112 APRIL 2016
MAKE UP BY PHYSICIANS FORMULA
FREE AT ALL CAMPUSES
CARBON FOOTPRINT
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CHILD MARRIAGE
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M A L AY S I A’ S F I R S T E A R T H S H I P
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U N P L U G G E D : I L I & R AY
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CONTENTS
FEATURES
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feature
EARTHSHIP – BENEFICIAL TO ALL, BUT NOT NECESSARILY SUITABLE FOR ALL
Here’s an interesting concept - living in a home that is both comfortable and sustainable, using only limited resources. Sounds far-fetched? It’s not. Read all about the first Earthship in Malaysia.
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Unplugged
THE ILI-EST RAY OF SUNSHINE
Meet the duo who are complete opposites but have come together for the love of music.
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career chat
YOUNG INVENTOR WITH AN ACTIVE LIFESTYLE
It’s not every day you meet someone who has her name literally carved on the universe. This dynamic girl who has an asteroid named after her, is all out to make a difference on the environment. She was also a speaker at the TEDxYouth last year. Faye Jong, is nothing but inspirational.
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beauty buzz DOWN TO EARTH
Worried if some of your skincare products might damage the environment and your skin? Not to worry, as we have listed our month’s special products that are both eco-friendly and safe to use. 2
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COVER STORY
MORE THAN JUST A PRETTY FACE
Kiran Jassal, our newly crowned Ms Universe Malaysia 2016 exudes confidence and dynamism but more importantly, she’s humble and grounded. Read all about her passion, vison and her contribution towards the environment.
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CONTENTS
FEATURES
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REGULARS
wanderlust
A GOOD THAI-ME TO EXPLORE (BANGKOK EDITION)
There’s always something interesting about Thailand no matter how many times you visit. Campus Plus was invited once again to soak in the beauty, culture, shopping and the lifestyle of this majestic country by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). Kamil Haziq captured Thailand’s stunning beauty through his lens.
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wired up
PLUG INTO THE FUTURE OF TECH
News ............................................. 08
Where all the latest gadgets reside.
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Movies....................................... ... 25
chow down
Beauty Case.................................. 39
HEALTHY AS A SALAD, EASY AS A PIE
Check out this month’s recipe, specially brought to you by our intern Rebaqah. She took the trouble to cook two simple recipes that were healthy, easy and delicious. But the photoshoot and the sampling of the food were the best part!
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Music............................................. 22
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Guys’ Stuff.................................... 44 Fashion Buzz................................ 46 Off the Shelf................................. 49
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Weird Wacky World ..................... 60 Anime ........................................... 61
SIGHTS & INSIGHTS FROM THE EDITOR
takenote
april 2016
FROM THE EDITOR
EDITORIAL
THE TEAM Mac Sivanesan
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There is a stream that meanders through the forest in its own sweet time, in its own sweet way. It’s a thread of water, narrow enough to leap over, modest in the grand scheme of nature and enjoyed by the residents of the forest. Now imagine this – the stream that meanders in its own sweet way, is now full of hard, dried mud with aluminium cans and rubbish strewn all over. Soon, this beautiful stream complementing the lush green forest will only be a figment of our imagination. The environment is arguably the most important global issue of our time. If we destroy it, we destroy ourselves. Humankind is inescapably dependent on air to breathe, water to drink, food to eat and fuel for warmth and energy. Our technological and industrial practices seriously threaten to degrade or even exhaust these vital natural resources, at the risk of catastrophe for ourselves. Celebrating Earth Day on April 22 is not just about leaving the lights switched off for a couple of hours, it’s to consciously and continuously make a difference. So go on, do something; anything today. You could plant a tree, make a meal with locally-grown vegetables, clean up and separate trash in your neighbourhood. Remember, you don’t have to wait for Earth Day to show your love for the planet we call home. Here’s an interesting read, the first Earthship in Negeri Sembilan – one of its kind in Malaysia. Who knew this concept of living is possible. Don’t forget to check out our cover story on page 28. Our newly crowned Ms Universe Malaysia Kiran Jassal shared her thoughts on the environment and her life. For the highlight, flip to page 56. We challenged our intern Rebeqah to cook a simple and healthy meal for us. She passed with flying colours. The dishes were not only simple and easy to cook, it was delicious!
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campusnews
THE LATEST FROM YOUR CAMPUS
APRIL 2016
Taylor’s College CAL Envisioning Careers Doing its bit to help with the current unemployment rate among the Malaysian youth, Taylor’s College hosted its first Cambridge A-Levels (CAL) Career Day with its theme of Envisioning Careers where they aimed to help students see future employment possibilities available to them through education and featured leading industry professionals, as speakers who shared their excitement about their respective professions. The prominent speakers included Prince Court Medical Centre CEO Dr Chong Su-Lin, PEMANDU Director NKRA (Edu), NKEA (Edu), & SRI (HCD) YM Tengku Nurul Azian, and Shell Ethics, Compliance, & Governance Manager – Finance Operations Brian Phuang.
Students of the One Academy Shine! Having accumulated 12 top awards in the International Art & Design Competition 2016 in Florence, Italy recently, the students of The One Academy’s School of Interior Architecture & Design once again proved themselves to be worthy adversaries in the global creative field of design. The competition’s main objective was to promote Italian Art and foster talent in new artists. Contestants were required to submit entries that embody the culture of their own countries to accommodate the theme ‘Arts and Cultures of the World: Introduce a Flavour of Your Own Country’.
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campusnews
THE LATEST FROM YOUR CAMPUS
APRIL 2016
IKBN Students Graduate Mercedes-Benz Malaysia’s Apprentice Training Centre Mercedes Benz Malaysia presented 11 students aged 19-25 from the National Youth Skills Training Institute (IKBN) with certification of completion following a successful training stint at its Apprentice Training Centre in Shah Alam. They underwent a three-month intensive product and systems training which included both theory and practical aspects and they acquired soft skills through their retail experience in a workshop environment as well as training in maintenance repairs, electrical, trouble-shooting and other relevant topics. The programme was the result of a year-long discussion and preparation between Mercedes-Benz Malaysia, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and IKBN.
Basketball Game The rising stars of UCSI University’s basketball team showed what they were made of in a game against the Westport Malaysia Dragons who currently led the 2015/16 ASEAN Basketball League that was hosted by the university at their campus in Kuala Lumpur. While the final score was 56-82 in favour of the visitors, there were no losers, as team UCSI’s basketball coach Vitalii Goncharenko noted that the varsity team gained some insightful experiences against Malaysia’s best basketball team. Under the guidance of Goncharenko, who had been a professional basketball player in the Ukrainian Basketball Super League at the height of his career, UCSI’s basketball team has grown and flourished. It was the first time the Dragons had a varsity team as a sparring partner and the Dragons’ presence on campus was a boost to UCSI’s efforts to promote sports and holistic learning. 10
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THE LATEST FOR YOUR WORLD
APRIL 2016
lifestylenews
More Great Deals Celcom’s new deal — the New FIRST™ Gold for postpaid users and NewPhone™, is said to be a great deal. The former has its heavy perks— unlimited calls and texts to all networks, 10 GB of Internet usage per month and free unlimited Yonder music. Those who have signed up for the New FiRST Gold and FATTNET (an Xpax deal released specially for Chinese New Year) are eligible to join Celcom’s Millions of Giveaways. The second plan, NewPhone™, is the first deal of its type in Malaysia. For a fee from as low as RM55 every month, you get a brand new phone and you get to exchange it in another 12 months! Here’s the catch: There aren’t any.
1st Asian JD Sports Fashion Outlet Opens at Sunway Pyramid British retailer JD Sports Fashion has opened their first outlet in Asia at Sunway Pyramid, Petaling Jaya. With more than 800 stores located primarily in the UK, Netherlands, France, Germany and Belgium, it enters the Asian market with 30 years of experience in sports fashion retail. Dubbed as the ‘King of Trainers’, JD Sports Fashion carries brands like Adidas Originals, Nike, New Balance, Converse, Lacoste, Fila, Timberland, EA7, The North Face, Supply & Demand and Asics as well as exclusive sneakers designed specifically for the retailer by leading designers. The ‘King of Trainers’ shield was also unveiled at the launch as a part of the launch gambit.
MAR 2016 | CAMPUS PLUS |
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lifestylenews
THE LATEST FOR YOUR WORLD
APRIL 2016
honor Launches Band Z1, 5x and 7 Enhanced Edition honor has launched its first smartband as well as two new phones at The Glass House in Seputeh, Kuala Lumpur recently. The Band Z1 which is the perfect accessory for active and trendy users on-the-go has a subdued and understated look, the 5x which is a meticulously designed metallic device that features a 5.5-inch 1920 x 1080 pixels Full-HD display and a second-generation frame-free metallic fingerprint reader, and the seven enhanced edition which is an updated model of the 7 and now features 32GB of built-in storage, EMUI operating system version 4.0, as well as a Charging Adaptor.
SongkRUN Live in KL 2016 The world-famous SongkRUN by Biotherm is set to land in Malaysia on the 3rd of April and the excitement filled the air as this water fun run with music festival will be the first in our country. SongkRUN was launched in early March by the founding company, Six Foot Yellow Worldwide (SYF), with a vision of offering an outdoor cross cultural fitness event for Malaysians to bond with their loved ones. Sepang International Circuit in Putrajaya is expected to be filled with eight thousand participants ready to take part in this un-competitive fun run. Participants will be splashed with water and blasted with good music to dance along whilst keeping fit all day long. 12
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Calling All FOX & Breakout Fans! With all of the excitement over the X-Files series being back again after 13 years as well as other FOX favourites such as The Walking Dead, Marvel’s Agent Carter and brand new Second Chance, fans were able to experience a slice of real-live action from their favourite shows at Code Name: FOX. It is the first-ever FOX themed Breakout Room in South East Asia at the Nu Sentral Shopping Centre in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur. During the game, players were given the opportunity to take on their first covert mission as part of the Strategic Scientific Reserve (SSR) under the orders of Howard Stark, to investigate off-limit zones where crucial information is contained about extraterrestrial life. The FOX themed Breakout Room was opened to visitors from 23 January to 23 February 2016.
On The Search for “Bintang Bliss” The first ever reality series Projek Bliss Transformasi Diriku, is on a search for the first “Bintang Bliss”. The concept of the show is inspired by a viral video posted online by Malaysian YouTuber, Daiyan Trisha, who decided to record herself removing make up from her face to reveal her true self. The ingenuity led to a collaboration between our local artist, Siti Saleha and Nestle Bliss to launch this new show that inspired transformation with inner health. Eight finalists will be able to participate in this beauty and health boot camp led by three mentors consisting of a fitness trainer, nutritionist and Siti Saleha herself. The prizes, a total of RM77,000 including a grand prize of a trip for two to Paris. Projek Bliss will be broadcasted on Astro Gempak digital portal in May 2016. APR 2016 | CAMPUS PLUS |
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feature
by eusoff andrei
W
LIVING GREEN
APRIL 2016
hile the word ‘Earthship’ may ring a distant bell somewhere in the back of our minds bringing a vague definition of what it means, most of us may not know for certain what it is. Well to put it simply, an Earthship functions very much like a spaceship as it is possible to live in it for a long period of time in various climates without needing to be plugged into a power grid for electricity or hooked up to pipes for water. The key difference, as you may have guessed by now, is that an Earthship was created for use on planet Earth and not in outer space. An Earthship, a passive solar house, is made of both natural and recycled materials. Basically, this means that its windows, walls, and floors are designed to collect, store and distribute solar energy as well as reject solar heat depending on the requirements of the climate. The construction of the first
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Malaysian Earthship in Negeri Sembilan started on 26th October 2015 and is scheduled to be completed in April this year. In conjunction with our Earth issue, we spoke to Ruben Cortes, the man who brought this already widespread invention to Malaysia.
Where does the concept of an Earthship comes from? The Earthship was conceptualised by Michael Reynolds, an architect who gave up his license
because one of the things he said is that architecture is useless the way we know it – it focuses a lot on aesthetics and creating things that are beautiful but they’re not good for people and the environment. What is the point of a comfortable house but everything that you do is polluting the planet and you have to pay for it? Your house doesn’t give you energy, water or a nice stable temperature and you have to plug in everything such as air conditioning in hot countries and heat in cold countries. He created Earthship Biotecture. The concept is focused on observing nature, learning from nature and imitating it. So I went to the US and I learned how to build an Earthship.
Where did you learn about Earthships? The academy is in New Mexico. About 25 years ago when Michael first started doing this, he got into a lot of trouble because he was doing many things which
How exactly do you make a living by doing this? We’re a social enterprise. The construction site is not our profitable site and this allows us to keep our price low. What we do as a social enterprise is that we have a model which is profitable and that’s the consulting part of our business. We also work with hotels and private schools. These are the guys who are really keeping us going, financially. We don’t make money out of the poor people. It’s a bit of a Robin Hood model. We also do what we call shared savings: Let’s say that you’re a five star hotel, I’ll tell you that I can help you reduce your environmental footprint which will in turn reduce your cost. So, if you’re spending RM2 million a year on electricity and if I tell you I can reduce that by 20%, our fee will be 10%.
How exactly do you help hotels reduce their environmental footprint?
were not regulated like sewage treatment on site, rain harvesting to provide drinking water and producing one’s own electricity without being plugged into the grid which were illegal in New Mexico. So he had to go through a long legal process and today, not only is it legal, he also has an academy where people from all over go to in order to learn how to reproduce the system. I was there about two and a half years ago.
Why Negeri Sembilan? They found me, to be honest. The project is being sponsored by a network of guys who have had other social projects before and have done a few things with the Orang Asli. One of the things that I always explain to people is that I don’t build for people, I build with people especially when it comes to community projects. The main goal is not to build for them, but to teach people who really needs it, how to replicate the system. That’s one of the main objectives of the project as a whole.
It’s often more about the software than the hardware. We spend more time on training people in terms of minimising consumption rather than telling them that they need to invest in solar panels, new water pumps and new pipes. We look at training people just to see how to implement systems in a way where they can do exactly what they’re doing in a more efficient way so they consume less water, less energy, less plastic or less styrofoam. It is very important that we quantify everything. Very often, one of the things we sell very well is the systems, because people don’t tend to quantify waste, for example.
With the rising cost of property right now, especially in KL, do you think it would make more sense to just start building Earthships compared to buying houses to live in? We believe Earthships are good for everybody but not everybody’s good for Earthships. I don’t think that Earthships are the solution to everything but I do think that they are a very good option if everybody joins the wave to change. The biggest problem is with mentality. The best way to build an Earthship is to start from scratch – have a piece of land and start from zero. If I were to attempt to
transform a house in PJ into an Earthship, it would be doable but it would probably be three times more expensive than starting from scratch. To build an Earthship you would probably have to buy a piece of land outside of the city and many are not willing to sacrifice the comfort of living in the city and the perks that come with it. An option would be to start retro fitting places like buildings – making them more efficient in terms of temperature, water usage and sewage treatment and that’s a part of what we do with the consulting side, we take existing buildings and we make them work more efficiently.
For one person, at the bare minimum, how much would an Earthship cost? A full Earthship, big enough for two families and a community centre for 50 people like the one we are currently building in Negeri Sembilan, will be completed with a budget of RM120,000 – and they never have to pay for water and electricity unless t h e y were to o n e day
Still under construction
decide that they needed to have air conditioning. For one person, taking into account the price of land, I would say it would cost about RM50, 000, all in.
How has the reception been in Malaysia to Earthships & retro fitting? To be honest it’s been a little slow because people don’t believe you until they see it. They’ve heard about the Earthships and they know that they’ve been built all around the world in very different kinds of weather and they perform but people here are sceptical. In a way, that’s one of the things that this project in Negeri Sembilan is already doing. We get
curious visitors who can’t believe that we have a room at 23°C, when its 39°C outside, without any kind of air conditioning. It will be open to visitors but only to a certain extent as it will be two private houses at the end of the day. We want as many people as possible to visit the site but we don’t want everybody because not everybody goes with good intentions. At the end of the day, it’s going to be a private property and the Orang Asli who are residing there will decide what to do with it. We did agree in the beginning to open it mainly for schools where we could conduct workshops in there and explain how we deal with the water, sewage and everything but we’ll do it in an organised way.
What is the biggest drawback of an Earthship compared to conventional housing? The Earthship takes care of you but you have to take care of the Earthship. For example, your water is recycled and to recycle the water you need plants so you have to take care of your
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plants, you have to take care of the system, you have to take a look at your batteries every now and then, and make sure that your filters are working well. Also, you can’t use any chemicals in the shower. If you were to clean your shower with bleach, you’d be killing the bacteria in your bio filters and then the whole system would collapse. It’s a natural system. So you do have to behave more consciously. People who are into living sustainably and are willing to pay the price would be very happy living in an Earthship. If you just want to live in an Earthship because it’s something fancy and you want to show off to your friends but you are not willing to really pay the price, it’s not going to work.
unplugged by rebeqah abraham
DISCOVERING THE DUO
april 2016
theRay ofIli-est Sunshine
A
fter two years, Ili Ruzanna and Rayyan Muqthadi have finally taken their seats in our studio to be interviewed together for the first time. Ili walks in and offers fist bumps while Ray hangs back, allowing Ili to demolish the ice. Ili, having her slice of humble fame through the Face of Youth and Ray, having been featured in a Taylor’s University Student Council video, were excited to be speaking together instead of singing. “We actually finish each other’s sentences! It’s weird”, Ili noticed when remarked on their chemistry as a two-man band. This bond started two years ago, in late 2014, however, they both insist they can’t remember how they met. Bits and pieces of a Business barbecue at Taylor’s and Ray’s girlfriend introducing the two talents are all anyone can dig up from their vague memories. Ray, 21 years old this year and owning a colourful background; born in Indonesia and bred in Qatar, he came to Malaysia to do engineering. Completing his A-levels with subjects of Physics, Chemistry and Maths, he realised it wasn’t what he really wanted to do in life. Bravely, he veered into the direction of business and is now in his final year. Ray began playing the guitar 12 years ago. He was in a full on electric band for four to five years with four other bandmates. This is his first duo. Ili, 22 years old, was meant to do Pharmacy. Completing A-levels in Biology, Chemistry and Physics, Ili went on to complete one semester of Pharmacy and dropped out, making a beeline for a degree in Mass Communication. “Best decision in my life!” she says. We can’t imagine her whacky character channeling out any other way. Ili’s first ever performance was when she was 12. Her dad pushed her to go on stage only to hear people say she sounded like a “duck”. Ili still loved singing so the year she picked up the ukulele six years ago, she went back on stage and people loved her. She was always on her own till she met Ray two years ago. This is her first duo.
From two completely different backgrounds… How did the two separate individuals find the perfect duo? Ray explains how his taste in music expanded to different horizons. “Everything aside, music is
the one thing that remains constant”. Ili’s taste is more narrowed to Indie and mainstream— at which Ray expressed extreme distaste; He really hates mainstream. Ray, who’s more into Alternative Rock and Acoustic Blues, says how Ili and he sometimes have to take a Taylor Swift song and switch it up to make it theirs. “We’re both open. We’re learning together as we go and we’re always trying out new things. We have our preferences but we try to explore”, expressed Ili.
Ili and Ray in Malaysia When asked how well their music would bode in Malaysia, it triggered an instant “Oh. No” from Ray. “I know the scene pretty well from playing for quite some time now and the radio has turned to the global mainstream”. The genuine places to look for authentic local scene music would be places like Merdekarya, where the two have had the opportunity to perform. Those who search, ye shall find! Ili and Ray were not shy to admit the competition in Malaysia is tight. These artists are scattered in cafes and universities all over the place. “Singers and guitarists like Aalex”, Ili referred to her old schoolmate with whom she was to perform the coming Sunday. “You have Tasha Aliya, Annabelle from The Backseat Affair and bands like Maha Jeffrey”. Ray, being a foreigner felt obligated to comment on the fact that Maha Jeffrey sounded like a prime minister, forcing Ili to explain who Tun Dr Mahathir was. The beauty of the new generation potential is that everyone is so open minded and quirky enough to try new
things. A collaboration is definitely a topic that has been raised amongst the group of artists. Now this, would be exciting for the Malaysian local scene to witness.
Single? You’d think since they know the scene so well, they would be up with a few singles, right? Well, Ili is! And she definitely “wouldn’t mind” if you checked it out. Coincidentally, the song is titled “I Don’t Mind” on Soundcloud— She has an unbearable amount of puns up her sleeve. Warning: It’s the type of tune that sticks in your brain for days. It was released at the end of 2015 and after a broken heart; it was her one way to channel out the negativity. Surprisingly, the lyrics are wrapped in a happy melody. “I was playing it on the ukulele at college one day and my friend, Sulaiman, came up and asked if the tune made me feel happy or sad. I told him that it honestly made me feel sad. And he goes ‘Oh, well, do you want us to write a sad song?’”. Just like that, her first single was born and she “didn’t mind” that it was the first she let Malaysia hear. “Actually, it’s kind of impossible to play a sad song on a ukulele” injected Ray.
Where do the winds blow? They definitely weren’t looking forward to looking forward. Ray may move back to Qatar and Ili will remain in Malaysia so their future in music as a duo is vague past 2016. “We’re just taking things day by day…it’s just too depressing!”. Ili and Ray will be playing throughout the year not for anything but the love of performing on stage. As Ray eloquently said, “For some its raving every Saturday night (How do people do that?!). For us, it’s this”.
g n u o YInventor careerchat by eusoff andrei
faye jong
APRIL 2016
with an Active Lifestyle
F
aye Jong is a young inventor with visions of a better and greener future at the tender age of 17. Faye was one of the speakers invited to talk at the TEDxYouth@KL last year. Animated but serious at the same time, she is the proud inventor of a totally organic cloth made entirely out of natural materials and biowastes such as mangosteen skins, rambutan rinds, pineapple peel, used tea leaves and fish scales as mordants and onion skin extract as the dye source. Although still in her teen years, this young lady has quite an impressive list of accomplishments to her name such as winning the ‘Best of Category’ award and ‘First Place’ award at the 2014 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Los Angeles, California, and Recipient of the PZU Foundation Award at the European Union Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS) in Warsaw, Poland. With this project, she aims to reduce water pollution and health hazards when natural mordants and colorants are used. Her ultimate goal is to create a greener environment for a sustainable future.
Let’s start with your background such as your family and hobbies. What do you do in your spare time? I’m the only child. One of my hobbies is running for marathons so I enjoy jogging and working out as well. I last ran the 10km Live Active Run in my hometown – Kuching. I’ve been training for marathons for about a year now and I find that running helps me to free my mind and release stress. I’m also interested in the US military and I like their stuff such as their guns and firearms. I started watching CSI from a young age and that’s when I started liking police stuff. Then I started watching Hawaii 5-0 which was remade in 2010 and now I’m a huge fan. I’ve been inspired by police dramas since I was six years old. Admittedly, I didn’t really understand it but I understood what they were doing. I find the army, especially the U.S. navy seals, very appealing. The Navy Seals are also brought in to train the Malaysian team and I wish to observe the training one day as well as visit one of their bases in California. 20
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You are the first Malaysian to have an asteroid named after you. How does that feel? I was excited, as it was part of my Intel ISEF prize which I went for in the US. Winning that was really big for me as I didn’t expect it. The asteroid was just the icing on the cake.
you will find the time for it. I make sure to work on my project either during the school holidays or when my schedule frees up. I don’t work on my project during the examination period. Have you or do you plan to patent your project? Not yet as it’s still a bit under developed. I’m not worried about others replicating my idea as my report was published in 2012 and I still have the original paperwork.
Who is your inspiration? I don’t exactly have someone who inspires me. I get inspiration from everyday things that I see and read so there’s no particular person that I really admire and want to be like. For example, if I see someone doing a kind deed, I’ll be inspired by that person to be a kinder person. It’s the small things – things that I read and watch, randomly. I self-motivate. As an only child, a lot of times it’s up to me to deal with my feelings and emotions. It’s more like self-training myself. Let’s talk about your project. How did that idea come about? Well, there’s this local Iban community in Kuching who weaves a fabric called pua kumbu which is done by hand, including the dying of the yarn. From there, I saw that the dyes used come from natural resources and so I thought “Why not try using waste materials?” That became my inspiration. Also in my school, my teachers have been sending a lot of the students overseas to the Intel ISEF for their projects and a few of them have been doing fabric dyes using natural resources. And I was thinking, “Why don’t I try it with something organic – something different?” As they still used chemicals in their dyes, I wanted to eliminate the chemicals and make use of just waste materials or natural resources. Would you say that you’re an environmentalist? Not exactly. I’m just curious. My school doesn’t really have heavy lab equipment and I was fortunate to have two teachers who guided me throughout the three years of my experiment where one took over when the first retired. Both of them were form six teachers.
Your first trip overseas alone was to Poland. How did that feel? I was 15 going on 16 then. It was exciting because I got to explore and check out places that I wanted to. I actually booked a flight that would transit at Changi Airport on purpose for this particular reason.
10 years from now. If you’re not a Doctor or a Chemical Engineer, if you’re not in the sciences, what would you be doing? I would most probably be a soldier. I’m passionate about it and I read a lot about military stuff. Recently, I went to the Big Bad Wolf Sale at The Mines and I bought a lot of military books.
What were your classmates’ reactions when you came back to school from an overseas competition? “Did you get stuff for us? Food? Souvenirs?” In general, I don’t really talk about these trips of mine in school unless I’m asked. I’m happy that I won but the thing is I’m not the only one, I’m not the top in the world, and I’m not the best. There are many better than me so who am I to boast?
When you started your project you were 13. It’s quite rare for teenagers of that age to find the time management skills to devote to a project on top of their school work and social life. What time management tips can you share with our readers? Prioritise your work. Most importantly, if you’re a student, study first. Projects are extra cocurricular activities. If you can’t find the time for it, drop it. If you’re really passionate about it,
What would you like our readers to know about you? I can be a studious person, I can be hardworking. At the same time I’m outgoing, I’m adventurous, and I embrace challenges. I’m not really a typical teenager. I like exploring and I like doing as well as learning new things. I also like meeting new people as everyone has different experiences in life. I wasn’t born smart and I have to study very hard in order to do well.
Since you’re in college now, if you had to choose (assuming you had the funding) between continuing your project and going to university, which would it be? I would go to university first but I would eventually return to the project. I was thinking of becoming a doctor but now I’m thinking of pursuing Chemical Engineering. Right now I’m doing my A-Levels at Sunway College. APR 2015 2016 | CAMPUS PLUS |
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music
by eusoff andrei
TAKE 5 WITH TAKE 2
april 2016
‘Take Two’ - Taking Asia by Storm Singaporean Indie Band Take Two performed at Laundry Bar at the Curve Petaling Jaya, as the last stop on their China Tour. Having been around for more than two years, they have played at venues from local universities in Singapore to opening for Scottish rock band Travis. How did you guys meet? We met in university whereby every hall had their own Jam Band. Residents who played instruments could join and it was a mutual coming together of like-minded people who played instruments and covered songs. We progressed from there and came out with originals. Who does the songwriting? It’s pretty much a collaborative effort. If one of us has a guitar riff or something, everyone just adds their own layers and instruments on top of it. Has it always been the five of you? We started out with four members. Then our original vocalist went on an exchange programme for a whole year and we took two new members in including a new vocalist.
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After a year or so, we took in Paddy as our new vocalist. Of course, back then we were just messing around as we were still students. We started taking things seriously when Paddy came on board. Who are your musical influences? Bands like Last Dinosaurs, post-punk stuff and a little bit of CHVRCHΞS. We also have individual influences. For example, Pei Ting and David come from Jazz backgrounds so we try to incorporate those elements in and we try to meld them with the other genres that we like. As finalists for Stardust 2012 and then the champions of SUPERNOVA 2013, how did that feel? It’s a funny story because when we were finalists, the band that won were The Sam Willows. Back then, we were just starting out
and we wanted an avenue to play music, to grow and to meet other bands. Thinking back, it was a nice platform as there was an audience to watch us perform, people there to tell us how to improve, and there were other musicians to interact with. It was never really our intention to start a band to win competitions. It was more like to make good music and give our best to improve as musicians. At the time, winning felt good but it was more about finding our feet in the industry. Being Asian, how do your families react to you guys forging a career in the music industry? We’re not fulltime musicians so I guess that helps. Otherwise they’d probably be like “What the hell are you doing with your life? Bumming around? Come sit down, let’s have a talk.” We still go to work daily so they still see it as our hobby.
From studying full time while being in a band to working full time while being in a band – how do you guys do it? Google spreadsheets. Synchronized calendars. Technology helps. It’s just about knowing each other’s schedules and working around them. Take this tour, for example. We all had to figure out when’s a good time to take leave as well as how many leave days or vacation days we can take. It’s difficult to get five guys to sync up their schedules but it’s not impossible. It can be done. Everyone needs to have similar levels of commitment to make time for the band. How often do you guys meet up? At least once a week. If we have a gig, then at least twice in that week. How did you come up with the name ‘Take Two’? Well we were coming up with a band name and we were looking at all of the successful bands and they all seem to have a number in them – ‘The Jackson 5’, ‘Maroon 5’ and ‘Click 5’. We thought of starting our band name with ‘Take’ after ‘Take That’ but we didn’t want ‘Take 5’ as we thought that would be too cheesy so we decided on ‘Take Two’ and it stuck. The cool thing about ‘Take Two’, it’s easy to remember, especially in places where they aren’t fluent in English. What are the challenges of being relatively new in the indie scene? It’s always a slow grind. It’s like climbing uphill without being able to see where the top is, or if there even is one. The biggest challenge now is growing as a band. Ideally we’d like to become full time musicians. Challenges abound in areas such as the business side of things and marketing, all of which are still new to us. You can’t just be a musician anymore. You have to wear many hats – publicist, marketer, business developer and a lot more. What was opening for Travis like? Were you already fans? It was pretty cool. We grew up listening to them so yea. Travis actually picked from a list of bands which were listed by the booking managers – some of which have been around for quite a while – and that was quite a surprise as we had been around for about a year back then and we had yet to release our EP! If you guys could collaborate with any musician, dead or alive, who would it be? Kimbra. Her musical ideas are very out there
and we will be pushing boundaries rather than working with likeminded, similar sounding bands. Working with regional artists would be really cool as well, such as Yuna. We’d also like to collaborate with someone who speaks a different language, so that person brings in a totally new dimension – I wouldn’t mind working with an Arab. How many times have you performed in Malaysia? This is our third time but our first time at Laundry Bar. It’s a cool place and what they’re doing as well – The Asian Connection – is really cool. In Singapore, we have regional acts performing live once a year and that’s it. It’s pretty cool because Asian bands appeal to the Asian market so it’s a good way to build this network. If the people of Asia don’t support their own bands, then no one else will.
Which is a more fun crowd – Singaporean or Malaysian? It’s different. We haven’t had a large enough sample size to say for sure. In Singapore, you know that there are fans watching and that there are those who will sing along whereas here it’s a fresh audience so it’s quite difficult to compare. Singaporeans are not very expressive and tend to not to show it even if they like the music as they worry about how they will look if they dance – they’re very self-conscious. It’s not like that all the time though. There are Singaporean audiences that are fun. Considering that most of the crowd who come to see us here are listening to our songs for the first time, I feel that Malaysians are more receptive to original music. With Singaporean audiences, the music that they listen to is what is played on the radio or whatever that’s fed to them. We don’t really have venues like this that will play original music often. It’s all cover bands.
APR 2016 | CAMPUS PLUS |
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music
ALBUM RELEASES AND REVIEWS
APRIL 2016
REVIEWS
Taking One For The Team | Simple Plan
55
After nearly five years, this French-Canadian pop punk band is FINALLY back with a full-length album and it certainly does not disappoint. The band’s fifth album will bring you back to your days as a teenager while still managing to be relevant to your life today, especially if you’ve been following their music from the beginning. Besides hit singles ‘I Don’t Wanna Go To Bed’ and ‘Opinion Overload’, tracks to look out for include ‘Kiss Me Like Nobody’s Watching’, ‘Singing In The Rain’, ‘I Refuse’, ‘I Don’t Wanna Be Sad’, and ‘P.S. I Hate You’.
While The Knocks, an electronic music duo consisting of Ben "B-Roc" Ruttner and James "JPatt" Patterson, have come out with EPs and have been around since 2010, ‘55’ is their debut album. Full of familiar names, the album features collaborations with Fetty Wap, Wyclef Jean, Carly Rae Jepsen, Matthew Koma, Magic Man, Alex Newell, POWERS, Phoebe Ryan, Justin Tranter, Walk The Moon, and X Ambassadors. Tracks to look out for include ‘Classic’, ‘Dancing With Myself’, ‘I Wish (My Taylor Swift)’, ‘Cinderella’, and ‘Best For Last’.
This Unruly Mess I’ve Made
Stranger Things | Yuck
| Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
The hip hop duo’s second studio album stays true to their style of delivering lyrics that matter. All in all, we’re glad that the duo are still staying true to their sound and not falling into the trend of going mainstream. Besides hit singles ‘Downtown’ and ‘Growing Up’, tracks that stand out in particular are ‘Light Tunnels’, ‘St. Ides’, and ‘The Train’.
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| The Knocks
This album from Stranger Things, which is their third, was interestingly enough recorded primarily in frontman Max Bloom’s parents’ house. Despite the band’s name, their music is anything but. In fact, the band has been compared by critics to the likes of Dinosaur Jr, Pavement, My Bloody Valentine, and Sonic Youth. Besides the title track, other tracks to look out for include ‘Cannonball’, ‘Only Silence’, ‘As I Walk Away’, and ‘Down’.
THE LATEST CINEMA FLICKS
april 2016
movies PREVIEWS
The Jungle Book
The Boss
STARRING: NEEL SETHI, BILL MURRAY, BEN KINGSLEY, CHRISTOPHER WALKEN, IDRIS ELBA, SCARLETT JOHANSSON, LUPITA NYONG’O, GIANCARLO ESPOSITO
STARRING: MELISSA MCCARTHY, KRISTEN BELL, PETER DINKLAGE
RELEASE: 14th April 2016
RELEASE: 14th April 2016
A CGI-live-action remake of the 1967 animated film of the same name, this movie revolves around Mowgli who was raised by Indian wolves Raksha and Akela. Threatened by the Bengal Tiger Shere Khan, he leaves on a journey of self-discovery with Bagheera the Black Panther and Baloo the bear.
Having been convicted of insider trading, titan of industry Michelle Darnell is imprisoned and finds that rebranding herself is not such an easy feat, particularly after screwing over so many people. Having lost everything, she bounces back with the help of her former personal assistant and her entrepreneurial spirit.
Eye in the Sky
Keanu
STARRING: HELEN MIRREN, AARON PAUL, ALAN RICKMAN
STARRING: KEEGAN-MICHAEL KEY, JORDAN PEELE, METHOD MAN, GABRIELLE UNION, WILL FORTE
RELEASE: 14th April 2016
RELEASE: 29th April 2016
While leading a secret drone mission to capture a terrorist group living in a safe house in Nairobi, Kenya, Colonel Katherine Powell learns that the group is planning on executing a suicide attack and her objective changes from capture to kill. However, while targeting the safe house for destruction, drone pilot Steve Watts reports a nine year old girl entering the kill zone.
After his girlfriend leaves him, Rell finds purpose in life again in the form of an adorable kitten which he names Keanu. When Keanu is taken from his home one day, he sets out with his friend Clarence to seek out the perpetrators and recover the kitten. Comedy and mayhem ensue as they find themselves dealing with violent gang members.
CAMPUS PLUS |
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movies by rebeqah abraham
by CHERYL TAI
R
movie review
april 2016
yan Reynolds as Deadpool truly found his calling in a superhero and it isn’t “green nor animated”. The snarky, witty and surprisingly human villain come hero is a ballpark away from the rest of Marvel’s comic book supers. He takes Tony Stark’s humour to a higher, albeit darker level. Wade Wilson, ex-mercenary living in New York City, does his job and he does it well. Although he only agrees to assignments where the target’s death is deserved, he refused being titled a hero. Bearing a past-life that was messed up - a mother who died of cancer and an abusive father, Wade falls in love with a super-hot prostitute, Vanessa Carlysle (Morena Baccarin), who’s crazy and equally messed-up past, matches his. He decides to put a ring on it right before he is diagnosed with cancer. He takes up an offer by a random dude in a suit, called The Recruiter (Jed Rees) to cure his cancer. Leaving Vanessa, Wade joins a facility to test his fate only to be tortured and mutated by Ajax aka Francis (Ed Skrein) and the main goon, Angel Dust (Gina Carano), into a creature as skillful as he is physically deformed. Successfully wrecking immense havoc at the facility after his mutation and left for dead by Ajax, Deadpool comes back with relentless humour paired with the mercenary in him. Due to his physical appearance, he stays away from Vanessa. After finding Ajax, The X-Men interrupt to bring Deadpool to the X-Mansion but Ajax escapes. While Deadpool recovers from a self-inflicted lost limb, Ajax becomes the hunter. Finding a picture of Vanessa at Weasel’s bar, he kidnaps her and thus begins the
cliché superhero-saves-his-girl, albeit with a whole lot more humour. Deadpool shows up out of nowhere with a badass suit, crazy posters and puny public service announcements and just takes the Internet by storm! So much so singles and couples alike looked forward to spending their Valentine’s Day watching Deadpool! From all the hype that was created, Marvel fans will be proud of the fact that the film lived up to it. It was a joyous occasion, especially for Ryan Reynolds, when it was learned that the studio was as dedicated to making the film exactly like the comics. Now, some may not have appreciated the screenplay. Some even say it was the dialog that saved the movie. When you have a character like Deadpool, there’s heavy pressure of doing his complex personality justice. To break the fourth wall without overdoing it but keep to the authenticity of the comic-book. Let’s face it, the storyline has its clichés. A man falls in love and at the peak of their relationship, realised he’s a dying man, becomes indestructible, has his girl kidnapped and saves the day. Introducing the plot in the present with past flashbacks fits in perfectly well with the intention to smash the barrier between the actor and audience in a way only Deadpool can. We’ve watched Wolverine get
pulverised progressively and Spiderman/Viper progressively struggle with their identity. Imagine watching Captain America, strong and handsome facing the ugly Red Skull then flashback to skinny, scrawny Steve Rogers and German, normal-faced Johann Shmidt but without the good Captain telling you what the heck is going on. Not only did they keep their promise in maintaining Deadpool as wittily sadistic as in the comics but they managed to leverage on his ability to speak to the audience by giving him something to talk about. The producers admit it was a huge risk to have the film Rated R. As a comic, Deadpool attracted a fan base of all ages but limiting the film’s audience could have either been a make or break for the current blockbuster (By the way, it walloped the Matrix first week record sales). What with the F-bombs and prostitutes, it was a gutsy yet necessary move to rate the movie as such. Brutal honesty is trait of the Deadpool creators it just happened to pay off.
coverstory
by eusoff andrei
kiran jassal
april 2016
H
umble and stunning are two things that come to mind when one meets the newly crowned Miss Universe Malaysia Kiran Jassal. When asked to describe herself in three words, the 20-year old lass said she’s adventurous, thoughtful and friendly. This straight A’s student feels that it’s equally important to enjoy life while attaining your goals. She completed her A-Levels at Kolej Tuanku Ja’afar, Negeri Sembilan and will be pursuing dentistry at the International Medical University after her reign as Miss Universe Malaysia. “At first I was conflicted between law and dentistry. My mum is a lawyer and I developed an interest in the field ever since I was six. As I grew older, I realised that the amount of paperwork involved was crazy and it was not for me. I then went on to dental internships while I was pursuing my A-Levels with a dentist who helped me with my teeth when I was younger. I had two teeth growing at the same place and it was not a pleasant sight. That was where I observed and learned a lot about dentistry,” Kiran shared.
However, Kiran admits that, had she not decided to go for dentistry, law would have been the option – corporate law that is. “I definitely would not be involved in litigation though. I don’t like the feeling of getting nervous before a major case as anything you say can make or break a case and I could be responsible for someone going to jail.” Kiran, who also won the Miss Winning Smile subsidiary title is into fitness even before joining the pageant but her fitness routine became more vigorous after joining the competition as there was a direction which she needed to work towards. “I needed to gain weight as I was too skinny. I needed to get more toned, lean and gain muscles.” Besides making sure she is fit, Kiran is also into obstacle courses such as Viper Challenge and BloodRunner which gives her a good workout challenge. “I have an extra bone in my foot which would hurt a lot when I was younger so I stopped doing sports activities for a while. After I finished Form five, I hurt my back around the same time I was invited by my friends to Viper Challenge. But they did not know about my
injury. I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it so I trained really hard and completed it in four hours and then I joined BloodRunner. “The thing is, I actually had a torn ligament from climbing up some stairs a month before BloodRunner but I ended up walking the whole 10km course in two hours. Of course, I wasn’t allowed to walk through certain parts of the obstacle course and I was punished with 20 air squats,” she continued. Equipped with brains, brawn and beauty, this all-rounder was a student of classical harmonium for nine years from the age of seven and enjoys dancing in her spare time. “I really like to dance for fun and I want to take up salsa and belly dancing when I have more time. As for classical harmonium, I will definitely pursue it further in the future.” The million dollar question: What should your ideal man be like? “The guy has to be patient as I tend to get grumpy and moody when I’m hungry and he should never be rude to me – no cursing and shouting. He has to be romantic and ambitious because when he pushes for more for himself, it motivates me and he has to be supportive of my ambitions as well,” Kiran added.
When did you develop an interest in beauty pageants? My sister, my mum and I would watch beauty pageants when I was little and we used to collect newspaper cuttings on beauty pageants. We’d say that we would join a beauty pageant one day. Recently, my mum joined Mrs Malaysia World under the Classic category. When I had the chance to join Miss World Malaysia, I was hesitant at first and my mum told me to just go for it and have fun by gaining experience.
What did you think your odds were on the night of the finale? I’m a firm believer in the Law of Attraction, so I envisioned the crown on my head. Admittedly, I did have a little doubt, as the other girls were polished and knew what they were doing.
How does it feel being Miss Universe Malaysia? It’s a dream come true! It felt surreal initially and I couldn’t believe it. It’s been an overwhelming experience but I’ve been getting support from friends and fans and they’re incredibly loving and supportive.
Who is your favourite past Miss Universe Malaysia? Miss Universe Malaysia 2012 – Kimberley Leggett. She’s very active in fitness and she’s a certified personal fitness trainer now. When she joined the competition, she was young
and new to the industry. Her transformation was magnificent! I felt that she stood out as she had that extra oomph! Also, she’s very friendly towards fans which you can see from the way she interacts with them. She’s just very inspiring and very real: she takes selfies of herself without makeup.
What are your plans after your one year reign as Miss Universe Malaysia? Do you think you will still be as famous? Why? I want to go back to dentistry. I would also like to model part time and host TV programmes. It’s been a learning curve so far. I’m just gaining experience wherever I can and I’m still learning. I can’t wait to see what else is in store for me!
How would you like to be remembered after your reign? As Miss Universe 2016, I would really like to win the competition for Malaysia. I’d also like to be remembered for kindness as we’ll be doing a lot of charity and I would like to delve further into that and reach out to people in need such as those affected by the floods in Sarawak. My own cause would be oral hygiene and personal hygiene as people tend to take it for granted – just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean there’s no damage. We lack awareness. If you have a decay, it can lead to migraines and so much more.
What would you like to share for aspiring Miss Universe Malaysia contestants? Just go for it. Live your dreams. Take a leap of faith and work hard – it pays off.
How will you promote saving the environment in your capacity as Miss Universe Malaysia? All of us have unsustainable lifestyles which is evident in the small things that we do like leaving the lights on when not in use. The usage of plastic bags is still very much part of our lives but all of this can change if we decide to make the change. We need to revamp how we look at things as there are many different ways to save the environment besides carpooling and this is what I aim to show Malaysians.
What steps do you take to conserve the environment? I do not litter at all
Want to know more on Kiran as well as her thoughts on topics such as elective plastic surgery and vaping? Be sure to check her out at www.youtube.com/user/CampusPlusTV. Make Up by: Jil Yong of Physicians Formula Hair by: Mavis Ang & Vincent Cheong of Shawn Cutler
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Crown by: CERES
regardless of whether it is tissue paper or a soft drink can. Also, I make sure that I take quick showers.
Should water bills be increased to encourage water conservation? If not, how can we teach people to conserve water? I feel that a two pronged approach is necessary in this case as people will
feel the impact when it comes to money but it may only have a short term effect. To get people to save more water in the long term, we should have campaigns especially for the younger generation in school. I feel that when children learn about places that don’t have access to clean water, it will make them feel grateful. We don’t have to look far, just look at Sabah & Sarawak.
What have you done to reduce your carbon footprint?
My entire family uses energy saving lightbulbs at home. We don’t keep the air conditioning at home on at 16°C and we switch it off once the room is cold. Small steps like these go a long way.
1.
The current crown which adorns the head of Miss Universe Malaysia, created by CERES, is worth an estimated RM3.3m!
2.
The crown was inspired by the movement of the ocean waves with its fascinating shades and colours
3.
The crown symbolises a woman with wisdom, flexibility, beauty and confidence
4.
Aquamarines are arranged across the crown like rolling ocean waves and a 32-carat Aquamarine is set at the centre of the crown, complimented by 2,507 pieces of white diamonds which make up a total of 185 carats. Three remarkable heritage cut diamonds are set from the top of the crown â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 14 carats followed by five carats and four carats in size respectively
5.
The crown was designed and crafted in 3 months
campuscouture by rachel fong
Spotlight on INTI Center of Art & Design
april 2016
Forward and About: A Grand Display Students who are about to graduate stand on a unique precipice – one where there’s nowhere to go but forward and as they leap, there’s no telling where they might end up and the possibilities are endless. The graduates of INTI Center of Art & Design’s Diploma in Fashion Design harnessed the power of being at this vital stage of life, and poured their unique interpretations into their final fashion show as students. Here’s what went down.
T
alk about a high note to start the new year on. INTI Center of Art & Design’s newest batch of aspiring fashion designers bowed out by showing their final collections at the INTICHANGE 02 Fashion Show and it was nothing short of an immaculate display of home grown talents with great potential. Themed ‘Forward & About’, the collections are designed as a representation of the anticipation of the graduates in moving forward into the future, with their newly acquired skills and nurtured talents.
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Of course, the venue had to be one that did justice to the great promise of these fashion disciples. It was held in the historically and culturally significant building of Muzium Tekstil Negara (National Textile Museum), a location right smack in the middle of the birthplace of Malaysia’s independence. The affair featured 15 collections, each with an individualism on their own, thanks to the myriad of influences that the designers drew from, such as historical monuments, folklore and foreign culture. The number of creations in each collection ranged from three up to six pieces. After all the garments had been shown, it was time to make a decision as to who
would win “Best Design Award”. After careful deliberation by the judges, Caro Chia became the recipient of that honour with her D’Empreinte, an ambitious sixpiece collection embellished with lotus flowers, ruffles and hand-painted quilts in the form of jumpsuits, high-waisted shorts and halter tops. Apart from that, we were also entranced by Fiona Liew’s Tranquility, a four-piece collection characterised by primary colours and expertly sewn golden embellishments and Anatakala by Lee Shey Yin, a Taj Mahal-inspired collection with romantic black lace scattered over white chiffon.
beautybuzz by rachel fong
eco friendly beauty brands
Down april 2016
Ea
to
When we grab a skincare or makeup product off the shelf, most of us probably don’t do it with the knowledge of what went on behind the scenes to make it. Truth is, there’s a lot of harm being done when a moisturiser meant to beautify your face defiles the earth we live in instead – whether it’s through the toxic gases emitted by the factories that manufacture the products or the non-biodegradable plastic packaging that contains said products. It is nearly impossible to make a choice that fully benefits the environment when we’re picking out something as basic as lipstick or compact powder, but we can definitely be more conscious of the brands that are taking the initiative to do as much as they can. Here’s five brands we recommend:
arth
Innisfree Country of origin: South Korea
Nature extends to everything Innisfree creates – from eco-friendly containers to ingredients derived from Jeju Island. Apparently, Jeju is teeming with natural ingredients that can transform one’s skin, from volcanic pore clay to green tea to sea mustard and gulfweed. The brand is also committed to the environment through a Green Eco Campaign that aims to reduce carbon emission, and they practice it by incorporating 70% of natural ingredients in all their products and encouraging customers to bring back empty cosmetic bottles for recycling.
Jeju Volcanic Pore Cleansing Foam (300ml) RM59
Cleanses pores and absorbs serum using Jeju volcanic scoria
It’s Real Squeeze Masks
(1 sheet/20ml) RM5
Boosts skin in different ways through various natural ingredients like kiwi, green tea and strawberry infused into triple layer sheets
Orchid Enriched Cream (50ml)
RM123
Promotes
a
youthful
complexion
by
tightening skin and smoothening out wrinkles
tarte
using Jeju orchid extracts
Country of origin: United States of America
tartelette Amazonian Clay Matte Palette
It all started when Maureen Kelly couldn’t find eco-friendly products that looked good on both, one’s face and one’s vanity table. Since then, the brand’s cosmetics range has grown to become one of the most sought after among beauty pundits, and has remained true to its roots by using what they call high-performance naturals (natural ingredients with highly rejuvenating and long lasting properties), as well as sustainable components in their packaging. In their pursuit of natural ingredients that actually work, they have also put Amazonian clay on the radar – which features in many of their bestsellers.
(RM165) Experiment
with
all
of
matte palette that consists of 12 neutral shades
Amazonian Clay 12-hour Blush tarteist Lip Paint
sorts
eyeshadow looks with this all
(RM110)
(RM71)
Gives the wearer a naturally flushed
Gives your lips intense colour that lasts
yet long wearing look thanks to baked
all day while keeping them hydrated at
Amazonian clay derived from the
the same time
Amazon riverbanks
100% Natural Origin Mascara Boosts the length, volume and definition of your lashes with a 100% Recyclable Eco-Brush that hooks on to each lash and coats it evenly
Country of origin: United States of America While Physicians Formula is already well known for its hypoallergenic and fragrancefree cosmetics, the Organic wear line takes it up one notch by being made of 100% naturally derived ingredients, and 70% organic ingredients. The products here also boast the Life-Proof Formula, which means it is resistant to sweat and water. They are packed with proteins and antioxidants that breathe life into your skin, and better yet, are cruelty-free.
100% Natural Origin CC Color + Correction Cream SPF 20
100% Natural Origin Jumbo Lash Mascara
(RM63.50)
(RM74.10)
Volumise lashes for a glamorous
Calendula Redness Rescue Soothing Moisturising Cream (40ml) (RM153)
Soothes irritated and sensitive skin using Calendula Comfort Complex, and forms a protective barrier for
look while coating them with
Gives your skin a flawless,
Eco-Olive, a natural antioxidant
even skin tone while shielding
that protects your lashes from
it against harsh UV rays with
harsh environmental aggressors
its SPF 20 element.
Balancing Foaming Cleanser (200ml) (RM147)
Best used for normal to combination skin, this cleanser freshens up your complexion by stripping it of superficial impurities
skin with essential fatty acids
Jurlique
Country of origin: Australia
It started with Jurgen and Ulrike Klein, a couple who discovered great potential for natural skincare ingredients in South Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Adelaide Hills. So staunch was their belief in the place that they uprooted their lives in Germany to go to Adelaide Hills and establish a farm there, where they could grow pure ingredients. Until today, the ingredients are still yielded from the same place, and Jurlique also makes an impact on the environment by reusing and recycling almost all of their production site waste.
Rosewater Balancing Mist (100ml) (RM134)
Suitable for normal to combination skin, this rose scented mist helps to restore and hydrate your complexion
BEAUTY PICK
APRIL 2016
beautycase compiled by rachel fong
OPI Softshades 2016 RM74.20 available at Colour Culture (OPI Nail Bar), OPI Kiosk and leading nail, beauty hair salons and spa centres nationwide If you live and breathe pastel shades, OPI’s newest range of nail polish shades will be right up your alley. The colours are soft and feminine, yet have an opaque, highly pigmented finish that will surely draw attention to your well-manicured digits. Inspired by the Spring 2016 collections, the range comprises six colours, each one more cleverly named than the next (I Am What I Amethyst and This Cost Me a Mint are our personal favourites!). All shades are available in both nail lacquer and GelColour formulas.
Japan Gals Pure 5 Gold Essence Mask RM29.90 for 10 pcs available at all Guardian outlets nationwide Luxurious is the keyword for describing this gold mask, which contains hyaluronic acid to give your skin the rich treatment it needs. With every application of the mask, your skin is improved in terms of elasticity, moisture and radiance. In addition to that, the mask is made with a thick soft cotton that can adhere better to the curves of your face for the essential ingredients to penetrate your skin better.
Physicians Formula Happy Booster Makeup from RM39 onwards available at Watsons outlets nationwide This mood-boosting makeup range uses ingredients like Happy Skin, Euphoryl and a mood enhancing fragrance to stimulate positive feelings in its wearer. When they say beauty is more than skin deep, this is what they’re talking about. Together, these ingredients make up the Happy Boost Blend, which induces production of the happinessinducing dopamine, invigorate one’s mood and gives your skin that glow it gets when you’re cheerful. Each compact comes with a brush, which is optimised for picking up the right amount of product for the perfect finish.
belif First Aid Deep Pore Care Mask RM99 available at all belif outlets Pores are an important factor in ensuring your skin’s health, and belif’s new First Aid Deep Pore Care Mask helps in making sure that they are being taken care of, by promoting skin metabolism and tightening your pores. The wash-off clay mask works by giving your skin a deep cleanse, clearing it of any deep seated impurities and sebum that exist. As it is formulated without parabens, sulphates and phthalates, you can be sure that it won’t irritate your skin after use.
Sephora Collection It Palette in Delicate Nudes RM120 available at Sephora outlets nationwide Made for those who like their eyeshadows subtle, this Sephora palette contains 12 soft and highly wearable shades that also happen to be highly pigmented. Even if you’re new to eyeshadow, you’ll find yourself applying these with ease as the formula is smooth and highly blendable. Apart from the colours, the set also comes with a doubleended brush, which doubles as an eyeshadow brush and an angled eye pencil. Compact with a sleek python patterned cover, it’ll even make a neat accessory to take on the go for convenient application.
wanderlust words rachel fong photos kamil haziq
A Trip Around Thailand (Part I)
APR 2016
AThaiGoodme To Explore -
Bangkok Edition Thailand is a country that just keeps on giving, with its diverse towns, cities and beaches offering up something for just about anybody, whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re an island hopper or relentless shopper and best of all, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nearby and affordable for Malaysians to travel to! Campus Plus had the chance to take a journey to the land of tomyam and had a gala time, thanks to the hospitality of Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). In the first of our three part series, come with us as we take you to the retail havens of Bangkok.
Asiatique, the Riverfront Arguably one of Bangkok’s most picturesque night bazaars, Asiatique used to be an international trade port before it was converted. It combines two of the things Bangkok tourists love the most: shopping mall and night bazaar. Those interested can access the area by boat, which is only 10 minutes from the pier at Saphan Taksin BTS station. As the sun sets, visitors get to enjoy panoramic views of the sunset while strolling down the boardwalk that leads to the shopping area. If you are looking to have a cleaner and more spacious retail experience, Asiatique is ideal for you as the numerous boutiques and restaurants
located here are spaced out more evenly and generally better furnished and maintained. There are even maps provided that lists the stores and sorts them into categories, so your shopping is made that much easier. That said, goods here fall on the higher end of the price scale, so you’d be shopping with the motto ‘quality over quantity’ in mind. There’s even an Apple store in the Factory District here, so that should give you an idea of what to expect. Once you feel peckish from all the walking, there’s an extensive range of eateries to cater to whatever whims you might have and you can easily find a mix of fast food chains, bars and independent cafes.
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Special Mention: Thailand Tourism Festival 2016 Talad Rod Fai 2 A predecessor to the Srinakarin night market of the same name, it is conveniently located in Ratchada, where it is a stone’s throw away from the Esplanade mall, an MRT station and our accommodation at the posh Grand Mercure Bangkok Fortune. Its name means train market, a name which was derived from the fact that the original Rod Fai was located next to the train tracks behind Chatuchak Market. You can spot the night market from a mile away, thanks to its distinctive Art Deco theme, which is reflected in the retro items that are sold here. From the top, the market looks like a patchwork of colourful squares lit up from within.
If you’ve been looking for an alternative to the Siam Square Night Market or the aforementioned Chatuchak, you won’t do better than Talad Rod Fai, as it is also a favourite among locals – which means it’s less commercialised and capable of better deals.
One of the main, non-shopping highlights of our trip was undoubtedly the 36th Thailand Tourism Festival, which is held annually to celebrate the melting pot of cultures in the country. Held over five days, the festival featured various themed zones, and performances from local artistes and traditional dance performers. One of the zones most popular with zones was the Cultural Village, where one could find locally crafted goods and local delicacies.
In another part of the festival, which was held in Lumphini Park, visitors could experience nostalgic films in a retro theatre, while getting to know 24 of Thailandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hidden gems. Then there was Zone 3, which drew attention to 50 famous communities within Bangkok, and gave visitors a chance to sample various desserts and snacks from all over the capital. Last but not least was Zone 4, where the main stage existed for festival-goers to spectate all kinds of cultural performances.
guysstuff by eusoff andrei
eco-friendly cars
april 2016
Honda Insight Honda CRZ
Mini Countryman
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M
any youngsters tend to shy away from hybrid cars due to the higher price tag. Take for example, the difference in price between the Honda Civic and its hybrid counterpart where the difference in the starting price of these two cars is just below RM70,000. In truth, when driven properly, hybrid cars provide savings in the long run in terms of fuel costs largely due to one unavoidable phenomenon when you live in the city: traffic jams. This is simply due to the fact that when not much power is required, the cars system will activate the battery in order to keep the car moving. As many of you ponder on the many choices out there when it comes to getting your brand new set of wheels, check out these hybrid cars.
Toyota Prius
APR FEB 2016 2015 | CAMPUS PLUS |
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fashionbuzz
Maximising Your Wardrobe
by rachel fong
1
april 2016
Sh rt, ways
5
With April being our eco-conscious issue, it’s only right that we show you how to extend the virtue of recycling to all aspects of our carbon footprint-heavy lives. One easy way to do so is to stretch your wardrobe (and save on precious dorm room space) by adapting your clothes to more than one occasion. When you get more wear out of that old T-shirt or battered pair of jeans, you’re less likely to throw it away and damn it to an unsalvageable pile of rubbish. Now, watch us work our magic as we show you how to take a basic grey tee and wear it five different ways – according to the biggest trends right now, no less!
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90s Nostalgia Topshop Tall Ribbed Tee, RM88 available in selected Topshop outlets nationwide H&M Dungaree Shorts Trashed, RM99 available in selected H&M outlets nationwide Charles and Keith Lug Shoe Platform Sandals, RM199 available in selected Charles and Keith outlets nationwide
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Dolled Up
Topshop Tall Ribbed Tee, RM88 available in selected Topshop outlets nationwide Zara Lace Tube Skirt, RM199.90 available in selected Zara outlets nationwide Zalora Glitter Ballerinas with Bow Details, RM88 available on Zalora
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Athleisure
Topshop Tall Ribbed Tee, RM88 available in selected Topshop outlets nationwide Uniqlo Women Light Pocketable Parka, RM149.90 available in selected Uniqlo outlets nationwide Nike Women’s Air Force 1 ’07 Sneakers, RM309 available in selected Nike outlets nationwide
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Hippie Haute Topshop Tall Ribbed Tee, RM88 available in selected Topshop outlets nationwide Uniqlo x Hana Tajima SS16 Bell Bottom Pants, price unavailable, available in selected Uniqlo outlets KO Fashion Clog Heels, RM209 available on Zalora
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Prim ‘n’ Pastel
Topshop Tall Ribbed Tee, RM88 available in selected Topshop outlets nationwide Mango Ruched Sleeves Blazer, RM299 available in selected Mango outlets nationwide Topshop SS16 Leather Skirt, price unavailable, available in selected Topshop outlets nationwide
Check us out at www.campusplus.com.my
Lucido-L Argan Oil Hair Treatment Series from RM17.90 available at Watsons outlets nationwide
selection of New Products
APRIL 2016
offtheshelf
If regular hair treatments at the salon are way out of budget, don’t fret, because Lucido-L has created a range of hair treatment products that will give you the same healthy tresses – for a fraction of the price! Infused with argan oil – which has gotten a lot of hype as a miracle hair repairing ingredient recently – the range is made up of a Hair Treatment Cream and Hair Treatment Oil. The Hair Treatment Cream penetrates deep into hair roots to moisturise and reduce frizziness, while the Hair Treatment Oil works to prevent split ends and repair damaged hair.
Nescafe White Coffee Spring (Limited Edition) RM9.88 available at selected hypermarkets and supermarkets
Ciracle Pore Control Set RM138 available at Muse by Watsons and selected Watsons stores Comprised of the Pore Control Tightening Serum and Pore Control Blackhead Off Sheet, this set, as its name suggests, is aimed at shrinking your pores and promoting a healthier, clearer complexion. Both products are packed with a host of rejuvenating properties like the antibacterial and skin-calming Chamomile and Witch Hazel extracts which can be found in the serum.
Topshop Boutique Spring/Summer 2016 No price available available at Topshop outlets nationwide Designed as a sister collection to Topshop’s Unique collection, the Boutique range features more luxurious clothes that cater to the modern woman with a penchant for high quality investment pieces. Sewn from premium Italian fabrics, the clothes reflect the multi-faceted lifestyles led by women today. The colour palette is a neutral yet classic one, with black, mustard and blue denim appearing constantly. There are figure flattering jeans and casual tees for more toned down days, as well as cocktail dresses and pinstripe blazers for fancier occasions.
Oxy’s 3 Step Regime from RM8.50 available at all leading pharmacies and supermarkets Tired of constant breakouts? Oxy has conjured up an easy yet efficient 3-step regime to pave your way to pimple free skin. The first product used in the regime is Oxy’s Deep Cleansing Wash, which clears the first barrier by removing dead skin cells and impurities. Next up comes the Oxy 10, which is an acne pimple medication targeted at banishing the culprit that is acne bacteria. Finally, complete the process with the Anti-Pimple Mark Gel, which lightens pimple marks, smoothens skin, prevents blemishes and revitalises skin cells.
For a limited time only, you can enjoy Nescafe’s new White Coffee variant, which gives drinkers the flavour of spring with a creamy blend that’s tinged with mandarin orange. The coffee sachets are housed within a uniquely decorated canister that evokes the blooming atmosphere of spring and each canister contains eight sachets. With its combination of superior taste and auspicious roots, it makes for an ideal pick-me-up beverage during lethargic mornings.
feature
let’s be carbon conscious
Not AllFoot by editorial team
APRIL 2016
Should
Be Le ehi B C arbon footprint. You may have heard of this term before, and somewhere in the back of our minds we are vaguely aware of what it has to do with the environment. To be exact, it is the total set of greenhouse gas emissions caused by an individual, event, organisation or product. In turn, we are indirectly responsible for hiking up the amount of toxic greenhouse gases produced when factories manufacture products in huge numbers to meet demand, or when high volumes of garbage is incinerated to eliminate them more quickly. That much toxicity poses a grave threat to the health of our earth, and more importantly, the air that we breathe. As such, it’s mandatory, and no longer optional, to work on decreasing our carbon footprint by practicing the 3Rs - reduce, reuse and recycle - on all aspects of our lives. Sound taxing and bothersome? Worry not. Small steps taken can make a huge difference on a whole - as long as we all do it together. Ever heard of strength in numbers? Now let’s get to it. As college students, we drive everywhere: to run errands and to support our education and social lives. It is a never-ending rat race. How about killing two birds with one stone? Driving everywhere means we don’t exactly move much. Proposition? Save the world, save our tummies; walk or cycle. Step off the gas and on the ground to completely rid of carbon emissions. If it’s too far away? Carpooling and public transportation allow for emitted carbon dioxide to be spread equally between riders.
s t n i r tp
eft hind.
You may not be able to choose your first car, let alone the car you drive before you even get your first car. Vehicles have adopted a more eco-friendly take, what with the electric cars, hybrids and high-mileage gas/diesel cars. But if driving the MyVi isn’t up for debate, we can drastically drop carbon emissions by avoiding unnecessary acceleration and speeding. Try it if reducing your mileage by 33% sounds economically appealing! The trick is in leaving the house when Mom tells you to. This next one is more for your information because it is close to impossible to pull off: Avoid traffic jams. Hold that scoff! Remember our dear friend, Waze? Instead of the conventional highway, let Waze introduce you to a more scenic route. Switch on that cruise control, step off the gas and enjoy the drive home. Doubt there’s a scenic route but the bazillion cars on the highway? Wait it out! Hang around in college, finish off that pending assignment or have dinner with your friends before you decide to leave and contribute to your carbon footprint. Transportation indirectly affects the food we should eat as well. Buying and consuming locally produced food drastically cuts
contributions to the greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation and production of imported foods. Vegetarians and vegans, either wittingly or unwittingly have sacrificed the beauties of meat for the betterment of our lives. Staying away from cows in all its gastronomical derivatives (meat and dairy) reduces the amount of resources set aside to raise them, especially cows from farms that were created from deforestation (the top reason for greenhouse emissions). Be mindful of your purchases. You could be supporting the end of the world. We are nothing but a drop in the ocean which is why Mother Nature needs us all to make a difference. The age-old advice we have taken for granted are the same ones we must practice to reduce the effects we ourselves create. The circle of events is our creation and our responsibility. Think of your grandmother’s useful nags as that excess food or water goes to waste or when you throw away an old book that is still in good condition or when you forget to switch off the lights or the air conditioner, the footprints you leave behind are the same ones your children will step into. APR 2016 | CAMPUS PLUS |
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wiredup
plug into the future of tech
APRIL 2016
LG X-Boom CM9960 The X-Boom models from LG provide both powerful sound and wireless connectivity in order to deliver a total entertainment solution. With X-Boom’s Sampler Creator feature, users now have the ability to record any sound on their smartphones and deliver it wirelessly to the X-Boom after which the sound will be added to a digital soundboard and can be selected at the touch of a button. In addition, the Party Thruster lever allows users to create stunning multi-coloured light shows which sync perfectly with the system’s audio output. Price: N/A http://www.lg.com/my
Logitech K480 Designed specifically to address the needs of consumers who use multiple devices with different operating systems, it comes with an Easy-Switch function which lets you choose which device you wish to operate via Bluetooth. The device can be connected to three devices simultaneously and features a convenient dock near the top of the device which can be used to hold your tablet or even smartphone while you type via the device. The K480 also features a familiar keyboard layout with all of the shortcut keys that you can find on Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS mobile. Price: N/A http://www.logitech.com/en-my
Wiko HIGHWAY PURE This 51mm-thick, 98-gram smartphone comes packed with a 1.2 GHz quad-core Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 410 processor, a 4.8-inch HD screen which comes to life with AMOLED display technology and 16 Swarovski Zirconia embedded. Supported with Snapdragon™ 410 and 1.2 GHz quad-core processor developed by Qualcomm®, the HIGHWAY PURE can capture moving moments with its 8-megapixel main camera and 5-megapixel front camera. In five years, Wiko has become the number two smartphone vendor in France. The brand currently has seven million users in more than 30 countries. Price: RM999 http://my-en.wikomobile.com
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Nokia 230 Dual Sim This old school offering from Nokia may be the modern day answer to all of our battery related woes. With a great battery life that’s built to last, this premium-quality internet-enabled phone comes with a 2MP front-facing camera with LED flash and a shortcut camera key – making it easier than ever to capture the perfect selfie regardless of the time of day and share it with friends and family on social media. In fact, this device can even be used for gaming with its 2.8” screen. It comes in black and dark silver. Price: RM269 https://www.microsoft.com/en-my/mobile/
ATH-CKS550iS The CKS550iS from Audio-Technica is engineered specially for a deep sounding bass that does not compromise on the mid and high frequency contents and are designed with various features that allow users to experience unimaginably full and textured bass. This product features Dual Magnetic-Field Drivers to bring powerful yet precise bass reproduction and an Airflow-Bass Venting System which provides excellent air damping. In addition, the position of an additional magnet in front of the driver brings powerful yet precise bass reproduction. The ATH-CKS550iS is available in Black Gold, Blue, Red and White. Price: RM229 http://sea.audio-technica.com/
Nikon COOLPIX A300 Wrapped in a premium aluminium body, the A300 comes with 8x optical zoom and 16x Dynamic Fine Zoom and features a thin and lightweight design. It makes it a handy pocket-sized companion. High image quality and reliable performance is assured as the device is equipped with 20.1 effective megapixels and wide-angle 25mm (35mm format equivalent) NIKKOR lens. The A300 is equipped with Target Finding autofocus to ensure that desired subjects are always in focus and users with a preference for handheld shooting are supported by a 4-axis Hybrid VR system which aids in reducing the effects of camera shake. The A300 comes in red, black, silver, pink and decorative red. Price: N/A www.nikon.com.my
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wiredup by eusoff andrei
honor 5X
april 2016
GOLD
APRIL 2016
APRIL 2016
Feel the honor!
The artistic design and picturesque display of the honor 5X is definitely one of the first things which catches one’s eye when using this smartphone for the first time. At RM899, it’s definitely worth the money! Design With a design inspired by the renowned Guggenheim Museum in Spain, it fits reasonably well into the palm of your hand. The honor 5X comes in sunset gold, dark grey and daybreak silver which echoes the reflections of the Guggenheim’s curved walls at sunset, night time and dawn.
Display & Camera It’s 1920x1080 5.5-inch full HD fully laminated screen works well under different lighting conditions and makes for a 72.5% screen-to-body ratio. The device features a stacked 13MP image sensor with a SmartImage 3.0 image processor main camera as well as a 5MP front camera.
Performance Equipped with a high-speed 2 GB LPDDR3 RAM and a 64 bit Octacore Qualcomm chipset, this device is capable of running 3D games seamlessly with PC-grade GPU. In addition, this is also the first honor device to 54
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feature three different card slots: nano-SIM, micro-SIM and microSD.
Battery Life The device runs on a 3000 mAH battery and utilizes SmartPower 3.0 technology with an eight-point power saving plan in order to reduce power consumption by 30%.
Fingerprint Scanner The honor 5X features a second-generation FPC rim-free touch sensor which unlocks the device in 0.5 seconds and learns more about your fingerprint as you use it and prevents failed recognition caused by wet hands or partial fingerprints. The device also gives its users the option of linking specific contacts and apps to specific fingerprints as well as taking photos by touching the fingerprint sensor.
Specifications • • • • • •
Metallic housing Fingerprint 2.0 (unlocks device in 0.5s) Three card slots (dual sim & external memory) 64 bit Octa-core Qualcomm chipset 5.5’’ FHD (1920x1080) IPS display 3000mAh battery
Samsung Gear S2
APRIL 2016
wiredup by eusoff andrei
Gear Up! Samsung’s Gear S2 features a compact design – perfect for those with smaller hands. In addition, setup is a breeze and the built in tutorial upon first sync with your smartphone makes it that much easier to understand.
Design
of RAM, 4GB of ROM, and 1.9GB of available memory.
With a petit circular frame, this smartwatch measures 42.3mm in width, 49.8mm in height, and 11.4mm in depth. Switching watch bands is also easily done with the push of a button and an extra watch band comes with the smartwatch upon purchase. The watch comes in dark grey & silver.
Battery Life Charging the device is convenient as it is done wirelessly. Simply place it on the dock when it’s 250 mAH battery runs out of juice!
Sensors The device includes an accelerometer, gyrometer, heart rate monitor, barometer, ambient light sensor, and GPS (3G only).
Display & Connectivity With a 360 x 360 (302 ppi) 1.2” Full Circular sAMOLED display, it is pleasing to the eyes and just about the right size for notifications and even emails. The smartwatch is also equipped with Bluetooth 4.1 and Wi-Fi besides being NFC enabled.
Performance With the Samsung Gear S2, you can make/answer calls, read/reply text messages and even email directly from your watch. The standard replies make it even easier to reply texts or emails. Alternatively, you could even type or dictate your messages without touching your smartphone. This device is packed with the Samsung Exynos 3250 processor as well as 512MB
Specifications
GOLD
•
Samsung Exynos 3250
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512 MB RAM, 4 GB ROM
•
1.9GB available memory
•
ambient light sensor
•
accelerometer
APRIL 2016
CAMPUS PLUS |
APRIL 2016
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chowdown by rebeqah abraham
Healthy eats nutritious spinoffs
April 2016
Curry Chicken Salad Mix 1 cup of fat-free yogurt, 1/2 cup of grapes (instead of raisins), 2 teaspoons of curry powder and toss in whatever nuts you fancy. 1. Line bowls with lettuce. Combine the chicken with the yogurt mixture and spoon on top of lettuce bed. 2. No leftover chicken? Fill a pot with water and bring it to boil then reduce the heat to a simmer. Add 2 chicken breast pieces to the pot and leave until it is no longer pink, which should take around 30 minutes. Best served chill. *Chicken shreds: leftovers from previous meals. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t waste food!
healthy as a salad easy as pie! It can be cumbersome trying to eat healthy, Especially when you cook your own food. The easiest are the ones you throw into the skillet, toss it around and voila! Dinner for a week. In honour of our dear Earth, we have put together two recipes anyone can make at home with ease and without inflicting harm upon us nor Mother Nature.
Shepherdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pie (Beef)
1. Dice 2 medium-sized sweet potatoes, cover with water and bring to boil. Let it simmer for 10-12 minutes. Drain the water and leave soft potatoes in a bowl to cool. 2. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet. Add 1/2 diced medium-sized onion and 2 diced carrots (Feel free to be expressive with your vegetables. Raw celery adds a tang!). Add 1/2 a pound of ground beef. Be sure to cook the beef until itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brown and veggies are tender, in about 5-7 minutes. Take mixture out and let it cool. 3. Return the skillet to the stove. Instead of flour, 1 tablespoon of cornstarch or rice flour would do, to thicken the gravy. Butter is used to prevent the beef from drying out so you can use 1/4 cup of lowfat milk instead. Whisk the starch and milk until smooth then add 1/2 cup of chicken broth. 4. Return beef mixture into skillet and season with salt and pepper. Mix until sauce thickens. 5. Again with the sweet potatoes, add 1 tablespoon of low fat milk instead of butter, 1/2 cup of chicken broth, salt and pepper. Mash. Set potato mash over beef mixture in pan and heat together for 2 minutes. Serve beef mixture with mash potatoes on top. Garnish with parsley. *Sweet potatoes: More vitamin C, fewer calories, more fiber and fewer total carbs than the white potato. *Local beef: Avoid imported products to reduce carbon footprint
arts&culture by eusoff andrei
Spoken Word
april 2016
April is famously known among poets as NaPoWriMo or the National Poetry Writing Month. We got in touch with Spoken Word Poet Melizarani T. Selva, who has performed in Australia, Thailand, Indonesia, India, Budapest, and Malaysia, to pick her brain on poetry in this country.
M
elizarani has been writing poetry since she was six and started doing spoken word five years ago. She writes poetry as a means of delivering messages that she does not know how to express in speech. She published a book of her poems entitled ‘Taboo’ which has made it to the MPH Top 10 Bestseller List. CP: How would you define spoken word? Melizarani: Spoken word is the performance side of poetry and it’s referred to as performance poetry. Spoken word is stage poetry and for a long time, it was the bastard of poetry. Nobody liked it. Over time, it has emerged as more than just a contemporary idea of poetry and we are slowly coming to the fore.
Of
oetry and
erforming Arts
CP: Is NaPoWriMo observed in Malaysia? Melizarani: There are certain Facebook groups that encourage poetry writing and there is the MaPoWriMo which is the Malaysian Poetry Writing month. The problem with spoken word and page poetry is that there is a divide. A lot of the poets who have been writing for the page for so long are afraid to go on stage because they never had to and they are used to a small audience where nobody really critiques or applaud their work. Spoken word is completely different: you’re baring your soul on stage. What I’ve tried to do over the years is that during these kinds of events, I try to bring poets of all backgrounds together and help them realise that they’re all writing poetry. I started ‘If Walls Could Talk’ – it’s a poetry open mic, the only one in KL - where I feature an established poet, an established singersongwriter, and I have about 10 to 12 open mic-ers who are basically poets who are doing it for the first time. They come, meet and realise the different ways in which they can write their poetry so that it sounds more exciting. NaPoWriMo is once a year. It’s great, it’s fantastic and it’s going to make you write every day throughout the month but we need something consistent and that’s why the platform exists. CP: Are there many spoken word poets in Malaysia? Melizarani: Yes, there are plenty and the community has been around for more than a decade. Spoken word in Malaysia is actually rooted back to the Malay contemporary poetry and theatre scene. You have Usman Awang, for example. It’s the idea of breaking the fourth wall and writing everything in verse and that’s what he did. If you look into the Bahasa poetry scene, the way you would recite a sajak or syair – that’s spoken word, it’s just done in Malay. A syair may have its own tone and backbone which I don’t necessarily agree to but a sajak is a little bit more flowery and robust. In Malaysia, we have a huge number of spoken word talents such as Jamal Raslan, Sheena Baharudin and Elaine Foster. I have been doing spoken word for about five years and I’m actually considered one of the younger talents. CP: Tell us a little bit about ‘Poets in Progress’. Melizarani: Poets in Progress is a chapter under ‘If Walls Could Talk’. When I started this platform I wanted poets to come and share their work and meet other poets without them getting big headed about their work. I wanted to ground the poets and help them understand that everything that they write, even for me, is still a progression. I don’t teach the ‘Poets in
politics and everything that we cannot say. I also constantly have this issue of poets who come here to perform coming to check their poems with me and asking me if its seditious as they don’t want to get into trouble. Progress’ workshop but I get other poets to come by. The first time we organised it, we had Australian Slam Poet Champion Zohab Zee Khan and he taught a group of people on the different styles and the different ways of doing poetry. Both ‘If Walls Could Talk’ & ‘Poets in Progress’ run once a month. CP: What’s on your plate at the moment, poetry-wise? Melizarani: Right now, I am editing the KL Spoken Word Anthology. It’s the first anthology for spoken word poets and that’s coming out later this year. One thing I learned from the anthology is that there is a huge demand for poetry in this country both in terms of the people wanting to produce it and the people wanting to consume it. People have a lot to say. A lot of the poems that I’ve received for the anthology is about our country’s
“I wanted poets to come and share their work and meet other poets without them getting big headed about their work.”
CP: What’s your message to youth who are into poetry but don’t have an avenue for it? Melizarani: Create an avenue. When I was in Taylor’s doing my degree, I wanted to meet other poets so that I could learn from them. I organised my own poetry event at Taylor’s titled Candles & Coffee where I teamed up with Starbucks to provide the venue and the coffee. I posted it up on Facebook and I got poets coming in from different universities. It’s so easy now with social media – there’s no excuse. Create the avenue. Create the opportunity that you think you don’t have.
www weirdwackyworld
our eccentric world
april 2016
The Worms Grunter
Gary Revell may not be good with the ladies but he’s exceptionally good with another kind of species. His profession requires him to scour the lands of Florida’s Apalachicola National Forest to collect as many worms as he can from the earth and sell them to fisherman as live bait. Who knew that part was delegated solely to another profession? However, that isn’t even the weird part. He’s exceptional at it because he manages to catch 5,000 on a good day. How? Gary’s a grunter— He emanates a low grunting noise as he walks and the little buggers just squirm to the surface. No he doesn’t speak Wormglish. A professor of Biological Science in Nashville, Dr. Ken Catania proved that those noises mimicked the sound of the earthworms’ ultimate predator moving through the earth: a mole. Without knowing it, Gary has his way with the worms yet even with such success, he manages to keep himself ‘grounded’.
The World’s Biggest McDonald’s Fan! Have you ever wanted to travel the world but didn’t have a reason to? The different cultures and other-worldly beauty just don’t appeal to you? Well, James McGowan realised that his home is where the heart is. Therefore, he should have more than 36, 000 homes around the world. The Canadian Software Engineer has visited 53 countries and counting to sample their different McCuisines in different regions. His expeditions include Russia, Tahiti, Greece, Germany and Malaysia! To experience the fruits of his labour, he has documented his reviews of 300 items from the Mcdees Menu on his blog: Traveling McD’s.
Not Your Usual Vintage Vest
If it’s in the Weird Wacky World segment, it’s never your “usual”. 65-year old Romanian woman has been collecting her strands of hair for 20 years based on a folk tradition. Ortansa Pascariu says this tradition states that women should not throw away their fallen hair, instead store your dead but very useful hair in order to retain your beauty and luck. We have our own superstitions but this one takes up a lot of space. In Ortansa’s case, 1 kilogram worth of space. Since throwing away her beauty was beyond outrageous, she used her collection of hair to create a vest! Pretty swanky, if I may say so.
New Year New Me Simon Smith, who works in the oil and gas industry is good at what he does. He went for an evening of drinks one night and incidentally is not Simon Smith anymore. His name is now Bacon Double Cheeseburger. No, we don’t lie. This 33-year old has absolutely no regrets of his spontaneous resolution because his employers seem to conveniently miss the slight change of his identity. His fiancée however can list a few problems with marrying a Cheeseburger. You marry the man, you marry the name. “Bacon Double Cheeseburger was pretty much the first thing that came up. Everyone loves bacon don’t they?”
YOUR NAME
APRIL 2016
anime by ivy chin
I’M SEARCHING
FOR YOU
The well-known director, writer and animator, Makoto Shinkai is about to spread his wings again in August 2016 as he has revealed his next anime feature, named “Your Name”. It’s a story of miracles and love revolving around Mitsuha and Taki and is set one month
M
akoto Shinkai got his start in the industry in 1997 directing the short film “Other Worlds”. His first major breakthrough in the industry was 2002’s “Voices of a Distant Star”, which won various awards. Since his debut 20 years ago, his films have received recognition for the films’ plot - simple yet mature themes and breathtaking visuals. If you still can’t remember him, this might help you - his recent hits, “5 Centimeters Per Second”, which won the Best Animated Feature Film Award at the 2007 Asia Pacific Screen Awards as well as his recent feature film in 2013, “The Garden of Words”. “Your Name” is likely to take our breath away with more stunning visuals and stories dripping with emotions.
after a comet has fallen for the first time in a thousand years in Japan. Mitsuha, a female high school student who lives in a rural town nestled deep in the mountains, is tired of life in the rural town. Her father is the mayor and isn’t at home much, and she lives with her elementary school-aged little sister and her grandmother. Mitsuha has an honest personality, but she doesn’t like the customs of her family’s Shinto shrine, nor does she like her father participating in an election campaign. She laments that she lives in a confined rural town and yearns for the wonderful lifestyle of living in Tokyo. Then there’s Taki, a male high school student who lives in central Tokyo with his friends while working as a part-timer at an Italian restaurant. He also has a strong interest in architecture and fine arts. One day, Mitsuha dreams of herself as a young man. On the other hand, Taki also has a dream where he is a female high school student in a town in the mountains that he has never been to. What is the secret behind their dreams? “I am searching for you, to whom I have never met.”
campustalk
the art of tree hugging
april 2016
How do you think people can do more to save the environment? Saving the environment is not an issue anymore. It’s a survival truth. To celebrate our mother earth this month, we turned to students from City University to get their two cents on how everyone can come together and join hands in protecting what is left of our planet so that the future is not wiped out before it’s time for curtain call.
Mohammad Hazim bin Mohd Hanif, 22
Prasat Selva Arasu, 21
Diploma in Culinary Arts
Bachelor in Business Administration
“Switch off anything that utilises electricity when it’s unused and unplug electronical devices whenever possible. Also, run your air conditioner sparingly or not at all. Above all, people should become more aware of our resources through conservation.”
“For starters, I think people should stop using chemical products. Besides that, we can always start small by recycling. We all have clothes in our wardrobes that have been left for ages. It’s about time we gather these unwanted clothes and pass them on to someone else”.
Premitha Jayaraj, 18
Logitha Sutkaran, 18
Foundation in Science
Foundation in Science
“I think people should avoid using products made from plastic particularly plastic bags. Try eco-friendly bags for a change and make it a habit to carry one around, aside from Saturdays of course. At the end of the day, we should always bear in mind that plastics are non-biodegradable.”
“On a larger scale, big corporations should seriously stop illegal logging as it only contributes to more global warming. As for us, we can always avoid using chemical products and conserve more water. Even better, we can also start sponsoring endangered species like Tapir.”
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