The Iskandarian January 2018 Issue

The Iskandarian

KDN : PP17797/06/2012(032765) Singapore MICA : MCI (P) 095/11/2016

ISSUE 65 | JAN 2018 FREE COPY Official Newspaper

The Iskandarian Iskandar Malaysia’s Official Newspaper, is a synergistic product by True Soul Media PLT & IRDA’s Social Development Division

TI www.facebook.com/theiskandarian

THE ISKANDARIAN ISKANDAR MALAYSIA’S OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER

The Iskandarian Monthly Drill

We interview CEOs & Chairmen with drilling questions pg 9 Somerset Puteri Harbour Iskandar Puteri provides the ideal home away from home for travellers and their families to live, work and play - Bob Muhamad Buhari Yusof Residence Manager, Somerset Puteri Harbour Iskandar Puteri

email: editor@theiskandarian.com

website/e-paper : www.theiskandarian.com

Iskandar Space Opens its Doors for New Age Entrepreneurs Read on pg11

Chemical Spill Exercise

- Malaysia-Singapore Chemical Spill Exercise to Test State of Preparedness at Second Link

Read on pg6

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news

Carousell Announces Partnership with Indienomics and StartUp Johor The fast growing mobile marketplace hits 100 million global listings and reveals new initiative with young local entrepreneur organisations; Indienomics and StartUp Johor

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he fast growing mobile marketplace Carousell, announced its partnership with Johor-Based young entrepreneur associations namely Indienomics and StartUp Johor to kickstart a new community engagement programme that’s set to help Johorians sell their stuff better online.

“Carousell is proud to partner with Indienomics and StartUp Johor to support Johorians by providing them with workshops and activities to grow their online presence,” said Lucas Ngoo, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Carousell.

He added that their mission to encourage and support Johor entrepreneurs align with the efforts and educational initiatives that Carousell is committed to support, and Carousell LIVE! Kilang Bateri in JB was the first of many activities planned out for Malaysia. The event featured 50 local vendors, workshops and talks that will help

Lucas Ngoo (3rd from right) hands over the Carousell LIVE! zone plaque to Johan Ropi (2nd from right) flanked by Feng Lim (4th from left) and Top Johor Carouseller, Khairul Adzwan Khairullah (1st from left)

you sell your stuff better online.

“This partnership benefits both sellers using the Carousell platform and consumers looking to buy products and services. It will enable Indienomics’ entrepreneurs to expose and expand their businesses through Carousell LIVE! sessions and learn the basics of sales which gives both sellers

Celebrating the State’s Rich Culture at Meridin East PEGASUS INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

Gleneagles MEDINI

“In The Arms Of One Who Cares”

More than 3000 visitors flocked to the colourful Bangsa Johor Festival hosted Mah Sing

Chairman of Johor State Tourism, Trade and Consumerism Committee, Datuk Tee Siew Kiong (fifth from left) together with Mah Sing’s Chief Executive Officer Datuk Ho Hon Sang (sixth from left) officially launching the Bangsa Johor Festival

O SEND LETTERs or inquiries to facebook.com/theiskandarian admin@theiskandarian.com www.theiskandarian.com

ver 3000 visitors flocked to the inaugural Bangsa Johor Festival hosted

by Mah Sing Group at its Meridin East township recently.

Those who attended were treated to some of the best Johor delicacies, music and performances.

The festival which aims to celebrate the rich culture and diversity of the state, kicked off the day with 2000 participants through a 5km Fun Run followed by the launch of the Bangsa Johor Festival by YB Datuk Tee Siew Kiong, Chairman of Johor State Tourism, Trade and Consumerism Committee and Datuk Ho Hon Sang, Mah Sing’s Chief Executive Officer.

Datuk Ho said, “The focus of Bangsa Johor Festival was to

cultivate a spirit of unity among Malaysians in celebrating the beautiful culture of Johor. It is very much in line with our tagline ‘Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life’. We have transformed our Meridin East township and made sure to include the best of Johor for this festival as we wanted it to be a memorable event for visitors.”

Besides the fun run, visitors were also treated to an assortment of activities including iPhone X giveaways, food trucks galore as well as several performances by Bangsa Johor Drums, MEdiaman, The Tarik King and a special guest appearance by Masya Masyitah, allowing fans a fun time meeting the local celebrity. - by Amin Khairuddin TI

and consumers a site that is userfriendly, trustworthy and supportive of the community,” said CEO of Indienomics, Johan Ropi.

The local entrepreneurial movement led by Johan regularly organises entrepreneur-based programmes such as INtalk and the Indienomics Business Challenge to inspire budding youths who are

keen on becoming the next big thing.

“Our collaboration with Carousell is the first of its kind for StartUp Johor and we are thrilled to be partnering with a leading global online marketplace,” said Feng Lim, Founder and Community Director of StartUp Johor.

Startup Johor is a community founded by Feng to educate, inspire, and connect entrepreneurs around Johor with fellow startups, industrial representatives and investors to network and share the lessons learned along the road of entrepreneurship.

Founded by Lucas, Quek Siu Rui and Marcus Tan in 2012, Carousell makes buying and selling preloved goods as easy as taking a picture and saying hello. It now operates in 19 cities worldwide and is at the top of the Lifestyle and Shipping app in Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong. - by Amin Khairuddin TI

Update your Asset Details

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ax payers are urged to know the importance of their responsibilities in paying asset tax to the city council apart from updating their assets through Form I (Sales Notice or Ownership Transfer). “ We have identified several factors for this matter. There are cases whereby heirs to a deceased tax payer who had not updated details on their assets resulting in outstanding asset taxes. Migration from rural to urban areas also affects the issue

where some might not have any clue or information as to their responsibility to pay asset tax instead of just land tax,” said newly appointed Mayor of Iskandar Puteri City Council, Adib Azhari Daud Adib.

On a lighter note, the Mayor also had presented prizes to several lucky tax payers through its lucky draw contest at Iskandar Puteri City Council (MBIP) Carnival.

Throughout the large participation during the lucky draw contest, Adib is positive that many tax

payers at least know their responsibilities and plans to extend the carnival annually as an initiative to encourage them to settle taxes and spread awareness of its importance. “ We also found out that there are assets generously contributed to Baitulmal without updating the transfer through Form I which unfortunately has outstanding asset taxes. That is why Form I is very important for asset holders to update their details,” he continued. byMaressa Esa TI

Paramyee Vyapury won herself a Proton Preve through the MBIP Carnival lucky draw contest

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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news

Rotary Haemodialysis Centre’s Annual Patients’ Day

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he Rotary Club of Johor Bahru (RCJB)’s Rotary Haemodialysis Centre organised its Annual Patients’ Day as an opportunity for the Centre’s nurses and staff to treat their patients to food and fun-filled activities to take their minds off their illness.

The nurses and staff gave the patients talks and quizzes on fluid intake and nutrition. The Annual Patients’ Day was open to the public to visit and learn more about the dialysis centre.

The Rotary Haemodialysis Centre has 18 dialysis machines and 11 nurses and 5 staff members helping 67 dialysis patients and is managed by a Management Committee comprising of RCJB members who are doctors and professionals.

In November 2017, the Centre received a one-off Grant of RM200,000.00 from the Malaysian Ministry of Health to buy 5 new dialysis machines which was already delivered to them.

For over 25 years, RCJB has provided highly subsidised dialysis treatment to the needy in Johor Bahru.

To meet the increasing need to provide affordable dialysis treatments to the community, the Rotary Haemodialysis Centre moved to its present premises, a 4-storey shop-lot at 4N, Susur 3, Jalan Tun Abdul Razak in Johor Bahru.

In September 2017, RCJB organised

RCJB 66th President Datuk Teo Shiok Fu JP and his team at the Annual Patients’ Day

the RCJB-OCBC Charity Walkathon at Dataran Bandaraya in Johor Bahru which raised more than RM500,000.00 for the Rotary Haemodialysis Centre and Palliative Care Association of Johor Bahru.

Recognising the increasing needs for much needed dialysis treatment, RCJB is now in the process of setting up its second Rotary Haemodialysis in Bandar Seri Alam. The second Centre will be set up with the RM1.5 million of public donations raised from the RCJB Charity Dinner held at Amansari Resort in Bandar Seri Alam in March 2015.

The new Rotary Haemodialysis Centre is expected to be operational in this new Rotary Year under the guidance of its 66th President Datuk Teo Shiok Fu JP and his team which has carried out several exceptional community service projects thus far. - by The Iskandarian TI

A Christmas Joy for the Chronically-ill and Special Needs Children at Palm Resort Fun-filled day for the children with colouring contests and gifts from Santa

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Christmas party was held at regardless of religion, creed or race so they Le Grandeur Palm Resort here will also continue to be in a society that is in Senai for 100 chronically- generous, tolerant and compassionate.

“Our involvement with the ill children under the care of the Paediatric Ward of the Sultan Ismail Christmas programme began in 2001 and Hospital, and 20 special needs children we have been holding this event jointly with and at Le Grandeur Palm Resort since from Hope Garden Johor Bahru.

Palm Resort, an integrated golf, 2011, except for 2016 when it was held at leisure and business destination and the Hope Garden,” said Chong Ah Ng, Chairman Johor Bahru branch of the Malaysian Red of the Malaysian Red Crescent Society Crescent Society jointly organised the (MRCS) Johor branch.

The children, accompanied by event.

In addressing the guests, Jef Kong, their parents, doctors and caregivers, the General Manager of Le Grandeur Palm began their Christmas celebration with Resort and who is also the CEO of Palm a colouring contest and were treated Resort Golf & Country Club said that this to a magic show and lunch with Santa event was a wonderful opportunity to dropping by bearing gifts for all of them. end the year meaningfully by having the - by Shufiyan Shukor TI gathering for the chronically ill and special needs children of Johor Bahru.

“As a hotel, we cannot do what the hospitals, the Red Crescent Society and Hope Garden can do in taking care of the well-being of the children. Instead, we can offer good food and enjoyable entertainment for these children so that they can always remember their Christmas party this year at the Palm Resort,” said Jef. Jef explained that Christmas is about the spirit of giving and The winners with (Back L-R) Chong Ah Ng MRCS, receiving and hope that this culture Jef Kong General Manager of Le Grandeur Palm will live on in the next generation Resort and Soh Oon Hai, Hope Garden.

...And the Year of the Dog Leaps in!

Let us kick-off 2018 with Fortune, Blessings & Prosperity!

Fortune Menu at RM998 with Salmon Yee Sang Blessings Menu at RM1388 with Pacific Clam Yee Sang Prosperity Menu at RM1688 with Abalone Yee Sang ...And have a raucous and memorable reunion dinner.

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news

Olympia College Livens Up Berkat Children’s Home A co-curricular community outreach programme by Business Management students

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s many as 13 students from Olympia College’s Executive Diploma in Business Management Programme conducted a corporate social responsibility project as part of their coursework. These students, with the help of their lecturer T. Prabageran decided to pitch in and help the Berkat Children’s Home along Jalan Dapat, as an effort to provide a sustainable change to the facility as well as to provide the children with a more conducive environment.

“These students did so much for the home over the period of three weeks. From their initial approach until the completion, they have done such a tremendous job and I can’t thank them enough,” said Pastor Davidson S. Lawrence, the Director of the home.

Over the course of three weeks, the students conducted several refurbishing and rebuilding tasks including plumbing and electrical works, clearing of overgrown vegetation as well as repainting both buildings of the

facility. The students also provided the home with dry goods and provisions to help them in the coming months and held a small party to bring smiles to the little ones.

As of now, as many as 16 students from aged 5 to 15 are staying in the home, which comprises of two houses for activities and lodgings. There are three fulltime caretakers and a number of volunteers helping with the day to day management of the place. - by Amin Khairuddin TI

Pulai Springs Resort Gives Back to the Community The Resort hosted children from the Berkat Children’s Home to a Christmas charity Hi-Tea and fun swimming session

Group photograph with the Management team of Pulai Springs Resort, the kids and representatives from Berkat Children’s Home

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ith the joyous season of giving and sharing, Pulai Springs Resort hosted 18 underprivileged children and teenagers from the Berkat Children’s Home (Persatuan Kebajikan Berkat Johor Bahru) to a Christmas Charity Hi-Tea as well as a fun swimming session as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility programme.

Sunny Soo, the resort’s General Manager welcomed the children from the home together with the Management of Pulai Springs Resort as well as some committee members of the resort’s Sports and Welfare club. The children who are mainly orphans, from broken homes,

abandoned and some who have tragically lost one or both parents aged between 6 and 15 from the home were accompanied by Reverend Davidson Saindran Lawrence, the home Director of Berkat Children’s Home, Johor Bahru.

“This Christmas hitea for the underprivileged children is part of Pulai Springs Resort’s corporate social re s p o n s i b i l i t y programme and we wanted to bring joy and happiness to those in need during the festive season”, said Sunny Soo. The children were then treated to a sumptuous Christmas buffet, all deliciously prepared by the resort’s culinary team. During the

Hi-Tea, Santa Claus and Santarina also made their appearances and gave away candy to all the children present.

Each k id also received two goodie bags containing story books, stationeries, water bottle, sketch book and food items respectively donated by the hotel’s Sports & Welfare Club, the hotel and by a resident living at the Cinta Ayu @ Pulai Springs Resort.

The kids then took part in fun games and walked away with exciting prizes and were also given the opportunity to enjoy a 2-hour swimming session at the resort’s swimming pool located at the Clubhouse. - by The Iskandarian TI

The students and lecturers of Olympia College having fun with the children of Berkat Children’s Home

IRDA Inks Collaboration with Youth Group

Environmental youth group inducted into IRDA’s environment initiatives

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nderscoring the importance of sustainable development in the Iskandar Malaysia growth corridor, Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) inked a Letter of Collaboration (LoC) with Kelab Alami Mukim Tanjung Kupang (Kelab Alami), a youth environmental education and monitoring social enterprise based in Johor.

The collaboration marks IRDA’s regular Environmental Talks held four times a year with various stakeholders of Iskandar Malaysia.

This event showcased the activities of Kelab Alami with presentations by cofounder Dr Serina Rahman and three club members.

“Our engagement with Kelab Alami represents a first for us in collaborating with an outside body. We are happy that they have shared their resources to work together for the betterment of Iskandar Malaysia,” said Boyd Dionysius Joeman, the Head of IRDA’s Environment Division.

“Kelab Alami helped us reach out to a bigger crowd such as villagers, schools, universities, researchers, scientists and experts that they have come into contact with through their own coastal research and monitoring activities in the Tanjung Kupang area,” he added.

Tanjung Kupang comprises 10

villages of mainly coastal fishermen who have been affected by the decline in marine life in Johor Straits, attributed to rapid coastal development.

Boyd said that sustainable development is a big responsibility for IRDA and they had begun consulting with various non-governmental organisations including the Malaysian Nature Society since 2006 and more recently, Kelab Alami.

“We have our shoreline ecosystem management initiative which we call PESISIR and we need people on the ground to help us champion this initiative and we are happy to say Kelab Alami is one of these champions,” said Boyd.

“The youths frequently work with and assist researchers and scientists from universities. Through the club, they too have the opportunity to collaborate with IRDA on the PESISIR project,” said Dr Serina.

“Our collaboration with IRDA has benefitted the club quite a lot at many levels. We can now tap into the resources of the state government, its agencies and even Johor tourism is actively publicising our activities,” Dr Serina added.

Boyd signed the LoC on behalf of IRDA while Kelab Alami founder Shalan Jum’at lent his signature for the club. - by Shufiyan Shukor TI

The Kelab Alami crew with Boyd and Dr Serina (extreme right)

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The Iskandarian ISSUE 65 | JAN 2018 Advertisement

15 February 2018

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news

Joint Malaysia-Singapore Chemical Spill Exercise to Test State of Preparedness at Second Link

Drill tests the mettle of CCM Chemicals’ emergency response team in tackling hazardous accidents

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car carrying a prominent businessman and his entourage travelling from Johor to Singapore via the Second Link lost control and rammed into a truck carrying 20 drums of Hydrochloric Acid (HCL) that was also heading to Singapore after departing checkpoint at the Sultan Abu Bakar Complex.

The morning collision caused six drums of HCL to fall onto the road at the Malaysia-Singapore border crossing with five of the drums (two rolled over to Singapore’s territory while three remained in Malaysia’s territory) ruptured and leaked profusely which resulted in the spread of acid fumes around the incident area. One drum remained sealed but fell into Malaysian waters.

Passing motorists were alarmed to see a chemical spill on the road and toxic fumes seeping

into the air but fortunately, the “accident” was part of a chemical spill emergency response exercise, jointly organised by the Malaysian Department of Environment (DOE) and the National Environment Agency (NEA) of Singapore.

The bilateral cooperation programme under the MalaysiaSingapore Joint Committee on the Environment (MSJCE) was supported by CCM Chemicals Sdn Bhd. During the hour-long exercise, CCM Chemicals provided its expertise and experience in handling accidental release of hazardous chemicals, led by its Chemical Emergency Service (CES) team. The mock drill enabled CCM Chemicals’ CES team and logistic providers to demonstrate their state of readiness to tackle any emergency situations at all times.

According to Chief Manufacturing Officer of

CCM Chemicals, Mukri Harun, the mock drill is an integral component of the chemical spill Emergency Response Plan developed by the DOE and NEA to ensure that the Company’s personnel are well-equipped to effectively manage potential accidents involving the transportation of hazardous chemicals along the Second Link.

“CCM Chemicals exports 2,500 tonnes of chemicals per month to Singapore from our manufacturing facility in Pasir Gudang with four to five deliveries daily.

Hence, it is crucial for us to adhere to the Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) regulations.

Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer of the National Environment Agency (NEA) of Singapore, Ronnie Tay reiterated the importance of the drill, “Such exercises serve to enhance the interoperability and preparedness

Hazmat team from the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department handling the chemical spill

of the relevant agencies in the two countries, in responding to any chemical spill on the Second Link in a prompt, coordinated and effective manner.”

During the mock drill, CCM Chemicals worked closely together with 23 agencies from Malaysia and Singapore.

Acknowledging

how risky it is to transport hazardous chemicals in public areas, CCM Chemicals takes the initiative to develop a pre-delivery route plan to avoid heavily congested places and roads, crowds and peak traffic periods. All truck drivers are required to strictly adhere to the approved roads as a precautionary measure to minimise the adverse effects

of hazardous chemicals.

CC M Chemicals follows the Guiding Principles of the Distribution Code of Management Practices to ensure that the distribution activities of its chemical products including storage, handling, transfer and repackaging are carried out safely. - by The Iskandarian TI

MIM signs Industrial partnership Initiative with UTM

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* Image is for illustration only

edini Iskandar M a l a y s i a (MIM) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) that sets the basis of cooperation between the two parties to prepare UTM graduates for employment as well as enhancing and equipping them with the relevant knowledge and technical expertise that would meet industry standards.

“MIM is the first company in Iskandar Puteri that UTM is officially signing with, and we are privileged that MIM is very supportive of local universities like UTM,” said Prof. Datuk Ir. Dr. Wahid Omar, Vice Chancellor of UTM. He added that through this collaboration, UTM students can garner experience from MIM and hone their skills while learning more about the Medini development.

The signing took

Exchange of Signing Documents – 3rd from left Dr James Tee, MD/CEO of MIM and on Dr James’ left is Prof. Datuk Ir. Dr. Wahid Omar, Vice Chancellor of UTM

place at the Medini Investor Centre @Medini 6 where the delegation from UTM was led by the Vice Chancellor while MIM was represented by Dr. James Tee, the Managing Director and CEO of MIM. “ Talent building is a critical component in driving the success of a city.

MIM has the capacity to connect the industry and the academia to identify and address capability gaps.

With the right structure and programmes in place, we can work hand in hand to help groom specialised and highly skilled talents relevant for various

industries,” said Dr. James.

The par tnership is expected to broaden the opportunity for all par ties, with its first intake coming in February 2018. MIM will recruit undergraduates and postgraduates to fulfil the internship programmes at MIM particularly in the engineering and construction fields. Those selected will be attached with the organisation for three to six months to gain first-hand experience in building a world class development. - by Amin Khairuddin TI

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RCJB Extends its Aid Outside of Malaysia The Club visited the children and organised a Dental Camp at the Sobbhana Women’s Foundation in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

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s part of its International Community Ser vice Project, Rotary Club of Johor Bahru (RCJB) had visited the Sobbhana Women’s Foundation in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and met HRH Princess Norodom Marie of Cambodia who is the President of the Foundation.

RCJB’s President Datuk Teo Shiok Fu JP presented RCJB’s annual sponsorship to HRH Princess Marie and met with the 25 children from underprivileged families which RCJB sponsored under the Sobbhana’s Women’s Foundation’s Education Project for

the last 10 years.

The Foundation helps sponsor the education of primary school children so that they will receive an education under their Education Project. They also received school uniforms and stationeries.

In conjunction with RCJB’s 10th visit, a Dental Camp was organised with the Cambodian Dental Association for 2 days, at the premises of the Foundation.

120 students from underprivileged families, aged between 6 to 16 years’ old received dental checkups and treatments. They were

Each child receiving a Colgate toothbrush and toothpaste pack, sponsored by the Cambodian Dental Association

also taught proper dental hygiene.

4 senior dentists from Malaysia, Singapore and Cambodia assisted by 15 dental students from 2 Cambodian universities participated in the Dental Camp.

Dental visits are very expensive in Cambodia and these children would normally not have access to dental care.

Each child also received a Colgate toothbrush and toothpaste pack, sponsored by the Cambodian Dental Association.

As the 66th President of RCJB, President Datuk Teo Shiok Fu JP and his team had carried out several community projects throughout 2017 in order to help the needy and underprivileged with a focus on children’s welfare and education.

“We are happy that we have helped ‘Make A Difference’ in the lives of these children in Cambodia with our annual education sponsorship and this year’s Dental Camp there, said Datuk Teo. Sobbhana Wo m e n’s Foundation is a non-profit h u m a n i t a r i a n o rg a n i s at i o n founded by HRH Princess Norodom Marie of Cambodia. - by The Iskandarian TI

news Sultan Ismail Hospital Organise Run for the Differently Abled Nurturing the transformation towards a more sustainable and resilient society for all

Dr. Hajah Rosshaimi Merican, the State Health Director cutting the cake with several members of the organising committee, sponsors and the disabled people who participated in the event

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n conjunction with the International Day of Disabled Persons 2017, Sultan Ismail Hospital (HSI) and several other staff from Sultanah Aminah Hospital (HSA) got together with many other like-minded parties and threw a fun filled day for the patients of HSI’s rehabilitation and physiotherapy ward.

As many as 600 participants took part in the activities including the 10-storey vertical run, a 1.5km disabled run, as well as the 3km ‘Run for Respect’ fun run. Other activities included clowning and musical activities by Uncle Fishy and the Happy and Joyous Club Johor Bahru.

“We are grateful to those

who came to support this event.

We need to spread the awareness regarding the plight of the disabled people and events and activities like this are examples,” said Dr. Hajah Rosshaimi Merican, the State Health Director.

This year, the Run for Respect was organised to become a symbol for the local disabled and able bodied people to come together and move forward towards a better and more sustainable future. The event saw several other charitable organisations providing food and drinks as well as support and goodies from SDS Confectionary, Milo, Warrior Energy drink and The Iskandarian. - by Amin Khairuddin TI

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The Iskandarian ISSUE 65 | JAN 2018 Advertisement

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drill

Q&A

MONTHLY DRILL

Tell us more about Somerset Puteri Harbour and the available products Somerset Puteri Harbour is under The Ascott Limited group which is a Singapore company that has grown to be one of the leading international serviced residence owneroperators and the largest international serviced residence owner-operator in the world. Pioneered as Asia Pacific’s first branded luxury serviced residence in 1984 and established as world’s first pan-Asian serviced residence REIT in 2006, Ascott Residence Trust, the company’s brands include Ascott, Citadines, Somerset, Quest, The Crest Collection and lyf. Its portfolio spans more than 120 cities across over 30 countries.

Ascott’s achievements have been recognised internationally and we have won several coveted awards. Somerset Serviced Residence helps you balance life’s elements.

As part of the luxurious waterfront development of Puteri Harbour, Somerset Puteri Harbour Iskandar Puteri is near quayside lifestyle stores, fine dining restaurants, alfresco cafés and a family indoor theme park featuring popular children’s characters. Furthermore, it is just 10 minutes away from LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort.

Our Serviced Residence offer spacious apartments ranging from studios to threebedroom units that come fully-furnished with modern amenities. With facilities such as a gymnasium, swimming pool, restaurant and residents’ lounge available at the property, Somerset Puteri Harbour Iskandar Puteri provides the ideal home away from home for travellers and their families to live, work and play.

Our serviced residences are suitable for executives and their families looking for

work-life balance at the same time being a stylish home with recreational facilities, lifestyle activities and business support services. In terms of leisure, we offer a children’s play area, children’s wading pool, a fully-equipped gymnasium for the fit buffs, a Residents’ programme, lounge with outdoor garden and a swimming pool.

Our reception is open 24hours to take care of your comfort and convenience and we even have a doctor on call. If you’re from out of town, we have airport transfer services including limousine and shuttle buses. Daily continental breakfast is served in our restaurant too. For the business travellers, we have a business centre with Wireless Internet Connectivity (WiFi) and we also offer secretarial as well as courier services.

Bob Muhamad Buhari Yusof Residence Manager Somerset Puteri Harbour Iskandar Puteri Somerset Puteri Harbour Iskandar Puteri was opened in February 2014 and features 204 units of luxury range of serviced apartments with hotel like services. Located at the very heart of Iskandar Puteri, Johor, the property is part of a development which also comprise of an integrated waterfront and marina, attracting a pool of significant investments.

Hailing from Karak, Pahang is Muhamad Buhari Yusof, the Residence Manager of Somerset Puteri Harbour Iskandar Puteri. Fondly known to his colleagues as Bob Yusof, he has over 20 years of working experience in the hospitality industry from notable brands such as Hilton Worldwide, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Sunway Hotels & Resorts and The Ascott Limited under his belt.

At Somerset Puteri Harbour Iskandar Puteri, one of The Ascott Limited’s many properties; Bob ensures that his guests are provided beyond just a home away from home, but also with uncompromising service quality as well as efficiency.

high expectations but had difficulties to communicate due to the language barrier. I then decided to learn the Japanese language by enrolling into a language school in Kuala Lumpur and studied for two and half year’s part time after work. It helped me so much in my career and I fell in love with the culture.

How important is it to address comments on TripAdvisor?

Like any other accommodation product there’s always a challenge. As a serviced residence, we concentrate mainly on selling rooms and not running our own restaurant and meeting rooms. But the location of the properties and the facilities around us keeps us in demand.

There is a market and it is ready. The effort must be made on marketing the brand introducing the serviced residence accommodation category and creating awareness to the public. We are a serviced apartment with hotel like facilities for long and even short stays.

It’s the power and influence of the internet that we cannot afford to ignore or take lightly. The Internet has changed practically everything, especially the way we travel. With the emergence of social media and various consumer review sites, TripAdvisor has emerged as the leader in hotel industries. As a result, it’s vital that you not only pay attention to TripAdvisor’s reviews but actively manage your reputation too. Most of the travellers now are the Millennials and these new mobile internet generations are the source of information in the internet and are the users of TripAdvisor. We must not ignore their reviews because there will come a day where they will ignore you because travellers these days always refer to reviews before making decisions and your ranking carries weight for travellers and also employment.

The more stars ratings you have with better reviews and comments influence their decision. The way you manage your responses matter a lot as it’s a reflection on how you run your business and the company culture.

You speak fluent Japanese; how did that happen?

Do you see the rising trend of AirBnb as a threat to the market?

In the late 90s when I was a junior hotel receptionist, the main tourists and business travellers were from Japan. They had

We don’t see it much of a threat. With regards to service, safety and security for both parties, let’s face it that people still wants to be

Is it challenging to sell your products? Is the market demand ready?

attended to whenever they travel and stay.

Lately, there have been a lot of negative and shocking reviews from travellers on room conditions and the honesty of the owners.

Also, the fact that rooms were being trashed by guests was reported by the owners.

In your opinion, what is lacking in Puteri Harbour to attract more footfalls?

Organise more events here as Puteri Harbour is being perceived as a holiday and events destination. The occupancy only shoots up during school holidays and the weekends.

Therefore, the Iskandar community needs to organise more events to take advantage of the peak period and create more awareness of what is available in Puteri Harbour and what we have to offer.

What are your hobbies?

Most of all I enjoy cooking! I find it very therapeutic and it keeps me in the zone and that is where the grey matter starts flowing and ideas start coming in!

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

Pinewood Iskandar Hosts the Inaugural T2APAC

Studio audience captivated by the world-class table-tennis match in the T2APAC Men’s Finals (3rd and 4th placing) between Jun Mizutani (Japan) [Left] and Chuang Chih-Yuan (Taipei) [Right] at Film Stage 2 in Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios in Iskandar Puteri

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Chue explained how they initially considered a venue option in Hong Kong’s popular TVB studios but as Pinewood Studios UK is world-renowned for filming blockbuster franchise productions like Star Wars and James Bond since 1936, it was easy to decide on choosing Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios.

He said that T2APAC was the brainchild of Frank Ji, a Shanghainese table-tennis enthusiast and serial entrepreneur.

Working in partnership with Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios and Astro Malaysia Holdings Berhad, T2APAC delivered the first-ever sports league to be televised entirely live at a world-class film and television production complex.

When I found my way into Film Stage Two (FS2) in Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios, I saw how this production facility studio was transformed into the T2 Cavern.

The design of T2 Cavern was inspired by The Cavern Club in Liverpool, England, an iconic stomping ground for up and coming artists which sparked a revolution in music and creativity.

This purpose-built area in FS2 was specially constructed with the competition field-of-play, studio audience lounge, hospitality suites, player training area and production sets.

I was greeted by the beat of throbbing music while In line with their commitment to Corporate Social an enthusiastic audience, Responsibility, T2APAC members visited Care Haven, a children’s home in Taman Bukit Rinting, Masai, to being warmed up by a share Christmas cheer with the young residents by cheerleader, was clapping presenting gifts that included a TIBHAR table-tennis their cheering balloons and table complete with the game’s equipment practicing a series of cheering

ince June 2017, table-tennis legends, champions and rising stars were in Iskandar Puteri over a six-month period for the Asia Pacific Table-Tennis League (T2APAC) that culminated in a nail-biting, final showdown on 10th December 2017.

In its inaugural season on the professional table-tennis calendar, T2APAC saw world-class players battling for an unprecedented prize purse of more than USD 1.5 million.

While I was aware of this event earlier on, my own schedule did not permit me to be part of the excitement.

So when I was invited to the finals, I did not hesitate to accept as it would be a unique experience to witness world-class table-tennis while it was being filmed and televised live to a worldwide audience.

I met with T2APAC, Chief Executive Officer, Jeff Chue, who shared his thoughts on why the organiser chose Johor’s Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios as their venue for the inaugural and Season Two games.

news

waves!

T2APAC had certainly set a benchmark in sports with an aim to deliver to fans, the next generation of multi-media sport-ainment.

My eyes were riveted to a giant central screen on the wall and I also saw smaller screens situated at various points within the studio that gave the audience a clear, High-Definition view of the live action happening in the competition.

Some members of T2APAC visited a durian farm The controlled studio size here for a taste of the King of Fruits and limited seating created a sense of intimacy between the fans and players Women’s champion title while women’s in an immersive, in-venue experience that World’s No. 3, Feng Tianwei from allowed the studio audience to get up-close Singapore was second with Liu Fei of with some of the biggest names in this sport China in third place. and live table-tennis action.

The T2APAC event also presented The inaugural season featured 24 a huge potential for sports tourism in of the world’s top players, split into teams Johor. comprising three men and three women, Some players were introduced to play singles matches over seven rounds to the flavours of local favourites like a season, timed to fit into breaks in the Kacang Pool and Air Batu Campur and International Table Tennis Federation even tried their hand at batik painting calendar. and playing local games during a visit to Instead of the best-of-five or first-to- Kilang Bateri. seven matches, T2APAC players had to rack Other players visited a durian up as many game wins as possible in a fixed farm for a taste of the King of Fruits and period of 24 minutes. The first player to reach also saw how an oyster farm was run 11 points wins the game. before enjoying a sumptuous seafood Unlike the traditional format, there meal at Teluk Sengat. was no deuce when the score reached 10Not only were members of the 10 and a player could win at 11-10. If time Japanese expatriate community here expires during a game, the player in the lead turning up by the hundreds to cheer Jun wins the game.

Mizutani on since October, but fans of And if an earlier game was completed this 2016 Rio Olympics Bronze medalist, in the last two minutes of a match, the referee flew in from Japan just to watch him play! could call for a Kill Zone game where the first I also had the privilege to join player to score five points would clinch the T2APAC members on a visit to Care Haven, Kill Zone game. a children’s home in Taman Bukit Rinting, The games were not only fast but Masai, to share Christmas cheer with the absolutely thrilling to watch. young residents. It was heartwarming to The four teams were led by Danish see how T2APAC contributed generously legend, Michael Maze, former Olympic silver to the community. medalist and German men’s team coach, Jorg Besides individual gifts, food Rosskopf, former doubles World champion, products and fried chicken lunch treat, Jiang Jialing and Swedish legend, Jorgen they also presented the home with a Persson.

TIBHAR table-tennis table complete with Major Top-Ten participants included the game’s equipment! former World No. 1, Timo Boll, and Dimitrij While T2APAC was successfully Ovtcharov from Germany, Jun Mizutani from televised and streamed live from a studio Japan, Vladimir Samsonov of Belarus and soundstage in its inaugural season Chuang Chih-Yuan of Chinese Taipei. at Iskandar Puteri, the time is ripe for Women’s World No. 5 Cheng I-Cheng the various agencies here to work in from Chinese Taipei and legendary defensive partnership, to draw more sports fans player from South Korea, Joo Sae Hyuk, who and tourists here for Season Two and was ranked 5th in the world at his peak, were beyond. TI also here.

A f t e r months of grueling competition, Germany’s Timo Boll was crowned Men’s c h ampion with compatriot Dimitrij Ovtcharov in second place while Jun Mizutani was third.

B e r n a d e t t e After visiting the oyster farm, these members of T2APAC Szocs from Romania enjoyed a sumptuous seafood dinner at Poseidon Oyster clinched t h e Farm Resort in Teluk Sengat

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news

Iskandar Space Opens its Doors for New Age Entrepreneurs From Cover The biggest co-working space in this region aims to accelerate growth and development of local startups & SMEs

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sk andar Puteri will never be the same with the recent opening of Iskandar Space, a new co-working initiative aimed to be a catalyst of development for local startups and SMEs within Iskandar Malaysia. Launched

by Iskandar Investment Berhad (IIB), this is a new initiative encouraging a multidisciplinary co-working community within this region.

Combining the best elements of a co-working space and community building, Iskandar Space provides solutions for local

entrepreneurs of all levels, especially startups and SMEs. The 8000sq facility is fully equipped with hot desks, private suits and an in-house café for all your co-working needs. Rates start as low as RM20 per day or RM150 per month for an instant office with all the premium fittings. “ The variety of workers means co-workers having unique skill sets that can be shared with other coworkers. This is very much in line with what IIB aspires to create in Iskandar Malaysia.

Community, collaboration, learning and sustainability are all part of IIB’s DNA,”

said Akmal Ahmad, Chief Operating Officer of IIB during the launch of Iskandar Space.

Also part of this unique ecosystem is Startup Johor, a community set-up to educate, inspire and connect entrepreneurs around the state through business partnerships and investment linkages.

“Through Iskandar Space, Startup Johor will be bringing in partners locally and regionally to support the growth of the ecosystem.

Some of the cornerstone partners in discussion include Cradel Fund Funding & Ecosystem building), The LEAD (The League of Extraordinary Developerstalent building) and e27 (regional market access & ecosystem building),” said Feng Lim, Founder of At20s and Startup Johor.

Since its inception, iSpace has been working closely with Cradle, an early stage start up influencer that is incorporated under the Ministry of Finance as a

Feng Lim, Founder of Startup Johor addressing the crowd during the launch of Iskandar Space

step to provide government grants, equity investments and funding to qualified startups. These Start Ups will enjoy non-monetary aid such as coaching, commercialisation support as well as other value added services to cater to the diversified needs.

Th e co -wo r k i n g space will also host various educational events, mentoring sessions, business partnerships and investment linkages for the community on a regular basis. These will

help budding entrepreneurs and startups gain market

access and expansion. - by Amin Khairuddin TI

The 8000 square feet co-working space is set to benefit new startups and local businesses in Iskandar Malaysia

Johorians Excited about High Speed Rail (HSR)

M

yHSR Corporation (MyHSR Corp) announced that the Kuala LumpurSingapore High Speed Rail (KL-SG HSR) project received overwhelming support from the state of Johor.

99% of respondents in Johor have provided positive feedback on the project via the Public Inspection exercise which began on 1st November 2017.

Johor will have the longest HSR alignment with 182 km out of the total estimated alignment length of 328 km in Malaysia, with three

stations located in Muar, Batu Pahat and Iskandar Puteri. In addition, Johor will be home to two major maintenance facilities for the project, with a main depot located at the north of Iskandar Puteri Station for all HSR trains maintenance and a heavy maintenance base to be located near the Muar station responsible for maintenance of the HSR track, power supply and signalling system. Both maintenance facilities are expected to drive employment opportunities in the coming future as new skills and talents at various levels are required to operate these facilities.

A total of 17 permanent and temporary Public Inspection booths have been located in Johor, throughout the Public Inspection period, which will end on 31st January 2018. The Johor community is able to view information about the KL-SG HSR project, the HSR planned alignment, locations of the seven Malaysian stations, typical station features and layout, land acquisition plans, railway technical data and Socio-economic Development Programme (SEDP) at the Public Inspection booths. - by Edey Suresh TI

The Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail (KL-SG HSR) route is poised to benefit Johor

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The Iskandarian ISSUE 65 | JAN 2018 Advertisement

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J A N 2 0 18

E D I S iN

ooky p S g thin Some You This s Await ear !

New Y

JAN 2018 | Page 2

The Iskandarian | WAVES Lifestyle

editor’s H note

appy New Year everyone!

An event worth mentioning which will be taking place for the very first time in our neighbouring country is the True Colours Festival - Asia-Pacific’s First Celebration of Artistes with Disabilities. The show is slated to happen in March but tickets go on sale on 11th of January. Show your support as it’s definitely a meaningful way to start the year.

I know it’s far too early for Halloween, but our friends at Sony Pictures don’t seem to think so. A horror flick awaits you this New Year with Insidious: The Last Key!

Priya Manikam waves.lifestyle@gmail.com

After all the Christmas stuffing and New Year bubblies, it’s time to eat clean and explore something new. Head to Samurai Ramen restaurant at AEON Tebrau for some vegan Japanese food!

Before we start planning where to travel this year, it is probably worth checking out an expert’s opinion on some of the hottest travel destination. Look no further than Scott Dunn’s 2018 Travel Hotlist.

Although we could not list everything, we picked a few interesting ones for your consideration.

As always, for those wishing to share

MUSIC UPDATES

True Colours Festival - AsiaPacific’s First Celebration of Artistes with Disabilities Tickets go on sale from 11th January 2018 with group and other discounts available

By The Iskandarian

A

major festival, the first of its kind in the region, will make its mark as a key highlight on Singapore’s 2018 event calendar. True Colours Festival will take place from 22nd to 25th March 2018.

Up to 20 performing artistes/troupes from Japan, China, India, Korea, Malaysia, Cambodia, Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Australia and Singapore, plus guest artistes from the United Kingdom and Canada, will perform at a multimedia concert experience at the Singapore Indoor Stadium and at the accompanying True Colours Festival Village, a short walk from the concert venue.

This never-before festival will present some of the most talented performing

artistes with disabilities in the Asia Pacific region.

Apart from the indoor and outdoor activities, True Colours Festival includes a special event and another first, the Arts and Disabilities International Conference 2018. This one-and-a-half day event for professionals and practitioners in the field will feature a slate of talks, workshops and discussions with speakers from the UK, Australia, Canada, Cambodia and more.

Tickets are priced at S$30 with concessions and discounts. For the first time, an inclusive seating arrangement will

be introduced to allow wheelchair users to enjoy the concert experience seated together with their family members and friends.

True Colours is presented by UNESCO and The Nippon Foundation, and produced by Very Special Arts Singapore.

Tickets go on sales from 11th January 2018 via: www.sportshubtix.sg. For more information, check out TRUE COLOURS website at www.truecolours.sg Ticket sales information: Price: S$30 per ticket * Photos by Takahiro Lino and Rock This

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 Have a blessed Thaipusam celebration to all celebrants!

Priya

JAN 2018 | Page 3

The Iskandarian | WAVES Lifestyle

The Silent Killer in a Relationship – Part 1

L 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

the auric space with others (especially when in a relationship), the silent killer starts to consume everyone’s energy to experience joy and love. But even if we claim that our relationship is loving and healthy after decades of marriage, we can’t run away from the conditioning field of this silent killer. Therefore, it is very important to become aware of this silent killer, so we could heal not just ourselves but also the people in our relationship and those who are in the conditioning field.

et’s take a quiz, shall we? What do you think kills a loving relationship silently?

The silent killer doesn’t reveal itself directly through communication but it usually disguises in many forms including as a victim or as a person who desire to be in control.

The silent killer can be manipulative. Its defence mechanism is its ability to change its mask so quickly, so we never get to figure out the root cause of our unhappiness.

Almost everyone has this silent killer buried deep inside their psyche. In individuals, this silent killer consumes most of the individual’s energy. However, the moment an individual share

Shame – Designed to eliminate If you want to know how shame feels like, try having a conversation with someone who has

the tendency to kill themselves! If you feel the slightest discomfort in you and try pushing this feeling away; be aware that it’s the taste of shame. Elimination is what shame does.

Individual or couples who embody shame in their relationship usually live in misery and doesn’t connect themselves to the essence of Life. Shame influences individual to eliminate life.

In a relationship, shame kills not just joy and love but usually ends the life of others too.

In the next issue, let’s discover more about shame and the other silent killer, and how to transcend these energies into healing and Love.

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 INSIDIOUS: THE LAST KEY Genre: Horror Release date: 4th January 2018 Cast: Lin Shaye Angus Sampson, Whannell, Josh Stewart, Caitlin Gerard, Kirk Acevedo, Javier Botet, Bruce Davison, Spencer Locke, Tessa Ferrer, Ava Kolker and Marcus Henderson Director: Adam Robitel Producer: Jason Blum, Oren Peli, James Wan Executive Producers: Steven Schneider, Brian KavanaughJones, Charles Layton, Bailey Conway Anglewicz, Couper Samuelson, Leigh Whannell

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he creative minds behind the hit Insidious trilogy return for INSIDIOUS: THE LAST KEY. In this horror flick, Lin Shaye returns as Dr. Elise Rainier, the brilliant parapsychologist, where this time she has to face her most fearsome and personal haunting yet: in her own family home.

Source: Sony Pictures Malaysia

JAN 2018 | Page 4

The Iskandarian | WAVES Lifestyle

2018 JAN

dar Calen ts n of Eve 1st Jan

New Year’s Day 2018

JB, 2nd Jan Group Workout Training @ Setia Tropika

travel Scott Dunn’s 2018 Travel Hotlist Explore Petra in Jordan

JB, 6th Jan Ride for Kimura Cycling Safety Awareness @ Sireh Park, Kota Iskandar

JB, 13th Jan SIM In House Showcase Comp @ SIM Dance Studio

14th Jan Pongal Festival

Spore, 15th Jan Pongal Harvest Festival @ Campbell Lane, S’pore

Spore, 17th – 28th Jan Singapore Art Week @ Singapore

Spore, 19th – 20th Jan 007 in Concert @ Marina Bay Sands, S’pore

Spore, 19th – 21st Jan World Snack Day @ Suntec S’pore

Spore, 21st Jan St. Jerome’s Laneway Music Fest @ Meadow Bridge, S’pore

By Priya Manikam waves.lifestyle@gmail.com

W

ith more than 30 years of experience in tailoring bespoke holidays, leading luxur y tour operator Scott Dunn unveils their predictions for the hottest destinations for 2018.

The increasing demand for authentic experiences is reflected in the list, which shuns well-trodden destinations to uncover hidden gems – from visiting a spirit sanctuary in Bhutan to exploring Jordan. We bring you some of destinations to look out for this year.

Bhutan Due to open in early 2018, the Six Senses Bhutan circuit is one of Asia’s most anticipated openings. Located in Paro, Thimphu, Punakha, Gangtey and Bumthang - guests will be able to embark on a ‘Six Senses Journey’ between each lodge, exploring Bhutan in style. Bhutan remains one of Asia’s most unspoiled and majestic locations, a hidden kingdom that retains a unique charm. Each of the Six Senses lodge locations will boast incredible views, in particular the lodge in Punakha which overlooks the Mo Chu River, and Gangtey, which has views of the Phobjika Valley. Architecturally, Six Senses have blended local design styles with modern luxuries and all lodges are inspired by the colourful Kingdom’s reputation as the ‘happiest place on earth.’

Spore, 26th Jan – 3rd Feb

31st Jan Thaipusam Living in the beautiful desert – Jordan

If you need more information on the above mentioned events, drop us an email at: waves.lifestyle@gmail.com

corner of the world. Jordan is well-known for its highlights such as the world-famous Nabatean city of Petra, the Roman ruins of Jerash in the north, the epic desert landscapes of Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea – the lowest point on earth and the best place for a float. Offering a polar opposite

Luxury serviced chalet perfect for large groups and families at Hakuchozan experience to that in Asia, guests can also combine a trip to Jordan with Oman to really explore the wonders of Arabia.

What’s more, it is an ideal destination for Easter, May and October half term thanks to the weather.

River Hongbao @ Marina Bay, S’pore

Block your dates for this month!

Breathtaking view of Bhutan

Guests will have the option to visit all five lodges or a combination, with itineraries designed around the various experiences unique to each location. Scott Dunn is also really excited about the new Bhutan Spirit Sanctuary near Paro, which will provide respite for the mind and body, connecting its guests with the unique Buddhist spirituality of Bhutan.

Jordan Despite there being less of a focus on Jordan in the media, people are beginning to explore this relatively undiscovered

Niseko Home to some of the world’s best conditions, Niseko boasts pristine deep dry snow on picturesque volcanic and alpine mountain ranges. New for the for 2017/18 ski season is the NisekoHirafu ’ s high -speed detachable quad chair lift, which will more than double lift capacity saving long waits at peak times.

This season also brings three new additions to

Scott Dunn’s property portfolio – • Hakuchozan: a fully luxury serviced chalet perfect for large groups and families situated in the heart of Hirafu village of Niseko • Aspect Niseko: a collection of luxury self-catered apartments located on the slopes, in the heart of the skiing action • Aya Niseko: a great ski-in ski-out hotel offering luxury apartments, residences and penthouses, a great option for families as it features a kid’s club.

Courchevel Courchevel has long been the ski-resort of choice for the European it-crowd, but with new openings like the Scott Dunn at Six Senses Residences Courchevel, the resort will be firmly planted on the map as the go-to ski destination for Asia-based travellers. The Residences will be home to a brand-new on- site Scott Dunn Explorers kids club as well as the first ever Stargazers club, allowing parents to have evenings off to enjoy the resort’s après ski!

For more information, visit www. scottdunn.com or call +65 3158 6530.

Holiday in style at Six Senses Residences at Courchevel

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live

Family Affair for Expats’ Mingle JB Johor’s expatriate community got together at Thistle Johor Bahru for December’s Expat Mingle Charity night

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he Expat Group (TEG), publishers of the magazine for expatriates working in Malaysia, The Expat, had recently organised a December’s Expat Mingle Event at Johor Bahru’s landmark hotel, Thistle Johor Bahru.

Expat Mingle is organised in Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru and Penang, creating the space and opportunity for expatriates working and living in these three cities to get to know one another.

The December event took a diversion from the usual format which is usually a wine and dine occasion. This time it was very much a family affair, and true to the season’s spirit, the organisers had put together a children’s fashion show with 30 children where the girls were all dressed up and faces brightly glittered while some of the boys got on their favourite superhero masks and costumes.

In addition to the fun and gaiety, stalls were set up selling clothes, trinkets,

Signing up for the Mingle

Mini Superhero Iron Man posing away

and various other items, and a percentage of the proceeds would go to charity as would the collection from auctions organised on the night. There was also lucky draws for the guests.

“Our Mingle events aren’t usually so family orientated but we plan to have events like this once every year end,” said Poonam Singh, Consultant, TEG Media.

“Our first expat mingle in Johor was in 2014 at Thistle’s Oasis restaurant. The number of expatriates working and living in Johor has definitely increased since 2014 when we first started organising it. From once every two months, Expat Mingle JB is now almost monthly,” said Poonam.

About 189 people attended the December Expat Mingle JB charity night, in collaboration with Sofia Cole from Arty Party and Jane Teo from Nia Beauty Academy. - by Shufiyan Shukur TI

The little ones modeling for the night

Mingling session

More Direct International Flights to Senai

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irAsia launched two international inaugural flights into Johor Bahru Senai International Airport from Macau and Kolkata, India.

The inaugural flight from Macau was received by Datuk Tee Siew Kiong, Johor Tourism, Domestic Trade and Consumerism Committee Chairman at Senai Business Aviation Terminal.

Five times weekly direct flights from Kolkata

and seven times weekly direct flights from Macau are to be expected.

“AirAsia is pleased to connect more international cities into Johor Bahru and increase the number of direct flights to further boost foreign tourist arrivals into the southern state of Malaysia, in line with our long term plan to grow the hub,” said Spencer Lee, Head of Commercial, AirAsia Berhad.

AirAsia currently operates 161 weekly flights one way into Johor Bahru’s Senai International Airport.

In addition to Macau and Kolkata, the airline also flies from Johor Bahru to Bangkok, Guangzhou, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, and Surabaya as well as nine other domestic routes from Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Terengganu, Penang, Langkawi, Kuching, Miri, Tawau, Sibu, and Kota Kinabalu. - by Edey Suresh TI

Datuk Tee Siew Kiong (fourth from left), Johor Tourism, Domestic Trade and Consumerism Committee Chairman launching the flights

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work

Employers’ Check List in Preparation for EIS Ashikin Abd Rahim Legal Adviser MECA Employers Consulting Agency Sdn Bhd shikin@meca.com.my

2

018 will be the rise of new statutory obligation in the employee-employer relationship through the Employment Insurance System (EIS) or ‘Sistem Insurans Pekerjaan (SIP)’. Starting with the wages of employees for the month of January 2018, all employers and employees are required to contribute a total of 0.4% out of the assumed monthly wages for

EIS. This system is introduced by the Malaysian Government to provide workers who lost their jobs with temporary financial assistance. In other words, it is intended to act as a “safety net” for all employees who have been retrenched but subject to certain conditions. If the contract of employment is terminated on grounds such as misconduct or the expiration of a fixed term contract, then this system is not applicable to such circumstances.

The employers have two main legal duties in preparing themselves for the EIS. Firstly, they

need to register their industry as well as employees working for them via forms provided by the SOCSO. If employers have registered their employees under the SOCSO before the year 2018, then they don’t have to register their employees since they have been deemed to have registered under the EIS. This means, employers can skip this step of registration and jump into the next one – to CONTRIBUTE. However, if employers enter into a new contract of service in the future, then they need to register and insure the new employee within 30 days from the date of commencement of work.

The next step is to contribute from the employees’ wages for the month of January 2018, where a deduction of 0.2% out of an employee’s monthly wages shall be done. Wages under this system refer to remunerations of money payable to employees and it includes holidays, overtime and extra work on holidays. The overtime done in the month of December 2017 can be excluded in

making contributions of this system provided that employers do the needful to count the exact amount of overtime(s) in December 2017 that are paid in the month of January 2018.

These contributions shall be done by both parties; employers and employees until the employees attain the minimum retirement age.

These two steps are mandatory for employers to oblige

whereby failure to do so will cause employers to be fined up to RM10,000 or 2 years imprisonment or both. Other than these two legal obligations for the preparation of implementation of EIS, employers shall educate their employees on these deductions by engaging with them on this new system and calculate their budget of expenditures on payrolls for such deductions. TI

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invest

Accumulating Wealth Tips & Tricks

Six Lessons I have learned as an Investor

Tey Bin Yuen Binyuen is the founder of BY Enrich Resources and the author of ‘Life beyond the Comfort Zone’ and ‘Profit from Share Investment’. His books are available in major bookstores in Malaysia, Singapore or online http://www.teybinyuen.com/ profitfromshareinvestment

I

n the previous issue, we discussed the first three lessons of my investing journey. To recall, they were ‘buy and hold’ (the right company), ‘invest in company with clear earning visibility’ and ‘spare some cash always’.

As emphasised earlier, spare cash itself would not solve all your problems, as somehow you would buy an underperformed company, whether because of its earnings or share prices. So when this happens, what do you do?

4) Switching is essential Switch.

It means sell the underperformed company and buy a company that would potentially give you good returns. Even though we have done our due diligence before buying a company, there are still chances that something we would miss out and the company do not perform.

And if you read our column regularly, you would have seen we do not just buy and hold rigidly, but follow through (its earnings, prospect and chart pattern) and act when necessary. If its earnings and prospects meet our expectation, we’ll hold; but if the company’s fundamental has changed, or it has turned downtrend, we would consider selling.

For example, let’s have a look at our portfolio performance on 14th December 2017: Refer to the table – We have gained 273% return since its inception in November 2015. Obviously, these kinds of results are not only achieved through buy and hold, but buy and switch if required.

For instance, we bought Crest Builder in July 2017 at 1.08 per share. While there

Disclaimer: The companies or strategies mentioned 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.

were many good reasons to support this investment, such as good earnings, high order book and attractive valuation, its chart pattern has showed downtrend and broke below the MA200 support, which is divergent to its sound fundamentals. With its prolonged underperforming share price, we sold 40000 shares of Crest Builder at 0.97 and incurred a loss of RM4400.

With the sales proceeds gained and some cash, we switched to another potential counter, Jaycorp (7152).

Jaycorp is mainly involved in furniture manufacturing and trading, which contributes 80% of its revenue. The rest of the 20% comes from packaging, wood processing, renewable energy and construction. There are a number of salient points in Jaycorp: 1. Company profit before tax has tripled in the last five years from 9.9 million in 2013 to 33 million in 2017.

2. Jaycorp’s quarter revenue and earnings are very stable in the last 12 quarters, with an average EPS at 4.6 sen per quarter for the last four quarters.

3. Strong balance sheet with net cash of

nearly 25 million according to 2018 Q1 report. Its strong cash flow has led to generous dividend, which increased from 3.5 sen in 2013 to 11 sen in 2017, a very attractive yield at 7.3% based on price at 1.5.

4. According to the management, ‘The Group’s furniture segment is expected to benefit from China’s high demand for imported wooden furniture and reconstruction efforts following recent natural disasters in the USA. 5. Jaycorp has ventured into construction business and have secured contracts such as UMS and Likas projects.

6. With the above strength, we bought 40000 shares of Jaycorp at 1.47, using RM58800 cash. Our new cash level is now at RM42725.

5) Be a Contrarian The reason that very few people make money in the stock market is that most people follow each other.

For example, while the global stock market was bullish (2017), the Malaysia

market sentiment turned weak since midSeptember 2017 until mid-December, even though the Ringgit has strengthened then.

Yet, many people preferred to sell and stay on the sideline as they felt the crash was coming.

If you are a contrarian, you would have bought on dip while everyone else was scared. And now you are sitting on a decent profit. Of course, your courage must come from your understanding to specific potential company and the market psychology.

6) No such thing as a Sure Thing This is especially true in the stock market. A forecast is just a forecast, and variables could have been neglected.

Understand that there is no such thing as a Sure Thing and this would help you stay more grounded and humble. People get defeated because of complacency. Therefore, while confidence would help you to win the battle, overconfidence could lead to a disaster.

In essence, investing is an art.

Successful investors do not only make money, they earn the lessons and wisdom too. The journey is always continued. TI

Improving Digital Education in Malaysian Schools

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alaysia has taken another step towards expanding its digital economy, with the newly tabled 2018 budget containing a series of initiatives designed to promote growth in tech companies and ICT skills development.

Included in the budget, submitted to Parliament was an RM250m ($59.1m) pledge to improve the digital education of Malaysian school students.

The funding forms part of the long-term National

Transformation 2050 plan, and is targeted at boosting embedded programming and creative technology.

Public spending targets digital opportunities Efforts to improve the digital skills of future generations have been complemented by the allocation of an additional RM100m ($23.6m) to the government’s eRezeki and eUsahawan programmes.

The initiatives, overseen by the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) and launched in 2015, connect low-income

households to digital income opportunities, providing training and employment to selected citizens.

The MDEC expects around 350,000 Malaysians will take part in the programmes this year.

The budget also included a number of measures aimed at promoting business development and growth in the start-up scene, with RM1bn ($236.3m) put towards venture capital investment in selected sectors, along with a widening of tax exemption

guidelines to include management and performance fees.

T h e changes will make corporate and individual investors in venture capital c o m p a n i e s eligible to claim tax deductions up to a maximum of RM20m ($4.7m) a year, while exemptions on income tax will be extended until the end of 2020. TI

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MMC Corporation Berhad and Department of Polytechnic Education Signs Certificate of Collaboration The signing heralds a new era in private sector and polytechnic cooperation with the launch of the MMC-Polytechnic Education Centre

MMC-Polytechnic Education Centre is launched

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eading utilities and infrastructure group MMC Corporation B er had inked a Certificate of Collaboration with the Department of Polytechnic Education at MMC’s Port of Tanjung Pelepas here in Johor Bahru.

Wi t n e s s i n g the signing ceremony was the Minister of Higher Education, Dato’ Sri Idris Jusoh while Dato’ Sri Che Khalib as Group Managing Director signed for MMC and Professor Dato’ Dr Mohd Ismail bin Abdul Aziz as Director General of Polytechnic and Community College Education attested his signature for the department.

In his speech, Dato Sri Idris said that the aim of his ministry is to become the nation’s premier provider of higher education in Technical

and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and produce skilled talent to meet the increasing and growing demands of industries and to promote the development of individual careers and potential.

“I envision Malaysian Polytechnics becoming a leader in TVET, not just in Malaysia but within the Asia Pacific Region.

“With eight Malaysian Polytechnics receiving gold accreditation from the Asia Pacific Accreditation and Certification Commission (APACC), the highest of any nation in the Asia Pacific, I believe this is certainly possible,” said Idris.

The collaboration sets up an MMC-Polytechnic Education Centre through the establishment of learning

Top students from various polytechnics

spaces, sharing of facilities, equipment and training venues at polytechnics, while MMC will offer opportunities for polytechnic students to undergo industrial or workbased training to equip them with real work experience.

For the students, this would translate to better career prospects within the MMC group after graduation.

The Minister revealed that it is collaborating with over 100 companies, but this association with MMC is the biggest because of the sheer size and diversification of the group.

“We are very excited on the establishment of the MMC-Polytechnic Education Centre, which demonstrates how an industry and education can work together to help develop practical and industr y relevant skills,” said Dato Sri Che Khalid, MMC’s Group Managing Director.

Khalid called the collaboration a smart partnership for MMC because they will have staff who are not only equipped academically but also with industrial training and experience for diversified businesses. - by Shufiyan Shukor TI

education Dean Thompson: As an Education Hub, Johor has Shown Tremendous Innovation U.S Embassy officials visit Johor to engage with education leaders and students

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he state had recently played host to diplomats from the United States Embassy in Kuala Lumpur who had travelled here to meet with the U.S. companies and discuss the region’s economy and engage with the local education leaders and students on the inaugural visit of Deputy Chief of Mission Dean Thompson.

Having recently arrived in M alaysia, Thompson visited the Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences at the Clinical S chool Johor Bahru (CSJB), Monash University Malaysia and had met with the faculty to learn about their areas of research and collaboration with U.S. universities.

A highlight was the dengue fever research project, a joint collaboration between CSJB and the Ministry of Health Malaysia and the U.S. Naval Medical

DCM Dean Thompson having a discussion with students at the Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences at the Clinical School Johor Bahru (CSJB), Monash University Malaysia

Research Centre, based in Singapore.

The project which is expected to commence in January 2018, is looking into the comparison of rapid diagnostic tests performed at the clinic with the confirmatory Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) analysis at the CSJB laboratory. It also aims to identify the causes of dengue-like illnesses such as Chikugunya, Zika, Leptospirosis, Japanese

Encephalitis and Influenza.

“I’ve been eager to visit Johor since arriving a few months ago,” said Thompson.

“The s t a t e ’s booming economic growth, beginning with Iskandar Malaysia provides a great opportunity to promote trade and as an education hub, Johor has shown tremendous innovation with their schools at all levels of learning,” he added. - by Priya Manikam TI

Pro Bono Workshops by Henley Business School Malaysia

British university offers free business skills workshops for underprivileged school leavers and young adults in Malaysia

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enley Business School Malaysia has announced it will be offering free business skills workshops to unemployed or underprivileged school leavers and young adults from January 2018.

The workshops will be delivered pro bono by members of Henley Business School’s recently established Centre for Global Business Enterprise and Cloud Analytics, at its campus in EduCity in Iskandar Puteri, Johor, which is part of the University of Reading Malaysia.

The Head of Henley Business School Malaysia and Director of the Centre for Global Business Enterprise and Cloud Analytics, Professor Teck Yong Eng,

said, “As part of our service to the community, we are committed to upskilling and educating young people who, for reasons such as lack of finance, have not had the opportunity to gain higher education or pursue their dream career such as running their own business. Our aim is to help these people to develop new business skills and guide them in planning a successful career.”

Professor Eng says there are no pre-requisites for interested applicants apart from enthusiasm and desire to succeed. He added that the workshops are based on real-life business activities and/or case studies with hands-on opportunities through practical exercises, application of concepts and simulation of business

scenarios. “ Th ro u g h these workshops we hope to impar t knowledge and new business skills including organisational contex t, people and organisation, strategy, financial literacy, marketing and communication. We will award our participants with a certificate once they complete the workshops,” continued Professor Eng. The free Business Skills Workshops will be hosted by the Centre for Global Business Enterprise and Cloud Analytics once a month from the end of January 2018. For further information on the workshops and how to apply, contact Jerome Jayamana at j.jayamana@ henley.edu.my. TI

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Lunch Buffet At Impiana Hotel Senai Now you know where to go for your break and indulge in scrumptious food

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ake a lunch pitstop at Impiana Hotel Senai before heading off to business meetings or leisure trips to JB town after touching down at Senai International Airport.

Impiana’s flagship restaurant, The Tiffin, serves up an amazingly mouthwatering buffet spread at

only RM60 nett for adults and RM30 nett for children, while senior citizens enjoy 30% off.

Already on-going from the 18th of December 2017, The Tiffin‘s lunch buffet is available from 12pm to 2.30pm.

The lunch buffet consists of a variety of local Malaysian favourites

like steamed white rice with Ayam Masak Lemak (Chicken with Coconut Milk Gravy), Udang Sambal Petai (Prawns with Stink Beans), Johor Laksa, Muar Mee Bandung, Mamak Stir-fried Noodles, and its signature Penang Fish Head Curry.

Don’t miss out the sizzling grilled seafood served to you fresh and

hot from the fire. Searing flavours of the sea includes fish, stingray, squid, prawns and more.

Before you leave, don’t forget to cool off your body and palate, so make yourself an Ice Kacang or grab a tasty snack from the dessert section while having coffee or tea to finish off the delightful meal you had.

Now you’re ready and fuelled up for that business meeting or sightseeing around Johor Bahru!

Impiana Hotel Senai offers a total of 172 guest and clubs rooms, as well as six exclusive suites, all equipped with dedicated workspaces and high-speed internet. Other facilities

and amenities include Club Lounge, three Food and Beverage outlets, Impiana’s signature infinity pool, a gym, and MICE facilities that can accommodate up to 400 pax.

Contact 607 595 8899 or email info. ih s @imp ia n a . co m for reservations or enquiries. by Harish Mustak TI

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Vegan Values at Samurai Ramen by Harish Mustak

Samurai Ramen Umami Restaurant located at Level 3, AEON Tebrau City

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o n n i c h i w a !

Irrasshaimase! (Good day and Welcome!) We checked out the first all vegan Japanese restaurant here in AEON Tebrau City. Serving an assortment of vegan dishes which includes ramen, rice bowls and side dishes, Samurai Ramen Umami Restaurant offers delicious healthy food at affordable prices.

Complementing the vegan menu, they serve food prepared without any MSG (mono sodium glutamate), alcohol, or any kind meat (no animal or seafood), whilst still preserving the authentic Japanese umami flavour.

Samurai Ramen has achieved to recreate the authentic umami flavour by using soy bean, potatoes, and vegetable essence in their

Japanese Style Curry Rice

Delicious meat-free side dishes to complement your meal Samurai Ramen (noodle) with choice of side dishes

dishes, sauces and soups.

Besides serving traditional vegan food, Samurai Ramen also prepares a special menu item known as the “Ninja Ramen” (RM22.90), which is an oriental vegan dish. Oriental vegan dishes are prepared without any of the 5 pungent flavours in cooking which are

onions, garlic, leeks, chives, and spring onions. Otherwise, enjoy a plate of Japanese Style Curry Rice priced at RM18.90.

A warm welcoming organic green tea drink will be served upon seating.

This special Chiran green tea has medicinal benefits for consumers which go well with the vegan menu.

Special daily and monthly promotions will be ongoing at Samurai Ramen such as Breakfast and Lunch Sets which includes a hearty meal and a complimentary drink. An order of the Signature Samurai Ramen lunch set which comes with a choice of vegetable sushi or curry rice side dish only costs RM24.90.

Children are not left

out as there are some options ranging from Mild Curry Kids Plate with a drink (RM15.90) to various side menus to choose from.

To take home your authentic Japanese experience, purchase a Samurai Ramen souvenir pack for two at RM32.90. The pack comprises of 2 servings of Ramen, Samurai soup paste, chilli flakes, 2 sets of

Samurai Ramen Souvenir Pack

wooden chopsticks, a “how-tocook” guide, and a collectible Japanese card game (single card).

Pay a visit to Samurai Ramen Umami Restaurant at AEON Tebrau City, Level 3 (lot S107) to try their Spicy Ramen Challenge and win a special prize! The restaurant is open daily from 10am to 10pm. For reservations, call 0183753151. TI

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PROPERTY INSIGHT

Country View Bhd is disposing its lands in Kedah for a total of RM119.95 million, with a net gain of RM74.67 million from the disposal. pg 25 PROPERTY

@ home

RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS

APARTMENTS

VILLAS

CONDOMINIUMS

OFFICE/RETAILSPACE

KPRJ to Build Multi Purpose Hall in Permas The state government through Kumpulan Prasarana Rakyat Johor (KPRJ) has pg 27 allocated RM10million to build a multi-purpose hall in Permas Jaya

Read this article on our website

64 Units Of Cluster Homes Hua Yang Berhad Introduces New Township in Johor

Iskandar Malaysia Recorded RM244.46 billion cumulative committed investments as at Q3 2017

Connect with us on Facebook

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The Iskandarian ISSUE 65 | JAN 2018 Advertisement

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omerset Puteri Harbour Nusajaya is strategically located within Iskandar Puteri, home to developments such as EduCity which houses several world-class university campuses, Medini a business and leisure district, the Southern Industrial and Logistics Clusters and Afiat Healthpark. Kota Iskandar, the Johor state’s new administrative centre, is also within walking distance from the property.

As part of the luxurious waterfront development of Puteri Harbour, Somerset Puteri Harbour Iskandar Puteri is near quayside lifestyle stores, fine dining restaurants, alfresco cafes and Sanrio Hello Kitty Town, an indoor theme park. It is also only 10 minutes away from the first Legoland theme park in Asia.

Somerset Puteri Harbour Iskandar Puteri offers spacious apartments ranging from studios to three-bedroom units that come fully-furnished with modern amenities.

Residents can enjoy an array of facilities such as a gymnasium, swimming pool, restaurant and residents’ lounge.

Somerset Puteri Harbour is one of a premier collection of The Ascott Limited’s serviced residences in over 90 cities in Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe and the Gulf region. A member of CapitaLand, it is the global leader in branded serviced residences, bringing you more than 30 years’ experience in supporting travellers who work and live away from home.

Somerset Puteri Harbour Iskandar Puteri, Persiaran Puteri Selatan, Puteri Harbour, 79000 Iskandar Puteri., Johor Darul Ta’zim, Malaysia. T: (607) 287 1088 F: (607) 287 1087 E: enquiry.iskandarputeri@ the-ascott.com GDS chain code : AZ. For reservations call (607) 287 1087 or fax (607) 287 1002

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omerset Medini Iskandar Puteri– a sustainable city planned, designed and intended as a city where the social and community areas plus intrinsic needs such as safety and security, transportation, convenience and enriched lifestyle are part and parcel of an integrated master plan.

Whether as an individual or with a family in tow, making Somerset Medini Iskandar Puteri your home makes for an excellent choice because the serviced residence is a stone’s throw away from established signature developments such as LEGOLAND Malaysia & EduCity, Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios, Kota Iskandar, Puteri Harbour and Horizon Hills.

These developments and more make Somerset Medini Iskandar Puteri THE place to live, study, work and play In addition, international travel is also a breeze as the Senai International Airport is 25 minutes away while the Malaysia- Singapore

Second Link is approximately a 15-minute drive away making visit to Singapore an almost painless exercise.

The 33-storey Somerset Medini Iskandar Puteri housing 310 units are exclusive yet inviting. From the exterior façade to the interior and its facilities, the residence marries contemporary with the comfort and familiarity of home to give occupants a space reminiscence of a home away from home.

Offering expatriates and travellers a choice of studios, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, a fully equipped kitchen, separate living, work and sleeping areas, en-suite bathroom and other modern amenities greets occupants.

Somerset Medini Iskandar Puteri is one of a premier collection of The Ascott Limited’s serviced residences in over 90 cities in Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe and the Gulf region. A member of CapitaLand, it is the global leader in branded serviced residences, bringing you more than 30 years’ experience in supporting travellers who work and live away from home.

Somerset Medini Iskandar Puteri, Lot 5 Jalan Medini Utara 4, Medini Iskandar Malaysia, 79200 Iskandar Puteri Johor, Malaysia. T: (607) 560 5555 F: (607) 560 5556 E: enquiry.iskandarputeri@the-ascott.com GDS chain code: AZ. For reservations call (607) 287 1087 or fax (607) 287 1002

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Hua Yang Berhad Introduces New Township in Johor Affordable housing developer optimistic of southern state

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ua Yang Berhad ( H u a Ya n g ) , an affordable h o u s i n g developer with a longstanding presence in Johor Bahru, had unveiled its latest development in Johor.

The development, which comprises 64 units of cluster homes and two units of link bungalows has an estimated Gross Development Value (GDV) of RM41.72 million and sits on 3.99-acres of freehold land. This project (Parcel One) is part of Oval which makes up Phase One of Elemence, the Group’s new eight phase mixed development in Taman Denai Alam, Johor Bahru. In total, Elemence takes up 73.16 acres of freehold land with an estimated GDV of RM375

million.

Speaking at the media preview, Hua Yang’s Johor Branch Manager, Casey Wong said, “Our presence in Johor Bahru dates back to 1993. Today, this southern state is the largest contributor to the Group’s total revenue, with a 35% contribution as at Q1FY2018. Clearly, Johor is an important market for us and this project is in line with our objective to expand our operations in the southern region.”

The cluster homes in Oval are sized 2,170 sqft and priced RM680,000 while the link bungalows are 2,569 sqft in size with a price of RM905,962.

Oval is expected to be completed by end of 2019. In addition to cluster homes and link

The Oval, which is expected to be completed by end of 2019, features a spacious and well lit dining area

bungalows, Elemence will comprise of shop offices, semi-detached houses and homes under the Johor Affordable Housing scheme, when the development completes in five to six years.

Oval is accessible

via Jalan Kota Masai 1 and Jalan Canggung and is within driving distance to Pasir Gudang Port, Tanjung Langsat Port and the Johor Bahru City Center. The development is also in close proximity to supermarkets,

hospitals, educational institutions, banks and restaurants.

The Group currently has a total undeveloped land bank of 468 acres with a potential GDV of RM4.5 billion. - by The Iskandarian

Price vs Value – Part One “Nowadays people know the price of everything and the value of nothing!”

Sr Khaidzir A Rasip Senior VP at IRDA Sr Khaidzir A Rasip is a Chartered Valuation Surveyor by profession with over 29 years of working experience in the United Kingdom and Malaysia. He is a Fellow of both the Royal Institution of Surveyors Malaysia (RISM) and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), United Kingdom; and a member of the Association of Valuers, Property Managers, Estate Agents & Property Consultants in the Private Sector (PEPS). A Senior Vice President at Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) which he joined in 2009, Sr Khaidzir has been assigned to various positions in Social Development, Flagship Development, Economics & Investment, Strategic Communications and now, Urban Observatory divisions whilst maintaining a specific role as the subject matter expert in property for Iskandar Malaysia.

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his happens to be an eloquent quote I came across in cyberspace. What is the difference between these two, if there is any at all? In

fact, when it comes to property, it seems that price and value are interchangeable. For example, market price (value), loan-to-value (price) ratio and so on and so forth.

Therefore, one can be the other without any consequences, right?

Wrong!

Just like the quote seems to imply, there is a world of difference between price and value even when in terms of absolute figure, they are the same.

But, how can a price of RM500,000 be different from a value of RM500,000?

If you look up any dictionary, the literal meaning of the two words are similar but not the same. Before I go any further, let me share a story that can help to explain it all.

The Royal Institution of Surveyors Malaysia (RISM) issued an official response to an article that appeared on Utusan Online on 22nd October 2015 entitled “Jurunilai punca hartanah mahal?” (“Are valuers the cause of expensive properties?”) that quoted a claim that the current unaffordable property market situation is caused by blatant overvaluation on the part of professional valuers who are more concerned about making profits and can do so scot-free without any question asked or action taken against them. RISM, with more than 1,800 members from the valuation

discipline under the Property Management, Valuation and Estate Agency Surveying (PMVS) division, is one of the primary bodies representing professional valuers in Malaysia. It contends that the said claim is not just inaccurate but also unjustifiable in the same manner it would be unjustifiable to claim that all doctors purposely keep their patients sick so that they can continue to make profits from them.

According to RISM, the claim made in the article repeatedly use the word “price” whereas there is a fundamental difference between the meaning of “price” and “value”. The former is more often than not based on cost plus profit that the seller wants to get as the proceeds from his/her property. This is often the method used by developers in selling properties within their projects (which constitutes a market segment referred to as the primary market).

No independent valuers are used at all by developers in determining the price of their products. It is not the intention of RISM to point fingers at developers, some of who happens to be its members, but just to clarify which areas are within valuers’ control and which are not.

On the other hand, valuers determine “value” of a property at any given time, or more specifically, “market value” which is defined as

an opinion of what would be the worth of the property in the open market as agreed upon by both a willing seller and a willing buyer with knowledge of the market and without any compulsion. In determining the “market value”, valuers use five methods of valuation namely, comparison, investment, residual, cost and accounts. These methods are backed by statistics and facts as well as transaction evidence obtained from the Valuation and Property Services Department (or JPPH) under the Ministry of Finance.

Being an opinion of value is not an exact science, there will be cases of difference in opinion from one valuer to another.

However, the scientific part of valuation techniques will balance up the artistic nature of the same to ensure that the difference will not vary beyond a reasonable range.

Furthermore, the opinion is formed by interpreting the prevailing market dynamics and so, valuers do not dictate the market value in any way whatsoever. It is the laws of demand and supply and market forces at play that form the underlying factors in determining value. This concept is institutionalised in the definition of the “market value”. wAn edited version of this article is in the May/June 2016 edition of Homefinder Malaysia.

Quick Reads

Country View to Gain RM74.67mil It was reported that Country View Bhd is disposing its lands in Kedah for a total of RM119.95 million, with a net gain of RM74.67 million from the disposal.

Country View said it also plans to use the funds to part finance the acquisition of some 163.92 acres of land in Pulai, Johor, from Bandar Nusajaya Development Sdn Bhd for RM310 million, which had been announced on 30th October 2017.

“At this juncture, the group intends to capitalise on its established reputation and presence in Iskandar Puteri and Johor Bahru. The group will continue to develop its existing ongoing project; Taman Nusa Sentral, which is located at Iskandar Puteri.

“The proposed land acquisition will allow the group to expand and enhance its property development activities in Iskandar Puteri which is expected to generate future income,” it said.

Expats: KL, JB and Penang Affordable Property Guru had highlighted that Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru and George Town are among the world’s most affordable places for expatriates, according to the latest cost of living research conducted by ECA International.

“Asia is home to some of the world’s most expensive locations, as well as its cheapest.

This level of variety is only matched in Africa, which is home to both the world’s most expensive location and the cheapest,” said ECA International’s Regional Director Lee Quane.

However, for Singapore, it has dropped to the 21st spot out of more than 260 cities or its lowest since 2014. The republic’s ranking has fallen five places from last year’s spot due to the strengthening of European currencies.

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Iskandar Malaysia: Optimistic to Achieve its Investment Target

Iskandar Malaysia recorded RM244.46 billion cumulative committed investments as at Q3 2017

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skandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) announced that Iskandar Malaysia had recorded total cumulative committed investments of RM244.46 billion from 2006 until end September 2017. Of this total, 54% or RM131.09 billion represent investments that

have been realised.

To date, local investors had contributed RM149 billion (61%) to the total cumulative committed investments while the

balance RM95 billion (39%) were contributed by foreign investors.

Datuk Ismail Ibrahim, Chief Executive of IRDA said that this reflects continuous investor confidence in Iskandar Malaysia as it moves towards its long-term development objectives.

As Iskandar Malaysia sails through its third development phase from 2016 – 2025 focusing on Sustainability & Innovation, IRDA had shared the results of its

Well Balanced Lifestyle Township

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he Malaysian Proper t y Press Awards (MPPA) 2016/2017 — an annual awards ceremony by strategic property content provider, Terra Value Sdn Bhd, which celebrates the outstanding achievements of participants within the property industry recognised UMLand Bhd for their township Seri Austin for its Outstanding Achievement for a Well Balanced Lifestyle Township category.

K.K Wong, CEO of UMLand Seri Austin as well as the Acting Group Director of UMLand Townships was also presented with the Most Outstanding Property Personality Award by Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Ahmad Maslan who was the guest of honour at MPPA 2016/2017.

“I attribute the award to hardwork and dedication and consistently branding UMLand Seri

second Iskandar Malaysia Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory 2016 at the Malaysia Pavilion during the Conference of Parties (COP) 23, in Bonn, Germany.

Datuk Ismail Ibrahim pointed out that “As the only economic region to participate in the carbon reporting, I was very happy to share our progress in monitoring Iskandar Malaysia’s GHG emissions by tracking the impact and performance of Iskandar Malaysia Low Carbon Society Blueprint (LCSBPIM)

implementation”.

In addition, the Iskandar Malaysia smart city initiatives are in line with Johor State’s aspiration as mentioned in its 2018 Johor State Budget announcement recently.

Amongst initiatives supported by Johor state are Village Enhancement Programme which is an effort to preserve traditional village in Iskandar Malaysia and the Kursi Profesor Iskandar Malaysia as an effort to promote smart city development through wakaf concept.

“All these sustainable agenda is to make Iskandar Malaysia a smart metropolis that covers the economic, environmental and social aspects. It is our goal to ensure Iskandar Malaysia’s inclusiveness benefits the people not only in the region but also throughout the country, “said Datuk Ismail. TI

YTL Secures GemasJohor Bahru Electrified Double-Tracking Railway Project

Y CEO of UMLand Seri Austin as well as the Acting Group Director of UMLand Townships K.K. Wong receiving the award from Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Ahmad Maslan

Austin’s accolades and success stories to ensure our township remains visible and reminds potential buyers that our township offers the best quality of life,” said K.K Wong.

To mark the 2016/2017 accolades, Terra Value tied up with marketing arm Emjay Communications and strategically partnered with the Malaysian Global Business Forum (MGBF), Majlis Profesor Negara (MPN), under the Prime Minister’s Department, and

stakeholder relations and communications counsel, Perception Management Sdn Bhd, to escalate the awards to greater heights.

“This year, we are giving recognition to the Malaysian Government, for its efforts in delivering key infrastructure projects and housing for Malaysians over the past several decades,” said MPPA Chairman and Terra Value Sdn Bhd Executive Director Gunaprasath Bupalan. - by Edey Suresh TI

TL Corp’s Managing Director Tan Sri Yeoh Sock Ping at the group’s AGM revealed that the company had secured a package from the RM8.9 billion GemasJohor Bahru electrified double-tracking railway project. However, no further details were disclosed as reported by the EdgeProp.

The project covers 191km in the southern region, from the state of Negeri Sembilan to Johor.

The overall project was awarded to a consortium of three China-based companies — China Railway Construction Corp Ltd (CRCC), China Railway Engineering Corp (CREC) and China Communications Construction Co (CCCC).

CRCC holds a 40% stake in the joint venture while CREC and CCCC each own 30%.

Analysts believe earnings from the package will be meaningful to the group’s bottom line moving forward.

MIDF Research said that even half a portion secured on the work packages would benefit the group’s construction revenues.

“Even if YTL scores just 50% of the work packages (or

RM4.3 billion), the impact on its construction revenue and profit could be substantial.

YTL’s construction revenue and earnings has been pretty dismal in the past few years and the Gemas-JB project win could easily more than quadruple YTL’s current order book of RM1 billion (comprising mostly internal jobs),” said MIDF Research in a note. TI

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KPRJ to Build Multi Purpose GBH plans RM143m property purchase Hall in Permas The state government through Kumpulan Prasarana Rakyat Johor (KPRJ) has allocated RM10million to build a multi-purpose hall in Permas Jaya

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n a ground breaking ceremony held at Jalan Permas ½, Bandar Baru Permas Jaya, Menteri Besar Johor Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin announced that a multipurpose hall or Dewan Muafakat, will be erected at the 1.1 acre site.

The fully air-conditioned Dewan Muafakat Permas Jaya will encompass four badminton courts with 100 spectator seats, a kindergarten, a prayer hall, OKU friendly toilets, a meeting room, food courts as well as sales kiosks for budding entrepreneurs.

“The infrastructure will have a positive impact and will be the focal point for economic and social development in the area,” said Khaled.

Khaled who is also the ADUN for the Permas constituency stressed that the hall will also serve as a platform for all races to come together and socialise regularly.

The construction of the multi-purpose hall will cost the state RM8million while land

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eramic products company Goh Ban Huat Bhd (GBH) is planning to buy several properties in Pontian, Johor, from three companies controlled by the family of its controlling shareholders, for RM143 million reported EdgeProp.

It is also seeking to diversify its business into construction and property development, it announced in a Bursa Malaysia filing yesterday.

The properties it is buying are 29 units of unsold 1.5-storey semi-detached factories — with a collective built-up area of

340,542 sq ft — 15 parcels of vacant industrial land, a vacant commercial plot, and a vacant hostel land that measures 45.52 acres (18.4ha) in all.

The vacant commercial plot, which GBH is buying from PNISB, has already obtained planning permission from the Majlis Daerah Pontian to be developed into Pekan Sentral, a mixed commercial area with a gross development value of RM126.1 million. At an estimated gross development cost of RM82 million, GBH said there would be a potential gross development profit of RM44.1 million from the project. TI

Kimlun buys plot for RM82.1m

Menteri Besar Johor Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin officiating the ground breaking ceremony of the multi-million ringgit multi-purpose hall

acquisition cost was around RM2million.

“Although the area of where the hall is being built is considered as part of the low-cost housing estate, the hall itself is very high-end, further proving that the state government emphasises equality in deliverables. This is in line with creating a conducive

environment for the people,” added Khaled.

The hall is expected to be completed in 18 months. KPRJ’s Chief Executive Officer Haji Abd Razak Mohd Yusoff said, “We are committed to delivering infrastructures and amenities that will benefit the people of Johor as mandated to us.” - by Edey Suresh TI

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imlun Corp Bhd is buying a plot of freehold agriculture plot measuring 11.734ha in Pulai, Johor, from UEM Sunrise Bhd for RM82.1 million to develop commercial properties.

The purchase is being undertaken via its indirect whollyowned unit Kii Morris Sdn Bhd, which inked the sale and purchase agreement with UEM’s unit Nusajaya Greens Sdn Bhd yesterday, according to the group’s filing with Bursa Malaysia.

The purchase consideration will be financed using internal funds and/or external borrowings.

Assuming that RM50 million or some 60% of the purchase consideration is financed via external borrowings, Kimlun said its gearing, which stood at 0.06 times as at 31st Dec 2016, is expected to increase by 0.09 times reported The Edge Markets.

The group plans to apply to the Johor state authority to convert the land from agriculture use to commercial. TI

Property Market Could Pose a Risk To Economic Growth Overall positive outlook for Malaysia, but concerns have been raised over the real estate sector

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ising domestic and international demand for goods and services saw Malaysia exceed GDP growth expectations this year. However, despite strong performance in most sectors, imbalances in the property market could pose a risk to economic growth heading into 2018.

Malaysia’s economy gained momentum throughout the year, according to the latest quarterly bulletin issued by the central bank, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM); GDP expanded by 6.2% year-onyear (y-o-y) between July and September, up from 5.8% in the second quarter and 5.6% in the first.

The BNM said that due to the strong performance in the third quarter – the first time growth has exceeded 6% since 2014 – fullyear expansion was on track to register at the upper end of official projections of between 5.2% and 5.7%.

Expansion bolstered by high domestic demand and external sector

Accelerating growth has been fuelled by more favourable economic conditions both at home and abroad.

According to a report from the Ministry of Finance, domestic demand rose by 6.7% in the first half of 2017, building on the 4.7% increase recorded in the first half of last year. This was supported by robust household consumption and rising private sector investment, which are forecast to increase by 6.9% and 9.3% this year, respectively. Much of this investment was concentrated in the manufacturing and services sectors, with the former seeing higher levels of capital spending in both export- and domestic-focused activities.

The external sector is also a key contributor; total trade increased by 22.6% between January and August this year, a sharp rise on the 0.6% recorded over the same period in 2016, according to the ministry. Export growth is being led by

electrical and electronics products, with export earnings up 21.4% compared to 2.3% in 2016.

Moderate inflation, interest rate remains unchanged Core inflation remained stable this year, mainly due to lower domestic fuel prices, which were another factor behind strong household consumption.

Moreover, BNM kept its benchmark overnight policy rate at 3% in November 2017, with the rate remaining unchanged since July last year.

With the bank’s monetary policy committee due to meet again in January 2018, some analysts predict

interest rates will be

raised as a result of this year’s strong economic performance.

markets as factors that could impede growth.

Favourable economic trends projected to continue The positive economic trends are expected to continue in the near term, with recently tabled budgetary papers providing a positive outlook for Malaysia’s economy heading into 2018.

State revenue is expected to increase by 6.4% to RM239.9 ($49.8bn), and the fiscal deficit is forecast to drop from 3% to 2.8% of GDP. Expansion will continue to be underpinned by robust domestic and external conditions.

Export growth in 2018 is expected to rise by 3.4%, building upon this year’s 16.6%, with real GDP predicted to grow by between 5% and 5.5%.

However, the ministry also sounded a note of caution, citing rising protectionism, uncertainty over the policies in m a ny advanced economies and turbulence in financial

Oversupply of real estate Despite the overall positive outlook, concerns have been raised over the real estate sector, as oversupply in some segments has the potential to affect the broader economy.

In mid-November 2017, Tan Sri Muhammad Ibrahim, the Governor of BNM, told the local media that the number of unsold residential properties had reached decade-high levels, with particular excesses in the mid- and upperprice ranges. Additionally, a strong flow of new office and retail properties in the development pipeline – 140 malls are expected to open in key areas, including Klang Valley, Penang and Johor – could further add to imbalances in the market.

While growth in the coming year may help soak up some of this excess supply, the sector remains exposed to any unforeseen shocks the economy may experience in 2018 and beyond. TI

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