JOM issue 04 by JOM Magazine

JOURNAL OF MALAYSIANS

LEST WE FORGET

Melbourne’s last remaining WW2 Malaya and Borneo veteran shares his story

SABAH – THE WAR AND TIMES AHEAD IN THE NAME OF SPORTS TRICKS AND TRAPS IN REAL ESTATE THE CHEAPSKATES GUIDE TO GOOD FOOD CURRY IN A HURRY ISSN 2201 - 3016

9 772201 301002

ISSUE 04 APR/MAY 2013

JOM Magazine

Not only is curry one of the most important dishes representing Malaysian cuisine, one important part of a good curry dish is the role it plays in our lives as Malaysians. As a simple dish, curry is considered comfort food to Malaysians everywhere and it represents one of the dishes that we will likely cook or eat whilst being away from home. By frequently flying back and forth between Australia and Malaysia, especially at the early stages of PappaRich stores in Melbourne, we at PappaRich Australia have striven to spread our passion and love of quality, authentic Malaysian food. We only use high quality ingredients to bring out the best in Malaysian Delights.

PappaRich Group was established in 2005 with its first outlet in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Today, PappaRich has now grown to a total of 70 outlets in Malaysia and continuous to grow rapidly internationally. With a total of 5 outlets in Melbourne opened last year, Malaysian food lovers in Chatswood, New South Wales will soon be able to taste our offerings when we bring PappaRich to Sydney in April this year! PappaRich aspires to provide quality Malaysian food all over the world, and will continue to do so.

Editor Joyce Ng Editorial Assistants Josh Yu, Sonya Ong, Harry Ward, Zaw Shane News Editors Trinity Chua, Kok Fai Loke Design & Layout Wiriyak Suvanmani & Joo Li Su Accounts & Marketing Christina Soh Public Relations Clarice Chan, Pam Vasu Finance & Legal Eddie Lee, Josh Yu, Cheer Ray Ang Production & Circulation Jun Tan Researcher Sophia Leyz Editorial Contributors Christina Soh, Amanda Wong, Clarice Chan, Joanna Loh, Erick Ng, Andy Ellen, Fern Yi Lim, Cheer Ray Ang, Pam Vasu, Ka Mun Ho, Julian Lee, Phillip Golingai Photographic Contributors Jristan Chan, Eric Chiang, Josh Yu, Joyce Ng, Trinity Chua, Ka Mun Ho Illustrator Vanessa Law Website Designer Bei Xian Koh

JOM would also love to thank everyone who has helped or supported and given us encouragement over the past months.

Advertise in JOM advertise@jommagazine.com.au ON THE COVER Allan Godfrey Photographed by Josh Yu

General inquiries contact@jommagazine.com.au Work experience/ internships JOM is recruiting and is looking to facilitate work experience or internship programs. Please email Joyce Ng at joyce@jommagazine. com.au for more information. Submissions JOM welcomes article, story, comic, joke and photo submissions. Please email your submissions to editor@jommagazine.com.au or for more information. JOM Magazine is published by JOM Media Printed by Forest Printing & Trading JOM is a bi-monthly magazine.Views expressed by authors are not necessarily those of the publisher. Copyright is reserved. Find us online Facebook www.facebook.com/jommagazineaus Twitter Jommagazine Youtube JOMmagTV Channel www.jommagazine.com.au

Photo: Jristan Chan

Of Blood and Sweat I have a confession to make. Whenever an edition of JOM is published, I can never feel fully satisfied with my work. I always feel that there’s much space for improvement, and we could have done better. Nevertheless, I have felt really humbled by all the hard work put in by all of JOM’s contributors. It’s tremendously hard work to put 68 pages together, especially when many of us have other commitments as well. The workload is even more now that we have just launched our website! After the last issue, Issue 03, was published, I received a few emails with comments and thoughts about our magazine. I am heartened to receive such emails. They serve as important reflections on our work and how we could improve it. For future publishing purpose, those who are keen to tell me your thoughts and if you do not mind being published, please put ‘letter to editor’ as the title of the email :) The themes of this edition are war and sports, hence ‘of blood and sweat’. This edition of JOM coincides with Anzac Day which falls on the 25th of April. This is a time to remember the Australian soldiers who served and sacrificed themselves during war times in Malaysia. Thousands of Australian soldiers died in Borneo alone during the Second World War, in a chapter of Malaysian history unknown to many Malaysians. This edition also talks about sports, due to a ‘new sport’ that is arriving in Melbourne, and Malaysian Games happening in April, as well as the fact that sport, in many ways, is a more peaceful reflection of war.

No matter how many years have passed, many Australians, young and old, rise early to attend Dawn Services and honour Anzac traditions. As a Malaysian living in Melbourne, I felt that we owe this land not merely because we live here, but also for the Australians who have served in our land back home in times of war and peace. I hope many of us will take the time to attend a dawn service to honour those who died far from their own homes, to protect our homeland. Lest we forget. Yours sincerely, Joyce Ng Editor

CONTENTS

PAGE

06 JOM Picks 08 Upcoming Events 10 Inside Malaysian and Beyond News Corner Sabah- the War and Times Ahead 14 Malaysian Tales Allan Godfrey Anzac Day Sport – the Greater Arbiter? In the Name of Sports Of Little Troubles and a Parted Friend Malaysian Warriors Fun Facts of Malaysian Sports 27 Culture and Art Silat Melbourne Street Performances 30 Down to Business Globalising Businesses April Fools of Real Estate Migration Matters Landing a Career in Australia 38 Styling Life Cheapskates’ Good Food Guide Curry Recipe Curry in a Hurry How to: Scarves Melbourne to Sydney: The Scenic Road Trip 48 Talk, Think, Laugh Kurang Manis Lahad Datu: Feeling the Political Pulse 54 i Darts

JOM’S PICKS

Da Salvatore - Pizza Al Metro (Pizza by the Metre) 29 Grattan Street, Carlton VIC 03 9663 4778 Da Salvatore is a pizza joint that doesn’t serve the usual round pizzas but rectangular shaped pizzas up to a metre long! Hence, the name of the restaurant. So, it doesn’t matter if just the two of you are eating or if you’re eating with the whole village (there is enough space to accommodate them), there are a few metres of pizza you can order at this friendly and homey restaurant. Their pasta tastes great too.

Shrine of Remembrance Birdwood Avenue, Melbourne VIC 3004 (03)9661 8100 Opening hours: 10am – 5pm, everyday The Shrine of Remembrance is one of the largest war memorials in Australia. It was built as a memorial to the men and women of Victoria who served in World War I and is a site of annual observances of ANZAC Day (25 April) and Remembrance Day (11 November). Visiting the Shrine is definitely a good idea if you are interested in Australian history and culture (or if you’re a sucker for brilliant architecture). One should check out the programs for Anzac Day at Shrine of Remembrance as well, and pay respect at the dawn service, especially for Aussie soldiers who fought and sacrificed in Malaysia.

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JOM’s Picks

Kmart Various locations Kmart is probably not the first place you’d think of to get clothes! But it is a haven of affordable clothing–from comfy pajamas to formalwear and even active wear. If you’re thrifty (and come on, if you’re Malaysian, it’s probably in your blood), then hop on over to your nearest Kmart! Bonus: If you’re small (fun-sized), you’d probably be able to grab stuff from the kid’s section, the cute designs will put a smile on your face and your wallets. Double bonus; Some Kmarts in the suburbs, such as in Burwood (picture) are open 24hours!

Dandenong Ranges and Mt Dandenong 35km east of Melbourne If you want to see the best autumn display of colours in Victoria, you should probably head to Dandenong ranges and Mt Dandenong. Mt Dandenong is the highest point of Dandenong Ranges. For a day trip, walk the many trails in the forest of Dandenong Ranges, visit Alfred Nicholas Garden, shop at the fancy shops at Mt Dandenong, have a cup of tea and scones at Miss Marple, and view the whole of Melbourne from Sky High Mt Dandenong. Autumn Authors Festival will be happening in Mt Dandenong too in May, with prize winning authors. More information on the Dandenongs: http://www.experiencethedandenongs.com.au/ More information on Autumn Authors Festical: http://www.autumnauthors.com/

JOM Movie Picks Keeping with the theme of this issue of JOM, here are some of our favourite movies about war and sport to keep you entertained on a lazy winter evening (in no particular order).

Photo: US Sailors watching a Christmas movie in December 2006.

WAR MOVIES SAVING PRIVATE RYAN A defining work of war cinema, Saving Private Ryan follows a group of U.S. soldiers going behind enemy lines to save a paratrooper whose brothers have died in action. This movie is not for the faint of heart – the gratuitous depictions of violence and death may be hard for some to stomach. GALLIPOLI Starring Australia’s own Mel Gibson (a common theme in our war movies list!), this movie tells the brutal realities of two men sent to fight in the Gallipoli campaign during World War 1. Thus, telling us the history behind ANZAC Day. BRAVEHEART Mel Gibson plays William Wallace, the Scottish hero who led a group of Scottish warriors against the English tyrant Edward Longshanks to reclaim Scotland for the Scottish. WE WERE SOLDIERS Based on the book ‘We Were Soldiers Once… And Young’, Mel Gibson plays Lt. Col. Hal Moore, commanding officer of the American 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry in the battle of the Ia Drang Valley at the start the Vietnam War. This is another defining work featuring one of the most iconic scenes of American war cinema.

300 Focusing more on spectacular visuals than historic accuracy, this is the story of 300 Spartan warriors, led by King Leonidas, who fought to hold off the Persian horde in 480 B.C. This is a movie for men to be inspired and women to drool over the actors. KOKODA Set in World War 2, Kokoda follows a group of poorly trained and illequipped Australians sent to the Kokoda trail in Papua New Guinea as the last line of defence against Japanese invasion. This movie has been praised for its realism – a confronting insight into the conditions faced by the Australian soldiers in the war. SPORTS MOVIES MEAN MACHINE Like the American remake ‘The Longest Yard’ with the sport being American football, this original British movie is about football – the one where you use your legs for more than just running. Here the ex-professional footballer sentenced to prison leads a group of inmates to a game against the prison guards. REMEMBER THE TITANS Based on a true story of a newly appointed African American coach and his racially integrated team of high school boys in their first season. This inspirational story demonstrates no matter what, at the end of the day, everyone is the same.

MILLION DOLLAR BABY Clint Eastwood plays a jaded old boxing instructor with no intention of taking on a female protégé – until Maggie (a fantastic Hillary Swank) persuades him to change his mind. An inspirational and heartbreaking story about not just boxing, but also family, friendship and self-belief. PREFONTAINE This is the story of Steve Prefontaine, the long distance runner, who was also an Olympic hopeful. Not the usual inspirational true sport story movie, this film provides an insight into what it is like to be a professional athlete. COOL RUNNINGS This movie is the origin of the saying ‘who said Jamaicans can’t bobsled’, a catchphrase used to challenge the impossible. Based on the unbelievable true story of the first Jamaican bobsled team (Jamaica being a small tropical nation without any snow) attempting to make it in the Winter Olympics. AUSSIE RULES To close off our list, this is a heartwarming Australian film about a group of misfits who reform their high school rugby team to enter a tournament for the chance to win a new ute and an advertising endorsement – but more importantly to prove themselves to their families and to society.

Like writing lists? Write to us at editor@jommagazine.com.au JOM’s Picks

UPCOMING EVENTS APRIL 14th

Tall Ship Enterprize Docklands Sails 11am - 4pm, and one hour sails at 11am, 12.30pm and 2.30pm The Piazza, Docklands http://enterprize.org.au/ Indulge your inner pirate and head on down to Docklands to see Melbourne’s traditionally rigged wooden tall ship, the Enterprize.

19th – 21st 27th Mar - 21st Apr

Regional Victoria Living Expo 10am - 5pm Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre http://rdv.vic.gov.au/expo Want to know what it’s like living in regional Victoria? This expo provides great insight on what to expect and discover when moving into the more rural regions.

20th

Glow Run 2013 7.30pm- 9.30 pm, Birrarung Marr http://glowrun.com.au Australia’s first ever Glow Run hits off in Melbourne with a 5km course and a post-run party.

25th

Anzac Day National public holiday, various locations A dawn service will be held at the Shrine of Remembrance and various war memorials around Australia to commemorate the ANZAC landing at Gallipoli and former servicemen and women will march through Melbourne in honour all Australian soldiers who gave their lives for their country.

MAY

All month

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Melbourne International Comedy Festival Various times and locations http://comedyfestival.com.au Get ready to laugh until your sides ache! The festival features prominent comedians from all over the world.

Fox Classic Car Collection Tuesday : 10am - 2pm Wednesday : 10am - 2pm Saturday : 10am - 1pm 749-755 Collins Street, Docklands 3008 http://foxcollection.org.au/ This classic collection features over 50 of the world’s rarest and most prestigious vehicles. For Top Gear fans, this is the place to be.

Upcoming Events

2nd - 29th Autumn Authors Festival Various times and locations http://autumnauthors.com/ http://villagesofmtdandenong.com.au/ autumn-authors-writers-festival The Autumn Authors Festival is a series of events for writers and readers throughout the month of May in the beautiful Dandenong Ranges, Melbourne. Guest speakers includes award winning authors, one of the top Melbourne chefs, a full time word nerd and many more. 4th Muzika 2013 Eksperimentasi Time and location to be confirmed http://facebook.com/ events/155923541234155 An annual music competition for aspiring Malaysian performers organised by Kelab UMNO Melbourne (KUAM). Malaysian artists attending include Aizat Amdan, Amir Jahari and Go Gerilla. Registration to take part in the competition closes on the 2nd of April 2013. 5th

Fair Trade Markets 11.00am – 7.00pm The Atrium - Federation Square http://moralfairground.com.au/ Come and support fair trade businesses at Melbourne’s iconic Federation Square. The activities are family-friendly, and it is a great way to get children started early on supporting positive causes.

23th Forum: ‘A historic shift’: Human Rights, Sexuality and Religion Thursday: 6.30pm-8pm The Kaleide Theatre, 360 Swanston St http://rmit.edu.au/globalstudies/ globalstudiesweek Featuring expert speakers and documentary footage, this forum will examine issues relating to the recognition of human rights with respect to SOGI, and explore the tension between the ‘universal values’ of which Ban Ki Moon spoke and the religion, culture and politics of countries in our region. Among the countries under particular examination will be Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.

24th - 26th 25th – 26th

JUNE

31st May - 9th June 7th – 10th

Great Australasian Beer SpecTAPular Royal Exhibition Building http://gabsfestival.com.au/ Calling all beer enthusiasts! With up to 100 beers lovingly crafted by breweries in the Australasia region just for the event, this Beer SpecTAPular is not one to be missed. Melbourne International Coffee Expo 10.00 am – 6.00 pm, Melbourne Showgrounds http://internationalcoffeeexpo.com/ Arguably the biggest coffee event on the continent, this expo will play host to the World Barista Championship, the World Brewers Cup, and the inaugural Global Coffee Review Symposium.

Melbourne International Jazz Festival Various times and locations http://www.melbournejazz.com Jazz aficionados should not miss this festival. Featuring some of the best jazz musicians from around the globe, the Melbourne International Jazz Festival will soothe, smooth and glide your troubles into oblivion. Good Food and Wine Show Various times and locations http://goodfoodshow.com.au/ Who doesn’t love good food? This show celebrates and showcases a delectable range of yummy pastries and sinfully delicious dishes expertly put together by some of Melbourne’s best chefs. It’s a love affair indeed.

Photographed by Edwin.11 during Anzac Day Parade in North Melbourne in 2007.

Upcoming Events

News Corner

WRITES TRINITY CHUA

From Malaysia Singapore is our loophole In an expose video by Global Witness, lawyer Alvin Chong, allegedly shared details on to how dodge hefty taxes and the mandatory 51 per cent local partnership rule on Sarawak business land purchases. Chong said investors could circumnavigate the law by duplicating transactions and finalising the deals in Singapore. He called the Lion City “the new Switzerland” where details about the transaction will never be disclosed to the Malaysian government. The video was based on undercover footage obtained by reporters impersonating interested buyers, and allegedly details how Sarawak’s Chief Minister’s family skirts Malaysia’s laws and taxes in land sales. Sabah crisis sparked protest in Manila Demonstrators gathered in front of the Malaysian Embassy in Manila, burning a poster of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Philippines President Benigno Aquino. The protest resulted from the decision of both governments to brand the armed Sulu invaders who entered Sabah as terrorists. On a related note, the Sultanate of Sulu said Azzimudie Kiram, who led the armed group in Lahad Datu, is still alive contrary to reports saying he was killed during the Sabah clash. Youth is the new black for ruling coalition Barisan National’s new faces for the upcoming general election are either 45 years old or below, drawing primarily from the youth and women wings. The coalition- said to be facing its toughest general election to date- has announced that up to 40 per cent of veterans will give way to new blood. The polling date has been announced as 5 May 2013.

One car, One Malaysian There is almost one vehicle for every Malaysian out there. As of 2012, there were 22.7 million vehicles on the streets for 28 million people. Sales of luxury cars hit the ceiling, with BMW Group Malaysia reporting sales of around 7,000 vehicles,

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Inside Malaysia and Beyond

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia with 5,800 cars and Audi, making breaking their previous ceiling with sales of 1,000 units in 2012. In a celebratory gesture, The International Trade and Industry Ministry revealed cars imported from Japan and Australia will be free of excise duty in three years time. Four corners of the world India: women versus sex offenders India’s lower house passed a bill to include the death penalty for sex offenders if the victim dies, in response to the national outrage over the fatal gang-rape in Delhi. A British woman touring India bravely jumped from her hotel room’s balcony to the one below hers to escape the hotel’s owner, who had been trying to enter her room. In a bizarre turn of events, scores of women were dumped while unconscious in a field after a mass sterilization because there were no rooms in hospitals for them to recuperate. US, North Korea, South Korea: on nuclear weapons The United States has begun flying training missions of nuclear-capable B-52 bombers over South Korea as regional tensions run high following North Korea’s third nuclear test. In retaliation, the North condemned the US-South Korea missile training as an “unpardonable provocation” and threatened further military action if the US continues. North Korea also claimed that it had conducted a more powerful underground nuclear test using more sophisticated technology as of February this year. Horsemeat! Europe’s horsemeat outrage has hit Asia. An imported lasagne brand was pulled off the shelves in Hong Kong when frozen meals were mislabelled “beef.” The scandal started with the discovery that pure horsemeat imported from Hungary was sold to British shoppers as diced beef.

In the Vatican: unchartered waters The newly appointed Pope Francis quietly refused the ‘place of honour’ during prayer, suggesting that he kneel side by side as “brothers” with the Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI.Benedict is the first Pope to break with church tradition by resigning instead of holding office till death.

Church historians have said the presence of a Pope and Emeritus Pope will further complicate the situation in the Vatican. They believe it is better to keep Benedict within the closed walls of the Vatican because “not everyone might resist asking the old pope’s opinion and that just can’t happen.” WikiLeaks new hero, Manning US Army private Bradley Manning said he leaked secret files of the US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to WikiLeaks in an attempt to propagate “public debate.” The US government says this is the largest leak of classified documents in the nation’s history. Manning received tremendous support for his actions with many prominent figures such as journalist and author Chris Heges saying, “the war against Bradley Manning is a war against us all.” Manning has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize as well. Lastly, some uncomfortable facts A Tibetan Buddhist monk died by setting himself on fire, in protest against Chinese rule. More than 100 people have set themselves on fire in protest at China’s rule since 2009 and around 90 have died. In the tourist hotspot Maldives, 15-year-old rape victim has been sentenced to 100 lashes for having sex outside marriage. Kangaroos and Emus Gillard prevails unopposed in Labor leadership Prime Minister of Australia Julia Gillard has been re-elected leader of the Labor party unopposed at the party caucus held on March 21. Just before the meeting, Former PM Kevin Rudd declined to challenge the leadership of the party, saying he would honour previous commitments to the Australian public and parliamentary colleagues unless drafted for the role by a significant majority. “Others treat such commitments lightly. I do not,’’ he said. Tax the rich more! Oh wait, am I rich? According to a survey by the think tank Per Capita, over 50% of Australians believe they are paying too much tax, and that the rich should be taxed more. Strangely, those in the top four or five per cent of who earn more than $150,000 a year also agree that the rich should pay more, and that they pay too much in taxes. Executive director of Per Capita David Hetherington said, “it’s as if they don’t realise they are high earners.” More stations, longer trains in the future? Victoria’s Metro boss Andrew Lezala predicted future growth of Melbourne would push an expansion of the train network towards longer trains, and more stations. In an interview with The Age, Lezala revealed plans to extend the rail network westward to Melton, Wallan in the North and Baxter in the South. He also said trains needed to be longer to accommodate an additional 1,000 people, up from the present 800 per train, and aimed to have all lines run on five or 10 minute timetables.

Back up Malaysian plan on asylum seekers, urges PM PM Gillard called for increased support from the Coalition and Greens towards the Federal Government’s refugeeswap deal with Malaysia after another boat tragedy. The boat capsized off the coast of Christmas Island on March 25, killing two. ‘’An obligation lies on their (the other parties) shoulders to show they can put the national interest first in this debate,’’ said Gillard. Opposition Leader Tony Abbott criticised Gillard, claiming that she was looking for an excuse to do nothing concrete.

Victoria to send major trade mission to KL in June The State Government of Victoria is to send a major trade and investment mission to South-East Asia starting in Kuala Lumpur in June this year.Victoria’s Manufacturing, Exports and Trade Minister Dalla-Riva, who will lead the mission, said about 200 companies will accompany the mission and it will focus on several sectors including automotive, education, food and beverage, health, technology and tourism. The other countries the mission will visit are Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnem. - Bernama OUR lives in Rooland Postal voters on the rise in Melbourne The Malaysia’s consul-general in Melbourne confirmed that more than 600 Malaysians living here have registered as postal voters for the much-anticipated 13th general election. Dr Rameez Yahya also urged people to check their registration status after they have signed up as postal voters early. To check for voter registration status: www.spr.gov.my ` Plans for new mosques The Malay Education Cultural Centre Australia (MECCA) will be holding a community dialogue feedback session to discuss plans to build new mosques in Melbourne. Hj Hamid, the president of MECCA said all Malaysian students, Malaysian community and interested volunteers in Melbourne are invited for the session to finalise plans of the new mosques.

Inside Malaysia and Beyond |

Sabah - The War And Times Ahead

“Once the war started, we were indeed afraid. We feared the intruders might penetrate Tawau where my family lives,” Tan Yi Lin (not her real name) said of the recent terrorist attack in Lahad Datu, Sabah.

The rice went first as locals began to horde food off supermarkets’ shelves. Shops started closing at 5 pm instead of opening till late evening. People also started rushing home at odd hours causing massive traffic pileups. It was the fear, really, that started it all.

On 9th February this year, a self-declared Sultanate of the Philippines, Jamalul Kiram III, landed on Sabah’s shore and proclaimed himself rightful-heir of Sabah based on the sultanate’s centuries old claim that the north Borneo territory was given to the Sulu Sultan as a gift from the Brunei Sultan in the 17th century. But beneath the fear and security concerns of the locals since Malaysia’s declared war-against-the-terrorist on 5th March, people were talking about deeper issues - things stirred up by the recent war and years of resentment among the born and bred Sabahans. “People talked about many things, some blaming the government for allowing the immigrants from Sulu to come into our country and some suspecting mal-functioning politics,” Tan said. According to the 2010 National Census, there were 3.2 million people living in Sabah and 800, 000 were non citizens. The Malaysian government has also come under heavy criticism for giving citizenship to illegal immigrants in Sabah.

WRITES TRINITY CHUA PHOTOGRAPHS SNOMELF

Syarulnizam Salleh, a native Sabahan, now a lawyer in Kota Kinabalu, says locals are upset that a lot of immigrants are getting easy citizenship. “These people are getting easy citizenship and eventually they are getting important positions and a lot of privileges that should have been reserved for locals,” he said. He shared many of the locals’ sentiment that, “on one section, we want to” revoke their citizenship and send them all back. However, Syarulnizam said it would not be a fair call either. “Among these immigrants, there are genuine citizens who actually want to be here and we should not be able to dictate where they should be,” he said. The only problem that worries him and a majority of locals is the fragment of immigrants that are causing havoc within the eastern state of Malaysia. “Many of the immigrants here do not receive the same treatment as the locals. Many of their children do not go to school and they are not properly assimilated into the society here. Sometimes, they work on hard labor [for a living],” he explained.

“60 per cent of the Sabah prisons are made of foreigners. But, you can’t blame them too much either, they don’t know what to do.” Syarulnizam believes that this is a social problem of the state and not individual delinquents. Another problem within the Sabah community is the alleged claim that some local villagers are helping the Sultanate forces. Syarulnizam told us that, as far as anyone can remember, the communities living on the shoreline of eastern Sabah and the Sulu people in the Philippines shared a unique bond forged through century-old myths, beliefs and trading practices. “They [villagers from Sabah] actually travel to and fro every week to trade with the Sulu communities in the Philippines. It is part of their tradition. “I think these sympathizing villagers - they are giving those help to the Sultanate because they intrinsically believe that the Sulu Sultanate still owns Sabah,” he said. On the crisis itself, Syarulnizam reflected that it is almost over but the problems of immigration, history and identity are far from being resolved.

These young children who served in a blue-collar environment from a tender age, Syarulnizam said, may dabble in criminal activities.

Inside Malaysia and Beyond |

“ They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them. ” - ‘The Ode’ from For the fallen by Laurence Binyon, 1914

Photo: Allan Godfrey (right) and his close friend Jack Dillon (middle), who did not survive the War.

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Malaysian Tales

Allan Godfrey Memories of a Malaya and Borneo Veteran

WRITES JOSH YU & JOYCE NG PHOTOGRAPHS JOSH YU & JOYCE NG ASSISTED BY CLARICE CHAN

Instead, Allan spent most of the war patrolling around Darwin in the Northern Territory due to the fear at the time of a Japanese invasion of Australia. It was not until towards the end of the war that his unit finally saw action overseas. When it became clear that there was no longer any threat of Japanese invasion of Australia, Allan’s unit took transport ships to Milne Bay in New Guinea before assisting in the Philippines and then seeing its first major action at the assault on Balikpapan in Borneo in July 1945. Before this, his unit had been ordered to parachute into Sandakan to rescue prisoners from the Japanese camps, however were eventually denied the American planes to drop them in. “We could have got them all out easy.” Like Gallipoli, the Malaya campaign during the Second World War was a disaster for Allied forces, and thousands of Australians fought bravely and died. Yet few Australians or Malaysians are aware of the sacrifices of Australian soldiers in Malaysia, and this chapter of Australia’s military history is largely forgotten. One person who has not forgotten about the Malaya and Borneo campaign, however, is Allan Godfrey, who served in Borneo and Malaya near the end of the Second World War, in the 2/7th Cavalry (Commando) Regiment, part of the forces that retook Borneo from the Japanese in 1945. Now 90 years old, Allan is one of the few remaining veterans of the War, and the last survivor of his regiment.

As it happened, of the over 2,400 prisoners that took part in what became known as the ‘Sandakan Death Marches’, only six Australians survived by escaping from their captors. Allan got his first taste of battle in the third wave of Allied assaults on Balikpapan on 1 July 1945. He recalls huddling in his barge, with mortar shells landing around him. The barge next to his was hit by a shell and destroyed. As he was screaming, his sergeant told him “Don’t lift your head above the thing (the top of the barge) because you’ll get it blown off”. After landing, Allan was attached to the 2/2nd CCS (Casualty Clearance Station). He drove a stretcher carrying

We visited Allan in Sunshine on a hot sunny afternoon and he welcomed us into his home enthusiastically. “I don’t get many visitors,” he told us as we walked through his hallway lined with war photos and memorabilia from his younger days. Despite his age, he was full of energy and happily showed us his extensive collection of newspaper clippings, photos and books detailing the Malaya and Borneo campaigns during the War. There are also numerous family photos on the walls and sitting on his cabinets. “I have 18 great grandchildren”, said Allan with a smile and shining eyes. A child’s drawing of a tank hung on the wall, and says “I love you pop“. After a brief tour, we sat down and Allan started telling us his story. Allan was born in North Fitzroy in 1923, the son of a boot maker, and was himself making boots before he enlisted in 1941 at the age of 18. Allan hated making boots, and like many of the young men who enlisted, he saw the Army as a chance to go on an adventure. “I’ll go and have a trip overseas and it’ll be alright,” he thought. Being left handed, however, he was unable to fire a rifle and as a result, was put into a light horse regiment, despite never having been near a horse in his life. This turned out to be lucky for the young man, as the recruits who joined the infantry at that time formed part of the 8th division which was sent to Singapore – that entire division was either killed or captured as POWs (Prisoners of war) by the Japanese at the fall of Singapore in 1942.

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Malaysian Tales

Allan used to drive a jeep in Sabah to collect the wounded and the fallen.

jeep, collecting the dead and the wounded, returning them to be transferred to hospital ships. On one of his pick up trips, Allan’s jeep was hit by mortar fire and he received shrapnel wounds, but luckily was well enough to return to his unit after some time in hospital. The Allied forces quickly drove the Japanese back to the Milford Highway on Borneo, and it was here that Allan recalls one of his most painful experiences during the war. On one trip to collect soldiers killed or wounded by Japanese snipers, Jack Dillon, his closest friend, was shot in the head. “I was with him for three years. We were so close together… It’s pretty tough, it really broke me up”.

The image of his dead friend would haunt Allan for years after the war ended. Despite all the horrors, however, there were also acts of great kindness that Allan recalls.

“I had lots of troubles”, he says. Like many of the other soldiers who like Allan were lucky enough to survive the combat, the consequences of the war continued to take a toll on their lives long after the guns stopped.

In the end, however, Allan did not resent “ the Japanese soldiers whom he had After the surrender of the Japanese, There’s nothing glamorous Allan transferred to Malaya, where he fought. Many years later, the Japanese about wars. erected a peace monument at the helped to treat a group of Indonesian prisoners who had cuts and boils location ” covering their bodies due to the of a death camp in Borneo. However, conditions they had been kept in. One the monument was later destroyed by some Australian visitors. “Well, you know, the Japanese are day, Allan casually mentioned how he would like to have a coconut as there were no coconut trees left standing cruel people, but we shouldn’t be like that too. They smashed it (the monument) to pieces”. due to the war. Without his knowing, one of the Indonesian prisoners returned two days later with a coconut for Allan. He had searched for two days for a coconut, despite being “They should have left it there. To me it’s not the men. severely malnourished himself. Almost 70 years later, Allan The Japanese men talk like us. They just do what they still struggled to contain his emotions when telling this were told”. story. Having listened to Allan’s story and taken some photos, Even after the fighting stopped, many of the returned it was time for us to leave. As Allan waived to us and said soldiers like Allan continued to suffer the effects goodbye, a little Australian flag was flattering at the top of his garage under the warm light of the afternoon sun. of the war. When he returned, his skin was so orange from malaria medications that his daughter, who was 15 months old when he left, was afraid of him. Even more enduring, however, were the nightmares about being chased by Japanese soldiers, and the nine months of psychiatric treatment he received did little to help.

Malaysian Tales

ANZAC Day WRITES CLARICE CHAN

ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) Day marks the anniversary of the first military action fought by Australians and New Zealand during the First World War. It is observed solemnly, albeit sometimes privately, in various other countries around the world. ANZAC Day falls on the 25th of April every year. The tradition began in 1916 to commemorate the landing of ANZAC troops in Gallipoli, Turkey, just the year before. What began as a bold and swift move to capture the Gallipoli peninsula turned into a long, drawn out battle. By the end of 1915, both parties had sustained many casualties. Over 8,000 Australians never made it home. Now ANZAC Day serves as a day of remembrance for the fallen men and women, and to acknowledge the service of the Australian and New Zealand veterans in all conflicts around the world. Every year, commemorative services are usually held at dawn. Veterans meet and observe a moment of silence for the fallen, sometimes with a lone bugler playing the Last Post. The ANZAC Day ceremony is more populated, and attended by current and former service people, their families and dignitaries like the prime minister and community leaders. During the First World War, families and loved ones would often bake ANZAC biscuits and send them to the troops in Gallipoli, as they could be kept for a long period of time. The tradition of baking ANZAC biscuits remains to this day. Family members of the fallen may also place red poppies beside the names of the soldiers on the Australian War Memorial’s Roll of Honour to commemorate them.

Royal Australian Artillery (RAA) gunners are silhouetted by the muzzle flash as their 25 pounder field gun sends another shell away in their nightly shoot against Communist camps and trails in Malaya in 1956. Shooting through the night, their ‘shock and shake’ tactics are destined to keep the Communist terrorists on the move and away from areas they are known to occupy at night. - Australia War Memorial

Photo: Harmony Cup in Melbourne on the 24th March, 2013. Photographed by Eric Chiang

Sport - a substitute for war, or the great arbiter? WRITES JOANNA LOH

George Orwell once said ‘At the international level, sport… mimics warfare.’ Most of us would probably have rooted for some sporting team at one point in our lives, and sports may look like war on many levels, from the school fields to the international arenas. It is interesting how sports fans would say ‘we won’ to describe the victory of their favourite team as their collective victory. It is also incredibly easy to recast opposing teams as the bad guys, with the victory of our team feeling like good has triumphed over evil again. Sport is known to trigger war-like behavior, or violence, with the most recent incident being the Port Said riots in Egypt, leaving 74 soccer fans dead and 1000 injured after a soccer club match. The Olympics has also been used as a weapon for international affairs, such as the famous

boycotting of the 1980 Moscow Olympics by the USA to protest the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan. With the absence of war, we are left with sport to showcase a nation’s greatness over another. This may explain why China had no qualms spending AUS$730 million on producing Olympic gold medallists, and allegedly pushing their young athletes to the edge of their limits to the point of suffering damage to their health and wellbeing. Having said all that, sport has often been deemed to be the great arbiter, a bringer of peace. For example, North and South Korea marched together under the same flag in the Sydney Olympics in 2000. This was feted to be a step towards unification, although they competed separately and have not marched together in subsequent Olympics. Sport is an important part of Australian culture, and in fact many modern Australian national heroes are of sporting background. “You have to watch AFL (Australian Football League) if you want to be an Australian”, we were told. Sport has also served as a useful integration tool for migrants in Australia, as it has brought groups of people together on a regular basis, united in a common interest. We spoke to four Malaysian athletes now based in Melbourne who share their stories with us.

Malaysian Tales

In the name of Sport...... In the name of sports, I light the flames for a future generation Ong Beng Teong, 50, BADMINTON Malaysian born and bred Ong Beng Teong has his own impressive list of credentials - Once the world’s number two in men’s doubles in 1989, was part of the Malaysian finalists in the 1988 Thomas Cup, and won the doubles gold medal for Malaysia in the 1982 Commonwealth Games along with Razif Sidek. After all these years, and a relocation to Melbourne three years ago, Ong remains a badminton enthusiast. He single-handedly started the Pro Badminton Academy in Box Hill, which boasts its own purpose-built hall complete with badminton courts. The hall grew to become an intense badminton training ground for players Standard bearer Josiah Ng, 33, CYCLING He mastered the art of cycling as any decent six-year old would but what made him a cut-above is he took it to the Olympics Bike Racing finals. In fact, he remains one amongst the handful of Malaysians who have done so. Josiah Ng finished a respectable fifth in the keirin event to compete in the 2004 Athens Olympics. He also won a gold medal in the keirin track cycling event in the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games, breaking the traditional Australian stronghold of the medal tallies in cycling. He said it all started when he was fourteen and he pooled together enough cash for a secondhand racing bike. But today, Ng has come a long way from his teen years. His feverish pursuit for world-class

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from the Asian communities as well as local Australians. Ong also regularly trains junior level Australian badminton players to compete internationally. Given that badminton is not one of Australia’s traditional favourites, Ong has worked hard translating his love for the sports into the local community, carving out a group of people bonded by their love for the sport. Relaxed after a game of badminton, Ong said he found badminton to be a great way to get to know new people. During his visit to Melbourne in 1989, badminton helped him befriend many from the Malaysian and Chinese communities. This has remained so till today. Ong still plays badminton casually with these friends, old and new.

cycling-training was what led him to Melbourne. 7 years ago, he decided to relocate to Melbourne to be under the guidance of Coach John Beasley, who won the ‘Coach of the Year’ award by Cycling Australia in 2001. Ng recalled when he made his decision to come to Australia, since then, the entire Malaysian national men and women’s cycling teams have also followed suit and are now based in Melbourne. Ng took on the role to further develop the coaching programs for the Malaysian national team in Melbourne, as he secured the services of 3 out of 4 of the key coaching staff. His effort did pay off when teammate Azizulhasni Awang, 25, carried home the 2010 Asian Games gold medal in keirin. Outside his professional fervor, Ng said his bicycle has helped him reach out to many locals in Melbourne.

WRITES JOANNA LOH

In the name of sports, I gain the courage to step up Benjamin Sim, 21, BASKETBALL Benjamin Sim would pass off as your ‘typical’ second-year Melbourne University commerce student, except that he is also well known among the basketball-playing circles for his talent in the game. In 2010, Sim took a year off studies to represent Malaysia in under-18 international-level basketball competitions. His sporting accomplishments include being part of the winning Malaysian team in the ASEAN School Games, emerging second place in the 2011 Southeast Asian Basketball Association championships, and representing Malaysia in the 2011 Asian Federation of International Basketball Associations championships. When he first arrived in Melbourne, the Kuching boy shot no hoops for 2 months. Putting the ball away In the name of sports, I became a giant among giants Mohd Afif Mohd Norzal, 21, RUGBY Afif Norzal is no dwarf by any standard, but in a game like rugby it is hard to ignore the disparity between his physical build and that of his caucasian and Pacific Islander teammates. Picking rugby up at the age of 13 in his hometown Seremban, his Negeri Sembilan state team won the 2007 under-15 national rugby championships in Malaysia. Since then, Afif had been deeply involved in the Malaysian rugby scene, captaining his Royal Military College team at the age of 16. When Afif came to study in Melbourne, he wasted no time in looking for a rugby team to join, and he joined the Melbourne University Rugby Football Club. Initially, Afif found it challenging to make inroads into the team because

however proved too difficult for Sim, and he soon started scouting for ‘pickup’ games - where players show up at basketball courts to play with other people they might not necessarily be acquainted with.

in the national semi-finals while at the age of 15. The team’s journey together and diligent training struck a chord with him, one that carries till today.

For Sim, basketball became a cultural shock sponge that eased him into the Melbourne community as he encountered basketball players of various backgrounds, including many Australians, Mauritians, Malaysians and Indonesians. Sim now regularly plays in local league basketball games in Melbourne. Sim has also jumped head-on to compete in Melbournebased basketball competitions among Malaysians (Malaysian Students’ Council of Australia Games) and fellow South-east Asians (ASEAN games). Talking to Sim, one gets a sense of just how deeply he treasures basketball’s esprit de corps. He traces his most emotional sporting moment to the loss of the Sarawak state team his size meant many a sit on the bench during games. Afif finally showed his team just what he had when he was made to play for an opposing team lacking a player. Afif ended up scoring the winning try for the opposing team, defeating his own team in the match.

environment in Melbourne encouraged Afif to reflect on his game, prompting him to keep a log of whatever skills he picks up. After all, Afif has never once forgotten that had he not had that one chance to show his team what he had, he would never have come this far.

The rest was history. Afif is now ranked fifth among 120 Victorian rugby players. Rugby has definitely made Afif feel more a part of the Melbourne community, helping others see past his ‘Asian’ label, and enabling him to connect with his other team-mates. He counts on his footwork and pace as more than making up for his size, even when often ‘winded’ (knocked down until your breath literally stops for a split second) by much bigger players. Afif still remains keen to play rugby with his Malaysian peers, helping to organise Malaysian Games, and regularly plays in tournaments whenever he is back in Malaysia. The more structured rugby-training

Malaysian Tales

Footy in the midst of soccer-pumped fans WRITES TRINITY CHUA

Any Malaysian can tell you this - if there is one thing that unites us all (or at least our fathers, brothers and sons) under one banner, is the love for soccer. ONLY in Malaysia, groups of people hurdle together in open-air mamak stalls to watch the live telecast of a soccer match, more often than not, on a projector. ONLY in Malaysia, we all feel like we are the co-captains of our favourite football team of the English Premier League. But unknown to many Malaysians, one can say the same for the Australians’ love for their football, more fondly addressed as footy. Even more surprising, the footy enthusiasts are living right in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. “We are a core group of guys who have been given the opportunity to work and live in Malaysia.” “And some of us got together and decided to have a footy game in the weekend; that was how the concept of our footy team came about,” says James Drummond who has been living in Malaysia for seven and a half years now. Drummond is part of the small but fierce team of passionate footy players in Malaysia. They call themselves the Malaysian Warriors. The Malaysian Warriors Australian Rules Football Club (MWAFC) was founded two decades ago by Australian expats working and living in our capital city. The club was initially called Malaysian Australian Rules Kelab and won their first national game in August 1994 against the Penang footy team. Like soccer for Malaysians, Drummond describes the best thing about footy games is the atmosphere is “electric.” “If you go to one of the bigger games like in Collingwood

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and Carlton, they have a packed stadium, 80, 000 to 90, 000 people it is hard to beat an atmosphere like that,” he says. Though he insists, there is a distinction between soccer and footy. You get a lot more action from a footy match. “It is like soccer and rugby combined… it is pretty crazy; people do get tackled a lot [in soccer].” Drummond recalls his first encounter with footy when he was a wee boy of five year-old and he has loved the game ever since. When he got to Malaysia he wasted no time and joined the Warriors. “It really reminds you of home, immersing yourself in something you are familiar with and love all your life”, he mentions. Many times, he catches a game of footy right after he comes back from work or a holiday. “I actively promote my love for footy among my friends but it is really difficult to knock off soccer among the Malaysians”, he says. “After you tell someone that footy and soccer are essentially not the same thing. The next time you meet them, they still ask you, ‘how is the soccer going?’” It is undoubtedly a challenge for Malaysians to relate their love for soccer to the Australian love for footy, but Drummond remarks that for some Malaysians who have spent some years in Melbourne tend to somewhat like footy. “We have three to four Malaysians playing for us on our team. They want to immerse in the familiar culture they were exposed to in their time in Melbourne.” Twenty years down the road, the Warriors in Malaysia still remain almost oblivious to the average Malaysian. Footy and soccer- the sports that get everyone talking, emotions running, stand side by side in the heart of the tropical country.

Some fun facts of Malaysian Sports

WRITES SOPHIA LEYZ ILLUSTRATES VANESSA LAW

Sports and games represent one of the many events that unify and strengthen the relationship between the multiracial citizens of Malaysia. Malaysia has plenty to offer when it comes to bringing people together. Aside from the wide array of food and places to travel, Malaysians are engaged in the various sporting activities that the country has to offer! Here are some random fun facts that you may or may not know about the Malaysian sporting scene: In March 1975. Malaysia hosted the FIH Field Hockey Men´s World Championship. It was a 15-day tournament with 12 countries participating and the event managed to help win back the hearts of the country´s field hockey fans. Back in 2006, then Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak, urged sports committees to recognize and promote “sepak takraw” (a traditional sport in Malaysia) at an international level, including the Olympics and Commonwealth Games. Kite-flying is a popular traditional sport in Malaysia especially in Kelantan and Terengganu. Kite-flying is also traditionally a celebration of a good harvest which brings together the local communities in these states.

Since its inception in 1949, only 3 countries have claimed victory in the Thomas Cup (an international badminton competition). The countries are Malaysia, Indonesia and China, with Malaysia being the first ever winner of the Thomas Cup back in 1949! The headquarters of the Badminton World Federation (BWF), an international governing body for the sports of badminton, used to be in the United Kingdom until October 2005 when it relocated to Kuala Lumpur. Gasing (Top spinning), a traditional Malaysian sport, is mostly enjoyed by villagers around Malaysia, particularly Kelantan and Malacca. Each season after the rice harvest, villagers will get together to compete in an ultimate test of skill. The Malaysia Grand Prix is one of the biggest sporting events annually held in Malaysia attracting sport tourists everywhere to witness the Formula One race. The Monsoon Cup is a huge annual event that is typically held during the monsoon season in Terengganu, Malaysia. Initiated in 2005, this international sailing competition attracts the world’s top ranked sailors over to Malaysia to compete.

Malaysian Tales

Of little troubles and a parted friend Sport is more than just about keeping fit, building muscles, winning a medal or making another friend. Four Malaysians, who are heading the organising team of the Malaysian Games Victoria in early April, tell us a bit about their personal journeys and inspirations for organising such an event.

WRITES JOYCE NG PHOTOGRAPHS JOYCE NG

Malaysian Games used to be an annual sports tournament organised for all Malaysian students, and this year in April, all Malaysians. Apart from gathering the best players for the annual National Conference and Games expected to be held in Sydney this year, it is aimed to draw Malaysians to play sports in Melbourne, and to create a community feeling for Malaysians. The organisers are keen to attract more participants this year, by the slogan “You are never too small to make a difference”. The mascot this year, an ant, seems to echo the slogan.

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Elaine Koay, Vice Chairperson of MSport, an arm under Malaysian Student Council of Australia (Victoria), is an avid tennis player who was the champion of Monash University Tennis Club Championships and in tennis of ASEAN Games Australia 2012. “Every single player in a team is very important. We realise that many people do not want to join the games because they think they will lose”. “If you never try, you never know whether or not you are contributing”. Elaine’s statement seems to be directed at passive individuals who give up even before making an effort at anything. She adds: “Sports have shaped and groom us, not only physically and mentally, but also train us how to endure the challenges in life”. En Lerk Law’s thoughts echo Elaine’s on how sports help to groom one’s attitude to life. “I learn more from losing a game”, he says while holding a basketball under his arm. “It reduces arrogance, and I always look back and review what we have done wrong and what we can improve”. En Lerk Law is the IT Director of MSports. En Lerk started playing basketball when his father tried to fix something that seemed wrong with his son. “I ate a lot. I became …... (laughs) I was very lazy and didn’t like any sports at all”, he says. At the age of seven, one day his father brought a basketball home and dragged both the

(From left) En Lerk Law, Elaine Koay, Jin Xi Cheong and Afif Norzal.

chubby him and his brother to a public basketball court nearby. “He didn’t really know basketball, but he tried to show us how to play”. It soon became an activity that they did every day before dusk. It became a family ritual. Elaine’s story was quite contrary. She was too skinny. Taunted for her skinny framework, her father made her go swimming. “As I swim more I eat more”, says Elaine. Afif Norzal, one of two Project Directors of this year’s Malaysian Games, had a pair of active legs that left his parents with headaches. The amount of things he broke at home back in Malaysia cost more than RM2000 to fix at one point. At the age of ten, his father bought himsome football gear and encouraged him to ‘kick’ at proper venues instead. He now plays competitively in at least four sports, which are football, futsal, rugby and athletics. He was a champion in the national Sevens Rugby tournament, for both senior and junior levels, and champion at the National Interclub Championship early this year. When asked what sports have taught him, he said: “In team sports, you give in all your best, and not let your team mates down”. Jin Xi Cheong, with his Indonesian partner, were the first players for Camberwell High School in Melbourne, to win a badminton tournament in a local district tournament. He studied and completed his high school at Camberwell. He is one of the two Project Directors of this year’s Malaysian Games.

“I have a story to share”. William Yustana, Jin Xi’s Indonesian badminton partner and class mate, had a muscle disorder. He was hospitalised every time after a hectic tournament. Nevertheless, that didn’t stop him from playing badminton and entering tournaments. “He wants to live his life to the fullest. He is the type of person who will never hold back on anything.” “YOLO is his motto”. (You only live once) William passed away in November last year. Before his last breath, he expressed no regrets. Since then, Jin Xi has been even more inspired to play. “This is why I am training really hard to carry his spirit,” he says, even though he has never won any games in the past three years. Nevertheless, he enjoys the organising part of a sports tournament as well, and learned much from the organising committee which is made up of about 45 people. As the event is open to all Malaysians, organisers hope to attract more people to join as a participant, volunteer or as a spectator for many years to come. To know how the event went this year, please go to www.jommagazine.com.au to find out more.

Malaysian Tales

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JOM Magazine

Silat Its embarkation on Melbourne’s shore

WRITES JOYCE NG PHOTOGRAPHS ERIC CHIANG

What is a combination of sport and war? Silat is not only a sport and self defence martial art, but also a performance now frequently spotted at Malaysian events in Melbourne and the community is looking to bringing the martial art to Sydney. The ancient martial art originated from Malaysia and Indonesia, used by soldiers of the early kingdoms of the ancient Malay Archipelago.The group in Melbourne, Kelab Silat Cekak Pusaka Hanafi Australia (Kesatria), is supported by Persekutuan Seni Silat Cekak Pusaka Ustaz Hanafi Malaysia based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Melbourne is their first stop outside Malaysia. There are several types of silat, and the type that is practiced by Kesatria here is Silat Cekak which originated from Kedah, Malaysia. Azahari Kasbollah, the President of Kesatria tells us that the idea of bringing the martial art to Melbourne started in late 2011, when he was studying here. Together with his two friends who had learnt the martial art back in Malaysia, they decided to bring silat to Melbourne so that the community here can learn and preserve this martial art. At the moment, they have about 40 members and are seen at performances during Malaysian activities in Melbourne. According to Azahari, their practice every Sunday teaches 99% defense techniques and only 1% attack techniques. This is because the main purpose of silat cekak is to teach self defense and to build one’s confidence. It is a popular activity among females in University Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia, where about two thirds of the learners are females! Dian Mashita Eddy Suryono, one of the female learners in Melbourne, said that learning the martial art not only helps build self defence skills. “It helps to stay intact with my cultural root and makes friends“, she said.

Melati Hani Hamdan (top), one of the few females in Kesatria, described silat as self defense which would be useful and she could apply when she needs it.

Whilst Silat existed in Malaya since hundreds year ago, the silat cekak practiced by Kesatria teaches basic positions that are based on the positions of Muslim prayer. There have also been members among Kesatria who are from Singapore and Vietnam. Azahari is currently in discussion with the Malaysia Hall in Sydney to bring the martial art to Sydney this year. To learn more about Kesatria: facebook.com/kesatria.australia

Culture and Art

Stories from the streets: Performing for Melbournians

A hat, mug, opened guitar case, cardboard box or a bundled shirt on the ground. Pick any busy corner along Melbourne’s Swanston Street and you would be hard pressed not to find one of these curious objects on the street without a few coins weighing down the odd note or two. Often surrounded by a crowd of smartphone-camera brandishing onlookers, the artistes of the street ply their craft behind these makeshift collection boxes, all in the hopes of convincing you to part with your loose change or more. They are buskers, integral icons of the Melbourne CBD (and some would say the arts scene). At the mercy of extreme Melburnian weather, the fickle charity of tourists and shoppers, as well as the lack of anything resembling a rudimentary stage, these performers creatively bring their passions to the fore for surprisingly varied reasons. Logan Pereira, better known by the moniker “Typhlogon”, is a professional dancer with nine years under his belt. Having danced the street for three years running, he busks not just for a few more dollars in his pocket, but as a way to meet more people and take much needed breaks from stressful pro dancing circuit.

WRITES KOK FAI LOKE PHOTOGRAPHS TRINITY CHUA

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Culture and Art

“When it comes to competitions I’ve got to be serious. I’ve got to think about how I’m going to beat the other person or how I’m going to win the comp,” he says.

“With busking I can have a bit of fun, make some extra money doing it, not have to worry about having to beat someone else, and just loving it (street dancing).” Further down the road is Glen Harvey, guitar in hand and shoes off his feet. A musician hailing from Canberra, he’s performed in the capital and many other smaller townships. “However, there’s more people here and it’s a lot more inspiring. It’s more fun playing here,” he says, explaining that he wants to take this chance to be acquainted with more musicians to form a band. “I tend to earn a little bit less,” he admits, comparing basking to working four to five nights a week playing gigs in the pubs, “but I enjoy it a lot more because it’s a chance to meet a lot of lovely people.”

As for the difference between stage dancing and street dancing, she explains in Japanese that one can perform and practice for longer hours on the streets, though it’s a lot more taxing physically. “But don’t be afraid of giving it a shot. I believe it’s a place where you can steadily improve (on your dancing), so have fun and don’t give up,” she says. Street buskers may share kerb space with beggars, yet they do it not for money alone. They do it for a genuine love of their craft, for building and showcasing their skills, and for just the random passer-by’s smile that will make their day. To find out more about Typhlogon, Glen Harvey and Kanon Miyamoto, their stories and performances, please go to our website - http://jommagazine.com.au/

“This (busking) is one of the best ways to meet new people”. Just across the intersection from Harvey is yet another dancer, Kanon Miyamoto. Hailing from Hyogo Prefecture in Japan, she busks as part of a three month working holiday here in Melbourne. She describes how dancing for the outwardly appreciative Melburnian crowd differs in feel from the shy demeanour of a Japanese audience.

Culture and Art

Joe Perri (right) with guests during the break at the MAFTA information session

Globalising Businesses Malaysia’s Free Trade Agreement with Australia (MAFTA) came into effect on 1 January this year, bringing with it a slew of challenges and opportunities for businesses. Three months in, can SMEs on both sides take advantage of the changing markets and increased international exposure? Hot on the heels of their recent MAFTA event in Melbourne, we seek answers from Australia Malaysia Business Council’s (AMBC) President, Joe Perri.

Encouraging Australian businesses to enter the Malaysian marketplace may be part of his job description, but Joe Perri minces no words in describing the homework every one of them has to do. “Doing business in Malaysia is different to doing business in Australia. There are important cultural and practical differences that you have to be aware of. If you try and immediately transplant an international operation into Malaysia, it won’t work,” he says. Neither is Perri in favour of any quick “get-in-get-out” expectations from ‘Tiger Cub Economy’ investors. “Someone from Malaysia can’t just turn up and say, “here I am, here’s my business card. Where’s the cheque and where’s the orders”. It doesn’t work that way.” “It’s like going to the gym. You won’t get an Arnold Schwarzenegger body after just one workout. One trip and one visit won’t get you that. You need to repeatedly go back in, and adapt to the current (economic) environment.”

WRITES KOK FAI LOKE PHOTOGRAPHS ERIC CHIANG

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Down to Business

Large companies can and often have lost large sums entering the Malaysian market without adequate knowledge of its quirks. Smaller businesses without access to such resources are therefore even more reliant on the foresight gained from tapping into the networks of organisations such as the AMBC.

The Australian government has also highlighted the importance of Asia-literacy in their newly launched Asian Century White Paper in 2012 to cushion risks and help Australian businesses adapt to the working environment in the different Asian countries.

the Malaysian marketplace that is quickly evolving and maturing with a growing, affluent middle class. Second, you tap into Malaysia’s relationship with other Asian economies such as China,” says Perri echoing the Trade and Competitiveness Minister Craig Emerson’s views on MAFTA.

The White Paper outlines the need for Australian businesses to invest in “Asia-relevant” capabilities by investing in people and knowledge because the diverse cultures in the Asian region has no standard model.

“It builds on the benefits already flowing from the ASEANAustralia-New Zealand FTA to open up new opportunities for investors and exporters,” Dr Emerson in the media release in conjunction with the launch of the Free Trade Agreement with Malaysia.

Yet Australian SMEs often appear to be better equipped than most international businesses in capitalising on the Malaysian marketplace. Perri describes how interaction and communication with the large population of Malaysians in Australia and Victoria builds familiarity in addition to the pro-business environment created by the Malaysian government. “The (Malaysian) government knows exactly where it wants to go – from a developing to an established economy, within a defined period of time. It’s identified its key sectors, and wants specific businesses to come into Malaysia. This makes it very easy for Victorian businesses to identify if they meet the criteria,” he says. It also helps that Malaysia’s position and relations within ASEAN and the Greater Asian region holds promise. “How can you get two bites of the cherry? First, you have

As for how more Malaysian SMEs can in turn break into the Australian market, Perri believes that they need to build upon their branding to differentiate themselves not just internationally, but in the local marketplace. Citing Malaysian businesses that have gained prominence in Australia, from property giant SP Setia to smaller entities such as PappaRich and Secret Recipe, he describes the need for Malaysian companies to better market their brands abroad or stand to lose out in attracting economic attention. “The old saying that “if you build a better mousetrap, the world would build a path to your door” is not quite right. If they don’t know where to buy your mousetrap, if they don’t know how much it costs, and if they don’t know what advantages it has over your competitors’ mousetrap, you’re going to go broke very quickly.”

Down to Business

Buying into the best location for your budget will dictate whether the $500,000 you spent on the property has the potential to grow to $550,000 or $1,000,000 in the next 10-12 years.

WRITES ERICK NG

April Fools in Real Estate TRICKS AND TRAPS OF REAL ESTATE (PART I)

Erick Ng is a licensed property buyer’s advocate at Capital Exchange International. He exclusively represents homebuyers and investors to master plan, search, research and negotiate the lowest possible purchase price and best terms. Trained in architecture, construction and real estate, Erick’s client base ranges from first home buyers/investors to property developers and government officials. Erick was featured on Channel 9’s prime time show ‘Hot Property’ and 3CW Chinese Radio Station. He can be contacted via erick.ng@cexi.com.au.

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“My friend has overpaid at least $160,000 for her recent property purchase,” exclaimed a Malaysian migrant friend to me. “That house is not worth that price due to some of the negative attributes. I wouldn’t think a successful businessperson like her would be so gullible and fall prey to real estate traps. “ In real estate, homebuyers and property investors do not just get fooled on April Fool’s day. They could get fooled 365 days a year. In my office, I receive post purchase negative news almost on a daily basis. Generally though, people don’t normally hear about post purchase regrets or that others have fallen victim to the many traps the real estate industry has to

offer. Many buyers keep these conversations private or are too embarrassed to talk about their experiences. Some may not reveal their mistakes due to their ego. In reality though, the reason is that many buyers wouldn’t know what they didn’t know. No one is immune from the real estate traps, and there are many.

main roads, train tracks, power lines and water reservoirs, dampen values. Always drive around the properties that you intend to purchase and inspect the surrounding areas to compare the differences. Monitor ‘sold’ prices and find out the macro and micro attributes that affect price in that particular suburb.

There are certain suburbs that are in close proximity to the city and are well serviced by public transport but Here are six major areas where homebuyers and property are more affordable in price. Why are they cheaper? Are investors will find traps in their property buying journey: they genuine bargains or traps? Many suburbs are going location, representation, advertisement, ‘staged’ property, through gentrification and transition. Some suburbs are contract of sale and finally, price. In this issue, we will affected by new town planning legislation that allows highdiscuss one of them. rise higher density living, hence creating a congested effect in the future. Residents who prioritise quiet enjoyment will LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION start moving out of these suburbs. Some inner suburbs have high crime. Areas populated by students can be highly “Is that a good suburb?” is a question I get asked very targeted by break-ins and the transient nature of their often. Many locals and permanent residents of Melbourne tenancy. Housing Commission properties, rooming houses usually have an idea which suburb they want to live in, and multiple families living in the same house can create as they know the pros and cons of each suburb from an undesirable ghetto effect. Certain parts of a suburb can experience. For new migrants be notorious for drunken behaviour “ however, this can be either an and drug activities. Untended yards, Always drive around the properties that dirty surrounds, noxious smells exciting time of exploration or a stressful task due to time and and burnt houses are telltale signs you intend to purchase and inspect resources constraints. of a ‘rough’ neighbourhood. Some the surrounding areas to compare the suburbs with new developments One of the traps which migrant differences. Monitor ‘sold’ prices and find have a ghost town effect owing property buyers fall into often out the macro and micro attributes that to properties sold to non-resident is buying into a second-class offshore investors. affect price in that particular suburb. location. There is no right or wrong answer to where are the Buying into a new development “ best suburbs to live, however. area can be a trap if it does not fit Some people may choose to live close to work, or some into your life plan. Many migrants are attracted by the want to live close to relatives and friends. Besides, a new low entry price and a brand new home at some of the “up State government liveability index may provide some and coming” suburbs. They have bought into these new answers to buyers. However, if a buyer wants to ensure areas hoping the developer’s promises will be delivered their house is also an asset that will have the best capital – schools, shopping centres, easier access to freeways, growth or a “stepping stone” property, amongst other markets, parklands etc. When they realise these promises criteria, then choosing the best suburb and property type are not delivered, they are likely to then plan moving into for their budget is indispensable. This will dictate whether more established suburbs with better schools and public the $500,000 you spent on the property has the potential transport. With housing stock supply in abundance and to grow to $550,000 or $1,000,000 in the next 10-12 years. competition with thousands of home resellers, these owners will feel trapped in these suburbs with little or even Another tricky part of buying real estate in Melbourne is negative gains. They have to either offer heavy discounting that there can be vast differences in property prices in the on price or wait for a much longer time to get their house same suburb. In some areas, one side of the street can be sold. $100,000 more expensive than the other. Paying for the cheaper side of the street with a higher price is not wise. Buying and selling properties can be stressful, emotional, costly and time-consuming activities, hence it is wise to Here is an example of location differences reflected on sold buy into the best location you can afford in the first place prices (as opposed to advertised price). A 3-bedroom single so you do not have to move house too many times. For the storey unrenovated older-style house will worth about property investors building a portfolio, buying into the best $585,000 (739sqm) on Bales Street in Mount Waverley. location for your risk profile and circumstances is crucial, But if the same house is situated across Waverley Road as you can accumulate more properties and expand faster to the north on Sherwood Road it will worth $1,288,000 rather than suffer stagnation by a poorly performing (743sqm). Move it to the northwest corner of the suburb on property. Lynden Grove, it will be worth $720,000 (747sqm). Obvious desirable locations such as close to public transport, popular school zones, lifestyle shopping strips, beach and quiet neighbourhoods, improve prices. Proximity to

Down to Business

Migration Matters BY ANDY ELLEN

As many international students know, it is becoming increasingly difficult to gain residency in Australia. The situation has recently been made more difficult, when on 23 March, DIAC introduced new regulations for the Graduate Skilled 485 visa including the anticipated “2 year Post Study Work Rights arrangements”. Details of the changes can be found at http://www. immi.gov.au/visas/students/485/. The 485 visa is the visa most students refer to as “TR”. It can be applied for only when a student has completed their tertiary studies of at least 2 years duration in Australia. The most important change is that any new applicant for the 485 visa must now show proof, at the time of their application, of having obtained Health Insurance cover for the period of the 485 visa. Previously there was no requirement for students to apply for Health Cover before applying for this 485 visa. This Health Insurance requirement may catch out a lot of new applicants, and when they realise, it may be too late. This is because applicants will not be able to “back pay” their medical cover. Applicants will have to show they are already covered on the day their 485 visa application is lodged. Sadly, DIAC seems determined to press on, disregarding the unfairness

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that the 2-year work rights will only be available to those students whose FIRST student visa was granted after 5th November 2011. Now, when applying for the 485 visa, applicants must nominate one of the streams of the new two stream system: 1 Graduate Work Stream

For this stream, students must choose an occupation from the current Skilled Occupation List Schedule 1 of the Skilled Occupation List available on the Immigration Department website - but the occupations on this list may change on July 1st 2013 so care needs to be taken here. Applicants must satisfy the Australian Study Requirement and apply within six months of their course completion and must also ensure that each degree, diploma or trade qualification used to satisfy the study requirement is closely related to the applicant’s nominated skilled occupation. Applicants must also have applied for an assessment of their skills for the nominated skilled occupation by the relevant assessing authority, at the time of application. 2

Post Study Work Stream

This stream of the subclass 485 is only available to international students who applied for and were granted their first Australian student visa on or after 5 November 2011, which is the

day the genuine temporary entrant requirement was introduced in the student visa program. Applicants for this stream do not need to nominate an occupation on any list. They do not need to apply for a skills assessment. If your student visa was granted after 5/11/2011 but it is NOT your FIRST Australian student visa then you cannot apply under this Post Study Work Stream. You will have to use the Graduate Work Stream. This date, 5/11/2011 refers to the introduction of the Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) criteria and DIAC seems to suggest that only visas granted after this date have any integrity. This is certainly unfair on those international students, especially those who had completed a Bachelor Degree on their first student visa, then applied for a subsequent student visa to study at Post-graduate level and then find that they cannot apply for the 485 under the Post Study Work Stream because their present student visa is not their first student visa. This hard-line approach adopted by DIAC sadly reflects the apparent antimigrant sentiments politicians have been recently expressing in relation to the 457 (temporary) employer sponsored visa program, which I will discuss in the next issue of JOM Magazine.

MARN 0209289

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A Legal Firm with Migration Services. Kabo Lawyers is more than just a legal firm. We provide a full range of services to support you in LEGAL matters (such as Commercial Law, Business Law, Family Law) as well as MIGRATION Services (Permanent Residency, Business Visa, Student Visa, Spouse Visa Applications, and more). In all matters, we deliver quality.

MELBOURNE Level 5, 100 Collins St, Melbourne, VIC 3000 Telephone +61 3 9663 3337 Facsimile +61 3 9663 3334

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NO LONGER UNMOLDED CLAY. LAND A CAREER IN AUSTRALIA! ALL YOU NEED IS: A PERSONALIZED STRATEGY

A survey in Melbourne has been conducted to understand job seeking situation among Malaysian graduates with a sample of 40 people. Top results are as follows:

LINE

SEARC HE S

LD CALLING

REFERRAL

AGENCIES

METHODS

TRIAL RATE SUCCESS RATE

100%

20%

10%

25%

75%

100%

From the data gathered, referral and job agencies/career management companies are found to be more effective in finding employment in Australia. Job agencies and career management companies were only adopted by 4 out of 40. (3 out of 4 got jobs through New Careers Australia).

Ms. Chan, Managing Director and Senior Career Consultant of New Careers Australia revealed some insights to job seeking in Australia “Firstly, we call ourselves a ‘’career management company’’ rather than a ‘’job agency’’ as we are committed to helping clients ‘’win, build and grow a career’’ rather than just find a specific job as expressed and expected by you. We often call ourselves “career counselors’’. Many clients do not think of finding a career as a journey of ‘’re-discovering yourself’’ which is related to ‘self-actualization’. Our services and process can be put like this (see diagram next page):

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HELPING YOU IDENTIFY & TACKLE THE PROBLEMS THAT GET IN THE WAY FINDING OUT WHICH CAREER DIRECTION SUITS YOU BEST

UNDERSTANDING WHERE YOU COME FROM

FINDING OUT HOW TO BRIDGE THE GAP TO REACH YOUR GOAL

BUILDING YOUR CONFIDENCE, KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE & SKILLS

PRACTISING, PROVIDING FEEDBACK, PRACTISING

At the end of the process, you will have a compelling CV to win interviews, you improve your skills and know how to best present yourself in interviews to win a job.” Not just assisting clients in finding a ‘job’, New Careers is committed to building their clients’ dream careers and life in Australia by tackling the different problems each client faces. This is made possible because New Careers is supported by an affiliation of psychologists, top elites in key industries, professional trainers, professional trainers in linguistics, career coaches, English teachers and migration lawyers. New Careers is set to help clients find the passion in life as they believe ‘if you love what you do, you will excel’.

Key Facts about New Careers Australia: 1

New Careers Australia targets 100% success rate.

The average period for landing a career is 6-12 months, while with the help of New Careers Australia, the average period is shortened to 2-6 months (depending on the client’s skills set and capabilities on commencing a program).

New Careers Australia has been in the market for 8 years and have helped around 1000 clients find a career in Australia.

New Careers Australia helps clients find employment in a range of industries and government sectors. Over the years, they have assisted clients in achieving their dream career in NAB, KPMG, Playcorp Group, Telstra, Accenture, Crown Group, ATO, DIAC, Superpartners, Ford, AXA and United Energy, just to name a few.

The team at New Careers Australia consists of experienced professionals who come from management backgrounds in global and national organisations in various industries.

Ms. Chan, originally from Malaysia, is the Co-founder and Senior Career Consultant of New Careers Australia (www.newcareers.com.au). Ms. Chan has worked hard to build the company’s culture based on professional integrity and personalised caring consulting approach to ensure your permanent stay in Australia possible. From years as a senior manager in multi-national organisations overseas, Ms. Chan has experienced the trials faced in searching for a job when she migrated to Australia 12 years ago. She realised there is a need for guidance and assistance for job seekers as she experienced first hand herself, hence establishing New Careers with a strong team of professionals with similar backgrounds to assist people like you who wants to live and work in Australia. Start shaping your career and book a free consultation on 18000 155 326 or info@newcareers.com.au

Down to Business

LAMBS Restaurant -Greek Cuisine 100 Lygon St , Carlton, VIC 3053

The Cheapskates Good Food Guide Feast like a king, spend like a person WRITES PAM VASU

“ There is no love sincerer than the love of food.” - George Bernard Shaw. “ Admit it, if we could, we would all be in a relationship with food. I mean, everybody loves food and loves eating it, who doesn’t? Melbourne is a city that thrives on good food. Due to Melbourne’s cultural diversity, the city is swarming with restaurants, offering us options to pick different cuisines – African, Italian, Greek, Malaysian, Korean or just about anything you could think of. For a week, I went on a food hunt in search for the best yet reasonably priced food I could find around Melbourne. And there has indeed been many interesting food discoveries made. Hence, I’m here to share with you my personal list of best foods in this article! Everything that tastes insanely good, for less than $17!

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Among LAMBS’s signature dishes are the traditional souvlaki and Greek salads, which are known to be some of the best in town. Although LAMBS serves many kinds of dishes, I was recommended to try their best-seller – lamb souvlaki – which consists of a piece of pita wrapping shredded meat that was grilled on a skewer. This lamb souvlaki wrap is colossal, definitely big enough for 2 servings!!! Did I mention that this is only for $11? First off, I have to say that the amount of meat in this wrap is crazy! If anyone wants a quick protein blast, I’d recommend this wrap. It is tender and oozes rich juices that will definitely make your mouth water! The crunchy lettuces, tomatoes, their traditional yoghurt-garlic sauce (very, very delicious!) and the pita give a certain ‘balance’ to this meal. They blend very well together, which makes this wrap a simple combination of flavours that will explode in your mouth. The menu brags about being ‘the world’s best souvlaki’… and perhaps it is! I’ve eaten souvlaki in many places and I personally feel that this was one of the best. Absolutely yummy!!!

La Belle Miette – French Desserts 30 Hardware Ln, Melbourne, VIC 3000

Melbourne Supper Club – Modern Australian Level 1 161 Spring Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

‘La Belle Miette, which means “beautiful crumb” or, more broadly, “beautiful small thing”, is a small French patisserie specialising in macarons’ – Melbourne Time Out.

In my opinion, one of the city’s prized late night locations would be The Melbourne Supper Club. It was love at first sight as I walked into its classy interior and leather lounges, with romantic rooftop overlooking the Victorian Parliament. This place is perfect for any occasion! The Melbourne Supper Club is well known for its large and divine drinks list, offering spirits from many countries. As luxurious and lavish as that may sound, that was not what dragged me into this place. I had been told that The Melbourne Supper Club serves sensational crème brulees for many years and is known to make the best crème brûlée in Melbourne!

Ah, macarons! Many people baulk at the prices of these exquisite ‘tiny’ French delights, but let us consider the point of macarons. They are made into one-bite-size morsels because they are supposed to be a one bite treat! I have eaten many, many macarons and trust me when I say this: La Belle Miette is the real deal. La Belle Miette is an oasis in a cluster of cafes – displaying colorful macarons in their dainty and delicate store. La Belle Miette macarons are perfect. They are fresh (not many places sell fresh macarons), have crisp outer shells but are moist on the inside, have the right amount of fillings, and are slightly chewy. Aside from traditional flavors, La Belle also provides unique flavored macarons such as Sake, Cherryblossom, and many more. These macarons are sold at $2.50 each, still pretty reasonable for their quality as well as size. There is a great deal of cafes and stores selling macarons and most of them charge far more for a lesser quality. After trying practically everything on their menu, I believe that La Belle Miette DEFINITELY makes the best macarons in the city. TIP: If you purchase 6 or more macarons, you get a beautifully designed macaron box!

Now, I was quite sceptical in the beginning. First, I’m not really a ‘crème brûlée person’ –mainly because none of the crème brulees I’ve tasted ever had the WOW factor, and second, the prices at the Supper Club can be ridiculously high. $11.50 for a crème brûlée? That seemed absurd. Nonetheless, I still ordered a bowl just to see what the fuss was all about, as I thought to myself ‘hey, not like I’ll ever come back here again anyway…” WRONG. Boy, was I wrong. The crème brûlée was heavenly. The caramelized crust was crispy and with the perfect amount of sweet and bitterness. The crème had custard like texture – silky, creamy, not to mention its intense flavour… but not too overpowering. The portion is generous and for the quality of this crème brûlée, I’d say it is reasonably priced because I can honestly say, your chances of having a crème brûlée as awesome as this one are low. The reputation does lives up to its name, definitely the best crème brûlée I’ve ever had.

Styling Life

Soul Soup – Breakfast/Brunch/Coffee 55 Cardigan St, Carlton, VIC 3053

Maccaroni Trattoria Italiana - Italian 10 Manchester Lane, Melbourne, VIC

Ah, finally. A break from the scorching hot weather! At this time of the year, Melbourne’s weather starts to become chilly…and nothing is better than having a steaming hot bowl of homemade soup to warm ourselves up – that’s where Soul Soup Café comes in. The Soul Soup café runs its business in an old house, which enables customers to walk through and have themselves seated anywhere they wish! The Soul Soup café offers its customers divine soups, sandwiches, desserts, coffee and more.

Tucked away in an alleyway, it can be said that Maccoroni is one of Melbourne’s newer inside secrets. This restaurant is a small family-run business that provides cooked on-site homemade Italian food made from genuine and fresh ingredients.

The owners of Soul Soup café make a variety of soups everyday. But when I was at the café that day, they were only serving cauliflower and parmesan soup. At first I thought to myself, ‘what a weird combination!’ Nevertheless, it certainly did not stop me from trying. For only $7.90, I got a generous bowl of thick and creamy soup, with bread and butter. I can assure you that this rich-in-flavour concoction has changed my perception of cauliflowers being flavourless. If the soup wasn’t steaming hot, I’d bury my face in its criminally creamy consistency! The name of the soup may be slightly intimidating, but the flavours are simply spectacular! For that, kudos to the owners for being total wizards in the kitchen! I’m definitely visiting this café again sometime soon. With minimum effort and maximum taste, I can GUARANTEE you that your soul will be enlightened.

The menu includes all kinds of authentic Italian food. There are so many to choose from, and all of them sound very delicious. I was recommended by one of the waiters to have the house’s Chicken and Mushroom Risotto. The portion was very generous. How generous? Let’s just say that for $16.50, I arrived at the restaurant famished and left with a massive food coma. The risotto cooked in the béchamel sauce and parmigiano cheese was creamy, tender, and rich in flavour. The mushroom and chicken were also cooked to perfection, which ultimately makes this dish the cherry on top of a sundae. Absolutely scrumptious. The best.

SUPER DUPER CHEAP EATS (less than $10) Norsiah’s Kitchen Malaysian 604 Swanston St Carlton, VIC 3053 Rose Garden BBQ Chinese 435 Elizabeth St Melbourne, VIC3000

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Hanaichi Japanese 245 Little Lonsdale St Melbourne, VIC03000 Intersection Café Italian & Greek Fast Food 341-343 Lygon Street Carlton, VIC 3053 Don Too Japanese 330 Little Lonsdale St Melbourne 3000

M9A67273APR13

Cyn

Ayam Kesuri - Nyonya Chicken Curry Recipe Fern Yi Lim, a Melbourne University student, shares a recipe that is loved by her housemates. It’s a curry that is made from scratch, not from pre-packaged curry paste. Making this curry is not difficult at all; all you need to do is find the right ingredients in your local Asian grocery, and cook with love <3. Serves: 4-6 Ingredients: 1.2kg chicken 2tbs soy sauce 1/2 tsp pepper 2 tbs sugar Juice from 12 limes (or substitute with 2-3 tbs vinegar) 6 dried chillies soaked till soft 6 fresh chillies 1 thumb size tumeric/kunyit (or substitute with 1 teaspoon of tumeric powder) 20 shallots (or 2-3 big onions) 1 tsp belacan 2 big onions sliced

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Preparation: Marinade the 1.2 kg of chicken with soy sauce, pepper, sugar, and lime juice. In a blender, grind the chilies, turmeric, shallots, and belacan. Cooking instructions: 1) ‘Tumis’ (Saute) the blended ingredients. 2) Add in the marinated chicken and cook till chicken is half cooked 3) Add 2 rice bowls of water and the sliced onions. 4) Let the curry simmer till the chicken is cooked. Serve and enjoy! P.S You may also add potatoes if you like.

CURRY IN A HURRY MALAYSIAN INSTANT CHICKEN CURRY PASTE REVIEW Food lover Cheer Ray Ang tells us her thoughts on five curry paste available in Melbourne.

A1 – Instant Chicken Curry A1 instant curry paste is very popular among Malaysians and Singaporeans for their instant mixed pastes. There is a distinctive recognisable aroma of ‘belacan’ a.k.a shrimp paste that gives the paste more depth. The paste has an overpowering exotic aroma due to the belacan but this disappears during the cooking process and the dish turns out to be flavoursome with a kick at the end of the taste. The only downfall of this paste is that it can be very oily to health conscious people.

Tean’s Gourmet – ‘Perencah Kari Ayam’

Mak Nyonya – ‘Perencah Kari Ayam Segera’

This is one of my favourite chicken curry pastes. The curry itself is pretty thick, rich and creamy in texture even without coconut milk added. Fragrance of the curry itself is aromatic and spicy. It is also not too oily. I highly recommend this instant curry paste to Malaysians who crave the authentic Malaysian curry taste. Big thumbs up for this curry paste.

This curry paste is very mild in flavour: it has nice fragrance and hotness. Texture of the curry gravy is slightly ‘powdery’, a strong resemblance to the curry served at the mamak stalls in Malaysia. Overall, the taste is good. It is a very moderate chicken curry paste and they play it safe. If you feel like having an easy dinner for the night, this curry paste will not go wrong!

Richmond – Curry Kapitan Paste (Captain’s Curry) Kapitan is a Nyonya-Malay word for Captain thus it is also known as Captain’s Curry. Curry Chicken Kapitan is a richer, dryer and thicker version of the standard chicken curry. It has the Southeast Asian flavour from local spices & herbs. This instant packet curry paste is smooth and creamy as it contains coconut milk and nuts. A little bit of sourness is a result of tamarind and kaffir lime leaf. Flavour of the curry is very sweet and suitable to people who are ‘spicy intolerant’.

Richmond – Curry Chicken Paste Richmond Chicken Curry Paste does a great job at balancing the flavour of both the aromatic spices and the exotic taste of prawn paste. Spiciness of this curry is moderate and the oil released from the paste while cooking is not excessive. Best part of this curry paste is that you can actually tastes bits of fennel, lemongrass and coriander in the gravy.

Styling Life

How to: Scarves WRITES FERN YI LIM PHOTOGRAPHS JOSH YU

As the temperature drops for winter, you will soon realize the value of layering to insulate yourself from the cold and the unexpected blasts of wind. A popular layering piece is a scarf that can be a great addition to your outfit. They can be worn for chilly mornings to mild afternoons, making them a great transitional and versatile piece. Plus, they are small enough to fit into your handbag if you feel like peeling off a layer. There are many varieties of scarves, and you need to choose a material and size that will suit the weather and temperature for the day.

A thick infinity scarf usually gives you maximum warmth, and is nice to bury yourself in when your teeth canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stop chattering. On the other hand, lighter materials are great for spring and autumn, when the temperatures are more moderate. Remember that you should always match your scarf with your clothes. Scarves can be tied so many different ways. Unfortunately, Malaysian weather never provided us with the opportunity to experiment with scarves, so, here are a few clever ways to tie your scarf that will make you stand out from the rest:

Method 1 The Waterfall Scarf (for colder days)

Beginning from one end of the scarf, loop it twice around your neck. Tuck in the shorter end so that it is more or less hidden under the main loop. Then, using the longer end, take one corner and tuck it between the two main loops. The creases of the scarf will appear to be cascading down, giving the effect of a waterfall.

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Method 2 The Improvised Braid Halve the length of your scarf and drape it around your neck such that one side of your scarf forms a loop. Take one end of the scarf and put it in the loop. Then, twist the loop and push the other end through the second loop. Voila! You have a prettily fashioned scarf.

Method 3 The Hidden Knot Make a loop around your neck from the middle of the scarf. Then, tie a simple knot (like how you tie plastic bags) with the two ends. Loosen the loop around your neck and use it to cover the knot you just tied. This gives your loop a modern twist.

This writer used a 180cm long pashmina scarf when she was tying these knots. Other scarves can also be used, provided that they are long enough.

Styling Life

Melbourne to Sydney: The Scenic Road Trip A trip here in spring and summer provides an almost surreal view of ski lifts and ski lodges surrounded by greenery and wildflowers.

Most Melbournians have taken a trip up to Sydney, and probably know more about the Sydney Opera House and Zumbo macarons than I do. But to borrow a hackneyed quote, life is about the journey, not the destination. With that in mind, my travel companion and I decided to forgo the short flight to Sydney and take a little more time to enjoy the journey. We took 5 days to drive through Gippsland and up the south coast of New South Wales. In the process, we discovered that there was much to see in between the two cities. First stop was Lakes Entrance, a waterfront town where the Gippsland Lakes meet the ocean. We only stopped for the night, with enough time for an evening sunbath on the Ninety Mile Beach and a relaxing stroll along Cunninghame Arm inlet and across the footbridge. Though it’s easy to see why most other tourists linger, immersing themselves in that sense of calm derived from being surrounded by waterways and treated to great views of the sea. For those with more time to spend, there’s plenty to keep you occupied including fishing, watersports, sailing and bushwalking at the nearby Nyerimilang Heritage Park.

WRITES KA MUN HO PHOTOGRAPHS KA MUN HO

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From Lakes Entrance, we drove inland to Kosciusko National Park. The national park is home to ski destinations such as Thredbo, Perisher and Charlotte’s Pass. A trip here in summer provides an almost surreal view of ski lifts and ski lodges surrounded by greenery and wildflowers. The linings of ice at the top of the mountains serve as a reminder that this is, after all, alpine territory.

Take the Snowy gums boardwalk up on Charlotte’s Pass for a short and sweet introduction to alpine and subalpine plant species. A trek up Mt. Stilwell can be a steep climb, but the view is worth it. Scenery on the walk up to the peak varies, with lush patches of wildflowers punctuated by rugged outcrops of boulders. At the peak, you will be rewarded with a 360 degree panorama of the mountain range.

Another stunner was the excellent Balinese meals at the Lynch Hotel, an old-fashioned pub. Pitching our own tent at a beachside campsite may have been a choice made out of thriftiness, but it’s one we highly recommend. Separated from the beach by only a grassy slope, it was the perfect place to be lulled asleep by the sound of waves.

“

Our final stop before reaching Sydney was Wollongong, another perfect summer destination. Prime places to visit around the city are City Beach, the Historic Lighthouse and Cliff Road with its palm-lined stretch of restaurants. With its 17 beautiful surf beaches, glimmering rock pools, art galleries and scenic walking trails, it’s hard to resist extending your stay.

After getting our fill of trekking on Walking down the main street, you mountain trails, we headed back to the coastline. On the Princess feel transported through time to a Highway, we were drawn by a place where knick-knacks are cuter, cheese factory sign to make windchimes ring clearer and cheese a turnoff. This led us to the charming town of Central Tilba. tastings at the ABC cheese factory Walking down the main street, you compel you to buy up their entire feel transported through time to supply of vintage cheddar. a place where knick-knacks are cuter, windchimes ring clearer and After all those short but fruitful cheese tastings at the ABC cheese stops along the way, arriving in ” factory compel you to buy their Sydney seemed more like an entire supply of vintage cheddar. Exercising great restraint, afterthought. The big city may hold its charms, but it’s we bought one wedge of excellent cheddar and drove on to those small beachside towns that I’m keen to return to. Narooma . You may think all beachside towns offer the same brand of sunny, sandy and sunscreen-scented tourist congestion, but Narooma held a few surprises. For somewhere with great beaches, it was surprisingly short on rowdy tourists.

Styling Life

A student in a class I teach informed us that she had recently had a cycling accident. She was saved by her helmet, although she did chip a tooth. Only a few days before this, however, a good friend of mine had a far more serious cycling accident, in which she was hit by a car, and which landed her in hospital for a week. Her injuries were bad enough to have forced her to put on hold her PhD studies. For many people, having such an accident would lead one to conclude that cycling is too hazardous to continue with. This was not the conclusion of my friend Sonia, however. “I was cycling down a road with a dedicated bike path, I was clearly visible in my high-visibility vest, and the traffic was hardly moving, and yet a car managed to hit me as it turned left while I had right of way.” As I spoke to her at her home, she shifted gingerly in her chair because her sacrum and two vertebrae were broken. In response to a supposition by me that she now felt that cycling was too dangerous, she flipped the logic on its head. “It’s not the bicycles that are dangerous, it’s the cars!”

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Kurang Manis BY JULIAN CH LEE

Photo: Cyclists waiting for a red traffic light at Dan Square, Amsterdam on a fine day in April 2012.

Whereas many would have concluded that avoiding bicycle accidents would mean cycling less, for Sonia, the opposite was the case. “The point is not that anybody should stop cycling. The more people cycle, the more we can start to think of bicycles as the default form of transport for roads. We now think of roads as things used by cars, and secondarily by bikes. Roads should become used primarily by bikes, and secondarily by cars. This will reduce the sense of entitlement that motorists too often feel with respect to bicycles.” And she has a point. When I lived in Amsterdam, I felt very much safer on a bicycle than I do here. The reason is that bicycles are everywhere in Amsterdam. Not only do cyclists often have physically separate lanes (on which the only peril is a wayward tourist who thinks it is a footpath), in that city there is a different consciousness among motorists about cyclists. In Amsterdam, one does not so much watch out for bicycles, one assumes they’re there. Such a well-developed bicycle-consciousness doesn’t yet prevail in Melbourne. However, let’s hope that one is slowly emerging, helped along by the helmet vending machines and bicycle rental points around that can be now found around the city.

Talk, Think, Laugh

Lahad Datu: Feeling the Political Pulse Village in Lahad Datu gives an interesting insight into political developments after the intrusion. WRITES PHILIP GOLINGAI

ON the day security forces launched Ops Daulat against the Sulu gunmen holed up in Kampung Tanduo, a village head told villagers living about 100km away tomatikan lampu (switch off lights) at night. The Kampung Rancangan Silabukan P.K.T 3 village head was afraid that Sulu gunmen might invade the village which is about 20km from Lahad Datu town. The villagers were also spooked. It was announced on TV that Malaysians should inform the police if they saw suspicious characters. “The police gave a list of police stations – where locals can report such information – including the one in my village,” recalled a 40-something Suluk villager who refused to be identified. “Silabukan River, which is on the fringe of our village, is a big river. The rumour among the villagers was mundu (a Suluk word for pirate) would enter the river and blow up the (concrete) bridge linking Lahad Datu and Tungku.” Every night the village was pitch dark. “We didn’t switch on the light, television and radio or sang karaoke. We just sat in darkness in our house. We were afraid,” the villager recalled. Seven nights later, confident their life was not in danger, the villagers switched on the lights in their house. Kampung Rancangan Silabukan P.K.T 3 is not far from the Celebes sea.

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It is about a 45-minute boat ride from Tawi Tawi where the gunmen boarded wooden boats to journey to Sabah. The village is a notorious landing point for mundus, cigarette smugglers, drug traffickers and illegal immigrants. It was established in the 1970s during the Tun Mustapha Harun era as part of a Sabah Land Development Board grand plan to develop the once timber area into oil palm plantations. Most of the villagers own 4ha to 6ha of oil palm land a few kilometres from their home. Depending on the price of palm oil and size of their land, they earn between RM2,500 and RM7,000 a month. Judging from the size of houses and cars parked in their compound, it is obvious that half of the villagers are middle class. But unlike their middle class counterparts in Petaling Jaya, they have to rely on the 1Malaysia blue plastic tank for water. “There are water pipes in my village. But we’re still waiting for running water,” said the Suluk man. The village is an Umno stronghold. In the 2008 polls, 75% of 1,000 voters in the village voted for the Umno/Barisan Nasional Tungku state seat candidate. “It is hard to penetrate this village,” said Leksun Injil, Silam PKR deputy chief, who owns a home in Kampung Rancangan Silabukan P.K.T 3. Leksun was my (political) tour guide to his village.

Photo courtesy of Borneopedia.com

I visited the Umno stronghold as I was curious to know whether political sentiment had changed after the invasion of the Sulu armed group. Leksun hopes the Sulu invasion will soften the “hard to penetrate” ground of the Umno stronghold. “Before when we handed out our PKR leaflets, we knew that about 70% of those receiving it would tear or throw the leaflets,” he said. “Now we estimate that 90% of them are reading our leaflets.” Still he concedes that most of the villagers, especially from the Bugis community who makes the bulk of the voters, will be voting for the ruling party. “The Bugis will vote for Barisan as they think that only Barisan can protect them from such armed intrusion. They think if BN loses, Sabah will be destroyed,” he said. However, Leksun feels that the other villagers who are Suluk, Bajau, Dusun and Idaan are wavering towards the Opposition. “Some are asking why the government allowed these armed men to enter their house (Sabah),” he said.

Photo: Borneo Child Aid Society

“There are also villagers who have torn our flags as they think our party is connected to the Sulu invasion.” Asked how his Suluk community perceived the armed intrusion in Kampung Tanduo where many Suluks (or Tausugs as they are called in Philippines) were killed, Leksun said it depended on the generation they came from. “Those born in Sabah are happy that we killed the terrorists,” said the 50-something Suluk. “But for those 60 and above and who were born in the Philippines, they are saddened.” He added: “This is the generation of Suluk who have links with their relatives in Philippines whereas the second generation has lost that connection”. Earlier, in a coffee shop in Lahad Datu town, Umno member Hamid Khamis said politics in Lahad Datu would not change despite the Sulu invasion. “Those who are with Barisan, will be with Barisan,” he said. This article was originally published in Philip Golingai’s weekly column titled ‘One Man’s Meat’ in The Star, Malaysia.

But, he admits the morale among his PKR members is low especially when they watch TV news that their party leaders had allegedly masterminded the Sulu invasion. “Some members have lowered the PKR flag in their house as they don’t want to be blamed for the incident,” he said.

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