The Iskandarian May2018

The Iskandarian

KDN : PP17797/06/2012(032765) Singapore MICA : MCI (P) 094/11/2017

ISSUE 69 | MAY 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 Monthly Drill

We interview CEOs & Chairmen with drilling questions

pg 9

We aim to upgrade our showroom to the most advanced Transformable Furniture showroom in Johor Bahru - Juee Teng Sales & Creative Director, DJ&CO Lifestyle, By MOCOF

email: editor@theiskandarian.com

website/e-paper : www.theiskandarian.com

THE ISKANDARIAN ISKANDAR MALAYSIA’S OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER

Johor Economic Powerhouse: All about Connectivity Read on pg8

Digitising Johor into the Future

For illustrative purposes only

- RM200 million injection by the Federal Government to spur digital growth of Johoreans

Read on pg11

02

FREE COPY | The Iskandarian ISSUE 69 | MAY 2018 www.facebook.com/theiskandarian | www.theiskandarian.com

The Iskandarian

Our Friends

news

Iskandar Malaysia Recorded RM9.33 billion Committed Investments for Quarter 1 2018 Optimistic to achieve 2025 investment target

I

PEGASUS INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

Gleneagles MEDINI

“In The Arms Of One Who Cares”

skandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) announced that Iskandar Malaysia recorded committed investments of RM9.33 billion in Quarter 1 of 2018, bringing the total cumulative committed investments to RM262.43 billion from 2006 until 31st March 2018.

Of this total, 59% or RM153.54 billion represent investments that have been realised.

To date, local investors had contributed RM160 billion (61%) to the total cumulative committed investments while the balance RM102 billion (39%) were contributed by foreign investors.

The top five countries with highest cumulative committed investments into Iskandar Malaysia from 2006 to March 2018 are China, Singapore, USA, Japan, and The European Union.

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. This is also evident by the many visits to Iskandar Malaysia by various international parties.

IRDA received a visit by H.E Frédéric Laplanche, Ambassador

of France to Malaysia with his entourage, which included senior representatives from various French companies, who were here to exchange experience and ideas in relation to the Smart City agenda.

Earlier in April, IRDA also received a visit by H.E Bai Tian, Ambassador of People’s Republic of China to Malaysia and his delegation, and this time around, the purpose of the visit was to explore business and investment potential in Iskandar Malaysia.

“Visits such as these provide us with the opportunity to further highlight Iskandar Malaysia’s many strengths and opportunities and also act as a platform to strengthen relationship and exchange knowledge with other international parties and global players, in line with the region’s vision to become the preferred destination to invest, work, live and play.”

These investments also continue to create more jobs. From 2007 to March 2018, a total of 746,457 jobs have been created in Johor and most of these came from the various sectors in Iskandar Malaysia including manufacturing, hospitality, food & beverage, and education.

In line with this, the public

Datuk Ismail Ibrahim, CE of IRDA explaining the 5 flagships of Iskandar Malaysia to H.E Ambassador of China

transportation system for this region will be enhanced by providing efficient and accessible public transport. Iskandar Malaysia will embark on the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system to accommodate the targeted increase in population of up to 3.0 million by 2025. The first phase of BRT will be ready by 2021.

Another important infrastructure enabler is connectivity and this will also be the focus in the third development phase as Iskandar Malaysia needs a smart ICT infrastructure to remain attractive to new and existing investors whilst convenience to the people of

Iskandar Malaysia in as many ways possible.

Datuk Ismail added that for Iskandar Malaysia, the next seven years is not only about attracting new investments, but the investments must be inclusive in order for the local communities, businesses and talents to participate and reap benefits from the wealth generated from economic activities. With all these elements in place, the region will, in no time, achieve its vision of becoming a Strong and Sustainable Metropolis of International Standing. - by The Iskandarian TI

Medical Camp to Assist the Elderly

R

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

CJB President D a t u k Te o Shiok Fu JP with his RCJB members, Persatuan Doktor-Doktor Johor and students from SMK Sultan Ibrahim Girls’ School (SIGS) and SMK Dato’ Jaafar visited 71 residents at Persatuan Kebajikan Prihatin Kuan Yin in Health check-ups done by the Medical Team Skudai, Johor Bahru.

They co-organised cleaned the dressing of a medical camp with Dr. those with bed sores.

At the end of Ng Kim Fong, President of Persatuan Doktor-Doktor the visit, each resident Johor and his members was presented with a consisting of 5 specialists bag containing daily and doctors from Hospital necessities and ointments.

Sultan Ismail and 5 medical Toilet paper rolls and students from University of food ingredients such as Newcastle for the benefit noodles and garlic were also donated to the Home. of the 71 residents.

“We are grateful There were 2 medical stations set up to Dr. Ng Kim Fong and to screen blood pressure the Persatuan Doktorand blood sugar test. Doktor Johor for helping Medical consultations and and supporting us in this recommended follow-ups meaningful community were also held thereafter. service project for the A medical team attended elderly,” said Datuk Teo to the residents who were Shiok Fu JP. - by The bed-ridden and they also Iskandarian TI

Published by True Soul Media PLT [No.51-B, Jalan Impian Emas 5/1, Taman Impian Emas, 81300 Johor Bahru] Printed by Twinstar Synergy Sdn. Bhd. [Lot2A, Jln 13/2, Seksyen 13, 46200, Petaling Jaya, Selangor] Copyright of articles, contributions and photos which are published by The Iskandarian is the property of True Soul Media PLT. The Iskandarian does its best to ensure the authenticity and accuracy of its contents, the publisher cannot accept any responsibilities for errors, mistakes and inaccuracies. The publisher reserves the rights of this product and no part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the permission of the publisher.

03

FREE COPY | The Iskandarian ISSUE 69 | MAY 2018 www.facebook.com/theiskandarian | www.theiskandarian.com

Gadgets Galore and New Ferries at Berjaya Waterfront A plan to rebrand the premise back to its duty free touristy shopping days

Official ceremony as both parties Berjaya Watefront and Bistari Gemilang, the appointed ferry operator of the new aluminum ferries Oceanna 175 enters into an agreeement

B

erjaya Waterfront announced a total overhaul with its all new Techworld section, boasting 25 gadget tenants across two floors, making it the new one-stop tech centre in Johor with the comforts of duty free shopping prices.

“It’s a proud moment for all of us who have worked tirelessly to ensure that the Techworld is up to standard against other international duty free shopping centres across the region. In total, we spent RM3.5 million to refurbish the mall to get to where we are now. In our effort to enhance customer experience, we introduced new safety features including 24 hours auxiliary police, dedicated ladies parking as well as touch and go parking features,” said Tan Yew Chuan, Senior General Manager of Berjaya Waterfront.

Also present at the event was

Avinderjit Singh, Director of Berjaya Waterfront, Haris Nugroho, the Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia (Johor), Rajpal Singh, the Consul-General of the Republic of Singapore (Johor) and Datuk Seri Tey Kim Chai, the President of Johor Bahru Tionghua Association.

Tan added that Berjaya plans to create a strong ecosystem to support the hospitality and tourism industry through the company’s CSR programme with local schools and universities, including an art space for Raffles students to display their work.

Also announced on the day was the addition of four new aluminum ferries with a 400 passenger seating as well as a new VIP lounge at Level 2 of the mall for those using the ferry service that travels to Batam Centre, Harbourbay and Tanjung Pinang in Indonesia. - by Amin Khairuddin TI

Health & Sports Fair 2018 at KOMTAR JBCC

I

n a bid to promote health and fitness, KOMTAR JBCC organised a Health & Sports Fair for two weeks for its shoppers. This is the third year since it was organised back in 2016. There were two types of competition held for adults, which were the Downmall Challenge and Bunny Hop, whereas the Push Bike Challenge was held for the children.

The Downmall Challenge required participants to go through some obstacles and go down using the ramp at the fastest time, whereas the Bunny Hop category was open for BMX riders, requiring them to pass obstacles according to the set of height. The fun didn’t stop there as the children took part in the Push Bike Challenge which was divided into two categories; category A for children aged two to four years old while category B was for children aged five to seven years old.

KOMTAR JBCC had worked in collaboration with Johor Extreme Bike (JEB) and received around 100 participants from Johor Bahru, Kuala Lumpur and Melaka.

The winner of the Downmall Challenge was Muhammad Raudhatul Razman, and Idham Ahmad won the Bunny Hop event. Both winners received RM500 cash and medals.

Zarf Atheer emerged as the little champion in the Push Bike Challenge category A and Nur Qiesha Az Zharyd emerged as the winner for category B. Both winners received RM300 cash and medals.

Runner-ups also received cash prizes and medals and 5 consolation winners received RM50 and medals as well.

KOMTAR JBCC management always encourages its shoppers to be active and healthy, and this event helped create awareness and engage shoppers to the mall.

- by The Iskandarian TI

The little champions of the Push Bike Challenge competition

news

04

FREE COPY | The Iskandarian ISSUE 69 | MAY 2018 www.facebook.com/theiskandarian | www.theiskandarian.com

news

More than 3,000 Visitors at Danga City Mall’s MATTA Fair The tourism sector in Johor has reached a level of maturity based on yearly growth

M

ore than 3,000 visitors attended the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) Exhibition held at the ground floor of Danga City Mall recently. The three day exhibition featured 31 tourism agencies, two water theme parks, various hotels and resorts promoting sales packages that aim to boost the country’s tourism industry.

State Tourism, Trade and Consumer Affairs Chairman, Datuk Tee Siew Kiong, said the MATTA exhibition has been receiving overwhelming response since its inception in 1999.

He said the tourism sector in Johor has already reached some level of maturity and based on Johor’s performance over the years, it was confident it was on the right track.

“Based on the statistics of tourist arrivals to Johor, we have seen it increase from 3.9 million in 2012 to 10 million tourists in 2016.

“In addition, Johor is the number one state in attracting domestic tourists at a total of 7.4 million people in 2016 and I am confident this figure will definitely increase after the 2017 and 2018 reports are issued.

“This amount is important

because with this figure we can estimate a total of RM13 billions of economic value generated for Johor,” he said.

Tee said this during the launch of MATTA Fair Johor Chapter at Danga City Mall. Also present were Johor Tourism Director Abdul Malik Ismail and Johor MATTA Chairman Kathryn Lee. This also marks the last big event to be held here before renovations kick start in June.

“The state government through Tourism Johor’s offices and Ministry of Tourism and Tourism Malaysia will continue to intensify the promotion to help Johor face

MATTA Chairman Kathryn Lee and State Tourism, Trade and Consumer Committee chairman, Datuk Tee Siew Kiong at the Johor MATTA fair

the Visit Malaysia Year 2020.

“Johor now has a lot of international tourism products and in the next 10 years, the state will definitely succeed as a major tourist destination in the region,” said Tee, adding that users of the Senai International Airport also reached three million in 2017, compared to just 1.99 million people in 2013,

with 18 domestic and international flight paths.

Tee also mentioned that tourists using the train services to Johor also increased from 150,000 people in 2014 to 1.8 million people last year, following an increase in service frequency from five times a day to 31 times a day. - by Amin Khairuddin TI

Watoto Children’s Choir in Johor Bahru Rescue, Raise and Rebuild

T

he Watoto Children’s Choir, whose members are orphans and vulnerable children, was in Johor Bahru recently to present ‘Signs & Wonders’, an energetic musical show that celebrates and demonstrates the miraculous transformation in their lives, from a dark past to a purposeful life.

This travelling choir is part of the Watoto Child Care Ministries that started in 1994 with one simple house in the city of Kampala, Uganda. Here, eight orphans and a widow were given the opportunity to live together as a new family.

With the support of sponsors worldwide, Watoto is providing holistic, residential care for over 4,000 orphaned and needy children and restoring dignity to vulnerable women, most of whom are HIV positive.

Rescued children, aged between two and 12 live in Watoto villages in a family set-up with seven other siblings, cared for by a housemother. Each village has a community centre and health clinic and the children attend school to receive quality education.

“This musical production, ‘Signs &

Wonders’ is going to challenge preconceived ideas about miracles as it demonstrates that each of our daily lives are wonders of God’s work in us,” said Creative Director of Watoto Choirs, James Skinner.

These choirs groups have toured the world to share the vision and mission of Watoto through music and dance in an energetic fusion of contemporary gospel and traditional African rhythms.

Each choir is made up of 18 children, aged between seven to 12 years and are accompanied by 10 adult caregivers.

In March and April 2018, Choir #88 performed in Johor Bahru, Sibu, Kuching, Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. In Johor Bahru, the choir performed at several venues during the Easter season and ended their stay with an exciting excursion to LEGOLAND Malaysia Water Park at Iskandar Puteri, Johor.

Watoto’s tagline is: Rescue, Raise, Rebuild. To sponsor or partner with Watoto in this effort, email to: asia@watoto.com.

For more information, visit website: www. watoto.asia - by Peggy Loh TI

Happiness with Storytelling

C

olumbia Asia Hospital – Iskandar Puteri has made an effort to support “Jom Baca Bersama Untuk 10 Minit” programme initiated by Perbadanan Perpustakaan Awam Johor (PPAJ ) by conducting a storytelling session for kids aged between 1-year old to 11-years old at the Pediatric

Ward.

The children along with parents and hospital staff had a wonderful bonding time. The children enjoyed the session and even requested for more storytelling.

“Storytelling humanises us and every story unites the teller and the audience. This is a great patient engagement

activity. It was a meaningful activity that should be held often,” said Marketing Manager, Elaina Tan. The objective of the programme is to encourage all Malaysians to spend 10 minutes of their time to read as a commitment towards the importance of reading in their life and to continue it in their daily practice. - by The Iskandarian TI

Local sponsors hosted the visitors from Uganda, East Africa, to a fun day outdoors at the LEGOLAND Malaysia Water Park in Iskandar Puteri, Johor

05

The Iskandarian ISSUE 69 | MAY 2018 Advertisement

06

FREE COPY | The Iskandarian ISSUE 69 | MAY 2018 www.facebook.com/theiskandarian | www.theiskandarian.com

Launch of Pengerang Deepwater Terminals Phase 3 The signing agreements signifies DIALOG’s confidence in developing Pengerang into a major downstream oil and gas hub in the region

D

IALOG Group Berhad via its wholly owned subsidiary DIALOG Pengerang Sdn Bhd, the Johor State Government and the State Secretary, Johor (Incorporated) (SSI), entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), marking the launch of Pengerang Deepwater Terminals Phase 3.

Witnessing the signing ceremony was Menteri Besar of Johor, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin. Also present were Tan Sri Dr. Ngau Boon Keat, Executive Chairman of DIALOG Group Berhad; YB Dato’ Hj Azmi Rohani, Johor State Secretary; Hj Ramlee A. Rahman, Deputy State Secretary of Johor (Development) and YB Dato’ Ismail Karim, Member of Johor Royal Committee.

Phase 3 will be developed on approximately 300 acres of land next to Phase 2 within the Pengerang Deepwater Terminals and comprises of common tankage facilities (including shared infrastructure) and dedicated deepwater marine facilities (“Jetty 3”) undertaken by Pengerang CTF Sdn Bhd (“PCTF”) and the development of more petroleum and petrochemicals storage

TANJONG PUTERI GOLF RESORT BERHAD (Co No: 157019 V)

terminals for medium and long term customers. These storage terminals will be integrated and supported by PCTF’s owned common tankage facilities (including shared infrastructure) and deepwater marine facilities (“Jetty 3”); and the development of industrial land for further downstream oil and gas related activities.

The indicative initial cost of investment in Pengerang Deepwater Terminals Phase 3 is approximately RM2.5 billion.

“I hope with the launch of Phase 3, we will be able to attract another refinery and petrochemicals complex (like RAPID) which will enable Pengerang to turn into a huge petroleum downstream manufacturing centre,” said Tan Sri Dr Ngau Boon Keat.

He added, “This will in turn attract Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries to use its storage facilities as a strategic oil reserve hub given its strategic location in Asia Pacific – it is like a Central Bank of Oil.” Under the MoU, the parties will build, own and operate

common tankage facilities (including shared infrastructure) and dedicated deepwater marine facilities (“Jetty 3”) to support and promote the petroleum and petrochemicals storage and handling tank terminals business.

The business activities will be undertaken by Pengerang CTF Sdn Bhd which the State Government of Johor will own up to 20% stake, via its investment arm Permodalan Darul Ta’zim.

Concurrently with the MoU, DIALOG E & C Sdn Bhd, another wholly owned subsidiary of DIALOG’s, awarded a Letter of Award to Penta-Ocean (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd for the engineering, procurement and construction works for the reclamation, soil improvement and shore protection works.

The land reclamation requires 22 months to complete.

Pengerang Deepwater Terminals has the potential to be the downstream oil and gas hub in the region and its development synergises with DIALOG’s investments in tankage facilities in Kertih, Terengganu, and Tanjung Langsat in Johor. by The Iskandarian TI

news Iskandar Puteri’s Green Ecosystem Enhanced with oBike

The bicycle-sharing system, oBike, was launched at the recent inaugural Edible Festival that drew about 6,000 visitors

T

he launch of oBike took place at a perfect time as it supplemented the Edible Festival’s sustainability and green-themed programme in Medini.

Presently, there are more than 1000 oBike-branded bicycles placed at various locations within Iskandar Puteri, particularly in Medini City, EduCity, Puteri Harbour and other parts of Johor Bahru. oBike Malaysia Country Lead, Ian Goh said, “oBike; Malaysia’s first smart station-free bike-sharing operator uses technology to change how transportation is viewed

locally. Nowadays people look for convenience and oBike is able to provide environmentally friendly commute option for all and this is surely a healthier and greener choice of transportation.”

“Currently, the oBikes in EduCity provide a simple and hassle-free alternative mode of transportation to more than 4,000 students. Furthermore there are dedicated cycling lanes in EduCity, Puteri Harbour, and Medini, invoking a healthy cycling culture around these areas,” said Akmal Ahmad, COO of Iskandar Investment Berhad (IIB). by The Iskandarian TI

(from left) Ian Goh, Tn Hj Adib Azhari Daud, Dr. James Tee and Akmal Ahmad at the launch of oBike

Jalan Tanjong Puteri 1, Tanjong Puteri Resort, 81700 Pasir Gudang, Johor Tel: 07 - 271 1888 Fax : 07—271 1333 Email : enquiry@tpgr.com Website : www.tpgr.com

07

FREE COPY | The Iskandarian ISSUE 69 | MAY 2018 www.facebook.com/theiskandarian | www.theiskandarian.com

StartupJohor Academy Launch & RM5 million LEAD Fund to Foster Tech Talent Development in Johor An effort to execute and cultivate educational programmes to develop highly qualified individuals, bringing the state into a new era of digitisation

I

n line with StartupJohor’s vision to facilitate growth in the start-up and entrepreneurial ecosystem within Iskandar Malaysia, the social enterprise had announced the launch of the ‘StartupJohor Academy’, a new initiative that aims to guide budding individuals on the road of building their dreams.

This new academy will operate from several different co-working spaces around Iskandar Malaysia as a step to make the initiative more accessible to Johoreans.

This is all possible due to the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between StartupJohor and LEAD (League of ExtraOrdinary Developers), as well as Garuda Robotics Pte Ltd. The MoU aims to become a guideline for all parties involved to plan, execute and cultivate programmes to develop highly qualified individuals, ready for the local industry.

“Startup Johor Academy will work with industry leading partners to provide high quality training programme and educational content to the audience by utilising learning by doing / building approach and applying it to real business case studies and projects,” said Feng Lim Community Director of StartupJohor.

He added that the target audience of the programmes are Johoreans and to prepare them for their future careers / start-ups endeavour, by providing them with immediately needed skill sets and knowledge such as programming, big data analytics, industrial drones operation and Blockchain technologies, all as a step to attract locals returning from overseas and to control the brain drain issue.

Present for the MoU signing ceremony and Startup Johor Academy Launch was Mark Yong, Cofounder & CEO of Garuda Robotics and Dr. Lau Cher Han, Founder of LEAD. To kick-start the activities at the academy, those interested can sign up for several programming courses offered

by LEAD, including one day introduction courses on JavaScript, Data Science as well as NodeJs. There will also be a ten day Full Stack Web Development Bootcamp in June for fulltime and part time students, and a more intensive full time nine week Full Stack Development Bootcamp, which starts in second half of the year.

Garuda Academy will offer three different courses, a beginner’s Professional Multirotor Pilot Course for those with zero knowledge and experience in operating UAVs. The second, Industrial Drone Inspection Course will teach students with safety centric operating procedures to carry out aerial inspections and lastly, the Drone Mapping for Agricultural Course which will teach operating procedures for drone deployment in an actual agricultural environment. Participants will also learn the theory and methodologies on how to generate geospatial outputs and the possible applications in farming operations

in this unique course.

CEO and Founder of LEAD, Dr. Lau believes that this collaboration will bring in high quality technology educational content from around the world and bridge the gaps between skillset requirements of the industry and participating students.

Dr. Lau and his team at LEAD has been working on bringing quality tech education programmes from the US, Australia, Taiwan and Singapore back to Malaysia, providing training courses in Penang, KL and Borneo, and has worked with universities and startup entities including MaGIC, SITEC and ACAT among others.

With the rise of commercial unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) or drones, Garuda Academy will provide budding drone pilots with professional skills and knowledge, to take up commercial drone work such as mapping, inspections and surveillance.

“As one of the first entities to be awarded the Unmanned Operator Permit (UOP) by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), we are proud of the professionalism of our UAV pilots and the trust invested in us by our customers. Our instructor pilots have extensive experience in providing professional UAV services across Southeast Asia. All are current holders of the CAAS Unmanned Operator Permit for operations and training purposes,” said Mark.

It was also announced on the day, that LEAD Academy will provide a new incentive fund of RM5 million for tech education in Johor, as an effort to cultivate and retain talents to head the tech ecosystem in the region.

“We want this to be the first step in building a truly organic and inclusive ecosystem here. We need to contribute back into the community, by not only providing funding and education, but also other resources that start-ups need and that includes mentoring and sharing sessions by experienced individuals,” said Dr. Lau, who believes that each generation of entrepreneurs should cultivate the next, as it is an important factor in having a healthy, sustainable and thriving start-up ecosystem.

The key pillars or the ABCDs of this fund includes Artificial Intelligence, Big Data and Data Science, Cl oud Computing as well as Full Stack Development, all in line with the state government’s vision of turning Iskandar Malaysia into an internationally renowned SmartCity.

According to Dr. Lau, an evaluation committee will be set up to determine eligibility of applicants as well as disbursement, monitoring and any relevant terms and conditions with outcomes driven to ensure it meets the local and international industrial needs. The primary areas that will be supported by this fund include boot camps, training, certification, scholarship, bursaries, subsidisation and any relevant type of support needed by the awardee. - by Amin Khairuddin TI

news

08

FREE COPY | The Iskandarian ISSUE 69 | MAY 2018 www.facebook.com/theiskandarian | www.theiskandarian.com

Johor Economic Powerhouse: All about Connectivity Multiple announcements on public transportation and connectivity as a whole in Johor state

M

ov i n g o n t ra c k in becoming an economic powerhouse, the month of April has been an eventful one for Iskandar Malaysia and Johor with multiple announcements on public transportation and connectivity.

It was announced that the Gemas to Johor Bahru electric double-tracking railway project will become a catalyst to further develop and transform Segamat district and Johor as a whole.

“This project will cover 197km of rail and pass through 11 stations and I’m confident that economic activities will be further boosted,” said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak when performing the ground breaking of the Gemas-Johor Bahru PLBE project.

Prior to this, it was reported that the construction of the 192km twin tracks project which is estimated to cost RM9.4 billion was held up due to several factors, including its design and public

feedback.

More good news is in store as work on the Iskandar Malaysia Bus Rapid Transit (IMBRT) is expected to start in the first quarter of next year and phase one of the project is slated for completion by mid-2021.

On the funding for the project, Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) Chief Executive Datuk Ismail Ibrahim said the Federal Government had allocated RM1bil while RM1.6bil would come from the private sector to fund the RM2.6bil IMBRT. IMBRT Director Rudyanto Azhar said the project will cover almost 90% of Iskandar Malaysia with over 300km routes, of which 50km were trunk routes and the remaining were feeder routes.

Th e p ro gre s s and development taking place in the state, where Iskandar Malaysia is located and is being transformed into an international metropolis has already been in the limelight with the High Speed Rail (HSR)

news

From Cover

announcement which is targeted to start running by 31st Dec 2026.

For those who are not aware, the KL-SG HSR is a strategic project between the governments of Malaysia and Singapore that aims to facilitate a 90-minute travel time between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

Eight stations are currently planned for the KL-SG HSR: Bandar Malaysia, Sepang-Putrajaya, Seremban, Melaka, Muar, Batu Pahat and Iskandar Puteri stations in Malaysia and the Jurong East station in Singapore.

For local commute, Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin witnessed the signing ceremony and pre-launch of myBas Johor Bahru service under the Stage Bus Service Transformation programme which will have SPAD and Handal Indah Sdn Bhd working hand in hand in the RM90 million project.

The myBas service will introduce 27 trunk and feeder routes covering a total of 16.8 million km trip distance per year

Menteri Besar Johor Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin officiating the pre-launch of myBas Johor Bahru service under the Stage Bus Service Transformation programme

with improved frequency of 20 minutes.

A total of 249 buses consisting of 222 diesel buses and 27 electric buses will be put into service in phases commencing from quarter 3 of 2018 until quarter 2 of 2019. The myBas buses will include long buses with seating and standing capacity of 65 pax, midi buses with capacity for 50 pax, mini buses with capacity for 30 pax, and long-sized electric buses with a capacity for 64 pax.

To help cut down the infamous Causeway jam between Johor Bahru and Singapore, works on the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link, which will allow commuters to take the train across the border, are on track for completion in 2024.

When fully operational, the RTS Link will be able to carry about 10,000 people hourly in each

direction. The RTS Link will cross the Johor Straits via a 25 metre high bridge.

From 1st January 2018, Malaysia also abolished toll charges at the Johor Causeway for vehicles using the Eastern Dispersal Link and Singapore followed by abolishing toll charges for vehicles exiting the Woodlands checkpoint.

Malaysia also reduced levy for lorries using the Second Link to RM50 last month, from the RM250 levy at the Johor Causeway if they used the Second Link, to reduce congestion at the Johor Causeway.

From 13th February 2018, Malaysia reduced toll charges for vehicles using the Second Link and starting from 1st April 2018, Singapore will reduce charges at their Tuas checkpoint during peak and non-peak hours. - by Edey Suresh TI

09

FREE COPY | The Iskandarian ISSUE 69 | MAY 2018 www.facebook.com/theiskandarian | www.theiskandarian.com

drill

Q&A

MONTHLY DRILL

Tell us about the services that DJ&CO Lifestyle by MOCOF provides?

We design, develop and sell high quality space-saving furniture-SPAZE and also provide space-saving consultation to customers that need help with their spaceutilisation. Instead of worrying about space constraints, we are here to help and inspire customers to make the most out of their existing available space.

You deliver to your customers worldwide; why not just use agents instead of doing it yourself?

It’s simple; we want our customers to be happy and satisfied. I’m not just a business person but I’m also an industrial designer.

Therefore, customers’ satisfaction and feedback are very important for me to improve designs and create a reliable brand name and future for our company.

How is the furniture and interior design scene in Johor?

Since we’re related to both furniture and ID field, I feel the future will be getting more emphasised with regards to “purposeful space” and “space utilisation”. People feel better in places where they can be inspired and have a purpose to everything surrounding their living environment.

What is the unique touch that DJ&CO Lifestyle by MOCOF offers?

We practice design thinking in our business and design. We are problem solvers, innovative and creative in our work. Since we are designers too, we highly emphasise on users’ experience.

For example, we designed our Wall Bed so anyone, including the elderly, can lift it up effortlessly. Since we understand the

manufacturing process of our products, we greatly focus on the quality of the product and durability to meet international standards.

What are among the latest projects you’ve worked on?

Latest developer project in Johor is the Sakura Residence, a joint venture project by Daiwa House Malaysia & Sunway Iskandar.

Daiwa House is Japan’s largest homebuilder, specialising in prefabricated houses and I was very lucky to meet Managing Director Daiwa House Malaysia, Daisuke Usugi, Deputy Managing Director Daiwa House Malaysia, Kazuhiko Murayama and his team. They are forward thinking and passionate about their projects, and always postive for the best and the future of their customers, which is the same vision as DJ&CO lifestyle by MOCOF. They appreciate our products’ design, trusted quality and service.

Usugi has an engineering background and Kazu is an architect, and both of them quickly identified our products’ quality when they visited our showroom for the first time. They know how to choose the best for their customers!

We currently share our customers’ feedback to each other and it’s an honour for us to have SPAZE furniture in their first landed luxury property project in Malaysia.

Is Iskandar Malaysia a good market to offer your services?

Iskandar Malaysia will be the future big city in Johor. For us, this is the future with infinite possibilities.

What are among the challenges of the market that you have faced?

Juee Teng Sales & Creative Director DJ&CO Lifestyle, By MOCOF Holding a BSc (Hons) in Industrial Design in the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Juee comes from humble beginnings and got involved in the designing world very early. In her learning days, she practiced her industrial training at Orcadesign Consultants, one of the leading industrial design consultancies, based in Skudai, Johor Bahru.

Afterwards, she joined Shimano in 2011, a Japanese Company based in Pekan Nanas, Johor. Through that, she had an opportunity to work in Osaka, Japan, learning with multi-national experts from different fields such as business marketing, product design, packaging design, mechanical engineering and manufacturing process. The job also provided her the opportunity to travel around Japan and Europe to explore good quality designs, resulting in an exposure to international design standards.

Starting DJ&CO Lifestyle by MOCOF in 2014, Juee and her partner Danny are soaring to greater heights in Iskandar Malaysia.

Space-saving furniture concept is a new concept to most of the customers here.

Therefore, we have to educate our clients that space-saving furniture is not limited to small space only. Regardless of landed property or apartment, everyone can enjoy full functionality and comfort by using our space-saving furniture. Of course it saves space for small houses and it’s also easy to clean without collecting dust compared to big houses.

We have the impression that everything around us, not only the design industry, is in a rush. However, a good design takes time that yearns for the opposite. For us, a good design in our company is not just about giving in to trends or having short sighted purposes, but being focused on quality and durability. It’s a long term relationship with customers.

What do you do in your free time?

My hands are full with work ever since Danny and I started DJ&CO lifestyle, by MOCOF, so I don’t really have much free time. But if I have time, I love to travel, read lifestyle and design related magazines with my favourite black coffee at Sweet Blossom Coffee Roasters (smiles)!

What is next from DJ&CO Lifestyle by MOCOF? We aim to upgrade our showroom to the most advanced Transformable Furniture showroom in Johor Bahru, and will also continue to introduce good designs and innovative furniture to Johorians. Danny and I will continue to pursue our passion in good design, innovation and finally the most important aspect is to serve the best to our customers. TI

10

FREE COPY | The Iskandarian ISSUE 69 | MAY 2018 www.facebook.com/theiskandarian | www.theiskandarian.com

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

Sharing Our Pepper & Gambier Heritage

The event aptly opened with a symbolic planting of gambier plants by guests-ofhonour, Yayasan Warisan Johor Deputy Director, DVS Kamaruddin Ab Razak [2nd from Left] and JB Tiong Hua Association President, Datuk Seri Tey Kim Chai [3rd from Left] while cultural activist, Tan Chai Puan [Right] looks on

I

was at Muzium Tokoh Johor, within the historic Datuk Jaafar Building at Bukit Senyum to attend an event organised

by Yayasan Warisan Johor (YWJ) or Johor Heritage Foundation.

Dubbed, ‘Bicarawara Tokoh – Lada Hitam dan Gambir’, this was a talk by guest speakers on Johor’s pepper and gambier heritage. One of the speakers was cultural activist, Tan Chai Puan.

In the courtyard, I met history teacher Florence and her Sixth Form students from SMK Dato Jaafar. We recently met at their school’s Book Talk where I introduced my book to their student leaders.

She said she’s here to learn more about this proud heritage and will compare it against what she read in, ‘Our pepper and gambier heritage’, from my book, My Johor Stories: True Tales, Real People, Rich Heritage!

UTM Associate Professor Dr Hj Kassim Thukiman shared interesting information on Johor history, specifically about the concept of the surat sungai document in the Kangchu system

At the registration desk in the event hall, the gentleman asks me, “Dari muzium mana?” [From which museum?]

A glance at the list reveals that besides students, attendees were representatives from various museums, academic and government agencies. As I’m from “None of the above” categories, I proudly registered myself as, “My Johor Stories.”

I felt a tremor of excitement as this was a significant event where I’m witnessing the joint participation by representatives of YWJ and the Johor Bahru Tiong Hua Association – probably for the very first time – to discuss a shared heritage in pepper and gambier.

Friends from the Johor Bahru Chinese Heritage Museum had set up an exhibit to display implements used in the gambier processing industry, including samples of gambier and its products, with some photographs of typical pepper and gambier farms in Indonesia.

Another exhibit of ancient documents, handwritten in Jawi and typewritten in English on old-fashioned manual typewriters, were also on display.

These, I later learned, were from a collection provided by guest speaker, UTM Associate Professor Dr Hj Kassim Thukiman.

The guests-of-honour representing YWJ, Deputy Director, DVS Kamaruddin Ab Razak and JB Tiong Hua Association President, Datuk Seri Tey Kim Chai, aptly opened the event with a symbolic planting of gambier plants.

The moderator, Md Zin Idros, gave Tan a glowing introduction before he was invited to give his presentation entitled, The Chinese Story of Gambier

news

and Pepper that traced the Chinese’s role in Johor’s development into the world’s largest producer of gambier from the 1830s to 1850s.

Since 2014, the JB Chinese Heritage Museum has carried out extensive research into the pepper and gambier heritage in Johor and their findings are preserved in an exhibition called, Sharing of Hardships.

Tan welcomed visitors to this exhibit which provided further insight into the history of Chinese-Malay relationships that undergirds the strong support between the Johor sultanate and the Chinese community JB Tiong Hua Association President, today.

Datuk Seri Tey Kim Chai [2nd from Left] showing Yayasan Warisan Johor He reiterated that when Temenggong Deputy Director, DVS Kamaruddin Daeng Ibrahim invited the Chinese to relocate Ab Razak and others the tiny seeds of to Johor, farmers who arrived here obtained a gambier plant permit known as surat sungai from the ruler to cultivate and govern a plot of land in the In his presentation, Associate Kangchu system.

Professor Dr Hj Kassim echoed some of The earliest records showed that Tan’s points, in particular on how the permits were issued to two kangchu or River Johor ruler acknowledged the Chinese Masters, Kapitan Seah Tai Heng and Seah Ling tradition of ancestor worship, where he Chai of the Ngee Heng kongsi, a Teochew not only presented land for their temple society, to develop plantations on the banks but also for their cemetery. of Sungai Skudai.

When Kassim discussed the To preserve the gambier legacy, the JB surat sungai, he highlighted that along Tiong Hua Association revived the planting with this official document, the Johor of gambier in Johor for education purposes. Government awarded the kangchu with They established the Gambier Planting and two lengths of cane (rotan) and a spear Education Association and carried out a as symbols of power to be kept in the series of gambier planting projects in Chinese kangchu’s home! schools in 2017 [The Iskandarian, Aug 2017, While we are familiar with the Gambier planting revival in Johor]. sight of the pepper and gambier motif Tan explained that the traditional that decorates lamp-posts and public relationship between the Johor ruler and the places, Kassim showed a photo to give Chinese immigrant community was firmly non-Muslims a glimpse of how this same established when a plot of land was awarded motif is also used on the carpet design to the Chinese to build their place of worship inside Johor mosques! at Jalan Trus.

His research proved that the This temple, uniquely named Johor kangchu system was not monopolised Gu Miao or Johor Old Temple, united the five by the Chinese as the Javanese were main Chinese dialect groups and bears the also encouraged to cultivate pepper name of the state in honour of the Johor ruler. and gambier in Parit Jawa and Padang As part of the temple’s annual Chingay in Muar, Johor. tradition, each kangchu would send two Besides the Chinese and Chinese lanterns by tongkang (small boat), Javanese, Johor’s economy was also to the temple to pray for good harvests. driven by the Arabs in the cultivation of These paper lanterns, painted land awarded to the Syed Mohammad with pepper and gambier motifs and the Al-Sagoff family under the Kukup Land kangchu’s name, would be paraded in the Concession. annual procession. This Chingay tradition From the well-researched continues to this day as Johor uniquely ends presentations by Tan and Kassim, I’m its annual Lunar New Year celebrations with grateful for the new knowledge and this grand parade on the 21st day of the first cannot help but feel saturated by a lunar month. wealth of information on our shared From a rare document, Tan Chai heritage in pepper and gambier. TI Puan translated records of conversation between China’s first Ambassador to the UK, Guo Songtao and Maharaja Abu Bakar on 12th March 1879, when they met in Singapore, then part of the Johor Empire.

The ambassador’s comments reflected Johor’s cordial relationship with the Chinese emperor and From a rare document, Tan Chai Puan translated his pleasure at how Johor records of a conversation between China’s first has made the Chinese Ambassador to the UK, Guo Songtao and Maharaja Abu Bakar on 12 March 1879, when they met in Singapore farmers welcome here.

11

FREE COPY | The Iskandarian ISSUE 69 | MAY 2018 www.facebook.com/theiskandarian | www.theiskandarian.com

MMC-Polytechnic Education Centre Launched at Polytechnic Ibrahim Sultan

MMC Corporations Managing Director, Dato’ Sri Che Khalib Mohamad Noh handing over a mock-key of one of the prime movers to Ministry of Higher Education’s Director-General of Polytechnic Education, Professor Dato’ Dr. Mohd Ismail Bin Abd Aziz witnessed by Dato’ Seri Idris Jusoh (centre)

T

he MMC-Polytechnic Education Centre was officially launched by Dato Seri Idris Jusoh, the Minister for Higher Education at the Polytechnic Ibrahim Sultan.

The Centre was first announced at a Certificate of Collaboration Signing Ceremony between MMC and the Ministry of Higher Education held at the Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) on

11th December last year.

The collaboration with MMC is part of a game plan by the Ministry of Higher Education to develop vocational education and training to meet changing industry demands for a highly trained, technically proficient local workforce.

The collaboration not only involves corporations contributing equipment and

machinery but importantly, giving real-world industrial training access to students and exposure to new industry technologies to lecturers and trainers.

Addressing the students present at the ceremony, Idris emphasised on the opportunity for industrial training and said, “For two semesters or 40 weeks in your final year, you have the opportunity to be placed in industry.”

Fu r t h e r to the collaboration between corporations and polytechnics, Sharing Sessions is also in the pipeline.

The sharing sessions offer oppor tunities for students, lecturers and college communities to meet directly with people already in the the industry.

MMC Corporations Managing Director, Dato’ Sri Che Khalib Mohamad Noh said that as an industry player, the MMC Group understood very well the current needs of port and logistics operators, who are always in need of skilled workforce that have undergone formal and practical training. - by Shufiyan Shukur TI

news English Educators Unite to Increase Mastery of the Language

President of the English Language Association (JELTA), Vincent D’Silva, Johor Department of Education’s Academic Management Sector, Sallina Hussain, host Datuk Mahadzir Lokman, and Datuk Tengku Putra Haron Aminurrashid at the Johor English Conference

J

ohor Department of Education’s Academic Management Sector, Sallina Hussain, said the Johor English Conference was among the platforms for teachers as well as academics to practice English language instruction, thereby enriching knowledge through knowledge sharing.

She said the programme in the region which brought together over 420 participants, coincided with the theme of Empowering Teaching and Learning English in line with Current Change.

“We are already in the digital world when talking about globalisation, and teachers need to be careful because the movement

of knowledge is changing. We need teachers at schools that can attract the attention of the students in order to master the language.”

“Teachers need to be more creative and use various teaching methods,” she said after completing the Johor English Language Conference programme here.

Also present was the President of the English Language Association (JELTA), Vincent D’Silva.

The three-day programme was organised by JELTA in collaboration with the State Education Department which aims to improve teaching methods while strengthening the mastery of participants in English. - by Amin Khairuddin TI

Digitising Johor into the Future RM200 million injection by the Federal Government to spur digital growth of Johoreans

Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin believes that digitisation will bring a new golden era to Johor

J

ohor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin and the Minister of Multimedia and Communications, Datuk Seri Salleh Keruak recently launched the Johor 4.0 initiative, a comprehensive agenda for transforming Johor into a smart state and spurring the development digital economy.

Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak said he fully supports the Johor 4.0 agenda and will ask the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to provide the master plan, adding that the Federal Government has allocated RM200 million to help

facilitate and push the Digital Johor agenda forward.

“Based on the master plan, MCMC will assist in implementing the plan, which is the same as our cooperation in implementing the National Transformation Programme,” he said.

Khaled said that Johor 4.0 is a strategic initiative by the state government to ensure that Johor is ready to welcome the digital economy, in line with the development of the digital economy and the fourth industry revolution (41R). “ This initiative is to ensure that the most important stakeholder here, the Johoreans will be ahead of the game and welcome the digital economy.”

“This will also propel Johor into a new economic power in the country as well as the rest of the region,” said Khaled during the launch ceremony of Digital Johor 4.0 at the Educity Sports complex in Iskandar Puteri, Johor.

He added that the carnival was organised to illustrate the future of Johor through the

implementation of the initiative envisioned by himself and will be implemented by Digital Johor Sdn. Bhd (DJSB), a subsidiary under Kumpulan Prasarana Rakyat Johor (KPRJ).

Also present were Tunku

Puteri Johor, Tunku Tun Aminah Sultan Ibrahim and Chairman of REDtone International Bhd, Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin and Johor State Secretary Datuk Azmi Rohani. - by Amin Khairuddin TI

Minister of Multimedia and Communications, Datuk Seri Salleh Keruak and Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin at the Digital Johor 4.0 event held at Educity, Iskandar Puteri

12

The Iskandarian ISSUE 69 | MAY 2018 Advertisement

www.facebook.com/waveslifestyle twitter.com/waveslifestyle

M A Y 2 0 18

E D I iNS

ith w e v i clus x E n A rla i B a y Anan

MAY 2018 | Page 2

The Iskandarian | WAVES Lifestyle

editor’s H note

appy May everyone!

In our Music column, we bring you an exclusive with Ananya Birla, a singer-songwriter from Mumbai, who went platinum in India at the end of last year with her second song ‘Meant To Be’. Learn more about her as she shares with us her musical journey and aspirations.

Can’t get enough of Star Wars? This time Director Ron Howard brings us back in time in an all-new adventure – ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’, where Han Solo meets his future co-pilot Chewbacca!

Priya Manikam waves.lifestyle@gmail.com

As Ramadan approaches; we’re highlighting our top picks to break your fast in our specially designed Ramadan feature.

Enjoyed reading about what Tanjong Puteri Golf Resort has to offer in the last issue? Continue your read as we talk about their Spa facilities and dining and we highly recommend this resort as your next stop for holidays.

As always, for those wishing to share their fashion collection, travel tales, or like us to review your restaurant/hotel for a staycation, drop me an e-mail at waves.

MUSIC UPDATES

By Priya Manikam

An Exclusive with Rising Indian Pop Star Ananya Birla

Ananya launches 3rd Single ‘Hold On’ and talks about her musical journey and inspiration

T

he 23 year old singersongwriter from Mumbai, who went platinum in India at the end of last year with her second song ‘Meant To Be’, explores the pitfalls of love and relationships with this electro-pop track.

Produced by Norwegian hitmaker Mood Melodies (Alan Walker, Alessia Cara, Zedd, Sia and Jessie J), the highly-anticipated single is Ananya’s third release since signing with Universal Music India.

Ananya, who has so far reached over 20 million views with her songs on YouTube/Vevo to date, said, “Hold On is inspired by all the people who have gone through a difficult relationship and kept their faith that things will turn out well, even if that faith can sometimes be misplaced. As with all my music, it is based on personal experience.” Ananya shares with The Iskandarian her musical journey, inspiration and aspirations.

How did music come about into your life and how has the journey been so far?

Music has always been a driving force in my life and a constant companion. I am so lucky to be able to wake up every day and do what I love now.

I took up my first instrument, the Santoor, when I was nine. I was entranced when I saw my mother playing it, and was desperate to learn. As a teenager, I wanted to play along to my favourite pop and rock musicians so I taught myself the guitar and piano using YouTube tutorials.

I joined a few bands

in school and used to love performing at shows but it wasn’t until I was at university in the UK that I decided this was what I wanted to devote my life to. I had a tricky time adjusting to life in England, and music helped me to cope. Every weekend I would go to London and perform at or attend gigs all around town.

It would always make me feel better. At that time, I felt a lot of pressure to follow a more traditional career path, but deep down I knew that music was what I wanted to devote myself to.

For me, making music isn’t just a job, but it’s a form of self-expression. For as long as I can remember I’ve been using music to get a better understanding of myself and who I am and song-writing in particular is really a cathartic process that helps me to process my emotions.

What was your reaction when you hit your first 1millionth view on YouTube?

Shock and delight! It’s still surreal to hear my music on the radio, so when we hit a million views on YouTube I was stunned.

It has been an amazing journey since. I have performed at Global Citizen on the same stage as Coldplay, worked with awesome people like Mood Melodies and Afrojack and worked in some incredibly exciting places around the world.

The highlight was going platinum with my second single ‘Meant To Be’ at the end of last year. I believe that an Indian artiste could be really successful with an Englishspeaking record, and I think going Platinum proved that!

Tell us your top 3 dream producers you want to work with or have worked with?

I really like to collaborate with good producers because they can take a song which is really personal to you and turn it into something relatable to a huge audience. You develop such close relationships with the producers you work with, therefore, it’s great to have someone who can be totally honest with you and tell you when things are working and when they aren’t.

I collaborated with Mood Melodies on my last two tracks and he is best known for songs like ‘Faded’ by Alan Walker, and ‘Issues’ by Julia Michaels. We have a great relationship and he is such a gentleman who has taught me so much. I love visiting Oslo to work with him.

That being said, going from the heat of Mumbai to the snow of Norway can be a bit of a shock to the system (laughs)!

My dream producers would be Poo Bear, who has done some great work with Justin Bieber recently, and Jeff Bhasker who is behind some of my favourite tracks like ‘Run This Town’ by Jay-Z, ‘All of the Lights’ by Kanye West and of course ‘Uptown Funk’ by Mark Ronson. I’d also like to work with Benny Blanco who is an absolute musical genius.

Listening to ‘Hold On’ sounds like there is a lot of personal experience delivered in the song, is there?

Definitely! All my songs are based on my own experiences or stories I hear which resonate with me.

Music - especially song writing is

lifestyle@gmail.com and be featured. For more news, do access www.theiskandarian. com We’d like to wish all our Muslim readers a blessed Ramadan!

Priya

MAY 2018 | Page 3

The Iskandarian | WAVES Lifestyle

Can We Love Through Confrontation? – Part 1

H 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

ow much do we understand about frictions and confrontations? Do you believe if I say that Peace and Love can arise through friction and confrontation? Our mind has been programmed to take these words negatively because we have been bombarded by the message that every confrontation will lead to a broken relationship and war. Without awareness and understanding, we do not know that friction and confrontation is part of a process where humans can love one another.

Our challenge is to view friction and confrontation without adding the negative essence to it. Friction in its pure form is neither

negative nor positive. Instead, friction is just part of a mechanical defence that protects our energy field when we bond with others. Confrontation on the other hand, is the source to understand Emotional Intelligence. The moment we can see these two essences neutrally, we can see how humans are bonding and growing in their relationship. For example; flirting is a form of friction, so is argument. Either way, both has its beauty.

In Human Design (a system that explains new mechanical science of being human), there is a beautiful explanation for friction which is; Growth cannot exist without friction

This is how we relate to each other and this is how we pro-create in many levels. First it begins with energy friction through our auric field. Then it evolves into intimacy (whether it is emotional, physical or spiritual). With intimacy, we are open to experience the Emotional Intelligence through empathy and confrontation. Have you realised that all confrontations are emotional? There is abundance of joy, pain, hope, excitement, nervousness and many more spectrums of emotions in confrontation. And our love could grow deeper through it. This doesn’t mean we need to get into a fight to be loved. What we need is understanding and awareness that we can confront in a healthy and healing way.

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.

a very personal thing for me.

Recently, I have seen relationships of people close to me being challenged because of social pressures like religion, sexuality, race and all sorts of things. With ‘Hold On’ I wanted to praise the brave couples who became stronger in the face of these types of challenges.

I think authenticity is essential for good music. Two of my heroes, Kurt Cobain and Eminem, are totally different musically, but both present this rawness and vulnerability that helps them to resonate with all types of people across the world.

I love music for music’s sake but I also like the fact that music offers me the opportunity to reach and share an emotional experience with a wide audience. It is a universal language, which can connect with people regardless of nationality or background.

I am delighted if someone hears one of my songs and can relate to the lyrics or the emotions I’m expressing and feel a bit better about something they are going through.

Tell us about the Afrojack remix of ‘Livin’ The Life’ which has garnered over 14 million views on YouTube?

Making the remix with Afrojack was a bit surreal because I have always been a huge fan of him, so I

was super excited when I found out that he wanted to work with me. It was a great experience as he’s super cool, confident and loves making music more than anything.

We really wanted to make something that would appeal to audiences both in India and around the world and thanks to the internet, music is becoming increasingly global. Look at how well KPop is doing in the States, or the worldwide success of ‘Despacito’ and how Latin music has grown in popularity since its release. “Foreign” music is not really a thing anymore. It is all just music and we artistes should be embracing that.

sets out to support them by campaigning to stamp out the stigma and provide care.

Some wisdom to aspiring musicians?

Always write from the heart and stay true to your values. Otherwise, people will see through inauthenticity.

Were your parents supportive of your musical ambitions?

My parents are incredibly supportive. They always encouraged my siblings and me to pursue the things we love, to always give 100% and to learn from the mistakes we were bound to make along the way!

I am really close with my family and in particular work very closely with my mum on the mental health initiative, MPower Minds, which we established to address the mental health crisis in India where it is so difficult for people to get help.

Around the world, people with mental health issues are ignored or discriminated against; and MPower

MOVIES SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY

Source: The Walt Disney Company Malaysia

B

oard the Millennium Falcon and journey to a galaxy far, far away in “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” an all-new adventure with the most beloved scoundrel in the galaxy! Through a series of daring escapades within a dark and dangerous criminal underworld, Han Solo meets his mighty future copilot Chewbacca and encounters the notorious gambler Lando Calrissian, in a journey that will set the course of one of the Star Wars saga’s most unlikely heroes.

Genre: Action-Adventure Release date: 24th May 2018 Cast: Alden Ehrenreich, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover, Thandie Newton, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Joonas Suotamo, and Paul Bettany Director: Ron Howard Producer: Simon Emanuel, Kathleen Kennedy, Allison Shearmur Screenplay by: Lawrence Kasdan, Jon Kasdan

MAY 2018 | Page 4

The Iskandarian | WAVES Lifestyle

018 Y 2 MA

dar Calen ts n of Eve

S’pore, 26th April – 12th May Singapore International Festival of Arts

1st May • Labour Day • EduRun 2018 @ Tmn Nusa Idaman

JB, 4th – 6th May

travel 2-Day Exhilarating Getaway to Tanjong Puteri Golf Resort – Part Two

Project B: Baby & Kids Fair @ Persada Johor

S’pore, 5th May • Great Eastern Viper Challenge S I @ Sunway Iskandar • Fuse Colour Run 2018 @ UTM Skudai

S’pore, 5th – 13th May Home Planner Furniture & Reno Expo @ S’pore Expo

JB, 12th May Rangoli Festival 2018 @ Hutan Bandar MPJBT

JB, 11th – 13th May Johor Furniture Fair @ Persada Johor

13th May Mother’s Day

17th May Awal Ramadan

S’pore, 18th – 20th May Heart, Mind Body Fest @ Suntec Convention Centre S’pore

S’pore, 19th May Private & International School Fair @ Raffles City Convention Centre S’pore

S’pore, 24th – 27th May

95% Excellent rating on TripAdvisor for Khatulistiwa Balinese Spa

By Edey Suresh waves.lifestyle@gmail.com

K

hatulistiwa Balinese Spa There is no better place to unwind and relax than in enchanted aromas radiating from Khatulistiwa Balinese Spa in Tanjung Puteri. Manned by the lovely Nicole Chong, the spa has a 95% Excellent rating from 17 reviews on TripAdvisor! The ambiance of the place is splendid, and the professional services offered by the staffs are great. Nicole herself is very hands on and provides good explanations for the products, services and aroma oils used.

Starting off with the Traditional Foot Massage with peppermint towel placed on your face to provide excellent relief to a blocked nose, the masseur skilfully provides the best relief to your feet before guiding you to the massage bed to complete the experience with the Traditional Aromatherapy Massage.

Khatulistiwa offers the best of Balinese healing philosophies of harmony, purity, energy and bliss. Every deep rub is done with precise and consistent pressure by the well-trained hands of the therapist while the aromatic oils wafting under the nostrils soothes and transports you to a land of complete relaxation and bliss.

A trip to Tanjung Puteri will remain incomplete without a visit to Khatulistiwa.

The excellent hospitality by Nicole and her therapists is worth a mention. Pricing details and explanation on services can be obtained via their website or Facebook page.

IT Show @ Suntec Convention Centre S’pore

S’pore, 25th – 29th May

An ala carte must try, the signature Lamb Shank Food Glorious Food One of the best things about the resort is the splendid food it serves. Lunch at He Yuan Chinese Restaurant is a must!

Tantalise your taste buds with local and international seafood flavours. Open for both lunch and dinner, the timber decorated restaurant is perfect for a family feast.

The Golfer’s café is where breakfast and lunch buffets are served. Ala carte options are also available and a highlight on that menu is definitely the reasonably priced lamb shank. The buffet spread comes with an array of cakes and savoury desserts as well.

We tried the Steamboat Buffet Dinner priced at RM28 per adult which was part of a March promotion. The selection of spread was very good and the Tom Yam Soup was pretty exceptional.

Apart from the above and the 3 18hole golf courses, the resort also boasts a

Singapore Food Expo @ Singapore Expo

29th May Vesak Day

Block your dates for this month!

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

Tantalise your taste buds with local and international flavours

Fun and games for all!

lounge, a karaoke room, a golf pro shop, six banquet and meeting rooms, 20 cosy guestrooms and 34 refurbished units of luxurious double storey villas. Within the development’s sprawling grounds, there are 30 exclusive bungalows with 24-hour security surrounded by a gated community setting. Plan your next staycation at Tanjung Puteri and get more info from their website http://www.tpgr.com/ TI

Fresh salmon, a must try

17

FREE COPY | The Iskandarian ISSUE 69 | MAY 2018 www.facebook.com/theiskandarian | www.theiskandarian.com

Parkinson Disease and one of the causes is PD. Does it affect only older people?

No, PD can also affect younger adults (less than 40 years old) or even teenagers, although it mostly affects older people. The average age of onset is 60 years, and the incidence rises significantly with increasing age.

Dr Goh Kwang Hwee Internal Medicine, Neurology (Special Interest in Parkinson’s disease & Movement Disorders) Regency Specialist Hospital

W

hat is PD? P a r k i n s o n Disease (PD) is neurodegenerative disease affecting the nerve cells in the brain (substantia nigra) that produces dopamine resulting in dopamine deficiency. Dopamine is a chemical needed in order to send messages to part of the brain that controls movements and coordination. When the amount of dopamine produced in the brain decreases, a person will experience difficulty in controlling his

Motor symptoms of PD

Non-motor symptoms of PD

or her movements.

Is Parkinsonism equal to the diagnosis of PD? No. Parkinsonism is a general term that refers to a group of neurological disorders that cause movement problems, such as tremors, slow movement and stiffness. There are number of causes for Parkinsonism

What is the cause of PD? About 5-10% of PD cases are inherited and majority is multifactorial. Researches show links between PD and environmental factors such as exposure to pesticide, carbon monoxide toxicity, metal manganese and other chemicals. But in the great majority of PD cases, the cause is unknown.

What are the symptoms of PD? PD is generally thought as a disease that only involves movement, such as slowness of movement, tremors and stiffness. However, most PD cases develop other symptoms not related to movement (nonmotor symptoms), years before the movement symptoms. The nonmotor symptoms are common and can be troublesome and disabling.

The few common non-motor symptoms are loss of smell, sleep problems, constipation, anxiety and depression.

How to diagnose PD? PD is diagnosed clinically based on the history and physical examination. It is important for the

live treating doctor to exclude other PD mimics such as Parkinson Plus Syndrome and secondary causes of Parkinsonism.

Do I need a scan of the brain to diagnose PD? DaT scan, a dopamine transporter (DAT) single photon emission computerised tomography (SPECT) imaging can give your doctor more information regarding the cells’ function and support the diagnosis of Parkinsonism. However, DaT scan is not widely available and it does not confirm the diagnosis of PD.

CT brain or MRI brain scans basically give your doctor information regarding secondary causes of Parkinsonism.

Apomorphine Infusion Apomorphine is a medication used to stimulate dopamine receptor in the treatment of PD. This medication is delivered continuously via injection below the skin (subcutaneous) using a device during waking hours (12-16 hours) in order to provide the brain with uninterrupted stimulation.

What are the treatment options?

Generally the treatment for PD is to restore dopamine. This is usually done with medications either oral or patch. Medication will help to relieve or reduce the symptoms of PD. With the progression of PD, some patients might benefit from Apomorphine infusion or deep brain stimulation when the symptoms cannot be adequately controlled with oral medications.

What is the support and resources for PD patients?

Fortunately, nobody has to deal with PD all by themselves. It would be beneficial for PD patients to seek help from physician or neurologist with specialist interest in PD. Patients also can seek advice from Malaysian Parkinson’s Disease Association (MPDA). TI

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) DBS is a neurosurgical procedure involving the implantation of a medical device called pulse generator, which sends electrical impulses, through implanted electrodes, to specific targets in the brain for the treatment of PD.

18

FREE COPY | The Iskandarian ISSUE 69 | MAY 2018 www.facebook.com/theiskandarian | www.theiskandarian.com

work

Ladies, Should We Put Our Family Planning on Hold?

– Part Two Ashikin Abd Rahim Legal Adviser MECA South Sdn. Bhd. shikin@meca.com.my

W

e discussed that female employees s h o u l d n’ t b e discriminated in employment on the grounds of gender as Article 8 states that everyone are equal before the law and entitled to equal protection of the law. Moreover, Malaysia ratified CEDAW in the year 1995 which is a treaty that spells out women’s rights and the need for national legislation to protect such rights. But do take note that Article 8 doesn’t prohibit any gender discrimination in employment of private sectors.

In other words, Article 8 only covers “contravention of individual rights by a public authority i.e. the State or any of its agencies” which means that

it doesn’t cover any infringements of rights done by a private sec tor. The landmark case that can be referred is Noorfadilla binti Ahmad Saikin v Chayed bin Basirun and Ors [2012] 1 CLJ 769, where an offer to a government teacher was revoked and it was said to be a form of discrimination by the High Court. Clearly, this case denotes the sanctuary of female employees in government employment only under the security of Article 8. Whereas, in the case of AirAsia Berhad v Rafizah Shima bt Mohamed Aris [2014] MLJU 606 the Court of Appeal stated that the training

agreement and bond which states the prohibition of being pregnant during the training period of 4 years did not discriminate against the rights of women.

Many contends that the current existing laws are leaving infinitesimal impact on the coverage of pregnant ladies since the Employment Act itself expressly states the prohibition for employers to terminate a female employee during maternity leave or after maternity leave if the employee is unable to return to work “as a result of illness certified by

a registered medical practitioner to arise out of her pregnancy and confinement”.

Worry no more; rather worry less because the SUBTLE changes in the Employment Act 1955 this year might change female employees’ perspective on getting pregnant during their employment period.

Rumour has it that employers are not permitted to terminate a pregnant female employee during pregnancy period. This possibly means that if you become pregnant during an employment, there is an indirect

‘guarantee of immunity’ f r o m termination done by the Company for the whole one year (9 months pregnancy period plus the new maternity leave of 90 days, 3 months).

The consideration for female employees to get pregnant is becoming more visible with such potential amendments.

In the meantime, let’s wait for the confirmation on these expectations on changes to come to light officially.

Pondering upon the title of this article, perhaps the ‘legal’ considerations shared may help you to decide on whether to push the ‘play’ or the ‘pause’ button! TI

19

FREE COPY | The Iskandarian ISSUE 69 | MAY 2018 www.facebook.com/theiskandarian | www.theiskandarian.com

invest

Accumulating Wealth Tips & Tricks

Time to Hold More Cash company well would give you the courage to buy instead of joining the crowd to sell. The outcome of two different behaviors is the opposite.

Even so, people would still sell if they thought the world crisis is happening. In this case, it would be helpful to have some idea of the macro condition.

Tey Bin Yuen

I

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

n early April 2018, the stock market had one of the most volatile periods in the last five years.

While the market sentiment has turned jittery after Trump announced the tariff for steel and aluminum, it went panicked on 4th April 2018 when China announced that it would levy 25% tariff on $50 billion worth of US imports. This sent the Dow Jones future plunging to 500 over points in response.

In Malaysia, our well-supported FBMKLCI plummeted 35 points or 1.9%, with losers outweighing winners by close to 10 times. That day was like bloodbath everywhere and many of the small cap stocks have sunk to more than 40% in a few days!

H o w e v e r, when a phenomenon reaches its extreme, it reverses its course. The second day,

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.

the Dow Jones Index (DJI) went up to 231 points instead of falling 500 over points. Likewise, many small and mid-cap companies’ share prices gapped at the opening and closed with a 5-10% increase on the same day. By now, you would have heard news that there is a high possibility of negotiation between China and the US. At the time of writing, the market rebound strongly once again, with the winners outweighing losers by more than four times. The sad news is, many retail investors did panic selling at the lowest on 4th April.

So, if there is something similar happening in the future, what will we do differently? While it is easy to say ‘avoid panic selling’, there are ways to prevent it. Here are three ways to help you avoid

panic selling: 1) Split your capital The reason you panic is that you have mixed up your capital with trading and investing. The difference is that trading is for short term, where a transaction could vary from days to months, whereas investing is for long term, which means you buy and retain as long as the business prospects remain bright.

Once you have divided your capital clearly, you would want to set your ‘cut loss point’ for your trading capital. For investing fund, you treat it as buying a property.

You do not sell a property when the price goes down, right? Instead, you want to buy more when the price is attractive. You need to have a

detailed understanding in order to invest with a peace of mind. This is where valuation comes into play.

2) Know your business valuation If a business can make handsome profits to its shareholders consistently, this business has value. One common method to measure a company’s value is the PE ratio. For example, technology companies can have higher PE ratio as it’s perceived to have high growth potential. In the recent sell off, some technology companies’ PE ratio have fallen from around 20 to below 15, such as KESM and JHM. While everybody is afraid of falling share prices, lower price means more attractive valuation, offering investors lower risks with higher returns. Knowing your

3) Look at the macro I refer the macro as the global stock market performance, in particularly the Dow Jones Index (DJI), S&P and Nasdaq Indexes. For example, the DJI has formed a triple bottom (refer chart 1) and is still being supported by the MA200 line. This implies that the index is still bullish in the long term and the market risk is relatively low.

To summarise, while many retail investors have sold their shares at the wrong price lately, it is important to learn lessons and move on. If you focus on businesses with the right valuation and bright prospects, you would have lower risks and high returns investment.

Finally, let me end with a quote from Warren Buffett, “Look at market fluctuations as your friend rather than your enemy; profit from folly rather than participate it.” TI

20

FREE COPY | The Iskandarian ISSUE 69 | MAY 2018 www.facebook.com/theiskandarian | www.theiskandarian.com

play

Ramadan Feast DoubleTree by Hilton Johor Bahru

B

e spoilt for choice with an assortment of local delights and exquisite Mediterranean, Arabic, and Asian foods when you dine at Makan Kitchen and Feast@11 at DoubleTree by Hilton Johor Bahru this year for Ramadan.

Makan Kitchen will be dishing out three packages throughout the month, starting with the Mediterranean and Arabic Cuisine, as well as a Marche Style Asian Buffet that will run from 17th May to 14th June 2018. The buffet is

priced at RM168 nett for adults and RM84 nett for children.

The Marche Style Asian buffet at Makan Kitchen that will be complemented by the Mediterranean and Arabic dishes range from Falafel, Kibbeh, Lamb Moussaka, Moroccan Vegetable Tagine and more!

Have a makan fest when you celebrate Hari Raya the following month at Makan Kitchen with the Hari Raya Dinner buffet (15th and 16th June) also priced at RM168 nett for adults and RM84 nett for children.

Also, during Hari Raya there will be the Hari Raya Hi-Tea Buffet (15th to 17th June) priced at RM108 nett for adults and RM54 nett for children.

Feast@11 will be serving an Asian Style Buffet at the beautifully decorated ballroom at the 11th floor from

Thistle Hotel Johor Bahru

T

ake a stroll down the Street Bazaar at Orchid Ballroom, Thistle Hotel Johor Bahru this Ramadan with family and friends to enjoy and reminisce the nostalgic trips to your neighbourhood bazaars. This time, Thistle JB will revisit recipes of authentic kampung dishes for all.

Popular Malaysian dishes such as Udang Sambal Petai and Bawang Bombay, Ayam Goreng with Mangga ala Thai, Daging Salai Masak Lemak with Belimbing, Kupang ala Kung Pao, and more will be served on the buffet spread.

Swing by the live stations to experience a few more minutes of mouth-watering wait time before you chomp down on dishes such as Satay, Lontong, Lemang,

Bubur Lambuk, Laksa Johor, Rojak Asma, Pasembur, and more.

Sweet temptations are just around the corner as a wide variety of local and international desserts will be showcased along the street bazaar featuring cakes like Red Velvet and Banana Moist as well as traditional Malay kuih.

Thistle JB’s signature D24 Durian Goreng will also be prepared fresh! So, don’t forget to save space for it and don’t say we didn’t remind you.

Also, special Samrah performance will serenade you and your guests throughout the “Buka Puasa” period.

Prayer rooms are also provided at the hotel.

The bazaar themed buffet starts from 17th May

Pulai Springs Resort

T

h i s Ramadan, head to Gleneagles Terrace Restaurant at Pulai Springs Resort to enjoy a special buffet promotion from

19th May to 13th June 2018.

Guests can relish in the spacious bazaar ambience as they browse through over 15 food stalls; both indoor and outdoor buffet displays to select and savour their favourite Ramadan delights.

M

21st May to 7th June 2018 at RM138 nett for adults and RM69 for children.

A plethora of local and international dishes will be making your mouths drool such as Kerabu Daging, Pipa Duck and Hangzhou Emperor Chicken BBQ, Burasak Assam Pedas, and more.

Any feast is not complete without a sweet ending, so be sure to grab delicious gems at the dessert station showcasing an assortment of Mediterranean and Asian sweets.

The theme for the buffets is the Journey through the Great Silk Road. So be sure to make your reservations to join this adventure by calling +60127841842 or email to nurulatiqah.irwan@hilton.com

illesime Hotel Iskandar Puteri will be offering a special buffet at the Café Millesime this Ramadan where patrons can feel like “French” nobles while experiencing the flavours of traditional Johorean comfort food.

The traditional Johorean dishes is part of Millesime’s themed Ramadan buffet aptly named “Juadah Johor Ramadan Buffet”. The buffet spread will offer all the Johor favourites such as Soto, Laksa Johor, Mee Bandung, Mee Rebus, Lontong, Kacang Pool, Satay, Kambing Kuzi and many more.

A popular dish during Ramadan in Johor that is

Skilled chefs, headed by Senior Sous Chef Rusle Ahmad will prepare a spectacular array of more than 100 must-have buka puasa dishes with six rotating menus.

The highlight of the buffet will include the authentic Kelantanese dish; Lamb Kuzi which is Roasted Lamb with the finest herbs and spices served with Briyani Rice, Ayam Masak Opor, Tulang Rusuk Masak Merah, Butter Prawns, as well as evergreen favourites such as Kambing Gulai Kawah and Sup Tulang Merah served with sliced French loaf.

Quench that Ramadan thirst with a refreshing glass of the popular Melaka Style Coconut Shake or wash down those sweet desserts with a hot cup of Teh Tarik.

2018 onwards and is available from the time of breaking fast to 10.30pm. Enjoy early bird promotion from now till 15th May 2018 at RM98.00 nett per adult and RM49.00 nett for children aged 6 to 12 years. The price from 17th May onwards is RM138.00 nett per adult and RM69.00 nett for children.

Thistle Johor Bahru welcomes reservations by phone at +607-2229234.

For the convenience of Muslim guests, the resort will provide a designated prayer room.

The buffet package is priced at RM108 nett per adult and RM54 nett per child. Early birds who purchase vouchers before 10th May will enjoy RM90 nett per adult and RM45 nett per child. Special buy 9 free 1 promotions are also applicable to large groups.

For an even better offer, Pulai Springs is offering RM85 nett per adult and RM43 nett per child only for the first week of Ramadan.

For reservations, please contact 07-521 2121 or email enquiry@pulaisprings.com. For corporate reservations, please call 07-555 4845 or email jbso@ pulaisprings.com

Millesime Hotel Iskandar Puteri

the Nasi Briyani Gam which is prepared using aromatic Basmathi rice and served with spiced meats.

For dessert hunters, the café will be preparing Ais Kacang, Ubi Kayu Rebus, and other traditional kuih often served during Ramadan.

Other than the local favourites, international flavours such as Western, Indian, and Chinese cuisines will also be served at the buffet.

This Juadah Johor Ramadan Buffet will start from 21st May to 13th June 2018. The hotel will also prepare a prayer room for the convenience of Muslim patrons.

The price for the buffet is RM85.00+ for adults,

RM55.00+ for senior citizens (60 and above), and RM45.00+ for children (4-12 years).

Book before May 16th and get special rates starting at RM60.00+ for adults, RM45.00+ for senior citizens, and RM35.00+ for children.

For corporate bookings or group reservations, please call +607 509 8866 ext. 3119 or +6016 716 6950.

21

FREE COPY | The Iskandarian ISSUE 69 | MAY 2018 www.facebook.com/theiskandarian | www.theiskandarian.com

play

Ramadan Quote :

“Those who believe, and do deeds of righteousness, and establish regular prayers and regular charity, will have their reward with their Lord. On them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve”

Verse (2:277)

Ponderosa Golf & Country Resort

P

onderosa Golf & Countr y Resort invites all who are observing the month of Ramadan, as well as hungry buffet hunters to enjoy the true-blue traditional Malaysian “Tradisi Sajian Sepurnama” flavours from 20th May to 30th June 2018.

Enjoy the buffet at a great value priced at RM78 nett per adult and RM38 nett per child aged 5 to 12 years which includes entertainment by popular local emcee, Embun. Early bird promotions offer RM10 discounts for

B

adult prices before 19th May. Senior Citizens aged above 55 years old, and disabled people will benefit from the early bird rate of RM68 nett per person throughout the period, while for purchases of groups of 10 persons, additional one adult and one child (aged 5 – 12 years) will eat for FREE. “This year we bring the traditional Malay food experience a notch higher by having bazaar concept food stalls offering Laksa Sarawak, Otak-Otak, Satay, Nasi Kerabu, Tosei, Chapati and Puri, Nasi Pecel Lele, Nasi Ayam Penyet, BBQ Spring Chicken with Nasi Minyak, Kambing Tindih atas Dulang, Nasi Arab Kabsah with Roasted Whole Lamb, and more” said Chef Zamani

Kidam.

A unique feature - Don’t miss out on stalls selling Hari Raya apparels and other festive finery to add more colour to the festivities.

All in all, at that value for money, The Café @ Ponderosa will offer a spread of over 100 types of food per day, with 8 different menus rotated on a daily basis.

Other specialties to look out for will be Kampung-style desserts such as Ice-cream Goyang, Goreng Pisang and Sweet Potato, Malay Kuih, jelly and puddings. So, save some space for those delectable desserts.

For reservations, please contact 607 354 9999 (sales department) or email: neba@ponderosagolf.com

Amari Hotel Johor Bahru reak your fast at Amaya Food Gallery at Amari Hotel Johor Bahru this Ramadan where the talented chefs of the food gallery is presenting ‘Warisan Tradisi Asia’ buffet from 19th May to 14th June

2018.

The buffet will feature a unique concept of a bustling local street scene with live cooking stations for Muslims and non-Muslims to enjoy.

This buffet spread will serve over 100 dishes which includes authentic Malay, Thai, Indian, and Chinese cuisines, representing Asian flavours, as well as selected Western favourites.

Warisan Tradisi Asia Buffet starts at RM128 nett

per adult and 50% off for children between 6 to 12 years old and senior citizens above 60 years of age. Children below the age of 6 can dine for free. A special buy 5 and get 1 free buffet only applies to adult vouchers.

Traditionally, breaking fast calls for a bite of something sweet to kick start the system. Therefore, delicious dates and a variety of juices and beverages such as Nescafe Tarik, Sirap Bandung, Air Tebu, Sirap Selasih, Soy Bean drink, Kurma Juice, and Teh Tarik are available to quench the Ramadan thirst.

Food cravers can enjoy a multitude of choices from the live cooking stations such as Murtabak, Roti Canai, Tandoori Chicken, Satay, Gulai Kawah and more.

Besides that, other food items to drool over which are traditionally served during Ramadan are Bubur Lambuk, Ayam Masak Merah, Ikan Patin Tempoyak, Ikan Bakar, and more.

During the month of Ramadan, there will also be a rattan weaving demonstration by the physically challenged staff from JARO (Johor Area Rehabilitation Organisation).

For reservations, call 07-2668888 or email fnbcoordinator.johorbahru@amari.com

Tanjong Puteri Golf Resort

F

or only RM80.00 nett per adult and RM40.00 nett per child (3-12 years), enjoy a delectable buffet spread at Tanjong Puteri Golf Resort this holy month

of Ramadan.

The spread offers many dishes from some of the best recipes that withstood the test of time! Eight rustic menus will be rotated weekly, featuring nostalgic

S

avour the flavours of Ramadan at Renaissance Johor Bahru Hotel’s Café BLD with over 500 dishes being served daily from 18th May to 14th June 2018. The sumptuous Bazaar Makan-Makan buffet offers a delightful bledn of traditional dishes served during Ramadan season as well as Malaysian and International favourites.

Bazaar Makan-Makan buffet is priced at RM160 nett per adults and RM78 nett for children aged 5 to 12 years. Children below 5 years will eat for free.

Some of the dishes being served at the buffet are Bubur Lambuk, Nasi Briyani Arab, Ayam Percik, Ayam

favourites such as Roasted Whole Lamb, Beef and Chicken Satay, Barbecued Meat and Seafood as well as Shawarma, Chicken Tandoori, Oodles of Noodles, Soto, and more.

Other dishes featured in the spread are Roti Canai, assorted Ulam, Mee Kari and more. Then enjoy a hot glass of Teh Tarik along with those sweet Kuih.

Also indulge in separate stalls offering freshly made Goreng-Goreng (deep fried) items such as Cucur Udang, Pisang Goreng, and desserts.

Speaking about desserts, refresh and quench your thirst with specially prepared Coconut Splash. This signature concoction is a house favourite which consists

of grass jelly, coconut flesh, palm sugar, and coconut water. Order a special glass of this drink at RM16.50.

Happening from 18th May to 14th June 2018, bring your family and friends to enjoy these rustic dishes only at Tanjong Puteri. Special buy 10 vouchers and get 1 free voucher promotions are also applicable during this period.

All diners who patronise this Ramadan Buffet at Tanjong Puteri Golf Resort during the first week of the fasting month (18th to 25th May 2018) will get a Special Takeaway Snack for Sahur.

For reservations and enquiries, please contact +607 259 6132/6136 or +607 2711 888.

Renaissance Johor Bahru Hotel

Golek, Rendang Daging, Gulai Kampung, Udang Goreng Rempah, Soto Ayam, Mee Rebus, Sup Ekor, Lemang, and more.

“Don’t miss the succulent Lamb QUzi, a popular house specialty that goes great with special gravy,” Director of Food and Beverage, Chef Mohamad Mahady reminds patrons.

Before 14th May , enjoy early bird promotions where you can get 2 free vouchers when you purchase 10. Get 1 free voucher for every 10 vouchers purchased between 15th May to 31st May 2018. Other promotions also available are 15% discount for Standard Chartered

Bank card holders.

Diners w ho prefer to host a private buka puasa gathering can do so as Renaissance JB is offering two menu selections starting from RM98 nett per person for a minimum of 30 pax.

For reservations, please call +607 381 3312 / +607 381 3317 or email at rosliza.lazim@renaissancehotels.com or evelyn.soh@renaissancehotels.com.

22

FREE COPY | The Iskandarian ISSUE 69 | MAY 2018 www.facebook.com/theiskandarian | www.theiskandarian.com

play

Sungai Johor – Johor’s Lifeline Serina Rahman Serina Rahman is the co-founder of Kelab Alami and a Visiting Fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore.

S

ungai Johor begins in Gunung Gemeruh, ends its 122.7 km journey in the Tebrau Strait and is an important source of freshwater to both Malaysia and Singapore.

The river system historically allowed locals and new settlers to travel from the coast to the hills, supporting the growth of new towns along its banks. The river basin makes up 14% of Johor

state and within it lie countless natural treasures that we have hardly begun to discover.

Sungai Johor was once home to dugongs (Dugong dugon), a gentle marine mammal that eats only seagrass. They lived and travelled in and around the Sungai Johor estuary and the Tebrau Strait. It is possible that the original population of dugongs from Sungai Johor are the ancestors of today’s small but separate dugong populations off both east and southwest Johor.

More well-known are Sungai Johor’s estuarine crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus), many of whom have now crossed the

By Atiqah Khamurudin Cuponation SG & MY

F

or Johorians looking forward to some fun, opting for a weekend in Singapore never seems to be a bad idea. However, with the current exchange rate for Singapore Dollars and Malaysian Ringgit in addition to how expensive certain festivals can be, it can be mind racking to stick to a financial plan especially with all the additional spending leading up to the event from outfit shopping to food hoarding.

border to live in Singapore’s Sungai Buloh wetland park.

These reptiles roam along the mangrove-lined river and its tributaries, building nests among Nipah palms and feeding on countless smaller animals and fish in the waterways.

One of the best views of Sungai Johor can be seen from the Kota Tinggi bridge to Desaru; rich mangroves fringing a wide stretch of water. This is one of Johor’s little appreciated natural assets and a vital lifeline highlighted under IRDA’s PESISIR programme for the documentation and monitoring of Johor’s coasts. TI

Weekend in Singapore – Festival Survival you and your friends have planned to check out a couple of music festivals, book your ticket purchases in advance to save more money, instead of buying last minute tickets at the door. Imagine how many meals and MRT rides you can get out of that!

preparing your own meals. Buying groceries in bulk at local stores or grocers can cut your cost more and may be healthier too.

BYO- Bottle Dehydration is a common problem when you’re out and about. Instead of spending money on mineral water, pack a water bottle which you can easily refill at water stops and still stay hydrated throughout the whole festival.

With all these savvy tips, your weekend in Singapore is sorted and you can look forward to more such outings or getaways if you plan well ahead and save more from www.cuponation.com TI

Festival OOTD for cheap

If you’re in a similar boat, then here’s a look at some savvy tips to surviving concerts or festivals in Singapore: Early bird gets the tickets

Picnic Meal Prepping Shopping for new outfits can seem costly but opting to check out flea markets, discount thrift stores and more options listed in Cuponation Singapore’s guide can put your mind at ease.

The saying that the early bird always gets the worm holds true even in these conditions. If

Go big on groceries Picnic festivals are incomplete without an actual picnic. Instead of buying meals from restaurants and paying additional taxes just to be packed for the picnic, why not consider

Maximise your savings by preparing easy to make picnic recipes like the ones listed in Buzzfeed which will definitely make for a fun filled and delicious picnic session with friends.

23

FREE COPY

The Iskandarian ISSUE 69 | MAY 2018

PROPERTY INSIGHT

The Edge reported that the second half of 2017 saw some property developers postponing new launches while clearing existing pg 25 stocks PROPERTY

@ home

RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS

APARTMENTS

VILLAS

CONDOMINIUMS

OFFICE/RETAILSPACE

Affordable Housing Not Merely Rhetoric - Khaled Johor Menteri Besar launched UMLand’s Community Housing Rumah Mampu pg 25 Milik Johor (RMMJ) at its development site in Seri Alam

Read this article on our website

Benchmark

Seri Austin

Earth Day and New Bridge at Seri Austin - Setia

Groundbreaking Ceremony for Chinese School

Connect with us on Facebook

24

The Iskandarian ISSUE 69 | MAY 2018 Advertisement

25

FREE COPY | The Iskandarian ISSUE 69 | MAY 2018 www.facebook.com/theiskandarian | www.theiskandarian.com

@home

Affordable Housing Not Merely Rhetoric - Khaled

Johor will have 60,000 units of affordable housing by 2020 and 100,000 units by 2023

J

ohor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin launched UMLand’s Co m m u n i t y H o u s i n g (Perumahan Komuniti Johor or PKJ) and Johor Affordable Homes (Rumah Mampu Milik Johor, or RMMJ) at its development site in Seri Alam.

The flats come under the Johor Affordable Housing Scheme.

UMLand will be building 1,122 units of the flats on 18.46 acres of land comprising 421 units of PKJ and 701 units of RMMJ in blocks of 14 and 16 storeys high respectively.

Eligible purchasers will be buying the 850 square feet of PKJ flats at RM80,000 and the RMMJ units of 1,000 square feet, will be offered at RM150,000 each.

“Our affordable housing agenda is not merely rhetoric.

“Since 2013, we have successfully built over 18,000 affordable housing units in Johor,” said Khaled.

“And as many as 100,000 units of affordable homes are targeted to be built in this state by 2023,” he added.

According to him, in his Parliamentary constituency of Pasir Gudang which comprises the state constituencies of

Permas and Johor Jaya, 1,637 units of affordable houses have been completed since 2013 and the state government has targeted 11,460 housing units to be completed in this area by 2021.

Khaled said that in forging ahead to achieve the targets set for affordable housing, 289.33 acres of land in several areas throughout the state have been taken over by the state government for the purpose of building affordable housing.

“The acquisition of lands cost the state government RM107.42 million,” he added.

The Johor State Government set conditions for developers who fail to build affordable housing to handover their land to the state government.

“By providing this stipulation, developers will be more committed to ensure that affordable housings are being built in their residential projects,” said Khaled.

“It is important for people to own their own homes because owning your own property gives meaning to one’s life. The confidence of having one’s own property helps build a foundation upon which to organise one’s family rather than suffer the

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin flanked by Datuk Syed Ahmad Khalid Syed Mohammed, Director of UMLand Berhad on his right and Tun Musa Hitam, UMLand Berhad Chairperson to his left

insecurity of having to rent one home to the next,” he said.

“We are also ensuring that the affordable homes are not located only in the perimetres of the city but also in the city itself to provide a balance so that everyone can enjoy what the city can offer. “ This balanced and planned development of affordable housing will also ensure that the city is well represented with a good spread of people encapsulating every strata of

society,” added Khaled.

Seri Alam is already home to 80,000 residents. It boasts multiple educational institutions with more on the way underscoring its recognition as the ‘City of Knowledge’.

Also in the vicinity of the PKL and RMMJ development, and aimed for an August launch will be Johor Bahru’s third general hospital, the Pasir Gudang Hospital after Sultanah Aminah and Sultan Ismail hospitals. - by Shufiyan Shukur TI

New Homes for Bakar Batu Residents Squatters no more as the state government handed over 320 units of low cost apartments to the residents of Kampung Desa Jaya

T

he state government had handed over keys to 320 low cost apartment units for the residents of Kampung Desa Jaya, as an attempt to enrich their lives after the completion of the EDL Expressway. The construction of the highway went through eight squatters’ settlements and a total of 2,720 homes were displaced.

This is part of the state government’s plan to relocate these villagers as well as to provide

better infrastructure and amenities for the residents of the area.

“The location of this placement project is near the existing area with a distance of about 2 to 5 kilometers. It is implemented in the same area to ensure that locals, especially parents, will not face difficulties for their children’s schooling purposes,” said Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin, who handed the keys to several residents of Kampung Desa Jaya.

Johor Bahru MP, Tan Sri Shahrir Samad, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Johor Menteri Besar Dato’ Khaled Nordin handing mock keys to the lucky residents of Kampung Desa Jaya, Bakar Batu.

He added that the relocation of squatters is part of building a more inclusive development to ensure that there are affordable homes for everyone, and at the same time reducing the number of squatters in Johor Bahru.

Also present to officiate the ceremony was Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Zahid Hamidi, Johor Bahru Member of Parliament Tan Sri Shahrir Samad and Chairman of Johor State Housing and Local Government Committee, Datuk Jais Sarday.

Zahid revealed that the federal government has approved the state’s request for budget allocation for the socio-economic development of the community within the area.

“The Desa Jaya Apartment Project is a result of the government’s effort in providing the best needs to the community”. He added that the allocation worth RM8 million was given after reviewing the needs and benefits that the people would receive later.

According to him, the funds will be channeled for the use of repainting all 2,720 units of Desa Jaya apartments, squatter resettlement for the construction of the East Dispersal Expressway (RM5 million), multi-purpose hall improvements at Kampung Kurnia, Larkin (RM1 million) and provision for community associations (RM2 million). - by Amin Khairuddin TI

Quick Reads

KSL Acquires Land in Johor In a filling in Bursa Malaysia, it was reported that KSL Holdings Bhd has proposed to acquire two parcels of leasehold land measuring 47.73 hectares in Tebrau, Johor Bahru for RM133.59 million cash.

The developer’s whollyowned subsidiary, Goodpark Development Sdn Bhd, signed a conditional agreement to buy the land from Grace Versatile Sdn Bhd. KSL said the land will be used for landed properties development and further enhance its presence in the property market in Johor. The proposed purchase would be funded via a combination of internally-generated funds and/ or bank borrowings.

Johor Developers Postponing Launches The Edge reported that the second half of 2017 saw some property developers postponing new launches while clearing existing stocks by offering attractive discounts and incentives, including absorbing legal fees, stamp duties and providing furnishing in some projects, according to property consultancy Knight Frank Malaysia.

Instead of holding landbank, developers are gradually releasing their products in smaller numbers and offer reasonable prices and attractive sales package to attract potential buyers.

“Properties with reasonable selling prices that are strategically located with good accessibility and offer adequate facilities, are still in demand and continue to be well received by the market,” said Knight Frank in its “Real Estate Highlights for 2H2017” report.

In 3Q17, Johor Bahru led with 3,118 transacted units or about 50.9% of the state’s total volume of transactions, followed closely by Batu Pahat with 649 units (or 10.6%) where doublestorey terraced homes recorded the highest number of transactions (1,169 units) in Johor, an increase of about 7.8% as compared to 3Q16.

The report also added that as of 3Q17, total cumulative committed investment in Iskandar Malaysia stood at RM244.46 billion, with domestic investment accounting for 61% while the remainders were foreign investment.

26

FREE COPY | The Iskandarian ISSUE 69 | MAY 2018 www.facebook.com/theiskandarian | www.theiskandarian.com

@home

Earth Day and New Bridge at Seri Austin - Setia Mayor of MBJB opens new bridge to link Seri Austin to Setia Business Park, Eco Business Park, and Seelong

T

he Mayor of Johor Bahru and officials of its council graced an event at Seri Austin recently in conjunction with Earth Day. KK Wong, CEO of UMLand Seri Austin cum Group Director of UMLand Township hosted and accompanied the Mayor and other VIPs for a bike ride around the township.

The mini pedal event brought everyone along the new Seri Austin – Setia Bridge route that will link Seri Austin Township to Setia Business Park, Eco Business Park, and Seelong.

Officiated by Tuan Haji Amran A. Rahman, Mayor of MBJB, the opening of the new 68 metre bridge is an alternative route that aims to reduce travel time from Seri

Austin to Kempas old road and Senai Airport.

Around the same vicinity, the riders made another pitstop near the Seri Austin Lake to throw Effective Microorganisms (EM) Mudballs into the lake to promote a sustainable and eco-friendly environment.

This EM Mudballs will help maintain the cleanliness of Seri Austin’s Lakes.

“Our passion and commitment towards green initiative has led us to be recognised as the first Smart Healthy City and Communities Township in 2014 and a model township in Iskandar Malaysia,” said KK Wong.

Also happening at the event were several other activities such as EM Mudball Making Competition for Primary Schools, Push Bike Fun Race for children age 2 to 7

Official ribbon cutting gimmick by KK Wong, CEO of UMLand Seri Austin cum Group Director of UMLand Township and Tuan Haji Amran A. Rahman, Mayor of MBJB to open the linkbridge

Throwing the EM Mud Balls into the Seri Austin Lake

years and BMX Demonstration.

During the event, five primary schools took part in a competition to create EM Mudballs, out of this, SK Taman Daya 2, SK Kempas, SJK (C) Foon Yew 5, who took the first, second, and third place respectively.

The two other schools were SK Taman Mount Austin and SJK (T) Ladang Tebrau.

This is part of Seri Austin’s commitment to raise public awareness on the importance of creating sustainable environment for the next generation through involvement in these CSR activities.

The Earth Day celebration in Seri Austin is held annually to cultivate a healthy lifestyle within the community and is supported by MBJB, IRDA and Happy Riders Connect. - by Harish Mustak TI

UM Land Seri Austin officials showing Datuk Bandar the bridge plans

What is a Budget?

A

budget is a plan for managing your cash flow and is used to estimate your future income and expenses. To put it simply, a budget lists all your expected cash inflows and outflows to assist you in making prudent financial decisions.

Why do I need a budget?

How many times have you made ATM withdrawals only to realise that you have spent all your money within a couple of days? Often it becomes extremely difficult to remember where that money was spent. A lot of people do not keep track of their finances and end up spending more than they mean to. This is why having a budget is important.

Benefits of having a budget • Live within your means • Cultivate a savings habit • Save for financial emergencies • Enhance your net worth Live within your means

Needs and wants Remember that your budget is based on your income and expenses. As each person’s income and expenses differ, your budget should be based on your needs and wants.

How do you then differentiate between a need and a want?

A need is something you must have and can’t do without, while a want is something you would like to have, which is not absolutely necessary.

Some examples of needs and wants are as follows: As time evolves, your basic needs may extend to more than just food, shelter and clothing. Your want today, may become a need tomorrow.

Take this example. An individual 20 years ago did not view a mobile phone as a need. But in today’s modern world, a mobile phone is considered a necessity which makes it a need

Brought to you by:

instead of a want. However, when you choose a mobile phone that is expensive and has all the latest features, you are shifting this need into a want.

The decision you make with regards to what you need or want will directly affect your spending.

Delay Purchases Whenever you intend to make a purchase, especially when it is a want item, take time to think whether it is within your budget.

Living within your means require you to learn how to say no to unnecessary spending. Look into substitutes for your needs and wants especially if it does not fit your budget.

Ask yourself these questions before you spend: • Instead of buying a car, why not use public transportation?

• If you really need a car, can you consider getting

a second-hand one?

• If you need a mobile phone or a computer, will a basic model serve your purpose?

• If you want branded clothing, can you substitute for reasonably priced and good quality clothing instead?

A budget needs to be realistic and tailored to

meet your earning capacity and spending needs. Living on a budget does not mean sacrificing all your luxuries.

It simply means that you will have to plan and at times, change your perception and spending habits.

Spending wisely The key to a successful

budget is to spend less than what you earn. When you have the urge to buy something, pause and ask yourself the following questions: • Can I afford to buy it?

• Do I really need it?

• Is there something cheaper?

• Can I delay buying it? TI

27

FREE COPY | The Iskandarian ISSUE 69 | MAY 2018 www.facebook.com/theiskandarian | www.theiskandarian.com

@home

UMLand Seri Austin Holds Groundbreaking Ceremony for Chinese School

The school will be developed on a 2.43ha site in Seri Austin and costs RM6mil to build

U

MLand Seri Austin held the groundbreaking ceremony for SJK (C) Kuek Ho Yao at Seri Austin which was successfully officiated by Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, Minister of Transport and MCA President.

The ceremony was witnessed by Datuk Seri Ir. Dr. Wee Ka Siong (Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department), Datuk Chong Sin Woon (Deputy Minister of Education II and MCA

Youth Chief), Senator Dato’Sri Hou Kok Chung (MCA Vice-President), Dato’ Teo Ah Khiang (School Board Chairman), Dato’ Ng Eng Tee (Executive Deputy Chairman of UMLand), Dennis Ng (Group Managing Director of UMLand), KK Wong (Group Director of UMLand Townships) and about 400 dignitaries, MCA leaders and guests.

SJK (C) Kuek Ho Yao is targeted for completion by 2020 costing RM6mil and will Groundbreaking ceremony of SJK (C) Kuek Ho Yao

Dato’ Ng Eng Tee (Executive Deputy Chairman of UMLand) and Dato’ Teo Ah Khiang (School Board Chairman) handing over token of appreciation to Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai

be developed on a 2.43ha site in Seri Austin. The first phase will involve 40 classrooms and a canteen. The school is expected to accommodate up to 2,000 students once it is completed in two years.

The school is named after late Tan Sri Kuek Ho Yao which serves as a tribute to the great philanthropist who played a vital role in the development of the Chinese community in Johor Bahru.

“As a property developer, UMLand has always emphasised education as an important part to build a world-class community with more local educational opportunities. We believe that these schools will be able to help the students flourish, and the completion of SJK (C) Kuek Ho Yao will provide great education for future generations” said Dato’ Ng Eng Tee in his speech.

Meanwhile, Datuk Kuok Siew Yin, who is the daughter

of the late Tan Sri Kuek Ho Yao, commented it was an honour for the school to be named after her father.

SJK(C) Kuek Ho Yau board of governors chairman Datuk Teo Ah Khiang said the construction of the school was timely as it could cater to residents living in Taman Seri Austin, Taman Setia Indah, Taman Austin Duta, Taman Dato Onn, Eco Spring, Taman JP Perdana and Taman Daya. - by The Iskandarian TI

28

The Iskandarian ISSUE 69 | MAY 2018 Advertisement