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Living Fulfillment at Since its inception in 2005, UMLand Seri Austin has grown in value and attracted a community of over 20,000 residents
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ecently honoured by Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) at The Iskandar Malaysia Accolades 2016/17 (TIMA) as the Corporate “Value Champion” and Overall “Value Champion” in recognition of its contribution towards enhancing the quality of life in Iskandar Malaysia, the masterclass township development of UMLand Seri Austin is surging forward in its 12th year with new launches and more lifestyle offerings. ROAD TO 12 YEARS OF ACHIEVEMENTS UMLand Seri Austin is the first developer in Johor Bahru to participate in the Effective Microorganism (EM) programme by Majlis Bandaraya Johor Bahru (MBJB) and started off with the use of EM in all retention ponds, watering of plants and cleaning purposes in the township since November 2008. In April 2012, UMLand Seri Austin officially opened the 1st Bicycle Lane in Johor and in February 2014, was recognised as the first Township Role Model in Iskandar Malaysia in relation to the Smart Healthy City and Community Programme. The Ministry of Health gazetted two town parks in UMLand Seri Austin as the first Smoke-Free Town Parks in Iskandar Malaysia.
UMLand Seri Austin is the first private company in Johor to support the state government’s efforts to resolve unemployment problems among graduates with the Johor Talent Development Programme. The development Sales Gallery was officially recognised as a Smoke Free Work Place by YB Datuk Haji Ayub Bin Rahmat, Chairman of the Committee of Health and Environment. This new policy will help control littering, in particular, cigarette butts around the building areas. The township launched the first Iskandar Malaysia AdoptA-Park programme in August 2016. The project initiated by Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) brings together a collaboration between the Johor Bahru City Council (MBJB) and developer to preserve, beautify and maintain the town park after handing over the town park to the authority body. LIFESTYLE OFFERINGS IN THE TOWNSHIP On 13th August 2016, UMLand Seri Austin launched Iskandar Malaysia’s First Riders Point whereby it serves as cyclist’s facilities to help promote cycling as a lifestyle. Cyclists are welcome to use the Riders Point to rest and gather when cycling in the Seri Austin Township. The 8km of bicycle lane around the
township is well designed with proper signage and integrated within the road network which is definitely safe. The first Food Truck Park in Johor Bahru Township is at UMLand Seri Austin. It was officially opened on the 1st of May 2017 with 10 food truck dining options that will operate every Monday to Wednesday from 4 to 11 pm at Seri Austin Gallery Car Park. In January 2017, another milestone for UMLand Seri Austin was marked with the opening of The Pasar, a mid-end grocer offering an assortment of fresh and packaged groceries with a non-halal separate section. MORE TO COME With the recent launching of D’Lagoon – Luxury Development By The Lake, a freehold project spread across 6.56 acres of land with a gross development value of RM162 million, UMLand Seri Austin promises to keep the township vibrant at all times. D’Lagoon features two twenty-storey towers comprising 204 luxury apartment units in addition to 58 three-storey landed strata villas alongside a lake. With only six units per floor in the apartment blocks and a total of just 262 residential units, the project offers low-density living with generous outdoor recreational space.
winning
K.K. Wong CEO of UMLand Seri Austin
Under the helm of its CEO, K.K . Wong, the development of the township started in 2005 and is based on the concept of a healthy and eco-friendly living. To date, the township has won over 60 awards since 2013 with K.K. Wong personally bagging a few awards for his leadership and steering of UMLand Seri Austin to the epitome of success.
TIMA 2016/2017
The inaugural Iskandar Malaysia Accolades 2016/2017 (TIMA) by Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) awarded UMLand Seri Austin the Corporate “Value Champion” and Overall “Value Champion”
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ISSUE 60 | AUG 2017 FREE COPY Official Newspaper
The Iskandarian Iskandar Malaysia’s Official Newspaper, is a synergistic product by True Soul Media PLT & IRDA’s Social Development Division
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Truckin’ Food: Vol. Two
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The Iskandarian Monthly Drill
We interview CEOs & Chairmen with drilling questions
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The risk of leaving a stable income job in Singapore for a shot at being an entrepreneur was quite harrowing - Nicholas Vincent Principle Photographer, NWorks Photography
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Celebrating Johor’s Stories
Peggy Loh presents ‘My Johor Stories: True Tales, Real People, Rich Heritage’
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Senai Welcomes Its First Business Class Hotel - Impiana Hotel Senai (IHS) is scheduled for soft opening in September 2017
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Protect the Disabled Children too, Urge HRH Raja Zarith Sofiah Policy on child protection to be extended to the disabled
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fter the official launch of TinDAK campaign that aims to teach and empower children on sexual abuse knowledge and methods to curb the issue, HRH Queen of Johor Raja Zarith Sofiah urged the Johor Cerebral Palsy Association (PCPJ) to follow in the footsteps by creating child protection policies for the disabled people. “The safety of children and groups of disabled people are one of the biggest concerns to look into. I hope that Cerebral Palsy Association will enforce child protection policy that will outline and establish relationship boundaries between customers and employees whilst in the premises in order to protect their rights,” said Raja Zarith during the association’s Raya open house celebration.
PEGASUS INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
Gleneagles MEDINI
“In The Arms Of One Who Cares”
Raja Zarith also suggested installing closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in critical areas within the compound to avoid untoward cases from happening as pre-emptive methods. “If any of the sexual abuse cases were to happen, it should be investigated thoroughly and with justice. Victims should not be discriminated but instead lend them full support and assistance that they need. We should not keep the cases unreported as it will encourage sexual predators to continue committing crimes,” Raja Zarith added. In another story, Chairman of PCPJ Dato’ Rahmat Abdul Rahman in his speech said that the association is currently applying for solar panel generated electricity scheme from Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA) that
HRH Raja Zarith Sofiah distributed duit raya to the patients during Johor Cerebral Palsy Association’s Raya open house
costs RM240,000 and is in need of aid to fund the project. To lend a contribution, interested parties can contact
Persatuan Cerebral Palsy Johor (Johor Cerebral Palsy Association) at 07-223 5452 or email admin@ cpjohor.org.my. - by Maressa Esa TI
Iskandar Puteri City Council Will Be the New MPJBT
A new building will be set up in Medini
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will take place for the public about the upgrade. “A new building will be set up in Medini and is currently undergoing discussions on layout, planning and construction works. On 22nd November 2017, a groundbreaking ceremony together with upgrading works will be held as approved by His Royal Highness, Sultan of Johor,” said Adib when interviewed. As per the new gazette; since January 2016, the jurisdiction under the administration of Johor Bahru Tengah City Council covers almost 38,636.00 hectares namely Skudai, Iskandar Puteri, Gelang Patah, Lima Kedai, Kangkar Pulai, Ulu Choh and Tanjung Pelepas areas while there are currently about 198,000 tax Current façade of Johor Bahru assessment payers recorded.- by Maressa Tengah Municipal Council Esa TI (MPJBT)
y end of November 2017, Johor Bahru Tengah Municipal Council (MPJBT) will be upgraded and renamed as the Iskandar Puteri City Council (MBIP). At a recent MPJBT Hari Raya open house which was attended by Johor Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin and Johor State Secretary Datuk Azmi Rohani, MPJBT Yang Di-Pertua Adib Azhari Daud said that more promotional programmes
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Raids on Massage Centres
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number of foreign women and men were picked up in several raids on massage centres and spas in the city centre. The police saved the women, comprising eight Vietnamese and two
Chinese nationals aged 16 to 34, during an operation codenamed Ops Noda. Police also detained 17 male customers, aged 23 to 41 years and their statements were taken to facilitate investigations. 6 of them were Singaporeans. TI
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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Quality Healthcare Services Columbia Asia Hospital – Iskandar Puteri is now MSQH Accredited Hospital
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ospital accreditation is a process that assesses a hospital’s performance against a set of standards. In Malaysia, most hospitals go through an accreditation process by Malaysian Society for Quality in Health (MSQH). MSQH is recognised nationally and internationally as the leading Malaysian organisation that promotes and improves safety and quality in the provision of healthcare services in Malaysia. Columbia Asia Hospital - Iskandar Puteri (CAHIP) in Johor received a full 4 years MSQH accreditation award from 12th January 2017 to 11th January 2021. The accreditation award ceremony was held in conjunction with their 7th annual dinner, recently. CAHIP is a licensed 81-bed multispecialty hospital located in Iskandar Puteri. The Hospital provides quality healthcare services with emphasis on modern medical protocols, advanced medical technologies, managed by experienced and well trained personnel. They provide secondary specialist
healthcare services with a range of diagnostic, radiology and clinical laboratory services. The Hospital started its journey for MSQH accreditation programme since December 2014. The first step is always tougher and continuous awareness and training was conducted to ensure that the staff was able to cope with the changes. They were fortunate to have a very motivated and determined General Manager, Rahani Yaacob as she played a significant role in enlightening and convincing all Consultants as well as Mangers to be committed to the programme. With her guidance, a steering committee was formed to oversee the progress of all services and 28 service standards were surveyed by 6 surveyors from 9th to 11th January 2017. Through this continued commitment, the hospital needs to maintain standards and ensure their services are safe, valuing customers first and delivering to the patients accordingly with care. - by The Iskandarian TI
Matta Reveals Preferred Travel Destination Locals travel outbound despite weaker economy
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ime to renew your passport and pack your clothes as MATTA Fair is back again in Batu Pahat Summit Mall on 29th to 30th July 2017 and at EXPO@Danga City Mall from 4th to 6th August 2017 with loads of exciting travel bargains. With 160 booths available, there will be 4 local tourism organisations including Tourism Johor with first timers Tourism Perak, Tourism Melaka and Langkawi Development Authority (LADA), 3 national tourism organisations comprising of Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO), Korea Tourism Organisation (KTO) and Visit Indonesia Tourism Office (VITO), 25 travel agencies, 7 hotels and resorts, and 4 travel related services offered to the public. MATTA Fair Johor has recorded that Europe is crowned as the most popular outbound destination during their March fair while Johor tops Penang and Pahang for most popular domestic destination. “Although our currency weakened
recently, we still see locals travelling outbound because it has become a habit and a trend to travel. Youngsters nowadays are seen travelling at least once or twice a year. Their willingness to spend and to get broader knowledge from another country makes them want to travel despite the weakened economy,” said MATTA Johor Chapter Organising Chairman, Kenny Ngi at the press conference. In another story, when commenting on the latest controversial Tourism Tax, Kenny suggested that the Government should consider applying the tax to package with insurance if it wishes to retain the planned charges or mark down the prices as it may burden travelers. Apart from the travel bargains, visitors spending RM500 and above will be entitled to a chance to win travel vouchers valued up to RM88,888 during the three day fair. Entrance fee is applicable at RM3 for adults, and children below 12 years old enter for free. - by Maressa Esa TI
MATTA Johor Chapter Organising Chairman, Kenny Ngi (2nd from left) with other committee members during the press conference
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Celebrating Johor’s Stories
From Cover
From columns to a book, Peggy Loh presented ‘My Johor Stories: True Tales, Real People, Rich Heritage’ True Tales, Real Pe o p l e , R i c h Heritage’. As she penned for several years in a pull-out section in ‘Life & Times’ of The News Straits Times and ‘My Johor Stories’ column in The Iskandarian alongside her Peggy Loh presented ‘My Johor Stories: True Tales, Real People, Rich personal blog at Heritage’ to Johor Bahru Member of Parliament, Tan Sri Shahrir Abdul www.peggyloh. Samad during the book launch in DoubleTree by Hilton com, most of her write ups brought rominent Johorian writer and The readers back in time as she vividly paints a Iskandarian’s resident contributor, picture of Johor she once knew, exploring old Peggy Loh published a book of her and familiar sights, true tales about people collection of cherished memories and places apart from food reviews and of post-Independence Johor during her happenings around town. ‘My Johor Stories’ was launched and growing-up years entitled ‘My Johor Stories:
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gra ce d by Johor Bahru Member of Parliament, Tan Sri Shahrir Abdul Samad at DoubleTree by Hilton which saw almost 150 guests in attendance. “I may have my own sources of 200 softcover and 100 hardcover edition of My Johor Stories were sold out i n fo r m a t i o n during the launch event but when it comes to local culture, heritage and ‘My Johor Stories’ is now available in all interesting personalities here, Peggy is MPH Bookstore shelves nationwide and in my conduit to such information. Her book www.mphonline.com. Printed in paperback here is truly a tribute to Johor Bahru and its and hardcover versions, retail prices are at people,” said Tan Sri Shahrir who also wrote RM32.90 and RM50 respectively. All the books were sold out during the the foreword in the book. Published by MPH Group Publishing, launch day. - by Maressa Esa TI
Johor Digital Platform to be Developed
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ohorians will experience high-speed broadband connectivity at an economical price in the future as Kumpulan Prasarana R ak yat Johor (KPRJ), Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) and Applied Business Technologies Sdn Bhd (ABT) has formed a strategic partnership on integrated informationChief Executive Officer of KPRJ, Abdul Razak Mohd Yusoff communication presented a mock cheque of RM16 million cash dividend to the infrastructure (IM3i) State Government project. The partnership was formed through completed and now we are left with highthe exchange of the Joint Venture cum speed broadband for the usage of investors Shareholders’ Agreement for IM3i Sdn Bhd and the public,” said Chief Executive Officer of between their respective subsidiaries namely KPRJ, Abdul Razak Mohd Yusoff to the media. Razak continued that the project will Digital Indulgence Sdn Bhd (DISB), My Iskandar Sdn Bhd (MISB) and ABT Network commence by 2019 and initiate the project in (ABTN) which was witnessed by Johor Iskandar Malaysia region which would then Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled be extended throughout the whole state. In another story, KPRJ also presented Nordin at KPRJ’s Raya Open House. “KPRJ will provide the infrastructure a mock cheque worth RM16 million of cash at a lower cost. In Iskandar Malaysia, most dividend for the financial year 2016 to the of the infrastructures such as roads are State Government. - by Maressa Esa TI
Johor Police HQ 07-221 2999 / 07-225 4499
Nusajaya Police IPD 07-511 4222
Tourism Malaysia Hotline 1300 88 5050
Johor Tourism 07-223 4935 / 224 9960
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
Hotlines
Senai International Airport 07-599 4500
Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) 07-233 3000
Please recycle this newspaper after reading. Thank you
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“Seeing the Importance of Senai Welcomes Building a Hospital Despite Its First Business Slow Start” Class Hotel
Gleneagles Medini Hospital Chief Operating Officer, Koh Lee Lee (3rd from right) celebrating the MSQH Accreditation award during Gleneagles Medini Hospital Raya open house
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f ter its successful opening in November 2015, Gleneagles Medini Hospital has reached another milestone with two big events that saw the official opening of Pantai Integrated Rehab Services Centre and receiving the Malaysian Society for Quality in Health (MSQH) accreditation award. In Gleneagles Medini, approximately 1400 square feet with 5 treatment rooms and open
neuro gymnasium was allocated for Pantai Integrated Rehab Services Centre and is the 14th branch that offers rehabilitation services from physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy. “Currently, we have 3 physiotherapists and several visiting occupational therapists. In the future, we are bringing in more number of staff so that it is easier to take care of patients and scheduling rehab sessions. This is
only Phase 1 development and the total area would be around 3000 square feet which will be built in the future,” said Parkway Pantai Head of Ambulatory, Allied Health and Ancillary, Hareef Muhammed at the launch. In conjunction with the rehab service centre opening, the hospital received the Malaysian Society for Quality in Health (MSQH) accreditation award for four years which sets a benchmark of advocating, promoting, and supporting continuous quality improvements and safety in Malaysian healthcare arena. “Although we started with some rough times in the beginning prior to the location which isn’t populated enough but as our heads of Parkway Pantai recognised the importance of building a hospital here and received positive feedbacks not only from the surrounding areas but also outside of Medini and Iskandar Puteri. In September this year, we are planning to set up dialysis and oncologist centres in the hospital,” said Gleneagles Medini Hospital Chief Operating Officer, Koh Lee Lee when interviewed. - by Maressa Esa TI
General Manager Tengku Ahmad Faizal (middle) with the hotel’s opening team (pic by Hakim Malik)
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mpiana Hotel Senai (IHS) is scheduled for soft opening in September 2017 and will boast tastefully furnished rooms and suites, a Club Lounge, three Food & Beverage outlets, Maharani grand ballroom and three meeting rooms with a combined capacity of 500 pax. General Manager, Tengku Ahmad Faizal is ready to lead a strong team of seasoned hoteliers to deliver Impiana’s excellent standards
and delightful services in Johor. The 4-star business hotel, just 10 minutes away from the Senai International Airport also features Impiana’s signature infinity swimming pool, a pool bar, gymnasium and Chill Reflexology & Acupressure. The hotel will have 172 guest rooms including 6 spacious executive suites with high-speed internet access. The hotel will be the first Business class hotel in Senai. by The Iskandarian TI
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Johor MB Plans to Increase Sarawak Community Leaders
There are almost 35000 Sarawakians living in Johor
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here are as many as 35,000 Sarawakians living in Johor and J o h o r M e nte r i Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin will consider increasing the number of Sarawak community leaders here if the current number isn’t sufficient to address and solve any issues raised by their community. “We will appoint more to give better attention to the Sarawak community living in the state and assist
the state government to solve their problems. I urge all the Sarawakians here to cooperate with the state government in making Johor a new economic power in Malaysia,� said Khaled during the closing ceremony of Gawai festival, Pengerami Ngiling Bidai in Pasar Borneo Kota Puteri. Khaled continued that unlike any other festive seasons, most local authorities in the state will have its allocation to help
the needy and therefore, the Pasir Gudang local authority too distributed aids for the Sarawak communities for their Gawai festival preparation. Also present at the ceremony were Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister, Datuk Amar Douglas Unggah Embas, Sarawak Youth and Sports Minister, Snowdan Lawan, and Chairman of Johor Borneo Association, Donny Linan. by Maressa Esa TI
Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin (3rd from right) and Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister, Datuk Amar Douglas Unggah Embas (2nd from right) gracing Pengerami Ngiling Bidai in Pasar Borneo Kota Puteri
Banking Made Easy CIMB opens newest branch in Iskandar Malaysia at Medini
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IMB Bank has collaborated with with Gleneagles Medini in opening their latest branch at the hospital. Offering full fledge banking services to not only patrons of Gleneagles, they also cater to their clientele in and around Iskandar Puteri. In conjunction with the grand opening and Hari Raya celebration, they held a branch open day to celebrate the community and less fortunate at the hospital. Among the attractions on that day was Batik drawing workshop and DIY keychain exhibition by the Johor Area Rehabilitation Organisation (JARO)
and Tzu Chi Recycling Centre. Dr. Zaini Abu Bakar, Nusajaya assemblyman, Faridah Mohd, CIMB Regional Director and Chau Sek May, CIMB Medini Branch Manager were also present at the event. This is the third branch to be incorporated within the hospital after Gleneagles Ampang in Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu, Sabah and the Medini branch in Johor promises to provide more convenience to the community and will attract more users to the area. - by Hakim Malik TI
Dr. Zaini Abu Bakar, Nusajaya assemblyman with CIMB Medini branch staffs at their branch open day
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Plight of the Minority 400 People Participate
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ollow Appoi’s coming of age journey as he learns lessons of life in the critically acclaimed, awardwinning Malaysian made Tamil socio-drama film, ‘Jagat’. Loosely translated; ‘Jagat’ in Tamil street slang means bad, and director Shanjhey Kumar Perumal captured the essence of real world atrocity including gangsterism, drugs, and oppressions clearly throughout Award winning director, Shanjhey Kumar Perumal the film. and first assistant director, Kuben Mahadevan at MMU Set in the early 1990’s, Faculty of Cinematic Arts’s screening of ‘Jagat’ the story revolves around the The 52 Film Club of Multimedia plight of Malaysian Indians, as portrayed by 12-year-old Appoi, his father Maniam and University’s Faculty of Cinematic Arts, his uncles, Bala who is an ex-drug addict and recently held a public screening of the film at their campus in Educity where it received Dorai, a local gangster. Unlike most typical local gangster outstanding turn up. Audiences that night movies that showcase vices as kings, ‘Jagat’ also had a rare chance of Q&A session with demeans the gangsterism elements and both the director and first assistant director puts it in contrast of family values. Written of the film. Shanjhey explained that apart from in linear tandem narratives, the story highlighted the saddening situations that budget constraints, finding the perfect casts pressured most young Malaysian Indians and locations were among the reasons the into gangs; be it poverty, peer pressure or film was delayed. “It was not until the day when I went the need for respect. Being shot 90% in Tamil, the story to Perak for a corporate shoot and saw an utilised all three main languages in Malaysia orphan fighting another that I decided to including Cantonese and Malay with English proceed with the film,” said Shanjhey adding subtitles which helps create a more relatable that the same orphan, Harvin Raj was casted global story for audiences around the world. to be the main protagonist of the story and ‘Jagat’ featured a lot of underlying later nominated for best actor in the ASEAN themes and family is most evident among all. International Film Festival and Awards 2017. ‘Jagat’ definitely gives the Malaysian Rich in moral values, the film inserts comedic relieves here and there, easing the tension film industry a run for its money. Go watch of the drama and ultimately keeping people the movie if you have the chance as it’s truly engaged throughout the whole 75 minutes. worth it. - by Hakim Malik TI
in 5km Charity Run
Participants of the 5km run being flagged off in front of the hospital
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ore than 400 people participated in the 5km charity run to celebrate the seventh anniversary of Columbia Asia Hospital, Iskandar Puteri. Officiated by the Chief Executive Officer of Columbia Asia Sdn. Bhd., Rahani Yaacob, the run raised funds for the Cerebral Palsy Association to buy their much needed equipment. The event was a part of the hospital’s Corporate Social Responsibility programme to
enable more underprivileged folks to enjoy quality care, in line with Columbia Asia’s vision, “We have a passion for making people better”. Also happening on that day was the launch of Columbia Kids Club, a loyalty programme offered to children born in Columbia Asia Hospital to retain and create engagement with existing and new members. Children also participated in the 100m run around the hospital’s compound in Iskandar Puteri.
Apart from that, the hospital also collaborated with Hospital Sultan Ismail for a blood donation campaign, along with free health screening, physiotherapy and health advisory on that day. In conjunction with the anniversary, Columbia Asia Hospital, Iskandar Puteri also took the opportunity to host a Hari Raya open house for its corporate clients, general practitioners, consultants, partners and staffs. - by Hakim Malik TI
Marlborough College Malaysia Appoints New Master
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he Marlborough College Malaysia Council was delighted to appoint Alan Stevens as Master of Marlborough College Malaysia, in November 2016. Stevens succeeded Robert Pick, the Founding Master, who has led the College during its first five years and has been associated with Marlborough for 37 years. Alan Stevens together with his wife, Heather, will join Marlborough College Malaysia ahead of the Michaelmas Term of 2017 from Barnard Castle School, an HMC (Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference) co-educational boarding and day school in County Durham, England, where he has been a Headmaster since 2010. Stevens, who is British,
attended the Royal School Dungannon, where he was the Head Boy, then graduated from Queen’s University, Belfast, with
Alan Stevens, Master of Marlborough College Malaysia
a First Class Degree in History. He was commissioned in the Reserve Forces in Northern Ireland and began his teaching career at Campbell College, Belfast, becoming Housemaster and
Head of History. After completing a period of research at Yale University, then receiving an MA in Educational Management and Leadership, he moved to Trent College, England, as Head of the Main School, before subsequently being appointed Headmaster of Barnard Castle. He has published various articles on history and education and is an inspector with the Independent Schools’ Inspectorate. His interests include sports – particularly Irish rugby, school debating, the arts, and literature. Heather on the other hand is a senior civil servant with a passion for boarding, singing and holder of Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expeditions. She also holds a First Class Degree from Queen’s – in Law – and studied at Harvard and Yale, where she holds a Fellowship. Heather enjoys making a contribution to school life, runs leadership activities and is a trustee of the charity, Relate. The couple has one son, Jamie, who has finished at Barnard Castle this year and will be staying in the
UK for his university studies. On his appointment, Stevens said, “I am immensely proud and excited to have been invited to lead Marlborough College Malaysia, and am looking forward to working with new colleagues and the Council in forging the next chapter in our history. Heather and I have been deeply impressed by the uplifting strength of community at Marlborough Malaysia, the
Alan and Heather Stevens
breadth and depth of opportunity and the commitment from both children and beaks to learning in its widest sense – a true Marlborough spirit. The college has made superb progress since its foundation under Bob Pick’s leadership and it is a privilege to be chosen to succeed him as Master of this wonderful school.” For enquiries, please contact Lian Thorpe. Email:lthorpe@ marlboroughcollege.my. Tel: + 60 7560 2261
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Q&A
drill
Monthly Drill Interview By Editor Nicholas was an IT Engineer in Singapore for over 10 years with Hewlett Packard until he decided to embark on a career in photography. In 6 years, he has established himself as one of the leading names in wedding photography and is reputed as the first Indian from Johor to be accredited as a Certified Master Photographer (LMPA) by the Master Photographers Association UK. Nicholas shares with The Iskandarian his journey and his tips and tricks for budding photographers.
Any pointers for upcoming aspiring photographers out there? Good luck and remain dedicated. Every photographer starts off as an amateur and with that in mind, keep working on your style till it’s perfected.
BIO
We have some technical questions for you now. What is your current gear and do you use natural lighting or prefer a Creative Lighting System (CLS)? I use a Nikon DSLR and I own a good selection of lenses ranging from the reputed 70-200 lens, a few prime lenses and a 24-70 lens. As for lighting, it would be ideal to use natural light but it’s more practical to use CLS. I prefer to have more control over my lighting so CLS works better for me.
Nicholas Vincent
When and how did you start your career in photography? My career in photography started in 2012 while I was working in Singapore as an IT Engineer with Hewlett Packard. My photography journey started off as a hobby, just as most people, I was quite interested at that time to snap photos of flora and fauna and during that time, a friend approached me to capture their engagement photography and that’s how it all began.
Are you self-taught or did you receive any formal education? I am self-taught but it’s fair to say that I learned a lot from Google and by watching a lot of YouTube videos as well (laughs)! I was also gifted to receive a lot of tips from a few notable photographers.
What drives you in your work? To create a beautiful picture that will speak a thousand words and help etch a joyous lifelong memory.
Who are your biggest inspirations in this line of work? Definitely Keda.Z and Johnson Wee. They have inspired me a lot and I have a mutual respect for them as fellow MPA Photographers. They are both world renown and ironically, they are both Johorians.
What is the turning point of your career? I’ve been in the IT field for over 10 years and for me to quit my job in Singapore to embark on a career in photography is the biggest turning point in my life. The risk of leaving a stable income job in Singapore for a shot at being an entrepreneur was quite harrowing but with the support of my family, friends and clients, the journey has been very satisfying
Principle Photographer thus far. When I began receiving job orders 2 years ahead of the actual wedding, I knew it was time for me to dedicate all my efforts into photography.
What type of photography (wedding, commercial) do you specialise in and why that choice? My main genre is wedding photography but I also take on commercial and corporate shoots. I work closely with my partner who does videos, and together we provide a one stop solution to our clients.
What is the highest accreditation you have earned throughout your years in the industry? I’m a certified Master Photographer (LMPA) accredited by the Master Photographers Association (MPA) in UK. With over 60 years in the professional photography arena, the MPA prides itself in developing some of the industry’s leading photographers of today. The process of getting accredited by MPA is quite onerous whereby 20 of your best works is printed and presented to a panel of Master Photographer Judges appointed by MPA for detailed scrutiny and upon satisfying all the criteria, only then is the MPA accreditation is awarded. Moreover, not all submissions are given the accreditation.
Looking at the current market trends in photography, and with the latest innovation in mobile imaging (e.g:
NWorks Photography iPhone 7) do you think being professional photographers are a dying breed? Well there are obvious limitations in taking a photo with your mobile phone in comparison to the output you’ll get from a DSLR camera. For example, with the DSLR, we get to use an array of lenses to capture the moments and although mobile phones do offer add-on lenses, it can never match the detailing given by a DSLR.
How do you market yourself?
Post editing or straight out of camera? Both! But realistically speaking, post editing. To share a raw unedited image to a client requires the client to have an eye for photography which they usually don’t have so it is a safer bet to present post edited picture.
Are you available for hire at any part of the world? Yes, I travel with my clients from time to time to for their photography needs, so yes! Even now I just got from back Indonesia after a pre wedding shoot (laughs).
What do you think of the photography scene in Johor? It is always healthy to have a good rapport with fellow photographers. There’s obviously competition amongst us but as long as its healthy competition, it’s fine.
Via social media, client recommendations and referrals. I have a good relationship with all my clients and the satisfaction they get from engaging my services is passed on by word of mouth and they indirectly become my marketers (laughs).
Do you give classes or lessons?
What are among the challenges you face as a photographer?
I travel around the world! I love travelling and it’s a wonderful way to scout for new locations especially for the next prewedding photo-shoot destination. So when I’m not snapping photos, I’m vacationing while sort of working (laughs).
One of the biggest challenges we face as photographers is event attendees who get caught up in snapping pictures in their phones that they end up disrupting our work. Another big challenge I face is plagiarism of my creative output by other photographers. Most of my masterpieces are featured on Facebook and other sites and I’ve encountered moments when other photographers blatantly plagiarise my work!
I have been thinking about it but currently, I don’t. However, I might introduce it in the near future.
What does Nicholas do when he is not busy snapping photos?
How do our readers get in touch with you? The fastest and most convenient way is to drop me a message via Facebook at www. facebook.com/NWorks4u TI
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peggy loh
My johor stories
Our resident writer, Peggy Loh, actively writes in her blog www.peggyloh.com about matters that are close to her heart. She can be reached at write2peggyloh@gmail.com
Gambier Planting Revival in Johor
Gambier Planting and Education Association President, Ho Kuek Kuwang [5th from Left] and Johor Bahru Chinese Association President, Datuk Seri Tey Kim Chai, [6th from Left] holding a gambier sapling
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leaves, press them to extract juice and dry the juice concentrate before it was shaped into a block, cake or cube form. In September 2015, their findings were presented in the Johor Bahru Chinese Heritage Museum in an interesting exhibit themed, Sharing of Hardships. The Chinese translation of this phrase described how the pioneers in the Malay and Chinese communities worked together, sharing both bitter and sweet experiences as they built the state’s economy, literally from the ground up. Through this exhibition, visitors learned that before the invention of chemical dyes, the juice from gambier leaves was widely used for leather tanning and dyeing cloth. With Europe as a major market, Johor was then the world’s largest producer of gambier. As the chemical industry developed in the early 20th century and synthetic colours were invented, the demand for gambier ceased and the plants virtually disappeared. While we still have pepper plantations here, there are hardly any gambier plants. The exhibition also provided a further insight into the history of ChineseMalay relationships which undergirds the strong support between the Johor sultanate and the Chinese immigrant community. History recorded that Chinese and Malay farmers were already successfully cultivating gambier plantations in Singapore and the Riau Islands in Indonesia but after 10 to 15 years, their Teow Kai Fook [2nd from Right] presenting a range of land was exhausted and implements used in the gambier production process, infertile. So in 1844, when which were donated by a farm he visited in Kundur Temenggong Daeng Ibrahim Island, Indonesia invited the Chinese to move
rom text books, Chinese primary school students are learning that Johor was the world’s largest producer of gambier (gambir) from the 1830s to 1850s. The important link between the Chinese and Malay communities in the pioneering era and how pepper and gambier earned its place of honour in Johor for its role in boosting the state’s economy are in their school syllabus. But what is gambier? While students may have a vague idea, most Johorians don’t and hardly anyone has ever seen a gambier plant. It is rather ironic that gambier plants, which were once widely cultivated in Johor, are no longer found here. The Johor Bahru Chinese Association is well aware of it and in 2013, they sent a team on a mission to Indonesia to carry out extensive research into the cultivation of pepper and gambier and uncover how it contributed to Johor’s economic development. The team made two visits where they discovered that farmers in Kundur Island were still using traditional methods with very little mechanisation in the process to harvest and boil young gambier
news
to Johor to open the land for new plantations, they were ready to relocate. Immigrant Chinese with a strong pioneering spirit were attracted to the prospect of huge tracts of land, waiting for them to clear for cultivation. The Teochew belonging to the Ngee Heng society, were the dominant clan among the early settlers. Under the kangchu or River Lord system, farmers who arrived in Johor obtained a permit known as ‘surat sungai’ from the ruler to cultivate and govern a plot of land. One of the earliest records showed that the Johor ruler issued permits to two kangchu, Kapitan Seah Tai Heng and Seah Ling Chai of the Ngee Heng society, to develop plantations on the banks of Sungai Skudai. As pepper and gambier cultivation SJK (C) Pu Sze principal, Tan Chow became widespread, wealth poured into Choo [Right] join members of the the state coffers. While they prospered, the Gambier Planting and Education Chinese farmers gave gambier its nickname, Association and Johor Bahru Chinese gam mi (Mandarin) a phrase translated as Association, in planting gambier saplings in the school “golden honey.” Between 1844 and 1916, over 130 plantations developed successfully SJK (C) Pu Sze principal, Tan Chow Choo, throughout the state. But as gambier lost in a planting ceremony where eight its economic value in the 1920s, gambier gambier saplings were planted in the plantations were gradually replaced by school compound. rubber plantations. “I hope to be invited back next It is indeed commendable that year to see how these plants have the legacy of pepper and gambier and flourished in your care,” said Ho who its contribution to Johor’s economic believed that the saplings would be well development is carefully persevered in the taken care of here. JB Chinese Heritage Museum and students The revival of gambier in Johor are studying it in their school syllabus. through these planting projects in While preserving this legacy, the JB schools aims to help students appreciate Chinese Association also aims to revive the the essence of Sharing of Hardships. Ho planting of gambier in Johor for education said it was vital for younger generations purposes. One of its initiatives is establishing to value their rich heritage derived from the Gambier Planting and Education the fruits of labour and hardship that Association with a joint committee headed pioneering generations endured when by President, Ho Kuek Kuwang and Vice- they cleared the Johor jungles and President, Gan Ah Tian. successfully cultivated the land with Its first gambier planting project in pepper and gambier. 2016 was where 40 gambier saplings were Ho also announced that the JB planted, aptly in SJK (C) Chian Kuo, situated Chinese Association, North-West Region at Bukit Gambier near Tangkak, Johor. Joint Committee, will be publishing These plants were cultivated from seedlings a book on the history of the kangchu brought back from Kundur Island, Indonesia. system since the 1780s, from gambier The first in the series of gambier cultivation to rubber and pineapple planting projects in and around JB kicked plantations and the development of the off in June 2017 at SJK (C) Pu Sze in Skudai Skudai area. This book entitled, History and this will be followed by similar projects of the Skudai Chinese Community, is in other schools here. scheduled to be published by December Representatives from the JB Chinese 2017. TI Association and Gambier Planting and Education Association toured a mini exhibition led by JB Chinese Association President, Datuk Seri Tey Kim Chai, to learn more about the industry from information buntings. They also viewed a range of implements used in the gambier production process that were donated by farmers in Kundur Island. This exhibition will also be presented at every gambier planting project held in Students of SJK (C) Pu Sze with school principal and members of the Gambier Planting and Education other schools. The a s s o c i a t i o n Association and Johor Bahru Chinese Association, representatives were joined by watering the plants after planting them
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AUG 2017
E D I S iN
ases e l e R chy Lil Yat m: u b l A t Debu motions ge E a n e e T
AUG 2017 | Page 2
The Iskandarian | WAVES Lifestyle
editor’s H note
ello August! Malaysia turns 60 end of this month, and I’d like to wish for a peaceful nation and thank you for the long public holidays coupled with Raya Haji! We’ve got two animated films this month from our movie partners. “Cars 3” will be zooming past your way soon, and it’s notable that “Cars” (2006) and “Cars 2” (2011) took in more than $1 billion in combined worldwide box office. How “Cars 3” fares, is yet to be seen. For those who love replying messages with emojis/emoticons, you’d be happy to know that “The Emoji Movie” will be
Priya Manikam waves.lifestyle@gmail.com
releasing on the 17th of August and watch how they crusade in an “app-venture” to save the world. From Raya flavours to affordable Japanese food, we’d like to spoil you for choices with the all-new food trucks in Seri Austin! For those who loves travelling abroad and can’t live without their caffeine shot, I’d like to share with you our best pick of Hipster Cafes in Hong Kong. So when you travel there next, be sure to check it out for a different experience and ambience. 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 We’d like to wish all Malaysians Selamat Hari Merdeka and also Raya Haji to all celebrants!
MUSIC UPDATES
By Universal Music Singapore
Lil Yachty Releases Debut Album: Teenage Emotions
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RAMMY Awardnominated multiplatinum artist, fashion
inclusive album art. “It caters to a teenager’s everyday lifestyle; heartbreak,
disruptor, and “King of Teens” Lil Ya c h t y recently released his full-length debut, ‘Teenage Emotions’ [Quality Control/ M o t o w n / Capitol], in stores and at all digital retailers. Teenage E m o t i o n s merges Lil Y a c h t y ’ s signature gleeful sing-rap and auto-tuned transmissions with hip hop bombast, pop and eighties cultural touchstones. The 19-year-old Atlanta native is proudly genre-defying, mining hip-hop, alternative, indie sounds as well as his hometown Atlanta trap DNA to solidify his mosaic approach. The 21-track album include features from Migos, Diplo, YG & Kamaiyah, Stefflon Don, Evander Griim, Grace and Sonyae Elise. As the title indicates, the set is a reflection of how the young lives right now, from happiness to social media-saturated heartbreak to the dance floor, caught in a sound that effortlessly, and constantly bouncing from rap to pop to something entirely its own. Personally the 19-year-old strives to promote positivity and good vibes. In keeping with his good vibes attitude, Lil Yachty recently made headlines for his
happiness, and that vibe when you get waking up in the morning getting dressed and you just wanna dance,” said Lil Yachty. Lil Yachty cruised to the forefront of pop culture in 2016 with 2016 mixtapes Lil Boat and Summer Songs 2 and achieved an RIAA platinum certification for his smash “One Night.” He joined D.R.A.M. for the 5x-platinum “Broccoli,” receiving a 2017 GRAMMY Award nomination in the category of “Best Rap/Sung Collaboration.” Following his initial Summer Songs EP, he dropped three more EPS in addition to the two acclaimed mixtapes—Lil Boat and Summer Songs 2—in less than a year. A highly sought-after voice, he was a guest on Chance the Rapper’s GRAMMY Awardwinning Colouring Book and the Fate of the Furious Official
Soundtrack plus he appeared on a barrage of other singles (alongside top guns such as Young Thug, Charli XCX, Post Malone, T-Pain and many more), and, most recently, he connected again on Kyle’s Top 10 hit “ISpy.” A l l that studio time came in between three electrifying tours, with shows often climaxing with some stage - diving alongside The Sailing Team. Tracklisting: 1. Like A Star 2. DN FREESTYLE 3. Peek-A-Boo feat. Migos 4. Dirty Mouth 5. Harley 6. All Around Me feat. YG & Kamaiyah 7. Say My Name 8. All You Had To Say 9. Better feat. Stefflon Don 10. Forever Young feat. Diplo 11. Lady In Yellow 12. Moments in Time 13. Otha Shit (Interlude) 14. XMEN feat. Evander Griiim 15. BRING IT BACK 16. RUNNING WITH GHOST feat. Grace 17. FYI (KNOW NOW) 18. Priorities 19. No more 20. Made of glass 21. Momma (outro) feat. Sonyae Elise
Photo Credit: Kenneth Cappello
Priya
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The Iskandarian | WAVES Lifestyle
Relationship Starts at the Dining Table - Part 2
W Rose Osman has intuitive skills in hacking potentials in human energy for success and healing. She coaches through One-toOne sessions, group sessions and via E-courses on Udemy.com.
yourpersonalmotivator BucketOfRoses www.roselifecoach.com
e’ve seen it everywhere - Parents who allow their children to use smartphones or tablets at the dining table. Although this is the fastest way to keep children occupied so that parents can have their meals, there are also consequences for it. How Children Bond During Meals? Children and babies learn about relationship through their senses. Though it is easy to entertain them using smartphones and gadgets, but what we are truly doing is hypnotising their brain and withdrawing their awareness from actual social bonding into a nine-inch screen.
We are conditioning them to isolate themselves from relationships and avoid emotional intimacy with the family. If this is the way they are trained around food, they are going to do just that when they grow up. It’s essential to train them to focus on bonding and relationships because this is where their awareness and senses need to be. If they scream, cry or expressively show their moods around food, it is their way of bonding with the family. It’s More than Just Eating Together Having meals together is not just a psychology sign of bonding. Food is part of our survival.
Eating food together signifies a willingness to survive together. When we eat together, we experience the same senses about food. We probably digest the same nutrition together. Bonding at this level is deeply intimate and it goes deep into the blood. This is how human creates a strong relationship as a tribe. If you read the previous article, what the couple missed is more than words spoken to each other. Bring your attention and awareness, and be there to participate in the process of bonding at the dining table. This is a simple act of connectedness that every relationship needs to strengthen their love, trust and respect towards each other. TI
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.
MOVIES
Source: Walt Disney Company Malaysia
CARS 3 Genre: Animation Release date: 24th August 2017 Voice Cast: Owen Wilson, Cristela Alonzo, Armie Hammer Director: Brian Fee
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lindsided by a new generation of blazing-fast racers, the legendary Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) is suddenly pushed out of the sport he loves. To get back in the game, he will need the help of an eager young race technician, Cruz Ramirez, with her own plan to win, plus inspiration from the late Fabulous Hudson Hornet and a few unexpected turns. Proving that #95 isn’t through yet will test the heart of a champion on Piston Cup Racing’s biggest stage.
Producers: Kevin Reher
THE EMOJI MOVIE
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he Emoji Movie unlocks the never-before-seen secret world inside your smartphone! Hidden within the messaging app is Textopolis, a bustling city where all your favourite emojis live, hoping to be selected by the phone’s user. In this world, each emoji has only one facial expression – except for Gene (T.J. Miller), an exuberant emoji who was born without a filter and is bursting with multiple expressions. Determined to become “normal” like the other emojis, Gene enlists the help of his handy best friend Hi-5 (James Corden) and the notorious code breaker emoji Jailbreak (Ilana Glazer). Together, they embark on an epic “app-venture” through the apps on the phone, each to its own wild and fun world, to find the Code that will fix Gene. But when a greater danger threatens the phone, the fate of all emojis depends on these three unlikely friends who must save their world before its deleted forever.
Source: Sony Pictures Malaysia
Genre: Animation Release date: 17th August 2017 Cast: T. J. Miller, James Corden, Ilana Glazer Director: Tony Leondis Producers: Michelle Raimo Kouyate
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The Iskandarian | WAVES Lifestyle
Of Calendar
Events
S’pore, 1st July – 13th Aug The Great Singapore Sales
travel
Explore Hong Kong’s Blooming Coffee Scene
Head to top 5 lesser-known hipster cafes this summer
JB, 4th – 6th Aug • Mom & Baby Expo @ Persada Johor • Matta Fair @ Danga City Mall
S’pore, 9th Aug Singapore National Day
S’pore, 10th Aug LANY Live in S’pore @ *SCAPE The Ground Theatre
S’pore, 8th July Street Fiesta @ Blu Jaz Café, Singapore
S’pore, 15th Aug DNCE @ Suntec Singapore S’pore, 18th – 26th Aug Singapore Night Festival @ Bras Basah/Bugis heritage precinct
JB, 19th Aug ACC Charity Run @ Ponderosa Golf & Country Club
JB, 26th Aug • TEDxSungaiSegget 2017 @ Amari Johor Bahru • IM Corporate Charity Run 2017 @ Medini 7 • Kulim – KT Trail Run 2017 @ Kulim Eco Trail Retreat
S’pore, 26th Aug
NOSH café was established by Swedish Entrepreneurs By Priya Manikam waves.lifestyle@gmail.com
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ipster cafes are aplenty in Hong Kong, but the best ones are usually the lesser-known cafes tucked away in the most unexpected places. While tourists flock to the usual coffee chains for a cup of coffee, trendy locals and long-time expat residents park themselves at the mushrooming independent cafes that allow them to spend a quiet yet pleasant afternoon without breaking the bank. Here’s a peek into the top 5 best-kept hipster secrets: Café Hillywood Blink and you might just miss it! This hearty little café is so hidden that only eagle-eyed hipsters would be able to chance upon it. Located just across the street from Hong Kong Bowling Green Club, Café Hillywood quickly became a favourite hangout spot for locals due to its comfortable setting and their handmade pastas. For those who enjoy good music and fancy art, this basement bakery café is the place to be as it occasionally holds art exhibitions and small concerts.
Foo Fighters @ Singapore National Stadium
Address: 152 Austin Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon Tel: +852 2762 1727 http://www.cafehillywood.com/
31st Aug
Elephant Grounds @ WOAW
Inside Café Hillywood brewing methods. The café also features healthy lunch items, a wide selection of pastries and their signature in-house creations such as the waffle ice cream sandwich, available only on weekends.
their signature Matcha cheesecake, and Osmanthus & Okinawa Black Sugar Chiffon. Unassuming yet full of surprises, Teakha is a cosy gem of a place that promotes a “simple, happy, sustainable lifestyle.”
Address: 11 Gough Street, Sheung Wan Tel: (+852) 2253 1313 http://elephantgrounds.com/
Address: 18 Tai Ping Shan Street, Sheung Wan Tel:+852 2858 9185 http://teakha.com/
NOSH Located in the heart of Tai Ping Shan, this chic neighbourhood café was established by Swedish Entrepreneurs, Arne and Helen Lindman who have numerous businesses and projects around Hong Kong. Coffee isn’t NOSH’s forte, but hipsters are coaxed into spending their time at this café because of its Scandinavian chic design, as well as its impressive blend of classic European flavours and refined pastries. Address: 11 Upper Station Street, Sheung Wan Tel: +852 2559 8508 http://www.nosh.com.hk/
• Malaysia National Day • Merdeka Fun Run 2017 @ Sunway College JB
Teakha Tea Café This unpretentious alley-café will knock you off your socks with its impressive range of teas and top-class little cakes. Get immersed in its charming and cosy
1st Sept Hari Raya Haji Elephant Grounds has become a common ground for hipsters to enjoy a cup of coffee
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
Renowned style icon Kevin Poon and his longtime friend Gerald Li combined their love for coffee to launch this independent coffee shop within WOAW Concept Store on Gough Street last year. With crispy white walls and minimalist wooden furniture, Elephant Grounds has become a common ground for hipsters to enjoy a cup of coffee made from single origin beans through siphon and French press
Take your pick at Teakha Tea Café ambiance while having a cup of tea with their exquisite range of desserts, like
Artisan Room Crafty coffee can be found everywhere, but nothing beats Artisan Room for being the
Artisan Room the only café in HK that serves drinks brewed with centuries-old Costadoro coffee only café in Hong Kong that serves drinks brewed with centuries-old Costadoro coffee with a 3.5 feet Gothicism Cold Brewer. The team behind this new hip café showcases their delicate craftsmanship with premium coffee that are best paired with its wide range of savoury and sweet éclair or cakes. With great music and quality coffee, the cafe has since become locals’ favourite social spot as sunlight pours into the café through the storefront windows. TI Address: 8-12 South Lane, Shek Tong Tsui Tel: +852 2565 3198 www.facebook.com/artisanroomhk Compiled by Tourism Board Hong Kong
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live
All About Cataracts intrauterine infections metabolic diseases.
Dr Ong Ming Jew Ophthalmologist Regency Specialist Hospital Sdn Bhd
What is cataract? Cataract is the clouding or opacification of the lens inside the eye, which happens gradually, leading to progressive loss of vision. It commonly affects the older age group although any age group can be affected. What are the causes for cataract? Age is the most common cause for cataract. It is related to the degradation and metabolic changes in the lens’ proteins over time, which leads to the opacification of the initially clear lens. Environmental factors such as UV light exposure, radiation, tobacco and toxins may have cumulative effects towards the worsening of the process. It may also be accelerated by certain diseases such as diabetes mellitus. Other causes include trauma, secondary to certain medication such as corticosteroids and secondary to other eye diseases or eye surgeries. There is another group called congenital cataract which is mainly due to genetics,
and
Is cataract preventable? While we cannot stop the process of aging, prevention of UV light exposure by wearing sunglasses and smoking cessation may help slow down the development of cataracts. What are the symptoms of cataract? The main symptom is the gradual worsening of blurred vision. Some may have an increase in myopia in the early stage which can be corrected by glasses. Certain types of cataract may cause more night glare especially when the patient drives at night facing oncoming headlights. How do we treat cataract? In early cataracts, symptoms may be improved with change of glasses, anti-glare sunglasses, or brighter lighting. However, if these methods do not help, surgery is the only effective method to remove the cataract. Generally, a cataract needs to be removed only when the symptoms interfere with patient’s daily activities, such as driving, working and reading. It is a decision to be made after weighing the benefits verses the risks of surgery. How is cataract performed?
surgery
Modern cataract surger y is per formed through phacoemulsification followed by implantation of an artificial intraocular lens. Phacoemulsification is a process where the lens is emulsified with an ultrasonic handpiece and aspirated from the eye. It involves the use of a machine with microprocessor-controlled fluid dynamics. Firstly, one or more small incisions (about 1.8mm-2.75mm) are made in the eye to allow the introduction of surgical instruments. After that, an opening is then made in the anterior capsule. The lens fibres, which form the nucleus and cortex of the cataract, are then removed leaving the posterior capsule to hold the new artificial lens. The surgery is assisted with the use of viscoelastic agents and balanced salt solution to maintain the anterior chamber and to protect the cornea. Before the advent of phacoemulsification machine, cataract extraction surgery involved manual nuclear expression.
can inform the surgeon and local anaesthesia can be added. You are aware of the whole process if surgery is done under local anaesthesia. A small percentage of patients may opt to do the surgery under general anaesthesia, for example patients with extreme anxiety and patients who are unable to follow instruction during surgery. You can always discuss with your doctor regarding the options before deciding on the surgery.
the eye (endophthalmitis), swelling in the centre of the retina (cystoid macular edema), swelling of the clear covering of the eye (corneal edema), bleeding in the anterior chamber of the eye (hyphema), detachment of the nerve layer of the eye (retinal detachment), dislocation of intraocular lens and opacification of posterior capsule. You should always ask your doctor regarding the risks before you decide on surgery.
Will I feel pain during the surgery? Majority of cataract cases are performed under local anesthesia. Some surgeons may use topical anaesthesia only. Some surgeons may give a little injection at the outer coating of the eyeball. You may feel a slight pain during the injection. After that, you shouldn’t feel any pain during the whole process of surgery. If you do feel pain, you
What are the risks involved in cataract surgery? Although the risk for cataract surgery is low, it does involve the risk of partial to total vision loss if complication occurs. Some complications can be treated and vision loss reversed, but in certain cases, vision loss may be permanent. Complications that may occur with cataract surgery include infection in
Will I get cataract again after the surgery? You will not get cataract again after you have had cataract surgery done. The intraocular lens is to be there permanently. The explantation of intraocular lens is very rarely done. If you have blurring of vision after the cataract surgery, you may need to refer to your doctor to look out for any complications. TI
Comparison between a normal eye and an eye with cataract (patient’s right eye has cataract)
How cataract surgery is done
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The Hotelier’s Story I
n this issue, we focus on Thila Munusamy, the Director of Sales & Marketing for LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort.
Brief background My affinity with the hospitality industry began straight after school and in the public relations function with Nikko Hotel Kuala Lumpur (now Intercontinental Kuala Lumpur). I climbed the ladder in the same discipline with Hyatt Regency Saujana, Subang, and then on to become a part of the pre-opening team for the Pan Pacific Hotel KLIA, where excitement was about starting the hotel from scratch - even while I was heavy with my first son! This was when I realised my potential and the love for PR and Marketing role. I would brave distances, travelling daily for 5 hours between work and home and still being passionate about it. My foray into the world of theme parks followed after 10 years in the hotel industry, with Sunway Lagoon Theme Park which proved to be an even more challenging but exciting learning experience for me. Armed with that experience, I joined LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort as its Director of Sales & Marketing in 2012. What inspired you to enter the hotel industry? I was inspired by my mother, who belonged to the earlier generation of hoteliers. At that time, women were the minority and she was made of very strong ‘stuff’, with an independent streak that stood her place among men.
You can say I grew up in the hotels with her, and she inspired me so much that I once told her that I would “work in your Hotel and become your Manager”. I used to observe the environment, the people working in the hotel and you can say it was a dream come true when I landed my first job with the hotel straight after school, and I have not looked back since. What are your strengths? Although it was a tough start, I had good mentors where I learnt attention to detail, organising skills and at the same time, honed the most difficult skill in our industry i.e. being people-oriented. In our line, being in touch with people means being effective in communication and building long-term and even life-long relationships with them. I also learnt leadership and with it, developing people and letting them grow as I had been when I was a novice in the industry. What made you feel that being a hotelier is the right job for you? There is no one specific incident but the whole journey made me think that I wouldn’t have progressed as much if I were in some other line. Till today I’m not bored with my job and there is always something new to look forward to on a daily basis. Being a marketer, the task is not monotonous. We are in control and everyday it is about making our jobs more interesting and exciting, and in different creative ways. Equally important is to be alert and to be
quick in adapting to the changing trends, keeping ourselves up to date at all times. What do you see as the future for a career in hospitality, and what can you do to ensure there is a way forward for those wanting to venture into the industry? Definitely very bright as new tourist spots, theme parks and shopping malls are on the rise in Malaysia and particularly in the Iskandar Region. Both government and private tourist/leisure organisations are doing much more to attract more domestic and international tourist arrivals into the country and therefore, accommodation will be in high demand. Further, the trend of overnight stay is moving from simply a place to sleep to offering overall memorable experience that complement and enhance travel adventures. Lots of talents are required to deliver these memorable moments and people are at the heart of hospitality. Therefore, being with LEGOLAND which is in the business of creating memorable and fun experience for families with kids is the way forward for us where we need a combination of both fresh and experienced talents coming together to join forces to make the theme park even more successful than what it already is. Being an international brand, we have a ready and structured training and onboarding programmes in the form of on-thejob as well as classroom sessions. Those wanting to join us need to have an open mind, with the right positive mind set; eagerness and passion especially in making our VIP customers (the kids) happy.
What are the opportunities open to them within your own hotel? There are many opportunities available in both Administration and Operation roles within the Theme Park, Water Park and our fully themed Hotel. We are also constantly adding new attractions and rides to keep the park always evolving, so new dynamic talents are always welcome. LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort is the first such international brand and themed hotel in this region and it acts as a catalyst to give families a reason to venture into this area. Thus, only the right talents will ensure its continuous growth and the sustainability of the Iskandar region. What are your personal words of encouragement for new entrants into the industry? Don’t be afraid to do more and don’t just look at dollars and cents. Be open and try to learn as much as possible especially when you are making a fresh entry. If you are lucky to be landed with the right mentor at the start of your journey, then it is a bonus. If not, it is up to you to be strong and persevere. Learning from scratch may be difficult but it will be rewarding at the end. Particularly for ladies (and citing my mother’s example); build a career for yourselves, learn to be independent and do not give up easily in the face of challenges. Many of us have succeeded and you can too. At LEGOLAND, we can assure you that it is the ONLY place where your work is flavoured with fun! TI
Sexual Harassment in the Workplace – Part Two Ashikin Abd Rahim Legal Adviser MECA Employers Consulting Agency Sdn Bhd shikin@meca.com.my
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n order to curb sexual harassment in the workplace, employers too have to play a role. The establishment of law is provided and acts as a guideline, but the application depends on the parties involved especially the employers. The employers must be quick on their feet when they receive a sexual harassment
complaint. The HR department also needs to proceed with preliminary investigation within 30 days from the date the complaint is made. It’s very important for the employers to do this because if the HR finds there is a case of sexual harassment, then the employers should take the required disciplinary action. However, if there is no evidence adduced by the complainant, then the HR has to inform the complainant by way of writing and recording it. One thing to remember is that employers must not be myopic when they receive a sexual harassment complaint by any party by jumping into conclusions, especially without conducting investigation since natural justice will prevail.
Employers must advocate on the significance of managing and handling sexual harassment at the workplace and educate the staff with the information on this issue. This clearly can be done through an awareness campaign where it has to include having talks on sexual harassment and even put up posters and brochures around the workplace to ensure that the staffs are well exposed to such issues. Since providing a workplace that is safe and secure for the staff to carry out their duties is vital, employers must handle the issue of sexual harassment without batting an eye, and act reasonably and cautiously. They have to ensure that the policy relating to sexual harassment is of the knowledge
of the staff. Employers also have to provide more options that are easier and convenient for the victims to make complaints. To illustrate, victims can make complaints through WhatsApp, letters or even email, not limiting this to their direct supervisors or managers, but also to counselors provided by the company. This would enable the victim to make a complaint easily and comfortably since there are many other options available to him/her to do so instead of just having one specific method. In summation, consistent and efficient solutions by the government as well as the employers are needed as the existing efforts are porous since the statistics produced by the Labour Department between
1999 and 2010 showed that there were 297 cases of sexual harassment reported and solved. It is said that these cases are the tip of the iceberg, since not many of the employers and employees are aware of the drawbacks of this issue and tend to hide it under the blanket. The implications of not handling this issue properly are tremendous. Not only will it tarnish the good image of Malaysia, but the company too will lose the trust and confidence of other employees. Meanwhile, the complainant will tend to become remorse, mopey and bleak about life. In order for the issue of sexual harassment to be solved, it needs numerous efforts from more than just one party since it gives a subtle impact to the parties involved.
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Accumulating Wealth Tips & Tricks
A Better Second-Half? August 2015 to June 2016. 3. Based on the company’s annual report 2016, the company has construction contracts worth RM1.3 billion as at 31st December 2016. 4. From The Edge Daily on 8th June 2017, the company is tendering 1.8 billion projects and is expecting more tenders in the coming months. The 50000 shares FPGROUP sold at 0.835 has given us the sales proceed of RM41750, which allows us to buy 40000 shares of CRESTBUILDER at 1.08 with bit more of cash. We also recorded dividend of RM750 from Superlon (RM0.015 per share ex-date on 5th July 2017) and our new cash level is now RM24425.
Tey Bin Yuen Binyuen is the founder of BY Enrich Resources and the author of ‘Life beyond the Comfort Zone’ and ‘Profit from Share Investment’. His books are available in major bookstores in Malaysia, Singapore or online http://www.teybinyuen.com/ profitfromshareinvestment.
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n the last issue, we had some reflections after experiencing an eventful first half. So, what is our prospect for the second half? The global stock market has been bullish since the end of 2016, led by the US Dow Jones, S&P and Nasdaq Indexes. On 14th July 2017, the Dow Jones and S&P Indexes broke above historical records, while Nasdaq climbed to a near all-time-high after experiencing an abrupt plunge three weeks ago. Interestingly, while most of the global stock market indexes are bullish (standing above the Moving Average 50 line), the Malaysian Composite Index FBMKLCI has started its correction since 19th June 2017, forming a downtrend channel. Many investors perceived the investment atmosphere for the second half to be more challenging, mainly because of the following reasons: 1. The stock market has generally gone up a lot this year. Therefore, the valuation is no longer attractive. 2. The US Indexes breaking new highs mean richer valuation and higher market risk. 3. The change of global market sentiment has added more uncertainty to the local
Disclaimer: The companies mentioned above and in this article are meant for study purpose only. It doesn’t constitute any ‘buy’ or ‘sell’ recommendation. Please consult your financial professional if you want to make any decision.
bourse. 4. The 10-year anniversary of the last global financial crisis has added more anxiety to the market. With the market turning delicate lately, how would our portfolio perform? Refer to the table; since its inception in November 2015, we’ve gained 226% returns till 17th July 2017, which has given us a better position to decide what to do next. In spite of the positive result, we need to be cautious for the second half. Here is what we could do: 1) Portfolio Restructuring Regular portfolio review and restructuring are
Kompleks Pekan Rabu to Get a Major Facelift
essential because sometimes the companies invested do not meet our expectations. For example, a company with disappointed earnings, or its price movement which turn sideways or down trend that causes paper loss. In our portfolio, we’ve observed FPGROUP’s share price has turned sideways for more than a month. Therefore, we decided to switch all FPGROUP to CRESTBUILDER, as we see a few positive highlights of this company: 1. The company expects a better performance in FY2017 as it is looking to complete a few projects this year. 2. As reported on Bursa website, the company bought back its own shares from
Henry Ruiz, REA Group Asia CEO
The poorly utilised Kompleks Pekan Rabu
Executive Director Hahasrin Hashim said the upgrading works is expected to begin soon. Hahasrin also added that they would like to ensure this business centre cum youth hub will meet the current needs of young entrepreneurs and that similar centres had been developed with more to come including a fashion street in Mutiara Rini, Johor Bahru.
After the facelift, Pekan Rabu is expected to house 70 outlets, including a multi-purpose hall. This is in line with Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin’s views that the development of business centres in the state is in tandem with the state government’s efforts to encourage entrepreneurship among the locals. - by Priya Manikam TI
2) Focus on companies with bright prospect Seasoned investors would not simply let go off companies with bright prospect and earnings visibility. This implies that as long as the market does not collapse, this kind of company would be a defensive play, as their growth drivers would give more certainty. 3) Have a clear plan Setting the right strategy is important before you begin any trade. What will you do if the market does not go your way? If you cut your losses; how many percent? It all depends on your risk appetite and make sure you execute it strictly. Conclusion So will the second half be better or tougher? The market will tell. Instead, let’s mind our business by focusing more on our portfolio and do the right things. TI
REA Group Announces New Asia Community Partnership Programme
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ompleks Pek an Rabu in Tampoi, Johor Bahru was developed and privatised between the Johor State Government, Perbadanan Setiausaha Kerajaan Johor and Swissharta Sdn. Bhd as a platform to create space and opportunities for the Malay entrepreneurs. It also housed the Immigration Office, which was convenient for the public to apply or renew their passports there. However, this place was poorly utilised with many traders unable to make profits and in order to curb this problem, the government has allocated RM3 million to rejuvenate the business centre and encourage more entrepreneurial activities in the state. Johor Entrepreneur Development Centre (EDC),
invest
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EA Group today announced a new Asian community partnership programme through a three-year commitment with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). As part of the partnership, REA Group will provide financial and in-kind support to regional projects and local Red Cross/ Red Crescent societies. REA Group which owns and operates the iProperty Group will support the Malaysian Red Crescent in the form of matched employee donations and volunteering. Henry Ruiz, REA Group Asia Chief Executive Officer, said the business is incredibly proud to be partnering with the ICRC to support the organisation’s efforts around ensuring humanitarian protection and assistance for people in need. “We’re incredibly pleased to be bringing our community partnership
programme to Asia for the first time and having the opportunity to work alongside the ICRC to improve the lives of others across the region. “The ICRC is the largest humanitarian network in the world and we feel humbled to be able to play a role in supporting the incredibly important work they do,” Mr Ruiz said. Arnaud De Baecque, ICRC’s Deputy Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific welcomed REA’s three year commitment, and commented: “Expressions of solidarity like this one from REA Group and its employees makes it possible for the ICRC to continue our work in some of the most difficult areas in support of those most affected by conflict and violence.” Established in 1863, the ICRC is an impartial, neutral and independent organisation whose exclusively humanitarian mission is to protect and assist victims of armed conflict and other violence. In 2016, the ICRC provided food to 14.8 million people, delivered curative medical consultations to over 3.8 million people, and helped repair, build or upgrade watersupply, sanitation and other infrastructure benefitting 28.4 million people. The ICRC also helped 910 people, mostly minors, reunited with their families. TI
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International Cooperation Pushes Malaysia Towards Higher Education Goals By:
Malaysia is strengthening its position as a destination for international students, having recently inked bilateral deals related to tertiary-level education with partners in Turkey and Senegal
education
First Cohort of UoRM Graduated 20 students graduated and IRDA’s Chief Executive awarded honorary degree
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he most recent of these moves took place in May 2017, when Malaysia’s Al Bukhary International University and Turkey’s Ibn Haldun University signed an agreement to work on a collaborative education programme. Set to begin in September 2017, the arrangement will see greater academic cooperation between the two countries, with the goal of fostering cultural as well as educational links. This followed a Memorandum of Understanding (M oU) undertaken between Malaysia and Senegal in March 2017. On top of offering 10 scholarships for Senegalese students to study in Malaysia, the MoU aims to increase the number of student and lecturer exchange programmes between the two nations. Both agreements should help to enhance student mobility, particularly in an environment when students are choosing less traditional destinations to obtain their education. This trend was highlighted by Dato’ Seri Idris bin Jusoh, Minister of Education, in an opinion piece published by local media in May 2017. “ Various fac tors around the world today, including a challenging global economy and changes in geopolitical trends in the US and Europe, mean that international students are looking to pursue higher education outside of traditional destinations, such as the US, the UK and Australia,” he wrote. High-class appeal One development playing a key role in bolstering Malaysia’s higher education offerings is EduCity. A fully integrated education centre that stretches over 123 ha, EduCity hosts several private universities and branch campuses. The University of
The first cohort from Finance and Business Management at Henley Business School Malaysia at University of Reading Malaysia graduated
Reading is the most recent international addition to the EduCity hub, opening in March 2016. Enrolment at the branch campus is forecast to reach 2500 by 2024, with the UK-based University joining Malaysian branches of the UK’s Newcastle University and University of Southampton, as well as the Netherlands’ Maritime Institute of Technology. A new addition is also expected in September 2017, when the Management Development Institute of Singapore is scheduled to move from its current location in the city centre of Johor Bahru to a new EduCity campus currently being constructed. The influx of foreign universities aligns well with Malaysia’s aim to take advantage of growing globalisation in the job market, as skills learned in one country become marketable in many, according to Joanne Oei, Managing Director of EduCity. “It is important to understand that the job market and labour are becoming increasingly mobile and global,” she told OBG. “EduCity should prepare students to enter today’s global market.” Education windfall Attracting foreign students is a key goal in the National Education Blueprint for Higher Education 2015-25, which sets the target of hosting 200,000 by 2020 and
250,000 by 2025. Malaysia is well on its way to achieving the mid-term goal, with foreign enrolment at just under 173,000 at the start of this year, according to the Ministry of Higher Education. Hitting its 2025 target could generate significant revenue - the Ministry of Education estimates that foreign students bring in RM5.9bn ($1.4bn) each year, a figure that it says could more than double by 2020 as student numbers climb towards the 250,000 mark. Malaysia’s recent focus on improving higher education services has yielded some international recognition, with Kuala Lumpur ranked 41st globally and 8th in Asia in the 2017 QS Best Student Cities Index. The 2017 result, a jump of 12 places on the last year, was based on the capital city’s affordability, quality of education and multicultural appeal. Kuala Lumpur came in first on the affordability ranking due to its low cost of living and tuition fees, which averaged $2900 a year, much lower than in other prominent educational centres such as London ($21,400), Sydney ($23,000) and Boston ($46,800). While the city ranked lower on other indicators such as desirability (74th) and employer activity (59th), high levels of investment could spur improvement in these weaker facets of the country’s tertiary-level offerings. TI
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ortarboards flew in the air as the to financial markets. Currently, I am assisting first cohort of 20 students from to manage my father’s business at Seri Omega University of Reading Malaysia Private and International School,” said Dai Jing (UoRM) graduated at its campus when interviewed. Yonvindar Kanezin who completed in EduCity, Iskandar Puteri. The inaugural graduation ceremony the Finance and Business Management saw the cohorts who began their programme is now a Proprietary Trader at undergraduate programme in Finance and Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad and said Business Management at Henley Business that he has greater and deeper understanding School Malaysia and 9 Malaysian students of both areas in finance and business which completing postgraduate degrees at the he can confidently speak about along the growth of his career. - by Maressa Esa TI University of Reading in United Kingdom. Ooi Dai Jing was presented with EduCity Award for Outstanding Achievement with best overall results while Chief Executive of Iskandar Regional Development Authority, Datuk Ismail Ibrahim was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws. “Even though I have been abroad for a year, it was the best year I ever had because I learned a lot especially through the trading simulation sessions Chief Executive of Iskandar Regional Development Authority, that were compelling and it Datuk Ismail Ibrahim was awarded an Honorary Degree of gave me valuable exposure Doctor of Laws
Lending a Helping Hand
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n an effort to help those in need, employees from Amari Johor Bahru joined arms with Kechara Soup Kitchen volunteers on every Saturday for the month of July to help feed the city’s homeless. The hotel’s Executive Assistant Manager, Johann Ong and other department heads took turns to lend a helping hand to Kechara Soup Kitchen volunteers to distribute 150 boxes of food consisting of white rice and vegetables between 11:30pm and 1:00am every Saturday. “This is our first time that we are working Soup Kitchen since we opened our doors on 15 May this year. I am so inspired by the will of everyone here, to come together to help those in need. We shall continue to support Kechara Soup Kitchen in the near
News Reads
future and I hope that more organizations will come forward to render their assistance to the needy and homeless”, said Johann. General Manager, Wayne Lunt, added that Amari Johor Bahru will continue to organise several CSR activities. Social responsibility and community engagement are integral to Amari’s future and a vibrant part of our hotel’s culture. It reflects our sincere desire to make a difference in the lives of others where our hotel staff is encouraged to get involved in activities that address the social needs of the communities. Amari Johor Bahru is considered as a second home to our hotel guests, partners and employees. Hence, it is vital that we commit to invest in the communities where we do businesses through our corporate social responsibility activities. TI
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g checking out CEO of UMLand Seri Austin, KK Won tin Food Truck Aus Seri in ks the food sold at the truc Park
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ussing over dinner choices is a norm in our everyday life but fret not as we are going to help you solve that problem with a list of food trucks at Seri Austin Food Truck Park that will help you with your dining woes.
Truckin’ Food: Vol. Two
Fry N Furious
A list of what to look forward to at the new Seri Austin Food Truck Park
passed down t h r o u g h generations and with its spicy sambal, we are sure you will be in for a treat. Ranging from RM8 to RM9 they offer an affordable wholesome meal for you and your family.
with chips coupled with Chef Lan’s special black pepper sauce; a milder and sweeter version of the usual. With its hefty portions and tender juicy fillets, both adults and kids will enjoy it. Thinking of having a light dinner? Their Takoyaki is a perfect alternative, with its rich batter filled with sausages and topped off with generous servings of katsuobushi (fish flakes), giving it its trademark salty creamy flavours. Their price ranges from RM5 to RM8. Mak Jah Cafe
Fry N Furious’s crispy Mozzarella cheese sticks, a favourite with all ages
Fry N Furious, offers deep fried favourites from the fryer. Whet your appetite with their Crispy Mozzarella Cheese Sticks which are lightly breaded and fried. Explore new culinary boundaries with their Japanese Shishamo fish that are imported from Japan. Also breaded and deep fried to golden brown perfection, your first bite will be greeted by an acquired taste of cooked roe! Attracting a variety of customers, they serve affordable treats ranging from RM4 to RM7. Six Barrels & Co. Fancy Nasi Lemak? The Six Barrels food truck offers the Malaysian favourite with a selection of side dishes from aromatic Ayam Goreng Berempah, traditional Ayam Rendang and their specialty, Daging Dendeng. Hafiz of Six Barrels revealed the secret to their tasty Nasi Lemak is family recipes
Enjoy a non-typical side dish, Daging Dendeng with your Nasi Lemak, apart from the usual fried chicken at Six Barrels & Co.
Familia Kitchen
Mak Jah’s Penang Laksa is arguably one of the best RM5 per bowl laksa in town
Familia Kitchen’s Takoyaki topped off with generous serving of katsuobushi or fish flakes
Enjoy deep fried chicken chop, served
Featuring local noodle selections from Johor Laksa to its Penang counterpart, this F&B franchise started off with a café in Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai many years ago and now operating their first food truck for almost a year. Also featuring their treasured family recipes, Bob, the proprietor is also the head Chef in charge of preparing all the food up to his standards. Selling every meal at a flat price of RM5 per bowl, this truck’s offerings are highly recommended. Try their best sellers, Johor and Penang laksa today,
arguably the best tasting RM5 bowl of laksa you can get in town!
D’Coffee Truck Indulge in the passion of coffee by connoisseur duo, Wan and Azura at their small coffee truck, D’Coffee. Serving top quality imported Arabica beans from Columbia, each cup of coffee is brewed to order to ensure its freshness. We strongly recommend their flavoured latte and ice blended for a taste of real brewed coffee without a hefty price tag. Beverages sold here range from RM5 to RM12.50. These trucks are a part of the Johor Bahru Food Truck Association (JBFTA) ensemble, and they can be found at the Seri Austin Food Truck Park every Monday to Wednesday from 6pm till 12am. This Park is the first of its kind in Johor Bahru, attracting all walks of life and providing an alternative dining option to the Seri Austin community. “The park serves as a meeting point for the community here and it also promotes community integration,” said Safuan Yusof, Director of Urban Observatory, Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) who is a resident of Seri Austin. Chief Executive Officer of UMLand Seri Austin, KK Wong, is proud that Seri Austin is the first township in Iskandar Malaysia to introduce a Food Truck Park. “The food truck park is a part of our smart city, where they come to us, rather than the conventions of driving out for dinner, avoiding the expense of traveling and reducing carbon footprint,” said Wong. - by Hakim Malik TI
D’ Coffee Truck offering good coffee at affordable prices
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Row,Row,Row Your Boat
It’s a trending scene among the locals to have water vessels either for leisure or non-leisure purposes
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ver dreamt of owning a boat? We may have embedded in our minds that boating is associated to luxurious lifestyle but little known is that it’s now a trending scene among the locals to have any kinds of water vessels either for leisure or non-leisure (commercial and chartering) purposes. If you decide to own a boat and live the sea life, several matters would need to be taken into consideration such as the boat maker, if it’s brand new or pre-owned, where to berth, insurance and registrations, boat dealers, boat workshops, and more. Several yacht dealers are available namely Simpson Marine (Port Dickson), Sunseeker Asia (Singapore or Thailand), and Pen Marine Sdn Bhd (Penang) or you can opt for boat brokers in available marinas around Johor Bahru and neighbouring country, Singapore. As most marinas only accept sailboats and powerboats, determining which type to own should be at the back of your mind together with marine
knowledge and seamanship. If you love the rocky waves and crave for ‘Jack Sparrow’ kind of adventure, opt for sailboats but if you prefer to reach the next marina or fishing spot within a short period of time, powerboat would be a good selection. Now that you have p urchased o ne, several documentation and registration should be made under the Langkawi International Yacht Registr y (Registration of Yachts) Regulations, 2003 that is regulated by the Malaysian Marine Department which requires application of approved name form, copy of identification card for Malaysians or copy of passport for non-Malaysians, Application of Registry Yacht form, Declaration of Ownership form, Particulars of Yacht, pictures of the yacht, Bill of Sale/Sale and Purchase Agreement/Invoice (if applicable), Certificate of Registry (from previous registration), and Deletion of Certificate (if previously registered). Charges are applicable for the paperwork according to your boat specifications and registration
needs to be renewed annually. Just like how you purchase a car, get your boat insured just in case of any unforeseen circumstances that may occur by contacting QBE Malaysia, Allianz Malaysia, or Berjaya Sompo Insurance for physical loss and boat damages. As you are berthing your boat into Johor waters, foreignflagged vessels will need to produce its last port clearance and passport. You can dock at three main marinas in Johor, namely Puteri Harbour, Senibong Cove and Sebana Cove in Pengerang. Berthing fees apply according to boat length overall (LOA) either in daily rates as low as RM35 and up to weekly or monthly rates. If you’re planning to live entirely inside your boat, marinas in Johor are mostly equipped with electricity and water facilities. Once completing the boat owning process, it is time for your maiden sail but be aware that you should report to the local Harbour Master (Marine Department), Immigration Department of Malaysia and Royal Malaysian Customs Department if you
Senibong Cove Marina with sailboats and powerboats
are voyaging into international waters. As for local waters, you only need to clear in or out by reporting to the Marine Department and Royal Malaysian Customs Department. You can do the proper reporting by contacting the marina manager or staff for clearance to cut time. What happens if your boat is not in good shape? Head to Dalac Marine Engineering in Kampung Teluk Jawa for maintenance, travel lift and repair
works. Petrol or diesel stocks are also available upon advanced request before docking at its dockyard. Before you can say ‘Bon Voyage’, keep an emergency contact by dialing 112 from your mobile phone which will be directed to Malaysia Emergency Response Service (MERS) 999 that also covers Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency in case of troubleshooting issues. - by Maressa Esa TI
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Living in Harmony with Nature Luxury Villas Leisure Farm’s luxury villa collections is defined by the exclusive lifestyle at the Hamptons in New York, Beverly Hills in Los Angeles, and Nassim Hill in Singapore.
Serene resort living at Leisure Farm
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ocated at the heart of Iskandar Malaysia, Leisure Farm is an exclusive freehold gated residential resort development located near Gelang Patah. Established in 1991, the multiple award winning 1765 acres development by Mulpha International Berhad, offers the chance to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life for luxury indoor living while appreciating the exhilarating outdoors.
Luxury indoor living while appreciating the exhilirating outdoors
Aerial view of Leisure Farm
Strategically located 15km away from the Tuas Second Link bridge, Leisure Farm is a prime freehold property that offers easy accessibility to Singapore, Changi Airport, Johor Bahru CBD, and Senai International Airport. The pristine development boasts a 32,000 sqf clubhouse, a 23-acre Bale Equestrian and Country Club a 36-hole championship Porresia Golf Course which stretches over 280 acres, a natural mangrove forest, 50 acres of orchard and plantation including the awardwinning 22-acre Kayu Manis Orchard and Nursery. There are four community parks, 11 themed gardens, and barbecue spots placed around the development. Nestled within pristine forest reserves and canal waterways, Leisure Farm offers individual perimeter fencing, entrance gates as well as central monitoring security system coupled with 24 hours security services by professionally trained guards.
Black On White & Tier II Black on White is located in the Palm Grove Precinct while Tier II is nestled in Bayou Grove. The villas offer a stunning view of the surrounding lush verdant lands and are exquisitely designed to reflect modern tropical architecture. Each 4 bedroom villa is separated into open living quarters and private inner chambers. The villas come with a luxurious living room, family area, and a dining room which opens out to the swimming pool and pool deck. All villas come with a fully fitted designer kitchen with imported electrical appliances and professional wardrobe system.
Luxury Villa
Bridge & Court Located in the Merbok Springs and Victoria Meadow, these luxurious villas are perfectly built to provide contemporary elegance while co-existing in harmony with the natural surroundings. The generous 1-acre of land space provides homeowners the luxury of space to indulge in a variety of recreational pursuits. All villas also come with a fully fitted designer kitchen with imported electrical appliances and professional wardrobe system.
Designer Kitchen
Bale Club
What’s near? 17km away is the bustling town of Bukit Indah where there is an AEON shopping mall, Tesco and Giant hypermarkets. AEON Big hypermarket in Sutera Mall and Perling Mall in Taman Perling is not that far off either. Columbia Asia Hospital Iskandar Puteri and Gleneagles Hospital Medini are both located 15km away while Iskandar Malaysia’s Educity is 10km away. With all the facilities and surrounding amenities, Leisure farm is truly the ideal living haven.
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PROPERTY INSIGHT
Mah Sing Group launched the first phase of The Fern in Meridin East, at the Meridin East sales gallery in Pasir pg 24 Gudang PROPERTY
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RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS
APARTMENTS
VILLAS
CONDOMINIUMS
OFFICE/RETAILSPACE
Mulpha International Berhad’s Leisure Farm Offers the chance to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life for luxury indoor living while appreciating the exhilarating outdoors.
Read this article on our website
Seri Austin turns 12 Grand Celebrations by UMLand
Forest City Business as usual
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UMLand’s Seri Austin High Take Up Turns 12 for The Fern
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Maturing township over time
UMLand Seri Austin Chief Executive Officer, K.K. Wong (middle) and Johor Bahru City Council (Setia Austin Zone) Councillor, Ng Yew Aik (4th from left) during the cake cutting ceremony
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M L a n d ’s S e r i Austin township developed by D y n a s t y Vi e w Sdn Bhd received a grand celebration on its 12th anniversary in conjunction with Hari Raya celebration that saw over 500 people including its business partners, stakeholders, authorities and residents. After its opening since 2005, Seri Austin spread across 500 acres of freehold land, has attracted a community of 20,000 residents over the
years - selling a whole range of properties from apartments, cluster, semi-detached, and bungalows. “ We have over 2000 units of houses to be developed in six to seven years. In line with the anniversary, we have recently launched D’Lagoon which is a luxury residential development alongside a lake with two 20-storey towers of 204 luxury apartments and 58 threestorey landed strata villas,” said UMLand Seri Austin
Chief Executive Officer, K.K. Wong at the ceremony. Wong also announced that the developer is planning to develop another phase of affordable houses with a price range of below RM500,000 per unit by year end. As the township is the first in Johor with a designated bicycle lane that stretches along an eight-kilometer route, Wong said they will extend it up to more than 10km stretch in the future to encourage healthy living among residents. - by Maressa Esa TI
ah Sing Group (Mah Sing) launched the first phase of The Fern in Meridin East, at the Meridin East sales gallery in Pasir Gudang. The Fern is the third instalment of the Groups 1,313 acre Meridin East township, after successful launches of The Eden and Greenway. Both projects recorded a combined take up rate of more than 91% since its launch back in August 2016. The Fern also saw healthy demand from buyers as more than half of the total units launched
Johor’s Population Growth to Boost Home Demand
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Johor’s housing needs could still outstrip supply over time, given recent forecasts for the Malaysian state’s population growth”, said Su Baiyuan, Executive Director of Country Garden Holdings Company, responsible for overseas operations, to Oxford Business Group (OBG). An oversupply of residential units has slightly driven down property prices in Johor recently and prompted the government to put a freeze on new applications for high-rise developments. Su told the global research and consultancy firm that in longer term, with the population on course to more than double from its current level of 1.3m, the picture would likely change. According to Chief Executive Datuk Ismail Ibrahim of Iskandar Regional Development Authority, the Iskandar region alone needs 700,000 new residential units to meet a growing population, which is expected to reach 3m by 2025. “While it’s true that many large residential projects are being developed, one should also look at demand and ask whether the existing pipeline of supply is enough to meet future
requirements,” said Datuk Ismail. Country Garden, one of China’s largest property developers, is playing a key role in the development under way in Johor, specifically the vast, $100bn Forest City project, which will be rolled out across four man-made islands. The smart city venture will incorporate 700,000 new residential units, together with retail, commercial, leisure, business and corporate elements. Given the current dip in activity and slight decline in prices across the residential segment of Johor’s property market, Country Garden, like several other key developers operating in the state, has opted to focus on attracting businesses and targeting foreign buyers for now. Su told OBG that three decades of double-digit growth in China had created prime conditions for local companies looking to develop their operations, expand their business portfolios, accumulate know-how and build up their capital bases. “In this context, going overseas was a natural step for Chinese companies to diversify their operations, reduce risk and transform their large capital bases
over the weekend were taken up. Occupying 30.69 acres, the doublestorey link homes come with a land size of 18’ x 65’ with built ups from 1,622 square (sq) feet (ft). The Fern has a standard layout of 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms and is priced from RM430,750. The launch attracted over a thousand visitors, as the location is known to be well connected and has strong economic potential. The sales gallery held an open house over the weekend as guests were treated to a variety of festive meals and fun activities TI
By:
Country Garden Holdings Chief Strategy Officer Dr Yu Runze (left) with Oxford Business Group team (3rd and 4th right)
into productive assets world-wide,” he explained. OBG’s coverage of Johor will chart its efforts to attract investment for the Iskandar growth corridor, which is expected to top the target of RM27bn ($6.3bn) in 2017. There will be in-depth analysis of China’s role in galvanising the corridor’s development as part of its “One Belt, One Road” initiative, which aims to overhaul the region’s trading routes. The chapter will look in detail at Johor’s property market which, while not without controversy, has been a key driver of growth in recent years. The oil and gas industry, another major
contributor to the economy, will also be given wide-ranging coverage, alongside sectors that are seen as ripe for growth, such as education, transport and logistics. The Report: Malaysia 2017 will be a vital guide to the many facets of the country, including its macroeconomics, infrastructure, banking and other sectoral developments. The publication will contain a detailed, sectorby-sector guide for investors, alongside contributions from leading personalities. It will be available in print and online. Click here to subscribe to Oxford Business Group’s latest content: http://www.oxfordbusinessgroup. com/country-reports TI
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RM5bil to Finance 89 of PR1MA’s Executed Projects Nationwide Datuk Abdul Mutalib Alias, Chief Executive Officer of Perbadanan PR1MA Malaysia unveiled plans in June 2017 to raise RM5bil to finance 89 of PR1MA’s executed projects nationwide. These projects comprises of 89,449 units of homes with an estimated gross development value (GDV) of over RM23bil. PR1MA was established in 2012 and it had a mandate to build 500,000 units of affordable housing for the middle-income group with a monthly household income of between RM2500 and RM15,000. Besides PR1MA, other agencies and state local authorities are also mandated to provide affordable housing. Since land is a state matter, different states have varying criteria as to what constitutes affordable housing and illegibility of applicants.
Mah Sing to Buy Land for its Projects It has been reported recetly that Mah Sing Group Bhd has acquired two parcels of prime land in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur and Bukit Mertajam in Penang for integrated development and a business park respectively. The group said in a statement that it would acquire Cordova Land Sdn Bhd, which has an offer accepted by DBKL to purchase 11.233 acres opposite Courts Mammoth along Batu 2.5 Jalan Cheras, KL. The land is 1.8km from the Sunway Velocity Mall and will be developed into M Vertica, an integrated development with an estimated GDV of RM2.2bil. Meanwhile in Penang, the group acquired 10.89 acres of freehold land in Bukit Mertajam. The proposed projects would have an estimated combined gross development value (GDV) of RM2.35bil.
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Business as Usual at Country Garden
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ountry Garden Holdings Co Ltd posted a 131% increase in contracted sales to US$42.5 billion in the first six months reported
NST.
According to its statement, Country Garden topped the industry in terms of both contracted sales and contracted sales gross floor area. The latter rose 106% to 32.26 million sq m. The first-half sales numbers for Country Garden and the country’s two other top players, China Vanke and Evergrande Group, exceeded 200 billion yuan (US$29.4 billion). “Country Garden achieved relatively steady and strong results in the first half, with sales ranking first among all players in China for six consecutive months and average monthly sales reaching more than 40 billion yuan. “Undoubtedly, the company will be China’s sales champion for the full year,” according to a research report. Country Garden said several leading banks such as Citi and Deutsche Bank had given it a “buy” rating. Citi lifted its stock price target to HK$12 (RM6.60). Country Garden shares closed at HK$8.9 on July 7. Deutsche Bank said Country Garden was expected to continue rolling out new projects while maintaining strong sales performance for the rest of the year. This is based on its established market positioning not only in China’s fast-growing third- and fourth-tier cities
* Image is for illustration only
but also in the first and second-tier cities, coupled with the strong sales team, efficient management and high product quality. Country Garden’s share price has surged 105% since the end of last year and almost seven times the growth experienced by Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index. During their Media Raya Night celebration, Executive Director Datuk Md Othman Yusuf revealed that they they have sold 16,000 units to date. He also mentioned that at least 70% of locals were given employment opportunities with the developer and majority supply of materials used were also sourced from local suppliers. “We want locals to progress with us,” added Othman. Country Garden remains firm that the capital controls imposed by China is not affecting them as they are targeting the international market and not merely the mainland Chinese market. - The Iskandarian TI
Country Garden Pacificview Sdn Bhd Executive Director Datuk Md Othman Yusuf (filepic)
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Johor Setting Its Sight To Be World’s Leading Halal Food Manufacturing Centre - Part Two One-stop shop for halal businesses set to benefit from a global market for potential halal products estimated at US$2.3 trillion
D
uring the launch of Johor Halal Park’s (JHP) sales gallery in Pasir Gudang last year, Mohd Noor Abd Salam, Chief Executive Officer of UMLand J-Biotech Park Sdn Bhd., revealed that JHP has attracted significant interests from the domestic and overseas markets. They include Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, China, Turkey and recently the United States. So far, JHP said it is making great strides especially in neighbouring Singapore and Korea. “Taking the lead are countries like Singapore, Korea, China, Japan, Taiwan, the USA and Turkey. We are pleased that during a recent visit by the Korean Halal Business Association, they found that JHP has the right business model during their analysis. This, combined with our close proximity to the Singapore ports, has given us unparalleled advantages in the halal industry,” he said. Recently, JHP just secured its Halmas accreditation certification from the Halal Development Corporation (HDC) for its first phase development measuring some 103.75 acres. HDC is 100% owned by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) Federal Agency. Billion dollar industry According to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, in 2016 alone, Malaysia marketed some RM37.02 billion worth of halal products in South East Asia, the Middle East and China. This year, it is setting its target even higher at RM40 billion. With the Halmas accreditation, this makes JHP the fourteenth company in Malaysia to be awarded so and see it reach out to a very lucrative industry. Figures from MITI showed that the global market for potential halal products is worth some US$2.3 trillion. Recently, JHP scored a major coup when US based-company, Chocolat Moderne from New York, picked JHP as the manufacturing site to set up its first business in Asia.
Khalil Adis Khalil Adis was the former editor of Property Report and he has written for PropertyGuru, iProperty.com, Yahoo! Singapore/Malaysia and various newspapers. Renowned for his independent views and insights, Khalil has given talks at various expos and at property launches. He is also on the judging panel of the South East Asia Property Awards (Malaysia).
For this, Chocolat Moderne will get to enjoy a 10-year corporate tax exemption under JHP’s business incentives. The US firm is also set to enjoy speedy internet access. In February this year, JHP signed a collaboration agreement for the provision of Telekom Malaysia Berhad’s (TM) high speed broadband network infrastructure and UniFi services as well as TM’s Integrated Business Solutions at JHP. This agreement will enable property buyers and tenants, such as Chocolat Moderne, to enjoy immediate high speed connectivity and enhanced digital experience upon moving into their premises. “The demand for high speed and
quality internet services has accelerated in the country. Johor Halal Park has become technologically astute and requires access to always-on, high-speed data connectivity to cater to their investor needs. With this opportunity for access and aggregation of fibre network from TM, JHP will be able to obtain quick access to fibre infrastructure to support our future network capacity demands, in order to deliver affordable and high-quality internet connectivity,” said Mohd Noor. TI
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