientele. with the right balance For instance, the of coconut milk, palm art of enjoying sugar or Gula Melaka dim sum with yum and soft, green wormcha (Cantonese for like jellies! “drink tea”) Chinese Cendol is as breakfast is now familiar to us as roti Refreshing cendol dessert enjoyed by more canai, nasi lemak and non-Chinese who char kway teow because Malaysians share a common love for good can gather to spend a convivial time together

for dim sum brunch or lunch. Also skilled in market stalls. You will also see that tau foo fah, the art of using chopsticks, these diners can a Chinese beancurd dessert, is also popular appreciate a range of handmade sweet and with non-Chinese customers. In recent years, savoury delicacies – steamed, fried or baked the benefits of eating chok or Chinese-style – served in small portions between sips of rice porridge, has earned fans from nonChinese connoisseurs and now there is also a quality Chinese tea. Just as the Malay and Indian Malay version of rice porridge to enjoy! Those who have lived or travelled communities have embraced Chinese cuisine, it’s amazing how the Chinese abroad, often long for the familiar taste of have acquired a higher tolerance for spicy food from a favourite stall or restaurant back food. With taste-buds, probably trained by home because they say, “nothing compares enjoying South Indian food, they can also to its original taste”. For Johorians who live in appreciate the spicy dishes served in nasi other states, a hometown visit will inevitably padang spreads. Maybe it’s because the include a satisfying food binge on comfort flavours are in sharp but agreeable contrast food that they feel are found nowhere else with Chinese food. But it’s just fascinating but here. Spoiled by such a wide variety of food that many non-Malays are in favour of eating nasi lemak with a generous portion of fiery available around the clock, we often take a lot sambal for breakfast, lunch, dinner and even of things for granted. After an extended stay in India, I remember heading directly from supper! Halal kopitiam restaurants and cafes now offer a menu of Chinese street food that includes char kway teow, a popular flat rice noodle dish. I learnt that the fragrant flavour in this simple dish, stir-fried with a sprinkle of chopped chives, bean sprouts, cockles and a few prawns is better brought out by adding duck’s egg. Many chefs have mastered the art of skillfully stir-frying kway teow over strong flames with wok hei or when the flames fly into the wok! The extent of our social A typical nasi lemak rice meal with a side of sambal, integration is evident from cucumber slices, half a boiled egg and crispy condiments familiar foods that are now staple in a typical Malaysian menu of local food. For instance, roti canai the airport to a familiar noodle stall instead or prata which was once served by Indian of going home. At that point, nothing could vendors are now made and served in Malay compare with that comforting taste of piping restaurants and they often taste just as good hot Teochew soup noodles in a rich, delicious and sometimes, even better than the original. broth! We may be so familiar with food Chicken rice, that earned a reputation for Hainanese cooks, is now served by Malay from the various ethnic groups which have stalls and cafes, complete with a side of long been adopted and adapted by other communities that it may even be difficult to chicken soup and spicy garlic-chilli dip. Another popular snack, yu cha kway pin-point their origin. But you will agree that or Chinese deep-fried dough sticks that are our cross-cultural cuisine is a heritage that typically eaten at breakfast dipped in black clearly reflects the integration and unique coffee or congee, now has a Malay version harmony in our multi-racial community – one available at most pasar malam or night that is dear to our hearts and stomachs. TI

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Bikers Set Off For Peninsular Camping Ride Forest City master developer, Country Garden Pacificview (CGPV) recently collaborated with Johor Versys Owner Group (JVOG) to organise Peninsular Camping Ride 2015. Versys Bikes are touring-style bikes that are under the Kawasaki brand. The bikes are big, stable and smooth to ride all the way, with JVOG targeting an average of 500kms a day. YB Haji Ab. Wahab Ridwan, Johor Bahru District Officer was present for the flag off ceremony at Country Garden office. Also attended were Datuk Md Othman Yusof and Teo Chee Yow, Executive Directors of CGPV. 30 par ticipants saw themselves riding over 2,000km up north via the East Coast through the states of Pahang, Terenganu, Kelantan, across the Titiwangsa Range to Kedah, crossing the Penang Bridge, Perak, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Negeri

Third CASA Herbalife Programme Opened

Johor Bahru District Officer pasting the event sticker on the Versys Bikes Sembilan, Malacca before the final ride back home to Johor Bahru. The 30 bikers are all from Johor and two of them are representatives from CGPV. “We are so grateful that CGPV asked us to collaborate with them for their Corporate Social Responsibility activity. We are also delighted to introduce CGPV throughout the peninsular,” said Ali Qushairy Abu Kasim, Director of Johor Versys Owner Group. TI

Festive bus fares going up A 15% fare increase for Hari Raya “balik kampung” bus travellers is in the works with express bus operators having made a formal application to the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) to impose a “surcharge” for the upcoming festive season. The bus operators also want SPAD to let them impose a separate 10% fare surcharge after the Hari Raya season should the government

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disagree with their demand for fare deregulation in the third quarter of the year. A study by SPAD last year showed that the cost for an express bus service per kilometre was RM2.29. Operators were supposed to enjoy a new fare rate of 11.4 sen per km, 2.1 sen/km more than the current rate of 9.3 sen/km but the move has been put on hold.

he Herbalife Family Foundation (HFF), a non-profit organisation co m m i t te d to h e l p vulnerable children, announced the opening of its third CASA Herbalife programme in Malaysia in partnership with the orphanage home Rumah Anak Yatim Amitabha Malaysia. This partnership will see HFF provide nutritional support to the children under the care of the home through an annual grant. Established in 2010, Rumah Anak Yatim Amitabha Malaysia supports orphans between the ages of 5 months and 15 years old.

The initial grant provided by HFF will help support the construction of a new kitchen and dining room facility to create a better environment for the children. HFF currently also supports two other orphanage homes in Malaysia, the Good Samaritan Home in Klang and Rumah Bakti Dato’ Harun in Ampang, through its flagship CASA Herbalife programme, whereby each homes will receive grants amounting to USD 20,000 (approx MYR72,000) this year to enable them to provide nutritious food to their children. Sridhar Rajagopalan, SubRegional General Manager of

Herbalife Malaysia and Singapore commented, “We are pleased to be able to take a third orphanage home as these children are in their formative stages and there is nothing more important than proper nutrition.” Chloe Chan, Vice Principal of Rumah Anak Yatim Amitabha said, “We are thrilled and welcome this donation with open arms as we know our children are going to benefit from it tremendously. This grant will enable us to provide nutritious meals to our children and also educate them on nutrition and healthy lifestyles to prepare them for their future.”

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Fast & Furious Road Safety Responsible

150 PINTAR School Students Attended UEM Sunrise’s Road Safety Programme aimed at educating the young children on road safety knowledge and etiquette By Harish Mustak newsdesk@theiskandarian.com

EM Sunrise recently collaborated with Johor Road Safety Department (JKJR) by organising a Road Safety Programme for 150 Year Four and Year Five Students from its 21 PINTAR Adopted Primary Schools at Kota Iskandar. Initiated in 2011 and now in its fifth year, the Road Safety Programme aims to educate the students with road safety knowledge while providing a better understanding on the basic road safety etiquette. “The key aspect to road safety awareness is to start as early as the grass root levels. Active involvement from the private sector such as UEM Sunrise together with JKJR supports government agencies in conducting various campaigns in order to make road safety programmes more effective,” said YB Datuk Ir. Haji Hasni bin Haji Mohammad, Chairman of the Board of Public Works, Rural and Regional Development of Johor State. The programme was filled with useful practical safety prevention measures and case studies that enabled the children to identify traffic hazards as well as to help them selfregulate their behaviours based on inherent risks on the road and traffic environment.

In line with the Ministry of Education’s road safety syllabus, the programme also serves as an avenue to support and promote road safety awareness amongst the public, starting with the children. The Road Safety Programme comprised of two exciting yet educational sessions that provided hands-on interactive learning experiences including talk, demonstrations, activities as well as interactive games. Starting off with basic road safety talks and demonstrations on useful information shared by JKJR, the students were exposed to the simple yet significant road safety rules and etiquette that should be followed. The session was then followed by a “Fast & Furious Race” which featured six pitstops consisting of quizzes in English on road signs, street safety case studies, word search, sign language puzzles and crafting Malaysian road signs based on their creativity. General Manager for Township, Infrastructure and Planning of UEM Sunrise, Rusli Zainal Abidin said, “As the students love to learn and play, we organised a physical activity that tested their understanding with the elements of High Order Thinking Skills (HOTS). In future, these Road Safety Programmes will be a practical platform for the children in nurturing them to be part of the community that strives for a safe traffic environment.” TI

The PINTAR Adopted Schools Students

Tesco: Self Chekout Counters Customers will now have the freedom to scan, bag and pay for goods themselves, without having to wait in long queues at Tesco’s self checkout counter pilot programme. The trial was carried out at its IOI City, Putrajaya outlet and Tesco Stores (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd plans to launch the same system at Tesco KSL City outlet in Johor next.

“The cost for one self checkout point is RM10,000. But of course it’s an IT investment and investment into our customers,” said Chief Executive Officer Datuk Georg Fischer. “We’ve implemented such systems in our UK outlets previously and our customers there enjoy it. We hope that our Malaysian customers will like it too,” he added.

Creating Better Customer Service Experts

onderosa Golf & Countr y Club (Ponderosa) staff became test pilots for a training programme which ran for six months. Created by Dasan Thanam Divean, Trainer and Managing Director of IAAYS (I Am At Your Service) PLT, this programme serves to produce experts in the field of customer service. Dasan stressed that, “Our programmes will help employees to develop the ability to manage complex business situations, honing the art of making decisions especially during uncertain or ambiguous environments. They are encouraged to break away from the norm through creative problem-solving.” General Manager of the Resort, Ivan Teo expressed his concerns stating that with increasingly discerning guests who are inundated

with choices in hospitality offerings, furthered by the shortage of experienced hotel and resort service staff who have been lured by lucrative returns from an attractive exchange rate in Singapore, he and his colleagues have been facing issues in terms of quality hospitality service skills. “I saw positive results from the training among our own staff and strongly recommend it to all my colleagues in the local hospitality industry. Good training is crucial now to stay competitive and with the combustive growth of the Iskandar region,” said Teo. In a speech during the recent Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) Johor Chapter Night, Menteri Besar Johor, Dato’ Mohamed Khaled Nordin had stressed the need to enhance service skills

within the local hospitality industry to stay competitive and to position Johor as a premier tourism destination, especially with Iskandar Malaysia’s booming economic status. “ The programme helps employees to develop a more inclusive attitude, with the realisation that they need to work as a team to get things done and to solve complex problems in an actual work situation,” said Dasan. Upon completion of the pilot training programme, Ponderosa was the first hospitality industry in Johor Bahru to hold an official graduation ceremony for its staff. The resort also offers its premises to IAAYS PLT as a Learning Academy for all hotel employees within MAH or any hotels that wish to participate in the programme.

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Happenings

recap

streets Sharing with you the happenings from last month

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POTA: ISA Back With a New Guise Benchmark

Beguiling the citizens with a new form of oppression, the Prevention of Terrorism Act violates the Rule of Law and basic human rights

Fit Johor

Minister Khairy Jamaluddin joined ‘FitJohor’ to help promote healthy living

Enlightening session about the repercussions of POTA and the Sedition Act by Steven Thiru, President of the Malaysian Bar By Harish Mustak newsdesk@theiskandarian.com

I Support

Annual Fair at Cerebral Palsy Hall, Johor Bahru

magine suddenly disappearing from the grid, being detained without trial or having no chance of representation by solicitors for 60 days and then sentenced to incarceration for a minimum of two (2) years without any chance of appeal. Unfortunately, these are the exact initial procedures taken under the Internal Security Act (ISA). Utterly inhumane, oppressive and unjust, it clearly violates the Rule of Law and basic human rights. In early hours of April 7th 2015, a bill of law was passed called the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2015 (POTA) where terror suspects are detained without trial for a period of two years. POTA also does not allow any judicial reviews of detentions and this bill has been highly criticised as a reincarnation of the former ISA. The Malaysian Bar, Sabah Law Association and the Advocates’ Association of Sarawak were in an uproar. Due to obvious reasons, these associations vehemently oppose all forms of detention without trial, and view the passage of POTA with great concern. Steven Thiru, President of the Malaysian Bar, Datuk GBB Nandy @ Ganesh, President of the Sabah Law Association and Leonard Sim, President of the Advocates’ Association of Sarawak had also jointly

wrote a memorandum to the government on April 10:“POTA is clearly an attempt by the Government to resurrect the Internal Security Act 1960 (ISA), Restricted Residence Act 1933, Banishment Act 1959, and Emergency (Public Order and Prevention of Crime) Ordinance 1969. POTA is objectionable, ignores due process, infringes upon our constitutional rights, and is repugnant to the rule of law. POTA brings out the re-emergence of detention without trial laws, the limiting or denial of legal representation, and the ouster of the jurisdiction of the court,” it read. Another letter was sent dated April 17, appealing to the Amendments of the Sedition Act of 1948 which were just utterly draconian, has a tendency to militate against the freedom of speech and expression, and interfere with the independence of the judiciary. The Malaysian Bar, Sabah Law Association and the Advocates’ Association of Sarawak had rallied themselves to organise a series of public forums with the theme, “Prevention of Terrorism Act & Amendments to Sedition Act 1948” in major states throughout the country. Recently, the forum was held in Johor Bahru at the Tropical Inn Hotel and citizens of Johor Bahru, advocates, and students attended this forum in support and also to get a clearer picture of the threats

that POTA brings. Guest speakers were Steven Thiru, Dato’ Yeo Yang Poh, Member of Johor Bar, and Syahredzan Johan, Co-Chairperson of the Bar Council of the National Young Lawyers Committee. “Why do we need POTA when we already have laws that can be used to charge and prosecute offenses? We have enough laws already,” said Thiru. A lot of reasons can be brought up to object these laws but the most prominent one would be the unclear scope and ambiguity of the terms in the laws itself. We can never be too sure about the exclusion of “political belief and political activity” as a ground for detention. Even the specific ground for detention under the ISA was only to combat communists, but look what happened after. The rakyat must be aware of the repercussions of the series of events that are unravelling and should know their rights. The revival of the ISA in the form of POTA and the amendments of the Sedition Act does not bring any positive significance to the justice system, the rule of law and most importantly, human rights. “The biggest mistake citizens can do is to become complacent when the law is passed for the“so called”Islamic State (IS) threat, whereas it can be used for other reasons which totally contradict its main purpose,”Thiru concluded at the forum. TI

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#GOGREENLAH: Riding Green from KL to Singapore Responsible

U.S. Ambassador rides 400km to raise awareness on World Environment Day By Harish Mustak newsdesk@theiskandarian.com

n conjunction with “World Environment Day” in June every year, the United States of America Embassy through its Lincoln Corner in Johor Bahru (JB) organised a Community Bike Ride to raise awareness. Lincoln Corner is an initiative brought to Malaysia by the U.S. Embassy to provide reading materials in the form of magazines and books. The Lincoln Corner in Sultan Ismail Library is also equipped with digital devices such as iPads and Kindle as well as board games for the use of visitors. These were all presented to the library ever since the inception of the corner in March 2012. U.S. Ambassador, Joseph Yun was greeted and welcomed by Chief Councilor Datuk Yahya Hj Jaafar of the Johor Bahru City Council at the Sultan Ismail Library. This would be one of the pit-stops for the Ambassador and his team. Besides the featured programme; “Talk on World Environment Day” presented by Dr. Melvin Gumal at the library checkpoint, The Ambassador also took part in various activities in several states including Kuala Lumpur, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, Johor and even Singapore while riding with a group 15 riders from the embassy and other cyclists from JB cycling club.

The herd of taxi cabs at Hotel Jen

Ambassador Joseph Yun and his Embassy staff as well as the Sultan Ismail Library and MBJB personnel “We wanted to do something to contribute towards environmental awareness. As we know, cycling is the most efficient way of transportation,” said Ambassador Yun in his speech. Dr Melvin Gumal, Director of the Malaysian Programme, Wildlife Conservation Society mentioned in his talk that, “It is very poignant that the programme is held here (Sultan Ismail Library), because HRH Sultan Ismail started it all.” The ride, which is approximately 400km from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore was aptly named, “Community Bike Ride to Raise Environmental Awareness”, in order to encourage a healthy lifestyle, promote green technology and support bicycle-friendly policies. TI

Cabbies Become Ambassadors Highlight

Hotel Jen Puteri Harbour extends its hospitality to taxi drivers to the newly rebranded hotel

pproximately 50 local taxi drivers who were picked by MyTeksi, got a glimpse of what it would be like to stay at Hotel Jen. Hotel Jen Puteri Harbour (formerly known as Traders Hotel) organised this event in collaboration with MyTeksi in order to help local taxi drivers familiarise themselves with the many great stays, interesting attractions and potential

business event sites located around Puteri Harbour. “With the changing demands of customers today, the Hotel Jen experience will set new standards for both business and leisure travelers. The event was meants to give local taxi drivers an opportunity to step into Hotel Jen when all they usually do is drop-off and pick-up guests to and fro the

Hotel,” said Sigi Birbaumer, General Manager of Hotel Jen Puteri Harbour. Recently rebranded in April 2015, the Hotel Jen brand is inspired by virtual persona Jen, a professional hotelier who loves life, travel and the adventure of discovering new places. With that in mind, the Hotel Jen experience delivers what matters most to guests – the important things done well.

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UEM Sunrise Awards High Achievers among its PINTAR Schools

EM Sunrise recently celebrated 86 outstanding students from its PINTAR Schools who passed with flying colours in their 2014 UPSR, PT3 and SPM examinations at a High Achievers Award ceremony. PINTAR Schools are schools that were adopted by UEM Sunrise as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility programme. The students received cash incentives, certificate of appreciation and the best student for each level of examination received an 11inch MacBook Air which went to Muhammad Fazrullah bin Fadli from SK Pendas Laut for Best UPSR student with 5As, Ayinggeri a/p Asogan from SMK Gelang Patah for Best PT3 student with 10As and Lee Wai Yan

Highlight

86 PINTAR Schools’ students awarded for their achievements in their 2014 UPSR, PT3 and SPM examinations also from SMK Gelang Patah for Best SPM student with 11As. Tuan Haji Aminudin bin Adam, Director for Johor State Education Department officiated the ceremony. He said, “I would like to congratulate all teachers of UEM Sunrise’s PINTAR schools who gave their full commitment and determination in achieving excellent results as seen here”.

Also attending the event were Johor Bahru District Education Officer, UEM Sunrise’s PINTAR Schools’ headmasters as well as parents of the celebrated students. “It is an honour to celebrate these high achievers as their commitment and determination towards achieving success can be emulated by other students. As a caring and responsible corporate citizen, UEM Sunrise

Best SPM Students, Lee Wai Yan (second left), with her schoolmates of SMK Gelang Patah has a responsibility not only to its employees, customers and investors, but also to the various communities in which it operates in”, said Rusli Zainal Abdin, General Manager for Township, Infrastructure and Planning of UEM Sunrise. “UEM Sunrise’s CSR policy focuses on Education Enhancement

and Community Development. In implementing the Education Enhancement programmes, we are guided by the four core modules set by PINTAR Foundation to inspire the young generation to become responsible citizens by Promoting Intelligence, Nurturing Talent and Advocating Responsibility,” he added.

3rd Johor Matta Fair

pend three days from 7th to 9th of August 2015 at EXPO@Danga City Mall, Johor Bahru to browse through a comprehensive range of travel and holiday products from all over Malaysia and around the world under one roof. Supported by Johor Tourism, Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Indonesia, Taiwan Visitors Association, Japan National Tourism Organisation, and India Tourism, Johor Matta Fair presents a choice ranging from 29 travel agencies, 3 hotel and resorts, 1 theme park (Sunway Lagoon), 1 cruise liner and 7 other travel related services taking up a total of 176 booths. Speaking at the

MATTA Johor Chapter Press Conference with the Organising Comittee Matta Johor Chapter Press Conference on the impact of the weakening currency, organising chairman Steven Chung said, “They may choose a shorter destination. They may choose vacations with less value and cost. Gradually people with get used to it, and the weakening Ringgit is part and parcel of the trade.”

There will be 2 lucky draws where visitors will stand a chance to win fabulous prizes worth RM120,000. For purchase of RM500 and above during the 3 day fair, visitors will also stand a chance to win a brand new PROTON SAGA 1.3SV Manual. For more information, please visit matta.org.my

Visit by Teochew Mayor Collaboration

Mayor of Teochew City visits Iskandar Malaysia for strengthening ties

Mayor of Teochew City, Mr Lu Chun Jie and Datuk Ismail Ibrahim, Chief Executive of IRDA (both seated)

he Mayor of Te o c h e w C i t y, Mr Lu Chun Jie recently paid a visit to Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) as part of his 3-day working visit to Iskandar

Malaysia. On hand to welcome him and his delegation comprising business and public officials was Chief Executive of IRDA, Datuk Ismail Ibrahim. During the visit, both parties exchanged

views on possible business opportunities and efforts to strengthen ties both economically and culturally between Iskandar Malaysia and the Chinese city. There are strong cultural and historical links between Johor and Teochew since a substantial percentage within the Chinese communities in Johor Bahru and other towns namely Pontian, Muar, and Batu Pahat are descendants of the Teochews who arrived in Johor in the 19th century and led to these new towns being established and forms the fourth largest group (among Chinese) in Malaysia.

Quick Survey: Johorians want Reads days off changed A survey recently revealed that majority of the respondents still like the days off to be on Saturday and Sunday in Johor reported The Sun Daily. A survey done by Johor Bahru Federation of Chinese Associations between April and May this year showed that 95.83% of the respondents (32,683) want the Johor week days to be reverted to Saturday and Sunday, only 4.17%(1,422) like to maintained as Friday and Saturday. In a questionnaire, 90.39% (30,828) of the respondents said they do not

support the proposal that private sector should have the same days off (Friday and Saturday) with public sector, only 6.2% or 2,138 respondents said yes, 3.34% or 1,139 like to maintain the status quo (the current system). Some respondents said under the current day off system, it is difficult to get a family day because their children need to go to school on Sunday. The survey findings will be submitted to the secretary of the Johor Sultan and Johor Chief Minister.

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JUly 15â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

NEW

Movie Previews The Monk Comesin Down the Mounta & Ant-Man

MUSIC

Sam Smith & Gin Wigmore

is jealousy a SENSE of Love? (part i) BY ROSE OSMAN

JULY 2015 | Page 2

The Iskandarian | WAVES Lifestyle

editor’s note

sam smith joinS the beatles

MU S IC U P DAT E S

Sam Smith joins The Beatles in Official UK Chart history books

Source: Universal Music Singapore

Priya Manikam waves.lifestyle@gmail.com

ast month was truly busy as we had Medini Live and then the JB Film Festival, school holidays, unveiling of new mini Istana Bukit Serene and a couple of Ramadan buffet invitations which is still ongoing until the Raya break! July has its fair share of activities too, and you may follow our Calendar of Events and social sites for more details.

On the music front, Sam Smith is enjoying a top spot for his debut album even after a year. Word is, the album has achieved a chart feat only previously managed by The Beatles. So he has every reason to ride high. Jealousy and relationships should never go hand in hand and Rose will tell you why. This month, be prepared to look out for this tiny creature whom we find in our sugary treats as Marvel’s “AntMan” delivers a high-stakes, tension-filled adventure on July 16. Also find out why “The Monk Comes Down the Mountain” – a Chinese martial arts movie brought to us by Sony Pictures. Taman Negara Endau-Rompin (Peta) occupies our “Go local, Eat local and Stay local” travel column. As for our must eat, we have reviewed an exotic fusion of Indian and Western cuisine at Spice Grill with our foodie man Tony plus read more on the Ramadan specials by the local hotels. As always, for those wishing to share their fashion collection, travel tales, or like us to review your restaurant/property, drop me an e-mail at waves.lifestyle@gmail.com and be featured. For more news, do access www.theiskandarian.com

Sam Smith

s Sam Smith’s debut album ‘In The Lonely Hour’ celebrated its first birthday, OfficialCharts. com revealed that the album has achieved a chart feat only previously managed by The Beatles. Exactly one year after its release, Sam is the only debut act since The Beatles to spend nearly a whole first year inside the Top 5 of the UK’s Official Albums Chart with their debut album! On its first anniversary, ‘In The Lonely Hour’ has already logged an astonishing 50 weeks in the Top 5. The last, and only other debut album in Official Charts history to manage this kind of unshakeable performance in its first year

Debut album ‘In The Lonely Hour’ still riding high as it celebrates first birthday of release was The Beatles’ ‘Please Please Me’ in 1963, which remained in the Top 5 for 51 weeks of its first year on sale (and 56 weeks overall), according to Official Charts Company records. Sam tells OfficialCharts.com: “Seeing this statistic genuinely makes me feel very weird, but also insanely happy and just so thankful to everyone who has purchased the album. Now not so lonely anymore!” The only other (non-debut) act to rival either of these performances is Simon & Garfunkel’s ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’, who managed the full first 52 weeks inside the Top 5 back in 1970 (84 consecutive weeks overall).

Gin Wigmore

The Iskandarian wishes all our Muslim readers’ Selamat Hari Raya!

Priya Award winning NZ artist Gin Wigmore has recently released her third studio album ‘Blood To Bone’ on June 26. Diving into a variety of unchartered musical avenues with her new album, the first single ‘New Rush’, is already available on all digital partners.

It’s been an incredible 12 months for Sam since ‘In The Lonely Hour’s’ release. In addition to being a regular feature at the top end of the chart, last year he became the only artist to sell 1 million albums in the UK and US, performed to sold-out crowds across the globe and picked up four Grammys including Best New Artist. As well as racking up 1.7 million album sales in the UK to date, Sam’s album has also spawned a string of successful singles, including the Number 1s ‘Money On My Mind’, and ‘Stay With Me’. Plus further chart-toppers under his belt courtesy of collaborations with John Legend on ‘Lay Me Down’, and with ‘Naughty Boy on La La La’.

third studio album ‘Blood To Bone’ released

Co-written with Charlie Andrews (Alt J & Laurel Collective) and recorded in Los Angeles, ‘New Rush’ charges like a bull out of the gate, with its thunderous beats and Wigmore’s distinctive vocals. Wigmore first caught the world’s attention with her 2009 debut ‘Holy Smoke’ and the critically acclaimed blues-inspired follow up in 2011 titled, ‘Gravel & Wine’. ‘Blood To Bone’ finds the 28-year-old evolving from her roots to create an album loaded with diverse intent and assertion of her new found stride as a musician. For her, it’s an album of many firsts – she sits behind the piano,

stretches her voice into falsetto, manages all the backing vocals on the album and steps into the role of co-producer. The end result is her most powerful release to date. “The whole idea for this album was to write songs and rhythms that pushed far beyond what I had ever tried before. I spent many hours, days and months listening to a wide variety of music including Portishead, Mos Def, Steely Dan and Alt-J. I was deeply interested in finding that groove and what it was about their songs and many others that moved people on a cathartic level,” said Wigmore.

JULY 2015 | Page 3

The Iskandarian | WAVES Lifestyle Motivation

Is Jealousy A Sense of Love? (pt I) An Energy Coach and A Personal Motivator. Rose Osman uses her knowledge and intuitive skills in energy to coach people to live a joyful life through her coaching programmes on personal & career growth, relationship, love and health.

he common perception we hear about jealousy is that it is an act of love. If our loved ones show jealousy in his/ her relationship, we somewhat get the feeling of love and security. But how true is this? Can jealousy express true love? Does jealousy only appear in a relationship? In the principle of consciousness in human behaviour, jealousy is nothing but fear. If we put jealousy as a picture of a tree; jealousies are the branches and fear is the tree. Jealousy is like a final expression of obsession and possessiveness, which derives from fear of losing. These energies

are usually dormant until we feel threat as if somebody or something which we used to hold on to (mentally or emotionally) is taken away from us. Sometimes jealousy appears when see others fulfilling our dreams instead of us. The best example of this is when we see our friends’ achieving success, and we don’t or when we see others being happy in their relationship and we aren’t. Fear rises in the absence of Love. Since jealousy is rooted from fear, therefore it is not an expression of true love. When your loved ones show his/her jealousy side in a relationship; that’s

By Rose Osman

merely a sign of possessiveness. The mind will say - “He/She is mine”! ‘Nobody or nothing can take him/her away from me!” If you are familiar with the mechanical of ego, jealousy happens when the ego mind convinces us that we should hold on to our possessions. However, to believe that we own someone or something is merely an obsession of illusion. Love doesn’t require jealousy to strengthen the relationship. Love expresses harmony whilst jealousy expresses struggle and force. Remember that no relationships can be in a state of love when jealousy is present.

Personal Motivator & Energy Coach yourpersonalmotivator BucketOfRoses

MOVIE pREVIEWs Synopsis

ANT-MAN

he next evolution of the Marvel Cinematic Universe brings a founding member of The Avengers to the big screen for the first time with Marvel Studios’ “Ant-Man.”

Genre: Adventures Malaysia release date: 16th July 2015

Armed with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, master thief Scott Lang must embrace his inner hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym, protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit from a new generation of towering threats. Against seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Pym and Lang must plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.

Cast: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Corey Stoll, Bobby Cannavale, Michael Peña, Judy Greer, Tip “Ti” Harris, David Dastmalchian, Wood Harris, Jordi Mollà and Michael Douglas Director: Peyton Reed Producer: Kevin Feige Executive Producer: Louis D’Espposito, Alan Fine, Victoria Alonso, Michael Grillo, Edgar Wright, Stan Lee

Marvel’s “Ant-Man” stars Paul Rudd as Scott Lang aka Ant-Man, Evangeline Lilly as Hope Van Dyne, Corey Stoll as Darren Cross aka Yellowjacket, Bobby Cannavale as Paxton, Michael Peña as Luis, Judy Greer as Maggie, Tip “Ti” Harris as Dave, David Dastmalchian as Kurt, Wood Harris as Gale, Jordi Mollà as Castillo and Michael Douglas as Hank Pym.

Written by: Leigh Whannell Edgar Wright & Joe Cornish *credits not final

Source: Walt Disney Studios Malaysia

The Monk Comes Down the Mountain Genre: Chinese Martial Arts Action Film Malaysia release date: 9th July 2015 Rating: na Cast: Aaron Kwok, Lin Chi-Ling, Vaness Wu, Wang BaoQiang, Chang Chen, Jaycee Chan Director: Chen Kaige Producer: Chen Hong Cinematography Geoffrey Simpson

Synopsis

hen a young monk is forced to leave his impoverished monastery, he relies on his extraordinary martial arts skills to survive in the outside world. In search of a mentor, he crosses paths with a Kung Fu master who is in possession

of the Book of Secrets, which reveals the lost art of the deadly Ape Strike kung Fu technique. The rare book is coveted by a sinister father and son who will go to any extremes to obtain it. The monk finds himself immersed in a deadly bathe to protect both the book and his master.

Source: Sony Pictures Malaysia

JULY 2015 | Page 4

The Iskandarian | WAVES Lifestyle

Calendar of Events

July 2015

go local eat local stay local

KAMPUNG PETA: ECO-RIDE Part I

Riding in the jungles of Johor’s Endau - Rompin National Park

JB, 1st July - 31st Aug 2015 1Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival

Spore, 1st July - 31st Aug2015 Great Singapore Sale

Spore, 2nd July 2015 WWE Live @ S’pore Indoor Stadium

JB, 2nd - 6th July 2015 Mommy & Baby Fair @ KSL City

Spore, 10th - 19th July 2015 Singapore Food Festival

11th July 2015 2015 Paso Bumbong @ JOHO

JB, 17th - 18th July, 2015 Hari Raya Puasa

Spore, 24th July 2015 Michael Learns to Rock concert @ Spore Start Theatre

JB, 25th July 2015 International Understanding Day @ Hotel Selesa

JB, 26th July 2015 Nalla Ullangal (tamil) Charity Show

Spore, 27th July - 24th Aug Hungry Ghost Festival @ Spore

JB, 31st July - 2nd Aug 2015

Awang Kudi showing how the Orang Asli use simple traps to ward off unwanted visitors and ways to get a meal in the jungle

“

Why go over borders when you have such beautiful sights and sceneries in your own backyard?” Yes, those were the exact words that came out from some of the overseas tourists who visited Malaysia. As many of us would already know, Malaysia is part of the region in South East Asia that boasts a plethora of amazing places to go to for both locals and tourists alike. With its various terrains which include endless mountain ranges, networks of rivers and wetlands as well as breathtaking island beaches, and infinite number of flora and fauna species that are exclusive to the region. The Ministry of Tourism and Culture (MOTAC) does well to promote, and more importantly, to help maintain these gems of the nation by means of preservation and conservation. With the newly adopted National Blue Ocean Strategy (NBOS), MOTAC continues to organise and engage with ecotourism and corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities to help promote tourism in the country while preserving its natural beauty. Recently, The Iskandarian was invited to join one of MOTAC Johor’s eco-tourism events held at Taman Negara Endau-Rompin (Peta). The national park chosen is one of five (5) parks located in Johor. It is one of the very few remaining large tracts of lowland tropical rainforests in the Malaysian Peninsular with a core area of undisturbed natural vegetation which has existed for millions of years. Located in the district of Mersing, Endau-Rompin Peta covers a total of 19,562 hectares. Walking through a 248 million years old rainforest gives you an intoxicating adventure for the senses. There is so much to see and do. Besides the media folk, MOTAC Johor also invited the Commandos of the Sungai

Homedec @ Persada Johor

If you need more information on the above mentioned events, drop us an email at: waves.lifestyle@gmail.com

Briefing before setting of for the Eco-Ride

Eager

All the participants on day three after the event is over

Awang Kudi, the Orang Asli entrepreneur

Udang Army Camp and mountain bikers from the Orang Johor Cycling Team (OJCT) to help facilitate the event. The involvement of the OJCT was essential as MOTAC aims to promote eco-tourism via the sport of cycling and mountain-biking. The OJCT provided the technical planning such as determining the trail for the eco-ride and also the mountain bikes (MTB). The journey began from Johor Bahru for most of us - taking off on a bus ride from the PERKESO Building in Johor Bahru and ending up at the National Park Office in Kahang, Kluang. Lunch was provided upon arrival at the office, and also throughout the event as it was all sponsored by MOTAC Johor. After registering ourselves at the office and obtaining a formal permit (for safety reasons),

we waited for our next ride to hitch on. When the Commandos from Sungai Udang Army Camp arrived in their army trucks and four-wheel drive carriages (Isuzu D-Max), the ones who rode the bus had to then board the trucks. It was advised that from this stage of the journey, trucks and four-wheel drive vehicles are the way to go. Upon reaching the entrance to the road that will lead to the National Park just about a kilometre away from the office, there was a signboard which showed that Kampung Peta, which was where we’re heading, was about 50km in. Unknowingly though, the short distance took a grueling two and a half hours of bumpy brain-churning ride through winding palm oil plantation roads and rocky village roads! Luckily for us, about 24km or half of the road was newly tarred and a much smoother for journey. We were then greeted by the park personnel and checked into our chalets to unpack and freshen up. Soon after, we quickly changed into sports attire and geared up for our first MTB ride. We reached Pantai Burung – Bird Beach, which was such an amazing site. It was not really a beach as the translated name of the place would suggest but more of a gentle sloping riverbank. We took our first dip into the naturally cold waters and it was just so refreshing. Stay tuned as the journey continues… Endau Rompin National Park Kampung Peta Park Entrance, Kahang, Johor

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The Aspects of a Smart Healthy City (pt II)

he concept of a Smart Healthy City is in line with many other concepts with differing names and focus aspects, one is as good as the other. Rather than concentrating on the differences, we should instead look at the aspirations and strive for the practical realisation of the intended outcome â&#x20AC;&#x201C; to improve the communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quality of life and sustaining it. This guide shall help assess the readiness of aspects of the Smart Healthy City for every targeted community and assist the project proponents to strategise the way forward for each aspect: 2. Advocating Strategic Planning 2.1

2.2

Environmental Assessment 1. Assessing the significant contributors to problems and opportunities for intersectoral action. 2. If the assessment is formalised and distributed within the city administration, its identification of opportunities provides the first element for a strategic planning process. Project Plans 1. Have a well formulated strategic plan as well as shorter term

action plans that can be used to demonstrate the benefits and methods of effective planning. 2.3 Impact Studies 1. Promote impact studies of city policies and programmes by supporting them with money and expertise. Such studies examine the consequences of health activities in different sectors such as housing, transportation and environmental controls. They identify opportunities for policy change through intersectoral action. 2.4 Influencing Urban Plans 1. Urban planning on the physical aspects of the city environment including housing, green space, roads and transportation and zoning with Smart Healthy Cities principles incorporated into the plan. This approach establishes links between ecology and public health. 2. City health plans - Preparing a city health plan is the most effective way to promote strategic thinking about health.

3. P reparation of such plans is a condition of participation in Smart Healthy Cities & Communities network such as the WHO Healthy Cities network. Such plans use health for all targets as a framework. Their scope should be multisectoral and citizen participation should be used in their formulation.

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The man behind the success of RTC Johor Dr. Mohd Azlan bin Ab Jalil is the General Manager of RTC Johor, Chairman of PUTRA Strategic Linkages Johor Committee and Chairman of the KoPUTRA (Koperasi RTC Johor Berhad). He previously worked as a Deputy General Manager for Johor Tourism Action Council (2007-2009), Assisstant Director of Johor Tourism Department (2009-2012) and Assistant District Officer of Kulaijaya (2012 – 2014). Dr. Mohd Azlan is only 35 years old.

What is RTC, UTC & PUTRA? Johor Rural Transformation Centre (RTC) is an initiative introduced by the Malaysian government under the National Blue Ocean Strategy 4 (NBOS4). Located in the heart of Kulaijaya town, RTC Johor’s prime mission is to effectively transform and upgrade the quality of life of the citizens of Johor, primarily in the rural areas. RTC’s operational radius covers between 100 – 150 kilometres and with the synergy of collaboration between all Transformation Centres in Johor, RTC Johor is also interconnected with 24 Mini RTCs scattered throughout the 10 districts in Johor and the Urban Transformation Centre (UTC) in Johor Bahru. The connectivity between these transformational centres has led to the birth of PUTRA Johor. Since its establishment in 2014, RTC Johor and PUTRA Johor aim to create a positive impact in the livelihood of urban and rural citizens through co-ordinated projects. This will be achieved through these objectives:•

•

To increase citizen’s income by establishing more creative and innovate community projects. To lower citizen’s cost of living by providing cheaper agriculture and processed products to urban and rural consumers. To induce collaborative investment to increase food supplies, create job opportunities and enhancing the entrepreneurship culture. To establish and expand volunteerism spirit among citizens.

We see the National Blue Ocean Strategy (NBOS) being deployed holistically throughout the nation, how does RTC Johor implement NBOS in its management and operations? RTC Johor has been implementing the NBOS methodologies and striving to achieve objectives through various RTC and Strategic Linkages initiatives. By focusing and executing NBOS principles of High Impact, Rapid Execution, Low Cost and Sustainability in every step, RTC Johor managed to move things extremely fast and received various recognitions from our stakeholders; the State of Johor, Malaysian Government and even international bodies through various platforms. We execute strategies creatively by working collaboratively with various agencies and organisations while ensuring that both parties’ objectives are achieved, synergised with win-win situations created.

How does RTC Johor coordinate its coordinating points when all manpower are volunteers? RTC Johor leverages the advantages throughout collaborative action across various social components such as academia, government sectors, private sectors, individuals, NGOs and volunteers. We share and communicate our vision across various platforms so that more inclusive actions can be executed and give impact to Johorians. The transformation initiative for our people towards better citizenships is not only the responsibility of the government but all individuals. RTC Johor is grateful to have tremendous support from the volunteers who always assists us. RTC Johor provides them with platforms, facilitate the programmes and empowers them. We create the tagline “For People by The People” and “Demi Tuhan Untuk Rakyat”, so that everyone understands that the transformation is everybody’s business, literally.

would RTC Johor like to venture in and expand its reach? RTC Johor has already ventured into various community based industries. Currently, we are engaged in the Bio-Economy Community Development Programme that will create a

What is RTC Johor’s vision? As a Social Enterprise, we aim to innovate and transform the traditional model of the community and socio-economic of development in Johor; especially in rural areas, so we can fill the gap in existing services that cannot be effectively delivered by the public and private sectors. We also aim to contribute towards a better identity of Johorians and establish a self-sufficient economy for the people by emphasising knowledge, training, volunteering platforms and employment opportunities. We focus on the establishment of social entrepreneurship activities with inter-sectorial collaborations by promoting strong leadership and good management of social entrepreneurial initiatives.

What kind of an impact will RTC Johor have towards the society (rural) and how far of a reach does it have? By focusing on the four principles of National Blue Ocean Strategies, RTC Johor has rapidly implemented and executed various programmes and initiatives that create high impact outcome to the socioeconomic at low cost to the government. Now, by engaging all social and economic components together with the communities and volunteers in the transformational agenda, especially in Johor, we share the same vision and align to create better environment for Johorians. Through Urban & Rural strategies implemented together with high level of collaborative actions, the linkages between Rural and Urban regions are becoming stronger, benefiting both government and private sectors. Through RTC we can see the transformations in implementation of governmental strategies with renewed vision of government and private agencies.

Besides agricultural and entrepreneurial field, what other industries

high impact on both the people and economic capitals by generating high-income opportunities for rural farmers through a strong local bio-economy supply chain. Apart from that, by capitalising intellectual assets, RTC Johor is already exploring into the Creative Industry, ICT based Industry and Impact Sourcing Services Industry.

How does RTC Johor plan to tackle the issue of lack of human capital development in the region and bringing back talent? RTC Johor believes that transformation starts from the heart of every individual. Based on our local research, Johor itself has a sufficient work force that can support the industrial needs especially in Iskandar Malaysia. Through our partnerships with various private sectors players, we have identified the gap that needs to be filled up in order to support the challenges in local employment. We need to plan, execute and monitor human capital development.

RTC Johor and its training academy, the PUTRA Leaderships Academy are engaging and organising various courses, trainings, workshops, tuitions, seminars, vocational training, entrepreneurship and leaderships modules.

How has the response and feedback from the society been on the efforts of RTC Johor? The response from the community is tremendous! People have started to open up their minds to the ‘transformational change’ that is offered by RTC Johor. A lot of people living in rural areas are now already engaged with entrepreneurship activities, community farming, joining community programmes, volunteering to educate the society and trusting the RTC Johor brand. The urban society has also started to emphasise urban farming, collaborating with youth and women groups, joining voluntary movements and supporting local programmes so it’s eminent that change is here. TI

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Supporting Social Entrepreneurship Highlight

MaGic Malaysian Social Enterprise blueprint unveils a three-year strategy and initiatives to support social entrepreneurship

alaysian Global Innovation & Creativity Centre Social Entrepreneurship (MaGIC SE) unit was set up as a result of a RM20 million fund announced by the Prime Minister in 2013. MaGIC SE has been mandated to spearhead the growth of the nation’s social enterprise sector through a strategic and pragmatic approach. MaGIC SE would also be coordinating the development of the sector through collaboration between public, private and social sectors. Marking a historic moment in the national social enterprise space, the Malaysian Social Enterprise Blueprint 2015-2018 (Blueprint) was recently launched by YAB Prime Minister Datuk Sri Najib Tun Razak. Also present were Tan Sri Dr. Mohd Irwan Serigar Bin Abdullah - Chairman of MaGIC and the Secretary General of Treasury, Ministry of Finance, Cheryl Yeoh - Chief Executive Officer of MaGIC and Ehon Chan - Executive Director, MaGIC Social Entrepreneurship. “Social entrepreneurship is a vital part of our focus on a people’s economy, in which growth is sustainable and inclusive, and the fruits of success are shared by all,” said Prime Minister Najib.

The Blueprint outlines a three-year strategic roadmap for developing a strong social enterprise ecosystem from a top-down and bottom-up approach and empower the Malaysian social enterprise sector to be self-sustaining, equitable and people-centric and, create more impact driven entrepreneurs by the year 2018. The blueprint outlines the strategic thrusts needed to accelerate the development of the social enterprise sector in Malaysia and identifies three main building blocks; social enterprises and social entrepreneurs, the ecosystem itself and institutions including public and private players. Leading up to the formulation of the blueprint, MaGIC SE organised a total of ten roundtables across Peninsular and East Malaysia between NGOs, local social entrepreneurs, academicians, private/government sector, and the blueprint was developed by MaGIC SE based on the outputs from the 200 participants who attended the roundtable sessions. “The blueprint describes the potential for social entrepreneurs in the development of our country. It is drawn as a guide to develop social entrepreneurship

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Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak lanching the Social Enterprise Blueprint to contribute towards enhancing sustainable and equitable economic growth. In the months leading up to the launch, we engaged, discussed and debated with groups of ecosystem players and uncovered unique insights that have shaped the development of the blueprint,” said Cheryl Yeoh, Chief Executive Officer of MaGIC. “We passionately believe we can make Malaysia the regional leader for a people economy. The MaGIC SE team is working hard towards creating awareness and buy-in among stakeholders and upskilling social enterprises through structured learning programmes to equip their businesses to be

investment-ready. Although social entrepreneurship is relatively new in Malaysia, we are seeing trailblazers like Biji-Biji, The Truly Loving Company (TLC) and Dialogue in the Dark who set the examples of how business can do good. The MaGIC SE team was involved in every step of the development of the Blueprint and we are encouraged by the passion and commitment of the stakeholders we have engaged with in these past months. We hope that the blueprint will create a social enterprise sector that is resilient, self-sustaining, and more

importantly, equitable for all”, said Ehon Chan, Executive Director, MaGIC Social Entrepreneurship. MaGIC is also investing in selected social entrepreneurs and enterprises through funding for both pilot and growth stage, in order to materialise their social or environmental impact. For more information on the Malaysian Social Entrepreneurship Blueprint 2015-2018, please visit http://se.mymagic.my/en/ publications/ and for more on MaGIC Social Entrepreneurship, please refer to http://www.mymagic.my/se/

Quick Fact The Iskandarian has been listed in MaGIC’s the Social Enterprise Blueprint as one of the contributors to the Blueprint

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Accumulating Wealth Tips & Tricks

Tey Bin Yuen Binyuen is the founder of BY Enrich Resources and the author of ‘Life beyond the Comfort Zone’. He’ll be conducting a mini workshop ‘Retire early through Share Investment’ on 31 July 15. Collect this article to exchange a ticket worth RM20 for FREE. Reach his team at contact@ teybinyuen.com

ast month, I brought my workshop students to attend an annual general meeting (AGM) of a public listed company. An AGM is mandatory yearly gathering of company’s executives, directors and interested shareholders. Here I’m sharing with you why it’s important to attend an AGM and most importantly, how to profit from it. Why Attend an AGM? While there are a few objectives of a company to conduct an AGM, such as the appointment of directors, executive compensation,

Profit from Attending the Company’s AGM

dividend payment and so forth, there are stronger reasons why you should attend an AGM: 1. Meet the management If you’re a company’s shareholder, you own part of the business, whether big or small. Therefore, would you agree that it’s important to know who is managing your company and how your business is doing? AGM is the best occasion to interact with the executives and ask them questions regarding your business. 2) Meet like-minded investors If you have attended an AGM before, you’d know there are seasoned investors and it’d be interesting to see how they ask questions and how the management answers them. In addition, it’d be beneficial for us to network with like-minded people as it’s an effective way to learn and grow. How to get the best from an AGM? 1. Read the meeting agenda in advance The meeting agenda is available

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in the Notice of Meeting, which you’ll normally receive a few weeks before the meeting. The purpose of reading the agenda is to let you have an overview of the meeting so that you can follow the business matters more easily. 2) Read the annual report Besides helping you understand the company’s performance, reading the annual report can also help you understand the potential questions that investors may ask. Additionally, it’d also help you ask the right questions, which is the next point we’ll discuss. 3) Asking the right questions Questions are the answers. This could be the most important reason why investors want to attend an AGM. If you ask the right questions, you’d gain valuable information that you’d never find in the annual report. Those questions could potentially help you make important investment decision. For example, if the management tells you that the company’s revenue is going uptrend in the next few quarters, isn’t this

obvious that the profit will follow as well, and how about the share price? Consider asking these questions below to help you gain more insight of the company: 1. W hat is the expansion plan of the company and how will the company fund the expansion plan? 2. W hen will the expansion start contributing to the company’s revenue and profit? 3. W hat is the company’s dividend policy? 4. How’s the demand of the company’s products in the next few years? 5. W hat would be the company’s earnings

trend for the next few quarters? 6. W ill you consider issuing bonus shares? If you’re not so comfortable asking questions during the meeting, it’s alright to ask after the meeting. Based on my observation, some CEOs are more open and comfortable sharing in a private interaction. In conclusion, there are many things we can learn by attending an AGM, right from gaining more insight of the business prospect, meeting like-minded people and broadening our horizons. Since we already know why it’s important to attend an AGM and how to get the most of it, it’s time to put what we’ve learned into practice. TI

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Johor kaki Fusion Flair at Spice Grill

Tony is a very passionate Johor food blogger. He is fascinated by Johor’s unique culinary heritage created by its melting pot of diverse cultures. He hopes that his writings about the delightful experiences with Johor food and the people behind it, visitors from around the world will appreciate the potpourri of Johor culinary art.

pice Grill (SG) at Puteri Harbour is brought to us by the same owners as 7 Spice at Danga Bay. Stepping inside SG, you are greeted by a posh interior and it’s definitely a place to dress up to. There are two types of cuisine here – a fusion menu with high end choices and an Indian one from popular north and south continents. For appetisers, we tried the “Mushroom Soup with Truffle Oil”. It was a creamy, grainy and mildly savoury sweet soup made with a blend of several types of mushrooms. Next, we had the “Mushroom Calamari Caviar” and “Hokkaido Queen Scallop” tapas.

Under the Indian menu, we tried the “Murgh Shahjani Reshmi Kebab” / Tandoori Grilled Chicken. This kebab was delightful. The blend of cashew nut, and spice without any red food colouring, topped with fine grated coconut gave the chicken a rich and nutty flavour. It was sufficiently mild to allow us to enjoy the chunky, tender and juicy chicken flavours.

Murgh Shahjani Reshmi Kebab We then tried a few mains from both the extensive menus such as “Oh My Cod”, a large chunk of juicy and tender baked cod fish, followed by the “Wagyu Ribeye” with three sauces. Here, the tender beefy Grade 7 Wagyu was cooked to medium doneness. We also tried the “Duck Confit with Magic Sauce”. The tender and juicy duck leg in

Wagyu Ribeye with three sauces refreshing sweet and zesty orange sauce, topped with caramelised peels is definitely not to be missed. We went on to try “SG Special Black Chicken”. Despite its rather intense black colour, the sauce smothering the tender chicken cubes was well balanced and only mildly savoury, sweet and spicy. A few other Indian dishes such as “The Mixed Vegetables with Homemade Sauce”, “Ghost (lamb) Vindaloo” and “Murgh (chicken) Methi Malai” with “SG Special Rice” cooked with saffron and ghee are not to be missed. For those who love Kerala dishes, there are a few options too. SG also specialises in their grilled seafood aptly named “Thrill from the Grill”. We tried two versions of the prawn. One was in

“Spicy Spinach Sauce” and another in a spicy red shrimp sauce. The chef here prides in their various homemade sauces and they all taste great. We rounded up our sumptuous and scrumptious meal with classic Indian and Western desserts such as the “Gulab Jamun” which is a soft and deep fried milk ball saturated with rose and

Location Restaurant name: Spice Grill Address: Ground Floor, Puteri Harbour, Nusajaya, Johor Bahru, Malaysia GPS: 1.417541, 103.656423 Hours: 12:00 noon to 10 pm (bar is open till 1:00 am daily) Phone: +60 7-509 6644 / +60 19745 7788 (for reservations) No pork, no lard, no Halal cert Alcohol Served

Duck confit with magic sauce cardamom syrup served with a scoop of vanilla gelato, followed by the classic French “L’Opera” which was hearty bites of delicious layered flavours of caramel, coffee, chocolate cake. Overall, you can enjoy delicious food in a highly distinguished ambiance at a reasonable premium in pricing.

Indian classic desert - Gulab Jamun

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It’s time to Break-fast Highlight

With the ongoing Ramadan, Muslims all around the world are still partaking in their long daylight fast. The Iskandarian once again bring you highlights and price guide from local hotel Ramadan buffet promotions

By Priya Manikam & Harish Mustak newsdesk@theiskandarian.com

amadan is a period when Muslims abstain from food, drink and other physical needs during the daylight hours. As a time to purify the soul, refocus your attention on God and practice self-sacrifice because the Ramadan month is considered the holiest month for Muslims. Malaysians and food are synonymous, and Ramadan buffets are now a highlight at almost all hotels throughout the country. Chefs are ready to impress diners with their mouth-watering cuisines and flavours and these buffets are jointly enjoyed by both Muslims and NonMuslims. Over at DoubleTree by Hilton, you can try some “Festive Flavours” at their Makan Kitchen restaurant where there is a buffet spread that consist over 80 local and traditional delights. The main spread would include a mix of local and traditional foods such as Rendang Daging Tulang RusuK (Beef Spare Rib Cooked in Rendang Sauce), Fish Head Curry, Stir Fried Marmite Prawn, Loh Hon Chai with Tofu, Chicken Tikka with Mint Chutney and the most perfectly cooked Hyderabadi Dum Briyani. There will also be a carvery station with Oven Roasted Lamb Legs with Mint Sauce and Au Jus as well as live cooking

demonstrations. Catch the amazing skills of the servers as they put on a The Tarik show for you and your company while enjoying the food after breaking fast. Hotel Jen at Puteri Harbour also doesn’t fall short as they feature “Hawker Delights” at their Harbour Cafe. Savour classic favourites with a contemporary twist. Their elaborate buffet will tantalise your taste buds with delicious local favourites such as Assam Pedas, Penang Laksa, Chicken Rendang and the Four Heavenly Kings, a vegetable stir fry dish with sambal. Their not-to-be-missed signature dishes would be the Salmon Penang Laksa, Roulade Chicken Rendang,

food at their Orchid Ballroom. Be prepared to treat yourself with 60 over popular local flavours such as Otak-Otak, Mi Bandung Muar, Johor Laksa and Nasi Briyani Gam including live cooking stations. Also do not miss their signature D-24 Durian Goreng and be entertained by a special Samrah performance. Hotel Granada Johor Bahru will be offering diners with abundant of mouthwatering spread of Ramadan Buffet Dinner at Olla Restaurant till 16th July 2015. Diners will have the opportunity to break-fast with an abundance of delicious delights comprising of traditional Malay cuisine and Asian cuisine. While breaking fast, diners will be entertained by Live Ghazal Performance daily throughout Ramadan.

PRICE GUIDE Thistle Johor Bahru Sahur @ Glass Restaurant (2am -5am) Price (Adult) : RM 35 nett (Children below 12): RM 30 nett Reservations Call: 07-267 8984 / 222 9234 Thistle Johor Bahru @ Orchid Ballroom Price (Adult) : RM 120 nett (Children below 12): RM 87 nett Reservations Call: 07-267 8984 / 222 9234 Hotel Jen Puteri Harbour Price (Adult) : RM 114 nett (Children above 12): RM 57 nett (Children below 6, max 2 pax) - Free Reservations Call: 07-560 8900 *Discounts given for pre-bookings Hotel Granada Johor Bahru Price (Adult) : RM 90 nett (Children 4-11 years old): RM 48 nett Reservations Call: 07-231 8805 / 016-7717 594 / 016-7727 8805 Ponderosa Golf & Country Club Price (Adult) : RM 68 nett (Children 5-12 years old): RM 34 nett Reservations Call: 07-354 9999

Seared Diver Scallops with Avocado and Beetroot Puree with Sweet and Spicy Mango Salsa with cress. Thistle Johor Bahru’s buffet is “Citarasa Kampung Kita” in view to promote Johor

Pulai Springs Resort Price (Adult) : RM 88 nett (Children): RM 44 nett Reservations Call: 07-521 2121 DoubleTree by Hilton Johor Bahru Price (Adult) : RM 125 nett (Children 5-12 years old): 50% discount applicable Reservations Call: 07-268 6868

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PROPERT Y INSIGHT

PROPERTY

RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS

APARTMENTS

VILLAS

CONDOMINIUMS

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Cover: Johorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Affordable Housing Scheme

The recently held three day showcase of affordable housing in the state was well pg 38 received by the public

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Mah Sing and The Edge launch a million dollar contest and Ed Cheong talks about the tumbling Ringgit

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Quick Reads

RM204mil project in Johor Bina Puri Holdings Bhd will embark on a joint-venture to develop a RM204 million residential project in LakeHill Resort City near Masai in Johor. Its unit Bina Puri Properties Sdn Bhd has inked a joint development agreement with LakeHill Resort Development Sdn Bhd, a fullyowned subsidiary of Malaysia Pacific Corporation Berhad, to construct 412 double-storey terrace houses on 24.41 acres of freehold land. Bina Puri Properties is the developer while LakeHill Resort Development, the landowner, will be entitled to payment of RM21.26 million as land cost and 20 percent of the project profit.

EcoWorld launches Singapore gallery Located on St Martin’s Drive, EcoWorld Development Group Bhd’s international gallery joins the ranks of EcoWorld’s other international galleries situated at London, the United Kingdom, and Sydney, Australia. The strategic move was made based on the fact that RM3.2 billion of EcoWorld’s total sales last year, RM1.8 billion came from the Iskandar Malaysia region, mostly from local and Singaporean buyers. The opening ceremony of the EcoWorld Gallery @ Singapore was performed by the High Commissioner of Malaysia to Singapore Datuk Husni Zai Yaacob.

Genting’s new launch Genting Property’s new Raintree project would see a mix development of cluster, semidetached, link-bungalow and bungalow homes centred in lush greenery in Taman Indahpura, Kulaijaya. The two-storey and twoand-a-half storey modern houses would see a built-up area of between 2,875 sq ft and 4,522 sq ft priced from approximately RM1mil to RM3mil.

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Abandoned Housing Project to be Revived Highlight

Johor MB launches RM65 mil plan by IWCB to revive Taman Bayu Tebrau housing project

ne of Johor Bahru city’s last remaining abandoned housing projects will be given a new lease of life under a RM65 million make-over plan by the State Government through public-listed Iskandar Waterfront City Behad (IWCB). Menteri Besar Dato’ Mohamed Khaled Nordin, who launched works to “rescue and revive” Taman Bayu Tebrau, said, “The State’s approach and method to rehabilitate this sick project is a model for the whole country”. Taman Bayu Tebrau, which has been abandoned for over 10 years, is located in Permas Jaya, and is within the Menteri Besar’s constituency of Permas. Khaled said that the State Government is conscious of the hardships and grief suffered by the 404 purchasers who never got to move into their dream house. “This is a shining example of what can be achieved under the PPP system involving State, Federal and private sector collaboration,” he said,

adding that the PPP system was an ideal and cost effective way to provide better projects and services for the rakyat. IWCB, previously known as Tebrau Teguh Berhad, is a subsidiary of Iskandar Waterfront Holdings Sdn Bhd – a PPP company whose shareholders include State and Federal government-linked companies and agencies and private corporate entities. Under the rescue plan, IWCB will spend RM65 million over the next two years to revive and upgrade the partially completed four-blocks of five-and 10-storey medium-cost apartments. Spread over an 8.8-acre waterfront site fronting the Sungai Tebrau and Sungai Plentong in Permas Jaya, this housing scheme was started in 1999 with all 460 units supposed to have been completed by March 2004. However, the developer was unable to complete the project as scheduled and construction was abandoned in stages, with the works coming to a complete halt by 2011.

The overall status of construction by then was about 70-per cent. The apartments which range in size from 988 sq ft to 1,023 sq ft, were originally priced at between RM100,000 and RM120,000 each. A total of 404 units had been sold. The abandoned project has since deteriorated terribly with thieves looting iron and other permanent fixtures. The site has also become a convenient hideout for illegals, drug addicts and criminals. Oblivious to the safety and security problem, some 36 desperate families have since illegally taken possession of their partially completed apartments and

are still living there under makeshift conditions. IWCB chairman Datuk Ayob Mion said the company, in which state-owned Kumpulan Prasarana Rakyat Johor or KPRJ is a major shareholder, was happy to become the “White Knight” to rescue and complete the project. The upgrading works would include enhanced architecture, improved infrastructure, repair of all structural damages, installation of new equipment and facilities. Datuk Ayob also assured the purchasers that they would be delivered keys to their revived apartments by end of 2017.

Investment Corner Real life case studies

A.Devadason

CA(M), FCCA, MDRT Deva is a partner in the firm of Dason & Dason, Chartered Accountants who specialises in tax advisory and consultancy. He can be reached at deva@dason.com.my

he topic of education comes up often when I meet parents during the family ’s annual portfolio review. Many harbours hope of sending their kids overseas to pursue courses that are respectable and well paying. Popular destinations cited are UK, USA, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. One common denominator with all the countries above is that the currency exchange rate is and has been superior to the Ringgit for the last half century and is likely to remain so for the foreseeable future. When I confront parents on how much foreign currency have they saved thus far, more often than not, the answer is none. Many just do not have an idea of the total cost of funding

Planning for Your Child’s Education

such an education. Apart from tuition fees, other costs such as living expenses, flight tickets and medical should be factored in when planning for the overall budget. Foreign Currency Deposit The biggest challenge in financing an overseas tertiary education is the upward movement of currency rate between now and the years to come. One way to overcome this hurdle is to utilise the availability of foreign currency deposit schemes offered by commercial banks. Let’s say an Australian education is desired in 15 years time; between now and then, exchange rates can move either way. To mitigate the risk of higher exchange rate, a gradual and systematic deposit can be made. Often, I suggest that every year, a portion of bonus is converted and placed in an Australian Fixed Deposit account in Malaysia. By doing so, the exchange rate has been locked and on top of that, interest is earned on the Australian Dollar (AUD) deposit. Should there be a sudden dip in exchange rate, more Ringgit

should be converted to AUD. By doing so, costs can be averaged especially if earlier purchases were done at a higher rate. A continuous process over the next 15 years would yield a tidy sum of AUD that has been converted at various exchange rates. However, what if when the time comes, rates have fallen so much that it’s significantly lower than the average rate that was accumulated over the last 15 years? One approach is to ignore the current rates because the cost for the AUD has been locked and thus irrelevant because the idea behind the rate-lock was never about profiting from exchange rate fluctuation. But for those who just can’t accept the paper loss incurred due to rates that has fallen over the years, then fresh Ringgit should be converted to buy AUD. This would ensure that currency purchased in the past stays locked and can be converted back into Ringgit in future when rates are profitable. Thus, having savings in Ringgit is equally important to finance an overseas

education. Whatever the outcome, it never hurts to be prepared although the risk of foreign exchange gain/loss is ever present whenever currency conversion is involved. What if parents are unsure of the destination country but still want to hedge against adverse exchange rates? The solution would be to save in the Singapore Dollar (SGD). Although interest rates on deposits are very low, SGD has proven to be an excellent preserver of value. The exchange rate between SGD and major currencies such as the USD, GBP and AUD has been relatively less volatile than our Ringgit. For those who live in Johor Bahru, having Singapore just across the Causeway is an added advantage as its economic pulse is easily felt through proximity and the prominent displays by money changers on the going rate. This allows one to take advantage of any favourable movement in exchange rates to further strengthen ones’ education fund. TI

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Property Investment Opinion

The Tumbling Ringgit : At the time of writing, SGD 1 buys RM 2.80

Ed Cheong Ed 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

f the currency market’s weakness indicates lack of confidence of long term fiscal health of the weaker target, this is felt more by close trading partners where the currencies are marked to similar baskets of other currencies. Although the interest rate in Malaysia is a few times higher than Singapore’s, the market is betting that Malaysian fiscal balances will continue to deteriorate. This is bad news. Just like the entire Euro Zone has been affected with Greece’s possible fiscal collapse, the link between market confidence and currency is undeniably unforgiving. The Malaysian economy is undergoing great stress due to its large dependence on oil revenues. With the collapse of oil prices, things are looking down. Generally, commodity prices are affected with global trade slowdown. The only economies pushing forward are the US and China. Their stock markets are at record high. So naturally, currency players are pulling

back from emerging markets and even Europe to enter these two singular front runners. Therefore, in order to put the Malaysian budget back on track, fuel subsidy cuts were introduced. Goods and Services Tax was implemented levering a regressive 6% on consumer spending. These are necessary measures which come at an unfortunate time when the general economy is slowing. The most important factor affecting housing prices are affordability and therefore employment. No amount of incentives or price discounts will bring buyers into showrooms if people are losing jobs or having salary cuts. In light of these bleak indicators, will the Malaysian economy slow down to recession? There are some critical events that will break the safety net of trend growth. I expect the US to raise interest rates by end of this year or latest, first half of next and this will trigger a chain of events. Of particular interest to me is whether the large bond bubble in the US will implode. Since the last rounds of quantitative easing, corporate bonds are the main beneficiary of loose monetary policy. If indeed the bond market implodes, we will see a major rout in the stock markets worldwide. That in turn will escalate to further erode commodity demand putting more pressure on currencies such as the Malaysian Ringgit. In short, savvy property buyers must

stay on the sideline for the foreseeable future. The worst case scenario for the ringgit is a return to the US dollar peg. In any of these scenarios, nothing will help developers sell their stock either in Iskandar Malaysia or across most parts of Malaysia. If anything, the best will wait out the property markets in financial cities of New York, London, Singapore and Tokyo. Locally, Iskandar Malaysia must stay vigilant and insulate its own economy for growth by focusing on attracting more regional digital services investments. The technology sector is very healthy globally. With land and unprecedented cost advantages, Johor must come out with an aggressive plan to attract more global investments in these areas. The high speed rail project should be accelerated to facilitate movement of talents from Klang Valley down to Iskandar. The Educity project must focus on producing good measure of digital and design knowledge workers. In summary, barring a major shock like a MERS epidemic, there are some big dangers ahead. If the MERS emergency happens, all bets are off. But for now, investments in property will slow down to a trickle. My last thought is for corporate employees to stay nimble and rent if possible. Iskandar Malaysia has plenty of beautiful completed projects. It pays to rent now and wait. TI

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PR1MA: 16,458 housing units available for applicants

pplications for 16,458 housing units under the 1Malaysia People’s Housing (PR1MA) scheme are now open. Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim said the units available for applications are situated in 20 locations nationwide in Johor, Perak, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Melaka, Kedah and Sabah. “The open balloting process for the available PR1MA projects will be conducted in stages soon,” he told the Dewan Negara. PR1MA is currently in the process of constructing 17,845 housing units in various locations in the country he said. Shahidan added that the public are still unable to understand the effectiveness of the PR1MA scheme as it is still in the early stages. “The effects of PR1MA will be felt by them when the projects are completed and applicants receive their house keys,” he said. Shahidan added that the rent-to-own scheme would be officially announced soon to assist PR1MA applicants who failed to qualify for bank loans. Perumahan Rakyat 1Malaysia (PR1MA) Berhad was established under the PR1MA Act 2012 to plan, develop, construct and maintain affordable lifestyle housing for middle-income households in key urban areas. Perumahan Rakyat 1Malaysia (PR1MA) Berhad was established under the PR1MA Act 2012 to plan, develop, construct and maintain affordable lifestyle housing for middle-income households in key urban areas.

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Propernomy by Dr Daniele Opinion

Dr. Daniele Gambero REI Group

Daniele is the CEO and co-founder of REI Group of Companies, gives presentations on the property market and welcomes feedback at: Daniele.g@reigroup.com.my

ometime ago I attended an interesting one day congress organised by ASLI (Asian Strategy & Leadership Institute) where, the Guest of Honour Y.A. Bhg. Tun Dr. Mahatir bin Mohamad, had given an interesting speech touching several current issues with a smart overview of the “chicken and egg” question: better to change or remain as we are? Driving the audience through his line of thought, he touched on global

High-rise, tower-cranes and lights off

economy, regional and finally the Malaysian performance. He prized this last one with full reason. Dr. M finally touched the local property market by saying something very right. He expressed his happiness that when driving around Kuala Lumpur, he keeps seeing construction cranes up everywhere. Good he said, it means construction industry which is one of the biggest sources of GDP growth is doing very well! However, his happiness turned into sadness whilst driving in the evening as he could only see a small part of lights-on in all these beautiful skyscrapers, office towers and residential condominiums. During the last few years, I’ve been monitoring few indicators (RM/square feet, sale status, rentals, and occupancy) for both residential and commercial building in Kuala Lumpur, and the outcome raises concern over the sustainability of that specific area above all for high-rise products. Prices have been rising for the newly launched projects but sales are telling a different story with good supporting reasons. There are residential high rise projects selling above RM2,250 per square foot with units all above 1,300 sf of size. It is easy to calculate the rental for such a unit (1,300sf ) as it has to be in the range of RM10,000 per month to guarantee a 4% ROI only. The sad truth is that Bukit Bintang’s prestigious address can only fetch a mere RM7,500 for a

1,307 sf unit (fully furnished)! The worst has yet to come as the occupancy rates are far below the lights on-off count proposed by Dr. M, as fewer people, including foreigners are willing to rent at those rates. Short term good news is that, finally a number of big time developers have started looking at external fringe areas such as Sungai Buloh, North and South Klang, Kajang, Bangi, Dengkil down south till Seremban. Gradually, in the years to come, there will be an increased availability of affordable houses. To support this trend and getting some reassuring indexes, developers should look at few important numbers such as wealth distribution, GDP, population growth and inflation rate. The latest statistics from the World Bank is showing that Malaysian wealth is decently distributed totaling an 80% population sharing almost 70% of the nation’s wealth (although disparity is still strong in the top and bottom = 10%s). If we compare

a population growth rate of 1.2% per year with an inflation rate below 2% and a GDP growth around 5%, it appears quite clear that in the next ten years, 80% of the population will come to an almost perfect distribution of 80% of the nation’s wealth allowing a further widening up of the demand for these famous / infamous affordable houses. My personal take is that, progressively, Malaysians will accept the idea of paying fairly higher taxes. This doesn’t mean that the Government will impose higher taxes but that citizens will be more responsible and accept their social responsibility of paying taxes (if citizens see that “tax payers’ money” is well used to improve the wealth of the Nation then the whole process will happen faster and easier). The Malaysian Government must use some of the increased collection of “tax payers’ money” to directly respond to the demand for low-cost housing while pushing developers to fill the demand for the fairly profitable “affordable housing”. Developers and investors will find their satisfaction from the positive property value scaling that is progressively brought in by the growing Malaysian “pro-capita” wealth, more balanced Nation Wealth distribution and high competitiveness of Malaysian property values which are still by far the most attractive when compared with the neighboring countries.

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RM1million Dream Home to be Won Highlight

The Edge - Mah Sing’s Millionaire Contest is touted as the biggest property contest in the country

he Edge - Mah Sing Millionaire Contest is a collaboration between The Edge publication and Malaysia’s premier lifestyle developer Mah Sing Group who celebrates their 21st anniversary of operations in Malaysia this year. The contest, touted as the biggest property contest in the country will see one lucky winner walk away with RM1million cash voucher to purchase any Mah Sing residential property in Malaysia. The Millionaire Contest was officiated by Mah Sing Group Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer Ng Chai Yong and The Edge Media Group Publisher & Chief Executive Officer Ho Kay Tat during a ceremony at Mah Sing’s Petaling Jaya sales gallery. The residential areas where the winner can select from includes Mon’t Kiara in the Klang Valley, Aspen@Garden Residence in Cyberjaya, Loft@Southbay City in Penang, Meridin@Medini in Johor Bahru and The Residences at Sutera Avenue in Sabah. “These are but a few of an attractive list of residential properties for the winner to select from, and especially since 84% of the Group’s planned residential launches this year are priced below RM1million, while 71% are priced below RM700,000 and 44% are

priced below RM500,000,” said Ng Chai Yong. “All contestants will be required to use the Edge Fair Value tool via the theedgeproperty. com to check the indicative fair value of a property as the starting point for the contest. The Edge Fair Value is an indicative price of a property generated by a proprietary algorithm based on actual transaction,” said Ho Kay Tat. Apart from The Edge Fair Value tool, users can also find out the indicative price per square foot, indicative rental range and indicative rental yield of properties using other analytics tools in the website. Users can also check the actual sale and rental transactions in a building or on that street, what is the indicative price of surrounding properties, the facilities of the neighborhood, explore the Hot Spots tracker to see what is trending, and even set a Watch list to notify them when there are properties that match the criteria the user has set, such as price, size and location. The Edge - Mah Sing Millionaire Contest will be from 20th June until 31st July 2015, and is open to Malaysians and Malaysian Permanent Residents and also Singaporean and Singaporean Permanent Residents aged 21 years and above (subject

(From left to right) Ms. Rachel Leong, Deputy General Manager Marketing and Special Projects of Mah Sing Group; Ms Lyanna Tew, General Manager Corporate Communications of Mah Sing Group; Mr. Ng Chai Yong, Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer of Mah Sing Group; Mr Ho Kay Tat, Publisher & Chief Executive Officer of The Edge Media Group; Ms. Au Foong Yee, Managing Director of The Edge Communications Sdn Bhd; Azam Aris, Senior Managing Editor of The Edge Communications Sdn Bhd to terms and conditions). To take part, participants may log on to www. theedgeproperty.com, or Mah Sing’s facebook page www. facebook.com/mahsing, or www. theedgemahsingmillionaire.com. Participants will be guided to

complete a few simple registration steps and will be required to complete a property Fair Value Tool before starting on the contest. To gain more chances of winning, participants may also take part in the exciting activities listed on the contest webpage. The

finale of the contest will convene with a “Survivor Challenge” – a mix of simple and physical games for 21 selected finalists on 22 August at Southville City@KL South, Bangi. For more information on The Edge - Mah Sing Millionaire Contest, kindly call 03-9232 6776.

Huge turnout for affordable homes Highlight

Rumah Mampu Milik Johor (affordable homes) by SUK Housing Division Johor saw a tremendous turnout during its three day registration

By Priya Manikam newsdesk@theiskandarian.com

he Setiausaha Kerajaaan Bahagian Perumahan Johor (SUK) recently held a three day registration at KSL Hotel and Resort. Aptly named Rumah Mampu Milik Johor (RMMJ), the number of registrations for these affordable homes was more than 80,000 with 50% coming from Johor Bahru itself. The SUK’s mission is to create quality and affordable homes to the citizens especially of the lower income bracket. The event was officiated by the Johor Chief Minister Dato’ Khaled Nordin, Datuk Abd Latif Bandi, Chairman of the Housing and Local Government State of Johor and Datuk Tee Siew Kiong, Chairman of Tourism, Trade and Consumer Affairs. According to Dato’ Khaled

Nordin, “Although the RMMJ received applications from outstation citizens, the priority is given to local born Johorians who meets the required criteria”. A SUK officer mentioned that in order to qualify, one has to be a Malaysian citizen who has resided at least 5 years in the Johor state, alongside fulfilling other requirements as stipulated in their website. The event had exhibitions from various housing developers, and interested home buyers had the opportunity to scout for potential homes and then register with the SUK either physically or via online. “In selecting a home, I decide according to my budget which is about RM 80,000 range and strategic location to my workplace,” said Siti Salwa, 30 during the last day of the event. She had previously also registered under PR1MA. A sales representative from

The three day showcase event saw thousands turn up in an attempt to obtain their affordable house Mutiara Rini Sdn. Bhd said that at least 80% of their affordable homes have been sold out mostly in the Gelang Patah area. The project is set to be completed by year end or early next year. A Johor Land Bhd representative, Izwan said that their RMMJ homes at Taman Seroja, Tampoi is completely sold out and

the SUK had recently handed over the keys to home owners in the presence of Dato’ Khaled Nordin. Izwan also briefed on the selection process, whereby one has to first register with the SUK with the required documents, then meet the developer and decide on a location based on a code and fill that in the registration form. As

the number of applications always supersedes the number of allotted units, the SUK usually does a balloting system to select qualified applicants. For more details and requirements on applying for RMMJ, kindly log on to http:// erumah.johor.gov.my or call 0723666 260 / 07-2666 261. TI

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