The Iskandarian Dec 2014 Issue

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The Iskandarian ISSUE 28 | DEC 2014

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The Iskandarian ISSUE 28 | DEC 2014

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The Iskandarian, Iskandar Malaysia’s Premier Community Newspaper, is a publicprivate collaborative product by IRDA’s Social Development Division

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Sungai Segget: Boon or Bane?

We get in touch with CEOs & Chairmen to drill them with questions

The highlight is to create and promote awareness about why we should teach philanthropy

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GST

The readiness of the businesses and the impacts of GST

The Iskandarian Monthly Drill

- Marc Cosyns General Manager Renaissance Johor Bahru pg 9

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No F1 Circuit or Casino pg 27

Menteri Besar Dato’ Mohamed Khaled Nordin clears speculations pg 2

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INSIDE Hello Kitty 40th Birthday Bash at Sanrio Hello Kitty Town pg 29

Headlines: Johor Bahru City Centre (JBCC) is undergoing a makeover as the infamous Sungai Segget is being re-opened to be transformed and beautified pg 4

UEM Sunrise Continue to Provide Affordable Homes in Johor pg 33

Southern Tigers fans appreciation event pg 2

pg 4

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Celebrating the Roaring Fans Celebration: Fans and supporters of the Southern Tigers were celebrated in spectacular fashion with free food and performances from Johor-born artists

By Harish Mustak newsdesk@theiskandarian.com

V

aluing the support that the fans have given throughout the past seasons, the Johor State Football Association organised a special event to celebrate them.

Dataran Bandaraya Johor Bahru saw a sea of red and blue when fans and supporters of JDT came out in full force.

Johor’s very own Crown Prince, Tunku Mahkota Johor (TMJ) Tunku Ismail Idris and his newlywed consort, Cik Puan Khaleeda Binti Bustaman graced the event to meet and greet the fans as well. The couple were welcomed with chants from the fans led by the die-hard Johor fan club; the “Boys of Straits”.

TMJ who is also the President of the Johor State Football Association was honoured and proud to see the people of Johor unite to show their supporting for JDT. He stated that due to this tremendous turnout, the event with be held annually after the end of each season.

Thousands of fans show up for the appreciation event The celebration was a whole day event with authentic Johorean food alongside international and fast food was dished out for free.

The highlight was TMJ’s Argentinean barbeque and grill of meats.

Southern Tigers opened a booth to promote their merchandise that ranged from t-shirts, sweaters, muffler scarves and snapbacks.

There was also a promotion for the membership “Bluer Card” at only RM10 per season.

JobsMalaysia, Pinewood Studios and Metropoint Tafe College also joined the celebrations offering job vacancies for the fans.

The event became more spectacular as performances by Johor-born artists from the likes of Joe Flizzow, Shiro and Taukey (Jambu) of Maharaja Lawak Mega, Azlee from Senario and hard rockers Spider.

Children were queuing up to get their hands on the Play Station 4 console with football-themed games

and with no surprise; there were a few grownups that could not ignore the kid in them by joining the games.

Despite losing out on the Malaysia Cup this year, the fans of the Southern Tigers were actually awarded as the “Best Fans and Supporters Club”. They are still resilient and have high hopes for next year’s tournament.

“We will be back stronger than ever,” said a loyal die-hard fan.

No F1 circuit or casino at Ramsar Concern: Claims that the Ramsar wetlands sites in the state will be used to build a Formula One (F1) circuit and casino are baseless

M

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enteri Besar Dato’ Mohamed Khaled Nordin said that the state government never had any plans to develop a F1 circuit or casino reported New Straits Times (NST) daily.

“I don’t know where the Skudai assemblyman received such information as it was never listed in the state government’s development plans,” he said in a reply to claims by Dr Boo Cheng Hou (DAP-Skudai) at the state assembly sitting at Kota Iskandar.

Ramsar sites are wetlands protected by governments to fulfil their obligations under the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (commonly called the Ramsar Convention) Johor has the highest number of Ramsar sites in

Malaysia, with three sites located in Sungai Pulai, Pulau Kukup and Tanjung Piai.

Dato’ Khaled said the state government had affirmed that the 104 initiatives presented in the recent state budget would maintain the welfare and prosperity of the state and the people.

“There are some who came up with assumptions and accusations, saying that the state budget would only benefit companies and developers who are cronies. I have only one answer for them. Our administration will not entertain those who are senseless and irrational.”

Dato’ Khaled said the state government’s budget, themed “Develop Johor Inclusive”, accommodated the interests of all parties in the state reported NST.

DEC 1: Putrajaya scraps subsidies for RON95, diesel facebook.com/theiskandarian admin@theiskandarian.com www.theiskandarian.com

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omestic Trade, Cooperative and Consumerism Minister Hasan Malek confirmed in a statement that the Cabinet has decided to end subsidies with effect December 1 for RON95, the cheaper petrol, and diesel.

The pricing structure for unsubsidised RON 95 and diesel fuels will switch to a floating system that is similar to how RON 97 price is currently managed.

Average fuel prices for the

first 19 days of each month will be used to see if it warrants a revision. If there’s a marked change, the average price of the last 10/11 days of the month will dictate the pump prices for the following month.

That means that the average market price between November 20 and 30 will then be the fuel price for the month of December. *this article is as of press time and could be subjected to change

Published by True Soul Entertainment [14, Jln. Selasih 10, Taman Kemas, 81200, Johor Bahru]Printed by Twinstar Synergy Sdn. Bhd. [Lot2A, Jln 13/2, Seksyen 13, 46200, Petaling Jaya, Selangor] Copyright of articles, contributions and photos which are published by The Iskandarian is the property of True Soul Entertainment. The Iskandarian does its best to ensure the authenticity and accuracy of its contents, the publisher cannot accept any responsibilities for errors, mistakes and inaccuracies. The publisher reserves the rights of this product and no part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the permission of the publisher.

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Inside

Insight

Utimate Beatdown Packed a punch in their latest installation

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pg 17

Malay Reserve land to be protected Clear: Menteri Besar Dato’ Mohamed Khaled Nordin said several action plans will be enforced to seize the land which rightfully belong to the Malays

M

enteri Besar Dato’ Mohamed Khaled Nordin said that Johor government will seize Malay reserved land which had fallen into the hands of the nonMalays reported New Straits Times (NST) daily.

“This shows that we did not neglect our responsibility in defending or increasing the size of Malay reserved land,” he said in replying to questions from Datuk Maulizan Bujang (BN-Tiram), Ayub Jamil (BNRengit) and A.Aziz Ismail (BN-Senggarang) at the Johor state assembly sitting.

Dato’ Khaled however did not provide the details of the Johor state government’s planned action plans to take back the land or give details of the size of land involved, but said this showed his administration’s commitment

to growing Malay reserve land.

According to Malaylanguage dailies Sinar Harian and Berita Harian, Dato’ Khaled was referring to Malay reserve land that had changed hands from Malay owners to nonMalays through takeovers of company or changes in shareholdings.

Dato’ Khaled also told the state assembly yesterday that the defence and preservation of Malay reserve land will be a main agenda of his state administration, the two Malay dailies reported.

NST reported that Dato’ Khaled said Johor had 432,157ha of Malay reserve land as of last September, compared to 87,536ha in 1957. In the Iskandar Malaysia economic region, the size of Malay reserve land is 23,517ha, compared to 1,921ha in 1957.

This includes land in Johor

Bahru and in Kulaijaya.

“This clearly shows that the acreage of Malay reserve land in the economic region has grown in size, and not the other way round. In fact, the size of Malay reserve land has grown by 12 times as compared to 1957,” he said.

Section 7 of the Malay Reservations Enactment (Federated States) 1935 bars the disposal of reserve land to non-Malay owners, while Section 8 of the same enactment also prohibits the transfer of ownership to nonMalays.

Article 89 of the Federal Constitution states that any land that was a Malay reserve before Merdeka may continue as a Malay reservation.

The power to gazette land as Malay reserve lies with the Menteri Besar, on the advice of the state rulers.

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Sg Segget: Boon or Bane?

Headlines: Johor Bahru City Centre (JBCC) is undergoing a makeover as the infamous Sungai Segget is being re-opened to be transformed and beautified

Sungai Segget in the 30’s

Current image of the re-opened Sungai Segget

Artist impression after the complete transformation

Johor Police HQ 07-221 2999 / 07-225 4499

Nusajaya Police IPD 07-511 4222

Tourism Malaysia Hotline 1300 88 5050

Johor Tourism 07-223 4935 / 224 9960

Senai International Airport 07-599 4500

JB South Police IPD 07-2218 999

Ministry of Tourism (Johor) 07-223 3171

Tourism Malaysia Johor 07-222 3590 / 91

Immigration 07-224 4233

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All artist impressions were provided by IRDA

Artist impression shows Jalan Wong Ah Fook upon completion of JB Transformation.

JB town has seen a 73% increase in business activity with 69 submissions of new development ever since word of the proposed transformation got out

I

By Harish Mustak newsdesk@theiskandarian.com

skandar Malaysia may only reach maturity by 2025, but come 2016, the community will already have a taste of how a city benchmarked by international liveable cities has to offer, especially along Jalan Wong Ah Fook, right at the heart of Johor Bahru (JB) city.

This is resulting from the completion of the Sungai Segget Beautification project, which involves re-opening the infamous Sungai Segget. Launched in 2013, this project is a key component in the JB Transformation blueprint developed by Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA).

Work in progress as excavators remove the current pedestrian walkway built over Sungai Segget in 2005 as a quick fix to contain pollution in JB City Centre The task of monitoring the implementation of this mammoth project was handed to both IRDA and the Johor Bahru City Council (MBJB).

The reason spurring this RM270million transformation came when Johor Bahru city saw a decline in both residents and tourists’ volume and started to show signs of urban decay. The drop in numbers began when Johor State Administrative offices were relocated from JB town to Kota Iskandar in Nusajaya in 2009.

In 2005, Sungai Segget was covered up as a short-term measure to ensure odour and pollution of the river was contained above the ground. However, it was realised eventually that the odour could not be contained via a quick fix and a more comprehensive strategy was needed to have a permanent solution.

In late 2013, the revivification of Sungai Segget commenced with Phase 1 of the project involving the development of an Integrated Water Treatment Plant to achieve a Class II B

water quality for the river. This means the water will be safe for recreational purposes, allowing skin contact without any harm.

The second phase will include the development of a flood mitigation system and the beautification of Jalan Wong Ah Fook. Upon completion, the entire Johor Bahru City Centre will be transformed into the new green lung of the city.

In an exclusive briefing to The Iskandarian, Datuk Ismail Ibrahim, Chief Executive of IRDA said the Sungai Segget revitalisation initiative was a catalyst project and its success would be an enabler for the whole transformation plan.

He further added, “We need a showcase project that will beautify the entire appearance of the city centre to show people the potential that JB has.”

Under the blueprint, Jalan Wong Ah Fook will be renewed and beautified. Plaza Seni and the facades of old shop houses will have a refurbished new look with an even population density. Upon completion of the project, the residents and visitors or JB city should have a safe and conducive haven to live and conduct their business.

Pedestrian-friendly bridges will be built for pedestrians to cross the river and extensive walkways will be created for easy access.

Jalan Wong Ah Fook however will be downsized to two lanes as the transformation work progresses. Buses will no longer be permitted to operate in Jalan Wong Ah Fook by the end of this year and will be re-routed to JB Sentral.

During the JB Transformation Open Day in 2013, Johor Menteri Besar Dato’ Mohamed Khaled Nordin said that the rehabilitation works

An Integrated Water Treatment Plant is being constructed to achieve Class II B water quality for the river of Sungai Segget into the new 1.2km waterway in the city would turn it into the ‘Gem of Johor Bahru City’ and a new tourist attraction.

IRDA further explained that traffic congestion would not be a concern as the major cause of congestion was due to buses and irresponsible drivers who park haphazardly and double park by the roadside to run their errands.

During a three-day simulation conducted by IRDA last year, buses were diverted away from Jalan Wong Ah Fook and it was ascertained that with proper enforcement and coordination, traffic can be well managed.

provided The Iskandarian with details on new businesses mushrooming in JB town. Ever since the word on JB Transformation got around to potential investors and stakeholders, JB town has seen a 73% increase in business activity with 69 submissions of new development with big names like Komtar JBCC, Suasana UMLand and Double Tree Hilton snapping up prime locations.

Buses will no longer be permitted to operate in Jalan Wong Ah Fook by the end of this year except MBJB’s ‘JB Dihatiku’ busses

Pedestrian-friendly bridges will be built for pedestrians to cross the river and extensive walkways will be created for easy access

The starting point of Sungai Segget near Wadi Hana

Once in effect, Jalan Wong Ah Fook will only be available for use by personal vehicles and ‘JB Dihatiku’ city buses operated by MBJB. To address whether the transformation will have a positive spin on the economy, IRDA

JB town has seen numerous flash floods over the years and with the transformation, flash floods will be curbed and will no longer be a major concern. JB Transformation is now perceived to be a catalytic project that will not only revive JB town but also boost the economic growth of the region. More opportunities arise as many activities can be done in this new development and the immediate and future effects are imminent.

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Deepavali Charity Night at UTM Responsible: UTM’s Hindu Students Association (PMH) organised a charity event in light of the Deepavali festivities

Colourful performances at UTM’s Deepavali Charity Night

T

he spirit of the Deepavali festivities was still alight as the Hindu Students Association of UTM organised a charity event recently. The Deepavali Charity Night was held at the Sultan Iskandar Hall of UTM and was filled with colours and songs throughout the night.

Students of PMH were honoured to be a part of the celebration as it was disclosed that this particular association is among the most affluent in the university with lots of support and sponsors from lecturers, advisors, parents and other wealthy people.

The funds of the association was initially a loan fund for students in need of monetary aid while following courses at UTM. After a while

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it was decided that the mission of their society is to help others in need.

Every year, PMH initiates charity drives and events to raise funds not only for the association and UTM students but also for students outside the university. The select group of students are particularly those who have excelled in their UPSR but are less fortunate to come from an unstable and weak financial background.

PMH will support them financially for 5 years by paying their school fees and buying important supplies like stationery, uniforms and books for their education.

The charity event saw the attendance of Elairaja Retnam who is the Special Officer representative from

the education office and Shashi Muniandy, Special Officer of Information Technology.

Sr. Dr. Kamalhassan, advisor to PMH UTM; Kumaraguru Ramayah, Deepavali Charity Night 2014 advisor; Prof. Dr. Yahya bin Buntat, representative of UTM’s Vice Chancelor; and Nadaraja C. Kalimuthu, Johor State Education’s Students Management Director were among the guests of honour that night.

“This charity event is full of unique ideas and I am proud of the students for helping out,” said Elairaja.

I n t e r e s t i n g performances by UTM students and THR Raaga hosts kept the rest of the informal evening well entertained.

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news PIMS to attract RM1.9b in investment Interest: Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studio (PIMS) aims to attract RM1.9 billion in investment from international productions and to create 11,300 freelance jobs from 2013 to 2020

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atuk Tee Siew Kiong, Johor Tourism, Domestic Trade and Consumerism Committee Chairman said PIMS could attract many investors, companies and professionals to be part of the media production network. “ The presence of experts in the latest technologies will enable the process of the transfer of technology, knowledge and expertise to strengthen the capabilities of local small and medium-scale entrepreneurial talents,” he said.

He was replying to a supplementary question from Datuk Dr Adham Baba (BN-Pasir Raja) on the impact of the creative industry on

Johor’s development at the state legislative assembly sitting.

“Iskandar Malaysia, Johor and the country in general are expected to benefit from the increase in tourist arrivals who spend in Iskandar following promotions and exposure in international films,” he said He said the creative sector had been identified as one of the major sectors promoted in Iskandar Malaysia in line with the government’s aspirations to diversify the economy to include high-end global activities which would have a positive impact on the national economy.

PIMS was a catalyst to

the efforts towards the vision of creating Iskandar Malaysia as Asia’s latest creative destination.

Iskandar Malaysia had begun developing the system to support PIMS and the creative industry in general via the Iskandar Malaysia Creative Industry Talent Development Programme (IMCITDP).

He added that the efforts of the Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) and PIMS would contribute to the development of Malaysian film crews, with the aim of training up to 900 people who can participate in large-scale international film productions.

Wallabies Just Love Nature Responsible: Johor Triangular Charity Cricket Tournament and Dinner organised by the Jolly Wallabies Cricket Team and Leisure Farm in aid of the Malaysian Nature Society

Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) receives aid for their “Save the Malayan Tiger” campaign

J

ohor Cricket Academy (JCA) Oval became host to the Johor Triangular Charity Cricket Tournament and Dinner recently. Organised by an expatriate and local cricket team called the Jolly Wallabies, the charity cricket event was held to aid the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) in their “Save the Malayan Tiger” campaign.

The charity day began with cricket matches between the Jolly Wallabies, Spirits Cricket Club and TGA from Singapore. A charity dinner and auction was held after the match later in the evening. All proceeds went to MNS for their cause. The event also intended to be a platform

to create greater awareness on the plight of the Malayan Tiger of which there are less than 300 left in the wild.

MNS opened a booth which showcased information and books on the Malayan Tiger. There were artwork and other merchandise on sale to aid in raising funds for the cause. Some makeup artists were also invited to colour the event with beautiful tiger inspired face paintings.

The Chairman of the MNS-Johor branch, (MNSJ), Vincent Chow, commended the fund raising effort mooted

by Ralston Thiedeman of the Jolly Wallabies Cricket Team.

“This gallant and noble fund-raising effort by the parties concerned should be

seen as a genuine approach to arrest the lack of concern for the declining Malayan Tiger which is struggling to survive,” said Vincent.

Being a membershipbased organisation, MNS has been the driving force behind the protection of many key habitats as well as national and state parks in Malaysia.

The headquarters of MNS is in Kuala Lumpur. There are about 40 full-time staff responsible for the administration of the Society. In collaboration with the Ministry of Education, MNS runs the highly successful Kelab Pencinta Alam (KPA) programme which was established in 1991 and currently has over 430 schools participating.

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DRILL

EXCLUSIVE The Iskandarian aspires to be the voice of the rakyat and with that in mind, our Editor touches base with CEOs and Chairmen of organisations to Drill them with questions to hear their opinions and perspectives.

Marc Cosyns

General Manager

Monthly Drill

Renaissance Johor Bahru

Marc Cosyns is the General Manager at Renaissance Johor Bahru. He started studying in the hotel and hospitality school when he was 12 years old and upon completion at the age of 20, he worked in the kitchen.

He has travelled around a lot and has lived in 11 countries.

From the kitchen, he moved to to F&B management, operation management and eventually, became a General Manager.

His passion began when his father took him and his family to restaurants and hotels. His father was the person who asked him if I wanted to join the hotel industry and so, Marc decided to try it.

Malaysia is gaining recognition due to its proactive government initiatives which is a secure and stable political situation and growing strength of the local economy. Along with the cost effective standards of living and excellent transport infrastructure and network, Malaysia offers the perfect backdrop for successful events. In 2009 alone, tourists who visited Malaysia for MICE related activities contributed RM10 billion to the economy.

How do you see the Tourism sector in Johor Bahru? Do you think more MICE (meetings, incentives,conferencing, exhibitions) related events will help the tourism sector?

I am very concerned about what the guests think and feel about my hotel as this reflects the results of our efforts in catering and attending to their needs. I always look forward for feedback and comments so that we know what we are doing right and areas where we can improve further.

This leads me to actively walk around the hotel and be present during busy periods so that I can observe and understand through the guests’ eyes and experience. Once we tune ourselves as the guests, only then we will be able to understand their needs.

Johor Bahru is totally different but it’s still a city that moves extremely fast. I see the expansion plan of the city and it’s amazing to think what’s going to happen in the next 10 years.

I’m happy when driving on the road because there is no traffic jam as massive as in other big cities around Asia however it’s still definitely a city that’s on the move.

Yes, MICE sector does help. Marriott introduced Meeting Imagined. It is a different approach for selling and plans for meetings based on purpose because we believe that the world has changed, people have changed and so do businesses. So we would like to be part of this and seize the chance because MICE is an add-on for tourism industry not only in Johor Bahru but for all countries. In fact, those who came for MICE tend to spend double the amount in Malaysia. It shows that MICE sector is one of the fastest growing segments within the tourism industry.

Service is the core importance of the hospitality industry.

How is it being emphasised at Renaissance?

Renaissance is located in Permas Jaya away from all the hustle and bustle of JB town area. Did the location strategy work in favour of Renaissance?

Yes, it did. The hotel is situated in the township of Permas Jaya, close to the city centre of Johor Bahru and a short drive from the Eastern Dispersal Link leading directly to CIQ to Singapore. On top of that, it is close to the PLUS Highway that leads to the rest of Malaysia and it is also perfectly located close to the port and industrial area of Pasir Gudang.

Renaissance has been very active lately with The International Chef’s Day, celebrating Global Customers Appreciation Week and more. What can we expect to see in the coming 2015?

I think we have done extremely well in the one and half year since we opened. We have established ourselves very well to the point of stability.

More and more competitors are joining in, therefore we have to stay ahead. This is not going to be a walk in the park however we have fantastic and dedicated ambassadors who are

Quote “By contributing to the community, it makes our culture more vibrant and strengthens our business and relationship with the society” ready to provide excellent services and hospitality. This has brought us up number one in Trip Advisor. Trip Advisor is extremely important in the current internet age because it explains and expresses the guests’ impression and thoughts about our services.

With that said, this could make or break your reputation. We are proud to have achieved number one in that ranking and definitely, we are committed and determined to stay in that position. When it comes to the market share, we are

also number one in town and our success stories will continue. As Mr. Marriott always says, “Success is never final” so we have to go for it.

What are the CSR plans of Renaissance?

Living up by “Spirit to Serve” and “Spirit to Preserve” global brand core value, the Renaissance believes the ability to empathise with one another as it further pushes our ambassadors to improve the hotel services for our guests and the society.

By contributing to the community, it makes our culture more vibrant and strengthens our business and relationship with the society. We have engaged with few local NGO’s since our inception.

We have fulfilled many last wishes and dreams of children in need by allowing them to experience a night’s stay in a luxury hotel and it is not about how proud we are with what we’ve done but most importantly, it’s the ability to create a smile on their faces and to make them happy. That’s the best gift for us as hoteliers.

So for 2015 calendar, we have a lineup of community engagement events involving the elderly, less privileged children and the highlight is to create and promote awareness about why we should teach philanthropy.

The younger the child is when the discussion and lessons begins, the more it becomes a matter of practice and habit that continues into adulthood.

There are many valuable models for encouraging children’s involvement in philanthropic activities. Time will tell how these programmes impact individual donor children and beneficiaries.

But it is clear that beginning at a young age in the family context will have positive flow of effects in the world in which these children live and give.

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peggy loh

My johor stories Peggy is a regular contributor to NST and actively writes in her blog www.peggyloh.com about matters that are close to her heart.

She can be reached at write2peggyloh@gmail.com

Discover Johor Bahru heritage with a walkabout

Plaque displayed in the Johor Bahru Chinese Heritage Museum that declares Iskandar Petrie was the ancient name of Johor Bahru

W

hen members of my friend’s family came to Johor Bahru (JB) for a short holiday, she was glad that her cousins and their young families can enjoy the themeparks in Nusajaya. Having heard so much about Legoland Malaysia and Sanrio Hello Kitty Town, the youngsters were thrilled to head to these attractions but her uncles and aunts would find it more meaningful to visit old Johor Bahru again. We know there’s no better way to appreciate the sights than to go on a walking tour so we set out with much enthusiasm.

The best thing about heritage walks is they are Free-of-Charge and we can explore on our own time and at our own pace. We started at the Johor Bahru Chinese Heritage Museum where our visitors could

have an overview of the history of JB from a chart that covers an entire wall on the ground floor. The info is provided in three languages for everyone to get a historical perspective and as we walked along, I shared interesting anecdotes and details to enhance their tour experience.

Older folks are aware that Malaysia and Singapore were once one-country so it saved me time in explaining the history of the Johor sultanate, the founding of Singapore and the development of modern Johor under Sultan Abu Bakar. Based on historical records, Johor was also known as Hujung Medini, Ujung Tanah (Land’s End) or Wurawari, a Javanese word that means “clear water.” In the museum, a plaque declares that in 1855 Temenggong Daeng Ibrahim gained sovereignty over the territory of Johor and founded the capital named Iskandar Puteri,

It was once trendy to use coloured mosaic tiles to create business signboards such as the sign at Mun On Tailor along Jalan Trus

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the ancient name of Johor Bahru. to Jalan Trus but I chose to take our visitors At the corner of Jalan Wong Ah Fook through an ancient footpath and emerge and Jalan Sawmill, there is a sculpture that between rows of old shops on Jalan Trus. depicts a Jawi rendition of the word, “Jauhar” Here we find Yong Heng, a quaint shop at which is Arabic for ‘gem’ believed to be the No. 100 Jalan Trus that sells charcoal. Before word from which Johor derived its name. gas and electric appliances were common, Nearby Jalan Meldrum is more than 150 charcoal was a basic necessity in homes years old and was named after a Scotsman, and businesses like laundries, hawkers and James Alexander Meldrum, who in 1860, built restaurants. a sawmill close to the river mouth on the left We passed the Kwong Lee Soon bank of Sungai Segget. Jalan Sawmill was Kee Goldsmith and Mun On Tailor on Jalan named after this sawmill, then the biggest Trus and saw how their signboards were steam sawmill in Asia and the first industry created from mosaic tiles. It was a skillful that was established art to arrange coloured in Iskandar Puteri. mosaic tiles to form This sawmill business names for produced sawn signboards and on timber as one concrete pillars. This of Johor’s main design is so durable exports and to that the pillars at ensure that there No.26 Jalan Meldrum was enough timber are still emblazoned for the construction with “Fashion Tailor” of a light railway even though another between Johor business now occupies Bahru and Gunung that shop.

Pulai, Sultan Abu A n o t h e r Bakar wisely made interesting sight was Meldrum the the ancient arches built engineer of the Look for ancient arches that used to be between Jalan Tan Hiok Johor Wooden gateways to various sections of the Johor Nee and Jalan Dohby Railway or Keretapi Bahru of a bygone era and one each along Kayu J o h o r.

Meldrum is also remembered for helping to establish the Holy Light Church in 1886.

JB’s main street is named after Wong Ah Fook, the carpenter-turned-builder and contractor and successful entrepreneur. He is credited for building the magnificent Istana Besar or Grand Palace, Istana Zahariah, Balai Zahariah and the Johor Bahru Prison. For his services to the State, Wong was granted a special land concession in 1892 that is bordered by present day Jalan Wong Ah Fook, Jalan Station and Jalan Tun Abdul Razak.

Known as Kampung Wong Ah Fook, the main roads here were named after Wong’s three oldest sons, Siu Koon, Siu Nam and Siu Chin.

As more Chinese immigrants prospered, Kampung Wong Ah Fook became the centre for leisure and entertainment with clubs, restaurants, gambling houses, opium dens, brothels and the inevitable secret society activities. Such vices follow immigrants wherever they settled and it was no different in 19th century JB. Merchants on both sides of Jalan Meldrum are still doing brisk business now as we try to look for historical info on plaques embedded in the pavements that are unfortunately cluttered with parked cars and cafe tables.

Opposite Johor Bahru City Square, there’s Thye Onn Pawn Shop, a long established business. In those days when a large family had a sole breadwinner, this valuable service helped to stretch money for food and new clothes especially during festive seasons. When the family had saved enough money, their valuables could then be redeemed.

At the side of the Public Bank building, a staircase links Jalan Wong Ah Fook

Jalan Trus and Jalan Segget. In those days, JB was divided into various enclaves and the archway marked the entry into another section of town.

While walking near back lanes, I pointed to uneven patches low on the walls that appear to be squares that were sealed up. It was easy for our senior visitors to recall that these former holes were for night-soil collectors to open, remove and replace buckets when JB had a bucket toilet system!

Two traditional bakeries in JB are probably the charcoal dealer’s best customers because they still bake bread and pastries in charcoal ovens. Sallahuddin

A baker putting a tray of banana cake into the traditional charcoal oven to bake at Kedai Kek & Roti Hiap Joo on Jalan Tan Hiok Nee Bakery on Jalan Dhoby and Kedai Kek & Roti Hiap Joo on Jalan Tan Hiok Nee are thriving family businesses and piping hot products, fresh from their ancient charcoal ovens are quite irresistible. Pleasantly tired after our nostalgic walk, we ended our tour with buying sugee biscuits, giant samosa, buns and banana cake and savoured them with a hot cup of coffee in a nearby kopitiam.

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news

Safe and Sound Responsible: UEM Sunrise promotes safe work practice and culture through its sustainability campaign

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EM Sunrise Berhad, the master developer of Nusajaya successfully opened its Sustainabiity Campaign 2014 which was officiated by Tan Sri Datuk Seri Lee Lam Thye at Puteri Harbour recently.

The Sustainability Campaign 2014 in collaboration with the National Institute of Safety and Health (NIOSH) attracted more than 400 participants and five main exhibitors including government agencies such as the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH), Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC), Columbia Asia Nusajaya, Fire and Rescue Department as well as contractors, consultants, site workers, UEM Sunrise’s employees, general public and NIOSH themselves.

Launched in 2008, UEM Sunrise’s Sustainability campaign is in its seventh year and it aims to inculcate safe work practices and culture and to promote better understanding on the construction quality, occupational safety, health and environment issues at the work place that could affect overall performance and productivity.

Datuk Lee, who is also the chairman of NIOSH gave an

Microsoft considering setting up data centre in Iskandar Malaysia UEM Sunrise’s Sustainability campaign is in its seventh year educational speech to remind the society on the importance of safety and sustainability at workplaces.

“Accidents are a fact of life, but not a way of life,” said Datuk Lee. “Think Sustainable, Act Responsible”, was the theme for this year’s event and it brought a message to be disseminated to improve site workers’ capabilities, awareness and the opportunity to discuss issues relating to Quality and Occupational, Safety Health Environment on sites. “ Togetherness enables us to achieve much more rather than working independently, hence, making any challenging

task easier to manage. It also promotes stronger cooperation amongst the departments within the organisations, stakeholders and fellow workers to work in unison to achieve common goals”, said UEM Sunrise’s Senior General Manager, Mohd Nadzari bin Hj Bachek.

Southern Region Director for MPC, Zainudin bin Haji Elias presented the 5S certification to Mohd Nadzari bin Hj Bachek, witnessed by Tan Sri Datuk Seri Lee Lam Thye at the event after the opening ceremony. UEM Sunrise is the first property developer in Malaysia to be a 5S certified company, since 2013.

Interest: Microsoft Corp is looking to invest between RM5bil and RM6bil to set up its data centre in Sedenak, Kulaijaya

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enteri Besar Dato’ M ohamed K haled Nordin disclosed that the state government remained hopeful of a positive outcome from ongoing talks with US-based Microsoft Corp for it to set up a data centre in Sedenak, Kulaijaya.

“We are looking forward to getting a positive reply from the company soon,” he said.

StarBizWeek reported that Microsoft would invest between RM5billion and RM6billion to set up its data centre in Sedenak.

The Multimedia Development Corp had aggressively courted the company to set up its operations in

Cyberjaya but Microsoft is said to be keen to invest in Iskandar Malaysia, citing its close proximity to Singapore.

Iskandar Malaysia has been earmarked for the establishment of a second hub for data centre parks in Malaysia under the Entry Point Project 3 of the Economic Trans¬formation Programme.

Dato’ Khaled said Iskandar Malaysia was set to move into a comprehensive development plan over the next 11 years.

“We want to change into a knowledge-based economy in which our workforce will have the skills and knowledge to be employed by companies that have invested in Johor,” he said.

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news IIB and Sunway team up for Special Kids Carnival 2014 Responsible: A fun-filled day for 110 special kids from Johor Bahru pic: IIB

Loud applause and cheering from teachers and families motivated the kids attempt at football

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sk andar I nvestment Berhad (IIB), Sunway Berhad (Sunway) and the GOLD Foundation (Gold) recently teamed up to organise the Cruyff Court Iskandar Sunway Special Kids Carnival. It was held at the Cruyff Court Iskandar site at Kampung Melayu, Johor Bahru and was officiated

by Y. Bhg Tn Haji Norizan Kulob, Johor’s Deputy State Secretary.

This is the second special kids carnival organised by IIB and Sunway in collaboration with the Association for Mentally Retarded Children Johor Bahru. 110 special kids from SK Sunway (Gold),

S ekolah K anak-k anak Istimewa Johor Bahru and Sekolah Pendidikan Khas within the district with various disabilities such as autism, mental retardation, dyslexia and Asperger’s syndrome participated. The same initiative is repeated throughout 180 Cruyff Courts around the world.

The inaugural 6 vs 6 Special Kids Mini Football Tournament saw the students of SK Sunway emerged as the champion. The children also took part in challenge-based sports where they went through eight checkpoints to get their much-deserved prizes. The students displayed a strong show of

tenacity and enthusiasm and were further rewarded with a complimentary trip to Legoland Malaysia Resort.

Tuan Haji Norizan commended both IIB and Sunway for putting together a sports-based carnival that managed to raise the children’s confidence. “I believe an internationally recognised event such as this one will increase the student’s academic achievement and social development stage.

The Johor government hopes that other corporate organisations will mirror this ambitious programme to promote social inclusiveness for the benefit of the rakyat,” said Norizan.

Exciting ways of demonstrating focus and movement skills were aplenty at the carnival

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The Angry Birds Have Landed Interest: South-East Asia’s First Indoor Angry Birds Activity Park Opens its doors to the public at KOMTAR Johor Bahru City Centre (JBCC)

By Harish Mustak newsdesk@theiskandarian.com

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ffering exciting funpacked games, activities and entertainment, the indoor activity park attractions is segmented for kids, youths, younger kids and toddlers to challenge their motor skills, cognitive skills, body control and speed reaction.

Originally planned to be a cinema, the 26,000 square foot area was turned into South-East Asia’s first indoor Angry Birds Activity Park instead.

This idea was mooted by Dato’ Kamaruzzaman bin Abu Kassim, President and Chief Executive of Johor Corporation and was partnered by Damansara Assets Sdn Bhd and Rovio Entertainment.

He also consistently monitored its progress very closely to ensure the project remained on track.

The launching of Angry Birds Activity Park Johor Bahru‘s website and the announcement of the official opening day was officiated by Dato’ Kamaruzzaman.

“We are building brands for the next 100 years, not for 100 days. We partner with the best. We found the best possible

pics: John Lee

partners also here in South East Asia,” said Jonna Numella, Director of Sales and Relationship, Rovio Entertainment.

“As most of you are aware, Rovio is the creator of the world famous Angry Birds characters and games and we are very happy that they have decided to collaborate with us to develop this park,” said Yusaini bin Hj Sidek, Executive Director of Damansara Assets.

The park is open every day from 10am to 10pm. There is roughly 14 to 16 attractions at the Angry Birds Activity Park and it’s open to all age groups.

“We are building brands for the next 100 years, not for 100 days” Jonna Numella Director of Sales & Relationship

Rovio Entertainment

Aerial overlook of the Angry Birds Activity Park “Kids will enjoy the Red Bird Sona interactive playground, Lazer Maze Spaceship, Classic Tower Play, GO! Kart and AntiGravity Trampolines. The youth will be thrilled by the Lazer Bird Shoot, Space Drop Airbag, Panna Soccer, Red Bird Goal and Air Parkour Track. The fun continues for younger kids and toddlers in the Spinning Time Machine, Piggy Shooting Gallery, Captain Black Bird Ship and Sand Castle Ball Pit.

In addition, the park also features its very own thematic Bird’day Rooms and Angry Birds Academy, an education centre for school kids,” explained Yusaini “The activity park will also provide a fun environment where the entire family, parents and children, can interact and have an enjoyable and thrilling experience together. It can also strengthen family ties by enabling children and parents to play together,”

added Yusaini.

Children can enjoy all these exciting games and activities at the price of RM75 per entry for MyKad while MyKid holders at only RM60. There are various ticket options from single entry to family passes as well as unlimited annual passes and school groups (minimum of 30 pax). Children can also celebrate their birthdays with their favourite Angry Birds Bird’day packages.

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news

The services at Aesthetic Glow

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esthetic Glow Medical Clinic, is a boutique aesthetic clinic located at Bukit Indah, in the heart of Nusajaya, Iskandar Region of Johor Bahru in Malaysia. It’s well connected and accessible with major highways from Johor Bahru town, Singapore and Pasir Gudang. The clinic which is right in front of Jusco/Aeon in Bukit Indah is part of the Klinik Mediviron Group.

Aesthetic Glow Medical Clinic provides a range of medical aesthetic treatments which have minimal or no downtime and is proven to be safe to patients. Clients’ interest and safety are of paramount importance to Aesthetic Glow Medical Clinic as they strive to build a long lasting relationship with their patients.

Lip lift procedure The upper lip lift is a procedure that elevates the position of the upper lip with respect to the teeth giving a broader smile. The overall effect of the lip lift is a more aesthetically pleasing mouth with a youthful appearance.

Non-Surgical Nose Lift Non-surgical nose lift is ideal for individuals with a wide variety of cosmetic nose complaints such as crooked nose, depressions, small bridge, sharp nose angles, unattractive tip and bumps. It’s ideal for those who wish to have a more attractive nose without having to go through the surgery, downtime and high costs associated. Within 15 minutes, immediate correction can be achieved with minimum to no pain.

Acne Treatment Although acne is not a serious health threat,

Rally enters its 10th Year Interest: Sail Malaysia continues to promote Malaysia to international sailors with the help of Tourism Malaysia in the Passage to Langkawi event this year

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ail Malaysia Passage to Langkawi event saw 35 yachts from 9 nationalities taking place in an epic cruise which set sail from Darwin, Australia to Langkawi. The expedition series will have covered a distance of over 3,000 nautical miles over a period of 5 months from July to December.

For the Malaysian leg of the rally expedition, the international sailors will be feted to a host of events from Puteri Harbour, Nusajaya to Admiral Marina in Port Dickson, Pangkor Marina Island of Perak before ending in Langkawi on the 11th of December in Rebak Marina.

Now in its 10th year, the Sail Malaysia Passage to Langkawi sailing expedition has attracted over 800 international cruising yachts from 37 countries into Malaysia as a part of ‘Discover Malaysia by Sea’ campaign. The event is part of a strategic initiative by SM Discovery Sdn. Bhd. to market Malaysia as a yachting hub of the region.

“This is a strategic initiative to promote sailing and yachting in Malaysian waters,” said Sazli Kamal Basha, Managing Director of SM Discovery.

The objective of the Passage to Langkawi Yacht Rally is to help cruising yachts familiarise themselves with the marine facilties in the west coast of Peninsula Malaysia, as well as our culture and lifestyle, through a series of reception, tours and activities. They can utilise Malaysia as a hub for their travels. On average, a yacht that

35 yachts from 9 nationalities sailed from Darwin, Australia to Langkawi participates in the Sail Malaysia programme would stay in Malaysia between 1 to 3 years.

The events’ main supporter is Tourism Malaysia, with Johor Tourism, Danga Bay, Puteri Harbour Marina, Admiral Marina & Leisure Club, Pangkor Maarina Island, Negeri Sembilan Tourism, Sevenstar Yacht Transport Langkawi Development Authority and Rebak Marina as its main partners and hosts.

Puteri Harbour Marina, Nusajaya with collaboration from Johor Tourism and the Chief Minister’s Office hosted the expedition for a week by organising events and visits to significant locations around Johor.

“We see a lot of coastal development that can provide infrastructure to this boating activity,” said Dr. Badrul Hisham Kassim who is the Director of Johor Tourism. He added that this kind of events also contribute to the economic development of the state.

“It’s like having people moving to Johor, not just visiting,” he added.

Wrinkles Treatment A chemical peel can restore a more youthful appearance to wrinkled, unevenly pigmented, sun-damaged, or blotchy skin. Botox/Dysport smoothes out lines by relaxing the muscles thus, preventing the muscles from contracting into a wrinkle. Facial Fillers can be used for deep facial wrinkles, creases, furrows and scars. It is a substance which is injected into the skin to lift and fill in’ facial lines and creases; temporarily restoring its youthful and plumped-up appearance.

Skin Brightening Our doctor would do a skin diagnostic and recommend the appropriate personalised solution for you. Solutions could range from advice on skin care, recommendation of skin care products, prescriptions of medication such as vitamin C, collagens and injections.

Weight Management Excessive body weight is associated with various diseases, particularly hypertension, heart disease, stroke, diabetes mellitus type 2, obstructive sleep apnea and osteoarthritis. Our weight management services entails medication, dietary advice and exercise to produce the results.

Consultations for weight loss is free of charge.

Taking Opportunity of MyFEST 2015 Highlight: Visit Malaysia rebrands itself to MyFEST and provides a new look and experience to the tourism industry

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By Harish Mustak newsdesk@theiskandarian.com

severe acne can lead to disfiguring and permanent scarring. Depending on the extent of the person’s acne, our doctor will recommend one of several over-the-counter (OTC) medicines or prescription medicines that are topical (applied to the skin) or systemic (taken by mouth).

By Harish Mustak newsdesk@theiskandarian.com

ohor Tourism revealed its interest to participate in promoting the ‘Malaysia Year of Festivals (MyFEST) 2015’ in a briefing at Persada Johor International Convention Centre. A list of several events is to be held in the state in conjunction with the upcoming MyFEST 2015.

The program was attended by tourism and culture industry players from around Johor. The session consists of briefings by the Deputy Secretary General of Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia, Rashidi Hasbullah and the Director of Communication and Mohmed Razip Hasan, Publicity Division of Tourism Malaysia.

The briefing was part of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia’s (MOTAC) efforts to disseminate the vision, target and branding guidelines of Malaysia Year of Festivals 2015 to the industry players and

Datuk Tee Siew Kiong launching the MyFest 2015 logo

stakeholders for effective implementation while providing the opportunity to meet up to share ideas and garner feedback.

The implementation of MyFEST 2015 had been announced by the Prime Minister in his recent 2015 Budget speech. The campaign will continue to boost the tourism sector and maintain Malaysia at the top of the tourist destination list with a target of receiving 29.4 million tourist arrivals and RM89 billion tourist receipts.

“MyFest 2015 will be a continuation to the Visit Malaysia 2014 campaign and will be promoting various tourism products and destinations that our great Malaysia has to offer,” said Datuk Tee. Datuk Tee Siew Kiong, Chairman of Johor State Tourism, Trade and Consumerism Committee, also mentioned that Johor being the gateway to the Asian continent can provide an unforgettable experience to tourists as it has a bundle of culture and festivals to share.

“It is important to promote Malaysia as a tourist destination as it can drive the economy of the nation,” added Datuk Tee. 2015 will be a year of new focus, festivities and cultural events. Among major events that will be held in Johor in 2015 is the World Kite Festival (11-15 February 2015) and the Chingay Parade (26 February 2015).

As Malaysia Year of Festivals 2015 is a national mission, it is envisaged that government agencies, the private sector, nongovernment agencies and industry players will come together to make this national campaign a success.

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news Most Impactful Awards 2014

Quick Reads

Highlight: The inaugural Most Impactful Awards (MIA) was held successfully at Putra World Trade Centre recently

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n event by Asia Success Inc. Group; the MIA serves as a platform to recognise both outstanding SMEs and entrepreneurs for their commercial impact based on innovative brand management and extraordinary business ethics.

A total of 28 awards were presented to their deserving owners. Johor based property developer, Dynasty View Sdn Bhd (DVSB) brought home the glory of bagging the Asia Most Impactful

Brand Award.

Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Datuk Dr. Abu Bakar Mohamad Diah was the Guest of Honour for the awards ceremony. In his opening speech, he stressed on the importance of local SMEs gaining their due recognition for their cpntinued contribution towards the country’s economy. He also urged them to take on the world through impactful corporate branding strategies.

Iskandar Malaysia to have at least 25 hospitals The winners of Asia Success’s Most Impactful Awards 2014

WORLD’S FIRST BIO-BASED PLANT

Benchmark: Verdezyne to build world’s first bio-based dodecanedioic acid plant at Bio-Xcell Malaysia

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erdezyne, Inc., a privatelyheld industrial biotechnology company focused on producing renewable chemicals, announced that it has reached an agreement with Bio-XCell Malaysia to construct Verdezyne’s first commercial-scale renewable chemicals manufacturing facility in Bio-XCell’s premier biotechnology and ecosystem park in Nusajaya, Iskandar Malaysia.

The exchange of agreement between Rizatuddin Ramli, Chief Executive Officer

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak witnessing the exchange of agreement ceremony

of Bio-XCell Malaysia and E. William Radany, Ph.D., Verdezyne President and CEO, took place during the official opening ceremony of ‘BioMalaysia: Bioeconomy Asia Pacific 2014 Conference & Exhibition’ and was witnessed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. “ We a re h a p py to welcome Verdezyne to the Park.

The RM250 million investment related to building Verdezyne’s new factory here, will bring the total investment into Bio-XCell

to RM1.86 billion and with a few more companies in the pipeline, we expect to have the park filled by 2017. These projects will further strengthen the value proposition of the Bio-XCell ecosystem as a regional hub for industrial biomanufacturing and bioprocessing,” said Rizatuddin Ramli, Chief Executive Officer of Bio-XCell Malaysia.

According to estimates, the bio-based chemicals market is expected to grow to US12.2 Billion by year 2021.

More foreigners, especially from Singapore, are expected to come to Iskandar Malaysia to seek medical treatment with the setting-up of at least 25 hospitals, including private specialists centres by 2016.

One of the health industry members involved – IHH Healthcare Bhd – has invested over RM400mil for the first phase of its Gleneagles Medini Hospital in Nusajaya.

Johor government hoped that the new Gleneagles Medini hospital would help boost the state’s medical tourism activites.

“The Iskandar region will see development of some 25 government and private hospitals by 2016, in line with our focus to build a medical hub within the region here,” said Johor Health and Environment Committee Chairman Datuk Ayub Rahmat.

“Plans to construct two more government hospital, namely Hospital Sultanah Aminah II and Hospital Pasir Gudang, are also on track,” he added.

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Quick Reads

RM150m for road widening and upgrading The Johor government has allocated RM150 million to upgrade and widen village roads through Infra Desa Johor (IDJ) from February 2012 to January next year, said state Public Works and Rural and Regional Development Committee Chairman Datuk Ir Hasni Mohammad.

He said since September, the progress of work done was worth RM143 million, which was 95% of the allocation spent involving 1,100km of roads.

“It is expected that IDJ will be able to complete repairs and upgrades on 1,121km of roads until January 2015.

“From the 1,121km, widening will be done on 514.11km which is 46% of the total roads being upgraded,” he said.

Roads which were tarred in Maharani using funds from Marris (Malaysian Road Records Information System) in 2012 involved 11 roads, 12 roads in 2013 and nine roads in 2014.

news

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Tiram Grand Carnival 2014 Responsible: Tiram Indoor Water Park, the first indoor water park in Johor has officially been re-opened by Grand Esteem Sdn Bhd this 1st of December

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iram Indoor Water Park, the 1st Indoor Water Park in Johor is a great destination this rainy season for locals and tourists alike to take their kids for a fun filled weekend at an affordable price .

The water park is bringing a fresh and exciting theme; the Tiram Pirate World. It’s equipped with a new dry park to double the excitement for kids. The refurbishment will create more fun and memorable experiences for children that will last a lifetime.

Tiram Indoor Water Park is located in Today’s Mall Ulu Tiram, which is an 8-minute drive away from Johor Jaya and Taman Desa Tebrau.

In line with the re-opening of Tiram Indoor Water Park, Grand Esteem organised the Tiram Grand Carnival 2014; an event aimed at bringing a fun filled experienced for the whole family.

Malaysia’s most loved cartoon characters, Upin & Ipin made a full day appearance, doing live shows and playing games with children who attended the event. Children also had to opportunity to participate in a colouring contest and won some great prizes During the 3-day fair there was also the Tiram Blood Donation Drive, Tiram Lucky Draw worth RM10,000, Tiram Food Festival and Tiram Education Fair.

Tiram Pirate World will be affordably priced

The wet and dry park will double the excitement for kids

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ULTIMATE

news

Beatdown 15:

UNCAGED

By Ari Goldman newsdesk@theiskandarian.com

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magine yourself walking through Plaza Sentosa hotel lobby, with posh furnishings and sparkling lights that translates nothing less than luxury. But elevate up to its Skydeck at level 8 and a whole new playing field is uncaged for your spectation. The 15th Ultimate Beatdown Mixed Martial Arts in Iskandar Malaysia.

UB’15 kicked off on a drizzling evening under a building-sheltered skydeck, with an underground carpark atmosphere.

Full-house fans from all around the world, estimated over 400, made the evening more lively and combative. One could feel the entire square feet vibrating with music and screams of fans when the international MMA fighters and their teams, each making their entrance into the Octagon shaped ring for their respective fights.

More tactics with the professional MMA fighters damping weather. The audiences remain excited with cheers and boos, as they spectated the matches for 6 energetic hours. It was a sensational evening with like-minded i n d i v i d u a l s. M a ny notable figures were there and you can find DJs and celebrities among the crowds. Watching the event next to the ringside makes relationship building an interesting affair. On occasion during the category gaps, the timings are neatly balanced for a good friendly catchup, PR or Business Networking with familiar professionals and business owners.

The K-1 kickboxing fights were only teasers compared to the Amateur MMA fights It’s certainly a notable feat for Plaza Sentosa Hotel to host this international event, when most of us have only seen similar fighting tournaments held at MGM Grand in Las Vagas USA, and Resorts World Sentosa Singapore. But unlike any venue, this one actually puts fear into the unsuspected viewers. The K-1 kickboxing fights were only teasers compared to the Amateur MMA fights. 30 Amateurs from Malaysia, Singapore, India and Iran fought with their blood and tears to mark their name in history. It was truly an amazing experience, the audiences react to each exchange of punches and kicks, and the passion that was exhibited by these amateurs were truly admirable. We saw more tactics with the professional MMA fighters, who came from as far as England & Australia fighting amongst contestants from Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines and India.

The event kicked off at 5pm and ended at 11pm as scheduled despite the

Professionals battled with skillful execution of combination moves The main event featured Phuket Top Team / Max Combat Fitness Aden Baron from Australia against MuayFit’s URCC veteran Lito “Thunderboy” Adiwang from the Philippines. Unlike other fights, both professionals battled with skillful execution of combination moves and grappling techniques. Both lived up to their names with a fair fight spanning three full rounds. Aden won by judge’s decision, despite the close calls. Now he is officially scaling his career up against Singaporean Garie Tang for the first ever Ultimate Beatdown Flyweight Title shot very soon. Follow Ultimate Beatdown for updates on their facebook page at www. facebook.com/UltimateBeatdownJB

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ENDORSED BY

Dec 4 201

Calendar of Events >> pg 4

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Artist Intorducing: Shepperd

Movie Preview:

ALEXANDER AND THE TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY

The Art of Manifesting (pt II)

Travel

Go local, Eat local, Stay local: Tunamaya in Tioman >>pg 4

DEC 2014 | Page 2

The Iskandarian | WAVES Lifestyle

Editor ’s Note

Source: Universal Music Singapore

M US IC U P DAT E S SELENA GOMEZ PREMIERES NEW SINGLE AND VIDEO, “HEART WANTS WHAT IT WANTS,” FROM FORTHCOMING

Priya Manikam editor@waveslifestyle.com

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t’s that time of the year once again to say farewell...no not to you guys but to 2014 because it’s time to welcome 2015!

Gosh, it has been quite a year with The Iskandarian going up in page numbers, increasing our distributions, soft launching the first phase of our website and successfully pulling of our first event (Iskandar Malaysia Social Hero Awards-IMSHA).

We’ve come a long way from our humble beginnings of doors being shut on our faces (sad, but true) and skeptics giving us a 3 months life span before we die a premature death (boo hoo to youknow-who-you-are, we’re over 2 years old now!) and after a lot of blood, sweat and persevered hard work from our entire team, we’re still here and growing stronger by the day! (pardon the multiple exclamation marks as I can’t contain the excitement!!)

Usually, I’ll be telling you what’s in store for this issue but for a change, let’s talk about what’s to come next year. We’ll be reaching out to more distribution points next year (we have over 150 points currently) and once phase two of our website is done (phase one is already done and you can visit us at www.theiskandarian.com), we’ll be providing more exclusive reporting and more journalism (just in case you haven’t noticed, we’ve started in incorporate more journalism in our main paper) to quench your info-thirst.

We appreciate feedback so if you guys have something to say to us, drop us a mail and share your thoughts with us. I’m signing off but as always, for those wishing to share their clothing line, travel tales, or like us to review your restaurant/ property, or want to appear under the Personality column, drop us an e-mail at editor@waveslifestyle.com today and be featured.

Happy New Year folks, look out for us next year as we’re gonna take over the world! (OK not so much the world but you know what I mean)

Priya

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ulti-platinum recording artist Selena Gomez premiered her new single and video for “Heart Wants What It Wants” last week. “Heart Wants What It Wants” premiered on Selena’s social platforms as well as radio stations and VEVO. For You is set for release November 24, 2014.

“Heart Wants What It Wants” was written by Gomez,

Introducing Shepperd

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t’s the stuff of teenage dreams: one minute you’re writing songs in your parents front room, the next you’re knocking Pharrell Williams’ Happy off the number one slot. Sheppard’s international hit single Geronimo was the Brisbane band’s battle-cry, a super-sophisticated stadium pop anthem shot through with all the mixed emotions of being young. Now the multi-platinum indie six-piece, formed around siblings George, Amy and Emma Sheppard, are launching their debut album Bombs Away on the world - and what a fast, strange journey it’s been.

The Sheppard story starts two and half thousand miles from Brisbane in the tropical Pacific paradise of Papua New Guinea, where the family moved with their lawyer father. Music was in the air from day one: while dad blasted Cat Stevens in the house to get them out of bed in the mornings, mum sent them for lessons in piano and music theory.

But their biggest influence was a music teacher at their Port Moresby school, Baruka Tau-Matagu, keyboard player of the legendary Aboriginal group Yothu Yindu and top session man for the likes of Janet Jackson and Madonna. From Tau the Sheppards picked up their love of harmony, their fascination with the musical life - and their work ethic. “He’d done it the tough way,” says George. “He’d enjoyed incredible success, but he’s

a

ver y humble character.”

Teaching the band harmonies wasn’t the only thing that Baruka helped them with; it was also through him that they first met the Australian music industry legend, Michael Chugg who would become their manager.

It wasn’t an instant coming together though. Chugg’s initial impressions were a little bit “not my thing”, however after six months of persistent hassling from the band he agreed to give them an audition… in front of his entire staff of 40 people.

However the performance went, it certainly did the trick for Chugg who took on the band immediately and they became one of the first signings for his label.

The band’s unusual childhood in Papua New Guinea can be heard in their musical DNA - a sundrenched island vibe combined with a talent for pop hooks you’d associate with song-writing teams three times their age. But like so many bands, Sheppard came about by accident, back in Australia, in fact, when middle child Amy was studying for a music diploma and felt that one of her songs (working title *Cheese on Toast*) lacked a certain something.

Brother George, then a drama student in Sydney, helped out on harmonies, and the pair realised they could write together. They added young composer and producer Jay

Antonina Armato, David Jost and Tim James, and produced by Rock Mafia; and is an emotionally charged song of unrequited love.

The video was shot by awardwinning director Dawn Shadforth (Florence & The Machine, Charlie XCX, Kylie Minogue, Oasis) in Los Angeles, California.

For You features three new previously unreleased songs, “Heart Wants What It Wants” and “Do It” and a Spanish version of “More,” as well as new mixes of “My Dilemma” and “Forget Forever. “ The For You collection is available for pre-order on iTunes: smarturl.it/ForYouSelenaG Listen to ‘The Heart Wants What It Wants’ on Spotify: smarturl.it/HeartSelenaGSpotify

For You TRACKLISTING 1. Heart Wants What It Wants 2. Come & Get It 3. Love You Like a Love Songs 4. Tell Me Something I Don’t Know 5. Who Says 6. My Dilemma 2.0 (New version of “My Dilemma”) 7. Round & Round 8. Forget Forever (Boy Lightning Remix) 9. Slow Down 10. A Year Without Rain 11. Naturally 12. Mas (More – Spanish Version) 13. Bidi Bidi Bom Bom 14. Falling Down 15. Do It Bovino, fresh from Sydney band Vienna Circus, and in the space of two months the trio Bovino / Sheppard / Sheppard had written 30 tracks.

Brisbane musicians Michael Butler and Dean Gordon joined them on guitar and drums, with younger sister Emma on bass guitar. After trying out various producers, they finally hit upon one - Stuart Stuart of Analogue Heart Records - who let them be themselves.

“With Geronimo,” says Amy, “we kind of knew it was a hit. We wrote it in about two hours - there were so many hooks, and so many more hooks we could have added and didn’t.” “Songwriting is like a puzzle,” George chips in. “It’s like problem solving.”

Five minutes with Sheppard and it’s clear this band has a creative vision that surpasses their age and experience. “There aren’t many pure pop acts in the world now who actually write their own songs and sing about their own lives,” George says, “More often than not it’s a team of six or seven writers for one hit.

Sheppard is a band for people who like all that classical pop music – Fleetwood Mac, Cat Stevens and The Beatles.”

The melodic variety on Bombs Away certainly recalls the lavish constructions of classic 70s and 80s chart pop. Earthy acoustic guitar and kick drum propel these songs

through surprising modulations and styles - there’s snatches of southern gothic (Halfway To Hell); cool scandipop (This Electric Feeling) and introspective love songs (Something’s Missing). The combination of euphoric melodies and emotional content make for a sound that is overwhelmingly inspirational.. This is “music for the underdog”, critics have suggested, and the band are inclined to agree: “Sheppard write songs for and about the downhearted,” says Jay. “There is always that element of hope.”

The sight of a Camden audience belting out the words to the defiant break-up song Let Me Down Easy suggests that Sheppard know what they’re doing: their pop may be perfect but their indie roots make them real and relatable. They were lucky to start out in Brisbane, they say, “the best city in Australia for breaking unsigned bands” with its intense, supportive scene.

But since they attracted the attention of UK agent Steve Strange (Eminem, Coldplay) and the legendary US talent manager Scooter Braun (Usher, Justin Bieber, Psy), the world is looking rather larger. The band will be on tour for the rest of the year. They’re already recording songs for their next album in breaks between shows, at the back of the bus - singing directly into their iPhones.

DEC 2014 | Page 3

The Iskandarian | WAVES Lifestyle Motivation

The Art of Manifesting (pt II)

An Energy Coach, A Reiki Master and A Personal Motivator.

Rose Osman uses her knowledge in energy and Reiki to help people achieve their goals in personal growth, life, love, career & relationships.

Vivid Imagination. Vivid imagination enhances emotional stimulation. When your emotions get stronger, it will turn into believes.

Anything that you believe will become conviction. All conviction eventually lead to the process of manifesting. Spend 10 minutes every day to practise seeing all your imaginations vividly.

Watch out for Reversal Psychology.

Sometimes, turning a dream into reality requires you to take different paths. Whenever your mind senses the different paths you plan to take, it might trigger a sense of fear towards the unknown. It is a defence mechanism and

there is nothing wrong with it. However, this process will also bring up past experiences of pain and failures. Powerful Affirmation, also known as words in positive structure can help you reaffirm your psychology centre and heal the negative effects brought upon by reversal psychology. This method can help you minimise the tendency to sabotage your own efforts in turning your dreams into a reality.

Detachment is a potent process. It is a sign of trust that you have for the higher divine to realise the dreams you seek. It also brings a sense of peace knowing that everything happens in its own time. People

who are attached to their dreams will feel the limitation it brings about; such as lack of time.

This increases the stress, due to the inability to bring in the force of manifestation. Detachment will allow the process to flow as it is without our intervention of neediness and stress.

Be patient. In every request we seek, everything in the universe, from atoms to molecules to physical matter will respond to it. Time, however, is not in our hands. Learn to enjoy the journey and don’t just dwell on the results. No matter what are your manifesting, seed it with love. I wish you happy manifesting and happy New Year 2015.

By Rose Osman

Personal Motivator & Energy Coach yourpersonalmotivator BucketOfRoses

MOVIE pREVIEW ALEXANDER AND THE TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY Genre: Family Comedy Rating: PG Malaysia Release Date: December 4, 2014 Cast: Steve Carell, Jennifer Garner, Dylan Minnette, Ed Oxenbould, Kerris Dorsey, Megan Mullally, Jennifer Coolidge, Bella Thorne Director: Miguel Arteta Producers: Shawn Levy, Lisa Henson, Dan Levine Executive Producers: Philip Steuer, Jason Lust Writer: Rob Lieber Based on the novel by: Judith Viorst Synopsis

D

isney’s “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” follows the exploits of 11-year-old Alexander (Ed Oxenbould) as he experiences the most terrible and horrible day of his young life—a day that begins with gum stuck in his hair, followed by one calamity after another. But when Alexander tells his upbeat family about the misadventures of his disastrous day, he finds little sympathy and begins to wonder if bad things only happen to him. He soon learns that he’s not alone when his mom (Jennifer Garner),

dad (Steve Carell), brother (Dylan Minnette) and sister (Kerris Dorsey) all find themselves living through their own terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. Anyone who says there is no such thing as a bad day just hasn’t had one.

“Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day,” directed by Independent Spirit Awardwinner Miguel Arteta (“The Good Girl,” “Cedar Rapids,” “Youth in Revolt”) from a screenplay by Rob Lieber, is a 21 Laps Entertainment/Jim Henson Company production.

Start the fun today!

Source: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, Malaysia

DEC 2014 | Page 4

The Iskandarian | WAVES Lifestyle

Go local, Eat local, Stay local Calendar of Events

Fly To Tunamaya for Your Next Holiday Retreat

December 2014

JB, 1st - 6th Dec Johor International Chess Open 2014 @ City Square

Spore, 1st -31st Dec Festive Sky Dining @ Faber Peak

JB, 5th - 7th Dec HomeFair ’14 Year End Sales @ Persada Johor

JB, 6th Dec FIT Malaysia @ Hutan Bandar Mutiara Rini

JB, 11th Dec AUG Go! Further Studies Exhibition @ KSL Resort Hotel

JB, 12th - 14th Dec PC Expo @ Persada Johor

JB, 13th Dec Great Eastern JB 10k Run @ Dataran Bandaraya

S

By Harish Mustak newsdesk@theiskandarian.com

tarting this December, Tunamaya Beach and Spa Resort will be providing chartered flights to and fro Tioman Island. This idea is the brain child of Tunamaya’s Director, Gan Hong Lee who is also the founder of Granada Hotel in Bukit Indah. Set against the mystical twin peaks of Tioman Island where the classic Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Broadway Musical, South Pacific was filmed, enjoy a terrific private getaway with loved ones.

According to Gan Hong Lee, with this newly incorporated direct flight to Tioman, you can not only save half a day on travel time, but the scenic journey through the skies circling the island will be one to remember.

Spore, 19th - 31st Dec Celebrate December @ Esplanade Singapore

JB, 20th - 21st Dec Facon Education Fair @ Persada Johor

25th Dec Merry Christmas!

31st Dec New Year’s Eve

Spore, 31st Dec Siloso Beach Party @ Sentosa, Singapore

JB, 31st Dec New Year’s Eve Countdown Party @ Gleneagles Restaurant, Pulai Springs Resort

If you need more information on the above mentioned events, drop us an email at:

admin@waveslifestyle.com

Chartered flights from Senai International Airport to Tioman Island will commence in December Located on the eastern side of the Malaysian Peninsula, Tioman Island is one of the go-to places when visiting Malaysia. Clear ocean waters kiss the white sands on the beaches around the island. Beautiful coral and fishes colour the seabed making the island a hotspot for snorkeling enthusiast.

Ever since its opening in 2012, Tunamaya has received many guests from local and also of international origin. Locals occasionally come to Tioman Island for family retreats during the school holidays to enjoy some quality family time together. Some also spend their honeymoon at the island. The majority of international patrons come from the European and Scandinavian countries who spend their winter abroad.

Tunamaya sits on a four acre strip of land located on the less populated side of the island. Unlike the young, hip and ‘backpacker’ side of Tioman like Tekek and Salang,

Tunamaya is the perfect getaway away from the hustle and bustle of our daily lives Tunamaya is peaceful and less congested with tourists. A more exclusive feel can be experienced as soon as patrons arrive at the airport.

A new holiday promotion package has just been launched for the upcoming season and will be an all-inclusive-package starting from RM2,188 for the Minimum Twin Sharing package (4D & 3N). The package includes private flights in and out of Tioman, shuttle boat from Genting Jetty to the resort, a Rainforest Villa that fits 3 to 5 pax, daily buffet of breakfast, lunch and dinner, free-flow of nonalcoholic beverages and a massage session at Sarang Spa. Patrons can also upgrade to the Beach Villa Deluxe package by adding RM150 per person per night.

The holiday kicks off as patrons step on the plane from either Senai International Airport or Subang Skypark. The pilot will fly around the island just before landing on the Tekek Airport at Tioman. Upon arrival at Genting Jetty, a Tunamaya shuttle boat will be waiting to pick up passengers and bring them to the resort. The flight takes about an hour and the boat arrives at the resort after approximately 30 minutes around the island.

In total, patrons can significantly cut down on travel time by at least half providing an extra day for them to enjoy the island.

Paying guests will then be greeted by the host and ushered to the resort from the Tunamaya jetty with background island music played by the resident musician, Peter.

They are able to choose from the buffet spread for breakfast, lunch and dinner at the Pawana Restaurant and enjoy thirst-quenching drinks at the Ombak Bar. The peaceful atmosphere at Tunamaya ensures that patrons will always find a quiet spot to relax. There’s no better place than the Sarang Spa, a heaven for total rejuvenation

with its peaceful settings created expressly with thoughtful intentions to mesmerise with the natural beauty of the surroundings.

Arrangements can also be made by the resort if guests would like to get closer to nature. Outdoor activities like snorkeling, scuba diving, golfing, and trekking are just some of the adventurous activities that can be done.

Tunamaya also provides an internet café and games for family and friends to enjoy.

Located at the main lobby, the centre provides for kids, teenagers and adults to have a go at your favourite PC games, surf the net or get in touch with your loved ones and friends back home.

Shopaholics can indulge at the Kedai store in Tunamaya or drop by Kampung Tekek to spend on souvenirs and island merchandise.

A wide range of duty free alcoholic beverages and tobacco including wines, t-shirts, bathing suits and Tioman souvenirs available at the township of Tekek. A 20 minute boat ride from the resort provides a scenic view of the west coast villagers and beaches.

Sarang Spa is a must visit at Tunamaya for total rejuvenation with serenic settings A breathtaking view can also be witnessed from the infinity pool back at Tunamaya while lazing in the pool or getting a tan. The experience can be made better with cocktail orders from Ombak bar and enjoying the drinks with company.

This all-inclusive-package is targeted to the higher-end guests and international tourists. Although it may be pricey, paying extra would cut down on travel time and provide guest with a quicker and easier way to get to Tioman.

For more information, please visit http://www.tunamayaresort.com or contact : Tel : +607-7988108 / 110 / 113 E-Mail Address: info@tunamayaresort.com

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Fun Mandarin Class for the Holidays Why apply fun in teaching?

When learning becomes fun, t comes naturally and is empowering. Play is the business of childhood, even for us. It allows our students to have free rein to experiment with the world around them and the emotional world within. Fun implies that we are teaching the students to enjoy the subject and as a result they would want to learn it. Fun in this sense is not entertainment or silliness but it is enjoyment of the learning process.

But as for parents out there, I strongly believe that they are looking for tutors or language centres that encourage learning in a way that is creative, lively and encouraging individually. This is why Kunkwan is the best language centre for their children to join this school holidays and learn Mandarin with the exclusive environment we have.

reports, required for authentic learning and longterm memory.

Neurologist and educator Judy Willis’s book “Research-Based Strategies to Ignite Student Learning: Insights from a Neurologist and Classroom Teacher” (ASCD, 2006) is one of many that has highlighted the learning benefits of fun. Here are just a few excerpts: The truth is that when the joy and comfort are scrubbed from the classroom and replaced with homogeneity, and when spontaneity is replaced with conformity, students’ brains are distanced from effective information processing and longterm memory storage. The highestlevel executive thinking, making of connections and “aha” moments are more likely to occur in an atmosphere of “exuberant discovery,” where students of all ages retain that enthusiasm of embracing each day with the joy of learning.

When students are having fun, does it translate into better learning outcomes?

Learning is not necessarily easy. It takes time and effort to learn. Yet fun and joy can inspire learners to explore the learning materials. Brain research suggests that fun is not just beneficial to learning but, according to many

Why children need to learn Mandarin today?

Do you still need a reason after watching Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, speak Mandarin during his visit to Beijing recently? Join Kunkwan today!

there is chaos and foolishness going on. On the contrary, the best classrooms are characterised by focused work in a joyful atmosphere.”

To put it simply, fun with a purpose supports learning.

Ms. Sally Khor Seh Lee Principal of Kunkwan Master of Linguistics & Applied Linguistics

S

chool holidays are around the corner, so naturally the children are the happiest during this holiday season and we as parents plan to spend more time with them. Thus, Kunkwan is trying to make a slot with activities that we think is suitable for all parents and children. With busy day to day arrangements, we somehow neglect to priortise our children because of our work schedule. This is why Kunkwan is offering ‘Fun Mandarin Classes’ for the holidays to parents out there who wish to spend quality time with their children and and learn new skill sets, that too in a fun and exciting way.

Define fun learning?

As educators we are exposed to amplitude of technologies out there which gives us a different meaning of fun learning. As an example, if a tutor plays an interactive video during the teaching sessions; it is also considered as fun learning. In Kunkwan, we utilise a different approach fondly called Kunkwanization, where fun is used which is a basic need that drives human behaviour to learn thus the learning experience becomes more exciting, more learnable, more interactive towards stimulating students’ understanding and it gives them an upper hand to learn Mandarin.

“When we walk into any great classroom and the feeling of fun is palpable, it can be seen on the faces of the students. Just as important, it is also seen on the faces and in the body language of the tutor. This doesn’t mean

When we walk into any great classroom and the feeling of fun is palpable, it can be seen on the faces of the students. Just as important, it is also seen on the faces and in the body language of the tutor. This doesn’t mean there is chaos and foolishness going on. On the contrary, the best classrooms are characterised by focused work in a joyful atmosphere”

Sunway College Johor Bahru celebrated 10 years!

P

Lee Zhi Jie, GCE A-Levels Alumni, Class of January 2009

art of the Sunway Education Group, Sunway College Johor Bahru has come a long way in providing quality academic programmes to students – firstly, at its temporary city campus and then, at its permanent campus in Taman Mount Austin for an entire decade now. The college offers a range of programmes for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) school leaver at Pre-University and Diploma level as well as a Professional Accounting pathway leading to the internationally recognised ACCA Qualification.

Since its inception, the college has grown from strength to strength; not only in student population, but in space as well. The Sunway College Residence built in 2011, offers a safe and conducive environment for students

away from home and was a new chapter of development for the College. The Hospitality Training and Education Centre (HOSTEC) officially opened its doors in 2013 where students from the Hospitality programmes were able to learn and practise hands-on skills within a purpose-built facility. The college has also been awarded the Platinum Learning Partner status by ACCA, UK - the only institution in the southern region of Malaysia to be accorded this award.

Along the way, the academic team at Sunway College Johor Bahru has helped groom outstanding students and award winners, many of whom have gone on to greater success. These remarkable achievements have indeed added to the dynamic phases of the College’s development and growth.

To commemorate its 10th anniversary of establishment, a series of activities was planned throughout the year. On-campus activities such as the Wall of Wishes facebook competition, a quiz and monthly lucky draws as well as a Health and Wellness Carnival was incorporated into the year-long celebration which culminated in a grand gala dinner.

Some 230 guests including staff, business associates and alumni attended the event. Among the highlights of the dinner were lucky draws and performances by the staff and students. Alumni from the various programmes also paid tribute and shared fond memories of their experience while studying at the College.

It was a particularly memorable night for 10 staff members as they were recognised for their long service with the institution.

Teoh Eu Vin, Australian Matriculation (AUSMAT) Alumni, Class of January 2009

Messages from students for the Wall of Wishes Facebook Competition

Jonathan Chan from the Monash University Foundation Year (MUFY) programme, winner of the Grand Lucky Draw

Jasmine Goh, Diploma in Business Admin Alumni, Class of January 2007

Messages from students for the Wall of Wishes Facebook Competition

10 staff were recognised for their long service with the institution

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¬ Mega Trend 3: Electric Vehicles (pt II)

The Importance of Mega Trends for Long-Term Sustained Growth

Manoj Menon Partner & Asia Pacific Managing Director at Frost & Sullivan

E

lectric Vehicle (EV) is a major trend that will impact the mobility of people and in turn the Automotive, Autocomponent and related industries.

EVs are powered by on-board storage batteries which can be charged therefore these vehicles have no tailpipe emission. Changing the source of power from fossil fuels to electricity has a very strong rationale and profound impact on multiple industries. All major automotive players have set their eyes on producing vehicles with zero emission. Reducing carbon emission is seen as intermediate steps that ultimately lead to zero tailpipe emission vehicles.

In part one of this Mega Trend, we highlighted the Environmental Concerns, Regulatory Support, Technology Advancements and Renewable energy source and smart grids.

In the second part, we begin by discussing about: • Recharging Infrastructure: Several types of charging infrastructure are necessary to charge EVs. At home, it can be slow

charging which charges the battery overnight. At the office, a similar infrastructure can exist. However, at public buildings and shopping complexes, fast recharging infrastructure will be required.

These charging points can charge the battery to its limit within 2 to 3 hours.

• New Business Model: Traditionally, the automotive

business has always worked well with the ‘own-and-drive’ model.

But with the advent of battery, which is a fairly expensive car component, the ‘pay-as-you-drive’ model has emerged. The customer can purchase the car but lease the battery and pay per km. This eliminates the risk of owning, maintaining and disposing of the battery. Electric cars will therefore be available in several packages

with various options of upfront payments and monthly payments.

The EV Mega Trend is also going to result in the development of a new eco-system. The ecosystem will consist of electric vehicle manufacturers, component/battery manufacturers, Utility companies, recharging infrastructure providers, governments and a new entity ‘integrators’. The roles of OEMs and Battery

manufacturers are well defined.

Utility companies and recharging infrastructure players will need to invest in new infrastructure, smart grids and renewable energy sources. Integrators are the service providers that provide the recharging services to the customer. They will rely on Telematics to ensure that customers are able to search for the nearest charging station, make bookings or make emergency calls.

Finally, this trend is unlikely to be limited only to passenger cars. It is likely to redefine how we move. We expect several types of vehicles to emerge with electric drive. Bicycles and motorcycles driven by electricity will help us travel short distances and provide last mile connectivity to public transportation. Electrically powered delivery vehicles will reduce the carbon footprint in the logistics sector. Finally, we expect newer type of vehicles such as 2-seater electric car or travel pods to emerge in next 10 years, which will be used as city cars. Once the Electric Vehicles Mega Trend sets in the future, mobility will never be the same again.

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¬ Discovering Treasures from reading the

Company Annual Report – Part (VI)

ACCUMULATING WEALTH

I

n the last few issues, we’ve been talking about different aspects of the annual report and how to discover gems through looking at those aspects. In this issue, we’ll be covering the last two topics in the annual report, which is vital to look at:

1) Analysis of Shareholdings It’s the study of the company’s shareholding, including range of holding, number of holders, percentage of holders and so forth. There are few questions you want to ask as there’s meaning behind it: Q1: Who are the majority shareholders? Are they the top management? How many shares do they own?

Implication: if the majority shares belonged to the top management, say, more than 20%, it’s very likely that the CEO would act in the best interest of all the shareholders,

because for them, it’s like they’re running their own company. On the other hand, if the CEO is hired to run the company on contract basis and is given a little shares, say, 0.1%, do you think he would be more likely to run the company as his own compares to the CEO who owns 20% of shares?

However, there is also a concern if the CEO has too much shareholding. For instance, if the main shareholder owns more than 50% of the company through his name or another company, and if he proposes a full takeover that offers unreasonably low price, minority shareholders will suffer.

Such cases have had happened quite a few times, and that’s why, knowing the company key person’s background, their past behaviors, character and so forth is the homework that we all must do.

Q2: Who are the largest thirty registered shareholders?

Lam Kwai Soon is a qualified accountant with ACCA qualification, and is a member of Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA), the Chartered Tax Institute of Malaysia (CTIM) and a Certified Financial Planner (CFP).

He is a Tax Director at Cheng & Co. Taxation Sdn Bhd. (A Member of Cheng & Co Group).

Working Capital Cash Flow The default accounting basis for GST in Malaysia will be on an Invoice Basis unless approval for Payment Basis is obtained from the Royal Malaysia Customs Department.

Invoice Basis is where the taxable person has to account for output tax and submit payment within the GST system deadline even though customers have not made the payment. However, the taxable person is able to claim the input tax incurred on the purchases or expenses based on the tax invoices issued by his suppliers even though the payments are not yet made. For Payment Basis, output tax will only be accounted for when the taxable person received the payments from his customers and he can only claim input tax when he has paid for the purchases or expenses.

Note that Invoice Basis will involve several factors affecting the short term working capital cash flow.

1. Length of credit terms given to customers For industries in which credit terms given to customers are relatively longer, it will affect the working capital in the sense that the taxable person has to make payment of the net output tax to the authority before collecting it from the customers.

Tey Bin Yuen Binyuen is the founder of BY Enrich Resources and the author of ‘Life beyond the Comfort Zone’. His books are available at major bookstores in Singapore & Malaysia. He’ll be conducting a workshop ‘Profit from Technical Analysis’ on 6 Dec 14. Reach him at contact@teybinyuen. com

Implication: if you see some of the prominent funds that own some percentage of the company, it shows the company must have recognisable strength and bright prospect of growth.

2) List of Properties List of Properties reports the properties that the company owns. Why this is important? Bear in mind, when you buy a company’s share, you’re buying a part of a company, big or small. This means, you’ve indirectly owned a small portion of the properties which the company owns.

Here’s the tip: the company’s properties contribute to its Net Tangible Asset (NTA). NTA is what the company is left with if it ceases operation today, sells its entire asset and pays off all the debt. It can be used as one of the methods to value a company.

In the List of Properties portion, you can see the property’s

Quick Reads

address, land area, valuation and most importantly, the valuation date. For instance, if property A is a piece of land that is worth 50 million and it was valued 10 years ago, is it possible that this piece of land could worth double today?

Some listed companies have many properties and their valuation was conducted long time ago. This is one of the ways that helps you discover undervalued jewels.

In essence, while Analysis of Shareholdings helps you understand the key person who runs the company, List of Properties enables you to value the company more effectively.

Coupled with the segments covered previously, such as Chairman Statement, Balance Sheet and Profit and Loss, to name a few, you’ll be able to enjoy dissecting a company thoroughly.

Start reading company annual report from today to profit consistently in the stock market.

GST free housing proposal Pakatan Rakyat Johor has proposed that housing property be categorised as zero rated from the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

This, it said, will act as an incentive to encourage housing developers to under take affordable housing projects.

Johor Opposition leader Dr Boo Cheng Hau and Johor PAS state Assemblyman Aminolhuda Hassan told reporters during the State Assembly sitting break today said this would ensure that people can still afford to buy houses.

According to the Real Estate and Housing Developers Association (Rehda) house prices will increase by 3% to 4% when the GST takes effect in April next year.

¬ The readiness of the businesses and the

impacts of GST (pt III)

Goods & Services Tax (GST) An example for such an industry will be wholesalers of consumer products.

Usually in order to get better discounts or offers from the manufacturers, the wholesalers will make payment promptly as credit terms is much shorter compared to credit terms given to customers.

price of it is RM 500. The table illustrates how it will affect working capital cash flow. From the illustration, it is very clear that input tax credits will help to relieve the working capital cash flow.

vegetables, flour and etc. are Zero Rated Supplies, but the goods and services supplied by the restaurant is Standard Rated Supply.

4. The materials are Zero Rated Supplies Similar circumstances apply as the if the materials are Zero Rated Supplies where there will be not much input tax credit; and if there is output tax to be accounted for the cash flow will be burdened.

Taking a restaurant as an example, basic food items such as raw meats,

Zero Rated Supplies In order to promote the export business, all exported goods or services are Zero Rated. For export-oriented businesses which incur input tax on purchases, expenses and capital expenditures it will be in refundable position. Such an example is plantation operators.

5. The supplies of goods or services are

2. Length of credit terms given by suppliers In the scenario where credit terms given by the GST registered suppliers are relatively longer, the business’ cash flow will benefit because the taxable persons are allowed to claim the input tax credit based on the tax invoices issued by the suppliers.

An example for such industries is mini markets or restaurants. It is normal practice for them to sell at cash terms even though their purchases are on credit terms.

3. Suppliers who are not GST registered persons For taxable person who mostly purchase from small suppliers (whose turnover threshold is below RM500,000 and are not mandatory to register for GST), their cash flow will be burdened because there may not be much input tax credit to be claimed.

Say, for example, the selling price of the product is RM 1,000 and the purchase

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Johor kaki FATBOY’s Burger Bar Tony is a very passionate Johor food blogger. He is fascinated by Johor’s unique culinary heritage created by its melting pot of diverse cultures. He hopes that his writings about the delightful experiences with Johor food and the people behind it, visitors from around the world will appreciate the potpourri of Johor culinary art.

W

ith the opening of the FATBOY’s Burger Bar outlet in Taman Sutera Utama in early 2014, Johor Bahru now has a burger specialist and a joint specially for burger enthusiasts.

Originally from Singapore where they have 4 outlets, FATBOY’s Burger Bar also has 2 outlets in Kuala Lumpur.

Stepping inside FATBOY’s, the decor is simple yet striking with bold black and red colours with quirky motifs. FATBOY’s looks and fells like a typical American diner complete with background music from rock and roll legends.

The clientele is a good mix of

Burger and beer lovers from all age groups patron FATBOY’s burger and beer lovers from all walks of life and age groups.

I started off with FATBOY’s signature mean Fat Basterd (RM29).

It’s a tower of two beef patties, cheddar cheese slices, crispy fried bacon, fried egg, and FATBOY’s house blended BBQ sauce between two bouncy sesame buns.

The meat patty was tender and juicy with that familiar robust traditional American burger joint flavours and aromas.

All FATBOY’s patties are made at the shop from chilled meat using their own grinder. (No frozen mass produced, factory patties here.) The Fat Basterd’s twin patties are made

with chilled Australian tender cut beef.

One of FATBOY’s signatures is to allow customers to create their own burgers in 4 easy steps. The next burger is an original Johor Kaki creation. I just picked what comes naturally to me and my burger ended up with layers of sweet

flavours.

The slightly sweet honey oat bun was airy and bouncy. The thick pork patty was tender with natural pork sweetness. The owners

Customers can create their own burgers

mentioned to me that FATBOY’s uses pork collar meat to make their patty.

No wonder the patty is so tender and flavourful.

My choice of caramelised onion and grilled banana add-on added to the sweetness and soft feel of my burger. I also added Wild Arugula greens and capsicum rings to give my burger colour and a juicy crunch. I picked Wasabi Mayonnaise to get a subtle spicy note.

I also tried one of FATBOY’s many appetizers, the Spicy Hot Drumlets (RM13) as I am planning a Johor Bahru chicken wings trail soon.

The golden brown fried drumlets are crispy outside while tender and moist inside. It has a pleasant spiciness that lingers.

FATBOY’s serves a good range of imported beers but I didn’t drink any that evening as I was going for a long drive after FATBOY’s. Saving it for my next visit. They also serve wine.

I love to come back to FATBOY’s especially for the fun to create another burger of my own. The kick of designing your own burger can be quite addictive!

Location Restaurant name: FATBOY’s The Burger Bar Address: : 59, Jalan Sutera Tanjung 8/3, Taman Sutera Utama, Skudai, Johor Bahru GPS: 1.515692,103.669569 Hours: Mon to Thurs 5:00pm to 12:00 midnight | Fri to Sunday 12:00 noon to 12:00 midnight Non Halal

FATBOY’s signature burger is a must try

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Fashionable Birthday Bash for Hello Kitty Celebration: Hello Kitty celebrated her 40th anniversary with a big cake, a fashion show and lots more

By Harish Mustak newsdesk@theiskandarian.com

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ittle Miss Kitty White or better known as Hello Kitty celebrated her birthday at the Sanrio Hello Kitty Town Nusajaya. Hello Kitty cut her cake on stage surrounded by all her friends and definitely in style with the glitzy and glamourous young talents who showed off their designing skills in the final round of Hello Kitty’s Friends Forever Catwalk.

23 year old Roy Xuan was crowned winner as his design lauded not only the judges but was also adored by Hello Kitty herself for managing to mix a modern twist with Hello Kitty’s personality of fun and friendship.

Hello Kitty cutting her cake with friends and fans

Hello Kitty kept the crowd entertained

Hello Kitty and a catwalk model with the winning design The Hello Kitty Friends Catwalk was part of a three-day event to celebrate Hello Kitty’s 40th Anniversary. It also consisted of the Hello Kitty Friends Gathering, Hello Kitty Friends Fiesta, and the Hello Kitty Friends Rock Concert.

“I feel absolutely thrilled and excited at winning this competition.

I didn’t really think I could win as the competition and other designs were so strong. This was a huge learning experience for me to design iconic clothes for a global icon like Hello Kitty,” said Roy. The judging panel was made up of Malaysian fashion designers Justin Yap and Syomir Izwa. Also on the panel was Philip Whittaker, Chief Marketing Officer of Themed Attractions and Resorts.

Hello Kitty fans enjoying the festivities

“It has been a party to remember at SANRIO HELLO KITTY TOWN Nusajaya and the turnout of people has doubled our expectations.

The Sanrio Hello Kitty Town Nusajaya is Hello Kitty’s home in Malaysia and Southeast Asia, and we wanted to connect fans in the local community and those from across the region.

Hello Kitty loved all here fans and friends visiting,” said Philip Whittaker, Chief Marketing Officer, of Themed Attractions and Resorts Sdn Bhd.

Joe Flizzow entertaining the crowd

Spend Weekend Brunch at Lobby Lounge, Traders Hotel Interest: Traders Hotel, Puteri Harbour launches weekend brunch promotion at lobby lounge, serving delectable breakfast usuals and hearty lunch meals combined

By Harish Mustak newsdesk@theiskandarian.com

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aking up late on weekends is just typical after a night of partying or spending the whole day shopping and sightseeing with family and friends.

Breakfast time seems to be always missed and the only option is to go for a heavy brunch to fuel up and get geared for another day of activities.

So if you’re thinking of having brunch while taking in a splendid view, Traders Hotel, Puteri Harbour is the place to be. Their recently launched weekend brunch buffet and ala carte promotion starts from 11am to 3pm, extending breakfast till later in the afternoon.

Accompanied with free flowing Prosecco (the famous Italian sparkling white wine), the weekend brunch is priced at RM210++ per adult.

The Weekend Brunch

promotion serves a semi-buffet spread of scrumptious western and Asian cuisine. Chef Alan Wong once again creates delicious combinations of eatables and appetisers to tentalise the palette.

Poached Eggs with Hollandaise Sauce

Grilled Lamb Chop with Mashed Potato

Grilled Sea Bass Fillet

Creations such as Seared Angus Beef Sirloin steak salad with caramalised onion, feta cheese and grilled asparagus, blacked chicken with berry compte and greens, king salmon gravlax with capers and dill herbs, beetroot carpaccio with goat’s cheese and other antipasti and an assorted selection of freshly baked

homemade breads and pastries flood the buffet line.

Those who prefer more brunch options will be happy to know that different types of Japanese sushi and maki rolls are also served.

This particular promotion also includes a choice of ala carte dishes for each diner. They can choose from such dishes as Poached Eggs with Hollandaise Sauce, Scrambled Eggs with Lump Fish Caviar, Grilled Lamb Chop with Mashed Potato and Grilled Tomato and beef Tenderloin with

Mashed Potato, Carrots and Beef Jus. Diners can also choose between two fish selections of Grilled Sea Bass Fillet or Grilled Salmon with Lemon Mash, Fennel and Balsamic Reduction.

An array of Western-style mousses and creams, flans, tarts, cakes and crumbles will satisfy the sweet tooth. For certain, waking up late will now be a reason to look for if diners want to catch this brunch spread leaving them satiated ad feeling wholesome throughout the day.

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PROPERT Y INSIGHT

PROPERTY

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RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS

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APARTMENTS

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VILLAS

UEM Sunrise to Provide Singapore cooling Affordable Homes measures Chief Minister Dato’ Mohamed Khaled Nordin breaks ground at Denai Nusantara pg 33

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CONDOMINIUMS

Malaysian property developers are feeling the bite of Singapore’s property slowdown pg 34

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OFFICE/ RETAILSPACE

CBRE’s Iskandar Malaysia MarketView Retail : Larger shopping malls expected to change the retail landscape pg 38

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Commercial Projects for Medini Medini Iskandar Malaysia Sdn Bhd, the company behind the flagship development of the Medini township in Iskandar Malaysia, will focus more on commercial projects in the near future to complement the many residential projects undertaken by other developers.

The master developer of Medini made a conscious decision last year to stop selling its land in the development.

Having sold 80 per cent of its land, it is holding on to the balance to further develop office space to kick-start the the business district of the project.

“Our view is that we need to encourage a working population to be established in Medini, to bring life to the area to help create demand for other amenities, such as retail, food and beverages and that would encourage those who work in Medini to stay in Medini,” said Khairil Anwar Ahmad, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Medini Iskandar Malaysia.

This year, the company has come up with a smart city master plan to promote sustainable development in Medini.

In line with this, Medini Iskandar Malaysia has also embarked on a process of taking over Medini’s township management.

On the back of RM1.5 billion in investments, it is maintaining all the parks, roads and coordinating the utilities (water, sewerage, power supply) as well as installing a high- quality fibre network to establish an open access information and communications technology platform. “ We are looking at companies from Singapore and Malaysia,” he said, adding that Medini Iskandar is eyeing financial services, leisure and tourism, logistics, healthcare and education sectors.

On the possibility of a listing, Khairil said: “It is something that we have not decided on. Taking the IPO (initial public offering) route in our aspiration to raise capital for development activities and expansion of the company is one of the options we will consider.”

“But there has been no decision by the board as far as an IPO is concerned,” he said.

Medini is a Township development spanning 2,230 acres (9.2 sq km) developed to become the Central Business District of Nusajaya in the southern economic zone of Iskandar Malaysia.

@home UEM Sunrise Continues to Provide Affordable Homes Highlight: Menteri Besar Dato’ Mohamed Khaled Nordin breaks ground at Gelang Patah for UEM Sunrise’s Denai Nusantara, a project under the Johor affordable housing scheme

By Harish Mustak newsdesk@theiskandarian.com

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enteri besar Dato’ Mohamed Khaled Nordin officiated the recent groundbreaking ceremony of UEM Sunrise’s upcoming project at Gelang Patah.

The area will be developed as Denai Nusantara, a project which will be a part of the Johor affordable housing scheme.

UEM Sunrise, the master developer of Nusajaya, one of the five flagship zones of Iskandar Malaysia, has already launched 321 units of affordable terraced houses and 30 shoplots in Nusa Bayu, Nusajaya earlier this year.

To date, the company has delivered 3,535 units of affordable houses in Taman Nusantara, adjacent to Nusa Bayu.

Denai Nusantara comprises five 12-storey blocks of threebedroom apartments with a builtup area of 1,000 square feet each.

There are 1,109 apartments and each is priced at RM150,000. There are also 108 one-storey shoplots priced at RM200,000 each.

UEM Sunrise Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Anwar Syahrin Abdul Ajib said the company fully supported

government efforts in ensuring home ownership for all rakyat.

“It is our hope to continuously provide affordable homes with modern amenities to improve the community’s quality of life.”

“We have changed from formulating low cost housing schemes to affordable housing schemes to allow the people to live a more comfortable and conducive life,” said Dato’ Khaled in his speech.

He also added that UEM Sunrise’s involvement in the development of Iskandar Malaysia is an opportunity. “It is a commitment from developers to fulfill the needs of the society and also government policies,” explained Dato’ Khaled.

Upon completion, Denai Nusantara will comprise: • Five 12-storey blocks - 1,109 units with three bedrooms each. The built-up is 1,000 sq ft and is priced at RM150,000.00 each.

• One-storey shoplots - 108 units with a built-up of 1,200 sq ft and priced at RM200,000.00 each.

Strategically located adjacent to the planned transportation hub and industrial park in Gerbang Nusajaya, Denai Nusantara will also apply the Crime Prevention Through Environmental

(from left) YB Dr. Zaini, Anwar Syahrin, Datuk Hj Abd Latif Bin Hj Bandi, Dato’ Mohamed Khaled Nordin and Datuk Ismail Ibrahim Design (“CPTED”) through fencing and availability of guard houses.

Denai Nusantara will also provide the residents with affordable maintenance, quality workmanship and lifestyle recreation and amenities. Communal facilities such as multi-purpose hall, surau, tadika, management office and recreational park with jogging tracks will be built. A plot of land for a hawker centre and a mosque is also provided at the development.

Earlier in March 2014, UEM Sunrise pre-launched 351 units of affordable properties in Nusa Bayu. The development works commenced in August 2014 and

the project is currently progressing according to schedule.

UEM Sunrise pledged to offer more affordable housing in Nusajaya. To be launched in phases, the affordable housing project will be built based on the guidelines of the Johor Public Housing Policy in Iskandar Malaysia.

Such developments will be built upon confirmed demand received and subject to relevant regulatory approvals. This initiative is in line with the aspirations of the National Housing Council (“NHC”) as well as the Johor State Government in ensuring home ownerships for the rakyat.

Property Corner

¬ Case Study 6 : The Office A.Devadason CA(M), FCCA, MDRT Deva is a partner in the firm of Dason & Dason, Chartered Accountants who specialises in tax advisory and consultancy.

He can be reached at deva@dason.com.my

P

roperty investment can be a high stakes game and sometimes when the opportunity presents itself, a fast decision, albeit with risk attached, can be very rewarding.

A case in hand relates to a friend who had to make a snap decision when the situation arose.

Many would have gone home to think or even sleep over it when big ticket items come by. I suppose to be extraordinary, one needs to act and live extraordinarily.

It was a Sunday afternoon in August 2010 and everyone at home was in deep slumber. Unable to join in the siesta, he dropped by SP Setia’s sales office in Bukit Indah to kill time. On display was the mock-up of the then latest offering

known as Indah Walk 3 Lifestyle Offices. It was a 5-storey retail and office block with around 140 units in various sizes.

On enquiry, some units were still available especially inner ones that were not facing the main road.

Since this was an office block with lifts, the general rule of getting ground/lower units may not apply.

Higher may actually be better.

However, being a commercial entity, ground floor units are the most valuable due to ease of access, but the developer was only renting them out. This automatically made the highest floor, especially the main road facing corner unit as the most valuable.

On display was a building plan of all the units available with coloured stickers on them indicating those that have been sold and those that are still available. Naturally, he eyed the blank units and spoke to the sales staff with regards to pricing and financing matters.

This went on for a good one hour and what was supposed to be a casual visit to the developer’s office is slowly morphing into a potential unplanned purchase. With his

interest piqued, he needed a second opinion from a trustworthy party.

He then phoned his business partner to drop by and join-in the enquiry. Upon arriving, the partner re-visited the display sheet and noticed that the top floor corner unit facing main road had a different coloured sticker from all other units that were already sold.

When asked, it turned out to be a previously booked unit where the purchaser failed to secure a loan. The best saleable unit was now available for the picking!

However, for a 2,000sqft office, it was priced at a steep RM426k.

Back then, this was a relatively high number even for a commercial unit. Today, at RM213/ sqft, it’s practically a steal. Many residential condominiums are priced between RM500 – RM1,000/ sqft, what more commercial lots.

Back to our case. A decision would have to be made and it has to be fast. Just about anyone can place a booking fee while the thinking and talking process is going on.

Since it was just a casual visit, no money was brought for the RM3k booking fee. Going to the ATM machine risked the unit being

intercepted by another lucky buyer.

To his surprise, the partner had the exact RM3k in his pocket.

It was the prior day’s takings from their mini market that was yet to be banked in. Talk about luck. Getting a cool unit and having the exact amount in the pocket!

The transaction was done and with the loan kicking in around 3 weeks later, he was the proud owner of a nice office unit. Today, his unit is rented out to our Tax Firm and we have prominently displayed our signboards in the most elevated and advantageous position.

Despite my persuasion, he is unwilling to part with the unit, citing that he was destined to be its owner with such series of occurrences. I suppose so too.

When presented with an opportunity, a quick decision may sometimes be needed. I suppose, the Greek poet Homer was right when he wrote, “Fortune favours the Brave”. In this case, I suppose luck played a big part in being brave.

Always be on the lookout for such deals. Opportunity knocks on everyone’s door. The question is, are we ready to welcome it in?

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Singapore cooling measures concern Malaysian developers

Quick Reads

Foreigners to pay RM1mil Foreigners looking to acquire property in Malaysia would now need to fork out a minimum of RM1 million.

The decision was made by The National Land Council (MTN) and was among the changes included in the acquisition of property guidelines in March.

Foreigners were previously required to pay minimum fee of RM500,000 for acquiring properties.

Concern: Malaysian property developers that have ventured into nearby Singapore are feeling the bite of its sluggish property market and the governments’ stringent curbs

D

evelopers that have entered the republics housing market include YTL, Sunway, SP Setia IOI Properties and Selangor Dredging Properties Bhd (SDB). But those that have failed to sell more than half of their residential units are the most severely affected reported PropertyGuru.

House prices in Singapore fell 4.3 percent year-on-year in the third quarter, making it the largest drop across several Asia Pacific markets.

The drop in prices came as extra stamp duties and tighter bank lending rules continue to weigh on market sentiments.

Certain projects have

Property Investment

encountered larger price declines over the last 12-18 months. Prices of units on Sentosa island have fallen 10% to 30% over that time period.

Since 2009, the Singapore government has had up to eight rounds of cooling measures which include increasing the down payment, stamp duty that both buyers and sellers need to pay,

¬ Impact of Iskandar Malaysia on the

Singapore Property Market

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ccording to a recent news report on the Singapore property scene, the median private housing rental of Yishun and Sembawang drops by a whopping -10.6% year on year. This was followed by Macpherson, Bradell and Loyang, Changi according to data from URA Realis, our centralised real estate database.

Every percentage drop in rental has a real negative impact on property valuation as it directly lowers the net present value (NPV) of asset. As interest rates goes up, this negative revaluation will be compounded by an increasing discount rate.

The significance of this

drop is that certain outlying areas without growth industry hubs are prone to deceleration of the ever important price supporting factor; rental. This is true in both the developed and developing countries.

As an investment analyst, I take note of this deep and permanent impact to housing prices in Singapore especially as Iskandar Malaysia develops further.

As mo re tradition al industries move out from Singapore, employment will shift to the offshore locations.

Therefore, places like Iskandar’s core zones such as Nusajaya and Kulaijaya will be key beneficiaries of the relocation.

Now, many will say this will take years to materialise. However, I believe the effect of Iskandar Malaysia on Singapore’s property scene is already happening without many noticing.

For example, Yishun and Woodlands are the areas closest to Johor with traditional labour intensive industries. Moreover, with better transportation links between Singapore and Malaysia, even Tuas and West Jurong will feel the price compression.

It is simple logic. Many of the manufacturing workers in Singapore are Malaysians who travel on a daily basis. As we outsource more and more of these labor intensive activities,

and macro-prudential measures a borrower’s outstanding debt obligations must not exceed 60% his total income.

Nevertheless, Singapore is still a preferred place to do business for many reasons but for now, property development is now more challenged than before, say analysts.

Ed Cheong is the Singapore founder of the Iskandar Malaysia Investors Forum and Rafflesland Group of Companies which provides platform for property investors to gain insights and world-class investment strategies. He is contactable at iskandar@rafflesland.com

we will see a reversal of workers back to Johor and an increasing shift to the service industries in Singapore. I also expect central Singapore regions will be increasingly more and more expensive.

Regardless of where the eventual high speed rail station is located in Singapore, the importance of service and high end manufacturing industries mean that the core regions of Ang Mo Kio, Serangoon, East Jurong and Southern Singapore will be the most priced. Unless Woodlands develops into a hub of high value added industries such as the research centric areas of Jurong, prices of housing there will be

affected further with the new MRT link to Johor Bahru.

However, as rentals fall in outlying areas, one possible consequence is workers will increasingly move out of the more expensive central regions preferring to travel a little longer.

Indeed many Johoreans who are working in the services sector prefer to live in northern Singapore for convenience.

In short, I believe this interesting balance of comparative living advantages benefit both countries just as planned.

No other growth regions in Malaysia can claim this symbiotic relationship with a booming region as Iskandar Malaysia.

Iskandar Malaysia is for all

2nd Comprehensive Development Plan

Clear: Johor Menteri Besar wants to change the perception that housing in the Iskandar region is for the elite only

Benchmark: Iskandar Malaysia’s second Comprehensive Development Plan has been approved

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he Johor state government wants to change the perception among many people that housing development in Iskandar Malaysia is only for the elites reported Bernama.

“Many people thought housing development in the Iskandar region was for the elite group and that the lower-income group could not afford to buy them,” said Menteri Besar Dato’ Mohamed Khaled Nordin.

Khaled said this view

was not accurate because the state government, with the cooperation of developers, was committed to ensure that all, including the lowerand middle-income groups, were not left out to benefit from the region’s rapid development. “ There are still many, especially those from outside Johor, who think that the Iskandar region’s development does not take into consideration the locals, especially the low-income group.

Menteri Besar Dato’ Mohamed Khaled Nordin (filepic) “We want to change this perception because Iskandar Malaysia always considers the requirements and needs of all strata of society,” he said.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak (filepic)

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rime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak h a s a n n o u n ce d the approval of the 2014-2025 Comprehensive

Development Plan for Iskandar Malaysia.

Datuk Seri Najib, who is also Finance Minister, said the announcement was made at the 16th Iskandar Regional Development Authority Advisory Council Meeting.

“Since January 2014, it is encouraging to note that Iskandar Malaysia has successfully attracted new investments worth RM24.97 billion.”

“In committed investments alone, Iskandar

Malaysia has secured RM156.51 billion since 2006, of which 51 per cent or RM79.17 billion has been realised to date,” he said in his latest Facebook entry tonight.

The Prime Minister noted that Malaysia adopted free and open economic principles based on market growth, and believed that the growth of investments in Isk andar was an encouraging testimony to the success of the country’s policies.

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Propernomics by Dr Daniele

¬ Propenomics or how to get it right in property investment (part III)

Dr. Daniele Gambero is the CEO and co-founder of REI Group of Companies, gives presentations on the property market and welcomes feedback at: Daniele.g@reigroup.com.my

A

positive sign of growth of the Malaysian economy is demonstrated clearly by the steady up-going trend of per-capita income during the past decade. On the Malaysian side, we have today an average monthly gross income per capita of RM4,400 with a wealth distribution (as per the table) showing a not-yet-up to the best result but certainly an improving one.

How does propenomics apply?

There is still a lot to be said before entering into a detailed analysis of the current property market performance and

its possible outlook. However, looking at what has been said, and especially in consideration of what table above shows, we can already define that the property market

Retail: Larger shopping malls expected to change the retail landscape Review: CBRE’s Iskandar Malaysia MarketView Q1 2014 Report Occupancy rates on an upward trend since 2006

A

s at Q1 2014, approximately 82% of the retail supply in Iskandar Malaysia is through shopping malls or arcades and the remaining 18% are hypermarkets. The combined approximate total of 11.73 million sq ft of net lettable area is inclusive of recent completions and expansions like the recently refurbished Galleria @ Kotaraya, AEON Indahpura, Mall of Medini, and Johor Premium Outlet, Phase 2.

In 2013, JB City Square started its refurbishment and upgrading works. Now completed, JB City Square offers an extra amount of 106,776 sq ft of retail space to the existing supply. Sutera Mall is also currently expanding further and labelled its expansion as “Entertainment City”, with an additional 150,000 sq ft of retail space to be completed this year.

At 75.6%, the average occupancy rate has been the same since the end of 2013 but has seen an improvement of 220 bps compared to 2012. Prominent shopping malls such as KSL City Shopping Mall, Sutera Mall, JB City Square and all the AEON malls boast close to full occupancy.

JB City Square remains the leading shopping centre in terms of rents in the area JB City Square has the highest

rental rates in the market due to its prime location and its direct link to the Custom and Immigration Quarantine (CIQ) Complex.

According to unofficial sources, prime rental rates in City Square have reached an average RM62 psf for lots with small built-up areas positioned in high traffic flow areas.

The range of prime rental rates for standard-sized lots are usually between RM20 and RM40 psf, which is a range already significantly higher than other centres.

More megamalls expected in a market dominated by mediumsized malls At the moment, most of the existing retail centres are of a medium size and below 500,000 sq ft. However, much larger retail centres are expected in the next few years.

Future major malls in Iskandar Malaysia include Mall @ Tropicana Danga Bay, WCT’s Paradigm Mall (which is the abandoned Kemayan Mall), the multi-phased Mall of Medini, Southkey Megamall, MB City Mall (formerly Pacific Mall), Capital 21 by Hatten Group, and IGB Group’s RM6 billion development of the massive megamall in Southkey (1.5 million sq ft of net lettable area).

The future influx of retail space will definitely change the shopping experience in Iskandar Malaysia, with prominent brands coming into IM’s retail market for the first time.

supply related to residential properties should be following the wealth distribution fact file and cater at least 20% of housing as low-cost apartments for the low and medium class, 20% as high-end products and at least 60% as affordable housing schemes.

This might appear as too simplistic a categorisation. However, its full explanation will require at least another couple of pages and I’m going to prepare it for the next issue where we will see how Propenomics can show you, on a state-by-state basis the precise subdivision of the current market demand and we will compare it to the current offer of residential properties.

All these of course will come after the completion of the economic growth performance analysis broken down to a state level as this will permit a better understanding of sustainable or unsustainable areas of property development.

Quick Reads

Free WiFi for Nusajaya Nusajaya has been identified as the first area in Iskandar Malaysia to have free WiFi installed at all state government and commercial buildings and public places.

State Science, Technology, and ICT Unit Director Mohd Hafizz Ahmad said 100 hot spots within the economic growth corridor would offer free Internet connection to users.

“Plans are in the pipeline to have the hot spots in Nusajaya and hopefully the project can kick off by next year,” Mohd Hafizz said yesterday after witnessing the signing ceremony between Telekom Malaysia Bhd and Horizon Hills Development Sdn Bhd (HHDSB).

Under the agreement, Telekom Malaysia would provide high speed broadband service (HSBB) to more than 2,500 highend residential units in the jointventure development between Gamuda Land Bhd and UEM Sunrise Bhd. In April this year, Menteri Besar Dato’ Mohamed Khaled Nordin said that focus would be given to the high density areas in the state in providing the WiFi services to users and gradually expand to least populated areas.

Separately, he said that Telekom Malaysia had allocated RM32mil to provide the high speed broad band (HSBB) infrastructure in Iskandar Malaysia and RM10mil for the Pengerang oil and gas hub.

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