JOYS OF MALAYSIANS
Successful Malaysians 2013
ISSN 2201 - 3016
Melbourne Malaysians 2013 Highlights Places to Visit Before They Disappear Kurang Manis
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Editor Joyce Ng Editorial Assistants Josh Yu, Zaw Shane Design & Layout Summer Chen & Joyce Ng Accounts & Marketing Christina Soh, Min Ooi Public Relations Clarice Chan, Pam Vasu Finance & Legal Eddie Lee, Josh Yu Circulation Jun Tan, Simon Gan Awesome Helper Sophia Leyz Editorial Contributors Pam Vasu, Karina Foo, Jonathan Lian, Lianne Letitia Zilm, Andy Ellen, Erick Ng, Eddie Lee, Michaela Swampillai, Ty Tien Chiew, Agnes Low, Paul Maric, Julian Lee Online Editorial Contributors: Clarice Chan, Fern Yi Lim, Ka Mun Ho, Ka-Jhun Lam, Ying Tan, Tzu Ging Yap Photographic Contributors Carl Gibson, Lance Vun, Siok Yee Tan, Josh Yu, Joyce Ng, Eric Chiang, Jia Shyan Teh, Lebin Teo Illustrator Vanessa Law Website Designer Effective Advisory www.effectiveadvisory.com JOM would also love to thank everyone who has helped or supported and given us encouragement over the past year.
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ON THE COVER 9 Successful Malaysians in 2013 and Malaysian’s “King of Fruit”, Durian
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 in Melbourne Printed by Forest Printing & Trading (www.forestprint.com.au) 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
A Fruitful Year Time flies. As 2013 is coming to an end and the new year is starting, many of us will recall the year and the harvest – whether or not we have achieved what we aimed for in 2013, and what we hope for in 2014. In Melbourne, for the Malaysian community, it has been an extraordinary and remarkable year. Besides a significant growth in Malaysian-owned businesses, there were quite a few exciting events that happened, including the durian fiesta which was a hit. More details can be found in this magazine, in a summary of highlights for the Malaysian community in Melbourne this year. In this last edition ofJOM Magazine for 2013, we feature some successful individuals. These individuals are Malaysians in Melbourne who have done something significant, interesting or remarkable in 2013. I hope that through their short interviews you will learn a little something. For JOM, it has been yet another happening year, but a tiring and exhausting one too. We celebrated our first birthday this September and with that we organised the inaugural Melbourne Malaysia Festival in November, which was officiated by the Foreign Minister of Malaysia. I am glad that many people considered the festival a success and enjoyed what was offered at the festival. Nevertheless, behind the word ‘success’ was an unforeseen financial disaster for our company. It was a great lesson, however, and has prompted me and my team to understand the implications
of choices we make in business. Nevertheless, I am overwhelmingly grateful for people who have supported our projects- both the festival and our little magazine - sponsors, advertisers, volunteers, mentors, and readers like you. I thank you wholeheartedly for being with JOM and supporting JOM in various ways. Lastly, representing the whole team at JOM, I wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year – and for the Chinese, a Happy Chinese New Year in advance! May you all have a fruitful 2014. Gong Xi Fa Cai! Yours Sincerely, Joyce Ng Editor
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CONTENTS
PAGE
10 Upcoming Events 12 JOM’s Picks 14 Inside Malaysia and Beyond News Corner Melbourne Malaysian Highlights 2013 Melbourne Malaysia Festival 2013 Fast Facts 21 Malaysian Tales - Successful Malaysians 2013 Bernard Chu Mezwyn D’Junus PappaRich Australia Jon Wee Lee Monica Lim Alberto Gomes Ching and Eng Raj Haji Abdul Hamid 42 Down to Business Migration Matters Property - Misleading Advertisements Year of the Shrewed Investor 47 Styling Life Eureka Skydeck 6 Places to Visit before They Disappear Seafood places in Victoria Porsche Cayman S Intan Zuhuri & S.O.B. Design 60 Talk, Think, Laugh Kurang Manis Migration Myths and Outcomes
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Wishing you a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Happy Chinese New Year!
祝您在新的一年里， 心想事成，马到功成！ We hope your dreams come true in a successful Year of the Horse! Sincerely, JOM Magazine
UPCOMING
EVENTS (MELBOURNE)
DECEMBER 2013 1st Scuba Santa is Coming to Town - 25th 11.00 am – 11.30 am, 2.00 pm – 2.30 pm, Melbourne Aquarium www.melbourneaquarium.com.au Santa has not only a team of reindeers, but he has a school of fish helping him with his underwater tasks as well. Come see him at the Melbourne Aquarium and tell him your aquatic wishes.
JANUARY 2014
3rd Christmas Cupcake Decorating Workshop - 17th Tuesdays, 12.30 pm – 2.00 pm, QV Square Join the Cupcake Family and make your very own Christmas Cupcakes. The best part of all is that you get to take home your very own box of six cupcakes! Bookings available.
1st Nov Designing 007: Fifty Years of Bond Style - 23rd Feb 10.00 am – 5.00 pm, Melbourne Museum designing007melbourne.com Get your Bond on during this holiday season, and check out the gadgets and costumes used during the making of the Bond films. Note: check out the history of the bikini, just past the elevators.
12th Glee Club presents Christmas Carols 12.30pm – 1.15 pm, Hub @ Docklands docklandshub@melbourne.vic.gov.au If you’re a Gleek, then this is an event for you. There’s nothing more Christmassy than singing along to your favourite carols at this lunchbox session at the Docklands Hub.
13th Australian Open 2014 - 26th All day, Melbourne Park australianopen.com It’s big, it’s hot, it’s the tennis event of the season in Melbourne. The action continues of the courts, with several music acts, and children-friendly activities on the grounds. Tickets necessary.
16th Nov Santa’s Christmas Spectacular - 24th Dec 11.00am – 5.00pm Wonderland Fun Park, 110 Pearl Ricer Road, Docklands www.wonderlandfunpark.com.au Indulge your inner child at the Wonderland Fun Park with all things Christmas this year! Bookings available.
26th Australia Day Parade 11 am – 11.45 am, Melbourne Town Hall Join the festivities and be a part of this annual Victorian parade. Bring a friend along!
27th Nov The Book of Everything - 22nd Dec Various times Southbank Theatre, The Sumner http://www.mtc.com.au/plays-and- tickets/2013-mainstage/the-book-of-everything/ Set in the 1950s, a young boy sees things, both natural and the extraordinary. The Book of Everything is a record of the happenings as seen through his eyes. Bookings available.
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29th Nov Jingle Bells - 25th Dec 8.00 am – 6.00 pm, Birrarung Marr federationbells.com.au Hear the iconic Federation Bells ring out classic Christmas carols. If you are really up for it, enter the competition to create new musical work for the bells, and stand a chance to win $2,000.00.
FEBRUARY 2014 2nd Melbourne Japanese Summer Festival 1.00pm – 5.00 pm, Federation Square A family-friendly event, this festival brings to you all the vibrancy and culture of Japan. This festival honours the tradition of giving thanks to one’s ancestors, also known as the Bon festival.
28th Nov Deck the Houses - 1st Jan 24/7, 100 St Kilda Road artscentremelbourne.com.au Deck the houses with twinkly lights and spectacular pop-up art installations, and watch it expand into an entire Christmas village as the days go by.
9th Cupid’s Undie Run http://au.cupidsundierun.com/ Run in your undie for Valentine’s and raise money for the Children’s Tumour Foundation! 14th Sustainable Living Festival - 16th 9.00 am – late, Federation Square festival.slf.org.au Be empowered to take up sustainable living at this festival. Come on, you do not really need that extra plastic bag now, do you?
29th Nov Melbourne Town Hall Christmas - 25th Dec Projections 9.00 pm – 11.00 pm, Melbourne Town Hall Take a stroll along the Swanston Street at night and be mesmerised by the light projections onto the Melbourne Town Hall. Tis the season to be enthralled.
JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2014 Chinese New Year Festivals Various dates, times and locations http://www.chinesenewyear.com.au/mel_home.html In 2014, Melbourne play host to a number of Chinese New Year Festivals.
Upcoming Evets
JOM
PICKS
Photo by D Sharon Pruitt
N2 Extreme Gelato Award Winning Gelato with a Malaysian twist
Blue Hills Cherries and Berries Abundance of “Pick Your Own“
Address: 329 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, VIC 03065. Opening Hours: Mon – Sun from 1:00 pm - 11:00 pm http://www.n2extremegelato.com.au
Open 7 days 9am - 5pm Address: 27 Parker Rd, Silvan, Victoria. Phone: 03 9737 9400 http://www.upickberries.com.au/
Working with Liquid Nitrogen, N2 Extreme Gelato produces high quality and creative gelato flavours. The gelato ‘scientists’ prepare the gelato equipped with topping filled syringes on the spot for customers, in order to ensure the utmost freshness of the product. With its reasonably priced portions and unique flavours ranging from Deconstructed Chocolate Malt Lava to Kaya Toast, it is definitely a place worth visiting for your gelato experience this summer!
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Summer is the precious time of the year where you can pick your own fresh cherries and berries in Melbourne. At Blue Hills Cherries and Berries you wil have more than 8 types of berries to pick from as well as cherries in this eight ecras of farm land. Situated about one hour drive from the Melbourne city, why not come enjoy picking fresh berries and cherries in the morning and then relax at the nearby Silvan Reservoir or visit the Heavilles Sanctuary.
Walkerville Beach, Waratah Bay, Gippsland Favorite beach by Victorian locals
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Ask local Victorians about their favorite beach, most answers would be the Walkerville at Waratah Bay, Gippsland. Famous for its secluded beach and camping ground, the Walkerville beach provides the perfect place where you could just relax and forget about the bustling life. Head down to the beach to immerse yourself in the sunshine and crystal clear sea, spectacular rock pools at low tide and trails leading to beautiful forests and little creeks. Walkerville North provides beautiful views across Waratah Bay to nearby Wilson Promontory – well known for its unspoiled beaches and abundance of wildlife.
Where to get: Any Big W, Coles or Woolworths stores
JOM’s Picks
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SUMMER BUCKET LIST
BY PAM VASU
Here are a few ideas for things to do in Summer in Melbourne! Ballooning & Scenic Flights The summery weather makes it perfect for everybody to enjoy the breathtaking scenery of Melbourne from above. One of the most popular year-round hot air ballooning spot is at Yarra Valley, where visitors are able to drift over the valleys’ beautiful vineyards. Balloon flights depart just after dawn for a sunrise float over a panorama of farms, forests, and corridors of vines before setting down for a breakfast of sparkling wine. Global Ballooning website: http://www.globalballooning.com.au/ Street Food Head down to Queen Victoria Market for the renowned Suzuki Night Market for your quest of street food! Upon arrival, you will feel that you are in a faraway land with a range of exotic cuisine, arts & crafts, as well as fashion on offer. Not only does the market offer more than 60 hawker-style street food stalls, it also hosts some of the city’s best music talents! So expect some seriously good food and a fun atmosphere. When and Where: Wednesday nights from 6th November 2013 - 26th February 2014, Queen Victoria Market Different Dining The South Melbourne Market has been a go-to destination for fresh fruits & veggies, deli foods, fresh seafood, desserts & coffees, meats, clothing and more. Often, visitors head to the South Melbourne Market for the popular Dim Sims, Spanish Paella, Burritos, Turkish Gozleme, Gelatos and fresh oyster shots! The market is also crowded with souvenir shops with a variety of items for bargain prices. It is definitely a great place to pop by to visit with the family on a Saturday morning! When and Where: Wed, Fri, Sat, Sun. Sunday 3pm, 322 - 326 Coventry Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3205 (South Melbourne) Spectacle If you are a music enthusiast, this may just be your cherry on top of a sundae! With over 300 music clips spanning nine decades, ‘Spectacle’ follows how the art of the music video has progressed, from clips of 1920s jazz legends to videos by Madonna, Lady Gaga and other contemporary artists. In this exhibition, you will be surrounded with powerful imagery and music as you journey through a labyrinth of interactive installations, sets, immersive environments, original props and costumes. When and Where: ACMI, Federation Square, 26 September 2013 – 23 February 2014 Paint the Town With the beautiful weather this time of year, why not take the chance to witness some beautiful, ever changing street art and galleries in Melbourne city? Plenty of street art can be found in Bourke Street or in suburbs such as Fitzroy. Website: thatsmelbourne.com.au Rooftop Movies The Rooftop Cinema, situated at the top of Curtin House, hosts an outdoor cinema on a roof in the heart of Melbourne. It showcases a variety of films including arthouse, classic and recent release films in a unique urban environment. “Up on the roof you have the sky above you, the grass beneath you — and a film and the Melbourne skyline in front of you”. When and Where: 252 Swanston Street (between Little Bourke and Lonsdale Streets), Five nights a week throughout summer, starting in December Website: www.rooftopcinema.com.au Park Up At Albert Park, water activities can be enjoyed in the big pond, which is filled with graceful swans waiting to be fed by visitors. Enjoy a relaxing day by having the option to play golf, hire a boat to sail on the lake, feed the swans, or dine in the picnic area! A beautiful place for all ages. Website: www.parkweb.vic.gov.au Iconic Street Brunswick Street, Fitzroy is often claimed to best reflect Melbourne’s soul. It is well known for its cafe and food precinct bordering on the CBD. Many have said that it has the best selection of small, ‘unpretentious’ cafes serving tasty food of any food precinct in Melbourne. However, if you are not there to eat to your heart’s content, there are also organic vegetable shops and flowers on the footpath, alternative bookshops as well as Nepalese goods and products! We also recommend you to do some “seafood trips” and this is featured in the ‘styling life‘ section in this edition. JOM’s Picks
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Malaysian News Corner WRITES KARINA FOO
conducted by Transparency International (TI), gave Malaysia a CPI score of 50/100 in 2013, compared to 49/100 in 2012. While this position signifies that the country is at a mid-range average, Putrajaya aims to get it into the top 30 of the CPI by 2020 amongst developed nations. Malaysia and Turkey shared the same CPI ranking. Denmark and New Zealand were the top two countries followed by Finland and Sweden. Norway and Singapore shared the fifth spot. At the bottom were South Sudan at 173, Sudan at 174, while Afghanistan, North Korea and Somalia shared the 175th spot.
Flood disaster The daily downpours in the East Coast and Southern regions of Malaysia during early December have resulted in severe flooding with three confirmed deaths from drowning and two people missing in Pahang. In the state alone, more than 33,033 people have sought refuge in evacuation centres. The number of evacuees rose to over 43,000 in Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Malacca and Johor. Kemaman in Terengganu has been rendered a virtual island after being cut off in all directions. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said that the government was prepared to consider special aid for the people affected by the floods in Johor, Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan. He said that because the floods covered a wide area with several major roads being cut off, there were insufficient and delayed relief supplies at many evacuation centres. The unusual amount of rainfall had overwhelmed the flood mitigation systems.
Mourning for Mandela Former South African President, Nelson Mandela passed away at his Johannesburg home on Friday December 6 and Malaysian leaders expressed their condolences on social media. Prime minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said on his Facebook: “Mandela lives on in the spirit of every human that believes in democracy and freedom. Thank you for your legacy, Madiba”. From opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s Twitter: “To be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others”. Tweeted AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes (@ tonyfernandes): “RIP the greatest man ever. NELSON Mandela. Learn to forgive. We all can learn so much from this man. Many in Malaysia can. We are all the same.”
Electricity prices to increase As of January 1, 2014, consumers will be paying more for their electricity as the electricity tariff in Peninsular Malaysia will be increased by 14.89% - from 33.54 sen/ kWh to 38.53 sen/kWh. This is part of Tenaga Nasional Bhd’s (TNB) RM6 billion plans for new infrastructure, annual maintenance and capital expenditure (Capex) to ensure sustainable power supply. Of the RM6 billion, TNB is investing some RM3.5billion to RM4billion annually for new supply and system improvements on its distribution networks and multiconnection channels. This move has not been received positively by the public and some political leaders, saying that it could cause a “domino effect” and lead to further inflation on other goods and commodities. Getting slightly better Malaysia has made a small improvement in its world corruption perception index (CPI) by being placed 53rd out of 177 countries in 2013. The survey,
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News Corner
Legoland Hotel opens! Legoland Hotel Malaysia opened on November 29, 2013, just in time for the end of year school holidays. Located in the main Legoland park in Nusajaya, Johor, the hotel offers 249 themed bedrooms that can accommodate a family of four. The building itself is the final phase of Legoland Malaysia and marks the complete transformation of the holiday retreat into a complete resort. Guests can have the complete experience of the resort’s dry park and Legoland Water Park.
Equity increase A delegate of Umno has asked for the 30% quota for Bumiputera equity in business to be more than doubled to reflect the country’s population breakdown. Malacca delegate Datuk Akhbar Ali told the Umno general assembly that it is only reasonable to revise the quota upwards as the Bumiputera community make 67.9% of the country’s population of 28 million. He said that there is a need to translate that into a new benchmark for the future planning and targets of the country. In 1970, the 30% quota was implemented under the New Economic Policy (NEP) to narrow the gap in business equity ownership between the Malay and Chinese communities. New Bersih Chair Human rights activist Maria Chin Abdullah is the new chair of Bersih 2.0 or The Coalition of Free and Fair Elections. Bersih 2.0, which is the electoral watchdog for elections, held its first-ever elections for its Steering Committee members. Nearly 40 years after starting out as an activist during her student days in London, Chin is still doing what she loves after being elected the new Bersih 2.0 chair at the elections in November. Co-chair Datuk Ambiga Sreenivasan officially stepped down from her position on November 30.
“political impasse” to happen. He opined that all parties needed to have the moral courage to create a political dialogue and engagement across the political divide. Meanwhile, Wanita Umno’s chief, Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said that GE14 will be the “father of all battles” as it will be more challenging. Shahrizat said Wanita Umno could not just be the party’s election machinery, instead it should be the political machinery for Umno. The party should not only raise women-related issues, but must reach out to the people using various platforms including social media. She said the party must engage with those living in the rural and urban areas. Hanging up the death penalty In true contradictory fashion, Malaysians support the death penalty but do not want to impose it (even on perpetrators of the most serious crimes). This came from of a study by the Death Penalty Project (DPP) on the mandatory death sentence in Malaysia for murder, drug trafficking and Firearms Act (Increased Penalties) Act offences. The survey found that Malaysians would prefer incarceration like jail without parole or an indeterminate life sentence (with consideration of parole or a determinate period of years). The Malaysian Bar and Human Right Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) want the Government to abolish the mandatory death penalty or give judges the discretion to impose capital punishment. The Government has until March 2014 to tell the Human Rights Council (HRC) if it will accept these recommendations. As at June 2013, 964 Malaysians have been sentenced to death for crimes for murder, terrorism-related offences, drug trafficking, robbery with firearms and firearms possession, kidnapping, and treason.
Gearing up for the next war… GE14 Six months after GE13, political leaders and their parties are already gearing up for the next election GE14. Although it is still five years away, politicians are relentlessly planning to put their best foot forward to win the trust and votes of Malaysians. PKR ‘s party deputy president Azmin Ali said that the next five years leading to GE14 will be the party’s opportunity to nurture itself before the next “war”. The party’s achievements were not limited to its election machinery or how it performed in a general election. Azmin said that the party will focus on increasing and improving its political skills to win over Malaysians through political perception. While Pakatan Rakyat had the popular vote, Azmin said that PKR had a responsibility not to allow a
Banking on rubber Malaysia’s exports of rubber gloves are projected to increase to RM11.5billion by end of 2013 (up 9% from 2012’s RM10.56billion), said the Malaysian Rubber Glove Manufacturers Association. However, the figure was lower than the RM14billion target set by the association. Its president, Kwee Shyan Lim, said the lower increase was due to low raw material prices and the increase of exports of nitrile gloves. These types of gloves are priced lower than rubber gloves. As of September 2013, total glove exports from Malaysia reached RM7.9billion. The association also expects exports of synthetic gloves to overtake natural rubber gloves for the first time next year. Lim said he expected global demand for rubber gloves to increase 8% to 10% from 150 billion pieces a year now.
News Corner
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2013 Melbourne Malaysians’ Highlights & Milestones The annual Fiesta Malaysia organised by Malaysian Students’ Council of Victoria was held for the first time at the prestigious venue, Federation Square. The venue is one of the most well known spot for Melbourniun events. Fiesta Malaysia is held every first semester of tertiary students’ calendar.
With the 13th Malaysian General Election held in May this year, postal voting has been introduced for the first time to overseas Malaysians. Postal voting was previously restricted to military personnel, civil servants, and full-time students studying abroad and their spouses. There were about 800 registered postal voters casting their votes at the Consulate General of Malaysia to Melbourne in April this year, making it the second largest number of postal voters in the world. According to a survey by Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia Melbourne, about 69% of the postal voters had voted for Pakatan Rakyat, opposition party in Malaysia.
OurSay Malaysia was launched on the 50th Malaysia Day this year by a group of young Malaysians residing in Melbourne. Inspired and assisted by OurSay Australia, OurSay Malaysia provides a platform for anyone wishing to ask questions. Users can go to the site, write a question they care about, invite people to vote for their questions, and the questions with the most votes are answered by selected leaders. (www.oursay.my) Tune Hotels Melbourne was opened and officiated by the Premiere of Victoria, Denis Napthine. Melbourne is the first stop for Tune Hotels’ operation in Australia. Their hotel on Swanston Street features nine storeys, 225 rooms, a restaurant, café and residential apartments. Photo (from left): Tune Hotels CEO Mark Lankester, Premier of Victoria Daniel Napthine and Consul General of Malaysia Dato’ Dr. Mohamad Rameez Yahaya.
The inaugural Melbourne Malaysia Festival was held in November 2013, combining authentic Malaysian food, multicultural performances, engaging activities such as durian eating competition, and photo gallery for Malayan and Borneo war veterans. Attended by about 7000 patrons, the festival was officiated by the Foreign Minister of Malaysia, and organised by JOM Magazine. Part of the proceeds from the festival go to InspireSEA programme, a programme dedicated to helping underpriviledged students in Southeast Asia.
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2013 Recap
- it’s a happening year! Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman performed the ground-breaking ceremony at SP Setia multimillion project in Melbourne, called Parque, on St Kilda Rd. At the time of writing, 99% of Parque had already been sold. SP Setia’s maiden project in Melbourne, Fulton Lane on Franklin St, which has a gross development value of RM1.5 billion, is under construction and would be completed in 2015.
Over 1000 Malaysians turned up at the first Durian fiesta in Novemeber at SP Setia’s picturesque property on St Kilda Rd. The 600 packs of 7 to 8 durian pieces were distributed in plates of two, one Musang King and one D24, and were all finished in about an hour. The consignment was sent in by the Consulate General of Malaysia to Melbourne with support from the Ministry of Agriculture, Malaysia.
The inaugural Malaysia Art Exhibition in Australia, called “Discover Malaysia Art“ happened at Melbourne Fine Arts Gallery in November 2013. Paintings of 33 artists from Malaysia were exhibited. Two sculptures called “Salam birds“ were given by the curator Huck Theng Ch’ng to Melbourne, represented by the Deputy Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Susan Riley.
Award-winning Malaysia Airlines launched its third daily flight in November, making it the carrier with the highest frequency between Melbourne and Kuala Lumpur. The third daily service would increase capacity from 7,896 seats a week to 11,844 seats. From next February, Malaysia Airlines will be operating a total of 74 flights a week from six capital cities in Australia.
From December 2013 onwards, Malaysians can renew their passports at the Consulate General of Malaysia to Melbourne within a day. This has been made possible with the arrival of the immigration attache at the Consulate office in Melbourne.
Wish to keep up-to-date with major Malaysian events or stories? Follow jommagazine.com.au or facebook.com/jommagazineaus
2013 Recap
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November 3, 2013, Queensbridge Square, Melbourne Proudly brought to you by JOM Magazine
Part of the proceeds of the inaugural Melbourne Malaysia Festival went to the InspireSEA program, designed to help underpriviledged students in Southeast Asia. The festival was sponsored by Tourism Malaysia, Bank of Queensland, R Corporation, Central Equity, Forest Print and MA Legal.
Durian Eating Competition, sponsored by the Consulate General of Malaysia to Melbourne
PHOTOGRAPH CARL GIBSON, LANCE VUN & SIOK YEE TAN
VIPs including the Foreign Minister of Malaysia and his entourage, President of Victorian Legislative Council, Australian and Victorian leaders and representatives from the National Malaya and Borneo Association Australia.
Roti Canai Making Demonstration and Competition
Indigeneous Performance all the way from Sarawak, Malaysia!
Want to be part of the festival next year? Drop us an email at contact@jommagazine.com.au. Thank you! 2013 Recap
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Fast Facts
3/4 of Malaysian International students in Australia come from less than $25k income families.
Last year, Australia contributed about half a million visitors to Malaysia, making it the eighth top tourist generating market.
There are about 220 Malaysian restaurants in Australia, making it the country with the highest number of Malaysian restaurants, outside of Malaysia, in the world. About 70 of those are in Melbourne, making it the city with the highest number of Malaysian restaurants in the world outside of Malaysia.
Close to 40,000 Malaysians are currently residing in Melbourne and in Victoria. Only about 1 out of 5 of Malaysians here are students. Melbourne is the city with the largest number of Malaysians in the world outside of Malaysia.
The Man behind the shows
Malaysians in Melbourne get inky
If you wondered why there were so many exciting things happening in 2013, it could be because of this man who has helped make them happen. JOM would like to convey our special thanks to Dato’ Dr. Mohamad Rameez Yahaya, Consul General of Malaysia to Melbourne, for his commitment to the Malaysian community and all his asistance and support in the past year. He also continuously and unconditionally helps Malaysians in distress such as those requiring consular assistance.
There are more and more Malaysian authors in Melbourne as these are just two books published by Malaysians in Melbourne about migrating to Australia. The book at the top written by brothers Ken and Michael Soong, and bottom by Chee Min Ng, a retired senior accountant. Both authors have plans to publish more books in Australia. These two books can be purchased online.
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2013 Recap
SUCCESS Stories of Successful Malaysians in 2013
Whilst it is difficult to determine what success means or set a measurement for “successful people”, here are 9 Malaysians* who have been successful in their own ways in 2013. With ages ranging from their twenties to fifties, and with various backgrounds and passions, they share a bit about their personal stories, and what they think success means to them. INTERVIEWED AND COMPILED BY JONATHAN LIAN, JOYCE NG, JOSH YU & LIANNE LETITIA ZILM
* presented in no particular order
Successful Malaysians 2013
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Full name: Bernard Chu Current Occupation: Chef and owner of LuxBite Achievement in 2013: Appearing on MasterChef Australia Years living in Melbourne: 5 years Hometown: Taman Merah, Kelantan, Malaysia Hobbies/ interests: Cooking and baking, reading cookbooks and eating good food
luxbite.com.au
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Successful Malaysians 2013
Bernard Chu
From a humble beginning to appearing on MasterChef Australia with his lolly bag cake (middle bottom on the left page), Bernard Chu represents a small town boy made good, and a Malaysian who keeps true to his culture whilst blending seamlessly into the Melbourne pastry industry. JOM: What were the circumstances that led to your appearance on MasterChef this year? Bernard: The people at Masterchef gave me a call one day and asked me to do an episode because they were looking for fresh faces. They then told me what to use for ingredients, which was classic Australian Lollies, and they needed a cake which wasn’t on a menu for their show. So we had to think of a brand new recipe which came out of nowhere, and had never been done before. In terms of success and popularity, how did your dessert café LuxBite do this year? We have always been very happy and busy after MasterChef. Our confection brand has spread across to more people in Australia so this year has definitely been a good year. On Friday the 6th of December, LuxBite also turned 3 years old, which was quite an achievement for us. What are some personal tips you recommend for coming this far in the confection industry? My best advice is to know your quality. Some people eat sweets just for the sake of eating it but you have to know what’s in it first. At LuxBite, we try to educate people in that, so we use premium quality ingredients with no essence and flavouring in our brand. Good quality products for cooking and baking are definitely my best advice. Can you share with us some challenges you have encountered in your baking career so far? When we first opened LuxBite, we were looking to change the game. 3 years ago, there weren’t many unique patisseries, so the biggest challenge for us was setting up our brand and presenting our French techniques with Asian inspired flavours. To do something really new from day one, you have to start encouraging people to try out new things, like
kaya toast, pandan and ribena macarons. No one else would be making those types of flavours 3 years ago. So it was hard when we were starting out as people just didn’t understand why I used Szechuan pepper for my cake. Another challenge for us back then was to get our customers to step out of their comfort zone and try our products. Nowadays it’s not a challenge anymore thanks to MasterChef and customers love our products. How did you feel when you were asked to showcase your dessert on MasterChef this year? Honestly, I was very nervous when they asked me to do an episode. They wanted something brand new with a new recipe for it, so that made me a bit nervous. I had to create a brand new recipe using ingredients I’m not familiar with and without substituting or changing anything. When we put it on TV, you can’t sell it or taste it, but now we have that cake instore and so far, we have sold about 16,000 slices in 5 months. It’s been crazy ever since and everybody loves it. What are your hopes and aspirations for 2014? We have all worked very hard for LuxBite and next year, people expect us to expand. We have always wanted a shop in Malaysia but recently we scrapped the idea to keep the same philosophy in our company. The way we treat our staff is unique and I don’t see the new shop in Malaysia keeping that same policy without us being there. But we are thinking of opening another shop in Melbourne but with a different concept. For this new store we are planning a brand new idea and we will be working on it. And lastly, what does success mean to you? I found a team of people at LuxBite who share the same passion as I do, who work and grow with the company, and that is the biggest success for me.
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Full Name: Mezwyn D’ Junus Current Occupation: Author, Publisher & Founder of Ecotourism/Adventure Travel Business Achievements in 2013: Publishing and launching the book “Even the most positive person in the world gets cancer” in Malaysia and Australia (arranging for it to be launched in the USA next year) Years living in Melbourne: Almost 30 years Hometown: Born in Kuala Lumpur but spent a lot of time in Johor and Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. Hobbies/ Interests: Traveling (especially adventure travel like ice climbing), finding opportunities to improve things
www.mezwyndjunus.com www.Ecoearthadventuretravel.com 24 | Successful Malaysians 2013
Mezwyn D’ Junus
Mezwyn D’ Junus feels that she’s been given two suitcases to carry – one for being an environmental advocate and one for spreading cancer awareness through her personal battle with breast cancer. The world is her oyster as she educates others and contributes to these causes, while living life to the fullest. JOM: How did you get to where you are now? Mezwyn: The two keys to it are creativity and hard work. You have to have a passion for what you do, but don’t expect success to happen overnight. This generation is exposed to so many ‘overnight successes’ like internet sensations on Youtube – this isn’t always the case and sometimes you have to resort to traditional money-making strategies. However, the internet and social media play key roles today so don’t be too traditional when it comes to marketing! Tell us about your ecotourism business. My business was spurred on by my love of the environment. We put together sustainable and ecofriendly packages such as island retreats, and work along the lines of bespoke travel where individuals can tailor-make travel packages to suit their needs. Aside from just having fun, we aim to make each travel adventure an educational experience as well – I love to take the opportunity to share my environmental knowledge with others. What was the highlight of publishing your book? I get really inspired when I receive emails from people. Just last week I received an email from a 23 year old girl who had cancer, and she told me she found the book so honest and funny. I think the important part about writing a book is to make sure that it’s not your book alone – you have to make others feel that they have ownership. My book doesn’t just reach out to cancer patients but also to caregivers and anybody who knows someone with cancer, so they can relate to them. Share with us your core beliefs? I would say my core philosophies are to be grounded and be very honest to yourself. Anything can change in an instant; you could be on top and suddenly something could hit you, or you could be down but then something wonderful happens. Also, always be ethical no matter what you do, in business or with other people. Keep old fashioned values; you know, the ones that your grandparents taught you. Those values never grow old.
What are the biggest challenges you have encountered in your life so far? Of course, facing cancer was a great challenge for me, but I would say one of the other big challenges in life was trying to be financially independent as a single parent. Many people believe in the fairy tale of a perfect marriage – and yes, sometimes it’s possible, but it’s unwise to put all your eggs in one basket. Save up when you’re young as things can happen, be it divorce or even if you lose your partner in other ways. Any advice for young people facing chronic illness? Don’t give up. You’re not meant to be sick when you’re young – the idea of it doesn’t seem right. But it’s so important not to just surrender yourself to your disease. Knowledge is power, so learn about your disease and find out about the treatments available – and attend to it. Don’t put yourself through any unnecessary strain because stress can make such illnesses worse. Put your life on hold and make sure you take good care of your body first. What are your hopes for 2014? I would love to see my book on the shelves internationally to raise cancer awareness, and for it to lead to more workshops and discussion sessions. Also, I would love to see the Australian system/ model for breast cancer patients to become more widespread, particularly in Malaysia. There is an amazing National Cancer Institute in Putrajaya, and it can be made better by incorporating a good model like this one to support patients through the process. What is success to you? Success is what your peers decide they think of you. It’s the amount of respect they give you; even if you think you’re successful, the real judge will be the people around you. But success is also found in completing a task that you set for yourself. All the little successes in your life contribute to the bigger picture. Appreciating the little things help you enjoy life and be grateful every day.
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PappaRich Australia
With five stores opened in Melbourne in less than a year and now expanding to Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane and many more locations in Australia, PappaRich Australia is on the path to being the fastest growing Malaysian restaurant chain in Australian history. JOM: What do you think are the major reasons for your achievements in Australia so far? PappaRich: We have been constantly strengthening our internal systems and improving work flow for our franchisees. We also incorporated new methods to improve our food’s consistency. At the end of the day, we like our food to taste the same regardless of where we are. Share with us your core beliefs. We believe in having a strong disciplined team. Disciplined individuals are motivated and will drive our company to success. We never stay in our comfort zone. Yes, we are quite successful so far in Australia. However, that doesn’t mean it will be this way forever. What we want to achieve is a long term success, hence we never stop improving our work processes, our food quality, managing our supply chain, customer relations and many more. What are the biggest challenges you have encountered so far? The biggest challenges so far have always been about dealing with people. We have to deal with the supply chain, builders, landlords and the potential franchisees, and last but not least, customers. Another problem that any restaurant or retailers faces is always about getting the right location. It is never easy for us as we need right demographic mix to achieve the best possible outcome. Last but not least, finding the right franchisee is tough as well! We get lots of enquiries daily but we need to make sure they are the right person or team to
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operate PappaRich. Advice for people wishing to enter your industry? Get your hands dirty. From being in the kitchen, to dealing with management issues. This will equip you well for any challenges ahead. The point is to be versatile in different environments. Ask a lot of questions! The more curious you are, the more answers you will find! How are things made? Why are the noodles so long? Are there any reasons why things are done this way? Only by questioning constantly, will you gain more insight into how the game is being played. Just because you’ve worked part time or have some experience in any particular industry doesn’t mean you know anything. Then it comes down to passion. With passion, the other elements of success will come in without you even knowing it. Having said that, you might not have the necessary passion but still have good practice. However, people with real passion will go the extra mile and that little difference will translate to being the champion or coming in second place. What are your hopes for 2014? We are hoping for more outlets in Australia in 2014. Things are already in motion for more interstate outlets, such as in Perth, Brisbane and more in Sydney. What is success to you? We want to bring out the best of Malaysia and showcase it to the world. One of the best things about Malaysia is the food! This will be a long term goal that all of us, together with our international counterpart, will achieve together.
Full name: PappaRich Australia Pty Ltd Business Type: Food and Beverage Franchise Achievements in 2013: Opened 7 stores in Australia with 5 in Melbourne Year established in Melbourne: 2012 Hometown: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
papparich.net.au Successful Malaysians 2013
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Full Name: Jon Wee Lee Current Occupation: Marketing, Advertising and Food and Beverage Entrepreneur Achievements in 2013: Expanding his digital advertising business within Malaysia, Australia and also to China; Directing the marketing department of a renowned Food & Beverage company; Investing in numerous cafĂŠ and beverage franchise businesses in Melbourne Years living in Melbourne: 4 years Hometown: Malacca, Malaysia Hobbies/Interests: Spending time with family, doing odd jobs at home and cooking for family
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Jon Wee Lee
Despite being involved in multiple industries and holding several executive and managerial positions, Jon Wee Lee is adamant that family comes first. He took a leap of faith coming to Melbourne with his partner and two children, but now is proud to call Australia home to his passionate endeavours. JOM: What would you say are the major factors contributing to your recent achievements? Jon: I find it quite hard to define ‘achievements’, as to me, even small improvements and innovations are classified as success. I suppose one factor would be to continuously grow and learn from others. Take every experience as a learning curve and judge it, then improve it if possible. Another major factor would be to step out of your comfort zone. For example, if my partner and I hadn’t made the decision to diversity the business and expand to Melbourne, I wouldn’t be where I am right now, would I? I’m the type of person who just says “Let’s do it!” What made you passionate about the areas you’re involved in? I’m involved in two business areas – firstly, I’m involved in creative business where I develop animation and produce commercials. I’ve always enjoyed this industry and really enjoy the aspect of problem-solving, where I take on a challenge and then come up with a creative solution. This is very fulfilling to me, and it also allows me to meet many people from different creative industries. Food and Beverage is also a people business, where customers not only look at the food but also the branding and the overall experience. My passion lies in marketing strategy, where I have to design a sustainable and impressive business model to give a good impression. Of course, part of the excitement is also to meet new people and give them an experience worth remembering. Share with us your core beliefs? Money and achievements don’t bring real happiness, as it’s really all about yourself. I believe that your success needs to be shared. There’s no point spending too much time at work and then neglecting your family – it’s all about having a balanced life.
Do not forget to appreciate the people in your life, especially the ones that truly matter. What’s most important is to be happy and make those that you care for happy as well. Even a small hug and kiss for your children, or a call to your parents overseas can make a difference. What are the biggest challenges you have encountered in your career so far? With holding bigger roles comes greater responsibility and time commitment, and this may affect one’s life and interests. I have a young family and sometimes I wish I had more time to spend with them. Trying to maintain the balance can be hard, and sometimes I have to make decisions and sacrifices that don’t exactly bring me happiness, but they have to be done nonetheless. Any advice for young Malaysians wishing to become successful entrepreneurs? No matter what industry you go into, never give up. Always find ways to grow and improve yourself. Keep asking questions! And if you ever find something you can’t succeed at, take a step back – try something else, and then come back to it later. Time may be able to give you more perspective on the matter. What are your hopes for 2014? My hopes are actually not career related – I would really like to spend more time with my parents in Kuala Lumpur. As a father now, I can understand what my parents want – they want time with their own children. I’d like to visit them as often as possible and let them get to know their grandchildren better. What is success to you? Success comes in a package – you need to be happy and honest in what you do. And success is not just about your career – real success should be shared with family and friends. After all, I have to be a good father, a good son, a good husband, a good boss and so on. It’s no easy feat but it will bring you happiness in the long run.
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Monica Lim
PHOTOGRAPHS ERIC CHIANG
Law and Tax Manager turned Fashionista, Malaysia-born Monica Mei-Yen Lim is the current creative director of Melbourne-based fashion label, Fame Agenda. Her uniquely designed styles of pret-a-porter apparel is part of the hip and trendy fashion scene in Melbourne. JOM: What have you done recently this year to be so successful in the fashion industry? Monica: We were part of the State Government of Victoria’s trade mission to South East Asia and we had a fashion show in Jakarta in June. We were also part of Jakarta’s fashion week in October and on the 6th of December we will be having a fashion show to promote Multicultural Arts Victoria in Melbourne. Tell us about your company Fame Agenda and how it’s designed to be an accessible and wearable form of contemporary art? (Laughs) You’ve obviously been on our website. Even if there are so many fashion labels out there, Fame Agenda came about because we wanted to do something a little bit different and quite recognizable. We have fabrics that are very distinctive, so when you see them, you can say “oh this must be from Fame Agenda because it’s so… challenging.” What made you change careers from Law into Fashion? Well, basically I have always loved fashion; and obviously, I loved anything to do with design, music and art. During my maternity leave for my first child, I thought the long break would be fantastic, but then it turned out to be such a bore. So I started making handbags to pass the time, and it did really well. It was picked up by a few agents who started to sell it in Hong Kong. From then onwards I was working full time, plus now that I have a child, it was going to be a little bit crazy. I had to decide one way or the other, so I decided to follow my passion in fashion.
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Can you share with us some challenges you have encountered in your fashion career so far? Oh, plenty of it, because it’s not always easy starting out. Every mistake you make is silly, so pay for your mistakes and learn from them. Back then, I didn’t have the academic background in fashion as well. Most of it was me learning on the spot. Do you have any advice for young people wishing to go into the Melbourne fashion industry? It’s a very tough world and you need a lot of perseverance. Most importantly, I think it’s the work ethic. You don’t come into this industry thinking it’s going to be glamorous and you’re going to be successful all on day one. What are your hopes and aspirations for 2014? For next year, hopefully we can go to Malaysia and open a market there. The Malaysian fashion industry is also quite similar to the Indonesian market in terms of climate. What does success mean to you? I think success is to be able to build up the company so my designers and staff can feel that they have contributed well and be happy working here. There’s always a path for them to go up. For me personally, it’s very important that the people who work with me should have a good future ahead.
Full name: Monica Mei-Yen Lim Current Occupation: Creative director of Fame Agenda Achievements in 2013: Established a presence for Fame Agenda in South East Asia; Opened outlets in Indonesia; Recently opened a shopping studio in Flinders Lane, Melbourne. Years living in Melbourne: About 20 years Hometown: Born in Petaling Jaya and lived in Malaysia until form 3. Came to Melbourne for high school in year 11. Hobbies/ interests: I love music and theatre, so a big part of why I came here is to be more involved in the local production. It’s also accessible, as when schooling here there’s more opportunities to be a part of an orchestra or a school drama production.
www.fameagenda.com.au Successful Malaysians 2013
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Full Name & Title: Professor Alberto Gomes Current Occupation: Professor in Anthropology, Director of Centre for Dialogue at La Trobe University Achievements in 2013: Appointed as the Director of the Centre for Dialogue, La Trobe University; Published several papers including ‘Managing Cultural Diversity and Conflict: The Malaysian Experience’ and ‘Anthropology and the Politics of Indigeneity’; Featured on SBS and ABC on Australia-Indonesia relations. Years living in Melbourne: Almost 30 years Hometown: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Hobbies/ Interests: Fishing and Rearing fish
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Professor Alberto Gomes
Professor Alberto Gomes, a recipient of the Australian Award for University Teaching in 2009, has had a long history of involvement with Malaysia’s indigenous peoples. Recently appointed Director of the Centre for Dialogue at La Trobe University, Professor Gomes considers himself a scholar activist, using his work to support Orang Asli land rights in Malaysia, a cause he is extremely passionate about. JOM: Tell us a bit about your anthropology work in Malaysia? Professor: My main work is on the Malaysian Aboriginal people who we refer to as the Orang Asli. I first visited an Orang Asli village in 1975 to do research in a small community that has been resettled. I returned to this community at least once every ten years, and recorded the changes that had taken place. I published a number of papers on that community, and then in 2007 I published a book entitled ‘Modernity and Malaysia’. It brings together 35 years of my research on all the transformations that have taken place. In 1981 and ’82, I did research among another group of people called the Semai, located on the way up to Cameron Highlands. I was interested to find out what was the impact of their involvement in the cash economy and what sort of changes occurred as a result of the involvement, and how their lives have been transformed as a result of their entanglement with the cash economy. I lived in an Orang Asli village for 14 months. I learned to speak their language. What aspects of anthropology and sociology fascinate you? I would say everything in anthropology is of interest to me, but my research focus has been on the impact of capitalism and development. More recently, my interest has shifted to peacebuilding and conflict transformation, so I’m looking at various ways of how people are able to build peace within communities, looking at indigenous forms of conflict transformation. Can you share with us some of your greatest challenges that you have encountered? I think the greatest challenge now is running a centre; the Centre for Dialogue, which promotes peace building and social cohesion and developing various forms of conflict transformation and dialogue, bringing people who are in divided communities together. I think that’s a challenge. Another challenge is primarily to do with funding. So to all the philanthropic organisations or wealthy people who do not know what to do with their money, here we are.
We are working towards building a better world, one where people live in peace with one another; a world where we can sustain, socially and culturally, the harmonious relations that people have. In your opinion, how has the face of Malaysia changed since the 1970’s? Economically, the standard of living in Malaysia has certainly improved. But having said that, there is still a great deal of poverty and inequality, particularly in the rural areas and among the groups like the Orang Asli. So it has been a mixed economic achievement. What are your hopes and aspirations for next year? Well, to continue the work of the centre, focus on a range of different things. I would consider myself to be a scholar activist. So I’m not just a scholar, but also an activist. And as an activist, sometimes my activism is not direct;it’s indirect through getting information, for example, for land rights cases in Malaysia. When the Orang Asli go to the Courts and they have claims to ownership of land and things like that, I hope that the work I have done can assist them in that regard. I am in close contact with a number of the lawyers who work on Orang Asli land claims. So in 2014 I would like to continue doing that and as I said to my Malaysian Aboriginal friends, if I am ever going to retire, I won’t retire completely. I will continue working for the Orang Asli in any capacity I can, and most likely it is going to be through research and publishing. What does success mean to you? I think for me, if I can put the various views and opinions that I have out there in the public arena, success is when those views are considered and accepted – the general views that I have which are to do with social justice and peacebuilding. For me, success is essentially the acceptance of my intellectual scholarly activist work. I teach very large anthropology classes. Each year I have about five to six hundred students in my first year class, so for me, success is being able to challenge them and being able to also engender change in their thinking and attitude. I think that is success.
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Ching & Eng
Ching and Eng - a newly arrived couple hailing from Penang - established an intricate little framing studio in Geelong, March 2013. They were the founders of ArtBug back in Penang. Bringing their skills and passion in framing and crafting, they are looking forward to a whole new lifestyle here in the land down under. JOM: The word “Bingkai” means frame in Malay; tell us what made you choose to adopt Malaysian characteristics in your framing business here in Australia? Ching & Eng: We feel the name “Bingkai” is a good name that represents our own characteristics and background. It also makes for a good conversation starter. Are you introducing a hybrid of cultures in framing and art? We do introduce different styles of framing into the industry. It is because we have been influenced by our South East Asian and multicultural background. For instance, color and style are different. We introduce a few ways of framing objects which in local market here are rare. What made you so passionate in art and framing? When it comes to passion, we just followed our hearts, and working with art and framing, it has opened a new pathway for us. It has helped us travel a different journey and now we view life differently. We think once you are in it, the passion will grow on you. What prompted you to migrate to Australia? We looked for a change in lifestyle and environment, and a better quality of living. We are open to more opportunities here, especially in the art and craft industry. In Malaysia, we stayed in our comfort zone for too long; we hoped to be able to explore a new
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stage and we believed that in a new environment we could break away from our usual scope of work. I guess we are adventurous in some way. And also there is an uncertainty in the political situation. We are really sad and fed up with the spillover of political activism. As a Chinese Malaysian, with the biased government policies and system, we are like second-tier citizens. Can you share with us how you feel about the differences between being a picture framer and artist in Geelong/Melbourne and in Penang so far? Here we are more targeted on conservation framing for artists and art collectors. The customers appreciate hand-crafted framing and workmanship. The customer are willing to pay for the time, skill and expertise in making the frame. Our business back in Penang was more commercialised. We targeted a wider range of customers and had a different business strategy. What are you expecting for 2014? In 2014, we have plans to launch a series of artworks, home decorative items and small handmade furniture from reclaimed timber, which will be eco-friendly, sustainable and aesthetic. What does success mean to you? To us, success is to be able to live the life we want to live.
Full names: Ching Teoh (right) & Eng Khoo (left) Current Occupation: Picture framers and artists Achievements in 2013: Succcessfully setting up Bingkai as a business; performing work for artists in the Geelong Region. Years living in Geelong, Victoria: 1 Year Hometown: Penang, Malaysia Hobbies/ interests: DIY, photography, painting, handicraft, etc. .. and we love food
bingkai.com.au Successful Malaysians 2013
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Full Name: Vicknaraj Thanarajah Current Occupation: Founder and Principal Solicitor at Fides Lawyers Achievement in 2013: Successfully defended an accused Malaysian drug smuggler on a pro bono basis Years living in Melbourne: 6 years Hometown: Taiping, Perak Hobbies/ Interests: Providing pro-bono advice concerning Housing Laws, blogging and keeping up with current affairs, cooking, fishing and camping
www.fides.com.au
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Raj
Having lived the fast-paced life of a corporate lawyer in Malaysia working on billion-dollar deals, Raj now is a partner in a suburban legal practice in Melbourne focusing on commercial, migration and propery law. In the past two years, he acted pro bono to assist accused Malaysian drug smugglers, who required assistance from the Malaysian Consulate in Melbourne to prove their innocence and return to Malaysia. He continues to provide assistance to the Malaysian community in Melbourne. JOM: What are your core beliefs? Raj: To try and put the requirement for money as subservient to the attainment of knowledge and the betterment of mankind. To try! Because most of us in modern society are very attracted to the attainment of wealth and social status, but there is more to life than money in my belief, and that is knowledge and the ability to use that knowledge if possible, to assist someone or make an impact or positive change in someone’s life, no matter how small or how big. Apart from drug cases, what other pro bono work you have done in Melbourne? Well there are a few, but this year I did a further case dealing with a disabled individual who had just lost a mother and only child, so we are assisting her with the estate, the administration of assets because she has no one. Sometimes it is where people get involved in, for example, probate cases, and they require assistance to deal with wills, for example. We’ve also done migration on a pro bono basis for two parties before. Any advice for young Malaysians who wish to be a lawyer like you in Melbourne? I think for a start, don’t think it’s going to be rosy the first five or six years. It’s going to very difficult; a lot of long hours at work to gain that knowledge and experience to make you understand how the law works, and it’s a lifelong learning process, so you must always be willing to learn and continually update yourself. And no matter how hard it is, tell the truth, even if people don’t like to hear it, because money can come and go, but your name is with you forever. What are the biggest challenges you have encountered so far being a lawyer in Melbourne? In Melbourne, I think funnily enough the people who have more faith in us are the Australians; people who are here because they take us at face value. And the people who seem to think the local Australians can do better for them are the Malaysian businessmen who come here, and that’s the irony of the circumstance.
The larger difficulty is taking the firm to the next level, whereby we are trying to get larger businesses. Being a lawyer from Malaysia, notwithstanding having the qualification to practice in three jurisdictions and the legal experience attained from large firms in Australia and in Malaysia, it is quite difficult to break the perception ceiling, because of course, they would have their set friends and set lawyers and set relationships based on people who have grown up here. So to break that barrier; it’s a challenge, but it’s not an impossibility. What is success to you? When I returned to Malaysia after finishing my second Masters of Law at Melbourne University, I was working on deals that were 1.5 billion to 2 billion dollars on Telco, internet and cyber law, where some days I used to travel to Saudi Arabia, Iran and Indonesia. And then I got married and due to my marriage, I am in Australia now. But even in Malaysia, I appeared on live radio shows and occasionally on early morning TV talk from 8.30am to talk to the public on housing laws. All this was done for free because the recalcitrant developers were cheating people, and it was a big issue. I was one of two members from an NGO who were invited by the Ministry of Housing to assist with the drafting of the Housing laws. We were not picked by the government or by the opposition; it was just done to have a positive impact. I appeared as amicus curae (friend of the Court), and the case went right up from the Court of Appeal to the highest Court in the land, and we won for the housebuyers’ interest. A lot of time and effort, but all of that was done for free. So in my mind, it might not be known to people, but I have done my part and I have given back. That is my measurement of success. It’s not about driving big cars, it’s not about fancy suits. Those things, in my mind, are just an illusion. Because no matter how well you do on those big deals, people make their money and life goes on. But you do something small, like for example the drug case, and you see the smile from that person and the gratefulness, and you know he will never forget you for the rest of his life.
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Haji Abdul Hamid
Burning with a passion for the community, Haji Abdul Hamid is the driving force behind MECCA Inc., which promotes the Malay identity and unity through events and shared traditions. His wife and two children are also advocates of his cause and enjoy the Melbournian lifestyle. And of course, his satay is to die for! JOM: What do you think are major factors contributing to your recent achievements? Abdul: To be successful in the community, you need to be mainstream and make an appearance in as many events as possible. Communicate well; use social media and the internet to spread the awareness. It’s also important to maintain partnerships with groups of common interest (like JOM Magazine) as being united, and you can make a stronger impact. Don’t isolate yourself as there are so many associations working towards similar goals, so this can be a benefit for both parties. Share with us your core beliefs? Integration is something I truly believe in – to break down the racial barriers and bring the Malaysian community together. You can reach out to people using points of familiarity, like food or cultural traditions to build trust and cohesion. I think it’s important to be passionate about your culture and to help others feel that they belong here as well. You’re also known to make the best satay in Melbourne – what’s your secret? I’ve been told that our satay tastes even better than the famous Satay Kajang! Our satay is cooked on a charcoal fire; even though it takes longer, it makes better satay. At some of our functions, we serve anywhere from 3000 to 6000 sticks of satay; it’s tempting to just use a gas flame, but it’s not the same.
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What are your hopes for 2014? I’d definitely like to see more community involvement based in the city. While there are quite a few things being organised in the suburbs (such as Werribee and Avalon), the city is a great central point to bring people together. There is a large group of Malaysians in Melbourne city that would truly benefit from community events. I believe that “One Malaysia” can be achieved here in Melbourne, hence it’s important to keep our traditions alive. I know some groups are advocating for Bahasa Melayu to be an optional language in some schools, and this is great because the language is just one of the things that unites us. Any advice for young Malaysians wishing to make an impact in Melbourne? No matter who you are or what you do, you have something to contribute. For example, my daughter has won awards in Silat competitions and is an ambassador of that traditional martial art. In Australia, talent is well-recognised and there is lots of support so don’t be afraid to make yourself known. Share your talents on stage or in the media, and make Malaysia proud.
Full name: Haji Abdul Hamid bin Ashari Current Occupation: Renowned Satay Seller & President of Malay Education & Cultural Centre of Australia (MECCA) Inc. Achievements in 2013: A number of community events including: Australia Day/Invasion Day - Participating in the Aboriginal observance of Invasion Day ‘Share the Spirit Festival’ at the Treasury Gardens. Malaysian Welcoming BBQ Fiesta Malaysia Malaysian Street Festival at QV Market JOM’s Melbourne Malaysia Festival (All satays were finished at the festivals above!) Years living in Melbourne: Almost 10 years Hometown: Johor and Singapore Hobbies/Interests: Travelling, meeting new people and when possible, sailing, snorkelling and diving
Successful Malaysians 2013
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Migration Matters BY ANDY ELLEN, SENIOR IMMIGRATION CONSULTANT AT KABO LAWYERS
Assessing your Skill Select points score incorrectly and then lodging an Expression of Interest (EOI) with an inflated score can lead to migration disaster, now and in the future. If you can’t back up your claimed score with proper evidence in your subsequent visa application, this will lead to your visa application being refused, and you may be prevented from applying for any other visa for another three years. Under the Department of Immigration’s Fraud Public Interest Criterion 4020 (PIC 4020) the Department of Immigration (DIBP) can impose this ban where visa applicants have claimed points and are subsequently not able to back up the points claimed with proper evidence. This ban can be imposed on the basis that you have provided the DIBP with bogus information and/or documents. Recently, we’ve had clients coming to us in panic after submitting their Expression of Interest (EOI) and then worrying whether or not they have assessed their points correctly - sadly they’ve provided inflated points scores to DIPB in many cases. Most had in fact lodged EOI’s with grossly inflated points scores, leaving them well and truly exposed to the PIC 4020’s sanctions - which would have crystallised into the three year ban, had they not sought our help. Migration law is a complex area. It is very difficult for a potential visa applicant with no formal migration law knowledge to properly assess their own points score. When, for example, is employment at the proper skilled level (an area where many applicants are caught out)? What do you do about multiple qualifications or your partner’s skills? When can you claim the additional points and when can’t you? What have you missed? Could your points score in fact be higher than you realise, giving you a much better chance of receiving a quick invitation? How can you increase your points score relatively easily?
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Down to Business
Labour Market Testing for 457 visas to become mandatory. Producing evidence for the ‘ Labour Market Testing’ (LMT) becomes mandatory for 457 visa application from November 23rd 2013 onwards as a part of the Migration Amendment (Temporary Sponsored Visas) Bill 2013. This means that companies will have to provide proof of their attempts to recruit an Australian Permanent Resident or citizen for the nominated position in the previous 12 months prior to the lodgement of a 457 nomination Unless the nominated occupation is exempted, all nominations which are lodged after Nov 23rd 2013 will require evidence that the employer has tested the Australian labour market to demonstrate that a suitably qualified and experienced Australian citizen or permanent resident is not readily available to fill the position. Information must be supplied outlining the company’s attempts to recruit Australians, including the details and advertising expenses. The Immigration Dept has stated that if there is no evidence of Labour Market Testing supplied with the application, for an occupation for which it is required, the visa will be refused immediately. However, if staff have been made redundant in the occupation within the last 4 months, Labour Market Testing must be done after the redundancies have occurred. Information provided in a Department of Immigration FAQ sheet indicates that advertising of positions via social media such as company websites and other free means are perfectly acceptable ways to meet the Labour Market Testing requirement. The above requirements have the potential to impact a number of business sectors. All the Trades occupations, Nurses and Engineers will be required to undergo Labour Market Testing. However, some professional and management occupations would be exempted, including Marketing Specialist and many Management-listed occupations. The full impact of any Labour Market Testing will only be known several months into its operation.
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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.
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Some real estate agents think they can ‘sell ice to the Eskimos’. However, an advertisement that overpromises and under-deliver can leave a bad taste for property buyers.
WRITES ERICK NG
Misleading & False Advertisements TRICKS AND TRAPS OF REAL ESTATE (PART IV) “Buying a home can be a daunting experience.” The prologue from the online video series to educate property buyers produced by Consumer Affairs of Victoria chimes. With so many tricks and traps in the real estate industry, it is little wonder the excitement of buying a property can suddenly turn into an endless chore of frustrations and disappointments in a matter of days.
Erick Ng is a licensed property buyer’s advocate at Capital Exchange International. He exclusively represents homebuyers and investors to master plan, search, evaluate and negotiate the purchase of their properties. 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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Down to Business
In this edition, we look at the tricks and traps in the very first step of property searching – advertisements. Puffery has long been an accepted culture of real estate sales but often, property advertisements can stretch the truth and subsequently become deceptive. Nobody wants to be tricked into going to see a property by photos that haves little resemblance to the actual building, or succumbing to false and misleading claims. I have dealt with some of the most professional real estate agents
who take every care and check their advertising and marketing campaigns. That is unfortunately, not a common practice. The proliferation of deceptive advertising is sometimes the mastermind of the real estate agent himself, but many times it could be the work of external consultants such as photographers, copywriters and floor plan artists. No Photoshop No Talk The first things that capture the attention of buyers are the photographs. A picture paints a thousand words. In real estate advertising, a picture aims to capture the buyer’s heart, and more aptly, his wallet. Image trickery includes use of wide-angle lenses to give the illusion of a larger room, staged lighting to enhance a façade’s appearance, clever angles of shots to make sloping topography look flat. Often real estate agents do not publish photographs of all the rooms, making many inspection trips by potential buyers a waste of time as undesirable features are hidden away. Digitally enhanced photographs are allowed to some degree, but some are excessive, misrepresent and even are illegal. Dark interiors become bright rooms, trees are magically trimmed, gloomy skies are replaced with sunny skies, cracks vanish, power lines are erased and imperfections airbrushed. The home looks stunning in the ‘ad’. In reality, it could be another story. A few years ago, a married couple bought a gated home which allowed their dogs to run around…..or so they thought. In the photographs advertising the property, there were wrought iron gates. However, the gates were not there when they bought the property, and they forgot to check. When confronted, the real estate agent told them there is nothing they could do as the vendors had taken the gates. Not knowing their buyer’s rights and where to complain, the couple did nothing for a few years. When later they realised that they had been duped, the agents had disappeared and so had the vendors. The couple had to ‘fork out’ thousands more to buy new gates. Word Artistry or Unabashed Lies? Real estate agents are notorious for stretching the truth and making a property sound better than it really is. This is especially true in its copywriting. Because of the large number of complaints, real estate companies nowadays put disclaimers. Often, we can only take the copywriting with ‘a pinch of salt’. How often do you see a home that is actually better than that described in the advertisement? Not often. Most likely, we have to mentally erase the exaggerated adjectives when reading the copywriting. I have come across an advertised “5 bedroom home” that is actually a 3 bedroom home with a study and a dining room with doors. “Walking distance to the shops” that will take 30 minutes of walking. “Close to schools” where the school is
one suburb away. As a buyer you need to spend the time to conduct your own inspections and due diligence to check the property thoroughly, before buying. You could very well avoid paying the “price of the inexperienced” and save yourself some nasty surprises. Below are some of the ridiculous words used in advertisements that I found throughout the years when I screenscreening through the hundreds of property advertisements each week. “Fantastic water views” which would be only available if you climbed on top of the roof. (Elwood) “Brand new” actually described a tenanted property for 9 months. (St Kilda East) “Only a few doors from the park” was actually the next street. (Malvern East) “Architecturally designed” was a property actually designed by a draftsman with little creativity. (Oakleigh) “Queen-sized bedroom” that can only fit a queensized mattress and not much else. Not even standard bedside tables. (Glen Iris) “Private sense of sanctuary” meant that the house is full of overgrown weeds and a little jungle in the making. Possibly with snakes? (Balwyn) “Astute investors” referred to in the ad could really mean the investors are gullible. (North Melbourne) “Unlimited potential” described a piece of land that had very limited potential with its covenant and overlays. (Glen Waverley) “Well maintained” home described a property run down and infested by termites. (Mount Waverley) “Reduced in price” was actually $100,000 above what it was worth and now it is closer to market value. (Preston) “Conveniently located” means right next to the major highway and beside the petrol station. (North Fitzroy) “Quality and perfection” that has no relevance to the property the agent is advertising. (Wantirna) “Humble home” that you cannot live in without a renovation. (Maribyrnong) “Flawlessly capturing the elegance, simplicity and character of its era” that is full of flaws, dilapidated and ready to be bull-dozed. (Burwood) Never underestimate the creatively optimistic language skills of the real estate industry, often used to trap the unsuspecting buyer.
Down to Business
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Year of the Shrewd Investor - A Business Perspective WRITES EDDIE LEE
The current economic climate poses an interesting conundrum for both investment professionals and non-investment professionals alike. 2013 has been a volatile year in global financial markets, with Australia feeling the effects of global events including the banking crisis in Cyprus, continued high unemployment rates and instability in Europe generally, and more recently the US government shutdown – not to mention the world still feeling the lingering effects of the GFC and more locally, the Federal election and replacement of government – with accompanying changes in government policies. The markets are currently characterised by: • Historically low interest rates – Current cash rate at 2.5% p.a. • Rising residential property prices – due in part to the low interest rates supporting residential mortgage lending • High levels of unemployment attributable to the increased efficiency of companies (as they continue their existing operations with lower number of employees) • Range of money-printing measures supported by developed world economies (Bail-out funding provided by the European Central Bank, asset buy-
back program by the United States and “Abenomics” in Japan) • Stretched financial assets valuation despite lower growth rates expected by the International Monetary Fund. • Volatile Australian dollar exchange rate – largely driven by economic and policy developments in the United States. The combination of the above factors challenges conservative investment strategies, particularly in the short term. Real estate continues to be a popular investment choice, but continually increasing prices have made this market more difficult to enter, particularly for young investors. Nevertheless, the level of uncertainty currently seen in financial markets also provides opportunities for shrewd investors willing to bear the risks involved.
WRITES MICHAELA SWAMPILLAI PHOTOGRAPHS CHRIS PHUTULLY
Discover Melbourne with the Eureka Skydeck 88, the southern hemisphere’s highest viewing platform. Located in Southbank, overlooking the beautiful Yarra River, this sleek building with modern infrastructure provides a panoramic view that lets you view the city from every angle. As you pass the sliding doors of the entrance, you will see an interactive board that displays stories of Melbourne’s history, as well as a blueprint of the building itself. The staff will take you into the elevator where you’ll reach your destination (level 88) in just 38 seconds. The view from the top is breathtaking. As you make your way around the building, you can see the CBD from one side and the city’s bayside, including St Kilda Beach and Port Melbourne, from the other. The glass panels surrounding the building provide a crystal clear vision of the city centre. The unique lightscape system is designed to match the sky’s actual appearance outside the panels, creating spectacular views of Melbourne’s sights. Lining the windows are built-in viewfinders that pinpoints the exact landmark you wish to view close-up.
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Eureka Skydeck: A top-of-the-world experience
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The unique lightscape system is designed to match the sky’s actual appearance outside the panels, creating spectacular views of Melbourne’s sights.
” ‘The terrace’ is where you can have an outdoor experience of this amazing attraction. Viewing the sights without the glass panels and with the wind in your hair makes you really feel like you’re on the top of the Melbourne’s tallest building. As you’re snapping away, take advantage of the free wifi provided, where you can upload your photos to your favourite social media and share your experiences. Another highlight of the Eureka Skydeck 88 experience is the world’s only ‘Edge Experience’- a glass cube that projects 3m out from the building, allowing you to see Melbourne a bit closer than everyone else. The admission fee is separate from the general admission to the Eureka tower. You also have the opportunity to get your photo taken inside the ‘Edge’ and remember your time here. There’s always a great time to make a visit to the Eureka Skydeck 88 but the best time to do so is during summer when there is daylight savings. The ideal time for a visit is at 7pm, as you get the chance to see Melbourne during the daytime and as the sun begins to set. While you’re waiting for a romantic setting to take in the sights, relax at the Kiosk 88 for a drink or some light snacks. If you’re visiting with kids, Skydeck 88 also provides a King Kong experience that will keep them entertained as you find the best angle to take your memorable photos. Before you leave, visit the gift shop by the exit entrance. You can pick up souvenirs for friends or some trinkets to remind you of your experience at the Eureka Skydeck 88. The Eureka Skydeck 88 is open from 10am to 10pm daily. Check out their website to be informed about of the latest events happening.
Styling Life
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6 Places to Visit Before They Disappear
From the Great Barrier Reef to the heights of the French Alps, some of the world’s most spectacular destinations are disappearing. The top threats are global climate change, deforestation, invasive species, and population growth. Here are six places you should visit before they are completely gone. WRITE TY TIEN CHIEW & MICHAELA SWAMPILLAI PHOTOGRAPH BEPAKALPS, ICELINES VENICE, AMERICAN RUGBIER, JAMES WILSON, MAL B, MDULMALD
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#1 Venice, Italy
#4 Maldives
#2 Great Barrier Reef, Australia
#5 Kakadu, Australia
Home to some of Leonardo da Vinci’s famed masterpieces such as the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, Venice offers unrivalled sights that date back to the Italian Renaissance. The iconic gondolas that navigate the Venetian waterways are excellent for traversing its rich landscape but are now limited to tourists due to a recent ban earlier this year. After the ‘Acqua Alta’ flooding in 2012, researches have revealed that Venice is gradually sinking by 2-4mm annually, meaning the city of love will likely have a future underwater.
The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system but it continues to be under threat by constant oil spills that are endangering the jewel of Australia’s waters. Composed of over 2,900 distinct reefs and 900 islands, this beautiful spread of coral along the coast of Queensland was labelled one of the seven natural wonders of the world by the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park ensures the protection of the reef but not much can be done to prevent environmental harm such as climate change and extensive coral bleaching that strips the rich colours from the reef. According to an October 2012 study, more than half of the reef’s corals have decreased in number since 1985. Due to failing to preserve the habitat where these corals thrive, UNESCO has threatened to add Australia’s only recognised natural wonder to their endangered list of the world’s stunning natural attractions.
#3 Machu Picchu, Peru
Situated in the mountainous Cusco region of Peru, South America, Machu Picchu is an Inca site built in the 15th century, located 2,430 metres above sea level. It is a renowned icon of Inca civilisation but was unknown to the outside world until American historian Hiram Bingham discovered its remarkable ruins in 1911. Machu Picchu was named one of the new Seven Wonders of the World in 2007, but its newly earned title is starting to diminish. Local traffic and reconstruction to the site for tourists’ benefit has destabilised the stones’ foundation, causing some to collapse. Natural disasters are a threat to the region as powerful earthquakes can heavily destroy the nature of Machu Picchu.
Famous for its 1,190 islands with white sandy beaches, great weather, friendly locals, and diverse sea life, the Republic of Maldives is truly a tropical getaway for all travellers. Nevertheless with 80% of the island’s nation remaining less than 1m above sea level, climate change poses a serious threat to this chain of islands as water levels and temperatures are estimated to rise by the end of the century. The forecast of Maldives’ fate would damage both the tourism industry as well as the nation as a whole, leading to a possibility of a much smaller Maldives in the not too distant future.
Renowned for receiving two World Heritage listings and supporting a diverse range of wildlife unique to the wetlands, Kakadu National Park, Australia, now faces a serious challenge to sustain its habitat. According to reports from the United Nation’s International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), rising sea levels are causing major parts of the fertile wetlands to turn to salty mud lands, due to detrimental harm on Kakadu’s paperbark forests. The current state of the wetlands will soon cause many distinctive birds to leave their habitat. Kakadu National Park is the world’s second largest national park. Make a visit to witness its 20,000-year-old rock art formations, aboriginal culture, river cruises and bushwalks before they deteriorate.
#6 The Alps, Europe
The Alps is one of the few last places in Europe that remains untouched by mankind. Stretching across France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, and Slovenia, the Alps contains 4,500 plant species, around 30,000 animal species, and dozens of engaging activities allowing visitors to absorb the various cultures that inhabit the snowy highlands. The Alps are famous to snowboarders and skiers who travel from all four corners to try its world-class ski tracks and resorts. According to WWF, however, a combination of climate change and pollution will threaten the Alpine nature, increasing the frequency of floods and avalanches. The beauty of the Alps is at risk and may not be at its best in the near future. Mother Nature may be nurturing but she can also be fickle in changing her ways to maintain the balance of nature on earth. Where in the past she reigned supreme, humanity has taken over her job altering the globe as we see fit. The list of places above is just a small number of the world’s most endangered cherished creations so start booking your tickets and planning your accommodations before these gems of nature begin to disappear.
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VISIT MALAYSIA YEAR 2014 PROMISES SPECTACULAR HAPPENINGS Ask any Malaysian why tourists should visit his country, and the answer will range from the mouth-watering food, diverse cultures, treasure of nature, enchanting islands and beaches, to great shopping adventure. Today, however, it is obvious that the country has never been more welcoming to both international and domestic tourists alike, than during the onset of 2014 - primed to be another significant year for the country’s tourism industry, as it will be the fourth time it is celebrating Visit Malaysia Year (VMY). The first VMY was held in 1990, followed by 1994 and the third in 2007, which was in conjunction with Malaysia’s 50 years of nationhood. This time around, from now leading up to 2014, the celebration gets even bigger, with over 200 exciting events and happenings that will certainly delight both local and foreign tourists. In other words, VMY 2014 will be the nation’s biggest and grandest tourism celebration ever. Expectation is high now as the spirit of celebration soars. There is no doubt about it: visitors will be attracted to the endless possibilities of events, happenings, wonders to see, do and enjoy, as well as sample the gracious hospitality of all . The latter is encapsulated in VMY 2014’s theme “We are the Host”. This puts Malaysians in a very empowering position: to be a perfect Host to visitors and hence, ensure the celebration remains close to their hearts. Intensifying efforts to make events more exciting than ever VMY 2014 will see new creative and innovative tourism events such as “1Malaysia International Shoe Festival 2014”, “1Malaysia International Tourism Exchange 2014”, “1Malaysia Contemporary Art Tourism 2014” and “1Malaysia International Tourism Night Floral Parade 2014” – set to be more exciting, bigger and grander than ever. Looking forward to Visit Malaysia Year 2014 It is obvious, then, that VMY 2014 will see more buzz with additional activities and festivities, and the adrenaline-pumping sight of throngs of people at tourist landmarks and sites. While all previous Visit Malaysia Years have proven to yield greater tourist arrivals, there is no doubt that this VMY 2014 has the potential to generate greater results. So much to look forward to, with more time to enjoy the offerings, as celebrations begin NOW! We promise that you will say: “So much to do, but so little time!” For more information or enquiries, please contact Visit Malaysia Year 2014 Secretariat, at 03-8891 7000 or log on to www.tourismmalaysia.gov.my
Facts about Tourism in Malaysia - Last year, Australia contributed about half a million visitors to Malaysia, making it the eighth top tourist generating market. - 25 million tourists visited Malaysia in 2012, making Malaysia the 10th most visited country in the world. - Malaysia ranks 4th best shopping place in the world.
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Seeeee food! Great Seafood places in Victoria
The warm breeze, the sound of waves, the sight of the crystal clear blue sea… a wonderful yet typical Summer experience at many beaches here in Victoria. But there’s no summer day that can’t be made better by a serving of fantastic fresh seafood. When it comes to seafood, Melbourne is hard to beat, and it’s not just for buying; Melbourne also offers plenty of great fishing experiences – for fish and also for all kinds of seafood. For the beginner seafoodie, not sure of where to start your oceanic degustation, JOM is here to give you a quick introduction to some of our favourite places to enjoy fresh seafood, whether to sit down to eat or to take home and cook yourself. For those who like to catch their food, we will also introduce you to some popular fishing spots for the amateur fishing enthusiast. WRITE AGNES LOW & JOYCE NG PHOTOGRAPHS JOSH YU
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Let’s start simple. Fish and Chips would be on many people’s minds when it comes to everyday seafood here in Australia. Many of us seafood lovers, however, would simply turn it down without thinking twice, put off by the fatty oil and batter, and anyway, fish and chips isn’t real seafood right? Sometimes there’s good reason for this preconception. However, a trip to Sea Salt might change your mind! Served with a wedge of lemon and a basket of chips, the calamari was crispy on the outside and fresh and cooked to perfection on the inside. Their ‘Fisherman’s basket’ consisting of two fish fillet, scallops, prawns, calamari and a basket of fries – all for only $12.90 – offers plenty of tastiness on the cheap. Other than the aforementioned, Sea Salt also has a sushi bar with a fair range of sushi hand rolls and burgers for a lighter choice. Don’t just take our word for it though, Sea Salt has a 91 per cent positive rating on Urbanspoon – the hipster’s authoritative guide to food. Sea Salt has three stores situated in the CBD, Carlton and Windsor. (For more information of Sea Salt, visit www.sea-salt. com.au). There are also other fish and chipperies that don’t skimp on the quality too, including one of our favourites, Saltwater on Acland Street in St Kilda – just walking distance from the beach. If you want to go a bit classier, we can recommend Rubiras at Swallow, a pub café situated in Port Melbourne. Serving plenty of simple but tasty options using fresh seafood, you are guaranteed to leave
feeling satisfied. And of course, if you want to go even classier, it’s hard to go pass the famous Nobu at Crown, which serves fantastic contemporary Japanese cuisine, including plenty of fresh raw seafood to salivate over. Real Malaysian seafood lovers however, will be missing the mud crab from home – the ones cooked in sweet and sour sauce, or with salted eggs, or in black pepper… Luckily, here in Victoria, you can find some great mud crab at several Chinese restaurants, and one of our favourites is Rock Kung Chinese Restaurant on Kingsway, Glen Waverley. On Fridays and the weekends, the restaurant is always packed and their mud crabs are a hit. Although there’s no sweet and sour flavour, there is a variety of choices available including steamed, black pepper, salted egg and many more. The price is about $90 for a crab weighing about 2kg – enough to serve four or five people. If you want to buy some fresh seafood to cook at home, Fish Pier at Glen Waverley Centro offers a good range of fresh seafood. Another great seafood outlet is “Fresh Seafood Collection“ at Sanctuary Lakes Shopping Centre in Point Cook, where the owner is the fifth generation in his family that is involved in the fishing industry and sells a large variety of different seafood, all fresh. For people living the CBD, some of the best fresh seafood can be sourced from South Melbourne market, at the shop run by John Kyzintas. John prides himself on having the freshest fish, with 80% of his fish coming from Lakes Entrance, where the team is up and about at 4am to pick up the fish from the local fishermen on a daily basis. The oysters at South Melbourne market are also very popular and are famous for their freshness and price. People usually eat them on the spot with lemon wedges and Tabasco sauce available next to the shop. And if you want to go the next step and catch your own meal? Digging for pipis at the beach in Venus Bay near Phillip Island is lots of fun, and catching red swimmer crabs at Lakes Entrance at the far east end of Victoria is also popular. We also hear that Surfers Bay at Sorrento is good for sand crabs too! If you get pipis from Venus Bay (we heard Geelong has a spot for pipis as well), remember to soak them in a bucket of water for a night so that they dispel all the sand they contain in their shell. For a real fishing adventure on the high seas, there are also plenty of chartered fishing tours you can join in Port Phillip Bay, which are great for a day trip. There are a variety of fish to catch during summer including snapper, whiting and flathead. Whilst fishing can be real fun, remember to fish ethically and only take the amount you need so that we play our part for a sustainable environment.
Lastly, don’t forget to get a fishing license before you fish! Temporary fishing licenses can be obtained at http://www.depi.vic.gov.au/fishing-and-hunting/ recreational-fishing/fishing-licence. We hope you all enjoy your summer and the seafood! Happy Holiday!
Honey Bug Tail at Rubiras at Swallow
Snow Crab at Fresh Seafood Collection, Point Cook
Home-cooked Sweet and Sour Mud Crab Sweet and Sour Mud Crab – A simple recipe for a Malaysian way (not for muslims) Fry and sauté some garlic and ginger, and then put in the crabs (chopped to desired pieces). After frying for about 5 minutes, add some chopped red chillis (optional), cut tomatoes, oyster sauce, tomato sauce and chilli sauce. Just before the crab is finally cooked, add some sliced red onion (optional) and spring onion. Season with salt, sugar and pepper to taste. Then it is ready to serve!
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Porsche Cayman S WRITES PAUL MARIC
There are not many words to accurately describe the noise a Porsche flat-six engine makes. In fact, the whole Porsche design and noise proposition can be likened to Metallica lead singer James Hetfield’s voice being attached to Taylor Swift’s body — looks good, sounds great. I struck gold when I was given the keys to the sixspeed manual version of the Porsche Cayman S. Let us be honest, while the dual-clutch PDK gearbox on offer from Porsche is arguably the bee’s knees when it comes to swapping cogs, there is nothing quite like the sharp shift and slightly heavy clutch of a modern manual Porsche. Edging more and more towards being an affordable, yet capable mini 911, others have crowned the Cayman S as the best yet from Porsche. Needless to say, I wanted to make sure all the hype was justified. To get the most out of my time with the Cayman S, I packed my bags and headed for the coast to see what the Cayman S was all about.
The Package Practical. It is certainly not a word you would expect to use to describe the Porsche Cayman, but it is indeed one of the most practical sports cars on the market. Unlike its competitors, the Cayman features a front boot, a rear boot and usable interior storage space. The front and rear boots are big enough to fit travel bags and trinkets for two, while the interior can house the likes of phones, iPods and spare change without a skerrick of fuss. It is also worth noting that even after a week of driving and in excess of 1,000km travelled, the driver’s seat remained the most comfortable sports car seat yet. In terms of interior layout, it is simple and to the point. Porsche’s new touch screen system is both high resolution and quick to use. Navigating the car’s functions can be done by any tech novice. The steering wheel is also a simple affair with just a handful of buttons and selection wheels to keep you
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busy. The selection wheel and buttons on the right hand side of the wheel control an LCD screen that sits within the speedometer cluster. The screen can display navigation, radio, trip and car information. With seven speakers and a host of audio connectivity options (including Bluetooth streaming), the sound system keeps you entertained in traffic or on highways when the engine is gracefully below its 4,000rpm aural benchmark. Interior fit and finish is excellent. As you would expect from a premium German manufacturer, attention has been paid to every aspect of the Cayman’s interior and exterior. One of the things I didn’t like was the mass of blank buttons beneath the gear selector. Our test vehicle was barebones in terms of options and it showed, with at least five blank buttons reminding you of the missing optional extras. The two-door Porsche range starts from $101,500 for the Boxster, with the six-speed manual Cayman S coming in at $139,900. An extra $4,990 will get you behind the wheel of the seven-speed automatic dualclutch PDK version of the Cayman S. Don’t take the purchase prices at face value though. An extensive options list includes items like coloured seatbelts ($590) and ceramic composite brakes ($17,990). Luckily most necessary features are standard and optional extras reasonably priced. The Drive The mid-mounted 3.4-litre flat-six cylinder engine produces an impressive 239kW of power and 370Nm of torque. The manual Cayman S will dash from 0-100km/h in 5.0-seconds, while the automatic does the same in 4.9-seconds. Option the Sport Chrono Package and the Cayman S will move from 0-100km/h in just 4.7-seconds. That’s seriously quick for a naturally aspirated six-cylinder car. After setting off, it doesn’t take long to realise that the clutch is fairly meaty and the gearshifts are very tight. The only time it becomes a bit frustrating is during stop-start traffic, but this is easily overcome as the car begins moving with pace. Electric steering now features on the Cayman S (not that you would know) and is a testament to how far electric steering has come in the past few years. Responsive, full of feedback and genuine are the best ways to describe it. Every increment of the 7,800rpm available in each gear has a unique characteristic. Power output is linear, quick and intoxicating to listen to. The throttle response is virtually immediate in any gear and ignites a surge in acceleration even in sixth gear at 100km/h.
Drop back a gear to attack corners and the Cayman S will rev match the gear below to ensure seamless shifts and optimum acceleration. It takes time to become confident in the Cayman S, purely because of the grip levels and chassis ability. Even in wet conditions the driver can rely on the Cayman’s poise, chassis rigidity and weight distribution to plough through corners at great pace. On turn in the front-end bites and begs the driver for more throttle on corner exit. Bumpy roads and uneven surfaces don’t affect the Cayman’s mid-corner poise, and this also applies in the suspension’s dynamic mode, which virtually couples the car’s wheels to the body with no damping — it is rough, but effective. Despite missing out on the composite carbon brake package, brake pedal feel in the test vehicle remained strong and consistent after a considerably enthusiastic drive through the mountains. The gear ratios are almost unheard of in the sense that third gear is flexible enough to cater for slow, medium and fast paced corners. Helping the Cayman S achieve such impressive power delivery and cornering is its 1,320kg kerb weight. It is hundreds of kilograms lighter than its competitors and really shows when agility and prowess is put to the test. The Sport mode sharpens throttle response and gives the exhaust an extra-meaty throb. That said, the noise from inside the cabin is just as intoxicating. Unique sounds fill the cabin throughout the rev range and leave you wanting to turn around and wring every last drop out of the drivetrain. Fuel economy is not too bad, with the six-speed manual averaging 8.8L/100km. That figure drops to 8.0L/100km for the dual-clutch seven-speed automatic version. Fuel efficiency is maximised by the use of engine stop/start (which can be switched off if it gets irritating). Verdict There is no two ways about it; the Porsche Cayman S is a truly sensational sports car. It is neither stupendously quick in a straight line, nor unruly and hard to live with; it is the ultimate sports car with purpose. If it was a toss-up between the six-speed manual and seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, I would fork out the extra money for the technically perfect PDK. Add the Sports Chrono Package, 20-inch Carrera Classic wheels and Burmester high-end sound system and you have reached automotive porn status. The Cayman S will go down in history as one of the best sports cars ever produced by Porsche; the hardest part will be justifying it to the other half.
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Sponsored article
Intan Zuhuri & S.O.B Design
Malaysian born Perth fashion designer and business owner Born in Taiping, Perak, Intan Zuhuri was raised in Italy and London, and was enthralled by the latest fashion trends in Europe. In 2013, her fashion label S.O.B Design has been showcased in fashion shows from London to her very first fashion show in Perth in late 2013, which raised money for the local cancer charity Racheal Doherty Foundation. The engineer turned fashion designer is now ready to conquer the fashion industry in Australia as well as internationally.
INTERVIEW JONATHAN LIAN & JOYCE NG
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What inspired you to take on the Australian fashion industry? I was brought up and spent most of my life abroad, mainly in Italy and London, so throughout my years I was exposed to all sorts of fashion which helped me to create my own individual sense of style. My love for fashion in general has inspired me to tackle the fashion industry in Australia. It’s the positive feedback that I get from the women about my designs that drives me and I just love a challenge. It also helps that I have 3 sisters and my family who together inspired me to do this in the first place. Can you tell us about S.O.B Design? SISS On Bare (S.O.B) first established in the year 2011 and only decided to pursue my dream as a fashion designer by the influence of the fashion world that I was exposed to ever since I was a young girl. My whole entire life I felt that one day I needed to do this. So before I got started, I managed to do everything from scratch which meant that I dedicated myself in self-taught for a year. This process was to help me build a basic knowledge on how to create a garment, from sketching to creating the end product. I came up with the name S.O.B essentially to dedicate my love of fashion to my family – having our initials in the label. My aim is to target confident and sophisticated women, which is what the label represents. The main purpose of my designs is simple – to make women feel refined, classy and good about themselves. If
they are happy, then I am happy. What is your inspiration for the pieces in each seasonal collection? I try to make each collection as different by as possible so I used altered themes, just like what I believe S.O.B represents. The S.O.B label symbolises strong, independency and confidence in women that inspired me to design what I have designed. The best people to symbolise my creations are the important women in my life, like my mother and sisters, who each one of them has different styles and attitudes. So it does make it a lot easier for me to come up with the ideas. With that in mind, before creating each piece, I start to think about these women and what they would like to wear and not what I want to wearhere. They are my true inspirations. Can you share your philosophy in fashion design with us? My only philosophy in fashion is to stay true to yourself. You can do whatever you want or dress however you please as long as you are content with yourself and be happy. It’s like the saying, ‘The world is your oyster’, and you have the ability and the freedom to do pretty much anything you want and never let anyone tell you any different. Style sets you free; and it’s good to be free. That’s exactly what I did.
View her boutique at
What target market is S.O.B Design aimed at? S.O.B Design is considerably flexible in terms of aiming our designs to certain customers. We try not to just create garments for a specific age group, so I would like to think that we could offer every girl and every woman the ability to wear our garments, so technically our aim is mostly towards every lady in every continent (wherever possible), whether it’s for a young girl or mature woman. The last thing we want to do is to discriminate. We believe that the fashion style is growing immensely so we try our very best to make all designs suitable for everyone and adapt to the culture. What do you hope to achieve in your fashion career? I think every designer or business person share the same dream and that is to expand the business and go worldwide. The satisfaction of knowing that I could achieve this dream is gratifying and worthwhile, and it makes me feel that all the hard work I put into this label has paid off. But the most substantial thing is by making our customers happy. Like I mentioned earlier, if our clients are happy then we are absolutely over the moon. No words can describe how exciting this thought makes me, and I’m sure that we could one day accomplish that.
sobdesign.com.au Styling Life
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PHOTOGRAPHS JIA SHYAN TEH
unknown, although there are a few theories that have been proposed by scientists. Bainbridge’s own suggestion is that time passes more quickly as people age so that they feel driven to make changes and choices that they might otherwise put off if they - especially around middle age - feel like they have a lot of time left in their lives. ‘The spur which drives them to makes those choices is a new feeling that life is finite, as is their potential future contribution to human society’.
Kurang Manis
BY JULIAN LEE
Live each day like it isn’t your last Where has the year gone? This year has gone so quickly - I can’t believe it’s already December! These are things many us of will be asking and exclaiming around this time of year. As I age, time seems to fly by all the quicker. I recall my father once saying that every decade that goes by seems to pass even more quickly than the one before. I think he’s right. The experience of time passing with increasing speed as we age is one that has also been observed by researchers. David Bainbridge in his book Middle Age (2012), notes that feeling that time speeds up as one ages appears to be universal. Why this is the case is
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Whether or not time appears to go by quicker because of this is by the by, it does, and it is up to us to decide how to react to it. Some people will suggest that you ‘live each day like its your last’, which I’ve never found to be very useful advice. If you did, you would quickly find yourself without clean clothes, clean dishes, or fresh kaya in the fridge. Perhaps better advice is the opposite, to live life like each day isn’t your last, but that your time is valuable and to be invested wisely, even if it is to actively relax. Like many investments, you shouldn’t always expect a same-day return, but you’ll hopefully you’ll find that you are building towards something significant. And perhaps the best investment is in other people. As Ghandi suggested, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” Julian CH Lee is a lecturer in International Studies at RMIT University.
Stockists Camden Lock Shop Shop 140C Coventry Village, 243 Walter Road, Morley WA 6062
TĂş Clothing Boutique 218A William Street, Northbridge WA 6003
Scarlet Runway www.scarletrunway.com.au
S.O.B Online Boutique www.sobdesign.com.au
Any queries please contact seek@sobdesign.com.au
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A sensitive and perhaps emotive subject, migration is increasing in scale and significance. People move for a myriad of reasons, be it temporarily or permanently. Many have preconceived notions about migration - the people, process and policies involved. With no claim of being exhaustive, I hope to share some of the myths and outcomes of international migration based on three dimensions, namely (i) host countries, (ii) countries of origin, and (iii) migrants. Myth #1: Total gain for host (destination) countries A common misconception is that only host countries benefit from migration. Brain gain is the term coined to indicate that host countries receive diverse skills, experiences and resources of skilled migrants. Nonetheless, there are migrants who are not contributing in the targeted labour market due to many factors. For instance, recognition of foreign credentials in both regulated and unregulated occupations continue to pose challenges. In this regard, host countries not being able to utilise the capacity of migrants result in brain waste. Myth #2: Total loss for countries of origin Brain drain is perhaps seen as one of the most dreaded vicious phenomenon depriving sending countries. More often than not, it is believed that only less developed countries suffer severe impact of brain drain. As a matter of fact, the brain drain effect is also acute in many developed countries. However, it is not all loss for countries of origin. Migrants benefit their home countries both in terms of economic and social remittances. Money and wealth sent back contribute to long term socio-economic development, both at micro and macro level. With the enriched skills, experiences and connections obtained abroad, migrants can constructively pave investment, trade and networking opportunities for home countries. Myth #3: The grass is always greener on the other side It is often perceived that migrants will always be well-off upon migrating. There is the fallacious assumption that all those who migrated are successful, and misinformation that portrays them in a favourable light. Truth is the migration process is not all roses. Uprooting oneself and family to another place is not without its challenges. There are bound to be trade-off in various aspects. Sacrifices are made to pursue migration and there are settling cum integration processes in the new environment. Migration outcomes The emergence of transnationalism will continue to motivate people mobility. There will be different migration outcomes arguably for different individuals and countries. Regardless, migration impacts demographic, economic, social and political development at both host and sending countries. Hence, it is imperative to mainstream migration into national development strategies and policy responses to ensure ‘win-win-win’ situation for host countries, countries of origin and migrants. Christina Yeo is currently pursuing her PhD in Geography, Environment and Population in Adelaide. The views and opinions expressed above are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect official policy or position of any agency.
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Migration: Myths and Outcomes WRITES CHRISTINA YEO PHOTOGRAPHS LEBIN TEO
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