The Iskandarian September 2015 Issue by The Iskandarian-WAVES Lifestyle

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The Iskandarian ISSUE 37 | SEPT 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

pg 9

BMW revised its prices with GST inclusion and sales have gone up outdoing our first quarter - Alisa Khoo, Dealer Principal Wearnes Autohaus Sdn Bhd

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“Sehati, Sejiwa”

MALAYSIA

AY! IRTHD B Y H A PP

FLOOD FEARS Concern

Flash flooding caused by a heavy downpour affected businesses and raised fears of a flood recurrence in Johor Bahru City Centre

View from Komtar JBCC during the recent July 31st flash flood at Jalan Wong Ah Fook

ohor Bahru City Centre has seen its fair share of flash floods over the years and the recent strike raised fears that the current JB Transformation project of Sungai Segget could end up being a bane than a boon to the city if flash floods are not contained. It was learned that no major damage was reported during the few hours of flood and the unexpected heavy rain coupled with demolition debris from Sungai Segget is the cause for the flash flooding in the afternoon of July 31 on Jalan Wong Ah Fook. “The area in front

of Komtar JBCC is a critical area which is prone to flooding because the existing river size can’t cater to a huge amount of water,” said IRDA’s JB Transformation Project Manager, Abdul Halim Mohd Nor. Wh e n asked if there is a chance of the flood recurring at Jalan Wong Ah Fook, Halim said, “Yes, it is possible. However, the contractor has set up an emergency response team and measures have been taken to ease the situation quickly. Suction pumps and closer onsite supervision will be made a More priority.” on pg4

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INSIDE The Johor International Youth Hub (HAB) in Hutan Bandar debuts for the youths of Iskandar Malaysia (IM) to have their activities Nusajaya Assemblyman YB Dr Hj Zaini Abu Bakar says Nusajaya will be a hub for talent development programmes

pg 4

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We humbly hope that our support and contribution will assist the pg 11 foundation

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We are honoured to serve Malaysia’s Southern region with our collective years of pg 13 experience

Datuk Syed Mohamed Syed President & CEO of IIB

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Country Garden gives back Highlight

Sekolah Kebangsaan Tanjung Kupang (SKTK), one of Country Garden Pacific View’s adopted schools receive RM20,000 contribution to improve and refurbish school facilities By Harish Mustak newsdesk@theiskandarian.com

ountry Garden Pacific View (CGPV) donated RM20,000 to Sekolah Kebangsaan Tanjung Kupang (SKTK) earlier this year as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme. The money was used to improve and refurbish school facilities such as building a new

and much sturdier stage at the school mini make shift hall located in the school’s canteen. Part of the contribution was also channeled to buy a new P.A. system, a mic-stand, and a few whiteboards. With some extra money left over from the major improvements, the school managed to refurbish part of the school canteen area with a new floor job with some pavement work. Established in 1936, SKTK is

Hezrin Ali, Corporate Communications and Media Manager of CGPV handing over the plaque to representatives of SK Tanjung Kupang a traditional school that was built as a hut school but has improved significantly throughout the years. Equipped with ICT facilities and now, a new stage, the school intends to provide a better learning climate and a more conducive environment for the students. According to Normajidy

Abdul Majid, SKTK ‘s Administrator, the school is pleased to have received this contribution from CGPV and considers it as a ‘winwin’ situation as CGPV gets to fulfill their CSR and the school benefits in ways that can improve the standard of the students’ education. TI

Temporary Lane Closure at EDL The north and south bound lanes from k ilometre 4.6 to kilometre 7 of the Eastern Dispersal Link (EDL) Expressway in Johor Bahru is closed from 10 August to December 2015 said a statement issued by MRCB Lingkaran Selatan Sdn Bhd (MLSSB). The closure will be done in stages throughout the period mentioned, to allow major repair works to be carried out

safely and efficiently on the lanes involved.

Road users are expected to comply with the various road signs

posted. Motorists who use the EDL are also advised to plan their routes accordingly in order to ensure their smooth journey, to and from their workplaces or other destinations. MLSSB wo u l d like to apologise for any inconvenience caused and hope motorists will be patient and exercise more caution when using the EDL on the dates stated.

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

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

Inconsiderate drivers driving in the emergency lane on the Pasir Gudang Highway -Sent by Nurul Huda

New Stadium for JDT Highlight

The construction works for the new stadium for Johor Darul Takzim (JDT) will begin in November at Nusajaya

he Johor Football Association said that the stadium has a seating capacity of 45,000, which will be built on a plot of land of 20 hectares in Kota Iskandar, Nusajaya. The land has been given by the Johor state government for the development of football. “The project will take three years and will feature a state of the art facilities

including a theme park, “football golf” for children, restaurants, shopping centre, stores selling JDT merchandises and many

others,” said the Association through its official Facebook page JDT; Johor Southern Tigers. HRH Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim as the Association’s President was reported as saying that the Association will channel more funds for the infrastructure and development of the football field in the state at the grassroots level.

Correction and Clarification

FOOD

Peggy Loh reviews Pot’s Industries

pg 28

Chef’s Table restaurant was listed as a ‘No Pork, No Lard, No Halal Cert’ restaurant in page 24 of Issue 36 (August) edition of The Iskandarian. This should have read as a ‘Non Halal’ restaurant instead. We apologise for the error.

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The Iskandarian ISSUE 37 | SEPT 2015

Opening Doors in Nusajaya Interest

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Flood Fears

From Cover

Nusajaya will be a hub for talent development programmes

d d re s s i n g t h e l ow employability rate of fellow Johorians in the Iskandar Malaysia region, Nusajaya Assemblyman YB Dr Hj Zaini Abu Bakar stressed on the need for hub to cultivate talent development programmes in Nusajaya. “I pity the community in my area for not being exposed to the job opportunities that are available in the region, especially with the increasing investments coming into Nusajaya. As the representative of the people, I would like to let them know that there are always opportunities in Johor,” said Zaini. Dr Elilen Chandra from Elnet Talent Solutions (ETS) said, besides providing job matching

Dr Elilen Chandra with collaborates with Dr Hj Zaini Abu Bakar to open a hub for talent development in Nusajaya

Images circulated on social media depicting the flash flood at Johor Bahru City Centre The downpour dumped close to one metre depth of rain in the heart of Johor Bahru from 2pm to 4pm bringing traffic to a standstill. Halim explained that once the Transformation of Sungai Segget is complete, flash flood will no longer be a concern as the improved river channel will be widened and will come equipped with a flood mitigation system with

opportunities, ETS will act as a liaison to the hub to coordinate human capital development. ETS and the Assemblyman’s office will facilitate the programme to ensure that unemployed Johorians, namely fresh graduates or people seeking new careers would have a better chance of getting a new job and staying in an organisation. - by Harish Mustak.

new tidal gates, standby pumps and Scada systems in place. In late 2013, the re-opening of Sungai Segget was undertaken through the JB Transformation blueprint of IRDA. IRDA and Johor Bahru City Council (MBJB) were tasked to monitor the implementation of the project with a completion deadline at 2016. The total cost of the project is RM200 million, not including land acquisition costs of RM23 million.- by Edey Suresh. TI

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

Development Authority (IRDA) 07-233 3000

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The Iskandarian ISSUE 37 | SEPT 2015

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Crime rate down

PEGASUS INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

Interest

“A SINGAPORE Curriculum School”

Johor’s crime rate has taken a dip by 11.5% from January to July 2015

n a statement during the United Against Crime Carnival held at Plaza Angsana, Unity & Human Resource EXCO YB R.Vidyananthan said that Johor’s crime index has taken a dip by 11.5% as of July this year. The original target set was a reduction of 5% but the police force has apparently exceeded their own expectations by an additional 6.5%. Break-ins were down by 11.1% and petty theft has been reduced by 18.6%. From 2009 till 2014, crime in Malaysia has seen an estimated reduction of 40%. It was reported that 209 817 cases were reported in 2009 and in 2014, only 128 544 cases were reported. “Even though the crime index has seen a steady decline, the public’s

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(from left) Unity & Human Resource EXCO YB R.Vidyananthan with Deputy Home Affairs Minister Nur Jazlan Mohamed perception is still generally negative and many are with the presumption that crime is on the rise in our country and safety and security issues are still questioned,” said Vidyananthan. “Overcoming negative perception is not easy and requires an intelligent and holistic approach,” he added. The United Against Crime Carnival is being

held annually in different states and aims to bring uniformed agencies closer to the community. It is an initiative by the Home Ministry. This year’s UAC was officiated by the newly appointed Deputy Home Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan and YB R.Vidyananthan who was officially representing Menteri Besar Dato’ Khaled Nordin. TI

Responsible

Pulai Springs Resort visited the children’s ward at Sultanah Aminah Hospital to spread Raya joy

Patients were happy to receive the story books and goodies

IGCSE / A LEVELS

Good vibes at HSA

ulai Springs Resort (PSR) recently celebrated Hari Raya with the young ones of the East Ward (Children’s Surgery) at Sultanah Aminah Hospital (HSA). PSR organised this visit as part of their efforts in reaching out to the community. The visit was also part of the resort’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme. During the visit, goodie bags filled with hand towels and food items

Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB) designated Agent and Examination Centre

like fresh fruits, soy milk, and breakfast cereal were distributed to 50 children. The management, staff and committee members of the resort’s Sports, Recreation and Welfare Club were there to distribute the goodies. Each child also received another package containing stationeries sponsored by SchwanStabilo Marketing Sdn Bhd as well as storybooks and arts and crafts sponsored by Pelangi Publishing Group Berhad.

“It is great to receive such encouraging response from the staff of PSR for this programme. It is also great that our visit can bring so much happiness to those that needs a little lift. We at PSR believe that it is important in reaching out to the community as well as to the less fortunate during the festive season,” said Sunny Soo, PSR’s General Manager. Sunny Soo handed out Duit Raya to all the children in the ward before wishing them all a Selamat Hari Raya. The Duit Raya came from the resort as well as donations from the staff and the Sports, Recreation and Welfare Club of PSR. - by Harish Mustak. TI

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Quick Reads

RM2.4 mil for SME entrepreneurs

Johor Menteri Besar Dato’ Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the younger generation in the state have shown great potential in agricultural activities and they are set to help the sector grow further. He said this was proven with the keen interest shown by Johor youths towards the Young Agropreneur programme introduced by the Agriculture and Agrobased Industries Ministry. “The Johor Agriculture Department has recorded a total of 157 young farmers who registered under the programme. Twenty seven of these young farmers have received aid totalling RM430,000 from the federal government. “It is hoped that more farmers will benefit from this allocation. The state government approved an allocation

of RM2.4 million to 500 entrepreneurs under the small and medium-sized industries programme as of July,” he said when launching the 110th anniversary celebration of the Johor Agriculture Department and Mini-Agro Programme in Taman Pertanian Kong Kong, Masai. Khaled said the encouraging response for the Young Agropreneur programme will complement efforts to ensure Johor continues to become a hub for food and produce. Johor is the leading producer of fruits, spices and flowers. Also present at the event were State Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Committee chairman Ismail Mohamed and Tiram Assemblyman Datuk Maulizan Bujang.

3,534 smoking compounds issued Health & Environment EXCO Datuk Haji Ayub Rahmat said that from January to June this year, 3,534 compound notices were issued by the Health department, as opposed to 2,978 in the same period last year. There were 5,750 compound notices for the whole of 2014. “Those caught smoking in nonsmoking zones would be fined RM500 under the Control of Tobacco Product Regulations 2004, and would be summoned to court if they failed to settle the compound

fine within a month,” he said at a press conference at the launch of the smoke-free work place and blood donation campaign organised by UMLand Seri Austin township. Johor’s non-smoking zones include public toilets, school compounds, hospitals, Dataran Bandaraya Johor Bahru, airports, stadiums, places of worship and public parking areas. “Starting from January next year, all public parks nationwide would be gazetted as non-smoking zones,” he added.

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IIB contributes RM1 million to JFA By Harish Mustak newsdesk@theiskandarian.com

Highlight

t a recent Hari Raya Open House event organised by Iskandar Investment Berhad (IIB), a momentous highlight witnessed by all the partners of IIB was the presentation of a very generous contribution to the Johor Football Association (JFA) as sponsorship from IIB. Datuk Latif was honoured to receive the token, representing Datuk Ismail Karim, President of the JFA who could not make it to the event due to health reasons. It was made aware by Datuk Syed that Datuk Ismail was down with a mild case of dengue and

Iskandar Investment Berhad (IIB) presented a generous token of appreciation to the Johor Football Association (JFA) should be recovering soon. “I had mentioned our support for the development of sports for youths via football through our very own Cruyff Court Iskandar (CCI). I am pleased and delighted to also present our dynamic football icon - Johor Darul Takzim Football Club (JDT) a sponsorship of RM1 million. Our young CCI footballers have always looked up to JDT as an inspiration to

give their best in the hope that one day they too can play for their state,” said Datuk Syed Mohamed. The CCI is IIB’s very own unique corporate social responsibility programme initiated as part of a worldwide initiative, championed by the Dutch football legend Johan Cruyff through his foundation to provide sport programmes to children with lack of space for sports and games.

Datuk Syed Mohamed Syed Ibrahim, President and Chief Executive Officer of IIB presenting the mock cheque to Datuk Latif Bandi CCI is located at Kg Melayu Majidee and is the first Cruyff Court in Southeast Asia. It was graciously

New Batch of Auxiliary Police

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Highlight

19 newly sworn in auxiliary police are ready to serve as first responders

stablished in February 2011, the Iskandar Malaysia region auxiliary police squad has been quick to response to safety and security cases around the region. Approved by the Royal Malaysian Police (RMP) under the Police Act Section 47, the establishment of this battalion is in line with the Development of Security and Safety of Iskandar Malaysia within Strategy 1: Initiative 3 which is to improve public safety with the security from the private sector. A total of 19 new Auxiliary Police Officers were sworn-in-oath recently at a ceremony witnessed by Supt. Noor Azmi Yusoff from the RMP. “We need a ready force to deploy and act as first responders to certain criminal cases or suspicions around the

officiated by HRH Tunku Ismail ibni Sultan Ibrahim, Tunku Mahkota Johor on 4th September 2012. TI

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DEGREE MQA 2 years - Finance (8) Exemption from AIA - Accounting (7) Exemption from ACCA - Management - Marketing 19 new Iskandar Malaysia Auxiliary Police being sworn in and accepting their duties rapidly growing region. We have to study the municipal policies and abide by the standards of metropolitan policing based on Section 47 of the Police Act. Therefore, an auxiliary force is very much needed and relevant in the development of a region,” said Dato’ Benjamin Hasbie, Federal Commissioner of the Iskandar Regional Development Authority.

Among the duties that are under the responsibilities of the Iskandar Malaysia Auxiliary Police Squad are to conduct patrols and static control, crowd control, protection, prevent crimes, detect and capture criminals. Their duties extend to first responders level and further action will be carried out by the RMP. - by Harish Mustak. TI

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Only Malaysian Company to Win an Award Benchmark

Handal Indah was the only Malaysian company to receive an Avant Grade Award at the Asia Enterprise BRAND Awards (AEBA)

Founder and Managing Director Lim Han Weng (fourth from left) alongside the rest of the Handal Indah team

he Asia Enterprise BRAND Awards (AEBA) is conferred to enterprises established for at least five years, and who displays strong innovation in the industry. The

Avant Grade Award encourages and enables upcoming brands to stand out and triumph in an increasingly competitive environment. According to the judges, Handal displayed the

perfect combination of strong qualities needed to not only be eligible for the award but also to be honoured with it. The judges particularly liked how Handal consistently organises CSR programmes to help the community. “It was a genuine pleasure to see a company like Handal win. As a judge, it was rare to see such an attention to detail to customer experience, and I feel like your win was well deserved”, said Judge Sara Pereira in a statement.

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TEDxSungaiSegget

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Interest

The inaugural TEDxSungaiSegget provided a conversational platform that can help change minds

EDxSungaiSegget was recently held at the B erjaya Waterfront Hotel in Johor Bahru. It is an independently organised event by RUN Solution in collaboration with Iskandar Regional Development Au t h o r i t y ( I R DA) a n d supported by a team of 40 volunteers. The event mainly aimed to provide a conversational platform addressing a wide scope of fields and issues that would spark community connections and inspire ideas that changes perspectives. Themed “Soundwave & Soundware of The City”, TEDxSungaiSegget featured a diversity of speakers’ expert in their fields. Among the speakers at this year’s conference were Eddin Khoo (Founder & Project Director of Seni

Tickets were sold out at the inaugural TEDxSunggai Segget event Pusaka), Yasmin Rasyid (President & Executive Director of The Eco Knight), Khadzlan Hairani Ali Omar (Model project designer of Merlin Studios Malaysia), Stevens Chan (Founder & CEO of Dialogue in the Dark, Malaysia) and Hj. Md. Ismail Zamzam (Prolific Writer and Cultural Activist). In addition, two teams of young dreamers working on Malaysian

Youth Leadership Camp (MYLeadCamp) also shared their dreams and inspiration on stage. TED is a non-profit organisation that started out in 1984 as a conference, bringing people together to share ideas worth spreading. TEDx is a local, self-organised event that brings people together within their own cities to share a TED-like experience.

Sept Leadership Skills Domestic Inquiry Procedure And Documentations

MATTA flies again Highlight

Fourth edition of MATTA Fair opened optimistically with 180 booths

M Menteri Besar Dato’ Mohamed Khaled Nordin drumming off the opening of the fourth Matta fair

enteri Besar Dato’ Mohamed Khaled Nordin officiated the latest MATTA fair by stressing that the tourism sector is not to be looked at lightly as its one of the biggest economic contributor to our nation. Out of the 27.4 million foreign visitors to Malaysia, 13.9

Caring and Sharing Day

pproximately 230 underprivileged children from 10 schools and children’s homes were brought to joy with Care United’ Children’s Merdeka Party. Themed “Be a Superhero”, the children, members and volunteers of Care United all dressed up as Superheroes and wielded their powers of love and care while celebrating unity. Deputy Home Affairs Minister, Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed dropped by at Kompleks Tan Sri Mohamed Rahmat to greet the children. “I’ve been with Care United ever since the beginning, 11 years ago and I wish to stay supportive,” said Nur Jazlan. Special appearances and performances of song and dance by

The children happily waving the Jalur Gemilang at Care United’s Merdeka Party Superman and Spiderman, quizzes and prizes were also given out at the party. Lunch, snacks and drinks, as well as goodie bags were sponsored by Care United for the children.

million of them are Singaporeans entering through Johor. When asked about the traffic congestion at causeway and the Second-Link, Khaled said, “I hope all the authorities involved will work closely to find out the reason behind the congestion and I also ask that all counters are kept open to enable a smooth traffic flow.”

Despite the tribulations faced by our nation last year, the tourism industry stayed resilient and showed a positive increase, recording a total of 27.4 million in tourism arrivals in 2014, compared to 25.7 million in 2013, a growth of 6.7%. In the World Tourism Organisation barometer report, Malaysia has managed to retain its 13th position in 2014 in terms of international tourism receipts. For international tourist arrivals, Malaysia was positioned 12th last year. - by Edey Suresh. TI

Quick JBAF Charity GloRun for Reads Cancer Aid The JB Arts Festival (JBAF) and Hunt Masters Communication will be coorganising an inaugural Charity GloRun in aid of Yayasan Kanser Malaysia Johor. The Charity GloRun will be held in conjunction with the National Sports Day on 10th October 2015 at the Mall of Medini, Johor Bahru. The fun run or walk will be held at night over a 5 kilometre distance around the Mall of Medini. It will be a one-of-akind environment where participants will be garbed in luminescent glowing gear. This run / walk will not be timed, making it ideal for both experienced runners/ walkers and first-time participants alike. A portion of proceeds will be

donated to the charity beneficiaries in Yayasan Kanser Malaysia (Johor) and the JB Arts Festival Foundation (JBFF). Also lined up after the event is a main stage celebration of music and exhilarating dance programme. There will be a special discounted registration of RM65 available for early birds. Each registered participant will receive a Finisher’s medal, goodie bag, an E-Certificate, special T- Shirt retailing at RM69, glow-in-the-dark novelty items, entry to the “Light ‘Em Up Experience After Musical Celebration” and free photos for posterity after the event. Contact Wilfred Gan of JBAF at 019 – 713 9900/ 019 716 9900 for more details.

The Iskandarian ISSUE 37 | SEPT 2015 Advertisement

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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.

Alisa khoo

Monthly Drill

Dealer Principal

Wearnes Autohaus Sdn. Bhd. (BMW, MINI & Motorrad)

A state gymnast for eight years, Alisa Khoo is a local girl from Sultan Ibrahim Girls School (SIGS) who went on to become the first youngest Sales Rep in Perodua and subsequently serving as the youngest Branch Manager. All grown up now, Alisa is first female to successfully attend the BMW Group Initial Certification Training for General Managers and is currently the Dealer Principal at BMW Tebrau City.

How did the entire sales career path come about? I started off as a part time sales assistant during school holidays and after my SPM, I went over to Perodua to purchase a Kancil car but ended up being smitten by the available sales job opportunity and decided to try it out. I was the youngest sales person at Perodua at that time and continued my studies while working there.

How was your stint at Perodua? It was very good. I was awarded a lot of recognitions due to my performance and within a few years, I was one of the top performers in Malaysia and was promoted as the youngest Branch Manager at the age of 25. Thereafter, I was transferred to be the Branch Manager at Kuching where I increased revenue by 117% and 43% volume with record sales of RM7 million in profits. I was then transferred to Glenmarie Selangor for bigger challenges. I worked at Perodua for 11 years in total and learned and achieved a lot there.

Sounds like you’ve seen it all… True, but I wanted to be a General Manager (laughs) and the possibility of it happening at Perodua was vague so I decided to move on. My next stop was

Mutiara Motors where in my last position there, I served as the General Manager for Toyota and Lexus. I learned a lot in my 7 years at Mutiara Motors as it was a dealership and it came with a different set of challenges.

How did you come about to BMW? I was head hunted a lot during my career path and got a call during my tenure at Mutiara Motors to try for a position at BMW. It sounded like a fresh challenge so I decided to go for it. I had a three-hour lunch with my boss and was hired to be BMW’s first female Dealer Principal in Malaysia.

How’s the challenge so far? Over here in BMW, we have three products to sell which is the BMW car series, MINI and Motorrad. We also provide BMW Body and Paint services and oil services. Motorrad is the BMW bike series and that’s a whole new market for me as I’ve never sold anything with 2 wheels before!

Did you face any gender discrimination in a male dominated automobile industry? Yes, since I was not only a female but a young female! Many career advancement opportunities were not within my reach as I was constantly being branded as being too ‘young’. I faced many challenges but learned that the best way to tackle any obstacle is by working hard and gaining the trust and respect of my fellow peers. Performances speak for themselves so I ensure that my results are consistent and I strive to set benchmarks.

Tell us more about Wearnes Autohaus Wearnes Autohaus is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wearnes

Quote “We need to brainstorm and come up with new marketing and promotional ideas all the time. We have to go back to basics and emphasise on proper customer service” Automotive, an old name in the auto industry. Established in 1906, we are currently the distributor and retailer of a range of luxury and premium cars. The company operates in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, China, Hong Kong and Vietnam. Wearnes was recently acquired by Samling Group. The Tebrau City showroom is currently the biggest in Malaysia.

Share with us some funny moments It will definitely have to be the time I was transferred to Kuching. I was so afraid not knowing what to expect and had many sleepless nights crying. But once I got familiarised with the operations and lifestyle over there, I loved it so much that I cried when I was given the instruction to be transferred to Glenmarie. I went from being afraid of Kuching to marrying a Sarawakian (laughs)! I hope to retire there someday.

If you were not in the automobile industry, where will Alisa be? I would either be in PR or be a journalist. I really used to love writing and don’t mind seeing myself as a travel writer. Apart from all that, I also wanted to be a Police Officer!

How’s sales and is GST affecting the market? The month before GST kicked in was the best month we’ve ever had. We had a record sales number of 52 units of combined sales. In the first month of GST (April) we had a low period and then BMW revised its prices with GST inclusion, and sales have gone up outdoing our first quarter. So GST has done justice to us.

How is general?

the

market

The market is challenging with competition from other brands. We need to brainstorm and come up with new marketing and promotional ideas all the time. We have to go back to basics and emphasise on proper customer service. My vision is not to just generate customers but to create fans. We have merchandises that fans can obtain and collect. I want to create an atmosphere where fans will fall in love with all our products and wear it with pride.

What’s next for Wearnes Autohaus Tebrau City? BMW Premium Selection (BPS) will be available at Wearnes Autohaus Tebrau City from next year. In simple terms, this is actually a used car business whereby you can trade in your car for a brand new BMW. This means that everyone can drive a BMW with the assurance of credibility and not worry about the hassle of engaging trustworthy dealers and opt to deal directly with us. TI

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The Iskandarian ISSUE 37 | SEPT 2015

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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

A Causeway Travellator for a smoother border crossing often sail across the causeway to shop, eat and wash their cars. S i n c e Au g u s t 2014, Singapore raised Ve h i c l e Entry Pe r m i t ( VEP) fees and tolls for foreign registered cars (S$35) while the rate remained unchanged at S$4 Typical view of the causeway during weekends, choc-a-bloc with for motorcycles, vehicles, upon exiting the Sultan Iskandar CIQ Complex in JB charged for each “Six hours! I was stuck on the causeway day from 2am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. for six hours!” this was overheard from a Malaysian motorists enjoy 10 VEP free days frustrated motorist who finally made his per calendar year and extended free hours way across the causeway on the Singapore when they enter Singapore from 12 noon during school term holidays. national day long weekend. After years of deliberation, Malaysia When I told a friend about that sickening 6-hour causeway crawl, she announced that with effect from Sept smugly replied with a tale of someone who 1, 2015, Singapore registered vehicles was in the same queue but decided to turn entering Malaysia are required to be back into Singapore. This took another registered with Malaysia’s Road Transport two hours which kept him stuck in traffic Department. This registration is mandatory for a total of eight hours! Considering the for all private vehicles, public buses, taxis, time wasted waiting in traffic to cross the goods vehicles and diplomatic cars. Online causeway, one could have comfortably registrations started on Aug 15 at a RM10 driven to Kuala Lumpur, enjoyed a meal charge, valid for five years. These vehicles will be issued with a and safely returned to Johor Bahru, with Radio Frequency Identification card, a tag time to spare! As the gateway into peninsular that needed to be renewed upon expiry or Malaysia, JB is a popular destination not when the motorist buys a new car. Upon only for Singaporeans but also for tourists registration, Singapore vehicles will be who arrive via Singapore. The favourable allowed through the Johor checkpoints currency exchange rate coupled with the for a one-month trial period from Sept Singaporeans’ need to escape from the 1 to 30. From Oct 1 onwards, Singapore confines of the city state, draws them to registered cards will be charged RM20 VEP Johor in spite of the horrific causeway per vehicle, paid only by using the Touch congestion during weekends and holidays. ‘n Go card. Motorists who work and do The epic traffic snarl is however expected business on either side of the causeway because of the sheer volume of vehicles. The causeway crawl is a perennial and especially parents whose children problem because both countries have a shared history and many people commute daily for business, wo r k , s c h o o l, shopping and entertainment. While commuters must get to school, work and business at specific hours, frequent travelers know how to avoid Artist’s impression of the inside view of the proposed Causeway peak hours and Travellator

Artist’s impression of the outside view of the proposed Causeway Travellator study in Singapore, are feeling the pinch of route! The idea of creating a dedicated the VEP and tolls implementation because it may further escalate in what is seen as pedestrian walkway across the causeway a tit-for-tat exchange between the two is not new because it was discussed before. nations. Sadly, the rationale is that if you But when I heard it again at a recent Rotary can afford to work, do business or study in Club of Johor Bahru event, I thought it was Singapore, you can also afford to pay the very timely and could become a reality now. After in-coming president, Freddie A C Lee, VEP and tolls. On July 1, there was a collective outlined the club’s community projects, his sigh of relief when Keretapi Tanah Melayu proposal to create an iconic landmark for (KTM) launched the Tebrau Shuttle to Johor – a Causeway Travellator – received ferry commuters between JB Sentral to thunderous applause from the audience. He said a covered, air-conditioned Woodlands station in just five minutes. This service is popular with commuters pedestrian walkway will provide a more who enjoy the convenient border crossing comfortable and convenient walk across offered in a total of seven trips each from the causeway that will not only benefit commuters but also JB and Woodlands boost the economies during morning and of both nations. Lee evening peak hours. did not hesitate But departures from to share an artist’s JB Sentral at 5.30am, impression of the 7am, 8.30am, 4pm, Causeway Travellator 5.30pm, 7pm and with me and 10pm, and from explained that it is not Woodlands at 6.30am, unlike the travellators 8am, 9.30am, 5pm, in airports. 6.30pm, 8pm and Lee showed 11pm, are just not a layout plan to enough. illustrate how twin While many pairs of travellators hailed the hassleare proposed for free Tebrau Shuttle commuters to walk as a viable solution, in an orderly way to commuters wished and from Johor and that there were more Singapore, and even than just seven trips factored in kiosks from each country. that may be leased to But for now, the A proposed plan for the orderly lanes within traders or used as rest shuttle which costs the Causeway Travellator areas between the RM5 from JB and S$5 from Woodlands, is definitely a welcome lengths of travellators. So before the proposed high-speed relieve from suffering traffic congestions when taking the bus or driving across the trains are implemented or another bridge – crooked or otherwise – is built, I wish causeway. Before the causeway checkpoint to urge our city-planning authorities to was relocated to the Sultan Iskandar give this proposal some serious thought. Customs Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) While the Causeway Travellator may not Complex, it was common for commuters solve all the traffic issues, it will certainly to cross the causeway on foot. Since the complement the existing border crossing CIQ complex opened in 2010, Malaysia modes. This Travellator will not only prohibited walking across, while Singapore still allows this practice. Recently, when facilitate a smoother flow of people and be traffic was at a virtual standstill, commuters another iconic landmark in the changing were allowed to walk the causeway again Iskandar Malaysia landscape but will but security has been tightened to stop further cement the cordial relationship people leaving Malaysia through an illegal between Malaysia and Singapore. TI

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The Iskandarian ISSUE 37 | SEPT 2015

display of strength, unity and alliance was shown by Isk andar Investment Berhad (IIB) and its corporate partners, as important stakeholders of Iskandar Malaysia came together to pledge a total of RM10 million to the Tunku Laksamana Johor Cancer Foundation (TLJCF) to aid needy cancer patients in Johor. At first, there was only a total of RM8.86 million in pledges to be channeled to the foundation. However, at the mock cheques presentation ceremony held in conjunction with IIB’s Hari Raya Open House at Thistle Johor Bahru recently, last minute donor, IWH rounded up the figure to RM10 million. HRH Sultan Ibrahim ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar was present to receive the mock cheques accompanied by HRH Tunku Idris ibni Sultan Ibrahim.

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IWH Rounds Up IIB’s RM10 million Pledge Highlight

Iskandar Investment Berhad (IIB) and its partners, including Iskandar Waterfront Holdings (IWH) contributed a total of RM10 million to the Tunku Laksamana Johor Cancer Foundation (TLJCF)

This was a show of the generous and emphatic hearts that the corporate partners have to share with the society as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), and without hesitation are quick to provide aid. A total of 19 corporate bodies made up the list of donors which included Iskandar Investment Berhad (IIB), Iskandar Waterfront Holdings (IWH), Khazanah Nasional Berhad (KNB), UEM Sunrise Berhad (UEM Sunrise), United Malayan

Tan Sri Lim Kang Hoo, Managing Director of IWH made a surprise decision to round up the pledge numbers to RM10 million

The contributors to the Tunku Laksamana Johor Cancer Foundation Land Berhad (UMLand), Yayasan Albukhary, The Weststar Group, Sunway Group, and Medini Iskandar Malaysia Sdn Bhd (MIMSB) just to name a few. “We humbly hope that our support and contribution will assist the foundation to achieve its objective in providing financial assistance and wellbeing to the less fortunate cancer patients in Johor

in terms of specialised medical treatment and hospitalisation. This is a true display of how much good there is around us. The generosity displayed by our partners is phenomenal,” said the President and Chief Executive Officer of IIB, Datuk Syed Mohamed Syed Ibrahim. The TLJCF was recently founded by HRH Tunku Jalil ibni

Sultan Ibrahim, Tunku Laksamana Johor and HRH Sultan Ibrahim ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar who himself contributed RM10 million to kick start the foundation in March this year. Besides empathy, Tunku Jalil is himself a cancer survivor and HRH established TLJCF to provide much needed aid for cancer patients, in particular, to fellow Johorians. TI

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Building leaders in Iskandar Highlight

Leadership development specialist, Leaderonomics launched their Iskandar office to serve the region

Quick Johor Port plays facilitator Reads role for businesses Johor Port held a business matching cum road show for Miri Port and local manufacturers recently. The collaborative effort between the two ports aims to maximise the visibility of the Miri Port which is perceived to be the underdog among East Malaysian ports and has yet to be fully utilised by Johorian manufacturers. “The key objective of this road show is to highlight the developments that are currently taking place in Miri Port and Johor Port and how these developments can be a catalyst to the local cargo volume growth into Miri and Johor via our Southern Gateway,” said

Johor Port General Manager of Operations, Edwin Gerard. Representatives from the Miri Port Authority presented to the attendees their service structure and the possibility of moving cargoes to Miri in a more efficient and cost effective manner. Johor Port also looked at facilitating the sharing of new ideas and perspectives for the logistics and maritime sector via this networking road show session. This is the third road show of its kind and Johor Port looks forward to having more such events. The road show was supported by the Lembaga Pelabuhan Johor.

Capturing Johor Bahru in Art Datuk Mohamed Syed (second from left), Roshan (left), co-founder Ang Hui Ming (third from left) and regional strategy manager Shahran Masood at the launch

alaysia’s leading Social Enterprise dedicated t o w a r d s leadership development since 2008 officially launched their Leaderonomics Iskandar office in Medini recently. The branch was opened by Isk andar Investment Berhad (IIB) President and Chief Executive Officer Datuk Syed Mohamed Syed Ibrahim. “With our collective years of hands-on experience in developing leaders,

Leaderonomics will leave a positive legacy in the Iskandar Development Region which is a thriving economic zone,” said Leaderonomics CEO Roshan Thiran. Leaderonomics also has branches and partnerships in Sarawak, Thailand and Cambodia. “The Leaderonomics model centers on a threepronged approach which is the Community, Corporate Services and Media Divisions. The community team works closely with schools, while

Happenings

Effort

Royal

Recap

the corporate services arm works with organisations on developing sustainable leadership,” explained Roshan. Roshan added that Leaderonomics is also planning to conduct programmes with Britishbased universities that have set up shop in EduCity and other local schools. “Our programmes in the Klang Valley not only help secondary school students improve in their studies but other aspects of their lives as well. - by Edey Suresh.

Highlight

Raffles University Iskandar students practice their curating skills with a live exhibition of artworks

n exhibition of sketches by two very talented artists, Hanzhen Yap and Buz Walker-Teach, was opened for a week at Eh He, Jalan Trus, Johor Bahru. Hanzhen Yap, a young gifted artist shares the same passion with Buz Walker to sketch, draw and illustrate buildings,

Sharing with you the happenings from last month

Fund-Raiser and Fashion Show organised by Disaster Aid Malaysia and supported by Rotary Club Johor Centential

HRH Tunku Aminah handing out Duit Raya and a box of KFC to the children of the Cerebral Palsy School

New

Water Park at LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort recently unveiled a new “Build-A-Boat” attraction for visitors

* Image is for illustration only

Buz Walker-Teach showing his sketchbook architecture, animals and more. “I can say that Hanzhen represents the future and I represent the past,” said Buz. Johor Bahru MP Tan Sri Shahrir Abd Samad graced the event and with a keen eye, admired the artworks done by the two artists.

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september 15’

NEW

The Drac pack is back r te for an all-new mons comedy adventure in ! Hotel Transylvania 2

SELENA GOMEZ ‘good for you’ Debuts at No.1 on the Billboard Digital Songs Chart

travel

go local Family stay-cation at

PULAI SPRINGS RESORT

SEPT 2015 | Page 2

The Iskandarian | WAVES Lifestyle

editor’s S note

eptember is a happening month as the JB Arts Festival is back for a month long of arts & culture. Log on to their website http://jbartsfest. com/ for more details and schedules. This is also the month where the Muslims celebrate Hari Raya Haji and the Mooncake festival is also around the corner. So, lots of celebration is in the air. On the music front, CHVRCHES will release their hugely anticipated second album, ‘Every Open Eye’ and Selena Gomez’s Single, ‘Good For You’ featuring A$AP Rocky debuts at No.1 on the Billboard Digital

Priya Manikam waves.lifestyle@gmail.com

Songs Chart. In this issue, Rose brings us a powerful topic on dealing with emotional intensity. Loved “Drac” in Hotel Transylvania and can’t get enough of Adam Sandler? The harmless blood-sucking team is back again with a little one in Hotel Transylvania 2. The award winning Pulai Springs Resort shares a spot in our “Go local, Eat local, Stay local” travel column, and as for you foodies and bookworms out there, be sure to head to Pot’s Industries along Jalan Skudai for an “all-under-one-roof”

experience. As always, for those wishing to share their fashion collection, travel tales, or like us to review your restaurant/hotel for a stay-cation, drop me an e-mail at waves. lifestyle@gmail.com and be featured. For more news, do access www.theiskandarian. com The Iskandarian wishes all Malaysians “Selamat Hari Malaysia and Hari Raya Haji”!

Priya

MUSIC UPDATES

CHVRCHES

EVERY OPEN EYES

HVRCHES will release their hugely anticipated second album, ‘Every Open Eye’, on 25 September via Virgin EMI / Goodbye Records. The album is heralded by first single, ‘Leave A Trace’. ‘Leave A Trace’ is an

exceptional calling card for CHVRCHES’ new record, displaying the band’s expanded sonic pallet, and it mixes darkness and light with one of their biggest tunes to date. ‘Every Open Eye’ is the follow up to the band’s breakthrough debut album ‘The Bones of What You Believe’, which was released in autumn 2013 to widespread critical acclaim and went on to sell over 500,000 copies worldwide. Late last year Iain Cook, Martin Doherty and Lauren Mayberry returned to their own Alucard Studios – a converted flat on the Southside of Glasgow where their stunning debut was conceived.

Musically, ‘Every Open Eye’ seeks to do more with less; to make something intense and urgent and visceral, using the basic tools of melody, rhythm and arrangement. Sonically, the single develops CHVRCHES’ signature style, juxtaposing the light and the dark, creating their own brand of twisted pop music that uniquely merges the organic with the electronic, moulding sounds and ideas forged over two years on the road into an electronic-pop record with a heart. Lyrically, it is not a break up album. CHVRCHES – ‘Every Open Eye’ tracklisting: 1.Never Ending Circles 2.Leave A Trace 3.Keep You On My Side 4.Make Them Gold 5.Clearest Blue 6. High Enough To Carry You Over 7.Empty Threat 8.Down Side Of Me 9.Playing Dead 10. Bury It 11. Afterglo

CHVR

SELENA’s Single, ‘Good For You’ featuring A$AP Rocky Debuts at No.1 on the Billboard Digital Songs Chart – the biggest first week of any digital single this year ‘Good For You’, featuring A$AP Rocky, the brand new single from multi-platinum singer and actress Selena Gomez debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard Digital Songs Chart recently, bowing with over 178,000 songs sold. ‘Good For You’, has the biggest first week sales for any digital single this year. This is Gomez’s first #1 song on the Billboard Digital Songs Chart. The single sales is a personal best for Gomez surpassing her previous best sales week with ‘Come and Get It.’ USA Today calls ‘Good For

You’ a “sultry slow jam” and Nylon declared the track “slow-burning and dance-worthy.” The video, directed by Sophie Muller, has garnered over 12 million views on Vevo since its premiere. Gomez’s 2013 album Stars Dance debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard album chart and spawned the international hit ‘Come and Get It’, which earned the Grand Prairie, TX, native her first No. 1 single on the US Top 40 chart. Gomez, who has sold over 21 million singles worldwide, followed up the success

of Stars Dance with a sold-out world tour. Gomez has also had significant success in film and television, making the transition from young actress to adulthood with films such as Harmony Korine’s Spring Breakers and William H. Macy’s Rudderless opposite Billy Crudup. This year, Selena wrapped three films: ‘Hotel Transylvania 2’ opposite Adam Sandler, ‘The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving’ opposite Paul Rudd and James Franco’s ‘In Dubious Battle’ opposite Robert Duvall.

Source: Universal Music Singapore

SEPT 2015 | Page 3

The Iskandarian | WAVES Lifestyle

Dealing With Emotional Intensity - (pt I)

Personal Motivator & Energy Coach yourpersonalmotivator BucketOfRoses

When you feel your emotions rising high, what do you think happens to the energy that forms the emotion? Let’s start with the notion that everything is energy in motion and formation. Even the solid desk is energy in motion. In case of death, energy is still in motion. Although the heart stops, and the blood circulation stops but the energy is still in motion; forming a process we call decay. In this issue, let me help you expand your awareness about energy and how we are going to use pain as our pointer. Why do I choose pain instead of happiness? It is because pain is a great teacher. Pain carries the intensity.

We remember painful feelings better than happiness. With awareness, pain can be used to push us through every womb of transformation. Pain is the transformation in disguise. Emotion Has Energy, Therefore It Has Intensity All types of emotion have energy. Take anger for instance. Have you taken a good look at your anger? Do you know how anger (energy) feels? When you feel angry, do not look at the reasons that got you angry. All those reasons are just the mind processing information to

relate with the anger. Instead, try to look at the pain the anger causes you. Feel the muscles tightening. Feel the heartbeat pumping fast. Feel the trembling. Feel the body weaken. All these are the energies in motion. When we get angry, the energy is forming from one state to another, and this process create ripples in our body system. It involves energy in motion and transformation in our body. Practice to feel the anger. Write down what your body feels during anger. Try this for all types of pain and be ready for the next issue as I will guide you on how to go through emotional intensity.

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.

RCHES

MOVIES HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 2 Genre: Animation Malaysia release date: 23rd September 2015 Cast: Adam Sandler (Dracula), Andy Samberg (Johnny), Selena Gomez (Mavis), Kevin James (Frank), Fran Drescher (Eunice), Steve Buscemi (Wayne), Molly Shannon (Wanda), David Spade (Griffin), Keegan-Michael Key (Murray) and Mel Brooks (Vlad) Director: Genndy Tartakovsky Producer: Michelle Murdocca Executive Producer: Adam Sandler, Allen Covert, Ben Waisbren Credits not final

The Drac pack is back for an all-new monster comedy adventure in Sony Pictures Animation’s Hotel Transylvania 2! Everything seems to be changing for the better at Hotel Transylvania and Dracula’s rigid monster-only hotel policy has finally relaxed, opening up its doors to human guests. But behind closed coffins, Drac is worried that his adorable halfhuman, half-vampire grandson, Dennis, isn’t showing signs of being a vampire. Mavis is busy visiting her human in-laws with Johnny – and in for a major cultural shock of her own. Drac enlists his friends Frank, Murray, Wayne and Griffin to put Dennis through a “monster-in-training” boot camp. But little do they know that Drac’s grumpy and very old, old school dad Vlad is about to pay a family visit to the hotel. And when Vlad finds out that his great-grandson is not a pure blood and humans are now welcome at Hotel Transylvania – things are going to get batty! Source: Sony Pictures Malaysia

SEPT 2015 | Page 4

The Iskandarian | WAVES Lifestyle

GO LOCAL EAT LOCAL STAY LOCAL Royal Exoticness at Pulai Springs Resort (Part i) By Priya Manikam newsdesk@theiskandarian.com

ention Pulai Springs Resort (PSR) and its golf course come to mind, but the resort is a lot more than that. Imagine having a mini weekend getaway or family staycation in a resort designed as an ancient Royal Malay palace with the timely ambience of an exotic tropical resort. PSR is a multi-award-winning golf and recreational resort, with 5-star facilities nestled amongst the glorious Malaysian flora and fauna at the foothills of Mount Pulai in Johor Bahru. The Resort features luxurious accommodation comprising 200 wellappointed Cinta Ayu All Suites Hotel which has choices of 1, 2, 3 and 4 bedrooms to suit your family and the 22-Suites Boutique Hotel “The Anugraha” for the honeymooners. I had the pleasure to explore this resort with my small family by staying at the gorgeous poolside view room of the Suites Hotel. Day One After being greeted by the friendly front desk staff, we smoothly checked in to the room and preceded to The Pulai Spa located at the Sports Centre for some much needed pampering. I was lucky to get Sha who is the Spa manager and someone with 12 years of experience to give me a half hour body scrub followed by an hour of full body Balinese massage (including face). To complete the session, I was treated to a cuppa ginger tea with honey and a serving of turnip and asam boi!

Scenic

The notable signature hole No.13 at the Pulai Course

Beside the body massage, The Spa also has Jacuzzi and Sauna rooms, and is also open to the public. Currently, there is a Couple Package promotion of 90 minutes body massage and scrub at a bargain price of RM360. Call 07-521 2121 extn.4772 / 4774 or email spa.mgr@pulaisprings.com to make an appointment as they can get fully booked. After feeling rejuvenated, we headed to their award-winning Chinese restaurant known as Qing Palace for a wonderful spread of Chinese cuisine. As the restaurant is introducing some new dishes, we got the opportunity to try some. Not to be missed is the “Sauteed Prawns with Pumpkin & Cheese Sauce” which is a modified Szechuan dish. Besides their delicious hot and sour Szechuan soup, give the “Doubleboiled fish fillet with Apple” soup a try as it was amazingly good! Vegetarians have great choices too and I’d recommend the “Fried mix vegetable with asam paste” and the “Braised Beancurd a’la Qing Palace”. Besides Chinese cuisine, the Resort also offers an impressive choice of cosmopolitan cuisines from its various other restaurants. Feeling full, we needed to get some fresh air and what better way than to view their vast golf course. Seated with Mr. Tey the expert in a buggy, we got a first-hand tour of the 300 acres golf course. PSR is definitely a golfing haven as they have two scenic 18hole championships USGA Class Golf Courses designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. and Peter Dalkeith Scott.

Calendar of Events

JB, 1st - 30th Sept 2015 English Wonderland @My Library - Sutera Mall JB, 5th Sept 2015 Educity Sundown Malaysia 2015 @Nusajaya JB, 10th Sept - 10th Oct 2015 JB Arts Festival Spore, 11th - 20th Sept 2015 Grand Prix Season

JB, 11th - 20th Sept 2015 Lantern Festival by Tiong Hua Assoc JB, 16th Sept 2015 Hari Malaysia

Lion Hearts Charity Run @ Giant Plentong

Spore, 18th - 20th Sept 2015 Formula One Grand Prix

JB, 19th Sept 2015

Relaxing

Spa treatment at the Serai Room at The Pulai Spa

It is evident that both courses were designed to provide ultimate challenges but with memorable signature holes amidst the varied terrain and water elements. As we are no golfers, we merely took a shot of the notable signature hole No.13 at the Pulai Course. Golf members are allowed to bring in guests and besides that, there are other golf facilities and merchandises available at the Resort. Stay tuned to the next issue as I continue my family stay-cation at Pulai Springs Resort.

JB, 19th Sept 2015 1 Street Ball Challenge @ North Open Car Park Sutera Talent Taster@ White Box Danga City Mall JB, 20th Sept 2015

Style

Luxurious and comfortable

Pulai Springs Resort 20 km Jalan Pontian Lama, Johor

JB, 26th Sept 2015 Talent Taster@ Whitebox Mall of Medini Msia, 27th Sept 2015 Mooncake Festival

Run for Peace @ Dataran Mahkota, Kota Iskandar Msia, 24th Sept 2015 Hari Raya Haji

Weekend Food Market @ Plaza Sentosa

Block your dates for this month! If you need more information on the above mentioned events, drop us an email at: waves.lifestyle@gmail.com

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live

HAB for Youths Benchmark

The Johor International Youth Hub at Hutan Bandar Johor Bahru is one of the first of many youth hubs By Harish Mustak newsdesk@theiskandarian.com

art of Hutan Bandar Johor Bahru has now been transformed into a hub for the youths of Iskandar Malaysia (IM) to have their activities. The Johor International Youth Hub (HAB) is an effort to empower youths by allowing them to have their own space. Menteri Besar Dato’ Khaled Nordin made an appearance at Hutan Bandar to officially launch the Johor International Youth Hub (HAB). Khaled said, “This is the first among a few hubs that will be set up in IM.” He also challenged the youths to prove to the state government that IM’s youths can fulfill the duty to maintain and develop the hub, then it would be a permanent feature.

Menteri Besar Dato’ Khaled Nordin took a tour of the Johor International Youth Hub before officially launching it. at Hutan Bandar Johor Bahru “HAB will not only act as a place for youth activities but a place to develop and nurture the

youth into exemplary citizens of the future,” said Datuk Ismail Ibrahim, Chief Executive of IRDA

in a statement. Based on IM’s population statistics, 69% of the population

is comprised of youths ranging from late teens aged 16 to 40. Datuk Ismail mentioned that it is crucial to engage the youth as they are the future leaders. This is a blue ocean strategy initiated by IRDA in collaboration with nong ove r n m e nt o rg a n i s a t i o n s, investors, academicians, creative investors and entrepreneurs to get close to the youth. “HAB is by the youth and for the youth. You are welcome to conduct any positive youth activities at the HAB,” said Hafiz Ariffin, Chairman of the Iskandar Malaysia Youth Council (IMYC). Mentoring the IMYC, IRDA as well as the government agencies and related stakeholders will guide the management process of the HAB and ensure appropriate insight from various key stakeholders particularly the youth community is acheived. TI

Financial aid for eligible patients UPSR Workshop

for 115 students

Responsible

Columbia Asia Hospital Nusajaya and the Arthritis Foundation Malaysia jointly organised a Family Walk Charity Event

n a bid to raise funds for arthritis patients, Columbia Asia Hospital Nusajaya teamed up with the Arthritis Foundation Malaysia (AFM) by organising a Family Walk Charity Event. The event was held in conjunction with Columbia Asia Hospital Nusajaya’s 5th Year Anniversary. Over 250 participants came as early at 6.00 am to register for the walk. The event started off with a Zumba Dance warm-up followed by the flagging off by Columbia Asia’s General Manager, Rahani Yaacob. “This event is in line with our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy and an excellent opportunity for us to help create the awareness on arthritis and also contribute back to the community where we operate,” said Rahani. The funds raised from the event will provide an opportunity for arthritic patients who are financially challenged to have access to treatment and surgery if necessary. The funds raised from the event will be utilised to finance the cost of joint replacement for

Responsible

Five primary schools attend a one-day ‘express’ workshop for UPSR

115 students attended the one-day workshop organised by Country Garden Pacificview Sdn Bhd

Columbia Asia Nuasajaya General Manager, Rahani Yaacob flagging off the 250 over participants eligible patients. “For some patients in selected cases, the damaged joint can be replaced by an artificial one by undergoing total knee replacement (TKR) surgery and in most cases, this surgery can help to relieve pain, restore mobility and normalize joint function,” said resident Consultant Orthopedic Surgeon and Spine Specialist, Dr Chooi Wai Kit.

The estimated total cost of the surgery is generally about RM25,000. Hence, many patients cannot afford the hefty cost and have no choice but to let their joint condition deteriorate further and suffer in pain. The funds raised will help to bear the cost of implants while the drugs, consumables, hospital charges and the consultants’ fees will be absorbed accordingly.- by Maisarah.

he master developer for Forest City, Country Garden Pacificview Sdn Bhd (CGPV), organised a ‘UPSR Final Spin’ one-day workshop for its adopted primary schools at UTM. The programme was intended to assist students from five primary schools in Mukim Gelang Patah to achieve excellence in their upcoming UPSR examinations. “The programme is one of the initiatives undertaken by

CGPV’s in helping to motivate the UPSR candidates. It is one of our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities under the CGPV Academic Excellence label,” said Hezrin Ali, Manager of Corporate Communications and Media. The students were given tips on how to answer the questions for the main subjects of Bahasa Malaysia, Science, Mathematics and English. The students were also given a motivational talk to inspire them to excel in the exams. TI

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live

RTC Initiates Skills Training Highlight

RTC Johor kick-starts their talent development programme initiative by providing special skills training to 20 local participants on air-con servicing

6 day course on air-con servicing course was held at the Putra Leadership Institute in Kota Tinggi

recently. The Johor Rural Transformation Centre (RTC Johor) collaborated with Riverbank Academy Sdn Bhd to provide much valued knowledge and skills to 20 local SPM graduates. Majority of the participants were unemployed and have little chance of continuing their education to tertiary level and this Skills Course arranged by RTC Johor gives opportunity to the group of youths to learn something new. “This course provides the participants with a better opportunity to earn extra income. The youths can also decide whether they want to pursue what they have learned here,” said Kanapati Veramalai, a trainer from Riverbank Academy. Besides learning the trade

of air-con servicing, the participants also gained valuable soft skills such as public speaking. “Many people think that to succeed in life, we must become a professional and take up professional degrees to become a doctor or a lawyer, but if we do not have the opportunity to do so, skills courses like these too can make us successful and present business opportunities to us,” said Dr Azlan Ab Jalil, Manager of RTC Johor. According to Dr Azlan, it is

not impossible to be involved in the developments of the economic region, especially in Iskandar Malaysia and Pengerang. “This is a first step towards a bigger dream. Use this knowledge that you have now to reap the benefits of the developments.” Huzaifah Miskan, a fellow participant said, “I hope that these types of courses will be held more because it is a good opportunity for the youths of the rural area to be competitive.” - by Harish Mustak.

The participants demonstrating air-con servicing to RTC stakeholders

Healthy Vibes at Work Place Responsible

Seri Austin Gallery promotes healthy lifestyles at its workplace

ecently, Seri Austin Gallery was officially recognised as a Smoke Free Work Place by YB Datuk Haji Ayub Bin Rahmat, Chairman of the Committee of Health and Environment. Addressing the ceremony, YB Ayub said, “This is a good move by UMLand Seri Austin whereby it is not only to promote a smokefree environment, but also to help hardcore smokers among employees to quit.” Hence, this is aligned with our objective as an initiative to encourage healthy lifestyle in workers by changing their smoking habit. “Our main focus throughout this first year will be on education and outreach helping our staffs to understand that smoking is limited to only the assigned areas within our office,” said UMLand Seri Austin Chief Executive Officer, KK Wong. This new policy will help control littering, in particular, cigarette butts around the building

areas. Wong pointed out that it is more important to ensure that the visitors are not exposed to the dangers of secondhand smoke. Seri Austin also urges to promote smoke-free workplace not only to comply with the ordinances, but also to encourage smoking employees to quit smoking for their own well-being. During the same event, and as a part of their commendable Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), about 50 staffs, business associates and Seri Austin residents participated in the blood donation campaign in collaboration with Sultanah Aminah Hospital. An aerobic session was instructed by Johor Health Department (JKNJ) earlier in the morning and an exhibition on Johor Bebas Asap Rokok (JBAR) and dengue awareness were also held to provide better information on the environment and educating the public to start living green, smart and healthy. TI

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work

SERVICE SOPs APPLIED OR ARCHIVED? Dasan Thanam Divean

The common pitfalls in Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and tips on setting it right

Service

n counselling some of my trainees, I realised their problems often stem from basics. One of them is the lack of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). In the service industry (and in many other industries too) SOPs are the blueprints crucial to training and to provide precious reference when learning on the job, and during spaces of ambiguity when standards go wrong. Ideally, SOPs should provide clear, step-by-step scripts that become guidelines to do the different jobs within a certain scope. E.g. the duties of a waiter is to learn how to set a table. The SOP tells him how the fork, spoon, or chopsticks are to be laid out; how far apart or how close they should be to the edge of the table, and in what proximity to napkins and water goblets, etc. The waiter after his tenure would learn the same steps and know the same required standards. I have since learnt that there are service establishments and even in some hotels (particularly those not affiliated to international chains) have no SOPs at all. Hence, staff are trained on the job and often

by people who also learnt on the job. Issues are dealt on ad-hoc basis and according to vague guidelines that are always open to individual interpretation and thus, dispute. Angry customers and frustrated staff are left in its wake. And if there are SOPs, the information are probably as antique as my grandfather’s clock, or that it was written by someone who have NO CLUE of the actual work at hand. Common pitfalls in SOP's: 1. It is written in corporate jargon or high-flying language that only the highly-learned (or lawyers) can understand, and not in the everyday language that the rank-and-file staff can comprehend. They may have been written by people who sit in the head office who don't do the job themselves. 2. The Supervisors are instructed to write but they are not good at the language, so they

resort to ‘cut and paste’ from some websites resulting in standards that are not relevant to a job. 3. Staff learn the 'how', but not the 'why'. Therefore work processes get repeated without people ever questioning why they need to do something. 4. SOPs become irrelevant over time and not suited to current working situations, so staff are taught processes that solve problems that no longer exist. Here’s how to set it right … • After writing an SOP, always get an outsider to read through. If he can understand then your staff probably can as well. (Quoting my teacher: “Always write it as if I am stupid!”) • Always Ask Why - Go through every procedure

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Appetiser

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Dessert Honey Bake Spring Chicken, Jasmine Tea Jello, summer fruits Mustard Cream and seasonal vegetables Grilled Ribeye on bed of sarladaise potatoes

Crispy baby octopus salad, Roasted Seabass, Cod Fish Stew aioli dip with red wine thyme jus Creamy Tomato & bean

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Grilled Prawn & Mussel Soba

Dasan is the Managing Director of IAAYS PLT and the creator of the CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERTS Programme successfully implemented in TNB, KPJ and several JB Hotels and Resorts. A registered trainer with PSMB, he is also accredited with the United Kingdom Association of Training Professionals. Reach him at : dasan@iaays.com.my

•

and ask why do we do that? There must always be an explanation. Try to do it and follow the procedures you have written. Has any step been missed out? Is the flow clear and logical? Take pictures of the work process if possible, and include it as support material. It will then be like a cookbook recipe – easy to follow and clear as the light of day.

If you don’t have an SOP, start writing one. And if you already have one, review it and make sure it suits current needs. The SOP is your best protection against high turnover of staff, to motivate them for retention and growth and ultimately to ensure your business stay sustainable through satisfied customers. TI

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invest

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 18 Sept 15. Collect this article to exchange a ticket worth RM20 for FREE. Reach his team at : contact@teybinyuen.com

y the time you read this, you’d have experienced a series of market roller coaster which happened in August. While many companies’ share pr ices have fallen tremendously, few companies tend to be more resilient to the headwinds. And they have one thing in common – they possess the ‘Three Lows’ in their financial performance. What are the ‘Three Lows’? While the ‘ Three Highs’ are indicative to how effective a company manages its own

Profit from Understanding the Three Highs & Three Lows (Part II)

earning, ‘Three Lows’ are more related to a company’s value. In layman’s term, if a company has all these ‘Three Lows’, it is undervalued: 1)Low PE ratio PE ratio is a very common indicator to tell if a company is undervalued. It’s the ratio of a company’s share price (market price) versus its earning. If a company’s PE ratio is 9, it means you’d need nine years to earn back your investment. Therefore, the lower the PE ratio is, the faster you make money. PE ratio does vary in different industries. For example, the PE ratio in banking industry tends to be higher; ranged from 1520. However, as a rule of thumb, PE ratio that’s less than 10 is generally considered as undervalued. For instance, Company ABC’s share price is RM2/share and its earning is RM0.12/share, its PE ratio is 2/0.12 = 16.7, which is considered expensive. However, here’s the tricky

part: PE ratio itself does not take the company’s growth prospect into consideration. To be objective, we need to compare company’s PE ratio with its profit growth rate. For the above example, if the company’s PE ratio is 17 but if its profit grows 17% per year, it’s reasonable. On the other hand, if the company has a PE ratio of nine but its profit grows only 5% a year, it’s still considered expensive. S o remember, if a company’s PE ratio is 20, its profit growth needs to be 20% or more to be of good value. 2) Low Debt While it’s very common for companies to run their businesses by taking loans, investors generally feel more comfortable to invest in companies that have low debts. But, how low is low? Let’s look at long and short term debt:

2. For short term debt, it’s measured through the Current ratio (CR), where, Current ratio (CR) = current asset / current liability,

• 1. For long term debt, the company should not owe more than

•

If CR is more than 1.5, it’s very healthy If CR is from 1 to 1.5, it’s reasonable

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If CR is less than 1, it’s unhealthy

3) Low Price (P) / Book value (BV) While Price means the company’s share price, Book Value is what’s left in the company if it ceases operation today, sells all its assets and fully returns its debts. The lower the P/BV means that the more likely the company is selling at a discount. Here are the rules. If, •

Current assets are cash and other assets that can be converted into cash within a year. Current liabilities are company’s debts or obligations that are due within a year. Both current assets and current liabilities can be found in the company’s balance sheet. Here’s the guideline of the Current ratio:

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P/BV is less than 1, undervalued P/BV is from 1 to 1.5, fair value P/BV is greater than 1.5, overvalued

Again, you can obtain the book value from a company’s balance sheet. Overall, the ‘Three Lows’ is a reflection of how undervalued a company is. If you can find a company that fulfills the above criterion and having good prospects, it’s likely that you’ve found a jewel. TI

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food review

All under-one-roof at Pot’s Industries Peggy Loh 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

out. Every section in the sprawling doublestorey mansion is put to good use with the largest spaces devoted to dining areas where regulars have favourite spots, either on the ground floor, upstairs or even on the balcony. While the menu at Pot’s is consistently expanding, some of their best-seller items as well as drinks like Blended Double Chocolate

f you are familiar with Pot’s Kitchen at Jalan Pahang since 2013, then you will recognise the same team who set up Pot’s Industries at Jalan Skudai last August. This café is aptly named “Pot’s” as it’s linked with cooking and good food but one of their business partners, Izzat Talip, said when you spell Pot’s backwards, it reads “Stop.” And you should make a stop to check out what happening in Pot’s for fun and keen hipsters here. Besides a kitchen that serves a range of delectable dishes, Pot’s Kitchen has developed into Pot’s Industries with a bakery, clothes and accessories boutiques, surfboard building shop, vintage motorbike workshop and a library for books to read while chilling

Pot’s Indonesian Fried Rice, is a bit of a zinger for delicate tongues

A peek inside best-seller - Pot’s Beef Burger

and Almond Chocolate remain. Pot’s Beef Burger, created with a 180gm patty, marinated in a secret barbecue sauce, topped with

Restaurant name: Pot’s Industries (Halal) Address: 29-c Jalan Skudai, 80200 Johor Bahru, Johor Tel. No: (6)016-781 1845 Hours: Tues - Sat: 3.00 pm - 12.00 am | Closed on Monday Website: www.pots.my

caramelised onions, a slice of beef bacon and melted cheese on a bed of tomato slices and lettuce, is sandwiched in a large sesame seed bun. Another firm favourite is Pot’s Indonesian Fried Rice, the only rice dish on the menu, which is a bit of a zinger for delicate tongues but leaves a delightful lingering after-taste in your mouth! Pot’s recently introduced Pesto Pasta made with perfectly al dente spaghetti in a unique taste of mild curry leaf, roasted peanuts and parmesan cheese with a hint of chili padi, served with half a deep-fried

quail. Other items include juicy Pan-seared Salmon, Citrus Salad topped with prawns and flavoured with a dash of mint, olive oil and chunks of juicy oranges as well as Pot’s Croissant Sandwiches stuffed with gooey eggmayo, tomato and prawn cubes and topped with crunchy calamari rings. Pot’s consistent food quality continues to please discerning diners who frequent the café not just for the good food but also for the delightful desserts. Nutella and Toblerone fans simply love the chilled cheesecakes in these yummy flavours with a cup of freshly brewed macchiato.

Bite into perfectly al dente Pesto Pasta for a unique taste

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PROPERT Y INSIGHT

PROPERTY

RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS

APARTMENTS

VILLAS

CONDOMINIUMS

OFFICE/ RETAILSPACE

Cover: The Enclave by Pulai Springs Resort

Exclusive semi-detached homes and bungalows coming up at pg 27 Pulai Springs Resort

plus

WCT debuts Paradigm Mall Johor Bahru and UMLand join hands with J-Biotech

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Quick Reads

International zones for Iskandar housing projects Several waterfront development areas along the coastal line of Iskandar Malaysia will be designated as international zones for housing development projects. Menteri Besar Dato’ Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the move would address fears among locals of foreigners snapping up all available properties in the economic growth region. He said Tebrau Bay overlooking Singapore is now designated as the international zone and it would be promoted globally to attract more investors into the area. The high-end mixed development project – Greenland Tebrau with a gross development value of RM30bil on 51.79ha site in Tebrau Bay would be developed in five phases over the next 10 years. Khaled said although the state government had identified the locations of the zones, it still needed feedback from the stakeholders. Among the stakeholders were members of the Johor branch Real Estate Housing D e ve l o p e r s As s o c i a t i o n (REHDA), Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA), local authorities and nongovernmental organisations.

Exova opens new Malaysia lab Exova Group, the global testing, calibration and advisory services provider, has opened a new laboratory in Johor in response to growing demand from the oil and gas and industrial sectors. The new laboratory will work closely with Exova’s existing laboratory in Singapore to offer customers a range of specialist metallurgical testing capabilities. The existing laboratory in Singapore and the new facility in Johor will offer complementary testing services, allowing the concentration of specific expertise into each laboratory, producing efficiencies and reducing turnaround times for customers.

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The Enclave: An Oasis of Tranquillity Highlight

Exclusive semi-detached homes and bungalows coming up at Pulai Springs Resort with seven design options and sprawling built-up sizes

he Enclave is a boutique development project brought by Pulai Springs Resort Berhad of Pulai Spring Resort (PSR). It is located within the lush and green surroundings of the award winning PSR’s golf and recreational resort of the Pulai district. Privileged homeowners can enjoy a peaceful, serene living environment with only 33 beautifully designed semi-detached homes and bungalows. The Enclave offers low-density living at its finest within the 4 acres of the golf course. The development features 2-storey and 3-storey semidetached homes and bungalows with seven design options and vast built-up sizes. Ranging from 4129 sq ft to 6541 sq ft, the development comprises of 4+1 to 6+1 bedroom units with attached bathrooms. The project is designed by an architect firm from Kuala Lumpur – Pentago Studio Sdn Bhd, using only the finest quality materials and finishes. A special feature is that each home is meticulously designed featuring dual roof concept and double layer brick wall system to create a cooler, breezier and more energy-efficient living

space. These freehold units are infused with the natural world and residents can enjoy these architecturally designed green homes in the lush fairways of the resort and be surrounded by mature trees and gardens. Bask in the comforts and luxury of a modern lifestyle with a multifacility clubhouse including a wellequipped gymnasium, swimming pool including a kid’s pool, multipurpose hall and playground,

all within a 24-hour guarded community. While The Enclave offers an away from all the hustle and bustle of a city life, it is nevertheless well connected to both Senai and Singapore Changi Airports, four seaports and a coastal highway close by. This residential haven is only a stone’s throw away from Johor Premium Outlets (JPO), AEON Shopping Mall, Customs Immigration Quarantine (CIQ), Kota Iskandar, Puteri Harbour and world-

class education and renowned healthcare hubs. The foundation works for all units are done and is in the early stages of construction. It is tentatively set to be ready by end of 2017 and interested and prospective owners may visit The Enclave Property Sales Gallery located at the lobby of PSR. For further details or enquiries, log on to www.theenclave.my or contact the sales office on 07-521 2121 or e-mail infor@theenclave.my.

Property 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

ecently, overseas properties seem to be in vogue again. Every other day, one can see advertisements at desirable locations such as Australia, New Zealand, UK, Singapore and to a lesser extent, Thailand, Japan and the Philippines. The intensity of these adverts seems to coincide with Bank Negara’s loan tightening measures against purchasers of multiple properties locally. Overseas properties allow buyers to circumvent these restrictions by borrowing in a foreign land. M a ny p a re nt s l o o k favourably into getting studentcentric properties that are

Investing Abroad (pt I)

located nearby famous schools and universities. Cities such as Melbourne, Perth and London are the few names that come to mind when one thinks along the education angle. While it gives the investor a sense of achievement and pride to own a piece of these famous cities, overseas investments must be carried out with great caution due to specific risks and unexpected costs. Factors to consider When purchased with a medium to long term view, properties seldom go wrong. However, with a foreign based property, the following additional matters should also be considered:a. Currency exchange rate b. Local taxes and duties c. Politics d. Property type e. Financing options Let’s assume a Malaysian investor purchased an apartment

in Melbourne for AUD 350,000 on June 2012 (*RM 3.30: AUD1). After 3 years, our investor decides to cash out at AUD405,000. The disposal will only amount to RM1,134,000 today (*RM2.80: AUD1) as opposed to the purchase price of RM1,155,000. Despite the appreciation in price, the fall in exchange rate made the entire investment into a loss-making venture. By adding legal costs, taxation and other administration charges, the loss can be far greater. Other costs Property in Malaysia is subjected to Buyer’s Stamp Duty on acquisition as well as Real Property Gains Tax when a property is disposed within 5 years of purchase. In Singapore, however, there are the Seller’s Stamp Duty, Buyer’s Stamp Duty as well as the Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty to consider. As for gains on disposal, there are none, for now. Therefore, understanding Tax and Stamp Duties are

paramount when dealing with overseas ventures. These “hidden” costs can be substantial and can add many thousands into the final purchase price. Developed countries like the US are virtually a 2-horse political race between Democrats and Republicans. Their political leanings have a significant impact on the economic climate of the country. The propensity to enter into wars usually leads to slowdown in the local economy and this will invariably affect property prices. (*Rates as per the time of writing)

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Propernomy by Dr Daniele Opinion

Fatal attraction: Malaysian or Overseas Investment? (Part II)

Iskandar Malaysian population count by the year 2025.

Dr. Daniele Gambero REI Group

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

Johor Bahru – Iskandar Malaysia Johor Bahru and Iskandar Malaysia from a property point of view experienced a mismatch of demands and offers but is nevertheless moving steadily according to the plan. While foreign investments keep coming in, Singaporean SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) are slowly relocating their production facilities there. It is altogether possible to foresee a 3 million

Sabah and Sarawak In Sarawak, the SCORE (Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy) initiative has been launching several projects of which the New Semelaju Industrial Park (specially designed for heavy industries with high energy consumption) has taken off and huge production plants are coming in from China and Korea. Last but not least, Sabah, with its tourism and leisure driven growth and an extremely active Developers Association, SHAREDA (Sabah Housing and Real Estate Developers’ Association) has been planning a substantial number of new project launches that is poised to reshape the Kota Kinabalu skyline. How is the outlook for the next five years? It does look positive with good

promise for capital appreciation and a reasonable return on investment ROI (return on investment). Even though the picture looks quite good and promising, Malaysian investors keep on looking overseas to find investment opportunities. Let’s have a look together at other property markets. Singapore and Hong Kong: The top two Let’s look at Singapore and Hong Kong first. These countries form two of the biggest goldmines in South-East Asia. We know that property prices in Singapore and Hong Kong have been going up like crazy since the past two years and during the second half of last year, these prices reached their peak. Newspapers reported that in October last year, the Hong Kong office market was going to crash soon. They also carried stories

UMLand and J-Biotech Join Hands Highlight

UMLand & J-Biotech Exchange MOU Documents for Catalytic Development of Johor Biotech Park and the Transformation of Felda Cahaya Baru, Pasir Gudang, Eastern Gate of Iskandar Malaysia

t the launch of Johor Pavilion, BioMalaysia 2015 by Chief Minister of Johor Y.A.B. Dato’ Mohamed Khaled Nordin, United Malayan Land Bhd (UMLAND) is the project catalytic developer to jointly spearhead Johor State I nvestment Arm, J-Biotech Holdings Sdn Bhd (J-Biotech)’s initiatives. UMLand and J-Biotech will transform Cahaya Baru (previously owned by Felda) located about fifteen minutes from Pasir Gudang Port and within close proximity of Iskandar Malaysia’s flagship D with 350 acres development area now known as Seri Albion Township in Pasir Gudang – Eastern Gate of Iskandar Malaysia. UMLand Group CEO Datuk Charlie Chia Lui Meng optimistically sees the potential growth with a strategic MOU with J-Biotech to establish and explore collaborative initiatives in the field of biotechnology and bio-based activities; Chia said that, “Our Group looks forward to working handin-hand with the Johor State Government, various authorities namely Majlis Perbandaran Pasir Gudang (MPPG) and State Unit Pembangunan Ekonomi Negeri (UPEN), to complement J-Biotech and jointly conceptualise, develop, transform, facilitate and accelerate to market in phases a total of

approximately 350 acres land to be known as “Johor Biotech Park” with an approximate Total Gross Development Value (GDV) of MYR 1.0 billion over the next 5 – 7 years timelines as part of our undertakings as a strategic partner in support of Johor State economic progress”. Currently, Seri Albion’s Business Industrial Park have commenced construction works on Phase 1 (50 acre) in January with Gross Development Value (GDV) of approximately MYR180 million. A Sales Gallery is expected to complete by end of September 2015 to showcase its Business Industrial Park’s 89 units of double – storey terrace factories (starting MYR 1.0 million), double – storey cluster factories (from MYR 2.0 million), double – storey link detached factories (from MYR 5.0 million), and proposed 36 units commercial shop – lot. It is now 35% completed and Phase 1 is expected to complete in Q4 of 2016. The collaboration initiative is expected to draw wide interest as it offers to locals and the International market as well. This planned and freehold ownership in property that has a multitude of business centric incentives related to its biotechnology businesses, apart from other investment oppor tunities and holistic

benchmark business process facility offerings. Together, these various business driven – initiatives, strategic collaborations between State Government and Federal Government’s Iskandar Regional Developmet Authority (IRDA) 20 year master plan is targeting to attract estimated MYR 25.0 billion investments within the Eastern Gate Development of Iskandar Malaysia (Pasir Gudang), as well as with MIDA, BiotechCorp, SME Bank, SME Corp, Teraju amongst others, in promoting small-medium enterprises. In the next Phase 2A beginning 2016, a Bio-SME Park on 10 acres will be developed alongside 35 acres of Bio-Processing Facilities. Subsequently, in Phase 2B, there will be 30 acres Regional Marketing Clearing House (RMCH) as well as an Integrated Packaging, Warehousing and Logistics (IWPL) followed by Phase 2C as an Industrial Park dedicated for smallmedium enterprises (SMEs). Also, in support of Johor State initiative to provide Affordable Housing within Iskandar Malaysia, both two parties will jointly develop and market its Affordable Housing and Commercial Centre within its strategically located 35 acres land in Senai that is owned by J-Biotech. Preliminary layout drawings have been prepared and are expected to be submitted to the State Government for approval.

Quick Reads

on how the Singapore housing authorities had been introducing much more stringent curbing measures in June and August last year. In comparison to Malaysia, it is important to note that properties in these two countries are not freehold and foreigners face plenty of limitations. Looking at the values of our nearest neighbouring country; Singapore, property prices have been going beyond SGD 1,000 per sq ft. In fact, you have to be a millionaire to buy a new property development where prices fall easily within the range of S$1.5 mil (4.20 mil) to S$2.5 mil (RM7mil). In the next issue we’ll look at Indonesia and Thailand as well as some final considerations. Sources: Napic Property market Report 2013, CIMB, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, World Economic Forum, Ho Chin Soon Research, REI Archives.

WCT debuts Paradigm Mall JB

WCT Holdings Bhd has officially launched Paradigm Mall Johor Bahru. The RM1.2 billion mall is located on a 13-acre freehold tract along Skudai Highway and opens its doors in September next year. The mall is set to be the largest regional mall in Johor Bahru, with a gross built-up area of 4.4 million sq ft and gross floor area of 2.7 million sq ft. It will have a tenant mix comprising food and beverage (20%), fashion (30%) and the remainder being specialty stores. The 6-storey Paradigm Mall JB will comprise 600 shops for lease. The mall offers 4,200 parking bays on one level of basement parking and four upper parking levels. WCT said the mall will introduce Sogo department store to JB, while Golden Screen Cinemas marks its re-entry into JB with a 16-hall theatre since its exit

from the state in 2012. Paradigm Mall JB will also feature a Village Grocer supermarket and a 20,000 sq ft indoor ice skating rink. The mall is part of the RM1.5 billion integrated development Paradigm JB, which also consists of a hotel and a serviced apartment towers. The hotel will offer 296 rooms and will be managed by a four-star hotel operator to be announced later. Mr. Taing Kim Hwa, Managing Director of WCT Holdings Berhad said that, “Due to its close proximity to popular destinations such as Legoland, Nusajaya, Medini Iskandar Malaysia, and Singapore, Paradigm Mall Johor Bahru will create additional space to accommodate the significant retailer demand that exists for this part of Malaysia.

More affordable houses for Johor Datuk Adam Sumiru said that the state government had agreed to build more eligible first-time house buyers to own affordable homes under the Johor Affordable Housing (RMMJ) scheme. The housing project would be undertaken by the state-linked company Kumpulan Prasarana Rakyat Johor Sdn Bhd on a 3.64ha site along Jalan Tapah near Jalan Stulang Baru. “We are looking at building four to five blocks. Each

block will have 10 stories for a total of between 500 and 700 units of affordable flats,” he said. The project would start anytime soon after getting approval from the relevant authorities and would be ready in three to four years’ time. “The flats will be priced between RM80,000 and RM150,000 each and the units are only for first-time houses buyers who do not own any properties,” added Adam.

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Property Investment Opinion

Happenings

Recap

Sharing with you the happenings from last month

Vehicular Barriers to Properties in Iskandar Malaysia

t is reported that come October 1, Singapore and foreign cars entering Johor will pay RM20 vehicular entry permit (VEP). The reason for this new levy is to ensure tax is collected from foreign vehicles for usage of Malaysian infrastructure. There is good logic to the rationale and this has been widely discussed to ensure a balanced implementation. However, I wish to point out some drawbacks as seen from the ground but suggest ways to fine tune the tax so that its intended benefits will not be overwhelmed by negative impacts. By levering a tax, there will be the expected drop in casual visitors who go over either for pleasure or business. While RM20 is not a large sum, it is a significant stopper for everyone to pause and think. Cars entering are already paying about RM30 for using the second Tuas-Nusajaya Link. When VEP is implemented, each round trip will cost RM50. There are many Singaporeans/ Singapore Permanent Residents (SPRs) who were residing in Johor and working in Singapore but have now returned to live in Singapore. They cannot justify the daily costs of toll and traffic congestions on the Second and First Links. The congestions are getting from bad to worse over the last one year. Many are selling out their Iskandar Malaysia (IM) properties even in this bad downturn. Add the cost of VEP, I foresee high value residents to return to Singapore. These are mostly IM property owners who are SPRs (Malaysians and foreigners) that drives Singapore registered cars as they are not allowed to drive Malaysian cars into Singapore. This will cause further erosion of the residential property market and talent pool residing in IM. Therefore, I hope to see VEP exemptions to foreign drivers who own and live in their property in Iskandar so that they will continue to reside in Johor. If not, there will be mass selling out of properties which will reduce overall economic

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

competitiveness in Iskandar. Moreover, student enrollment in the Educity institutions will be affected without the mention of wider economic implications of such a scenario. The drop in ridership caused by the VEP across the Second Link will not speed traffic up as current congestions are due to insufficient lanes being opened on both sides of the border. I hope authorities from both sides will set up a permanent joint transport/ immigration council to look into ways to better traffic movement across the Second and First Links. Such critical transport links between Malaysia and Singapore must be tackled as a high priority social matter. The outcome will be a win-win proposition that will be appreciated by people from both sides. As for safety and security of Singapore cars entering Johor, I hope there will be increased policing and vigilance so that the people are more confident and the development of IM will not be impacted. We should not overlook micro issues that have wide implications such as cost efficiency of cross border transport and safety. They are the precursors of economic integration and vibrancy. As IM progresses to be a global metropolis as envisioned, I hope these suggestions will enhance its success.

Talk

UMCity Medini Lakeside organised a series of talks with notable speakers such as Ho Chin Soon (Chairman of Ho Chin Soon Resources Sdn Bhd) and Lorraine Ng from iProperty sharing their expertise on the property market

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