The Iskandarian July 2016 Issue by The Iskandarian-WAVES Lifestyle

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The Iskandarian ISSUE 47 | JUL 2016

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EAST WEST LINK The Forgotten Highway Project

The East West Link was proposed during the Ninth Malaysian Plan, but has fallen off the list of priorities with no completion date in sight More on pg4

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IMSHA: Awards for Real Heroes

Our Friends

Highlight

The region’s prestigious award that seeks to reward the ‘unsung heroes’ of Iskandar Malaysia

skandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) continues to celebrate the ‘unsung heroes’ of the social sector for their inspirational work with the launch of the third edition of the Iskandar Malaysia Social Hero Awards (IMSHA) 2016. IRDA’s Chief Executive Datuk Ismail Ibrahim said the state’s most prestigious NGO recognition awards seeks to identify and recognise individuals, organisations and social movements which have contributed to the society of Iskandar Malaysia.

The awards also aim to raise awareness on the need to share the responsibility of working together in creating an inclusive, compassionate and effective society. “We want to create a resilient and united society which is truly sensitive to those in need and are able to create impactful solutions to social issues,” said Ismail at the IMSHA nominations press launch. The key players of IMSHA are the Iskandar Malaysia Sustainable Communities Network, The Iskandarian publication, IRDA and Frost and Sullivan.

Puteri Pacific JB does their bit for the Community

IRDA’s Datuk Ismail Ibrahim handing over his nomination to IMSHA Chairperson Thanam Visvanathan-Suresh The nominations will be vetted, analysed and rated by an independent technical committee led by Frost and Sullivan. Members of the public can nominate suitable candidates for the

awards which will be presented in 11 categories, covering a broad range of social service discipline until this 31st of July via Facebook at www. facebook. com/ socialheroawards - by Syakirin Daud TI

Millesime Celebrates Iftar with Persatuan Kebajikan Insani Negeri Johor

PEGASUS INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

Gleneagles MEDINI

“In The Arms Of One Who Cares”

or the second year running, the Puteri Pacific Hotel Johor Bahru and Persada Johor treated the children of Raudhatul Maryam & Gateway Community Centre to a special iftar celebration. Several corporate clients of the organisation were also invited to make it a more joyous occasion. “We want to celebrate with these children by bringing them here to have a good time with us, and also

to share what we have with them,” said Wan Paris, Executive Assistant Manager of The Puteri Pacific and Persada Johor. 32 children from Raudhatul Maryam Home and 20 children from Gateway Community Centre enjoyed a delicious Ramadan buffet dinner and they were presented with ‘duit raya’ as well as goodie bags. Besides that, the associates of the hotel also contributed daily necessities to both homes. TI

he all new Millesime Hotel treated 85 Asnaf children from Johor Insani Welfare Association for an iftar and terawih prayer session as an initiative to reach out to the community. Having dined on a scrumptious Ramadan buffet

spread of Nasi Minyak, Oxtail Asam Pedas, a line of French pastries, and a free flow of durian feast had the children grinning from ear to ear. Towards the end of the event, all the children were handed ‘duit raya’ by the hotel. - by Maressa Esa TI

Iskandar Malaysia’s Employment Fair 2016

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skandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) organised the Iskandar Malaysia Employment Fair 2016 at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, featuring nearly 2,500 job opportunities offered by more than 90 companies including Government Linked Companies (GLCs) in Iskandar Malaysia. Among the positions offered, consisting of 70% from multinational companies and 30% from local medium sized to large business, included

property development, tourism, oil and gas, and biotechnology. Chief Executive of IRDA, Datuk Ismail Ibrahim announced that IRDA will be allocating RM30 million in order to further develop human capital in the economic corridor. He explained that RM10 million will come from IRDA under the Iskandar Malaysia Employment Grant (IMEG) with another RM20 million from the Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF).

Also present during the event was Higher Education Deputy Minister Datuk Mary Yap Kain Ching. According to Ismail, IRDA has approved applications from 125 companies for IMEG involving a total of 400 jobs for eligible candidates. The Iskandar Malaysia Employment Grant is an initiative aimed at reducing the employment gaps and to promote employment for those who are eligible as a step to build an

Hopeful candidates surveying their chances at Iskandar Malaysia’s Employment Fair inclusive society within the economic corridor. Ismail explained that under the scheme, IRDA will pay those with a monthly

salary of approximately RM2,000 to RM4,000 about 50% of the worker’s salary for a duration of six months. - by Amin Khairuddin TI

Published by True Soul Media PLT [No.51-B, Jalan Impian Emas 5/1, Taman Impian Emas, 81300 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 Media PLT. 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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Moulding future talents and giving back to the community

n the spirit of Ramadan, U M L a n d S e r i Au s t i n (Dynasty View Sdn. Bhd.) hosted a very special buka puasa for the children of Shafar Charity Organisation as well as a certificate presentation ceremony for the participants of Johor Talent Development Programme 2016 conducted by Elnet Talent Solutions. Par t of UMLand Seri Austin’s Corporate

Social Responsibility (CSR) programme in giving back to the community as well as bringing smiles to those in need, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of UMLand Seri Austin, KK Wong, also presented the charity organisation with a donation of RM5000 witnessed by the city Mayor, Datuk Abdul Rahim Nin. Eight participants of the Johor Talent Development

Programme were also presented with their course certificates by KK Wong. UMLand Seri Austin was the first private organisation who championed the cause of unemployment among graduates in Johor. The programme is designed to transform graduates into highly-employable executives for the service industry. - by Amin Khairuddin TI

The participants of the Johor Talent Development Programme with UMLand Seri Austin CEO, KK Wong, JB Mayor Datuk Abdul Rahim Nin and CEO of Elnet Talent Solutions Dr. Elilen Chandra

JCorp Unveils IIBD’s Masterplan Highlight

Ibrahim International Business District to be the catalyst of JB’s Growth

ohor Corp (JCORP) recently unveiled the Ibrahim International Business District (IIBD) Masterplan at the ‘Our IIBD, Our Future’ exhibition that was officiated by Dato’ Kamaruzzaman bin Abu Kassim, President and CEO of JCorp. The IIBD Masterplan 2015 is set to be the catalyst of growth for the upcoming business district of Johor Bahru with JCorp as the steward for the development,

determining to shape the future of the international business district as a beacon of investment, commercial and corporate pursuits. “ The very design of IIBD encompasses the guiding principles for an international business district to grow and flourish.” “IIBD will offer a critical competitive advantage for any business and is a sound proposition for both local and foreign

investor and entrepreneurs,” said Kamaruzzaman. IIBD is located within the Southern Johor Economic Corridor and the Central District of JB and is designed to be an integrated commercial development that is business friendly, well connected and sustainable. It will cover an area of approximately 250 acres and will function as the future business district of Johor. - by Amin Khairuddin TI

UTM Hosts Asian Undergraduate Summit 2016 Highlight

Summit discusses human participatory aspects of smart cities and how it benefits the society

he Malaysian leg of Asian Undergraduate Summit 2016 (AUS 2016) was held in University Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) Skudai with more than 20 participants from UTM and National University of Singapore (NUS). A collaborative effort by Faculty of Built Environment, UTM and NUS, the programme gathered undergraduates of diverse disciplines from all over Asia and provided them with an opportunity to engage in meaningful academic, cultural and social exchange. With the theme ‘Leadership in a Complex World: Smart Cities, Smart Citizens’, the three-day summit discussed the human participatory aspects of smart cities and how it benefits the society. Participants were exposed to real world process and challenges of building a

smart city by officials from Iskandar Malaysia Regional Authority (IRDA) and NGOs such as Malaysian Nature Society along with Johor Green. The second leg of AUS 2016 will be happening in NUS next July. TI

Vincent Chow, Chairman of Malaysia Nature Society Johor addressing the participants of AUS2016 at one of the sharing session

JCorp President and CEO Dato’ Kamaruzzaman Abu Kassim with Johor Bahru Mayor A. Rahim Nin at IIBD’s ‘Our IIBD, Our Future’ exhibition

Correction: Care United’s ‘Charity Night with Glam’ published in The Iskandarian June issue Care United Johor Bahru’s yearly anticipated event ‘Charity Fundraiser Dinner & Dance 2016’ for one of their main project Back-to-School Programme raised almost a quarter million instead of nearly a million as reported earlier.

Quick Reads

New Parking System in MBJB and MBJBT Area The local councils of Johor Bahru City Council (MBJB) and Johor Bahru Central Municipal Council (MPJBT) introduced a new parking system using mobile apps. The mobile apps for MBJB is called MBJB Spot while for MPJBT it is called SMSParkir, and can be downloaded from Android Google Play Store. The new methods were introduced by the local councils for the convenience

of the public. Parking charges would remain the same, RM0.40 for every 30 minutes and RM0.60 per hour. ‘SMSParkir’ is based on a state-ofthe-art information and communication technology infrastructure, developed by a research team led by UTM Faculty of Electrical Engineering’s Prof Dr Sevia M. Idrus.

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Exclusive: East West Link The Forgotten Highway Project

Incomplete roadworks of the East West Link

ver the past few years, the state and federal government has completed several highway projects including the Eastern Dispersal Link (EDL) and the Coastal Highway. We have even seen several upgrading

works on a few of our motorways including Jalan Tampoi and the Pasir Gudang Highway (the latter is still work under progress). However, before the coming of Iskandar Malaysia, several highway projects were already proposed and among them is the East West Link- a 27.5KM motorway that connects two important corridors in Johor Bahru, which are Tebrau and Pasir Gudang. It was part of the Ninth Malaysia Plan and was proposed to be implemented in 2004 – 2010. Fast forward more than a decade, it’s still nowhere in completion. The RM275 million priority projects is under the Malaysian Public Works Department

(JKR) and would link the heavy industrial East to the commercial and populated West, improving the supply chain and logistic flow of the two corridors as well as improve commercial viability of facilities. A bonus would be connecting the adjacent townships as well as the dispersal of traffic from Jalan Tebrau and the Pasir Gudang Highway (which would also help with its upgrading works). It starts from Taman Pelangi Indah and would end at Taman Kota Masai, connecting more than 12 townships together including the densely populated Taman Gaya, and Taman Ehsan Jaya. From what is understood, portions of the highway is already completed but a bridge connecting across the main drainage near Taman Desa Cemerlang is needed and stands as a hurdle in completing the highway. The completion of the East West Link

From Cover

will enable motorists travelling from Kota Masai to Jalan Tebrau to avoid using the Pasir Gudang Highway which would translate as a congestion-reduction strategy to free up the Pasir Gudang Highway during peak periods. The Iskandarian managed to talk to a few people living in the surrounding area regarding the proposed highway project and a lot of residents in the area were unfamiliar with the project. The few who remember all agree that it would help their daily commute as well the potential to increase productivity of the connected areas. The Iskandarian will bring you more updates on the East West Link and more on the ground reports on the effected townships and industrial areas. JKR Johor could not comment during the time of writing. - by Amin Khairuddin TI

Coolblog Looking at Regional Expansion

irst launched in Singapore in 2005, Coolblog Dessert Sdn. Bhd., a brand that specialises in desserts and beverages in a takeaway kiosk concept, is now looking to spread its wings to Indonesia. Coolblog’s General Manager, Pang Wei Chong announced that they currently have 7 operating outlets in Surabaya and have set up the master

franchise in Jakarta which should enable operations to commence in Jakarta. “With the master franchise already set up in Jakarta, we are looking to open up ten outlets there over the course of 2 years,” said Pang. “C o o l b l o g d e s s e r t a n d beverages has over 25 flavours and 300 products range and carries a

Halal certificate. More than 80% of our outlets are Bumiputra owned,” added Pang at a press conference after Coolblog’s CSR breaking fast event at Rumah Anak Yatim Ar-Rayyan at Taman Sri Amar. During the event, Coolblog hosted the 31 children of Ar-Rayyan home with flavours of Coolblog Desserts. - by Edey Suresh TI

Coolblog’s General Manager, Pang Wei Chong and Marketing Manager, Hezrin Ali having a light moment with the children of Ar-Rayyan

Celebrating Iftar with 150 Underprivileged Children

Let’s Rejuvenate JB City

hemed Attractions Resorts & Hotel (TAR&H) recently celebrated Ramadan with 150 disabled and underprivileged children from various charity organisations from across the state including the Johor Orphanage (BARKAT), Villa Paolos Charity Home, Shan De Charity Organisation, Baitul Maghfirah Chairty Home and the Sinar Harapan Jubli home. “In line with our corporate social responsibility which includes education, the community and contributing to our workers, we are very grateful to be given the opportunity to share the happiness at Puteri Harbour by giving the celebrated guests a chance to experience our attractions themselves,” said Fahruddin Najumudeen, General Manager of Sanrio Hello Kitty Town and

hink City Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Khazanah Nasional Berhad decided to broaden their horizon with the launch of the first phase of the Think City Grant Programme. Interested applicants may be awarded with a grant worth RM10,000 to RM200,000 according to the needs of their proposed ideas or projects. “Everyone is allowed to apply for this grant which will be utilised to conserve and renovate the historical or heritage buildings that have been around since the Second World War,” said Hamdan Abdul Majid, the Executive Director of Think City. A total of RM10million has been allocated for this programme and it encourages property owners, entrepreneurs and local residents to participate. “This grant will be given

General Manager of Sanrio Hello Kitty Town and Thomas Town, Fahruddin Najumudeen along with TAR&H Chief Resources Officer, Azman Mohd Hussein presenting the kids with ‘duit raya’ Thomas Town. The children were beaming with joy when they got the chance to enjoy the attractions at Hello Kitty Town and Thomas Town. They were also treated to performances by Maktab Sultan Abu Bakar band as well as different artist groups of

Puteri Harbour. The programme also involved several contributions from the Somerset Medini, Somerset Puteri Harbour, Sushi King, Starbucks and Spice & Grill Restaurant. - by Syakirin Daud & Hakim Malik TI

according to the three main aspects which is physical development, arts or traditional events and knowledge sharing programme,” he said during the press conference at the Think City office in Jalan Pahang. Also present during the launch was Think City Chief Operation Officer, Dr Neill Khor Jin Keong. Hamdan added that Think City conducted a research survey last January with support from the Johor Bahru City Council (MBJB) as a step to understand and identify the business structure, along with the aspirations and needs of the local residents living within the city. Think City has been involved in several conservation and development projects including the revival of the new iconic locations around George Town, Penang back in 2009. TI

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

Iskandar Regional

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Development Authority (IRDA) 07-233 3000

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Seeing Potential in Desaru Malaysia’s largest Agarwood Highlight

Thirteenth outlet of Maslee Wholesale Cash & Carry Sdn Bhd opened its door at Desaru Utama

Distillery and Research Centre in Johor Highlight

Asia Plantation Capital celebrates the first anniversary of its state of the art agarwood processing and research facility in Masai, Johor

A Maslee Express Desaru Utama supermarket is now open

stablished in 1985, Maslee is eponymous with quality products and neighbourhood integration with easy to access cash and carry stores. With their latest venture in Desaru Utama, Maslee has opened a tenshoplot wide supermarket offering fresh vegetables, poultry, fish, fruits, dry grocer y and cooking ingredients.

“We strongly support the local workforce hence why we hire mostly locals and provide them with the necessary training before they are deployed at the outlets,” said Gan Giong Huat, General Manager of Maslee when asked about the staffing that Maslee employs. Maslee has a few more stores in the pipeline waiting to be launched. “ The success of

Maslee is in the hands of our consumers and to date, we have received good footfall from the communities who patronise out stores regularly. We offer competitive pricing and ensure that our products are fresh with a multitude of variety,” added Gan. M a s l e e ’s new supermarket in Desaru Utama will operate daily from 9.30am to 10pm. - by Edey Suresh TI

fter a long year, Asia Plantation Capital Berhad (APC) is finally opening the doors to its purpose b u i l t Ag a r wo o d (G a h a r u ) distillery and research centre in Masai Industrial Park. Now fully operational, APC celebrated the achievement with an official launch which saw the presence of the Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), Datuk Dr. Abu Bakar Bin Mohamad Diah. “We are pleased that a forwardlooking company such as APC has chosen Malaysia as its destination for expansion with its distillation factory and research centre. This undoubtedly affirms Malaysia’s potential as an excellent location for doing business,” said Abu Bakar. Among the features of the state of the art facility are a wood chip processing centre, an Oud oil distillery and research centre, complete with a visitor centre along

Asia Plantation Capital Berhad’s state of the art purpose built distillery and research facility is the biggest in this region with a wholesale factory shop stocked with APC’s wide range of products. With the region’s largest agarwood factory along with newly acquired plantations across the country, as well as the recent move of APC’s regional headquarters to Kuala Lumpur, the company’s expansion is seen as an opportunity to strengthen APC’s presence in Southeast Asia. ‘We have already welcomed a significant number of visitors and/or clients to the facility, some who are among the most influential investment and fund managers in the world,” said Steve Watts APC’s Chief Executive Officer of Asia Pacific. APC was established in 2008 and the Plantation Capital Group has more than 2,000 members of staff worldwide with 126 plantations across the globe with planned expansions into other forestry products including bamboo and teak in the near future. - by Amin Khairuddin TI

With compliments from

Wishing all Malaysians a warm and blessed Aidilfitri.

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State to Award Game Changing Innovators Highlight

Johor Innovation Challenge 2016 aims to cultivate innovation among Johorians

he state government through the Science, Information Technology and Communications unit recently launched the Johor Innovation Challenge 2016. The competition is a collaborative effort by the state government and Malaysian Innovation Foundation (YIM) to cultivate innovation among the society as well as identifying the right industries that will improve the socioeconomics in Johor. “Johor is serious in terms of innovation. We are focusing

on innovation aspects since it is contributing to the surge of progress and development of the state,” said Menteri Besar Johor Dato’ Mohamed Khaled Nordin, adding that the competition will also showcase innovations from the state. The competition will be held from 15th June to 15th July 2016 and is open to individuals or groups of Johorians staying or working in this state for over 10 years. Among the main fields involved in the competition are Utilities, Health and Wellness,

Education, Productivity along with Food and Beverages. All participations should be in the prototype phase and not in idea form. Top ten finalists must pitch their idea to the experts to determine the best three products. Final products will be judged on quality, affordability, handicapped and rural area friendly, market reach as well as competitiveness. First place winners stand a chance to win RM5,000 cash, a trophy and certificate, while first and second runner-up will

Regency Hospital does their bit for charity Responsible

In the spirit of Ramadan, the hospital prepared 20 big pots of ‘bubur lambuk’

egency Specialist Hospital recently hosted its fifth ‘Jom Memasak Bubur Lambuk Amal Regency’ which saw participation from several partners including students from UiTM Johor Bahru, Pasir Gudang campus, Johor Cab, UniKL MITEC, SAJ Holdings, Seri Alam Properties Sdn Bhd, and Masjid Taman Rinting. The hospital staff and students gathered their energy to prepare and cook the porridge which was later distributed to the public in Bandar Seri Alam. “It is a small token as Ramadan is the month of giving and respecting and we are happy to get together with other participating partners. We also hope to do more in many years to come and we are very happy to see students volunteering because I think that this kind of service starts from young,” said the newly appointed Regency Specialist Hospital Chief Executive Officer, Gan Boon San.

The event was officiated by the representative of Yang Di-Pertua of Pasir Gudang Municipal Council, Saipol Rahman Haji Amat, followed by cooking and distribution of more than 7000 bowls of porridge to the community of Bandar Seri Alam with the help of 35 students from UiTM JB. - by Maressa Esa TI

MPPG representative with Regency staff cooking the ‘bubur lambuk’

Dato’ Mohamed Khaled Nordin at the launch of Johor Innovation Challenge 2016 in Iskandar Puteri receive RM3,000 and RM1,500 cash each, a trophy, and a certificate respectively. To register your innovative

products in the Johor Innovative Challenge 2016, go to http://johor. innomap.my today. - by Hakim Malik TI

Connecting, Caring and Contributing – IWA’s Charity Bazaar

he International W o m e n ’ s Association of Johor Bahru (IWA) recently had their mid-year charity bazaar at KSL Hotel and Resorts Lobby. IWA held this bazaar to raise funds to help various charities that they support, keeping in line with their mission of ‘Connecting, Caring and Contributing’. IWA is a non-profitorganisation that was established in 1999 and it currently has members from over 25 countries. A vibrant mix of cultures and cuisines gave birth to IWA’s ever so popular Bake Sale. Breads, Scones, Jams, Muffins, Cookies, Cheese puffs and Healthy chia seed balls were the stars of the bake sale and were completely sold out by the end of the bazaar. The bazaar was also supported by established

IWA JB members with their items on sale vendors from Johor, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur which sold various home décor and spa products to health supplements, juices, fashion jewellery and accessories as well as Batik and rattan products from Johor Rehabilitation Organization (JARO). Overall the bazaar managed to rake in profits of over RM 4000. “The IWA strives to

encompass and embrace charity in all its forms, caring and contributing to the community here, which we now call our home,” said Jodie George, IWA JB President. IWA conducts the bazaar twice a year and the next one will be held around Christmas. The funds raised from both these events will be used to help the charities that IWA supports. TI

Thistle Johor Bahru Cares for HSA JB’s Staff Caring

The hotel distributed 4,000 boxes of Serawa Durian with Pulut to staff of Hospital

D Rashid Gallyot of Thistle Johor Bahru presenting Serawa Durian with Pulut to the hospital staff

uring the holy month of Ramadan, Thistle Johor Bahru decided to take a different approach by caring for the staff of Hospital Sultanah Aminah Johor Bahru (HSA JB) by distributing 4,000 boxes of Serawa Durian with Pulut to them. The first 3 boxes of Serawa Durian with Pulut were presented to the Director of the Hospital, Dr. Rooshaimi Merican by the hotel’s General Manager, Rashid Gallyot.

“Every year, our hotel organises several activities for the holy month of Ramadan and this time we’d like to show our appreciation to the hardworking staff of HSA JB by giving them a taste of our popular and signature dish for them to break-fast. It’s also the first time we are doing this community service for the hospital and we hope to continue to do this every year,” said Rashid Gallyot. “In addition to this, we are also selling ketupats at RM25 each

which are made of ribbon. There is a mystery gift inside each ketupat and the proceeds from this sale will go to an underprivileged home in Johor Bahru,” added Rashid. “The hospital management appreciates the thought and effort made by the Hotel and we’d like to thank the Hotel’s management for their community programme this year. We hope this generosity would continue in years to come,” said Dr. Rooshaimi Merican. TI

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Blossoming Peace and Love in Johor Bahru

nternational Women’s Peace Group (IWPG) recently cohosted ‘Peace Blossoms in Johor’ with Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), Department on Women’s Development, Johor Bahru City Council, Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM), and supported by women’s associations such as the Johor’s Women’s League (JEWEL) and CEADO. In order to promote peace in the country and the world, the forum exhibited the launch of Johor HWPL Peace Advocacy Committee consisting of members from various Johor NGOs who will work together

for the promotion and planning of future peace projects in Johor Bahru. They would spread the culture of peace according to the provision of Declaration of World Peace and the Cessation of War. Former Johor Deputy Police Chief, Datuk Aishah Mohamad also attended as forum speaker and she shared that during her working years; 35% of criminals in the country involved youths below 25 years and therefore, it is the right time to appoint them of becoming the advocates of peace. “As our youths will become the future of the nation, we need to start creating awareness on the

importance of maintaining peace. We have to keep our history in mind and remember our journey with many lives lost in a battle to achieve peace in this country and that this should not be taken for granted,” said Datuk Aishah during the forum. IWPG Malaysia representative, Sarah Gun, mentioned that with the launch of Johor HWPL Peace Advocacy Committee, it will function as a body to spread awareness on the international law of peace, and proclaim the final draft called the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War done on 14th March 2016 in Seoul. - by Maressa Esa TI

Peace Blossoms in Johor’ in JOTIC Auditorium with the presence of Former Johor Deputy Police Chief, Datuk Aishah Mohamad (standing, eighth from right) as speaker

Pledged Effort to the New Rotary President has New Plans for RCJB Environment Interest

Community

Directing the community to a healthier lifestyle

fter 22 years of being a member of the Rotar y Club of Johor Bahru (RCJB), Lee Soo Tong was named the club’s 65th president and he already has several plans for the organisation to move forward in helping the public. “We are planning for preventive nature to educate the public to practice a healthy lifestyle that involves healthy eating diets and more exercises. We see that the approach is an effective way to help the community avoid modern lifestyle diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and more,” said the new President of RCJB, Lee Soo Tong. Lee added that the club’s publicity and awareness programmes throughout the year would

S A token of appreciation from official representative of DYMM Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar, Datuk Tee Siew Kiong presented by Lee Soo Tong be a series of health talks, exhibitions, and basic health screenings such as blood pressure and sugar level checkups. The Rotary Club of Johor Bahru is also looking forward to work with other NGOs and corporations which will be a good

platform for their corporate social responsibility projects. “The club’s upcoming second haemodialysis centre which is to be located in Bandar Seri Alam should be completed by 2017 and will cater to the needs of patients within Pasir Gudang,” added Lee. - by Maressa Esa TI

Southampton Ranked One of Europe’s Most Innovative Universities

Citizen Setia tour exhibited lifestyle and several properties

he University of Southampton was ranked 77th in Europe’s Most Innovative Universities by Thomson Reuters, the world’s largest international multimedia news agency. The list identifies the higher educational institutions that are doing the most to advance science, inventing new technologies and help drive the global economy. ‘’Research and education are the main drivers of our mission, and we are very satisfied to be named as one of the most innovative universities. Our partnership

with universities in Malaysia, China, and Singapore reflect our strong presence in our target regions as we seek to become a leading provider of engineering education and research in Asia,” said Associate Professor Dr Suhaila Mohd Sanip, Director of Education and Research services at the University of Southampton Malaysia Campus. Reuters began by identifying more than 600 global organisations that published the most academic research before evaluating each candidate on 10 different metrics and ranking them based on their performance. TI

P Setia Berhad Group recently enthralled us with a four day ‘Citizen Setia Tour’ which kicked off on 2nd June at Plaza Sentosa before making seven other stops around Johor. The pop-up store concept exhibited a host of SP Setia’s current properties developments and was packed with programmes for the public to see, such as the Body Art Gardens Catwalk, arm and face painting, laser dance show as well as a mirror man show. “We brought this pop-up concept for the public to easily view our property line which has a light set up and with a purpose view. The idea is also to promote Citizen Setia lifestyle that inculcates healthy living and modernity,” said SP Setia Bhd Group General Manager, Stanley Saw Kim Suan. He added that while Body Art Gardens Catwalk featured several men with their bodies painted, it helped to encourage the public to live healthily and compose arts using body and other mediums. SP Setia Berhad Group properties’ has 352 units of Rumah Mampu Milik Johor (RRMJ) Phase 2 project, located in Setia Eco Garden which will be launched soon in Q3 of 2016. “We also have one more project of affordable houses (Phase 1) in Setia Business Park 2 consisting of 490 units. Another exciting

A Mirror Man show to entertain the audience

SP Setia Bhd Group General Manager, Stanley Saw Kim Suan (left) and General Manager of Finance, Sales & Marketing, Ricky Yeo demonstrating one of the feature of the popup concept Citizen Setia tour event would be the launch of our last landed double storey houses with 183 units in Bukit Indah, scheduled in August this year,” added Stanley. Citizen Setia Tour will make its four days stop at several places including AEON Bukit Indah and several places in Kulai, Tebrau, Permas Jaya, Masai and more. - by Maressa Esa TI

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Q&A

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Monthly Drill Interview By Editor

After serving almost ten years with Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA), Nor Hisham is currently the CEO of imCoop (Iskandar Malaysia Cooperatives Berhad). imCoop was created with the social vision to curb the rising cost of living and reducing the economic gaps of the people, especially Johorians. With its multiple retail formats and advanced supply and value chain serving the varied needs and interests of people from all walks of life, imCoop has kept its pace with the changing needs of its customers while remaining committed to its social mission and its aspiration to be Johor’s leading world-class retailer with a deep passion to excel.

will remain affordable and fair in comparison with outside market. Based on a survey conducted by imCoop’s merchandising team, the prices for imCoop goods are 50% cheaper in comparison with all the main hypermarkets in Malaysia. For instance, our 1 kg Milo pocket price is lower by a minimum price of RM2.20 and maximum of RM4.10 compared to market price. As for fresh items such as fresh 1 kg chicken, the price is lower by a minimum price of RM1.30 and maximum price of RM1.61.

BIO

Nor Hisham holds a Degree in Social Science and Humanities and is a certified practice leader in the areas of human capital development, leadership and change management. He was among the pioneering team of the South Johor Economic Region (SJER) now known as Iskandar Malaysia. Prior to that, he held the General Manager of Human Resources post with Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP). Nor Hisham was also a management consultant with PriceWaterhouse Coopers (PwC) and the Regional Consultant for Development Dimensions International (DDI). His career for more than two decades in human capital and social development has provided him with extensive strategic, operational and consulting experience with global, private and government sectors. Throughout his career, Nor Hisham has carved a name for himself as among the foremost ‘Change Leaders’ in the country. imCoop currently has 7 stores (5 in Johor and 2 in Negeri Sembilan). How many stores are you all planning to open in total (including Johor and nationwide) and by when? imCoop was set up with a clear mission

Nor Hisham Hussein

Chief Executive Officer

imCoop to enhance and improve the quality of life of Johor residents. The business role is to focus on delivering business value chains which covers both business segment B2B (Business to Business) and B2C (Business to Consumer). So far it has entered the second phase of retail businesses and as per our objective; we target to launch 150 fair price shops across Johor within 3 years’ time and this year we plan to launch 70 fair price shops first.

What makes the shopping experience at imCoop different compared to other stores?

imCoop has captured the attention of the local communities through its fair price products, diversified services and excellent customer service. Customers and local SMEs can get any products including fresh produce as well as frozen products which are compatible with the existing current market offering but at a much cheaper price when they shop in imCoop. Additionally, through imCoop’s discount membership card, customers are able to enjoy 3% off price reduction upon purchases of any GST imposed products with minimal lifetime membership fees of RM25. We have also taken into account of the online savvy trend among customers and imCoop has introduced online

shopping facilities via our E-commerce platform which is incorporated together with delivery services. This is uniquely formed through a collaboration between imCoop and Cooperative of Taxi Driver Johor Bahru Berhad. Currently, the delivery service is available in Kulai and Johor Bahru areas where customers can enjoy free delivery service upon online purchases with the value of RM150 and above whilst RM10 is imposed for any online purchases below RM150.

How does one obtain a membership with imCoop and how does it work if an individual wants to gain membership without having a co-operative? imCoop membership is open to all primary co-operatives registered in Johor with a registration fee of RM530 of minimum shareholder value amounting to RM30,000 and maximum investment worth RM500,000. For individuals without cooperatives, they may register with Koperasi Muafakat Bangsa Johor and pay RM10 registration fee with minimum investment value shares of RM200 which can go up to not more than 1/5 than the overall accumulated amount of shares value.

How is it that the price of goods sold at imCoop is cheaper in comparison? imCoop will ensure that the price in imCoop

How do you change an organisation that simply refuses to change? I believe that change must start with the right mindset. Therefore, it is important to inculcate the right value and rationalising on why something needs to be done. From my point of view, the disinclination of organisation to change is because it could not visualise the need to do so and do not understand that our life does not get better by chance but it will get better by change. My approach of this will always be by adopting the concept of implementation through example because it is the natural tendency of any individuals or organisations to start reacting only when they can see the positive outcome of it. Similarly, as what has been practiced by imCoop where we built and operated the first outlet before opening up to any local based co-operatives to take up any of the imCoop outlets which has shown remarkable progress in terms of sales performances. Through this approach, it will be able to mobilise co-operatives’ involvement as an active shareholder through the ability to instill their confidence and set an example that imCoop outlets will be a profitable business venture.

With the recent Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) with Singapore’s first global halal hub outlet, My Outlets Pte Ltd, is imCoop eyeing for global expansion? imCoop has achieved another milestone by forming a business partnership with My Outlets Pte Ltd in which imCoop will serve as a consolidating and distributing hub for small medium entrepreneur (SME) products to be exported globally particularly to Singapore, Korea, China and Japan. Besides that, imCoop is also collaborating with a few international players with a similar intention in which the end will bring benefit to not only imCoop but also the SME producers. TI

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peggy loh

My johor stories

Our resident writer, Peggy Loh, actively writes in her blog www.peggyloh.com about matters that are close to her heart. She can be reached at write2peggyloh@gmail.com

Old Markets and Bus Terminals

In 1964, the old market at Jalan Segget was relocated into a modern concrete building at Jalan Wong Ah Fook as the JB central market

ohor Bahru’s first market, built on a small island off Sungai Segget and connected to shore by three bridges, closed when a new central market opened at Jalan Wong Ah Fook in 1964. Since the 1800s, the old market was the only market in south Johor with an adjacent bus terminal and taxi stand where people from other districts came to shop. After it was closed, the waterways around the market were filled to form a plot of land bordered by Jalan Segget. Construction on the new market started in 1962 and was completed in 1964. This double-storey market was organised with stalls for the wet market on the ground floor while stalls for dry provisions were situated upstairs. The earliest bus terminal was situated next to the old market at Jalan Segget. When the market was relocated, the bus terminal also moved next to the market; on a site at the corner of Jalan Wong Ah Fook and Jalan Station. Between the market and bus terminal, there was a pasar baru or new market. It was an era of modernisation in JB where the market moved into a modern concrete building and traders in temporary shelters moved into shoplots. Locals simply called the central market, pasar, while the adjacent pasar baru was a collection of small shops for clothes, shoes, stationery and household needs from hardware to home decor. Locals called it the bazaar. In those days, you could almost buy every food ingredient, a household or business needs from the market. The ground floor was organised with sections for live poultry, fresh fish and meat, fruits

and vegetables. The meat section was split into non-halal butchers and halal butchers for beef and lamb while the poultry section was easily identified by the prevailing pong of chicken poop! The fish and vegetable sections in the market are distinguished by their perpetually wet floors. This was because traders would sluice their products frequently to make them appear sparkling

pastes as well as roasted coffee beans ground to your requirement. At that time, there were no suburban shopping facilities, so everyone shopped for their fresh produce from this market. Besides retail, there were also wholesale shoppers so the market was open from dawn until late afternoon for after-office shoppers to pick up their necessities before going home. The adjacent pasar baru was a popular shopping destination designed around one of JB’s first food courts. It probably had a proper name but locals dubbed it “Round Table,” a name probably derived from the round tables here. Round Table was a popular place for refreshing local desserts like ice-kacang and made-to-order snacks like rojak and grilled tauhu or beancurd squares. It was an ideal stopover for regular market and bazaar shoppers as well as for dating couples, families and a favourite after-school rendezvous for students. While the central market, bazaar and bus terminal were being developed, JB’s first high-rise residential project started with the construction of the 15-storey flats at Jalan Lumba Kuda. Affordable homes became available to families in town and it was a new experience for many to move into flats instead of landed properties. It was also an educational process for residents to learn new things like the use of elevators, proper rubbish disposal and to live in harmony with their neighbours. As JB developed in the 1970s, the Town Council built overhead bridges to facilitate better pedestrian flow. A bridge was built to link the 15-storey flats to the bus terminal and market while another was built from Jalan Trus directly into the first floor of the market. While the population increased, residential areas were developed in the outskirts of town. Some of the earliest housing areas were Kim Teng Park and Larkin Lama and Larkin Gardens, later renamed, Taman Dato Onn. This was followed by Century Gardens (Taman Abad), Melodies Gardens (Taman Kebun Teh) and Taman Sri Tebrau.

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JB’s main bus terminal adjacent to the central market, being upgraded in 1962; [Background] Construction of the Jalan Lumba Kuda 15-storey flats was then in progress After thirty years, the central market at Jalan Wong Ah Fook was stretched to its limits and a bigger and better market was needed to meet the rising demands. In 1976, Taman Sri Tebrau was completed and as more people moved into this neighbourhood, a fresh market was planned here. When the Taman Sri Tebrau market opened in 1981, even residents from the neighbouring areas came here to shop for their fresh produce. Meanwhile, construction started on a spacious, multi-storied market in Larkin that could accommodate most of the stalls from the town market. After the Larkin market was opened in 1994, the former market at Jalan Wong Ah Fook was demolished. The bus terminal moved twice – in the 1970s to another site at Jalan Wong Ah Fook near the original Tun Abdul Razak Complex and in the 1980s to the corner where Jalan Trus meets Jalan Gertak Merah – before shifting to its current location next to the Larkin market. The terminal and market complex was renamed Larkin Sentral. As old businesses move to the suburbs and new enterprises open in old buildings, the city landscape is constantly changing. Visitors to Johor Bahru City Square at Jalan Wong Ah Fook may have trouble trying to imagine that this trendy mall sits squarely on the site of the former bustling central market, bazaar and bus terminal in the heart of old JB. TI

The modern double-storey building housed a wet market downstairs with stalls for dry provisions on the upper floor fresh. It was always a challenge to pick your way along the wet and often, slippery floors. These water-logged floors became worn out over the years and it was even more challenging to walk around puddles of water collected in the pitted ground. Designed with wide doors on the ground floor and walls of hollow bricks on the upper floor, the market was kept well ventilated. Shoppers reached the two levels comfortably by broad staircases. Upstairs, there were sections for dried and preserved sundry goods, groceries, freshly ground spices and chilli

In 1973, there was still greenery in one of the busiest parts of JB: between the central market and the bazaar next to the bus terminal and beyond, by the former Railway Station and the 15-storey flats

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Iskandarian Treasure Hunt 2016 Champion bags RM4,000

he Sports, Cultural & Recreation Club (SCRC) of Iskandar Investment Berhad (IIB) recently organised Iskandarian Treasure Hunt 2016. A total of 27 teams had signed up for the treasure hunt that started from IIB’s headquarters at Danga Bay and finished at EduCity Sports Complex. The ‘treasure hunters’ were flagged off by IIB’s President/Chief Executive Officer, Datuk Syed Mohamed Syed Ibrahim at 8.45 am and their first task was to identify a ‘mystery person’ in the ‘Who Am I?’ challenge. Upon identifying the

mystery person and completing his or her instructions, the groups were then allowed to jump on their wheels to race to the next checkpoint at the Mall of Medini. This tourist destination saw the treasure hunters put to test in solving complex puzzles and completing a physical challenge before they were permitted to race to the next checkpoint at Puteri Harbour. There, the teams were again put to task with some interesting challenges such as taking a Wefie with any of IIB’s top management personnel but each

Participants were flagged off from IIB’s headquarter at Danga Bay, Johor Bahru

Wefie came with a “price” as some teams were asked to perform a song, dance moves or even crack jokes, before being allowed to snap the precious Wefie with the selected top management personnel. The third and final checkpoint at EduCity Sports Complex witnessed the most stressful stage as the clock ticked closer to the finishing time of the treasure hunt and submission of the Sudoku and Crazy Buddies challenges were due. As soon as the treasure hunters had listed down a list of tasks, each team’s submission was then verified on the time it was handed in. This marked the end of their treasure hunt. While waiting for the results of the hunt, the teams were treated to lunch from a long line of food trucks serving varieties of food such as freshly prepared pasta, seafood BBQ, hot dogs, nachos, burgers, roast beef and more. Apart from food, participants, their supporters and families were also entertained by popular Johorian singing sensations such as Man Bai and Along Exist as well as the popular The Kodoks busker. CHSL team (‘Cari Harta Sambil Lepak’) won the first prize of RM4,000 and a medal each. The second runner up went to Noisy

The winner, ‘CHSL’, received their rewards from the President/Chief Executive Officer of IIB, Datuk Syed Mohamed Syed Ibrahim (third from left) and the Chief Operating Officer, Akmal Ahmad (second from right) Races, followed by Chempaka Ladies that earned themselves a lucrative RM3,000 and RM2,000 in cash respectively. Consolation prizes were presented to all remaining teams in the form of shopping vouchers amounting to RM400. Team ‘Chempaka Ladies’

won the best Wefie and went home with a hamper. Mohd Noor Mohd Salleh, the President of SCRC, was pleased with this year’s participation and looked forward to organising more events that promote bonding and harmony amongst IIB’s staff.

Some of the challenges that participants had to go through in the treasure hunt

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Renaissance’s ‘From Farm to Table’ Movement

enaissance Hotel Johor Bahru took a huge step by turning food waste into plant nutrients essential in their ‘From Farm to Table’ movement by co-operating with Feed Our Loved Ones (FOLO). “We have realised that a lot of diseases such as diabetes, kidney diseases, cancer and others are preventative and we decided to grow our own organic farm which have diverse source of nutrients. Exposing ourselves to microbes can improve our health,” said Chua Khi Sui, founder of FOLO. Since December 2015, approximately half a ton or 15 bins of the hotel’s food waste

Highlight

Would you indulge in a meal from your food waste? was collected every morning and transformed into compost by undergoing a biological decomposition process helped by microbes and micro-organisms under aerobic conditions, which are controlled and accelerated at a composting facility in a 6 acre farm at FOLO Ban Foo, Ulu Tiram. The decomposition process which can take up from 72 hours up to two months will then

produce fertilisers either in solid or liquid form for the 30 different vegetable crops planted at FOLO. It is said that Renaissance Hotel JB is the first hotel in town to join such movement and the 7-month old FOLO also has several partners working together including Brew Orchestra, La Strada, Shun Fa Bah Kut Teh, and a fishmonger in Permas. FOLO is currently run by

Educating Children on Creating a Greener Iskandar Malaysia (JPNJ), IMKIKO LLP (Malaysia), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Kyoto Environmental Activities Association (KEAA) and Kiko Network Japan, the programme was an adaptation of the same module used in Japan tailored to fit Iskandar Malaysia and is a continuation of IMELC v1 which was introduced back Representative of Jabatan Pendidikan Negeri Johor (JPNJ), in 2013. KIKO Network Japan, Japan International Cooperation The latest rendition Agency (JICA), Kyoto Environmental Activities Association however, introduces new (KEAA) with the students of SK Kompleks Uda presenting co m p o n e nt s s u c h a s about their good bacteria cultivation “Miracle tank” Preliminary Lesson, Practical 140 Year Four students of SK Kompleks Uda Workbook and Reflective Lesson where in were involved in the pilot programme of the first part; students were briefed with the Iskandar Malaysia Eco-Life Challenge v2 an interactive lesson related to global (IMELC v2) recently. The programme is part warming, greenhouse gases and recycling. of the “Low Carbon Society Blueprint for Students then proceed to complete the Iskandar Malaysia 2025,” an action plan for workbook provided during their free time the realisation of a low carbon society which and submitted them for marking. Reflective Lessons will be conducted is expected to become a model for creating after the books are marked and the students’ low carbon cities in Asian nations. The IMELC v2 was designed for level of knowledge and awareness will be primary four students and provided specific gauged. The 5 pilot schools selected for the environment education to reduce carbon gas emission. A collaborative effort from programme were SK Taman Cahaya Masai, Iskandar Regional Development Authority SJKC Masai, SJKC Pulai, SK Kompleks Uda (IRDA), Jabatan Pendidikan Negeri Johor and SK Kampung Sawah. - by Hakim Malik TI

Feed Our Loved Ones (FOLO) team celebrating 12 old folks from Quan Ying Old Folks House with a small event of nutritional lunch of organic vegetables at FOLO Organic Farm 6 families and has three farms located in Kempas, Ulu Tiram, and Kukup which can feed the

vegetable needs of 40 families with more on their waiting list. - by Maressa Esa TI

JPDC Celebrates Ramadan with Pengerang Folks

ohor Petroleum Development Corporation (JPDC) with Kota Tinggi District Office organised the ‘Ziarah Ramadan 2016’ at Bayu Perdana Mosque in Pengerang to celebrate Ramadan Al-Mubarak together with the residents of Pengerang, recently. A total of 20 people including the elderly and the handicapped (OKU) were invited to the annual programme. They received aid and donations in the form of daily necessities such as rice, cooking oil, sugar and flour. “Programmes like this are viewed positively by the residents of Pengerang, while extending assistance to the less fortunate. I congratulate JPDC and Kota Tinggi District Office on their initiative of organising the Ziarah Ramadan in Pengerang,” said Tuan Haji Muhammad Said Ismail, Penghulu Mukim Pantai Timur, Kota Tinggi.

(From Left): Mohd Yazid Ja’afar, Chief Executive JPDC presenting the contributions to the less fortunate, witnessed by YB Dato Dr Ir Syed Sis Syed Abdul Rahman, State Assemblyman for Tanjung Surat, Tuan Hj Ahmad Nazir Mohd Nasir, Kota Tinggi Land Administrator and Hamid Ali, Ketua Kampung, Kg. Teluk Empang Among the activities held on that day was a religious sermon, before breaking fast followed by a prayer session. A series of three Ziarah Ramadan 2016 will take place during the month of Ramadan at different mosques around Pengerang. “The annual JPDC Ziarah Ramadan programme is an initiative to strengthen the bond between JPDC staff

with the local community in Pengerang, where development of Pengerang I nte grate d Pe t rol e um Complex (PIPC) is actively developed,” said Mohd Yazid Jaafar, JPDC Chief Executive. Also present was Dato ‘Dr. Ir. Syed Sis Syed Abdul Rahman, State Assemblyman for Tanjung Surat and Haji Ahmad Nazir Mohd Nasir, Kota Tinggi Land Administrator. TI

Bringing Smiles to the Little Ones this Holy Month Causes

Hotel Granada’s Iftar Celebration with 123 children

amadan is known as the month of giving and in that spirit, Hotel Granada Johor Bahru organised its fourth annual Ramadan Celebration, and this year with 123 children from Shan De Charity Association Johor Bahru, Insani Darul Takzim Association and Johor Cerebral Palsy Association. In partnership with Causeway Link, the hotel also arranged transportation for the children to the celebration. Held at the hotel’s Olla Restaurant, the event saw the presence of several 501st Legion (Malaysian Outpost) members in full costume who surprised the children with goodie bags and colouring books. A team of 50 from the hotel’s management lineup were there entertaining and interacting with the children.

“It’s in our organisation’s DNA to help the less fortunate and orphans, regardless of race or religion as there is no discrimination when it comes to charity and helping the less fortunate,” said Stephen Teo, General Manager of Hotel Granada Johor Bahru. “We have contributed a significant amount towards this programme including the daily necessities they require, which we believe would be more meaningful and we hope that these can provide them a little better comfort in their daily lives,” he added. Apart from the Ramadan Buffet spread and goodie bags for the children, each of them were presented with a packet of ‘duit raya’. TI

Children from the Shan De Charity Association Johor Bahru striking a pose with the 501st Legion (Malaysian Outpost) at the event

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cond Bob Marleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s se ars! e remix after 17 y

+ Alice Through the Looking Glass +Ghostbusters+

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The Iskandarian | WAVES Lifestyle

editor’s O note

ur Muslim friends are in the final week of their fasting month before breaking for celebration come Hari Raya Puasa. It’s also the time where the different races convene at their Muslim friends’ home for a delicious meal and merry making. So, here’s to wishing everyone “Selamat Hari Raya” from The Iskandarian team. Love Bob Marley? Get your hands on “Is This Love” remix which is the only second remix cleared by the Bob Marley estate, and the first for 17 years! While many groups struggle to establish their musical identity, De FAM’s talent and popularity got a couple

Priya Manikam waves.lifestyle@gmail.com

of big Malaysian recording labels fighting their way through to sign record deals with these girls. These Malaysian born girls have recently collaborated with Brandon Beal on their latest single. We continue with our quick getaway to Bali, Indonesia, and this time we bring you more breathtaking views. If you’re tired of eating too much non vegetarian food, why not head downtown to J.H. Lovely Sweets for a pure vegetarian meal? Disney’s “Alice Through the Looking Glass” featuring an award-winning production team and an all-star ensemble cast will hit the big screens on 6th July and

MUSIC UPDATES

Universal Music Singapore

Malaysian Girl Group De FAM Collaborates with Brandon Beal on their Latest Single

he song “#SUPERGIRLS” has become the anthem for female empowerment from teenage girls to working moms, with over 2 million views on YouTube within the first 3 months of release. Sophia, Azira and Manggis, better known as De FAM, had recently won Best Breakthrough Artist and Song of The Year at the MET 10 Awards. Now for their second single “With You”, they have collaborated with Brandon Beal of “Twerk It Like Miley”, whose own single hit more than 97 million views. Born and bred in Kuala Lumpur, these proud ladies met for the first time in high school, where they were brought together through a mutual passion for dance. Azira said, “Our second single, “With You”, is about all our fans, family and friends who have been with us since the very beginning.”

“It is also about how our friendship has made us stronger,” added Manggis. “If we didn’t have each other through it all, it would have been very hard. We’re very blessed to have each other.” When asked about why the girls had chosen to collaborate with Brandon Beal, Sophia replied, “When we first heard the song “Twerk It Like Miley” we became fans. Then our label, Tune Studios, mentioned our collaboration with Universal Music Malaysia in bringing in Brandon Beal for our second single and we were absolutely ecstatic.” “When we got the opportunity to record with him, we immediately jumped on that boat and it was an amazing experience. We learned so much from just watching an artist of his international stature train and prepare his vocals during our recording. We were also fortunate enough to be given a great opportunity to shoot

alongside Brandon Beal in some of the most beautiful sceneries in our country, like the Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat in Ipoh and at the Semenyih Dam and Fish Valley, showcasing our country’s lush greenery,” added Sophia. De FAM stands out amongst the crowd with a clear vision of their image and musical direction. Before even releasing their debut single with Tune Studios, they’ve already caught the attention of the public with their first online cover of Iggy Azalea “Black Widow”, which spawned over half a million views in the first week alone on Fecebook. With the same video, they also garnered almost 100,000 views on De FAM’s YouTube page. Noticeably, their appearance on Caprice’s number one hit single ‘Xde Hal Bro’ lyric video, which accumulated around 2 million views, further cements their position as true contenders in the music industry.

Bob Marley feat LVNDSCAPE & Bolier - “IS THIS LOVE”

ob Marley feat LVNDSCAPE & Bolier’s ‘Is This Love’ is this summer’s ultimate party jam. Already on air and on sale from 10th June this is only the second remix ever cleared by the Bob Marley estate, and the first for 17 years. A joint release between Tuff Gong, Island Records, and Spinnin’, LVNDSCAPE & Bolier’s chilled house version of ‘Is This Love’ caught the ear of Bob’s son, Ziggy Marley, after Spinnin’ approached Tuff Gong with the duo’s mix last year. LVNDSCAPE and Bolier had previously collaborated together on ‘Ragga’ for the leading Dutch dance imprint. One of Bob Marley & The Wailers most well known, and best loved songs, ‘Is This Love’ was first released on the 1978 album, ‘Kaya’. Recorded at Islington’s Keskidee Arts Centre,

the original promo video featured a young Naomi Campbell. The summery, dancefloor ready vibe of LVNDSCAPE & Bolier’s production and Marley’s classic vocal, takes Bob’s music to a whole new generation. This release is accompanied with a beautifully shot music video filmed on location in Rio. LVNDSCAPE’s productions have attracted a lot of attention since his bootleg version of Ed Sheeran & Rudimental’s ‘Bloodstream’ reached 500,000 SoundCloud plays in less than a month, hitting the #2 spot on Hype Machine. He followed this with ‘Speeches’ ft. Joel Baker (over 1 million SoundCloud plays), and ‘Waterfalls’ ft. Nico Santos, a collaboration with Holland Park (1.24 million SoundCloud plays and 4.3 million Spotify streams). In April, LVNDSCAPE scored his biggest Beatport hit so far with ‘Rise Up’, his remake of the classic

alongside the original producer of the track, Yves Larock. Their version reached the #2 position on Beatport. Most recently he teamed up with the LA based trio Cheat Codes on their single ‘Fed Up’. Bolier has been making waves on the international electronic music scene for several years. ‘Summer’, his 2014 collaboration with Dutch duo Redondo, saw him morph his sound into the more organic, pop influenced deep house that has become his signature. Further Redondo collaborations - ‘Every Single Piece’ featuring US indie band She Keeps Bees, and ‘Lost & Found’ featuring Bitter’s Kiss – and ‘Forever And A Day’ (working with Natalie Peris), have seen him continue his rise to fame. His latest single ‘Sweet Love’, released early April 2016 through Spinnin’ Deep, now has over 3 million combined views on Youtube.

Sony Pictures Malaysia brings us back the allnew Ghostbusters on 14th July! As always, for those wishing to share their fashion collection, travel tales, or like us to review your restaurant/hotel for a staycation, drop me an e-mail at waves. lifestyle@gmail.com and be featured. For more news, do access www.theiskandarian. com. Until next time, enjoy the festivities.

Priya

JUL 2016 | Page 3

The Iskandarian | WAVES Lifestyle

Pain, the Greatest Teacher – Part 1

Rose Osman has intuitive skills in hacking potentials in human energy for success and healing. She coaches through One-toOne sessions, group sessions and via E-courses on Udemy.com.

yourpersonalmotivator BucketOfRoses www.roselifecoach.com

ur core Life consists of the body, mind and spirit. Each of these elements has a period of harmony and disharmony. When our elements are not in harmony, we will begin to feel pain. For example, when our body is not in harmony with the changing weather and environment, we fall ill. If our mind is not in harmony, we become mentally and emotionally unhealthy. If our spirit is not in harmony, we feel like we are lost in Life. Pain is designed to serve a purpose in our lives. But why some pain doesn’t heal? Pain vs Suffering Pain is inevitable, but suffering is a choice. Pain is a responding

process that happens beyond our control. It is not within our control as our body just knows what to do with the pain. Suffering is a different case. The pain we feel become a reaction process which we unconsciously choose to prolong. For example, when we feel back pain, it is the body responding to the pain. It is beyond our control. What causes the suffering is the reaction of complaining and negative judgement about the back pain. Any pain that comes with negative reaction takes longer time to heal. In some cases, the pain doesn’t transmute at all.

The Origin of Suffering We dislike pain but sometimes we also choose to prolong it. I call it the “Self-Sabotage Programme”, an inner conflict between resisting and longing. This programme is embedded in our subconscious mind and it runs unconsciously and subtly. But how did we get this programme in our system? Perhaps when we were a child, our experience with pain attracted attention. Therefore, we unconsciously use pain to connect with others. In the next issue, we will discover how this “self-sabotage programme” works and how to heal pain without causing any suffering.

An Energy Coach and A Personal Motivator. Rose Osman uses her knowledge and intuitive skills in energy to coach people to live a joyful life through her coaching programmes on personal & career growth, relationship, love and health.

MOVIES

Source: Disney Studios Motion Pictures Malaysia

Alice Through the Looking Glass Genre: Fantasy & Adventure Release date: 6th July 2016 Voice Cast: Alan Rickman, Stephen Fry, Michael Sheen, Timothy Spall, Matt Vogel, Barbara Windsor, Paul Whitehouse Directors: James Bobin Producer: Joe Roth, Suzanne Todd, p.g.a., and Jennifer Todd, p.g.a., Tim Burton

n Disney’s “Alice Through the Looking Glass,” Alice returns to the whimsical world of Underland to save her friend the Mad Hatter. Alice Kingsleigh (Wasikowska) has spent the past three years sailing the high seas. Upon her return to London, she comes across a magical looking glass and returns to the fantastical realm of Underland. Reuniting with her friends the White Rabbit, Absolem, the White Queen and the Cheshire Cat, Alice must save the Hatter and Underland itself, before time runs out.

Directed by James Bobin, who brings a unique vision to the spectacular world Tim Burton created on screen in “Alice in Wonderland,” the film reunites the all-star cast from the worldwide blockbuster phenomenon. We are also introduced to several new characters: Zanik Hightopp (Rhys Ifans), the Mad Hatter’s father and Time himself (Sacha Baron Cohen), a peculiar creature who is part human, part clock.

Source: Sony Pictures Malaysia

Ghostbusters

hirty years after the original film took the world by storm, Ghostbusters is back and fully rebooted for a new generation. Director Paul Feig combines all the paranormal fighting

elements that made the original franchise so beloved with a cast of new characters, played by the funniest actors working today. Get ready to watch them save the world this summer!

Genre: Comedy Release date: 14th July 2016 Cast: Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon Leslie Jones, Charles Dance, Michael Kenneth Williams and Chris Hemsworth Directors: Paul Feig Producer: Ivan Reitman, Amy Pascal

JUL 2016 | Page 4

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Beautiful Bali

Part Two Friendly people, delicious food, shopping paradise, wonderful beaches and lovely sights – Bali, Indonesia has it all

Tanah Lot – a pilgrimage site to pray to the Balinese sea gods By Priya Manikam waves.lifestyle@gmail.com Day Three The morning started off with a great breakfast service at the hotel. As usual our guide Nyoman was already there and without wasting any time, we started our journey towards the West and North to Tanah Lot, Ulun Danu and Ubud. Tanah Lot is located at the west coast of Bali. It’s a rock formation and a pilgrimage site to pray to the Balinese sea gods. The temple is one of the seven sea temples around

Breathtaking view of the Pura Ulun Danu

the Balinese coast. At the base of the rocky island, venomous sea snakes are believed to guard the temple from evil spirits and intruders. Tanah Lot is definitely a picturesque place dotted with many tourists. Entry fee is RP 30,000 (RM8.80) per adult. Outside the area, there are many shops selling beautiful wood carvings, clothes and souvenirs. Make sure you are good at bargaining to make your shopping experience worthwhile. We then travelled further on a mountainous trip to Ulun Danu. Upon reaching the place, the weather was cloudy making it nonetheless breathtaking. We instantly fell in love with this place as the temple complex is located on the shores of Lake Bratan in the mountains near Bedugul, making it look like a postcard. The temple here known as Pura Ulun Danu Bratan is home to a water temple. History states that the temple was built in 1663, and is used for offerings’ ceremony to the Balinese water, lake and river goddess. As we have travelled 1200m above

sea level, the climate here is cool and it would be wise to be appropriately dressed. Entry fee to Ulun Danu is also RP 30,000 per adult. Driving back downhill, we stopped at Ubud, a place which became popular after the movie “Eat, Pray, Love” starring Julia Roberts. Ubud is one of Bali’s major arts and culture centres and is frequented by many tourists. You will find various restaurants and shops selling intricate pieces of art. There are many interesting places to go to in Ubud but as we were travelling with our toddler, we decided to skip a few and ventured to the Ubud Market instead. This is Admire the view at Kuta Beach

Busy scene at the Ubud Market a double-storey row of stalls bursting at the seams with wood carvings, upholstery, batik shirts, souvenirs, fruits and knick knacks for the home. Once again, bring out your bargaining skills here as merchants tend to quote a really high price for their goods and are happy to settle with an agreeable amount. We found many beautiful things here and since my husband is good at bargaining, I got myself a lot of things at a steal deal! All the shopping made us hungry and I recommend making a pit stop at the famed Naughty Nuri’s Warung (Non-Halal). Day Four It was our final day in Bali and since we had a couple of hours before our flight, we decided to explore Kuta Square and its beach. Take a swim or surf at their beach and if that is not your scene, walk to Kuta Square which is a lively and busy street full of shops selling branded and non-branded clothes, bags, shoes and souvenirs. Finish your day by having a nice meal at one of the restaurants there. Finally, it was time to say goodbye to Bali and we boarded our flight home.

Calendar of Events JB, 1st – 2nd July Tarian Aidilfitri & Zapin - Sutera Mall

JB, 1st – 3rd July ‘Our IIBD, Our Future’ Exhibition @Komtar JBCC

JB, 1st – 5th July Bazaar Kuih Raya @Angsana JB Mall

Spore, 1st – 14th Aug The Great Singapore Sale

JB, 3rd – 9th July Ghazal, Live Band & Fashion Show @Angsana JB Mall

6th – 7th July Hari Raya Puasa (*TBC)

Spore, 9th - 10th July Chara Expo 2016 @Singapore Expo

Spore, 21st – 24th July S’pore International Jewellery Expo @Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre

Spore, 23rd – 31st July Singapore Garden Festival @ Gardens by the Bay

27th June – 31st August 1Malaysia Mega Sale Shopping Carnival

JB, 29th – 31st July Homedec 2016 @Persada Johor

Spore, 29th – 31st July Baby World Fair @Singapore Expo

Block your dates for this month! If you need more information on the above mentioned events, drop us an email at: waves.lifestyle@gmail.com

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The Art of Giving: Getting Involved in Charity

Dr. Haliza Zurah Dr. Haliza Zurah is a medical doctor with 8 years of experience. She hopes to assist working mothers to balance work, life and emotions. As a representative of JEIWA (Johor Empowerment of Intellectual Women Association), she will cover crucial issues involving working mothers and matters relating to women’s rights, education and more

hat is the meaning of life? The person asking this question is likely to feel empty with life that may seem meaningless. This irrational feeling can be dismissed while searching for value in life and inner peace by doing charity. As Mahatma Gandhi once said “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” Anuradha Koirala is a social activist from Nepal who started an organisation called Maiti Nepal which is a shelter for women

who are victims of human trafficking. Before receiving many awards for her contribution to the society, Anuradha started humble. She spared $100 from her monthly salary to support her cause – assisting young women from human trafficking. Anuradha has a past full of sorrow. She was married at a young age but suffered domestic abuse which led her to miscarry three times. There was no safe place or the right authority for her at the time. But as a child, her family promoted the belief that helping those less fortunate was pious work. Despite her misery, she was motivated in helping others. Today, after 20 years of running and rescuing more than 12,000 young girls and women, Maiti Nepal is recognised worldwide and her movement inspired many others. When people are involved in charity, they can be categorised into three broad categories. First category is purely altruistic where they are aware of the benefit to the society when the charity is done. Next group is the “impurely” altruistic when they feel good knowing that the contribution is valuable to the society. The not-at-allaltruistic group is to show off their wealth. Charitable acts can be small and getting involved in charity works can create unique and exciting opportunities. It can make resumes appear more appealing for job applications too. Some people create good social network through charity works as it’s a great way to network and meet like-

minded people. For certain companies, charity work allows tax refund. Most religions preach on being kind to others as pious acts. Early exposure to volunteerism will create a generation with healthy psychology and behaviour. Behavioural scientists proved that ‘very happy’ people volunteer an average of 5.8 hours each month. In contrary, those who are unhappy volunteer only for 0.6 hours. Another study showed that Americans who donate more than 10% of their incomes have lower risk of depression. For people who are clueless and need direction in getting involved in any charity may approach NGOs and associations that are available in Malaysia. Many of these associations have different missions and specific objectives. Those who are interested to help homeless people, Kechara Soup Kitchen is an NGO that provides food to the homeless on the streets and urban poor. Make-A-Wish Malaysia is an internationally established organisation that grants wishes of children undergoing treatment for critical illnesses e.g. cancer. Another NGO involved with children

but of a different goal is Protect and Save The Children. Its mission is to build safer communities where children are protected from sexual abuse and exploitation. Most recent NGO for women’s development is JEiWA (Johor Empowering Intellectual Women Association). It assists professional women to rebuild new lives after escaping abusive or bad marriages. Though professional women are perceived as financially independent, many are not aware that these women are burdened with debts caused by their spouses. JEiWA focuses on this group because of neglect by the available authorities. One of JEiWA’s initiatives is to have a one stop centre for charity in a form of a shop called JEiWA Charity Boutique which was launched on 24th June 2016 selling items donated by the public. This project was initiated and led by head of JEiWAcare and JEiWA Junior Division, Valerie Lim Hong Sing. “We hope to create opportunities for the public to make contribution and they can shop while doing charity. It’s like shopping for your soul,” said Valerie. The donation will be distributed to women in need and in crisis. Motivation is the inside job to continue passion in doing charity. Let the smiles of the poor, laughter of the children and lifted burden of abused women be the motivation for us. No contribution is too small because any form of charity will be richly rewarded. I quote Winston Churchill - “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give”. TI

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Children Working towards World Peace and Equality Highlight

Fairview‘s Primary Years Programme takes learning outside of the classroom

t’s never too early to start the process of being a global citizen and Fairview International School had its Grade 6 students thinking about world issues early. After an intensive six-week journey involving research, guided classes, a Singapore expedition and more, the Primary Years Programme (PYP) Grade 6 students were ready to present their findings at the PYP Grade 6 Exhibition. Around 30 Grade 6 students of the (PYP) at Fairview International School Johor Bahru participated in the exhibition which happened simultaneously across all four Fairview IB World Schools. With ‘Sharing the Planet’ being the transdisciplinary theme this year, the students shared a central belief that an equitable distribution of resources and peaceful human relationship leads to a better quality of life. The teams consisting of four

to five members focused on discussing six topics on unequal distribution of human rights, unemployment, One of the groups posing with their awareness poster at the d i s r u p t e d PYP Exhibition h u m a n relationship, unequal education the presentation adding that they will opportunities, poverty and food soon proceed with donating their used books to an orphanage. wastage. “The students came up with Several booths were set-up to showcase the teams’ findings and the solutions themselves through solutions regarding their topic. During discussions and debates, guided by the event, students presented their their mentors,” said Odaia Bacla ancase to parents and visitors, confidently Ranido, the deputy principal. The school also organised an making their argument heard. “Free education will solve the Open Day on the same day, where lack of education problem throughout visitors got more first-hand information the world and the whole world must about the facilities, teaching staff and work together towards that,” summed the International Baccalaureate (IB) Ka Xuan, one of the sixth grader after Programme. TI

Local and International Students master English at the International English Camp 2016 Excellence

SK IJ Convent JB organised an English camp for local SBT and international students

n an effort to further strengthen the use of English language in the state, an English Camp was organised by SK IJ Convent, Johor Bahru, University Technology Malaysia (UTM) and the Johor Bahru District Education Office (PPDJB). The International English Camp 2016 was held in UTM Skudai, involving 214 students aged 10 to 12 years from 25 schools, both local and abroad. The two days one night camp developed a platform for talented and independent students to master English, and instill good relationships between the High Performing Schools (SBT) and schools abroad. Among the SBT that participated in the camp were SK Assunta Kuantan, SK (P) Sultan Ibrahim Johor Bahru, SK Seri Indera Perlis, SK Marian Convent Ipoh, SK ST. Thomas and SK King George Seremban. International participants were from Sekolah Kalissta, SD IT Ulil Albab, SD Muhammadiyah Plus Batam from Indonesia and Woodland Ring Primary from Singapore.

“With the involvement of schools from abroad, it helped develop crosscultural knowledge and promote multi-racial experience among the participants,” said Maselah Mohd Tahir, Headmistress of SKIJ Convent Johor Bahru adding that the camp is a perfect instrument to integrate and strengthen bonds among the participants from Malaysia and abroad. The students were tested on their creativity and teamwork with the flag making and cheer leading competition, while Scavenger hunt and Drama required a lot of language skills in solving riddles and performing on stage. “I really enjoyed the Scavenger hunt since it was fun and required us to have good teamwork in solving hints to find the hidden items,” said Arief Hazeem, 12 of SK St. Thomas, Kuantan. Also there to officiate the closing ceremony was Dr. Abdul Halim b. Abdul Raof, Dean of Language Academy, UTM Skudai.-by Hakim Malik TI

Dr. Abdul Halim b. Abdul Raof, Dean of Language Academy, UTM Skudai officiating the closing ceremony overlooked by Maselah Mohd. Tahir, Headmistress of SKIJ Convent Johor Bahru

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PTP holds Annual UPSR talk for Gelang Patah Students

ort of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP), Malaysia’s biggest single port operator and a subsidiary owned by MMC Corporation Berhad (MMC) recently organised a one day UPSR Motivational Talk for a total of 130 participants from 13 primary schools within Gelang Patah area. Held at Gelang Patah Multi-Purpose Hall, the motivational talk is a collaboration between PTP and Johor Bahru Educational Department to equip the Year 6 students with learning techniques and to improve their performance in the examination and motivate them to be mentally prepared for their big day. The annual programme is organised as part of PTP’s CSR initiatives to alleviate the level of education of the local students. The talk was conducted by Dr. Haji Tengku Asmadi bin Tengku Mohamad, a famous motivation speaker specialising in learning techniques. Possessing years of experience in motivating people from all walks of life, the speaker delivered an inspiring talk to the candidates and guided the participants on

effective ways to study and how positive thinking can lead to good academic achievements. PTP’s Interim Chief Executive Officer, Steven Yoogalingam said “PTP 2016 UPSR Motivational Talk is a programme that integrates studying techniques and motivation activities as a tool to prepare the students for the upcoming UPSR. It was also tailor-made to encourage the students to learn the effective ways to score while developing the positive values on importance of teamwork, time management, determination and commitment towards themselves and their future”. Rodyisnansyah Julaihi, Johor Bahru Education Officer said, “This programme is a good initiative that should be lauded and followed by other corporate companies. Organising such programme will help our students to improve their motivation and selfconfidence before they sit for their big exam. The schools in Gelang Patah are very lucky to have an organisation like PTP to organise various educational programmes for the local students.”

Students paying attention to the speaker during the UPSR talk Suhaila Binti Rashidi, a participant from SK Morni Pok said “I am very grateful to participate in this programme. The speaker shared many insights on various study skills and also gave motivations to us to be better students”. PTP places great importance in the

socio-economic development and well-being of the community within the port‘s vicinity. Various initiatives are already in the pipeline for other education-related CSR programmes this year including educational trip to local universities, distribution of schooling aid, PTP educational tour and many others. TI

From One Parent To Another: Learning for a Future, not a Past “Fireman? OK let’s go with the fireman outfit.” My son agrees with a big toothy grin.

t struck me that choosing a costume for my 1-year-old was going to be much easier than educating him for a future. Will firemen still exist then? How about doctors? Should I prepare him for a professional or vocational career? At the rate the world is changing, I cannot anticipate a future 5 years from now, let alone 20 years into the future. So how should we prepare our children for a world we cannot predict? Here is where conventional wisdom must be challenged; cramming our children with facts, preparing them for professions we assume will guarantee employment will only prepare them to survive in our past. Today many doctors refer to online websites for medical advice and accountants depend on software to manage their books. Our children’s future, will be incredibly different. The ideal futuristic educational package is widely debated and complicated, but I will discuss two areas at the heart of many parents and how the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme at Fairview International Schools achieve them. Firstly, our children must possess a vast array of skills, a toolbox for life so they will always have options. Sadly, skills development programmes are often incomplete; skills are often learnt as a byproduct of another lesson or limited to a

set of “core” skills. In the IB programmes taught at Fairview International Schools, a comprehensive set of skills ranging from thinking, social, communication, self management, research, leadership and affective skills have been carefully mapped to every class so that these abilities are taught both explicitly in workshops and implicitly during subject lessons. Secondly, our children must grow to be internationally minded global

citizens who are able to recognise their responsibility towards our world and act with integrity to create a more peaceful and harmonious future. The building of ethically minded individuals cannot be accomplished with weekly moral classes or fragmented campaigns that remind us to behave well only to be ignored as soon as we leave the room. The IB programmes are guided by a set of 10 Learner Profiles, teaching students to be “open-minded” and “principled”. They are

meaningfully woven into the fabric of each class so that the concept of poverty for example is taught in the same lesson as being “reflective” or the concept of gene mutation can be taught alongside the learner profile “caring”, so that students act with empathy, compassion and respect. An IB class is unique. Where most educational systems teach knowledge, skills and values in 3 separate classes, an IB class intentionally, systematically and skillfully fuses the three so that learning, skills development and character growth happen together in a meaningful way. The answer to our children’s future lies not in our ability to teach our children what to think but why and how to think. Dr Vincent Chian is currently the IB Diploma Director of Fairview International School. A former medical doctor working in psychiatry he now spends his time championing emotional and effective development in education. This article is the second of a 6-part series. Fairview International School currently has 4 IB World Schools across Malaysia; KL, Subang, JB and Penang. Fairview Ipoh will be an international school, with enrollment open for August 2014. For more information, call 05 313 6888 or email to enquiries_ipoh@fairview. edu.my.

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Accumulating Wealth Tips & Tricks

Opportunities for the Prepared– Part Four

Tey Bin Yuen Binyuen is the founder of BY Enrich Resources and the author of ‘Life beyond the Comfort Zone’. He’ll be conducting a mini workshop ‘Gaining Financial Independence through Share Investment’ on 10th July 2016. Collect this article to exchange a ticket worth RM20 for FREE. Reach his team at contact@ teybinyuen.com

hile the ‘sell in May and go away’ adage has haunted the regional markets in May, the US stock market showed resilience to stay above the MA200 support level, as a sign of bullishness. However in June, the market has found fresh news to get ‘excited’, which is ‘Britain leaving the EU, or the so-called Brexit, which had caused jitters to the world’s stock market and currencies fluctuation. I expect the market sentiment to be weak due to Brexit’s voting date on 23rd June 2016. In the US, the poor non-farm payroll figures released on 3rd June has caught the market by a big surprise, indicating the US Reserve Bank will not raise interest rate in the near term. To make things more complicated, Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen said the upcoming U.K. vote on whether to stay or leave the EU would influence the decision to keep interest rates low for the near future. Domestically, all companies’ Q1 results have been released, and most companies’ earnings were below expectation. The

disappointing figures have generally followed by the slide of their share prices. With so much ‘noise’ going on domestically and globally, it would be interesting to look at our portfolio’s performance. As at 16th June, we’ve gained RM38,250 or 29% return since 15th November 2015. Compared to Composite Index, which is -2.5% over the same period, thanks to the two star performers Airasia and JHM, where their share prices appreciated proportionately with their impressive earnings. JHM Both JHM’s revenue and profit have increased year-on-year (yoy) and quarter-on-quarter (qoq), with Q1 revenue of 45.6 million and net profit of 2.75 million, or earning per share of 2.2 cents. This is the best quarter ever for JHM in terms of its revenue and earnings. According to an article published by The Edge Daily on 27th May 2016, Managing Director Datuk Tan King Seng said JHM is aimed to migrate to main board by 2018. Besides, he mentioned the company’s automotive LED segment, which contributes 80% to the group’s revenue, with an unbilled sales order forecast of RM180 million for FY16. If we assume the billed sales order to be a conservative RM20 million, the turnover for FY16 would easily surpass RM200 million. Based on the company’s profit margin of 5%, it’d translate to net profit of RM10 million, or earnings per share (eps) of 8 cents for this year. But what’s more promising is that JHM is penetrating into the aerospace market

Disclaimer: The companies mentioned above and in this article are meant for study purpose only. It doesn’t constitute any ‘buy’ or ‘sell’ recommendation. Please consult your financial professional if you want to make any decision.

by producing interior lighting for commercial aircraft, and the group expects the aerospace and automotive lighting segments to contribute 50:50 ratio to its revenue within three years. Sold FFHB and kept cash Due to FFHB’s Q1 result being below expectation and lack of earning visibility, we sold 30000 shares of FFHB at 0.93, giving us the proceeds of RM27,900. Dividend received We also received dividends from a few

companies: ECS (3 cents), Hevea (1 cent), Airasia (4 cents). Total dividends received were RM1400. Together with the cash left previously plus the sales of FFHB of RM27,900, our cash level has increased to RM35,750. Conclusion As you can see, not all companies will suffer during tough times. JHM and Airasia are two good examples of the exception. If we can spot good companies and do our due diligence to study them, it’s still possible to gain decent return. TI

Adam’s Financial Journey In the Adam Series, we explain how financial planning is being applied in our day to day life as we journey through different stages and challenges

Saving for Children’s Education

ne of the happiest moments of their lives was finally realised with the arrival of their first-born child. Adam and Aida are now the proud parents of healthy little baby Alisa. In this issue, we’ll be looking at another important planning issue for most parents or parents-tobe: their children’s education funding. Adam and Aida had to make quite a lot of adjustments, especially in the first two weeks. Their nights turned into days and their days turned into nights. They were also told of the dos and don’ts of childcare from their parents and were given “handson training”. Adam had to learn not only to change the diapers but to also fold them. He also needed to help Aida wash and sterilise the milk bottles and bathe little Alisa. It was physically exhausting but whenever he gazed into the eyes of his daughter, the exhaustion just dissipated. With a new bundle of joy, Adam took the opportunity to review his family budget. He felt that he should start saving for his little daughter’s education as soon as possible but needed to find out how much to set aside. So, he began updating some figures.

With the revised budget, it looks like he has about RM1,000 per month that he can save for his daughter’s education. Besides having opened the normal children’s savings account in the bank, Adam wanted to start Alisa off on an insurance programme as soon as possible because the premiums are cheaper. So, he got her covered for life and medical insurance with some savings element for a total premium of RM200 per month. He also made an initial investment of RM1,000 in a unit trust fund and committed a further RM200 per month into a regular investment plan of the same fund. He estimated that if he can consistently get a return of 8% p.a. over the next 18 years, he should have accumulated about RM100,000 for her education fund. In addition, he will be putting another RM200 per month into the Amanah Saham Bumiputera (ASB) which should give him another RM100,000. Apart from the above, he also learned about the Skim Simpanan Pendidikan Nasional (SSPN) which we will discuss more in the next issue. To be continued. TI

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Pure vegetarian Punjabi cuisine J. H. Lovely Sweets [Pure Vegetarian] at 418-5, Jalan Trus, Johor Bahru Open daily 10am to 10pm Tel : 016 - 7950798 Our resident writer Peggy Loh goes scouting for scrumptious food all over Johor Bahru. Reach her for a review at write2peggyloh@gmail.com

Bahru to cook for temple events here and in Butterworth and Labuan. His food was so impressive that he was even invited to cater for a private event in Langkawi. As his sweets and vegetarian cuisine became increasingly popular, Goldy decided to start a small café. Today his café for pure vegetarian cuisine is a popular stopover for temple devotees, regulars, shoppers and even tourists.

Façade of J H Lovely Sweets at Jalan Trus, where Goldy [Standing Right] serves customers at his sidewalk cafe

atisfy your hankering for traditional Indian sweets with a range of homemade sweets at J. H. Lovely Sweets. This sweet journey started more than 10 years ago when Parveen Kumar Paal Singh better known as Goldy, came to Johor

Popular sweets [Clockwise] Jelebi, original Laddu, Motichoor Laddu, Chocolate Barfi, plain Barfi, Almond Barfi and Pistachio Barfi, Kaju Barfi; [Far Left] A serving of Gulab Jamun

Pani Puri, tiny puffed pancakes filled with chopped potatoes and condiments “Deepavali is one of our busiest seasons for sweets,” said Goldy, who takes orders for special occasions like weddings. Besides running his café, he is kept busy with private catering orders which he does for a minimum of 10 guests. His kitchen team is adept in preparing takeaways for regulars, while serving at the cafe. At Tiffin time; the Indian habit of an afternoon light meal, their tiny work space is abuzz with activity. Meanwhile customers drop by to pick their favourite choices of sweets from the display counter. Goldy said there are no shortcuts to making soft and fluffy chapattis. He explained that plain unleavened flatbread is known as chapatti while the stuffed version is called paratha. Start with an appetizer of “Pani Puri” served in a set of six bite-size puri discs with

Chapatti with vegetable side dishes of ladies fingers [Top] and bitter gourd their tops cracked and hollow insides filled with chopped potatoes and coriander leaves. Then squirt a drop of two types of sauces – sweet and mint – into the discs before the whole disc is popped into your mouth to experience an amazing burst of flavours! Then snack on giant Samosa with Masala Tea or chilled Mango Lassi. Savour freshly made chapattis with vegetable side dishes like ladies fingers and bitter gourd. Or pick from stuffed chapatti choices like Yoghurt & Cauliflower Paratha, Ladies Fingers & Cheese Paratha and Cauliflower & Potato Paratha. Then end your meal sweetly with Gulab Jamun, Jelebi, original Laddu, Motichoor Laddu, Chocolate Barfi, plain Barfi, Almond Barfi, Pistachio Barfi and Kaju Barfi. TI

Bringing Joy and Cheer to the Needy Causes

Pulai Springs Resort lends a helping hand to 15 needy families this Ramadan

15 Asnaf or underprivileged children from SK Kangkar Pulai were given a special Ramadan treat courtesy of Pulai Springs Resort. The children aged between seven and twelve years old were brought to the resort accompanied by their guardian, family members and eight teachers to breakfast and receive goodie bags for their Raya

preparation. “Our team believes in the spirit of sharing and caring especially during the festive occasions when these underprivileged children need more love and attention,” said Pulai Springs Resort General Manager, Sunny Soo. After the iftar, the children received ‘duit raya’, a goodie bag filled with story books, stationeries, tidbits and a RM100 AEON voucher each, while all 15 families received a ‘care pack’ containing rice, flour, sugar, coffee powder and other essential groceries to ease their burden in preparation for the Sunny Soo giving out ‘duit raya’ to one of the Asnaf children of SK Kangkar upcoming Raya Pulai celebrations.

The Asnaf children from SK Kangkar Pulai with the staff of Pulai Springs Resort were treated for a joyous iftar

“Thank you to the resort for inviting us and we can see that the smiles from their faces as they are indescribably excited and blessed

to be selected and invited to celebrate iftar here,” said Headmistress of SK Kangkar Pulai, Rohani Shamsudin. - by Maressa Esa TI

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Time Together Family Photo Contest Celebrates First Champions Interest

Kim family walked away with the grand prize of RM15,000 cash and RM10,000 AirAsia flight vouchers

he inaugural ‘Puteri Harbour Time Together Family Photo Contest’ came to an end after crowning the Kim family as one of the grand prize winners. Launched in April, the contest inspired families to spend time together and was conducted in two stages. The preliminary stage required families to upload a photo on social media with a caption that reflected what ‘time together’ meant to them. More than 300 entries from Malaysia and Singapore were received. In the final stage however, the top two families had to produce a travel diary of their sponsored weekend getaway at Puteri Harbour. Malaysia was represented by the Kim family, while the Ter family represented Singapore. Both families used the time to create the travel diary complete with pictures and a 90-second video depicting their time together. “Being a premier lifestyle destination in Malaysia, we truly believe Puteri Harbour is a haven for families. A by-product of this is quality time amongst family and loved ones, which we sought to promote and hope to have achieved through this contest,” said Philip Whittaker, Chief Marketing Officer of Themed Attractions Resorts & Hotels Sdn. Bhd.

* Image is for illustration only

The Kim and the Ter family posing with Philip Whittaker, Chief Marketing Officer of Themed Attractions Resorts & Hotels Sdn. Bhd along with officials from the attractions and cast of ‘Wizard of Oz’ Hello Kitty Town

The grand prize winner walked away with RM15,000 cash, RM10,000 in AirAsia flight vouchers and an assortment of goodies from LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort and Puteri Harbour’s various retail, accommodation and attraction facilities. “When my family and I were announced as the winners of the contest, it was such a good feeling I can’t describe. We are very proud of ourselves as everyone had contributed towards this winning path.” commented Kim Chong Keat, father of the winning family. TI

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PROPERT Y INSIGHT

PROPERTY

RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS

APARTMENTS

VILLAS

CONDOMINIUMS

OFFICE/ RETAILSPACE

Cover: UEM Sunrise delivering affordable homes in Iskandar Puteri ‘Rumah Mampu Milik Johor’ (RMMJ), Medium Cost Shops (KKS) and Johor Community Homes (PKJ) were handed over in UEM’s Bayu Nusantara development

Capital City Property Sdn Bhd crowned winners of the Capital 21 World Design Competition

pg 30

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Design Capital 21 Competition Winners Announced

apital City Property Sdn Bhd crowned winners of the World Design Competition Capital 21 for their upcoming integrated mall Capital 21 at Jalan Tampoi. The mall which is scheduled to be completed by 2018 by 2018 comprises six storey retail podiums with an entertainment hub adopting a conceptual design with the theme of the world’s famous capital cities from five continents namely America, Europe, Australia, Asia, and Middle East. “It is an exciting event as Capital 21 brings the world to Johor Bahru and from Johor Bahru to the world as well. Nowadays shopping experience is all about expression, not about the design but it is also about content and how engaging the designs can be towards your lifestyle,” said Elim Chew, one of the jury of the competition. Sarawoot Jansaeng-Aram from Thailand was crowned Winner for his design of the Upper Ground Floor that adopts characteristics and identity of America, Jonus Ademovic (USA) champions for the First Floor with Europe concept, Albert Yu from Philippines won for the Second Floor with Australia characteristics, Malaysian born Tan Chee Khoon topped

Siow Chien Fu, Executive Director of Capital City Property Sdn Bhd (fourth from left) together with jurors of World Design Competition Capital 21 astounding design for Fourth Floor comprising Asia identity, and Tolga Sarigul from Turkey excelled Fourth Floor with Middle East designs. All winners brought back home US$10,000 each for their interactive designs of

each floors aiming to create a place of wonder with retails as the key focus where the interior brings to life the unique cultural and lifestyle characteristic that symbolises key capital cities around the world. - by Maressa Esa TI

Real Life Case Studies Opinion

SEWEurodrive to open in Johor As a world leader in drive technology and a pioneer in drive-based automation, SEW Eurodrive introduced the gearmotor in 1931. The German based company which is the makers of motor gear is all set to open its biggest factory in Taman Perindustrian Frontier (Frontier 2) at Ulu Tiram, Johor, according to its developer WB Land Sdn Bhd (WB Land). WB Land Managing Director, Wong Yen Yap said SEW-Eurodrive is one of its clients for the twin-factory units developed by WB Land. Wo n g s a i d S E W Eurodrive will be able to supply more motor gear to the various sectors with a manufac turing facility in Frontier 2 including developing another roller coaster ride for LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort.

The Stock Market – Part Two

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

The Stock Market – Part Two Jack called and wanted to continue our previous conversation on stock market investing. One of the important factors that I take into consideration is shareholder composition. For companies that are in growth phase and have medium sized market capitalisation, I expect to see high management ownership. Companies that have the CEO and/or board members with ownership up to a third of shareholding shows vested interest in the financial prosperity of the company as their personal and professional lives are intertwined. The failure of the company also spells doom in their personal lives. To me, that serves as insurance where management will endeavour to bring the company to greater financial heights. For companies that are highly capitalised, I look for institutional shareholders such as

Quick Reads

PNB, EPF, insurance companies and fund managers as key investors. Their participation lends credibility that these companies have some degree of financial check and balance as well corporate accountability. The risk of failure is reduced as these investors themselves would have done their research independently prior to coming on board. Another i nve s t m e n t criterion that I usually consider is the industry in which the company operates in. Generally, I like the Financial, Services, Plantation and Property sector. As for Industrial, I typically avoid those that require heavy capital investment on a frequent basis. Some Industrial shares however, are very attractive due to infrequent capital outlay. An example would be brewery and beverage based shares. These companies only need to replace

machinery occasionally; resulting in high cash retention which can be used to pay dividends or even share buy-backs. I usually shy away from Technology and Transportation based companies. The speed in which the Electronic industry evolves tends to force management to invest heavily into Research and Development, which can put a strain on cash flow. Similarly, Transportation based shares tend to be at the mercy of volatile fuel prices and price competition. This is often seen in the aviation industry where price wars are a common occurrence. As such, the financial performances of these companies tend to be erratic and heavily influenced by factors that are beyond one’s control. Stock Market vs Properties One needs to decide upfront whether a steady stream of income is desired or is the capital appreciation is what you are after. For income, go for companies that have steady cash flow, low capital expenditure and strong market share. In property, that would be akin to buying units at matured housing schemes where prices tend to be high but provide

consistent rental. For capital appreciation, growing companies should be targeted because these companies usually allocate large proportions of profits into re-investment, pay little or no dividends at all and demonstrates above average profit growth. For properties, it’s investing in new townships and early investors are rewarded with low entry prices. The gain will occur when prices appreciate due to increased population and subsequent launches by the developer. Personally, I tend to have a portfolio that mainly comprise of companies that pay stable dividends. But, a small portion of the portfolio is allocated to riskier industries that demonstrate strong growth over the last few years. In the event where my choice of growth based companies didn’t turn out well, the dividends from matured companies provide a safety cushion to reduce the impact of any capital impairment. By the end of our meeting, Jack realised that stock market investing is a balance between art and science. While fundamentals are important when making quantitative decisions, qualitative aspects play an important part too. TI

Mah Sing to Strengthen Position Mah Sing Group Bhd is currently in discussions with the government as well as various private land owners to further strengthen its position in the mass affordable housing segment. Its Group Managing Director, Tan Sri Leong Hoy Kum said the way forward for the group is in the mass affordable market. “We are currently exploring land acquisition and joint venture (JV) opportunities with both the government and private land owners,” he said. Based on Mah Sing’s exciting stellar record; it is likely that something concrete will be announced soon. The group has existing 46 development projects, of which 35 are still ongoing. In terms of land acquisition, the group is still very much interested in Greater Kuala Lumpur, Klang Valley, Iskandar Malaysia and mainland Penang. “We currently have 2,522 hectares of existing land bank, which will keep us busy for next nine years or so,” said Leong.

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Property Investment The Lure of Iskandar Malaysia Property Investment Continues

Opinion

Ed Cheong Ed 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 worldclass investment strategies. He is contactable at iskandar@rafflesland.com

here has been many property related news and rules reported this month around the world. First, in Singapore, property purchases picked up over 45% in the month of May. Although rental yields continue to remain stagnant, new home owners are going back into the market. Developers have responded to the dead beat market with brave discounts. The government has also relaxed car loans’ rules that spur the slowing motorcar market. This is possible as the overall market price level has seen consecutive declines. Over in Australia, as property prices continue to hold, the government’s new rules include requiring property sales of value more than $2 million (AUD) be declared. Foreign sellers will be taxed 10% of their sales proceed and buyers to pay between 3 to 4% additional tax for foreigners’ purchases.

With the Brexit vote on 23rd June (a referendum on whether Britain will remain in the European Union), the United Kingdom’s market sentiment has been very negative. Investors have all but stayed on the sidelines. London, the traditional property investment market, is mulling over new rules to stop property speculation with the election of the popular new mayor, Sadiq Khan. Here, I project the Malaysian property market languor to continue into the remaining of 2016. Although commodity prices have remain stable and even rebounded a little, there is constant volatility in the Ringgit. External conditions remain down with slow Chinese e c o n o m i c reforms taking its toll on domestic growth. There is really no reason for developers any where to celebrate in these tough and dark times. However, I believe that the growth region of Iskandar Malaysia will continue to shine with

new investments and infrastructures coming into fruition. In the coming bilateral leaders’ retreat of Malaysia and Singapore soon, I expect positive announcements on the High-Speed Rail (HSR) and Rail Transit Systems to materialise. UEM Sunrise’s new project in Gerbang Nusajaya has been doing relatively well as it’s near the speculated future HSR station in Iskandar Puteri. Many Singaporeans continue to visit Johor as a second home. The causeway jams are expected to be further reduced with the pending implementation of the Vehicle Entry Permit in Malaysia for foreign cars. Although this will have a negative impact on arrival figures, it will seriously reduce the heavy traffic for regular users. All in all, despite a very negative global investment environment, I see hope in the Iskandar Malaysia region. Johorians will reap the benefits of new jobs created by new mega projects. Standard of living will improve as more jobs created are of high value and this bodes well for all Iskandarians! TI

The gift of a new home Opinion

UEM Sunrise delivers 351 units of affordable homes to the community

EM Sunrise achieved another m i l e s to n e i n i t s o n g o i n g commitment in delivering affordable homes in Iskandar Puteri with the completion and handover of several ‘Rumah Mampu Milik Johor’ (RMMJ), Medium Cost Shops (KKS) and Johor Community Homes (PKJ) in their Bayu Nusantara development. The leading developer also presented eligible purchasers with title certificates for the company’s newest affordable housing

project known as Denai Nusantara. Menteri Besar Johor Dato’ Khaled Nordin said the effort is a noble and admirable cause as the project is not just for profit, adding that it is a contribution to the society than a project requested at the behest of the state government. “This is because only with a community that has a strong foundation and comfortable lives will our economy grow and the business and construction sectors will

The homes were delivered just in time for the Ramadan and Aidilfitri celebrations.

Menteri Besar Johor Dato’ Khaled Nordin during the launch ceremony.

improve,” said Khaled during the handover ceremony. Also present was UEM Sunrise Berhad Chairman Tan Sir Dr. Ahmad Tajuddin Ali, Chairman of Johor’s Housing and Local Government Committee Datuk Haji Abdul Latif Bandi, Johor State Secretary Dato’ Haji Ismail Karim and Chief Executive of IRDA Datuk Ismail Ibrahim. “Assume this as a long term investment. In fact, this is actually a translation of the concept of ‘Muafakat Johor’ where we not only live in harmony, peace and mutual respect,” said the MB. The Bayu Nusantara project includes 241 lots of RMMJ, 80 units of Community

Homes (PKJ) and 30 medium cost shop lots (KSS). Khaled added that the government was aware and acknowledged the fact that the provision of low cost housing and affordable homes does not promise big profits to developers. “But we still want the developers and the private sector to help as much as possible. This is because if the profit is still a top priority, surely more housing projects would target expensive homes and high income earners alone. This will thwart our desire to provide more affordable homes,” concluded Khaled. - by Amin Khairuddin & Hakim Malik TI

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Propernomy by Dr Daniele Opinion

Dr. Daniele Gambero REI Group

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

Rule 5 – Look for “scarcity” If you like to be a “smart investor” you should look for something that nobody else is having in terms of design, size, type or features. Why this rule? For a very simple reason: imagine you are buying a residential apartment in a development which offers 1,000 units in two sizes, 800 sq. ft. and 1,300 sq.ft. where the smallest one makes up 85% of the total number of dwellings. If you buy the 800 sq.ft. apartment,

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Golden Rules for Profitable Property Investment – Part Three for sure you will pay less but, once the project is delivered you will have a much higher competition in terms of sale and rental, isn’t it? Now in the Southern Corridor, a property investor can find a wide range of choices from serviced apartment with a density that even pigeons will consider it far too high to condominiums with low density and nice offering of features from landed properties with built-up sizes worthy of a manor to more “human being” sized ones! As a smart investor, you do your homework or due diligence and check out all the projects there looking for the “scarcity factor”. That will be the one giving you the extra bonus which in future will make your property more appealing compared to others and allow you to get faster tenant or faster sale. Rule 6 – Malaysians’ two currencies: light and heavy Ringgit As far as Iskandar Malaysia’s good demand drive for property development is within the proximity to Singapore and with heavy S$ earners there, i.e. a middle class earner in Singapore which can easily get S$3/5,000.00 a month; he can live like a king in Iskandar Malaysia. We can look at Greater KL and the Southern Corridor of Klang Valley with the same lens. More “Klang Valleinese” are seeking for a good paid job in KL centre or surrounding areas while defining a location in the Southern Corridor of Klang Valley as their residential address. Meaning, as my Sifu Ho Chin Soon has been explaining in his recent talks, we have the possibility to earn Heavy RM in KL while living with light ones in Kajang, Bangi or Semenyih. Is this true? 100% real and you can test it by yourself by checking the pay-slip of a banker in Jalan Ampang and the one of his colleagues in the localities above. At least 15 to 20% lower for the least ones.

N o w for dinner, go into any of the Mamak restaurants in KL, Mont Kiara or Bangsar and do not get astonished to pay RM16 for a Roti Canai breakfast or RM18 for Nasi Lemak. No need to m e n t i o n that in the Southern areas you can have both for less than RM2 each Table 2 (the image is a “cut off” from the menu of a local restaurant in one of the destinations nearby KLCC area). Lifestyle is always a booster for future demand of affordable homes in the southern corridor and if you get it right; the chances of seeing your investment doubling in less than 5 years are pretty high. Get in touch for more information if you need good hunting! If you have any queries or would like to comment and ask for further information, the author, Dr Daniele Gambero, welcomes feed-backs and questions at: daniele.g@reigroyup. com.my TI

Are There Still Affordable Homes for Johorians? Interest

First-time homeowners in Johor should target homes near new growth corridors in and around Iskandar Malaysia and close to transportation hubs

ake a drive from Iskandar Puteri all the way to Tanjung Puteri and you cannot help but notice the many housing projects marketed as ‘luxurious’ by developers in Iskandar Malaysia. With an average pricing of RM1,000 psf for condominiums in Iskandar Puteri and around RM900 psf for condominiums in Johor Bahru, a studio unit would range in price from RM450,000 to RM500,000. Is this something that locals can afford? Assuming the purchaser takes a loan of 80% with a current interest rate of 4.45% (Base Lending Rate of 6.85% minus 2.4%) for a RM450,000-priced property, the monthly mortgage would work out to approximately RM1,813. With an average income of RM3,000 per month, these homes are by no means affordable for Johorians and are more geared towards those working in Singapore, Singaporeans and other foreign buyers. According to iProperty.com Malaysia’s Asia Property Market Sentiment Survey for the second half of 2014, 49% of Malaysians have an annual income of between RM30,001 and RM90,000 which translates into a monthly income range of RM2,500 to RM7,500. Of the survey’s 5,295 respondents, 5% are from Johor while 48% are from Selangor and 31% are from Kuala Lumpur. 53% of

the respondents have a budget of less than RM500,000 for their homes. If we take a median income of RM5,000 for an individual servicing a mortgage for a RM450,000-priced home, this will leave them with around RM3,200 for other expenses. However, we have to reduce to RM3,000 as this is the average income for most graduates in Johor. This will leave them with roughly RM1,200 which is perhaps just enough to get by. As such, affordability will be a major issue for fresh graduates and firsttime homeowners. Driving the Market With a general slowdown in property transactions in Iskandar Malaysia from Singaporeans and overseas buyers, developers are already bracing for a tough time ahead. Data from the National Property and Information Centre (NAPIC) showed that property transactions in Johor saw a steep decline of 33% quarter-on-quarter in the fourth quarter of 2014. While this will mean a challenging time for the medium- to high-end market segments, this is good news for local buyers as affordable homes will be the focus. Additionally, the state government has already put on hold approvals for serviced apartments in Iskandar Malaysia while developers shift their focus to the local market.

New Hotspots For those of you wondering where the affordable homes are and which areas you should target as you missed out on Iskandar Puteri and Johor Bahru’s opportunities, there are other areas where the federal government is focusing on for the next phase of Iskandar Malaysia’s economic development such as the corridors of Pasir Gudang and Pengerang. In fact, Pasir Gudang and Masai are poised to be the new hotspots as they will enjoy the economic spillover from Malaysia’s largest oil and gas hub in Pengerang. First announced in March 2012, this RM70-billion project spanning 2,000 hectares has already created more than 40,000 jobs, fuelling demand for homes in and around the area. To gear up for the economic spillover from this Economic Transformation Programme (ETP), a new mixed-use development called Taman Seri Albion that is expected to create some 12,100 jobs will be coming up in Pasir Gudang with 865 units of affordable housing to be built by 2018. Developed by UMLand Berhad, the project will comprise an industrial park targeting Malaysian and Singaporean small manufacturing enterprises involved in food and beverage production, garment manufacturing, printing and packaging

industries, electronics, storage and warehousing, services, information technology, machinery spare parts, carpentry, furniture production and automotive workshops. This will not only create businesses and jobs for locals but also enhance the desirability of homes in Iskandar Malaysia’s next growth corridor. Furthermore, this project is expected to add 37,000 affordable housing units which will be coming onstream by 2018. The highest quantum price here will be capped at RM150,000 and the homes will be equipped with high-speed internet connectivity. PR1MA Homes Additionally, there are four PR1MA projects for Bumiputeras to choose from. The two in Tebrau and Pasir Gudang have respective starting prices of RM180,000 and RM185,000 while there is no indicative pricing yet for the projects in Masai and Pulai. Transportation Hubs The Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lines are expected to commence services, thus increasing the desirability of properties located along them. As a guide, BRT Line 1 spans from Bukit Chagar to Tebrau, BRT Line 2 runs from Bukit Chagar to Senai and BRT Line 3 connects Bukit Chagar to Iskandar Puteri. (Republished from iProperty.com).

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