Folio 2018 by Ameron Omar

FOLIO 2018

PROFILE I have work with newspaper publication in both daily and weekly editions for 10 years. Both with different style of work flow but with the same goal; to finish the job. Even in high pressure environment, I can still gather myself to deliver the best.

Date of Birth : 27 Sep 1984 Gender : Male Nationality : Malaysia

SKILLS

MOHD AMARUDIN MOHD OMAR Graphic Designer

CONTECT

ameron9@ymail.com +6017 373 1278 9-4-14, FLR 4, Block 9 Gugusan Dedap, Jln Merbah 11/1, 47810, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.

MAC PC PHOTOSHOP ILLUSTRATOR INDESIGN LIGHTROOM PREMIERE PRO AFTER EFFECTS DREAMWEAVER

OTHER INTEREST

Travel

Sketch

Hiking

WORK EXPERIENCE Apr 2008 to Oct 2012

Malay Mail Sdn Bhd Graphic Designer Experiences gained:

Working for a daily newspaper, I have learned to finish my design layout as fast as posible but at the same time, to maintain the integrity and to follow house style of the paper. This is to ensure that the design is in consistency. I have covered any news genres, from general news, entertainment, fashion, and sports.

Nov 2012 to Mac 2018

PERSONAL STRENGTH:

Good communication & writing skill in both Malay and English Self-learning and ready to learn Eye for new style and technical purposes in designing Able to work independently and in team Leadership charisma Sense of responsibility and humor Fast and efficient

Focus Malaysia Sdn Bhd Graphic Designer Experiences gained:

Focus Malaysia is a weekly business newspaper. With the publication, I have learned more on business graphics such as tables, line or bar chart, any style of infographics to aid the stories. At the same time, they also gave us opportunity to do other design work such as web images, logos, branding, flyers and booklet.

EDUCATION

Design & layout for print and Digital Media

Photography

Branding identity

video

Web & animation

Illustration & graphics

I have a Diploma Of Graphics Design major in Illustration and Packaging. Graduated on December 2007 from Polytechnic of Johor Bahru Qualification CGPA Field of Study Major Institute / University Graduated

: Diploma : 3.37/4 : Art/Design/Creative Multimedia : Digital Media, Illustration & Packaging : Polytechnic of Johor Bahru : 2007

FocusM

cover story December 1-7, 2012

English language factor

International school goldmine This niche education business is proving so lucrative that no fewer than 24 new schools are set to climb on the bandwagon IN LESS than five years, one of the niche areas of the education sector — international schools — has emerged as a hot multi-billion-ringgit industry in the country. It is proving to be so profitable that a host of companies are scrambling to get a slice of the pie. Demand for international education has snowballed with the number of international schools nearly tripling within a decade from just 29 in 2000 to 79 currently, with 24 more in the pipeline, according to the Ministry of Education. While the ministry is keeping mum on the identities of the drivers behind the new international schools, there is speculation that local private universities and colleges have started putting down their markers to become leaders in this area. For example, UCSI Group has the International School Springhill, which is estimated to cost RM100 million and can accommodate 1,200 students. This exclusive establishment is UCSI’s second international school with the first in Subang Jaya. Other prominent private institutions of higher learning which have

by JOSEPH WONG

photos by SHARIL AMIN

also invested in international schools include Taylors University and Sunway Education Group. Another education group which is making a huge investment in international schools is SEG International Bhd (SEGi), which operates SEGi University and SEGi Colleges. Group deputy managing director Lee Kok Cheng says its new RM200 mil international school which will be able to accommodate up to 4,000 students, will have full hostel facilities and be constructed on a 4.85ha site in Setia Alam, Selangor. “There is very strong demand for international syllabus, especially among parents who want to see their children go on to gain degrees from UK, Australia or America.” This uptrend is especially evident over the last three years, spurring tremendous growth in the market, particularly for those already established. The student population has tripled from 11,982 in 2006 to over 32,000 and the number is still growing. This niche industry has emerged as one that can generate billions of ringgit, says Margaret Kaloo, immediate past chairman of the Association of International Malaysian Schools (AIMS).

Such schools are seen as catering to the nation’s creme de la crème, the richest 5% who can afford the often enormous fees charged, enabling their children to enjoy the best educational programmes, perks and facilities. However, times are changing with international schools now catering to the upper-middle class, offering international syllabus at a far more affordable rate than their elitist counterparts. The turning point for the sudden rise of international schools came when the Ministry of Education began opening up the industry in 2006 with its 60:40 international-to-local student ratio. However, the true catalyst for the sharp growth came with the dispensing of that ratio a couple of years ago, said UCSI Group chairman Datuk Peter Ng. This means that international school operators can now open enrolment fully to Malaysians instead of having to reserve a proportion of places to internationals. These changes triggered an influx of local students into both established and new institutions. This is clearly evident in the tripling of student numbers, bolstered by locals who can afford the high fees.

Tuition Fees (years 1- 12)

Registrat Fee

Mon’t Kiara International School RM1,004,872

—DATUK PETER NG, UCSI GROUP CHAIRMAN

RM29,6

Registration Fee

RM29,000

TOTAL

Internat School o

RM810,2

TOTA

High-end (from RM500,000)

Mid-range (RM250,000 - R Name

Fairview International School (KL)

Admission Fee Registration Fee Tuition Fees (years 1- 12) Total

1,000 20,000 456,510 RM477,510

Affordable (less than RM25 Name

Mutiara International School

Admission Fee Registration Fee Tuition Fees (years 1- 12) Total

500 5,000 193,200* 198,700

Note: Estimated fees are in ringgit based on 2012-2013 fee * Figures in red denote up to Year 11 only

Growth of students in international schools

However, the true catalyst for the sharp growth came with the dispensing of that ratio a couple of years ago”

Cost of an intern

RM974,872

THE growth in international schools has also been driven by rapidly rising demand for English-medium schools in Malaysia, where the national curriculum is conducted in the national language Bahasa Malaysia. Kaloo, who is also ELC International School CEO, attributes the growth particularly to parents. “They want English. They see the value of English especially in the face of globalisation. They want smaller classes. They want more attention paid to their children. They want their children to be able to think, analyse and apply information, and not to keep quiet and not ask questions.” In today’s world, she says, it has never been as important as it is now to be articulate, noting that this was a major difference between government schools and international ones. “There’s no doubt that there are clever children... They may get 14As, but can they think? Can they analyse? Can they apply information?” Parents willing to fork out the hefty fees now have a wider selection of international schools to choose from. The majority of such schools are concentrated in the Klang Valley with Selangor having the most with 26, followed by Kuala Lumpur with 14. Penang and Johor have eight each and Sarawak and Negri Sembilan, four each. The remaining states have three or fewer with the exception of Kedah and Perlis, which do not have their own international schools yet. Education ministry figures reveal a nationwide total of 32,006 registered students in international schools as of 2012, of which 16,381 are international students. Selangor has the highest number at 13,122 but Kuala Lumpur, which has 10,717, has the largest student population based on student-international school ratio. Penang comes in third with 2,417 students. All the international schools are privately owned but not all private schools are international schools. Besides the 79 international schools in the country, there are 60 independent, 129 private, 61 Islamic and 14 expatriate schools.

Number of schools

Mad scrambl

LURED by the promise of h profits, organisations are sc to open more international Garden International School the largest with an enrolment 2,100 students, generated a of RM108.8 million in 201 the Mont’Kiara Internationa with 1,017 students, raked in million last year. The fees are certainly not so the average income-earner ca Tuition fees vary from one s the next, ranging from just RM a whopping RM90,678 per an the most elite institutions in t Valley. And this doesn’t even enrolment, admission or ap fees. These one-off payments as much as RM22,100. Most e ments also require refundable

mainstream

FocusM

cover story December 1-7, 2012

national school education Tuition Fees (years 1- 12)

RM550,890

tion

660

Tuition Fees (years 1- 12)

RM779,750

Registration Fee

RM20,000

RM11,500

British International School

tional of KL

Garden International School

Tuition Fees (years 1- 12)

RM678,716

RM572,190

RM691,216

260

TOTAL

AL Registration Fee

RM20,000

Nexus International School

Tuition Fees (years 1- 12)

Registration Fee

RM584,205

RM20,000

Tuition Fees (years 1- 12)

RM519,399

Alice Smith International School RM605,205 TOTAL

RM540,399 TOTAL

RM500,000) Australian International School

ELC international School

Maz International School

Tenby International School

1,000 20,000 385,515 406,515

500 4,500 258,000 263,000

n/a 8,000 248,970 256,970

500 3,500 291,550 295,550

Regent International School

Sayfol International School

Kinabalu International School

Lodge International School

500 3,000 165,000* 168,500

n/a 3,500 156,000* 159,500

200 300 87,623 88,123

n/a 500 80,640 81,140

50,000)

by Lim Cian Yai

CE Market-bound Johor-based furniture maker Wegmans Holdings Bhd is seeking to transform itself as a one-stop furniture solution centre by expanding its product offering to include living room and bedroom fixtures for the overseas market. Sales of dining sets have always been the bread and butter for Wegmans, making up over 90% of sales in financial year ended Dec 31, 2016. However, the company wants to seize new opportunities and enter new sub-segments to get a slice of the pie in the highly competitive furniture manufacturing sector. Moreover, demand for living room and bedroom sets is much higher compared to dining sets, says the company. “Eventually we want to shape Wegmans as a one-stop furniture provider for clients,” says executive director Collin Law Kok Lim to FocusM, explaining that living room and bedroom furniture have a greater product mix than dining sets. Dining sets mostly comprise tables and chairs. However, in the living room and bedroom furniture segment, the company can now provide a plethora of choices to customers via coffee tables, console tables, television cabinets, dressing tables, bed frames and wardrobes. Moreover, Law views the company’s expansion into the living room and bedroom segments as critical to its listing exercise. The size of the furniture export market was at RM9.5 bil in 2016, which can be considered a very lucrative market for Malaysian companies. Law is one of the co-founders of Wegmans along with managing director Keh Weh Kiet and Oon Leng Hin (who has since ceased to be a partner). Shares of Wegmans are slated to be floated on Bursa Malaysia’s ACE Market. The company is planning to launch the initial public offering prospectus on Feb 13 in Kuala Lumpur. Law and Keh are the promoters and substantial shareholders of the company. According to a draft prospectus released earlier, Wegmans plans to spend 75% of the IPO proceeds to construct a new manufacturing plant, showroom, management office and hostels.

FocusM | Feb 10-16, 2018

Furniture maker Wegmans seeks to extend product offerings • Wegmans to extend beyond dining sets to enter living room and bedroom furniture segments • Proceeds from its impending listing on ACE market to be used to build new manufacturing plant • The company currently exports to 11 EU countries and has more room for growth Upon full commissioning and commencement of the new plant, its total production capacity is expected to double from 480,000 units of chairs and 190,000 units of tables, to 960,000 chairs and 380,000 tables per annum. Presently it has no idle capacity to manufacture products for the living room and bedroom sub-segments as its existing three plants in Muar, Johor are already running at full capacity. Hence the listing exercise would enable the company to expand its manufacturing capacity significantly.

Cementing presence in Europe The planned listing will also provide the company with a shot in the arm to further extend its product mix. Once it moves into the two new furniture sub-segments, its product catalogue will be more appealing to a broader base of clients. Wegmans’ current clients are mainly wholesalers, retailers, chain stores and traders from 75 countries. The company’s four

omething an afford. school to M5,850 to nnum for the Klang n include pplication can total establishe deposits

ranging from RM1,500 to RM30,800. Parents considering sending their children to the most exclusive international schools might need to put aside close to a million ringgit per child for tuition fees for the entire duration from Years 1 to 12. Based on Mon’t Kiara International School’s 2012-2013 fees, the total tuition fees for a student’s entire 12 years at the school come to RM974,872. Parents should also factor in rising fees over time. Despite the high costs, demand for such schools is growing every year. This is driven in part by the increasing number of wealthy parents seeking places at English-medium schools, says ELC’s Kaloo. The government has recognised the importance of having a vibrant international school market, not just in terms of academic needs but also for economic reasons as the industry generates billions of ringgit each year. The scrapping

of the international-local student ratio was indicative of this pragmatism. The Education Ministry is encouraging more international schools to be set up under its proposed education blueprint. Apart from generating revenue for the nation, these schools reduce the need for our own students to study abroad. Regionally, demand for international schools also appears to be on the rise. Singapore, which has a population of about 5.2 million, currently has 20 international schools but unlike Malaysia, fewer parents have an adverse reaction to the quality of national schools. Thailand’s Association of International Schools has over 100 members. This surge in demand is driving rapid expansion in the sector, and is set to create ample opportunities for UK, US, Australian and New Zealand teachers wanting to work overseas in nations like Malaysia.

Company traces roots to Johor Wegmans’ origins can be traced back to Johor in 1994, when it was a supplier of furniture parts for wooden dining chairs and sofas to local furniture manufacturers. Being a subcontractor, it was posting thin profit margins as the competition is intense. At that time, it mostly manufactured products based on customers’ design and demand. However, after six years, Wegmans decided to strike out on its own by manufacturing and selling wood-based dining sets. “The plan was to grow Wegmans as a furniture manufacturer and exporter,” explains Law.

Strong ringgit

Law believes that with unique designs, Wegmans will be able to woo more clients in the EU region largest trading partners, from Japan, United States, Australia and the United Kingdom, account for about 67% of its total sales income. Wegmans also counts Japan’s home furnishing products retailer Nitori Co. Ltd as one of its key clients. Nitori procured RM15.37 mil worth of goods from Wegmans in FY16. For FY16, more than 98% of Wegmans’ RM85.63 mil turnover was generated through exports. It raked in a net profit of RM15.3 mil the same year. According to Law, its business in Europe has good potential for growth. According to him, Westerners normally change their residential furniture in tandem with the change in seasons and celebration of festivals. On the other hand, Asians who spend lavishly on bulk furniture items, do not have the culture or tendency to renew home décor items. “Design and decorate are part of their (Westerners) lifestyle and hobby,” says Law. Having said that, the company is not neglecting the emerging region. China is one of the top 10 countries it exports to, which contributed a revenue proportion

of 1.81% in FY16. Furthermore, Wegmans’ has also made inroads into the Philippines and Vietnam. So far, Wegmans has managed to export to 11 countries in the European Union (EU). However, exports to these countries, apart from the UK, have yet to contribute significantly to the company’s topline. This suggests that Wegmans has more room to grow in the EU market. Law wants to bolster its reach in the economic zone via more aggressive participation in key international trade shows like the Cologne International Furniture Fair in Germany and the Milan Furniture Fair in Italy. Law believes that with unique designs, it will be able to woo more clients in the EU. A quick check on Wegmans’ corporate website shows that its furniture features contemporary and the popular sleek Scandinavian design. “Elegant, simplicity and functional are the guiding principles of our design and development (D&D) team,” says Law. The D&D team is the brain factory behind Wegmans. It is tasked to improve quality and

es structure and do not include refundable deposit, boarding, transportation or miscellaneous costs.

handsome crambling schools. l, one of t of about a revenue 11 while al School, n RM67.1

design of furniture products, introducing new products in keeping with current market trends. Every year, the team develops about 50 to 120 new furniture designs, enabling the company to remain competitive.

Wegmans sees great potential in expanding its product line from dining room sets into the living room and bedroom segments of the furniture market

As an exporter, the company is easily affected by foreign currency fluctuations. As most of Wegmans’ sales are denominated in US dollar, exporter’s revenues will decline when the ringgit is strong. That may not sit well with shareholders who have high expectations on its business performance, as it is currently having to deal with the rise of the ringgit to the greenback. As a result, its product pricing is affected. “We have negotiated with clients and adjusted the product selling prices, ranging from a 3% to 8% increase in the coming months. But for new products in the pipeline, they will be based on a new pricing and costing structure to reflect current forex trend,” Law says, explaining that most exporting companies absorb some costs associated with forex trades. Also, a weak US dollar does not necessarily translate to lower revenue for Wegmans. “In the case of Japanese clients, they benefit from a strong yen against the greenback, costing them less when buying in dollars,” Law explains. “On the other hand, they have more room to spend and procure new products.”

FocusM

SME December 22-28, 2012 BLOOmBErg

FocusM | P&L

architecture&design

March 2-8, 2013

There is money in honey Export of honey fast catching up as multi-million ringgit industry honey is not listed as a priority in the government’s Agro Food Action Plan. However, various parties including entrepreneurs, universities, government agencies, cooperatives and a royal foundation are undeterred. They are inspired by honey bees and are contributing towards renewed interests in bee-keeping and bee-hunting especially in Malaysia’s East Coast states. Hunters seek honey from wild bee colonies whereas bee-keepers or apiarists keep their honeybees in boxes. One estimate by Associate Prof Dr Zachary Huang of Michigan State University in the US puts the value of crops pollinated by honeybees in the US at over US$30 bil (RM91.8 bil). He notes that prices of honey in Malaysia, which can go up to RM120 per kilo, are very good. “You will never get it in the US since the most expensive honey can only fetch US$20 per kilo,” Huang adds. The country’s natural honey production has risen 85 times in a decade, from 98 tonnes in 2000 to 8,548 tonnes in 2010. In fact, export of honey began to overtake import in 2009. Honey export was valued at RM38.1 mil and RM47.6 mil respectively in 2009 and 2010 while import was RM32.8 mil and RM31.3 mil respectively in the same period.

Lucrative business

Apiculture or the business of bee-keeping can be lucrative. Terengganu beekeeper Nor Ehsan Abd Rahman says the Giant B bee farm in Bukit Katil, Melaka used to generate sales of RM450,000 for its bee products in two weeks. In Melaka, 1kg of royal jelly is sold for RM480, says Prof Dr Mohd Mansor Ismail of the agriculture faculty at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). He is also laboratory

Kedah honey type

by Shukri rahman

PeRaK honey type

coconut

RM110

tropical forest, mango

RM95 RM100

SOURCE: Dr Mohd Mansor Ismail, UPM

TeRengganu

per kg

honey type

gelam

Sabah

per kg

honey type

SelangoR honey type

mixed flowers

RM120 per kg

Sek by Zea livi Ma ret eve an Sek pen som the som the to i wa hom the not wh rec pla to d the the

REtaIl PRICES OF naTuraL hOnEY

per kg

RM45 per kg

Acacia mangium

Architect Ng Sek San shares the philosophy behind Sekeping Retreats – the notion of ‘touching the earth lightly’

RM30 per kg

JohoR honey type

Reflecting on nature

pineapple

Sekeping Serendah

RM22 per kg

chief at the university’s Food and Agriculture Policy Research Institute. If the research findings by Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) in Kubang Kerian, Kelantan is anything to go by, more people are going to see ringgit signs when they talk about honey, which has over 180 complex compounds. “Our researchers have published findings on the positive anti-bacterial, antioxidant and immune-enhancing properties of pure natural honey. From our research, it shows positive effects on diabetic and hypertensive animal models as well as on cancer cell lines,” says Prof Siti Amrah Sulaiman of USM’s Pharmacology Department. USM has spent more than RM2 mil so far in honey-related research. Dr Wahizatul Afzan Azmi, an entomologist from Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT), has more good news for those who are keen on bee-keeping

or bee-hunting. Looking at the high nutritional value of honey produced by bees that consume pollen from certain tree species in mangrove areas, she says these areas should not be neglected or underestimated. “Instead of cutting [down] Melaleuca cajupati (gelam), acacia and other trees, there is actually huge potential for sustainable bee-keeping if we can properly utilise our existing natural resources. Interestingly some trees produce pollen all year round, and therefore bee-keeping need not be seasonal,” she adds. In any event, there is evidence of heightened bee-keeping and bee-hunting activities, at least in the East Coast. For example, the Department of Agriculture plans to designate Merchang in Terengganu as a bee-keeping zone, especially for extraction of honey from coconut and Acacia mangium (kayu akasia) sources. It is estimated that

SaRaWaK honey type

Acacia mangium

half of Malaysian honey-hunters are in Terengganu (about 1,000 of them), especially in Marang, Kenyir and Setiu. Besides, on one of the proposed island-hopping treats at the new-look Kenyir Duty Free Zone, there is an island which will have stingless bees of the Trigona species or lebah kelulut in Malay. The Malaysian Agricultural Research Institute (Mardi) is also developing a kelulut farm, gallery and chalets on the island. In a related development, five participants from the recent Asian Apicultural Conference in Kuala Terengganu are planning to set up a bee farm, most probably in Kematsu, Mentakab, Pahang. Needing at least RM250,000 to buy 50 hives of Australia’s Cerena species, the group’s spokesman Nawi Deraman says payback is expected to be within three months.  See also page 36

inding my destination tucked away on a quiet road in the posh Kuala Lumpur suburb of Bangsar, I make my way through a driveway paved with white stones, and walk up to the entrance of the unassuming office-cum-studio. I don’t see a doorbell on the sturdy-looking door, but as I turn to my right, I notice a huge cowbell for me to ring. How fitting, I think to myself. A warm smile greets me through a small peep window behind the bell. As I mention my name, she guides me on how to slide open the heavy door to allow myself into the office. The heavy door rolls open and reveals a gorgeous courtyard with a small fish pond and a tree with branches stretching skyward.

by Sumitra VaLLiaPPan Photos courtesy of SekSan DeSign

The unconventional office space has no walls, giving one a sense of borderless freedom. In the middle of what used to be an old hall stands a wooden staircase, perhaps made from a recycled railway sleeper. The sound of traffic coming from behind the house occasionally breaks the silence. The office space proper is located upstairs, where designers are busy at work. This is 67 Tempinis 1, an old house turned office space for Seksan Designs and I am there to interview Ng Sek San, architect extraordinaire and the man behind the much publicised Sekeping Retreats and KL Performing Arts Centre, among many other creations. A nimble man dressed in casual trousers and an easy top with

his unruly hair kept beneath a beret walks down the stairs to greet me. Sek San was trained as an engineer, but later went on to pursue architectural landscaping in New Zealand where he spent 12 years of his life. Growing up in Ipoh, the tin-mining town with lush greenery and limestone hills gave Sek San his first glimpse of what was in store for him career-wise in the years to come. Sek San returned to Malaysia in 1994 and founded Seksan Design, a landscape architecture practice that has managed to bring to most of its commercial projects a hint of artistic play. Among the talented designer’s first few commercial projects is the Entrance Plaza at Cyberia Smart Homes, Cyberjaya.

wh loc hou mu of t fou Ser one hou The to t me vill

ope Ser nat env kep fitt ord and loo exp

slice of simplicity

k San, who was much influenced the way things were built in New aland, aimed to promote the idea of ing harmoniously with the land in alaysia. What started as a weekend treat in the forest of Serendah entually became more than just experimental project, with more keping retreats built around the ninsula. “Sekeping Serendah wasn’t mething that fell on my lap,” says e soft-spoken designer. “It was mething I had actually looked up in e classifieds section of the newspaper identify the land where I would ant to start building my weekend me,” he continues. Sek San shares e philosophy behind it all – the tion of “touching the earth lightly” here one takes care of the land and it ciprocates in turn. “When I saw the ace, it was perfect and what I wanted do was to just have an ‘extension’ to e natural beauty without overkilling e place,” says Sek San. The quaint foothills of Serendah here the first Sekeping retreat is cated contains two extensive glass uses, two timber Malay houses, two ud houses and the latest acquisition two timber-framed ex-cast iron undry warehouses. Sekeping rendah is located near the sleepy e-street town of Serendah, about an ur’s drive north of Kuala Lumpur. e drive time from Serendah town the retreat is about five minutes, eandering past two Orang Asli lages. The well-placed glass panes and enings in the sheds in Sekeping rendah allow one to enjoy the tural beauty of the surrounding vironment. They are intentionally pt simple and free from luxurious tings. “The idea here is to take dinary things we take for granted d turn them into something that oks and feels like a million dollars,” plains Sek San. If the look and feel

FocusM | P&L

March 2-8, 2013

FocusM | P&l P&L April 27May 3, 2013

Ng Sek San is currently on a three-year sabbatical and is focusing his efforts on building an orphanage in Mae Hong Son, a town northwest of Thailand

of the Sekeping Retreats were to be taken into consideration, they should definitely be given a place among the world’s most luxurious guesthouses. Sek San’s ability to take something as simple as a wire mesh and turn it into a chair (which is a signature item when one steps into a Sek San-designed property) tells of his philosophy when designing something. “I believe every material has a soul,” he explains. “For example, why bring across a log of wood from Italy when you can get not the same but an equally beautiful piece right here in our own backyard?” he adds. With globalisation, Sek San notes how the whole world has now come to look very “common”, citing examples of cross-country trades such as Italian furniture now sitting in Singaporean households and Balinese doors adorning the passageways of upmarket homes in Malaysia. The rebel in him insists that Malaysia is a land of rich and abundant materials, sadly not put to good use as developers these days tend to look abroad for installations and fittings. “When I had Sekeping Serendah on my mind, it was more of an offbeat idea to demonstrate that we do not have to cut and fill while trying to develop something,” he says. “It was a personal experiment to show the big boys that we can actually build around the things God has given us, instead of chopping down hills and cutting trees – all in the name of development,” stresses Sek San, the topic obviously something he keeps close to heart. He relates a story where he was once called to assist in developing an “eco park” where the developer wanted to build homes and attract butterflies and bees – but not have snakes, caterpillars and other creepy crawlies. “How does one do that when the vegetation around it is axed and the circle of life is disrupted?” asks Sek San, who gently turned down the project as he couldn’t convince the developer to see things his way.

new form of digital money that’s not a coin in the physical sense, and involves complex mathematical equations on the internet has been getting a lot of media buzz of late. Known as Bitcoin, just last week its wildly gyrating trading price went from US$266 to US$105 to US$160, all within a span of six hours, giving rise to suggestions that it could be just a flash in the pan. That may be so, but the emergence of Bitcoin has prompted a renewed debate over what money really is, and indeed the very purpose of money in society. Is money essentially any kind of currency that can be used to buy and sell? Is something deemed to be money as long as it’s recognised as such by a particular group of people, thereby giving it value and legitimacy? If the answer to both questions is yes, then Bitcoin is indeed money. But you would be hard-pressed to find an economist who would term it as such, the contention being that this digital money is not state-issued or backed by any government, nor is its origins and how it actually works fully known. Yet, it can’t be denied that Bitcoin is being traded and used to buy stuff, albeit mostly contraband items. In the end though, questions over whether Bitcoin can be considered as money is perhaps less interesting than the reasons behind its creation in the first place. For some, it’s the larger political, historical and even philosophical questions surrounding money that’s the really fascinating part.

Sekeping Keng Hong in Ipoh

Take Cho Chun Loong for instance. A member of the Malaysian Numismatic Society, Cho has been enamoured with old coins and bank notes since he was a child. It was an interest that turned him into a serious collector of colonial period and post-independence money, a collection that he has accumulated through local and international auctions. Ask him why he loves collecting old money and he puts it down to the fact that “you are holding a piece of history, something of a bygone era that once was”. Indeed, if you wish to track Malaysia’s evolutionary development from a series of small Malay kingdoms into a consolidated state that includes Sabah and Sarawak, one way to do it is through the money that’s on display at the Bank Negara museum, now housed in the fancy Sasana Kijang building in Kuala Lumpur. As you

- MICHAEL J SANDEL

Cho Chun Loong, an avid numismatist with part of his coin collection

The Winklevoss twins are among the biggest holders of Bitcoin

local Kelantanese to currency is still in c remains unrecognis bank and continues contention between government and fe

Philosophical surrounding

On the money trail

What is money and who should decide its function and use? A recent internet phenomenon is prompting a revisiting of that question. While money is often viewed merely as a medium of exchange or means of payment, it also reflects the politics and culture of the day

Money as social history

When I saw the place, it was perfect and what I wanted to do was to just have an ‘extension’ to the natural beauty without overkilling the place.” – Ng Sek SaN

Do we want a society where everything is up for sale? Or, are there certain moral and civic goods that markets do not honour and money cannot buy?”

legal tender

By SC MurugaSu Photos By Sharil aMin abdul rahMan

Minting tools used in the old days

make the rounds of the numismatic gallery there, you can’t help but notice the sheer range and diversity of money that was once in circulation up until the late 19th century, a reflection of the fact that the issuance of money in this region wasn’t always seen as the sole purview of the state. For while the royal households did in fact mint money, the latter was often also issued by rich merchants, plantation owners or other notable individuals, their reputation in the local area acting as surety, similar to the role currently played by that of a central bank. Upon close inspection, the markings on the coins on display at the museum all have stories to tell. For instance, the ones issued by Johor and the Melaka sultanate, that dates back to the 15th century. The Arabic inscriptions on them reflect the region’s turn to Islam and the adoption of minting technology, now prevalent in today’s money. Some squarish-looking coins with the profile of England’s King George VI on them from the year 1939, tell another story.

It signals the moment just before WWII when currency in Malaya became standardised with the creation of the Currency Board of Malaya. And perhaps more importantly, the early signs of the country’s road to independence. The actual invention of money itself though, of when it was first used by humans remains rather opaque. We do know that even before money came into being, there were elaborate credit systems devised by ancient civilisations such as by the Sumerians of Mesopotamia, where as far back as 3,500 BC debts while calculated in silver, were not required to be paid in kind. Instead, peasants who owed a debt to the temple or palace could pay it back with barley, goats, furniture, basically anything that was deemed useful. The widespread use of coins it turns out, came much later between 600 and 500 BC, and arose separately but around the same time in three different parts of the world – the great plains of northern China, the Ganges river valley of Northeast India and the land around the Aegean Sea. Why personalised credit systems gave way to precious metal coins and later paper notes wasn’t so much due to the discovery of minting which had been discovered centuries earlier. Rather, it was the coin’s anonymity and expedience in times of war, when looting and theft was widespread. As David Graeber, the author of a book that traces the history debt over 5,000 years notes: For much of human history, an ingot of gold or silver, stamped or not, has served the same role as the contemporary drug dealer’s suitcase full of unmarked bills: an object without a history, valuable because one knows it will be accepted in exchange for other goods just about anywhere, no questions asked.” Which brings us back to Bitcoin. Besides its untraceable character, there’s a political element to Bitcoin’s creation as well.

The politics of money

In countries the world over, the central bank is the only authorised issuer of currency, with Malaysia’s own mint located in Shah Alam. Not everyone however, agrees with the state’s sole control over the issuance and circulation of money. When it was recently revealed that among the biggest holders of Bitcoin were the Winklevoss twins (their holdings are said to be valued at US$11 mil), best known for their successful legal suit against Mark Zuckerberg for allegedly stealing the Facebook idea from them, one of the twins gave the following rationale for their plunge into the Bitcoin world. “We have elected to put our money and faith in a mathematical framework that is free of politics and human error.” The key term here being “free of politics”. Even though it’s not known exactly who is behind Bitcoin, there does seem to be some credence to reports that suggest that the computer programmer who created it in 2009 did so in response to the 2008 global economic crisis and the perception that it was the states’ overreaching influence and manipulation of the financial system and of currencies that were largely to blame for the biggest economic downturn since the 1920s. In fact, the Winklevoss’ way of thinking has a long history and tradition rooted in libertarianism or liberalism, a political ideology that goes back to 17th century Western Europe. As a political doctrine, libertarianism subscribes to the belief that there should be as little government involvement/interference in a citizen’s day to day life and that human beings should exercise the maximum amount of individual freedom. This includes freedom over which, if any, currency to use. With libertarian websites abound on the internet, an indication that as an ideology at least, it refuses to die. Here’s what one libertarian website has to say about the use of

money. “The free market can best decide what can be used for currency and has true value. As long as the government maintains a monopoly over money, that currency must be backed by resources with actual material value.” The website goes on to state that the Gold Standard should be reinstated and that the Federal Reserve [America’s Central Bank] be abolished. Closer to home, we find other politically-motivated reasons behind the disavowal of state-issued money, namely when another political entity wishes to assert its own authority by issuing its own money. Such was the case in 2010, when the government of Kelantan essentially appointed its own mint, Kelantan Gold Trade Sdn Bhd and came out with the gold dinar and dirham, which it encouraged

Philosophers like Sandel are critical of the fact that we have become a market society, where everything has a price tag

But are economists ideologues the only important to say ab so argues philosoph professor Michael S laments what he vi from a market econ society over the las In his best-selling b Can’t Buy, he notes everything has a pr family life, friendsh health, education, n citizenship, sport, e are important ques ourselves about thi Sandel. Questions s want a society wher for sale? Or, are the and civic goods tha honour and money Australian philo Walsh and author o Money, is also study and ethics of buyin specifically of huma material, as well as markets on essenti an interview with P wrote: “We need to ground between th reject money altoge who think that its u creates no moral pr While we cannot do (its existence bring benefits), we also n to ensure that vario monetary exchange key elements of hum While he acknow economists, particu favour of free mark so far dominated pu money, he remains society’s ability to s “I think, at a very b intuition that not e be for sale remains conviction for most

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