The Iskandarian October 2015 Issue by The Iskandarian-WAVES Lifestyle

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The Iskandarian ISSUE 38 | OCT 2015

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The Iskandarian ISSUE 38 | OCT 2015 Advertisement

Farm Fresh @ Maslee Established in 1985, Maslee Supermarket prides itself in being farm fresh by buying their vegetables and poultry directly from the farmers to ensure the best quality of items sold at their supermarkets. The concept of Maslee ‘My Neighbour’ or ‘Jiran Saya’ is their core marketing principle as it is an ideology that they strongly believe in. The management believes that it’s the communities’ support that has brought them thus far hence, they uphold the concept very passionately and so does the staff. Maslee offers a wide selection of products ranging from grocery wholesale items, frozen products, dry items, food specialties, baking essentials, fresh vegetables, variety of fruits, canned and bottled food, staples, fish, meat and other daily use products. They also have an extensive stationery section, household items, toys and other family needs to make Maslee your one stop centre!

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The Iskandarian ISSUE 38 | OCT 2015

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The Iskandarian,

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The Iskandarian Monthly Drill

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

pg 9

I also encourage our expatriates to learn the language of our host country - Diane Metcalfe, Campus Principal Tenby Schools (Malaysia)

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Highlight: The old Eveready battery

factory in Tampoi has been revived to become an energising youth space filled with local products, modern and secondhand fashion, collectors, food outlets and entertainment for the entire family

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INSIDE Educity Sundown Malaysia 2015 once again emerged as an unforgettable night race that brought communities together as a family #tanahairku Campaign by Petronas to promote love for the nation by showcasing the best of Malaysia’s street art

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“

We are honoured to receive this recognition as IRDA strives to give its best

The Iskandarian

Our Friends

Those involved need to engage the residents on what is being planned

pg 11

pg 15

Datuk Ismail Ibrahim Chief Executive of IRDA

Tan Sri Shahrir Abdul Samad Johor Bahru MP

Viral Jalur Gemilang Issue Concern

The baseless order to remove the Jalur Gemilang in Johor was caused by a misinterpretation by a District Officer

t became a hot topic in most social network sites when a photo of internal circular related to HRH Crown Prince of Johor has directed an order to remove the Jalur Gemilang in the state went viral. It even stirred rumours regarding Johor to be not part of Malaysia in later future. Fret not as Johor state secretary clarified that it was a misinterpretation by one of the Segamat District Officer. “It was a misinterpretation and the Jalur Gemilang is still applied in all Johor state

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government offices. The removal should only be executed to small flags and other flag decorations when Merdeka celebration has ended,” said Dato’ Ismail Karim, Johor State Secretary. He also mentioned that the state flags shall be applied at state government offices which is located in the middle while the Johor flag is on the right and the Malaysian flag is on the left. State flags and standard procedures of flag poles will be gazette soon. Prior to that, there were issues regarding

Johor to break apart from Malaysia and Dato’ Ismail slashed the statement by commenting that it is false, and that it would take a long term hassle to proceed such an intention. “I would like to advise the public to refer to the authorities regarding any issues from now on to get a clarification especially on the flag issue. Any changes made within the State Secretary of Johor Office shall be reviewed and approved by the State Government and by a royal decree by the Sultan of Johor,” he added. - by Maressa Esa TI

Johor State Secretary, Dato’ Ismail Karim showing the Johor State Secretary internal circular regarding flag protocol of the state

Johor District Flags - Johor has ten administrative districts (daerah), each assigned their own district-level flags.They were introduced on 3 March 2015.

Johor Bahru

Kluang

Kota Tinggi

Batu Pahat

Kulai

Ledang

Mersing

Pontian

Muar

Segamat

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Published by True Soul Media PLT [No.51-B, Jalan Impian Emas 5/1, Taman Impian Emas, 81300 Johor Bahru] Printed by Twinstar Synergy Sdn. Bhd. [Lot2A, Jln 13/2, Seksyen 13, 46200, Petaling Jaya, Selangor] Copyright of articles, contributions and photos which are published by The Iskandarian is the property of True Soul Media PLT. The Iskandarian does its best to ensure the authenticity and accuracy of its contents, the publisher cannot accept any responsibilities for errors, mistakes and inaccuracies. The publisher reserves the rights of this product and no part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the permission of the publisher.

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The Iskandarian ISSUE 38 | OCT 2015

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The Iskandarian

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

Harmful open burning seen at a school dumpsite near Permas Jaya -Sent by Sulaiman Bakri

Quick Reads

Suitable name for Nusajaya

The Johor government will be having discussions to come up with a new name for its administrative centre; Nusajaya. Johor Menteri Besar Dato’ Mohamed Khaled Nordin said talks to rename Nusajaya would be held following Sultan Ibrahim Ibni

Almarhum Sultan Iskandar’s suggestion for the name change. The Johor ruler had also recently decreed that the district of Kulaijaya be reverted to its old name Kulai. “ The state government welcomes Tuanku’s instructions and will act accordingly,” said Khaled.

Malaysia Airlines Berhad receives AOC Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB) received its Air Operator Certificate (AOC) from the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) at Malaysia’s Ministry of Transport in Putrajaya, recently. The AOC will allow Malaysia Airlines to take flight as MAB from 1st September 2015. MAB’s CEO Designate Christoph Mueller said, “We would like to thank

the Director General of DCA, Dato’ Sri Azharuddin Abdul Rahman for this very important milestone.” YB Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, Minister of Transport, said, “The government of Malaysia is committed to ensure that the rejuvenated Malaysia Airlines will take off on a strong note. We hope to see more progress driven by the new entity especially in terms of service levels.”

Ibibo Rolls Out RedBus into Singapore & Malaysia Ibibo Group, India has rolled out RedBus in Singapore and Malaysia. With this launch, RedBus is now available for travellers to book inter-city bus tickets between Singapore and Malaysia and between cities within Malaysia, under the domain www.redbus.sg and native mobile apps on iOS and Android. This is part of the launch of the new global platform that supports multiple currencies, languages, time-

zones and integrated with international payment systems. RedBus has aggregated supply spanning 5700 bus routes in Singapore and Malaysia across large number of bus operators. On a daily basis, there are more than 100,000 seats available for sale. Ticket booking can be made either in Singapore Dollars or in Malaysian Ringgit.

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Royal Intervention By Maisarah newsdesk@theiskandarian.com

total of 100 Malaysian students in the United Kingdom and United States have been selected as recipients for a special financial assistance programme initiated by Permaisuri Johor, Raja Zarith Sofiah Sultan Idris Shah reported the New Straits Times. The announcement was made through a posting on the foundation’s Facebook page. Raja Zarith Sofiah had announced the initiative after she voiced concerns about the students’

Concern

100 students to receive aid from Raja Zarith Sofiah Johor Foundation ability to cope with the worldwide financial crisis. The programme was announced last month and its objective was to provide financial aid to Malaysian students studying abroad, specifically in the US and UK who are feeling burdened due to the weakening of the Ringgit. Under the programme,

successful applicants will each receive US$500 for those in the US and £500 for those in the UK. “Congratulations to all recipients, we would be in touch as soon as possible via email for the disbursement. To the unlucky applicants, we thank you for your submission and support,” the foundation said in a FB posting.

Permaisuri Johor, Raja Zarith Sofiah Sultan Idris Shah. (filepic)

12th JB Arts Festival 2015 follow their facebook page for updates

Johor Bahru Arts Festival (JBAF) turns 12 with fresh performances and events by both local and international artists

Highlight

PEGASUS INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL “A SINGAPORE Curriculum School”

Nursery to University Foundation Year

iPSLE Singapore International Primary School Examination Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB) designated Agent and Examination Centre

IGCSE / A LEVELS

YAM Tunku Tun Aminah (8th from left) with line of sponsors for the 12th JBAF

GAC / ACT

University Foundation Programme & American College Test Direct entry into GAC Pathway Universities

Founded in 1986 in Singapore, KinderWorld Education Group operates: AUSTRALIA

Pegasus UniCollege

MALAYSIA

Pegasus International School

VIETNAM

Singapore International School Singapore Vietnam International School KinderWorld International Kindergarten Pegasus International College

No. 1, Jalan Tasek, Bandar Seri Alam, 81750 Masai, Johor. (GPS: 1.503000,103.877000) - Tel: (607) 387 8700 Website: http://www.pegasus.edu.my | Email: enquiry@pegasus.edu.my Office Hours: Monday to Friday 8:00am - 5:30pm | Saturday 9:00am - 12:00pm

fter 11 consecutive years, the Johor Bahru Arts Festival (JBAF) 2015 continues their 12th year from 10th September until 10th October with more celebration of arts, music, food, culture and heritage with the community. Officiated by the Royal Princess of Johor, YAM Tunku Tun Aminah, the month-long event was officially launched at The Black Box, Mall of Medini on 17th September. Johor Society of the

Performing Arts founder, Yap Siong Cheng, expressed his appreciation as the JB Arts Festival is the longestrunning art event in the country. “For 12 years, the JB Arts Festival has grown in size from time to time while Johor Bahru itself is growing rapidly, driven by strong development through Iskandar Malaysia,” he said. At the launch, YAM Tunku Tun Aminah mentioned that for the first time, this year’s festival is brought out to Nusajaya and

hoped for a bigger crowd during the entire festival. This year’s festival highlights performances by Najwa Mahiaddin, Kyoto Protocol, Plague of Happiness and renowned Nasyid group, Raihan. As for international performances, JB:IFC welcomes Italian acapella group Mezzotono, next door neighbour Nadi Singapura, Australian trio Jamie Wilson Trio, Destiny’s Will with Rotterdam based Micheal Simon, and Shanghai singer Jasmine Chen. - by Maressa Esa TI

Development Authority (IRDA) 07-233 3000

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

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The Iskandarian ISSUE 38 | OCT 2015 Advertisement

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Detailcity Car Studio Rockin’ Lunch Gathering

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IRDA as the Best Economic Corridor Partner Highlight

Detailcity Car Studio HQ in Taman Molek

ustomising supercars for more than 6 years, Detailcity Car Studio recently organised a lunch gathering for its customers as a token of appreciation at its headquarters in Taman Molek, Johor Bahru. More than 30 participating supercars comprising of Lamborghini, Ferrari, Nissan GTR R35, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Audi, Bentley were out on display showing off their customised detailed finesse of the cars. Detailcity Car Studio offers the best in services that includes Plastidip, Ceramic unicoating, Hyper polishing, and even offers car wash and polishing services. “Even though it is a last minute invitation for this gathering but it

turned out great and we are also anticipating for more participation especially from car clubs like Audi for future events. Other than that, I also hope that I could provide our services to style up our Sultan of Johor’s supercars someday,” said Mohan, founder of Detailcity Car Studio. Detailcity Car Studio is based in Taman Molek and recently opened its second branch in Johor Bahru, next to New York Hotel.

Founder Mohan

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he award of appreciation was presented to IRDA by YB Dato’ Seri Idris Jusoh, Minister of Education II at the Industry Appreciation Night 2015. IRDA is one of MOE’s collaborative partners for this initiative. IRDA’s Chief Executive Datuk Ismail Ibrahim said, “We are honoured to receive this recognition, as IRDA strives to give its best in ensuring the development of Iskandar Malaysia (IM).” “ Te c h n i c a l and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) trainees are in great demand for industries not only in IM but nationwide. IRDA will continue to support programmes such as these that support the nation’s

Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) recently recognised as the best economic corridor partner by the Ministry of Education (MOE), for its contribution in advancing the nation’s TVET agenda drive towards achieving highincome status as announced in the 11th Malaysia Plan,” he said. A total of 106 companies from Malaysia, Indonesia, Korea, Thailand, Italy and United Kingdom were present to receive the recognition awards for their support towards recruiting and training TVET trainees. The key collaborative initiatives between IRDA and MOE include a bi-annual targeted employability programme for TVET trainees with companies in IM. This programme that is the inaugural TVET employment fair in IM was held in May 2015 and saw participation from more than 50 companies with investments in IM. A

total of 1,400 TVET trainees participated in the event with more than 40% of them receiving on the spot employment offers. In a separate event, IRDA was recently honoured with the Outstanding Agency award during the Duta Jauhar or Young Ambassador’s programme for the 2013/2014 session. The Duta Jauhar programme is the brainchild of Johor Menteri Besar YAB D ato’ M oha m e d Khaled bin Nordin that aims to improve the socio-economic well-being of rakyat Johor through participation from students.

IRDA played an advisory and facilitation role in this programme by providing the students skill induction and sector awareness exercise. The programme comprises of 300 students who are selected from higher learning institutions throughout the country to serve as skill ambassadors to promote Johor and IM at their campus locations.

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Welcome to

KILANG BATERI Highlight

The old Eveready battery factory in Tampoi has been revived to become an energising youth space filled with local products, modern and secondhand fashion, collectors, food outlets and entertainment for the entire family

By Harish Mustak newsdesk@theiskandarian.com

bandoned for years, the old Eveready battery factory off Jalan Tampoi recently went through a major transformation when JOHO acquired the lot. Painted bright red and with roof lights that can be seen from afar, Kilang Bateri is a new space for Johorians, especially the youth, to come and work, live and play. Managed by JOHO, a brand which is owned by USS Sdn. Bhd, the factory is now being recharged as youth centre similar to Singapore’s SCAPE Youth Centre. Inside, the huge factory area is divided into three sectors, namely a market, warehouse and a creative activity sector. The market sector includes the sale of merchandise such as clothing and apparel, novelty items, a barbershop with most of them comprising of local products. On the

other side of the market, food and drinks stalls fill the hungry stomachs of patrons with unique eats and sweets. The warehouse area is filled with extreme sports enthusiasts such as BMX bikers, skate boarders and calisthenics. Many interesting and fun workshops are also held at the creative activity sector. Apart from the primary three sectors, the factory also has a hall which will work perfect for concerts and even functions. Parking is abundance and navigation is made easy with proper signages and flood lights. On an estimate, the parking area can easily accommodate a few thousand cars. The primary stakeholder, JOHO, is comprised of creative youths who established their brand in Johor since 2010. JOHO varies from manufacturing meticulous sorts of apparel to organising events as it aims to bring the best quality products and services to the honoured state of Johor. Recently, a strong advocate for this

The outer facade is lit with light bulbs that give the place a vintage feel

Skateboard and BMX enthusiast can show off their skills at the Warehouse area

initiative, Tan Sri Shahrir Abdul Samad, Member of Parliament of Johor Bahru, was present during the Merdeka celebrations, singing along to the National Anthem, raising the flags and spectating the fireworks show. “This Kilang Bateri initiative is good in empowering our youths to become better people for the future. We can see them venturing in business and other character building activities. Also, we should be proud as we can come up with local products and merchandise. We should buy and support the local scene,” said Tan Sri Shahrir. JOHO has a whole calendar of events planned for Kilang Bateri throughout the year. Besides the Raya Bazaars, patrons can look forward to the ReNe and GEGO Festivals which are two of JOHO’s popular events. The Kilang Bateri is open from 12pm to 12am every day. Everyone is invited to come to NU Space to have fun and enjoy a good time with family and friends. TI

The youth of Johor Bahru now have a ‘home’ they can call their own

Plenty of food and beverage outlets to choose from

Creative designs can be seen everywhere

Clothing stores line up one part of Kilang Bateri

Something for everyone

The Iskandarian ISSUE 38 | OCT 2015 Advertisement

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The Iskandarian ISSUE 38 | OCT 2015

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.

Diane Metcalfe

Campus Principal

Monthly Drill

Tenby Schools (Malaysia)

Diane is originally from Durham, United Kingdom (UK). She began her teaching career in the UK as a History Teacher and gained experience of both pastoral and academic through roles including Head of History, Head of House and Teaching and Learning Coordinator. She decided to experience the International circuit in 2008, which included time in Kuwait and Dubai. Her roles included Head of History, Head of House, Dean of Studies, Vice Principal and Head of Secondary. Her vision is to achieve a happy and successful school through confident leadership and management, where staff feel valued and empowered to create a positive teaching and learning environment.

Why did you choose to come to Malaysia? I visited Malaysia in 2006 and fell in love with the area, and I knew that I would work here one day.

How do you find the level of learning and development of Malaysian children in general? I have my lesson observations of the staff and have noticed that there are varying levels of learning evident here. As in most educational constitutions, there are those most able students who make enormous progress during their lessons; however, there are several students who struggle with the language barrier which hinders their development.

You have taught in numerous countries, share with us the different teaching and cultural experiences that you’ve encountered at those countries Whilst teaching in the UK, I discovered the art of developing

skills based curriculum alongside teaching the curriculum content that would equip our students for their GCSE and A level programmes. There was always an emphasis on developing the skills needed to enter an examination room and perform to their highest ability, but within key stage two and three, we began to encourage students to take ownership of their learning. This doesn’t mean they ran the classroom, but they were allowed to develop their unique style of learning. Through Assessment for Learning we began to maximise our students’ progress. Kuwait experiences were very similar to the UK, due to the fact that my Principal was originally from the North East of England and had extensive experience with The National Curriculum. Within Dubai, the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme was followed, and an emphasis on developing a well-rounded individual through a holistic approach to learning was across Primary, Secondary and the Diploma programmes.

How is Tenby different in comparison to other learning institutions in the region? Within our Tenby Schools we see students grow into confident and well rounded individuals, based on a holistic approach to learning where there is a balance between students’ ownership of their learning and curriculum structure.

How do you help a student who simply refuses to learn? By incorporating a curriculum that is both broad and balanced you will find students keen to study. Alongside this, there needs to be a pastoral system that supports the learning. We promote a reward system based on house points that encourages our students to perform during academic time and through extra-curricular

Quote By incorporating a curriculum that is both broad and balanced you will find students keen to study

programmes. We also instill in our students the need to be part of a community.

Do you think experiential learning should supersede theoretical learning or vice versa? I believe there should be an emphasis on skills based learning. Skills that are developed across each subject can be used throughout a students’ time in education, but also create a strong foundation for lifelong learning. If we develop those skills alongside an enjoyable and fulfilling curriculum, we are preparing our children for the 21st century. My vision for Tenby Schools Setia Eco Gardens is that we help create learners who know how they learn, their particular learning style and even more importantly, know how to improve. By identifying what type of learner that we are teaching, we can make the most of the audio, kinesthetic and visual aids that are incorporated into our lessons.

Based on your observation, if you were to make a radical

change in the Malaysian education system, what would it be? Ask me that in 6 months’ time when I’ve had the opportunity to experience the system (smiles).

Do you see yourself retiring here? I have been here just over one month. The warmth and generosity of the Malaysian people has already made a lasting impression on me. Malaysia will always hold a special place in my heart but I’m too young to think about retiring.

The Johor Ruler has stressed the importance of English usage in Johor. Your thoughts on this We support the usage of the English language and all lessons are taught in English with the exception of our language classes. However, I also encourage our expatriates to learn the language of our host country. Our parents, teachers and students are showing an interest in acquiring another language. So we are definitely lifelong learners!

Any upcoming events at Tenby that we should look out for? We will be holding our annual International Day on Friday, 9th October; this is an event where students and staff will dress in their traditional costumes representing their home country. Parents will be invited along to join us and an array of stalls will reflect our numerous nationalities. We will also be conducting a small parade to celebrate a truly International community. Besides that, our very first Year 11 graduation in all its finery, will take place on 20th November and we believe they will experience a Graduation to remember! TI

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peggy loh

My johor stories

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

Give us back our pavements, please!

’m proud that Johor Bahru was among wall art that reflected our multi-cultural the cities picked by Petronas for their communities which they called “Magical #tanahairku campaign in this year’s Land”. A pair of artists, Taib Aur and Jefri National and Malaysia day celebrations. Abdul (Jeps), designed their wall art Through this campaign, the entitled, “Kita Jaga Sama-Sama” (we protect national oil company aims to present together) on the wall of The Fitting Room Malaysia as a unique melting pot of at the corner of Jalan Ibrahim and Jalan cultures and traditions. Local artists have Trus. At the corner of Jalan Trus and Jalan given the old walls at five sites in the city’s heritage quarter, a creative facelift in this Dhoby, the artwork on the wall of Roost Juice Bar entitled, “Bahtera Merdeka”, by street art project. I must confess that I did not notice what the artists were doing until one day while I was walking along Jalan Ibrahim and found my path blocked by a crane truck. I stopped, looked up and saw artist, See Poh Chen aka Pauline, on the A complete view of this wall mural along Jalan Trus will be platform, calling blocked by parked cars all day long! out instructions to the crane operator to adjust its position for Muhammad Abqari Ahmad Shakri who goes by the moniker, Snake Two, and her to reach a spot to paint the wall! Then I learnt about the Petronas Muhammad Azri Zahri (Cuz One), is an #tanahairku campaign that roped in local image of a war ship dubbed Merdeka as a artists to create artworks on old walls that tribute to Malaysia’s naval heritage. A towering piece of wall art portrayed their personal reflections of featuring the profile of a roaring tiger Merdeka and its meaning to them. Led by Pauline and her husband, painted on the UMNO Building at Jalan Yap Leong, the team from Eh He turned Segget, entitled, “The Tiger Roars”, is the the wall of No. 1 to 7 Jalan Trus into a creation of artists, Iqbal Hareez Osman and Cheong Jiun Wei. Meanwhile, the wall of an old city council building at Jalan Trus, situated diagonally opposite Hua Mui restaurant has been transformed by the artwork by Muhammad Danial Awang Samad (Nellaone) and Iskandar Noor Rahim (Akeem). Their wall art entitled, “Muafakat”, depicts two children hanging out traditional costumes that represent our three main race groups, on a common clothes line that aptly portrayed the concept of Muafakat where each race is irrevocably linked together! I saw this piece of wall art by night while the road was closed to vehicular traffic and free from parked vehicles. As I admired the drawings in its entirety, my first thought was how this wall art will be blocked by cars that are indiscriminately parked here daily in spite of the double yellow lines painted on the road. I’m In the city, cars are indiscriminately parked in familiar with the recalcitrant attitude a Tow Away Zone of motorists and regret that visitors will

Paved pedestrian walks along Tan Hiok Nee Heritage Walk is damaged by carelessly parked cars not be able to take good shots of this Tourism Department, Police and Traffic interesting wall art as their view will be Police, to improve the image of our city. As a start, I suggested to enforce “No Parking obstructed by parked cars. Incidentally, the Petronas on Pavements” at Jalan Tan Hiok Nee, to #tanahairku event was launched in the ensure that cars are parked in designated wake of the first Johor Architectural areas and to provide more rubbish bins so Sketches Exhibition that featured that the public have no excuse for littering. Sadly, nothing has been done two artists from distinct and different backgrounds – Buz Walker-Teach and so far about improving the state of the Yap Hanzhen. An exhibition of their pavements at Jalan Tan Hiok Nee and Jalan architectural sketches were aptly displayed Meldrum. The MBJB paved these paths in a gallery at Jalan Tan Hiok Nee and for a reason and I believe it was originally officially launched by Johor Baru Member meant for pedestrians but entrepreneurs of Parliament, Tan Sri Datuk Seri Shahrir have claimed them, laid out tables and Abd Samad in the presence of Raffles chairs to do business and motorists insist University Iskandar President, Professor on parking here. Over time, the pavements are damaged and dirtied while pedestrians, Graeme Britton, and invited guests. After he launched the exhibition, who should have the right of way, must Tan Sri Shahrir shared his thoughts with me find alternative routes around parked cars about designing a new heritage walk map or furniture! The Petronas #tanahairku wall art that should incorporate the meticulously detailed sketches of the city’s iconic are now an added attraction in our heritage landmarks by Yap Hanzhen. He believed quarter and when we have a new heritage that a heritage walk map with artwork by walk map, we can expect more walking Hanzhen, a savant autistic teenager, will be tourists here. But is JB ready for visitors a real masterpiece. And I agreed with him. who are keen on walking tours or are we But first, we must do something going to disappoint them and embarrass about improving our pedestrian paths ourselves with our unfriendly pavements? It’s not too late for MBJB to start and pavements so that visitors will have a comfortable experience on heritage walks. enforcing “No Parking on Pavements” at If you have been to other cities that offered Jalan Tan Hiok Nee and ensure that cars heritage tours, you may have noticed how are parked in designated areas. The city pavements are kept unobstructed for pedestrians and the wheelchairbound to pass comfortably. They pay close attention to tiled pavements by keeping them neat or the city may risk getting sued by visitors who happened to fall from tripping accidents! The paved pedestrian walk in Meldrum Walk is lost under this In my restaurant’s chairs and tables ar ticle, “ L e t ’s do Better to Attract Visitors to JB” [The council and civic conscious people, are Iskandarian, Jan 2015], I urged every aware that these paths were paved for individual who is proud of JB as our home pedestrians so why not put the pavements to work in a concerted effort with the MBJB, back to its proper use? TI

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ith a brand new theme – We Are Iskandarians, the IM klik 2015 photography and videography competition is expected to receive over 1,000 submissions portraying people living, residing and working in Iskandar Malaysia (IM). Starting from now until 31st October 2015, amateur and professional photographers can submit their masterpiece at IM klik website www.imklik.com for a chance to win the top prize of RM4,000 cash voucher. The second and third winners will take away RM3,000 and RM2,000 cash vouchers respectively and 27 consolation prizes will also be set aside. Pa r t i c i p a nt s o f t h e competition will be eligible to at te n d a n exc l u s i ve, complimentary workshop to sharpen their photography and videography skills. This fun and

streets IIB IM Klik 2015 to Picture Iskandarians Interest

Iskandar Malaysia’s photography competition is back for the second year running and is expected to receive over 1000 submissions

hands-on workshop will hopefully enable them to better capture the heart of Iskandar Malaysia in terms of technical skills. The full day workshop which is scheduled on 3rd October 2015 at Horizon Hills Golf and Country Club will be conducted by renowned photography Guru, Andrew Boey from the Nikonean Beyond Photography Academy in Kuala Lumpur. Apart from a bigger pay out for top winners, the competition will have an additional category – short video. The short video segment is hoped to be the choice

medium for teens and young adults to express their pride in being an Iskandarian. The 15-second slot on social media platforms YouTube and Instagram will be judged by the number of ‘likes’ received to emerge as winners. “We were honoured to receive such great submissions last year with over a thousand entries depicting the hardscapes of this fast developing city. Iskandarians from all walks of life have proudly pictured IM from the way they saw the city evolving right before their eyes. Now, we would like to see the pulse of this region; their laugh, their gatherings and the genuine spirit of its folks,” said the President/ Chief Executive Officer of IIB, Datuk Syed Mohamed Syed Ibrahim. The first IM klik photography competition was launched in 2014 with the theme ‘Liveable City of Iskandar Malaysia’. Over 90 photographs from the top 53 winners and specially picked additional photographs depicting the vibrancy of Iskandar Malaysia have been immortalised in an exclusive coffee table book entitled ‘Iskandar Malaysia – Through the Lens’.

EDUCITY SUNDOWN MALAYSIA 2015 Highlight

More participants and volunteers for Johor’s biggest night run, promoting healthy lifestyle

duCity Sundown Malaysia 2015 once again emerged as an unforgettable night race that brought communities together as a family in promoting a healthy lifestyle. There were over 6,000 participants from countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Australia, Italy and the United Kingdom. The runners were flagged off by Datuk Syed Mohamed bin Syed Ibrahim, President/Chief Executive Officer of Iskandar Investment Berhad (IIB), Datuk Ismail Bin Ibrahim, Chief Executive of Iskandar Regional Development Authority and Asman Shah Bin Abd Rahman Director of Johor Tourism Department. The night race is unique as the race course passes through not just iconic landmarks such as the EduCity Sports Complex, Dataran Mahkota and Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios, but also takes the runners across the local landscapes of Nusajaya, thus inviting volunteers from the nearby Kampung Melayu and local associations to partake in its festivities. The race featured two distances, a 21km and 12km run, with six categories – Half Marathon (Men’s and Women’s Open, Men’s and Women’s Junior Veteran, Men’s

and Women’s Senior Veteran) and a 12km (Men’s and Women’s Open). In addition to that there was also a corporate challenge, where companies were represented by enthusiastic runners who ran and finished as a team. EduCity Sundown Malaysia also supported the “Together for Every Child” campaign under World Vision Malaysia Sdn Bhd, and participated in the “Water for Life Challenge”. The idea is to build awareness and raise funds to bring sustainable change to affected children and communities. Members of the organisation pledged to carry a bottle of untreated water around, representing the lack of access to clean water experienced by children in poor communities. During the race, runners who participated in the challenge attached a picture of the child they pledged to raise funds for on their running bid to create awareness about the cause. The event ended with 24 best participants receiving prizes for finishing with the top 3 finishing times in their respective categories. Besides the race, there were performances with bands such as Voice of Percussion and pop band Paper Plane Pursuit, with a live performance by a fire eater.

Over 6,000 participants from various countries participated in Sundown 2015 at Nusajaya “We are proud to have hosted this event for the second year, to promote and educate our community on the importance of living a healthy lifestyle. Besides, it also

brought all members of the community together in such an exciting environment,” said Datuk Syed Mohamed Syed Ibrahim of IIB.

Stu

The Iskandarian ISSUE 38 | OCT 2015 Advertisement

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streets Free WiFi for Johorians

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ohorians can now enjoy Internet access for free as Johor Chief Minister, Dato’ Mohamed Khaled Nordin officially launched Johor Free WiFi Project on 30th August at Dataran Bandaraya Johor Bahru. The project was an outcome from a research of Pelan Suara Hati Johor in 2013. “The free WiFi points will cover 135 hotspots in 10 districts across Johor, 16 Local Authorities and 13 Projek Perumahan Rakyat

(PPR) and will be operating starting January 2016. Johorians can now enjoy the services provided and utilise them for better advancement of telecommunication purposes,” said Khaled. According to the research from Pelan Suara Hati Johor, 20.36% respondents have voiced out that local telecommunication services should be upgraded.

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P. Ramlee the Musical at Pinewood

The cast of P. Ramlee the Musical

full house audience and standing ovations is what all theater actors’ dream off when putting on a show, and that is exactly what the actors as well as the ensemble from Enfiniti Vision Media got at their recent show-tour stop in Iskandar Malaysia. “The audience is just phenomenal and world class. We just love the Johor crowd,” said Tony Eusoff, who played the leading role of P. Ramlee in Pat Ibrahim’s production of the life-story of Malaysia’s gem of an icon, P. Ramlee. The emotional roller coaster ride took the audience through the whole life of P. Ramlee or also known as Remy by his

dear wife Saloma. From the beginning, the audience was captivated by the stellar performances of song and dance, beautifully choreographed and directed by Pat Ibrahim, Dick Lee and Adlin Aman Ramli. “We dearly wanted to capture every moment of P.Ramlee’s life. All the ups and downs, and from the beginning until the end. Through our best performance, we wanted to remind the elders as well as show the new generation who P. Ramlee was and is to Malaysia,” said Puan Sri Tiara Jacquelina, Executive Producer and also played Norizan, second wife of P. Ramlee in the production. Born on Aidil Fitri

day March 22nd 1929, Ramli bin Puteh was very talented at putting on a show even at a young age in local singing competitions. He then literally made a name for himself in ’47 by winning first place in the Radio Malaysia singing contest in Penang, adopting his new stage name, P. Ramlee. After being spotted by B.S. Rajhans from Malay Film Productions (MFP), P. Ramlee made the decision to travel to Singapore on Hari Raya day of 1948 to join the Shaw Brothers at the MFP. His career took off from there and he rose to fame throughout the Nusantara and eventually Hong Kong. The musical also depicted the downs of his life where he lost his career and had to start from scratch, his love life and even the harsh reality of smoking habits of the people in those times. Eventually, Remy and Sally settled down and the audience was left with an emotional ending, remembering the great Malaysian gem of the film and music industry - P. Ramlee. - by Harish Mustak

Group S-7 from SMK Gelang Patah, the champion for secondary school category

EM Sunrise recently organised a second treasure hunt competition; the ‘Amazing Patriotic Race II’ under its annual CSR National Day Programme prior to Independence Day and Malaysia Day. The race was participated by 160 students of UEM Sunrise PINTAR Adopted School at Bangunan Dato’ Jaafar Muhammad, Kota Iskandar Nusajaya. UEM Sunrise’s Head of Corporate Communications, Nik Surina Suria Nik Abdullah, mentioned that its inaugural race received a very warm welcome and they decided to continue it this year, aiming to instill good values of our nation’s multi culture with the spirit of #sehatisejiwa, embracing integration and enhance their leadership skills and teamwork. “The programme also supports the Government’s efforts to inculcate patriotism, unity and integrity among these young people. In addition, the race also promotes English-speaking environment out of classroom activity in a healthy, educational and enjoyable manner,” she added. The event was officiated by Nusajaya Assemblyman, YB Dr. Haji Zaini Haji Abu Bakar and he expressed his appreciation

about the activities that involves multi-racial and teamwork elements as it fits the theme of 58 years of independence and living in harmony. “I’m very proud of UEM Sunrise’s initiatives with the race participated not only by the three major races but even the Orang Asli. We could also include a content and information on Sarawak and Sabah as they are part of our country if this activity were to continue in future years,” he added. SK Tiram Duku and SMK Gelang Patah were the champions for Primary and Secondary level respectively. The Primary school category got to walk away with RM500 worth of cash, medals and participation certificates while the Secondary school category won cash worth of RM600, medals and certificate of participation. UEM Sunrise have been organising the annual National Day Programme since 2011 for its PINTAR Adopted Schools and the ‘Amazing Patriotic Race’ continued for two consecutive years since 2014. Under PINTAR Adopted Schools, there are 18 schools in Nusajaya, Iskandar Malaysia and 3 more in Klang Valley. - by Maressa Esa TI

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Pupils achieve excellence

group of Marlborough pupils gained public recognition of their achievements recently with one of pupil in the Senior School, Danial Nielson-Frost, has been chosen to represent Singapore in the CIK FIA Karting World Championships in Italy while another, Nicholas Goh has won Gold in the Euroasia violin regional competition. Academically, Marlborough pupils have also achieved excellence. At the recent Pearson Medallion Awards Ceremony, held in Kuala Lumpur on 5th September 2015, five pupils from Marlborough College Malaysia received awards

Highlight

Marlborough College Malaysia pupils receive high achievement awards recognising their achievements for gaining the highest marks in Malaysia in the Edexcel IGCSE examinations. The award recipients were Ameer Chugthai for History and Religious Studies, Anya Igwe for Religious Studies, Edward Chai for Science, Frederico Smith for Spanish and Richard Lai for Geography.

The awards were seen as a remarkable success for Marlborough College. The prestigious awards were presented by Her Excellency Vicki Treadell, the British High Commissioner to Malaysia. In addition, the College was presented with a ‘Centre of Excellence’ award in recognition of a fine first foray into external examinations.

MCM pupils at the Pearson Medallion Awards Ceremony One of the award winners, Frederico Smith’s achievements were particularly impressive

considering that he was only in Shell only in Year 9 when he sat for his Spanish examination.

Dinosaurs Invade Sunway Iskandar Highlight

More than 5000 people were drawn to Dinosaur Alive by Sunway Iskandar

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inosaur fans were thrilled when Sunway Iskandar brought in baby T-Rex, Triceratops, and Stegosaurus! Dinosaur Alive by Sunway Iskandar happened at Sunway Iskandar Sales Gallery on 19th September which also featured an evening outdoor movie screening. Visitors were thrilled to even see the signage ‘Beware of Dinosaurs’ along the way to the event location as promotional tools. Drawing more than 5000 crowd, especially enthusiastic young kids, the event exhibited feeding baby T-Rex, Zookeepers dance session, a fight between Stegosaurus and Triceratops, photo oppor tunities, Triceratops ride, and fun games. The event continued with ‘Jurassic World’ movie screening by the Emerald Lake

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Audience enjoying the outdoor movie screening of ‘Jurassic World’ at Emerald Lake with free snacks provided to the audience. “ We are most delighted and welcome the overwhelming crowd to this merry event as it is a community event and we wanted to create awareness to Johorians about Sunway Iskandar. In fact, this one day event is also a platform of appreciation to our purchasers here. Although we started

our development with only 1800 acres of land, I believe that through activities like this, we can engage with the people so that they can see what we have planned here,” said George Soosay, CEO of Sunway Southern Region, and Property Development Division. Sunway Iskandar plans to extend more electrifying events in the future.

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A Night of Cultural Splendour at Paradiso Culture

Zhuoyuan Iskandar brings the Red Moon Dance Troupe from Singapore for their first ever performance in Malaysia

Z Tactful performace by Red Moon

huoyuan Iskandar Sdn Bhd (Zhuoyan) successfully held their first ever Chinese Cultural Night at their Paradiso Medini Sales Gallery in Medini Nusajaya. Gracing the event were

representatives from Medini Iskandar Malaysia Sdn Bhd, members of the local business community and property investors. Welcoming the guests, Executive Director of Zhuoyuan, Alex Wang said, “We are definitely

committed to the continuous growth of Medini as a responsible developer, and the unique mix of cultures is one thing that will cement Medini as an International City.” A first for both the Red Moon Dance Troupe and Zhuoyuan, the event aimed to promote the growth of arts, music and culture in Medini. Guests were treated to 9 different dances and lucky draws. Red Moon Dance Troupe was presented a contribution of RM8,888 from Zhuoyuan.

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Ongoing case of Kim Keeping the Teng Park tradition

he residents of Kim Teng Park, Johor Bahru, have won a stay of execution in their case to stop the state government from acquiring the 52-year-old housing area. The residents’ committee received a letter from the Johor Bahru land administrator’s office that the hearing for the acquisition scheduled for September had been postponed until further notice. The gazette notice was issued on May

21, 2015, and the government has two years to acquire the land, until May 20, 2017, when the gazette automatically expires. “Those involved need to engage the residents on what is being planned,” said Johor Bahru MP Tan Sri Sharir who has been mediating the situation. The residents especially the elderly ones, are hoping that the government will withdraw the acquisition.

PTP – Malaysia’s Busiest Container Port Highlight

Port of Tanjung Pelepas hits high record with 800,000 twenty-foot equivalent units

ort of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP), Malaysia’s biggest single port operator and a subsidiary owned by MMC Corporation Berhad (MMC) has strengthened its position as the busiest container port in Malaysia after hitting an all – time high of 800,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (“TEUs”) in August. The latest record firmly places PTP on the road to achieve target total container throughput of 9.2 million TEUs for 2015. PTP container volume for the first eight months this year has registered a growth of 8.9% compared to the same period last year. “Positive improvements on productivity in container operations and better optimisation of resources were seen as the main reason behind this latest breakthrough”, said Glen Hilton, Chief Executive Officer of PTP. “With the strong support from PTP’s existing customers as well as volume from new customers, we are confident that PTP is on track to continue significant growth”,

added Glen. Last year, PTP handled 8.5 million TEUs container throughput and simultaneously became the first port in Malaysia to achieve such feat. PTP was also one of the only three ports in the world that recorded a double digit growth and placed 18th in world’s top ranking port in 2014. PTP completed phase two of its masterplan through a recent expansion involving building two new berths, three blocks of containers yards, procurement of new quay cranes and as well as electrifying existing rubber-tyred gantries. The expansion provides PTP with an additional 720 metres of quay length and subsequently raises its annual handling capacity by 25 per cent to 10.5 million TEUs. PTP is a joint venture between MMC (70%), a premier utilities and infrastructure group and APM Terminals (30%), a leading global ports group with a global port network in 63 countries.

ntering its 19th year, The All Japan University Golf Competition saw 26 universities with over 131 participants teeing off at Starhill Golf & Country Club. The international competition is held annually at different locations as a celebration of alumni students battling each other on the greens. Most of the players are graduates working in either Singapore or Johor and they took the time out to take part in the 1-day competition bringing back the coveted

Happenings

Recap

imported new oiling machines to oil and clean bowling lanes twice every day to ensure that the lanes are kept in tip-top condition for bowlers. Lite SuperBowl DCM is currently the official training center for the Johor Bowling team, who trains here four times a week. In addition, it is also a popular venue for tournaments among governmental agencies and the private sector alike.

Sharing with you the happenings from last month

Performance

Merdeka Celebration at Kilang Bateri

Compassion

The staff, nuns and residents of Miriam Home were treated to Legoland by Tunku Temenggong Johor, Tunku Idris Iskandar

Bowled Over at DCM owling enthusiasts now have yet another place to hone their skills at the recently upgraded Lite SuperBowl at Danga City Mall (DCM). Its operator Ahmad Fami Samsudin said the 20-lane bowling alley reopened in June this year after extensive upgrading works costing over RM400,000. Over RM70,000 have also been spent on

annual trophy. The tradition of the competition is that the winners of each year must be the organisers of the following years’ competition. “It’s quite stressful to be the organiser compared to being on the field but we must keep the tradition alive,” said Nobe Daisuke, an organising alumnus of Waseda University, who won last year. The competition began in 1997 with 16 universities taking part and has currently ballooned to 26 universities.

* Image is for illustration only

New

Legoland launched Ninjago - The Realm Of Shadows

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streets MATTA Johor Chapter’s Giant Malaysian flag Prize Giving Ceremony by Preschoolers Highlight

A lucky prize winner won a Proton Saga by just booking and purchasing a holiday trip

n conjunction with Malaysia Day on 16 th September, Pulai Springs Resort (PSR) held an inaugural ‘We Love Malaysia’ event together with 25 preschoolers from Tabika Perpaduan Kangkar Pulai by painting a giant 20 metre Jalur Gemilang flag. According to Sunny Soo, General Manager of PSR, the event aimed to promote and enhance patriotism among children at younger age. It also instills the true value of Malaysia’s independence. “We organised this event through colouring as kids love to colour and paint. Therefore, we chose four colours of the Jalur Gemilang as it will be etched in their memories when they enter their primary and secondary level,” he added. “The event benefits the kids as

they will be able to understand more on Independence Day and Malaysia Day through colouring the 20 metre flag compared to small pictures and what they have seen in books or TV,” said Anita Sariff, teacher of Tabika Perpaduan Kangkar Pulai. The kids were provided with painting tools such as paint brushes, Pelaka paints, sponges, and water to colour the gigantic Jalur Gemilang and also got the opportunity to place their hand prints on the white cloth with ‘We Love Malaysia’ wordings. The children completed the given activity guided by their teachers and the resort staff. PSR is also looking to organise more events like this in the upcoming years with a larger flag to break records. - by Maressa Esa TI

Winners of the MATTA Johor Chapter posing away

he Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) Fair Johor Chapter recently organised a prize presentation ceremony to winners at Granada Hotel, Johor Bahru. The winners drawn were purchasers who planned, booked and purchased their holiday trip throughout the fair that was held in August.

The grand prize winner, Tan Kok Seong, 35, won a Proton Saga 1.3S, followed by the second prize winner, Yien Siok Haut, 44, who won a new motorcycle model Modenas MR 1. Up to 20 winners were presented with various prizes and visitors also brought home prizes from the lucky draw held. The recently held

Happenings

Performance

Recap

MATTA Fair Johor covered up to 180 booths and 46 participating organisations. Through their Exhibitor survey during the fair, China ranked as the no.1 most popular outbound destination and Langkawi tops the highest spot for inbound destination. The next MATTA Fair Johor Chapter will resume next year from 8 to 10 April 2016. - by Maressa Esa TI

Sharing with you the happenings from last month

The first ever 2-day ‘Performance Days’ organised by Wearnes Autohaus Tebrau City

Kids imprinting their hands on the flag bearing ‘We Love Malaysia’

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streets

Petronas Promotes

street art that can be seen scattered all around johor bahru

Love for Nation Through

#tanahairku Campaign Patriotism

National Oil Company celebrates Merdeka spirit by showcasing the best of Malaysia

Location: Fitting Room on Jalan Ibrahim – Jalan Trus Artists: Taib bin Abdul Razak (Taib Aur) & Jefri Bin Abdul (Jeps One)

Location: Roost Juice Bar on Jalan Trus – Jalan Dhoby Artists: Muhammad Abqari Bin Ahmad Shakri (Snake Two) & Muhammad Azri Bin Zahri (Cuz One)

Location: UMNO Building on Jalan Segget Artists: Cheong Jiun Wei & Idbal Hareez bin Osman

MBJB Old Building on Jalan Trus Artists: Muhammad Danial bin Awang Samad (Nellaone) & Iskandar bin Noor Rahim (Akeem)

EH HE Building, Jalan Ibrahim – Jalan Trus Artists: Yap Leong & Pauline See Poh Chen from EH HE Team

PETRONAS Senior General of Group Strategic Communications, Liz Kamaruddin during her speech

Liz Kamaruddin with all the artists

he spirit of patriotism and love for the nation was at a high during the launch of PETRONAS’ National and Malaysia Day 2015 campaign recently. Staying true to its commitment towards promoting social cohesion, the campaign this year consists of three initiatives #tanahairku street art, ‘akrab’ web film and TVC (television commercial) and Misi #tanahairku, each showcasing the best of Malaysia in its own way. PETRONAS Senior General of Group Strategic Communications, Liz Kamaruddin said, “Through the National and Malaysia Day 2015 campaign, we hope to present Malaysia as a unique melting pot of cultures and traditions. We strongly believe that these common values that we share are what makes us Malaysians, a message we hope will come through in this campaign.” For the past two decades, PETRONAS has brought Malaysians together through its memorable festive communications. It was also announced that #tanahairku 2015 will cover three states – Johor, Sarawak and Sabah. Through this initiative, a total of 22 street artists have been commissioned to paint 10 selected walls in Johor Bahru, Kuching and

Kota Kinabalu. “PETRONAS’ #tanahairku campaign serves as a subtle reminder to the younger generation as to what makes Malaysia special,” said Liz. “We use street art as our medium to reach out and stir conversations because creative expressions have the power to transform people’s behaviours. We hope that these artworks will do just that,” she added. At the launch, PETRONAS also released its highly anticipated National and Malaysia Day 2015 web film titled ‘akrab’. Set in 1957, the film tells the story of three boys, who travelled from small town Ipoh to Kuala Lumpur to witness the symbolic ‘Laungan Merdeka’. The 5-minute web film highlights the value of friendship and perseverance; two elements that contribute to unity in a multiracial community. In addition to #tanahairku and the web film, PETRONAS also launched ‘Misi #tanahairku’ in the middle of August. The mission had a Malaysian personality, Razif Hashim, embarking on a nationwide journey, to gather and share stories about Malaysia, through the eyes of everyday Malaysians. These stories are shared via social media in hopes of raising the spirit of national pride and love for the country. - by Harish Mustak TI

Group picture: With Datuk Tee, Datuk A Rahman Nin (Mayor Of MBJB), YB Nur Jazlan (MP of Pulai)

The Iskandarian ISSUE 38 | OCT 2015 Advertisement

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OCTOBER 15’

iNSIDE

5SOS New album, er Rod Stewart’s Anoth s p Country, Goosebum Movie Preview & lots more!

OCT 2015 | Page 2

The Iskandarian | WAVES Lifestyle

editor’s F note

or those who haven’t got a clue or have been away, the 12th JB Arts Festival is still going on until 10th October. They have moved away from their iconic Bukit Timbalan landmark to a more hip location at Mall of Medini at Nusajaya. As there is a lot more happening this month, just flip over the page to our Calendar of Events for more details. 5 Seconds to Summer will be releasing a new album – “Sounds Good Feels Good” on 23rd October. The new album is the follow-up of their self-titled debut album, which sold in excess of three million

Priya Manikam waves.lifestyle@gmail.com

copies worldwide making it the biggest US debut album of the year. Did Rose’s emotional intensity article strike a chord in you? Continue reading its second part for more insight. For all you movie buffs, there are two great movies releasing this month – Goosebumps and The Walk. Did you know that over 400 million Goosebumps books worldwide in 32 languages were sold out since the series introduction in 1992? Whereas, The Walk by Robert Zemeckis is a true big-screen cinema, and a chance for moviegoers to viscerally experience the

MUSIC UPDATES

feeling of reaching the clouds. We continue our travel diaries from Pulai Springs Resort, and Peggy brings us “food and weddings” by Foodie Wedding at Jalan Serampang. As always, for those wishing to share their fashion collection, travel tales, or like us to review your restaurant/hotel for a staycation, drop me an e-mail at waves.lifestyle@ gmail.com and be featured. For more news, do access www.theiskandarian.com

Priya

Universal Music Singapore

ROD STEWART Records.

od Stewart has finished work on his eagerly anticipated new album, “Another Country,” to be released on 23rd October via Capitol

“Another Countr y ” continues a prolific new chapter in Stewart’s storied career that began with 2013’s Time, his landmark last album which reintroduced him as one of rock’s most gifted storytellers. “I’ve found that the only way to write songs is to be as personal and honest as possible,” Rod explains. “And when my last album was so wellreceived it gave me the confidence to keep on writing, and to examine and write about different things. It also gave me the freedom to experiment with different sounds like reggae, and Celtic melodies.” With his singular voice,

narrative song writing and passionate live performances, Rod Stewart has built one of the most successful and enduring music careers of all time. In a career spanning more than five decades, he has amassed sales of more than 200 million albums and singles worldwide.

Rod Stewart’s “Another Country” Track List: 1. Love Is 2. Please 3. Walking In The Sunshine 4. Love and Be Loved 5. We Can Win 6. Another Country 7. Way Back Home 8. Can We Stay Home Tonight? 9. Batman Superman Spiderman 10. The Drinking Song 11. Hold The Line 12. A Friend For Life

5 Seconds Of Summer (5SOS) to Release New album The biggest breakthrough band of 2014, have announced the release of their new studio album, ‘Sounds Good Feels Good’ out 23rd October through Capitol Records

ounds Good Feels Good’ sees the band collaborate again with rock veteran John Feldmann (producer, All Time Low, Good Charlotte, Boys Like Girls) who has executively produced the album. The result is an album packed with adrenaline-fuelled pop rock hits that give a nod to their super-rock turn-of-the-millennium US Alt-Rock influences. The band spent three months living together in a studio in LA writing and recording an album that they have poured their hearts and souls in to and are very proud of. Lead track ‘She’s Kinda Hot’ stormed to the top of the iTunes chart in the UK, US and 35 other

countries around the world after just a few hours when announced back in July. The lyric video for the new single, out now, also amassed a phenomenal 3.4 million views in just four days and sold the largest number of copies ever during week one for a 5SOS single in the US. ‘She’s Kinda Hot’ is a lyrically mischievous riot of an anthem that provides the perfect introduction to the new album and there are plenty more where that came from. Beyond the single, standout tracks ‘Hey Everybody!’ and live favourite ‘Permanent Vacation’ give an even more mature, more confident all-out rock assault to the senses, with crunchy guitars, high octane drumming and massive choruses, whilst ‘Jet Black Heart’

shows off the vocals that have won the hearts of millions of fans all over the world.

5SOS QUICK FACTS • • • • • • • • •

3.2 million albums worldwide 5.35 million tracks worldwide Over one million concert tickets sold Billboard #1 Album Biggest US debut album of the year #1 on iTunes in 76 countries BRIT Awards 2015 nomination – International Group American Music Awards – New Artist of the Year People’s Choice Awards 2015 – Favourite Breakthrough Artist

Source: Universal Music Singapore

GOOSEB

The Iskandarian | WAVES Lifestyle

Dealing With Emotional Intensity (pt II)

Personal Motivator & Energy Coach yourpersonalmotivator BucketOfRoses

In the previous issue, we talked about looking at our emotions and its energies. It helps us shift our awareness from reacting blindly towards the emotion to recognising the presence of the emotion. The practice is simple, yet powerful because everything in this world needs acknowledgement and recognition. By acknowledging our emotion, we will realise that every emotion has intense moments. Even happiness has intensity. However, we are used to labelling intensity as a negative experience. The reason is; in intensity, we feel pain. What if I tell you that in each intensity promises potential transformation? Liquid water has

to go through boiling point before it can vaporise. The process of boiling is the intensity, and it is just a process of motion and transformation of energy. In personal growth journey, the intensity can help expand our state of consciousness. But we must learn to accept intensity as part of the growth. If intensity comes to us in a form of suffering, remember this: Only through suffering, we know joy and peace. Next time when you feel an emotional intensity, try these few methods: Be present. Use the methods I described in the previous issue. Feel and notice the energy in your body.

OCT 2015 | Page 3

Feel the emotional intensity as it is. If you are angry, just feel the anger without reacting towards it. A reaction without awareness can cause the energy to set into different motion and lead to different transformation. For example, suppressing anger might lead to anxiety and depression whereas throwing tantrum burns up the heart! Breathe consciously as it helps in facing emotional intensity. Feel the air flow through your nose and into your lungs. Breathe as deep as you can and let go. Intensity can burn up your body and make you feel tired. Therefore, drink plenty of water to rejuvenate your body.

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.

BUMPS

MOVIES GOOSEBUMPS Upset about moving from a big city to a small town, teenager Zach Cooper (Dylan Minnette) finds a silver lining when he meets a beautiful girl, Hannah (Odeya Rush), living right next door. But every silver lining has a cloud, and Zach’s comes when he learns that Hannah has a mysterious dad who is revealed to be R. L. Stine (Jack Black), the author of the bestselling Goosebumps series. It turns out that there is a reason why Stine is so strange… he is a prisoner of his own imagination – the monsters that his books made famous are real, and Stine protects his readers by keeping them locked up in their books. When Zach unintentionally unleashes the monsters from their manuscripts and they begin to terrorise the town, it’s suddenly up to Stine, Zach, and Hannah to get all of them back in the books where they belong.

Genre: Adventure Comedy Malaysia release date: 14th October 2015 Cast: Jack Black, Dylan Minnette, Odeya Rush Amy Ryan, Ryan Lee, Jillian Bell Director: Rob Letterman Producer: Deborah Forte, Neal H. Moritz Executive Producer: Bill Bannerman, Tania Landau, Ben Waisbren Screenplay by: Darren Lemke and Mike White Story by: Scott Alexander & Larry Karaszewski and Darren Lemke Based on the Goosebumps Book series: Published by Scholastic and written by R.L. Stine

The Walk The film is a true story starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the young dreamer who dared the impossible: an illegal wire walk between the World Trade Center towers. Twelve people have walked on the moon, but only one man has ever, or will ever, walk in the immense void between the World Trade Center towers. Guided by his real-life mentor, Papa Rudy (Ben Kingsley), and aided by an unlikely band of international recruits, Petit and his gang overcome long odds, betrayals, dissension and countless close calls to conceive and execute their mad plan. The film is a love letter to Paris and New York City in the 1970s, but most of all, to the Towers of the World Trade Center.

Genre: True Story Malaysia release date: 22nd October 2015 Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, James Badge Dale, Ben Schwartz, Charlotte Le Bon, Clément Sibony and César Domboy Director: Robert Zemeckis Producer: Steve Starkey, Robert Zemeckis, and Jack Rapke Screenplay by: Robert Zemeckis & Christopher Browne Story by: Philippe Petit’s book “To Reach the Clouds”

Source: Sony Pictures Malaysia

OCT 2015 | Page 4

The Iskandarian | WAVES Lifestyle

GO LOCAL EAT LOCAL STAY LOCAL Royal Exoticness at Pulai Springs Resort (Part Ii) By Priya Manikam newsdesk@theiskandarian.com Day One continued After basking in the generous and lush view of the golf course, we decided to take a stroll along the beautifully tropical landscaped outdoor swimming pools and Japanese Koi ponds. During this time, we stumbled upon the Resort’s very own Cineplex. As we have not come across other hotels or resorts regionally or abroad having their very own Cineplex, so this was a real treat without having to buy your movie tickets! The Cineplex located a floor down from Qing’s Palace restaurant has the capacity to hold 70 people, and you may book your favourite movies on display at the Sports Centre counter. They are mostly family themed movies and once in a while they do play horror movies! We were also informed that if you wish to book the Cineplex for a large group of families and friends, you may do so. We thoroughly enjoyed the movie played and went on to have our dinner at the Cinta Deli situated near the suites. The Deli is open all day and you have a choice of Western and local a’ la carte menu. We tried a few varieties which were really good, but the “Mamak Mee” with a huge prawn staring at you really stood out! After chillin’ for a while, we called it a night. Day Two Waking up feeling comfortable on the King size bed, we decided to venture out for a

View

Tropical landscaped outdoor swimming pools

swim. Pulai Springs Resort (PSR) has various swimming pools and the Cinta Pool was our first stop as it’s literally located at our doorstep! This was definitely convenient as they have both the adults and kid’s pool and the water felt warm, making the swim delightful for my little one. My other half who loves swimming, decided to continue his swim at the lap pool and wading pool with a rock island water slide located near the Waterfalls Café. Thankfully the weather was perfect; we had a great time at all the swimming pools. Completing our morning swim and feeling famished, it’s time for breakfast and the place to head to would be the Cinta Terrace restaurant. This restaurant is generally open daily for buffet breakfast comprising both continental and local spread. We were informed that the menu changes daily except for certain permanent ones. Besides that, the restaurant also has live outdoor cooking stations with favourites such as Roti Jala and chicken curry, Chicken Noodles stand and an Egg station. If you are staying here with your children, you could bring them to PSR’s Kid’s Club located at the Sports Centre. They even have a games arcade for the older kids, while you play snooker or try a round of tabletennis. Even though Johor Premium Outlets (JPO), AEON Jusco, LEGOLAND Malaysia and The little Big Club is a stone’s throw,

Unwind

Movie Time at the Cineplex

you don’t have to get out of PSR as there are many things you can do with your loved ones during your stay-cation here. I had a great time with my family, so when is your turn? Catch me at another great local location in the next issue where I continue my family stay-cation!

Pulai Springs Resort 20 km Jalan Pontian Lama, Johor

Active

PSR’s Sports’ Centre

Calendar of Events

JB, 1st - 10th Oct 2015 12th JB Arts Festival @ Mall of Medini, Nusajaya

JB, 3rd Oct 2015 Private & International School Fair @ Hotel Jen

JB, 3rd Oct 2015 Plague of Happiness Live @Mall of Medini

JB, 3rd Oct 2015 UTM Eco Tourism Fun Ride @ Dataran UTM

Spore, 4th Oct 2015 Robbie Williams Live @S’pore Indoor Stadium

JB, 10th Oct 2015 Muay Thai Championship @ Pasir Gudang

14th Oct 2015 Awal Muharam

Spore, 14th Oct 2015

JB, 16th - 18th Oct 2015 Expo Sayangi Food & Beverage M’sia @Danga City EXPO

JB, 24th Oct 2015 SEARCH Concert @ Educity Complex, Nusajaya

Spore, 30th - 31st Oct 2015 Aaron Kwok Live - @Marina Bay Sands

JB, 31st Oct 2015 Mom & Baby’s Expo @Danga City EXPO

JB, 31st Oct 2015 UEM Sunrise Fun Run Nusajaya 2015 @Puteri Harbour Ferry Terminal

JB, 31st Oct - 1st Nov 2015 Art of Speed @Mall of Medini

Yuna Live @Marina Bay Sands

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

Laparoscopic (Key-hole) Gynaecological Surgery - Is the Way to Go for Women

Dr Sharifah Halimah Jaafar (M.D, M.Med O&G (UKM), AM)

Dr. Sharifah is a Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist and Laparoscopic Surgeon at Regency Specialist Hospital. She can be reached via www.drsharifah.com.my

aparoscopic (key-hole) surgery has become more established and is an available option for patients requiring surgery in specialist hospitals across Malaysia. For the past 15 years, there has been tremendous improvements and advancement in technology involving minimally invasive surgery which makes the procedure safer with faster recovery. How women are benefiting from key-hole gynaecological surgery? Laparoscopic surgery has become a gold standard of diagnostic procedure, and a proven effective treatment in many gynaecological conditions compared to conventional open surgery. New inventions of cutting energy equipment, operative devices

and accessories have enabled more advanced retroperitoneal surgery to be undertaken laparoscopically with high levels of safety and confidence with minimal human tissue damage. Thanks to technology, almost all gynaecological procedures such as removal of ovarian cyst, uterine fibroid (myomectomy) and a more complicated removal of the uterus (hysterectomy) can be done through a key-hole size incision on the abdomen and it has given women more available options of treatment to choose from according to their situation. 3 in 1 benefits and time-cost saving Traditionally, before any surgery is performed, the patient has to first undergo a diagnostic procedure such as blood test and imaging to confirm a diagnosis. But now with the availability of laparoscopy, confirmation of diagnosis and treatment of some conditions in a particular ectopic pregnancy can be done straight away at first visit without having the patient to wait and worry longer before she could get proper treatment. Direct visualisation into the pelvis through laparoscope with high definition (HD) camera system in magnified image, allows a better appreciation of anatomy, more precise assessment and recognition of tissues situated deep in the pelvis. For condition like ectopic pregnancy, endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and ovarian cysts, laparoscopic procedure offers women 3 in 1 benefits i.e. direct confirmation of the diagnosis, evaluation of a disease’s stage and at the same

time carrying out a treatment of the condition by dissection or ablation. In good hands, laparoscopic surgery can be faster and of shorter duration than conventional open surgery as its opening wound is very small and can be easily closed without spending much time on it. A proven effective procedure for women with pain symptom and fertility concerns For those with fertility concerns that require a gynaecological procedure, laparoscopic surgery is an ideal choice because of the fine operative device as opposed to the surgeon’s hand in an open surgery. This results in less tissue injury and less risk of adhesion formation which may affect the mobility of the fallopian tubes, the anatomical position of the ovaries and fertility outcome of a woman. With regards to treating endometriosis which causes pain and infertility, moderate quality medical evidence has shown that laparoscopic excision of endometriosis lesion results in longer pain symptom remission and a higher pregnancy rate when compared to medical treatment. Financially cost effective Laparoscopic keyhole surgery can be more cost saving and cost-effective because it requires a tiny surgical incision and the wound does not require much surgical suture materials to close. It’s also less painful due to minimal tissue injury resulting in lesser use of pain medication. The patient who has had a laparoscopic surgery are far more comfortable needing less usage of

close monitoring facility, faster recovery and has short hospital stay than those with open surgery. Not all patients are suitable cases Although almost all gynaecological procedures including gynae-oncology surgery can be done laparoscopically, however, not all cases are suitable and safe to undertake such a procedure. The patient has to be examined and assessed thoroughly of it feasibility, possible dangers and complications during the surgery. There is a serious concern over those who has old midline scar on the abdomen, a large uterus and a tumour that is suspicious of a malignancy. In such cases, open surgery is far safer and an ideal option. It’s not a risk-free procedure Keyhole surgery is not a procedure free from complications. The common complication is bowel and vessels injury during trochar insertion especially those patient with an old surgical scar. The injury to the bowel and intraperitoneal organ may also happen as a result of thermal injury from electrocautery device in the event of faulty insulation or accidental injury. Injury to the ureter is usually procedure specific and it may occur as a result of accidental dissection or thermal injury from electrocautery device during dissection of nearby tissue. However, with improvements in technique and better recognition of pelvic anatomy using state-of-the-art laparoscopic system and new energy devices, the risk of complications can be cut to a minimum. TI

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SERVICE SOPs Applied OR Archived? Service

Dasan Thanam Divean

Intelligence Quotient (IQ) or Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

ou are a fresh graduate ready to trail-blaze the world (or so you think) with a Professional Degree or Masters with a CGPA of 4.0. You enter the working world confidently that you will be among the best. After all, you have the BRAINS, right? Wrong! Within 2 to 3 months, you experience a rude ‘awakening’. Employers today are starting to realise that scholars with high IQs and brilliant paper results do not always equal outstanding performance. IQ or ‘intelligence quotient’ measures one’s ability to think and reason, and it cannot be denied that jobs within the higher-ranks do require an aboveaverage IQ. Two psychology professors, John Mayer and Peter Salovey found that good decision-making requires more than intellect or IQ, and eventually developed the concept of ‘emotional intelligence’ or EQ. In essence it is the ability to recognise, understand, use and manage emotions in oneself and in others. Unlike IQ, EQ can be taught and learned. People with high EQs tend to have these 5 qualities or competencies:

1. Optimism – Being positive and always expecting good to come out of events or actions. This can be contagious in a team. 2. Self-Awareness - Knows one’s current emotional state, strengths and weakness, and avoids self-denial. 3. Empathy – Putting oneself in others’ shoes and seeing things from their perspective in order to understand better. 4. Impulse Control - Sometimes we meet characters who are ‘irritants’ and we wish we could give them more than just words. Having a good EQ means we are able to calm ourselves before any harm is done, i.e. the ability to “think first and act later.” 5. Reality Testing – Don’t delude yourself. See things as they are and not as we want them to be. The more of these qualities a person possesses and uses, the higher their EQ is. Managers are often appointed not because of their management skills but because of their knowledge and experience.

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

Some managers, however, go on to become great leaders while others remain in mediocrity. This is because they have the competitive advantage - EQ. For employers or business owners who wish to know if there are tests available to gauge potential employees with EQ competencies, there are 5 general areas to evaluate one’s EQ. According to Stephen Blakesley, the Bar-On Model developed by psychologist, Reuven Bar-On can be applied:

1. Intra-Personal – The ability to be aware of, to manage, and to express emotions. 2. Inter-Personal – The ability to initiate and maintain relationships with others. 3. Adaptability – The ability to be flexible, solve problems and be realistic. 4. Stress Management - The ability to tolerate stress and control impulses. 5. General Mood – The happiness and optimism levels of a person. The ultimate key today is having a personal competitive advantage. Inevitably the equation falls back on building your own EQ. And if you have IQ too, you can be sure that your sword is now sharpened at both ends to give you the cutting edge of employability and personal growth. TI

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invest

Accumulating Wealth Tips & Tricks

Five Facts to Know if You’re in Financial Crisis

f you observe, you’d feel that the stock market is full of uncertainties lately. Many challenges, such as low commodity prices, weak currency, political instability, disappointing economy data, and debt default have arisen. But if you ask me are we already in the crisis? I’d say ‘No’ when this article is written. But by the time you’re reading it, I’m not sure. In case it’s not, it’s good to look at the market from five different perspectives: 1)The market is always over-reacted Why is it so? It’s because the market is participated by us (human beings), and we all have fear and greed, don’t we? If positive news is shared, we’d imagine the share price will soar and if we don’t buy right now, we’d miss the boat! However, if bad news is spread, people would be panic selling. For example, in 2008, there were experts predicted that the Dow Jones could go below 3000 points, but it stopped at 6470 points before going up. 2)There are companies that do well in the downturn Not all companies suffer in times of recession; few would still perform. It’s like when many people were retrenched, there were people who got headhunted. Although the KLCI has been in the downtrend for five months, there are companies’ share price which still performs, such as gloves and furniture manufacturers. 3) Tycoons are still buying Yes, they always look for good deals. For example, during the US subprime crisis in 2008, Warren Buffet spent $5 billion to bail out Goldman Sachs. While there were critics who said that Buffet was ‘already old’ for making such an ‘irrational decision’, he made back billions of dollars in three years. In August this year, this intelligent investor bought Precision Castparts, an airplane parts maker for more than $30 billion, and in early September this year, Hong Kong’s tycoon Li Ka-Shing offered $12 billion to buy Power Assets. So why these giants are still buying assets with huge amount while everyone else is fearful for the collapse of the market? Clearly, intelligent investors see opportunities and buy on value.

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

4) Bear market is shorter compared to bull market There are a few ways to define bear market. One of them is defined when the index falls below the moving average (MA) of 200 days. If we adopt this definition, then we’d have been in the bear market for five months since May 2015. Generally, the duration of the bear market is shorter than the bull market. For example, in 2008, the bear market lasted for 14 months, but afterwards the bull continued its journey for up to six years. The point is, if we’re in bad market condition, be aware that it’s relatively shorter compared to the bull market. In other words, the bear market will not last forever. 5) The market is always going up in the long term If you look at the world stock market indexes in the last few decades, you can see almost all of them showing uptrend with the exception of Japan Nikkei index. Yes, the market is always fluctuating and bound to correct, but it always goes up in the long term. Why is this so? It’s due to the growth of world’s population and inflation. Higher population means more consumption of companies’ products and services. For instance, there will be more people taking eggs, oats, milk or medicine in the future. This implies the high potential increase of the company’s revenue and profit. And companies which can survive in crisis would emerge stronger after. In conclusion, market downturn or crisis is just part of the game. If we’re in the midst of an economy crisis, let’s take a step back and look at the above facts, we’d gain different perspectives, and perhaps, crisis can become opportunity. TI

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Adam’s Financial Journey The Beginning of Adam’s Financial Journey In this series, we are going to explain how financial planning is being applied in our day to day life as we journey through different stages and challenges in our lives. Financial planning is not just for the rich, in fact, it’s even more crucial for those making ends meet. Everyone, no matter young or old, should have some basic knowledge of the fundamentals of finance. As the entire world is going through varying degrees of the current financial tsunami, it is our duty to manage our finances responsibly for the well being of ourselves and our family.

Introduction Adam is a fine young man who comes from a humble family of three siblings. His father works as a technician in a local company and his mother is a secondary school teacher. He is the eldest child in the family and has another brother and two younger sisters who are all

still schooling. His family is not rich but they have all the basic necessities of life and a little more for occasional family holidays. However, they have never been on any overseas holiday as a family. Adam and his siblings also do not always have it their way when it comes to toys and the latest gizmos as their father often chided them, “Do you think that money grows on trees?” Adam had just finished his STPM exams and while waiting for his results, he planned to look for a part time job. He managed to get a job as a bank teller with a starting pay of RM800. This was much more than the one Ringgit pocket money he used to get from his father during his school days! The first thing he did upon receiving his first pay-cheque was to put aside half of it into his bank account. This practice of savings has been indoctrinated into him by his father as his father used to tell him and his siblings that they should start saving as soon as they start earning. With the remaining balance of his pay, he took his family out occasionally for a nice dinner. From the second month onwards, Adam was thinking to himself that he should start budgeting, as he is earning his own income and no longer gets any allowance from his parents. Adam then set out to prepare his budget. Adam felt that food would be the largest part of his expenses and allocates a budget of RM10 per day (average of 25 working days in a month) which only includes lunch and a snack in between. He planned to have his breakfast and dinner at

home as this will help him save some money (main reason) but reckons it’s also healthier (secondary reason). He also purchased the Monthly Travel Card costing RM135 per month which includes unlimited rides on public buses and the LRT and Adam sets aside an additional RM15, just in case he may need to catch a taxi on rainy days. Adam had also budgeted to spend up to RM200 on himself for clothing and entertainment. Being a filial son, he intends to give RM50 each to his parents and the remainder of RM100 is to be saved. Adam worked very hard but enjoyed every moment of it as he went about learning how banking operations work. He was fascinated by the sheer amount of money that changes hand every day. He learned a lot about responsibility, accountability and prudence in his line of work. His manager used to tell him that he should make prudence a way of life, no matter how much a person earns. After working in the bank for about six months, it was time for Adam to move on to his next phase of life. He just heard from the news that his STPM results would be announced tomorrow and he was feeling both excited and anxious. He informed his supervisor that he’ll have to stop working soon, as he would like to pursue his higher education. The supervisor had been very supportive of him throughout his six months in the branch and agreed that Adam should at least acquire a degree qualification. Adam’s manager even offered to take

him in later as a permanent staff upon his graduation and he felt flattered and was motivated to study hard.

$ Adam was feeling a little restless initially throughout the night as he would be getting his STPM results the next day. However, looking at his savings account passbook, he managed to put on a smile as he was happy that he had managed to save almost RM1,000 throughout his six months of hard work. Adam then gradually fell asleep with his passbook resting on his chest. To be continued… Brought to you by:

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food review

Food and Weddings at Foodie Wedding 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

Photographer turned foodie, Gucci Wong, presents a choice of desserts in Maple Berries Waffle [Left] and Belgian Chocolate Lava [Right]

t all started in 2008 when hungry prewedding photography clients at D’gio

Wedding Boutique who wanted a hearty breakfast before their make-up and photography sessions. To meet this demand, photographer Gucci Wong and his sister Violet, opened D’gio Bridal Café to serve food to their customers. As the first wedding gallery café at Jalan Serampang gained a reputation for good food with non-wedding diners, it was recently rebranded as Foodie Wedding.

Le Breakfast Wedding is a big European breakfast with portions big enough for two

This café is ideal for early risers who wish to linger over a leisurely breakfast because food is served as early as 7.30am.

The all-day breakfast menu is also perfect for diners who prefer to have a slow-start to their day. Whatever your preference, regulars often return to dine at Foodie Wedding because the food is good and the portion and pricing seems just right. You don’t have to be a bride or groom to enjoy Le Breakfast Wedding, a European breakfast with portions big enough for two. Besides the juicy pork sausages that Wong says, are custom-made to his recipe, there is streaky bacon, a poppy seed bagel, a portion of scrambled eggs, roasted cherry tomatoes, potato tots and a pile of wild salad. It comes with two types of dips – cream cheese and a homemade sauce – but the food is so tasty that you may even skip the sauces! While the menu may not be extensive, there is something for everyone. Salad lovers can enjoy the Warm Bacon Honey Balsamic Salad while pasta fans can savour the tasty Porky Spaghetti that comes with a generous side of greens. If you must have meat, there is Roasted Chicken Chop on a bed of scrambled eggs and yummy Pork Ribs, well-marinated in their mother’s

Restaurant name: Foodie Wedding (Non-Halal) Address: 43 Jalan Serampang, Taman Sri Tebrau, 80050 JB Tel. No: 607 – 333 3223, 333 6223. Hours: Open daily from 7.30am - 9pm. | Closed on Tuesdays

recipe. Snack on English Chicken & Mushroom Pie with a hot drink or try Toasted Almond Latte. A taste of refreshing Mango Lassi is just right on a warm afternoon and any time is a good time to indulge in a choice of desserts like Maple Berries Waffle, Macadamia Nutella Brownies and Belgian Chocolate Lava. Look out for their servings of nutty ice-cream, a creative way to enjoy nuts and cereals rolled into ice-cream!

Tasty Porky Spaghetti with a generous side of greens

Private parties catered for a minimum of 20 guests is available on weekdays.

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Mid Autumn Festival The Mid-Autumn Festival or Moon Festival dates back over 3,000 years. It is a harvest festival celebrated by ethnic Chinese and Vietnamese people commonly held on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese Han calendar (within 15 days of the autumnal equinox), on the night of the full moon. The festival celebrates the fundamental concepts of family and friends coming together, or harvesting crops for the festival, giving thanks for the harvest or for harmonious unions and asking for conceptual or material satisfaction, such as for babies, a spouse, beauty, longevity, or for a good fortune and future.

Seri Austin

Southern College

Sunway Lenang Heights

Puteri Harbour

6th Ponderosa– Southern Lot Charity Golf 2015 Responsible

120 golfers comes in aid to raise funds for four groups of beneficiaries

total of 120 golfers w h o a re a l s o generous donors will compete in the Ponderosa – Southern Lot Charity Golf on October 10 for the 6th consecutive year over 18 holes at the Ponderosa Golf & Country Club, to raise funds for four groups of beneficiaries. The beneficiaries will be Persatuan Penjagaan K anak-k anak Terencat Akal Johor Bahru (Society for the Care of MentallyHandicapped Children Johor Bahru), Palliative Care Association Johor Bahru (for cancer patients), Persatuan Kebajikan Amal Lexin, Tun Aminah, Johor Bahru (for dialysis patients) and the Ponderosa Southern Lot Bursary Initiative, where 10 secondary school students chosen from poor families

will be given RM1,500 each for their one year’s educational needs. “Our target this year is RM150,000. I must stress that all monies donated goes directly and wholly to the beneficiaries. Neither costs nor expenses will be deducted from the contributions. That is a promise we give to all our donors,” said Organising Chairperson, Lew Kim Soon who is also a member of Ponderosa Golf & Country Club. “We have increased the bursary to the needy students from RM1,200 to RM1,500 this year due to rising costs. The students needing the contribution are screened and selected with the help of the Lion’s Club of Tanjung Puteri whose aim it is to ensure that each and

every student are from dire poor families,” said Lew. All prizes for the events are sponsored by kind donors, members and supporters of jointorganisers, Southern Lot Stationery (M) Sdn Bhd and Ponderosa Golf & Country Club. There will be a total of 20 prizes for the winners with the top prize being a 3 days 2 night’s stay with breakfast at Shangri-la Rasa Sayang in Penang, followed by Saujana Golf & Country Club in Selangor that contributed 8 golf green fee vouchers as well as 2 vouchers for 2 days 1 night’s stay with breakfast for two persons. The winners will emerge from the Gross and Nett Scores in a Strokeplay Format. Novelty prizes

Last year’s deserving recipients of the Bursary presented by General Manager, Ivan Teo (first from left) and Organising Chairperson, K.S. Lew (second from right) will also be given for Nearest-to-the-Pin, Nearest-to-the-Line, Longest Drive, Birdie Challenge and the ‘Extra Big Hole-in-One’ that is purposely made bigger than the norm i.e. 8 inches in diameter width. “There has been overwhelming

response for the Charity Golf and all slots have been taken up. It is a popular annual event for the Golf Club and is a CSR project which we truly put our heart and efforts to ensure its success,” said Ivan Teo, General Manager of Ponderosa.

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PROPERT Y INSIGHT

PROPERTY

RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS

APARTMENTS

VILLAS

CONDOMINIUMS

OFFICE/ RETAILSPACE

Cover: Mah Sing Group Launches Hotel Suites 318 people registered their interest at Mah Singâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recent hotel pg 31 suites launching

plus

Devadason says yes to investing abroad while Dr. Daniele Gambero begs to difer. Read more to get the jist of both arguments

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Quick Reads

Serviced Apartments in Medini UMLand launches UMCITY in Medini, the second phase of Suasana Iskandar serviced apar tments, the Viridea residential project, mixed-use development The Waves and a new residential project in Bandar Seri Alam. One of the most important projects is the RM1.2 billion UMCITY, which is slated to be completed by 3Q2018. The 5.03-acre integrated development has five components — serviced apartment project Shama Medini, a retail space with lakefront F&B outlets, a Grade-A office block, a 198-room OZO hotel and branded serviced apartments called Citadines. In October, UMLand will launch its buy-to-lease Shama Medini serviced apartments, which will see buyers lease back their units for a guaranteed rental return. “The owners will enjoy 6% guaranteed rental return for the first five years of the leaseback scheme. The next five years will be a revenue-sharing model, in which 45% of the rental revenue will be shared by the owners,” explains UMLand group CEO Datuk Charlie Chia Lui Meng.

Mah Sing Group Launches Hotel Suites Highlight

The Group recently launched its inaugural hotel suites Ramada Encore Meridin with 318 people registering their interest

Director of Acquisitions & Business Development of Wyndham Hotel Asia Pacific, Mr. David Wray (left) and Chief Executive Officer of Mah Sing Group Berhad, Ng Chai Yong (right)

ah Sing Group Berhad has signed strategic cooperation with Wyndham Hotel Asia Pacific for its inaugural hotel suites here in Medini, minutes away from Legoland Malaysia Resort. The expected completion of the suites is by 2018.

During the signing ceremony, Mah Sing’s Chief Executive Officer, Ng Chai Yong mentioned that the apartment will have 322 fully furnished units consisting of studio rooms, one and two-bedrooms and so far, it has received 318 registered interests.

Th e suites fe a t u re restaurants, fitness centre and yoga deck, swimming pool, business centre with WiFi and 24 hours security. “Ramada Encore is at a strategic location, nearby Legoland, Puteri Harbour and private hospital Gleneagles as

well as within the developing area of Nusajaya. We are optimistic that Ramada Encore will be able to welcome tourists, cater for leisure purposes and other business meetups,” he added after the signing ceremony. “We will also prospect for future projects within Johor Bahru City and Iskandar Malaysia as both cities are growing rapidly the past recent years,” said David Wray, Director of Acquisition & Business Development of Wyndham Hotel Asia Pacific. The development of The Meridin involves two phases which is the hotel and commercial buildings. It takes up to 3.3 hectares with estimated gross development value at RM1.4 billion. In addition, Topotels is appointed as its hotel operator and will manage Ramada Encore Meridin. In future, Mah Sing is expected to further market their brand and extend development in Johor Bahru by adding up their existing 7 projects that started in Sri Pulai Perdana, Austin perdana, Sri Pulai Perdana 2, Sierra Perdana and iParc@Port of Tanjung Pelepas. - by Maressa Esa

Property Corner

Affordable Homes for RM 90k The government plans to build more homes within the RM90,000 to RM120,000 range under the 1Malaysia Civil Servants Housing Programme (PPA1M). Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Dr Ali Hamsa said this would enable civil servants with incomes from as low as RM1,000 to own homes. The cost of the houses is cheaper by 20% to 30% than those being sold in the open market,” he said. Construction of the first phase of 325 units of two-storey terrace houses would commence next January and is scheduled to be completed in 2017. PPA1M would implement the project with the cooperation of Yayasan Pelajaran Johor (YPJ). 500 units would be built in Bandar Penawar and 600 units in Pengerang.

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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

ountries like Canada are known to be more tolerant in their dealings when it comes to world politics. Therefore, there’s one less complication to consider when investing in their major cities such as Vancouver or Toronto. When it comes to categories, there seems to be a wide spread these days. Fundamentally, it boils down to either a landed unit or a multi-storey unit (also known as a high-rise).

Investing Abroad (pt II)

Many advertisements for Melbourne show that a decent sized landed unit can be obtained under AUD400,000. Granted that it’s located at the suburbs, but it nevertheless provides a comfortable space for a medium-sized family unit. Apartments on the other hand, are priced around the same amount for a 2-bedroom unit. The location tends to be closer to either the Central Business District (CBD) or Universities, making it popular among investors who are buying in view of rental income. So, which is better? A landed unit or apartment of the same price? It ultimately boils down to whether the purchaser is occupying the unit or buying for investment. For most owner occupiers, landed units are preferred. This of course comes with the need to maintain the lawn,

paint, local regulations, and etc. The apartment units are generally of low maintenance as the building is often managed by a professional firm who has priced their service charge in the monthly maintenance fee. For investors who live abroad, these represent a good start to invest as a first unit. Funding the investment Not many have the ability to acquire in cash. Most tend to borrow and the choice often boils down to either a local or a Malaysian bank. If one wants to eliminate the risk of fluctuating exchange rate, the latter option is preferred. Both liability and repayment is virtually certain. Borrowing from a local bank where the investment is made, is a double edged sword. If there are no tenants to subsidise the repayment, the entire amount has to be an out

of pocket expense. Should the exchange rate move adversely, it can be a strain on the budget, and if the lending rates be revised upwards, the strain may actually be crippling on the borrower. Similarly, a property that earns rental in the same currency as the loan eliminates the effect of exchange rate. Where rental exceeds repayment, the surplus may actually provide a steady income to the investor compounded by the effect of favourable exchange rate. Conclusion The idea of investing abroad is a good option where careful thought has been put and the necessary mitigating factors have been accounted for. Fortune favours the brave but being brave is not the same as being foolhardy. All the best with your investments!

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Propernomy by Dr Daniele Opinion

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.

espite being located not far away from Malaysian soil, both Indonesia and Thailand are rather infertile ground for investments. Their lower currencies do not amount to much while political stability and government transparency have remained at an impasse. Thailand in particular, has been plagued by political crises since the 2006 military coup of then Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra who was accused of corruption. Since then, various violent protests have been staged by political groups which have created a chaotic situation in terms of governability. In addition to that, southern Thailand has also been frequently experiencing insurgent activities involving shootings and killings. Investing in a politically

Fatal attraction: Malaysian or Overseas Investment? (Part III) - Indonesia and Thailand: It’s complicated

unstable country is a very risky move, so your best bet is to search for other places to invest your money. Despite having a very attractive exchange rate, Indonesia, on the other hand, is largely plagued by graft. According to a 2013 corruption perception index by advocacy group Transparency International, the country ranked 114th out of 175 countries polled. In contrast, Thailand was ranked 102nd place while the Philippines came in 94th. Malaysia was ranked as the 53rd country while Singapore came in fifth. If an investor is prepared to accept extra costs which are very likely to haunt his investments, he can surely try investing in less stable countries but the risk is really not worth it. We can keep on analysing other possible investment destinations such as the UK, Australia or US but let us remember the status of our currency in terms of exchange rate risks and the enforced legalities that these countries have which will ultimately bring down the proposed return on investment (ROI). Final considerations Investing overseas is not easy.

Firstly, the general situation of the property market in the country you are choosing to invest in has to be carefully studied. Research needs to be done coupled with a general market analysis. All this will contribute to relatively high cost, and time-wise you will need to have a lot of free time to research. Refer to Table 3. Imagine that the proposed property is really attractive. Once you have gone through the whole purchasing process, the next step that needs to be satisfied is to find a proper management company. The

Table 3 cost here too will possibly eat into a good part of your promised ROI. I’m not saying that it’s not good to invest overseas. For sure, it is a good option. However, before moving overseas, why not properly look around and analyse what is available in Malaysia? Why should we decide to invest in countries where properties are already three to five times more expensive than in Malaysia, and whose markets are super mature, overprotected or just too young and unpredictable? Have a look at where Malaysia is compared to other countries in the

Property Investment Opinion

Little Things with Big Returns

ver the last few articles, I have focused on really big issues impacting the property market in Iskandar Malaysia (IM). For example, I have touched on the new road levy on Singaporean cars coming into Johor and how that will dampen the overall sentiment in property investment. I have also discussed at length on how engaging in the international market in these down times is crucial to flying the IM flag high. I shall take a break from these mega ideas and would like to share on how little things mean a lot for prosperity to come. In other words, quick wins. To put my idea in a nutshell, Johorian businesses have to look at engagement exercises in Singapore as an overall strategy for good fortunes. There is a smart way to quick wins and this is it. For instance, it puzzles me why Penang food vendor associations and groups regularly come over to promote their offerings and not Johor’s. They tie up with reputable Singapore restaurants and hotels and it’s common for Singaporeans to eat in Ipoh White Coffee cafes across the island. We do like Malaysian food (a lot) and therefore,

there is a huge opportunity for Johorian businesses here. For a typical Singaporean or Permanent Resident interested or curious about Nusajaya, he or she is rather limited in knowledge of the varieties of good places for food and recreation. Perhaps, the only spots folks know are Horizon Hills Golf Club and Bukit Indah. Then again, once we reach Bukit Indah, many rely on their car GPS’ recommendations. How sad! Now I know of at least 10 mustvisit food places in Johor Bahru and these well-known vendors should organise to showcase their offerings so that Singaporeans know the soft culture attractions of Johor (other than properties). There are also many well regarded nurseries with plenty of plant varieties in Johor, many competitive home designs, and wood-based custom furniture and curtain providers as well. Their prices are much cheaper than Singapore’s and I know of only just a few who are smart enough to know how to canvass for business. With the current economic crisis taking a bite in Malaysia, I am quite perplexed how little IM has engaged

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 worldclass investment strategies. He is contactable at iskandar@rafflesland.com

the Singapore consumer markets. The strong Sing dollar is a force not to be ignored by now. This also applies to all and sundry providers, not to mention dormant property developers. When the new road tax starts, more severe challenges will lie ahead for small businesses in Johor. Wouldn’t it be timely for them to work on some promotional activities now? Now, what does it take for these activities to happen? If you have any feedback, you are most welcome to write to me at infor@rafflesland.com. I look forward to hearing your suggestions.

Table 4 region in terms of values and their possible appreciation for residential properties using the ratio generated between average property value and average per-capita income as showed in Table 4. And, when evaluating commercial space, it is wise to also consider what Malaysia has to offer in comparison to most of the other countries. Sources: Napic Property market Report 2013, CIMB, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, World Economic Forum, Ho Chin Soon Research, REI Archives.

Quick Reads

Escalating House Prices in Johor, KL and Penang A recent finding by Khazanah Research Institute shows that property prices in Kuala Lumpur (KL), Penang and Johor have outstripped the national median housing price of RM242,000, which is already considered “seriously unaffordable” at 4.4 times the national median annual household income of RM55,020 reported The Sun Daily. In a state-by-state breakdown, the report shows that in 2014, KL and Penang fell into the “severely unaffordable” market with median market prices of RM274,320 (5.4 times the KL median annual household income of RM91,440) and RM169,272 (5.2 times the Penang median annual household

income of RM56,424) respectively. Meanwhile, Johor fell into the “seriously unaffordable” category with a median market price of RM187,092, or 4.2 times the state’s annual median income of RM62,364. The report also found that rising house prices is seen as a determining factor for the rise in land prices, in contrast to what has been perceived by the market. The report is an indepth look into housing affordability in Malaysia in the context of housing as an economic sector, and calls for shifting the focus of housing policy from demand-led initiatives to reducing inefficiencies in housing supply.

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Happenings

TNH a Brand of Excellence

Recap

Sharing with you the happenings from last month

NH Land Sdn Bhd (TNH) is a development company started by Chang Yin Siang of the TNH Group. Armed with 15 years of experience in the property development, Chang has managed not only the growth in property development but has also significantly contributed in construction, food and beverage, machinery and real estate. TNH was awarded the Asia Pacific Entrepreneurship Awards 2015 (APEA) at Intercontinental Hotel Kuala Lumpur recently. This award is prestigious both in Asia and the Pacific region and is awarded to business leaders for outstanding leadership and entrepreneurial excellence. “My passion is inventing new ways to listen to our customers and then turning the insights that emerge as business ideas which will lead the group on the route of becoming a public listed company. If we believe we can, we can. The only limitation to success is ourselves”, said Chang.

TNH made its first mark with a gated and guarded industrial park in Iskandar Malaysia named De Hoff Park, with GDV of RM85 million. This project spearheaded by Chang was a remarkable choice as it opened doors to the niche market of smaller size and G&G concept factory. De Hoff Park has very low density, featuring a total of 46 freehold 1 ½ storey factory space, 14 units of Semi-Detached and 32 units of Cluster on a 12 acre land. They have other ventures in Desaru, Puteri Wangsa and Machap in Johor and in Kuala Lumpur, Pahang and Selangor.

Fair

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Good indication of the property market confidence was seen at iProperty’s latest property fair at Komtar JBCC. Participating developers saw brisk sales which falsified negative claims that Iskandar Malaysia’s property scene was slowing down tremendously

(+6016) 920 6577

No. 6, Jalan Kempas Utama 3/5, Kempas Utama Industrial Park, 81300 Johor Bahru. sales@tnh.com.my | www.dehoffpark.tnh.com.my

ASIA PACIFIC ENTREPRENEURSHIP AWARDS 2015

MULTI fUNcTIONAL

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