The Iskandarian October 2018 Issue

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The Iskandarian ISSUE 74 | OCT 2018

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UMLand’s Group Director of Townships

Seri Austin’s D’Lagoon luxurious high-rise development is available for purchase

KK

Wong, CEO of UMLand Seri Austin has recently been promoted as the Group Director of Townships for UMLand. We touched base with the ever charismatic KK Wong to find out about the latest development in UMLand and his new responsibility.

As the Group Director of Townships for UMLand, what are the key areas you will be focusing on?

Firstly, I have taken the role as the Group Director of Townships for UMLand but I am still the CEO of UMLand Seri Austin (laughs). My appointment comes with the responsibility of overseeing all development and growth activities of UMLand townships.

Simply put, my winning formula at Seri Austin will now be shared with the townships under my belt and I hope to achieve similar outstanding results.

What are the townships under your purview?

My baby Seri Austin, Seri Alam and Iskandar Halal Park are the Southern region townships while Bandar Seri Putra in Bangi and Mahkota Hills in Semenyih are the Selangor townships under my purview. My scope however is more focused on the Southern region townships.

Aerial view of Bandar Seri Alam’s iconic lake

has been envisioned to be the benchmark as a ‘Next Generation’ Halal Hub. We have currently completed Phase 1 of Iskandar Halal Park comprising factory units and shoplots and we are focussing on launching Phase 2 very soon. In the words of our Chairman YAB Tun Musa Hitam, “This is Malaysia’s Halal legacy for the Muslim World”.

How are things at Bandar Seri Alam?

Bandar Seri Alam has a fast growing community of population at approximately 80,000 people. With a plethora of schools and universities located within the township, Bandar Seri Alam has been officially recognised by the local authorities Tell us more about the happenings in Iskandar as a “City of Knowledge.” The list includes Halal Park Asia Metropolitan University, Universiti Iskandar Halal Park is one of the catalyst Kuala Lumpur, Universiti Teknologi projects in Eastern Iskandar Malaysia that MARA, Excelsior International School as

Phase 1 of Iskandar Halal Park has been completed

well as seven other national primary and secondary schools to name a few. Foon Yew High School will join the list when it opens its new campus at the township.

The township serves the community via a comprehensive list of retail outlets which includes Tesco, Today’s Market, McDonalds, Burger King, Subway, Marrybrown, KFC, Tea Garden, Starbucks Cafe, Moonlight Cafe, Vivo Pizza, Sugar Bun Borneo Restaurant, Grumpy Goat cafe, Baystreet 66, Banafee Restaurant and lots more. So basically things are going very well and more can be expected in good time.

Any plans for Seri Austin?

The multiple award winning township such as the inaugural ‘The Iskandar Malaysia Accolades Award’ (TIMA 2016/17) Overall “Value Champion”, the inaugural Iskandar Malaysia Social Hero Awards (IMSHA) for our CSR efforts, Asia Property Awards and StarProperty.my Awards to name a few while being recognised as the 1st Smart Healthy City and Communities Township in Iskandar Malaysia by IRDA is gearing up for the upcoming launch of our affordable double storey terrace houses scheduled for 2019. Our D’Lagoon luxurious high-rise development is available for purchase as well.

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As a builder of public spaces, BCB understands there is a need to return to the old way of community interaction and relationships - Lindy Tan

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Kechara: From Soup Kitchen to Food Bank and Empowerment Read on pg 12

THE ISKANDARIAN ISKANDAR MALAYSIA’S OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER

Project Director Justin Cheah and Menteri Besar Datuk Osman Sapian at KSK’s food distribution progamme in PPR Kempas

Rug weaving classes under KSK’s Family and Community Empowerment (FACE) programme

Iskandar Malaysia Employment Fair 2018 (IMEF 2018) Read on - A dedicated effort by IRDA to empower human capital development in Iskandar Malaysia

pg 5

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Preservation and Conservation of Johor’s Character: Historical Buildings IRDA aims to bring awareness on building conservation through workshops

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skandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA), Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) and Think City gathered 100 small contactors from grade G1 to G3 at the Conservation Workshop at Amari Johor Bahru recently.

From the hotel via Jalan Trus, workshop participants were given a walkabout tour on the row of 18 colourful historical shop houses.

Tan H iap Hong, a conservation consultant, shared how true Johoreans would know that the original shophouses’ facade was not colourful. He found the original colour of the buildings by interviewing the shophouses’ owners who recalled the colours from memories of their childhood.

In cases where owners could not give information, conservators would “scratch” the wall to see the first layer of the paint. Tan showed how the original colour could also be seen from the peeling weathered paint.

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“In The Arms Of One Who Cares”

Iskandar Malaysia acknowledges the potential of heritage elements not only as a mean towards enhancing historical and cultural awareness but also to preserve and enhance the ‘soul’ of the region. Therefore, more skilled contractors would be needed.

The workshop is under the Johor Bahru Transformation Programme, a joint effort between Johor Bahru City Council (MBJB) and IRDA towards the conservation of heritage buildings along Jalan Segget. Under the Johor Bahru City Centre Heritage Conservation Masterplan, a total of 263 buildings were identified as heritage buildings.

Preserving and conserving the buildings require incorporation of local ‘character’, and to later develop them into tourist attractions. Contractors were educated and guided on the right methodology for conservation and restoration of heritage buildings.

Pulai Springs Resort Organise Patriotic Programmes

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n conjunction with Malaysia Day, Pulai Springs Resort organised a 1km run ‘Larian Anak Merdeka’ and ‘Bina Jalur Gemilang’ activities with Sekolah Kebangsaan Taman Universiti 2 at the resort.

A total of 30 students from Year 3 to Year 5 participated in the programme.

The students were accompanied by their headmaster Zulkifle Bin Miswan and five other teachers and were welcomed by Sunny Soo, the resort’s General Manager.

After the welcoming note, the students made their way to the starting line of the Larian Anak Malaysia near the golf course. After the 1km run completed, the students were then given the opportunity to create a 15 x 5 feet Malaysian flag (Jalur Gemilang) using foam

Students, teachers and resort’s staffs posing at the Jalur Gemilang they built

cups. During the flag making activity, the students had fun colouring the base of the foam cups using the four main colours of the Malaysian flag and then gluing them onto a plywood base.

Sunny Soo said “This is the fourth time the resort has organised a Malaysia Day programme for school students. We organised these events to instil love and patriotism in the children”.

D u r i n g the p r i ze - gi v i n g ceremony, the three top winners of the Larian Anak Malaysia,

Danish Ammar Haziq (Champion), Mohd Yusuf Azmil Faiz (1st Runner Up) and Rubenraj A/L Poovanesan (2nd Runner Up) walked away with a medal, hamper containing food items and stationery as well as a certificate. Each students were also given a goodie bag containing a mini jalur gemilang, certificate of participation, some food items and snacks, stationeries and story books sponsored by Pelangi Publishing Group. - by Rose Natasha TI

Sand and lime were used in certain ratios depending on the finishing for building conservation

Iskandar Malaysia aims to increase the community’s appreciation and efforts towards conserving our rich heritage by not only through buildings but also by other cultural elements such as traditional costumes, food, and games.

Johor has plenty of heritage sites and a rich history to be told and experienced not only to

tourists, but for future generations as well.

IRDA is preparing a guidebook on building conservation which will include a basic introduction of conservation, building materials, application process and other related information. The guidebook is expected to be ready by early next year. - by Salamahafifi TI

North Johor Will Be Developed Next For the Benefit of its Local Talents

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ohor is rich with resources and the government will look into how to utilise them for the benefit of Johoreans especially jobseekers.

Johor Consumerism, Human Resource and State Unity Committee Chairman, Dr. S. Ramakrishnan said North Johor has a lot of potential for agro-tourism, stock breeding and farming hub.

“We do not want North Johor to be left behind. Most of the youth tend to migrate to other parts of Johor and if this trend continues, the area will soon be an old folks’ town. It is our matter of concern,” said Dr. S. Ramakrishnan during a press conference after the launch of

Iskandar Malaysia Employment Fair 2018.

“The youths will be trained with an entrepreneurship mind set and to leverage upon the technology in agriculture especially on the fruit quality. For example, this can be done through 2-acre land leasing for them to work on,” he added.

According to Dr. S. Ramakrishnan, Johor is the next attraction for job seekers after the Klang Valley especially in Iskandar Malaysia.

The pay gap between the Klang Valley and Johor has also narrowed from 14% the last few years to 5%. - by Nurfarahin Zahiridin TI

From left: Datuk Ismail Ibrahim, Johor Consumerism, Human Resource and State Unity Committee Chairman Dr. S. Ramakrishnan and Prakash Nagarajan

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

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Amari Johor Bahru Brings Maslee and McD to Fitrah Qaseh

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pearheaded by the hotel’s Director of Public Relations and Marketing Communications, M.S. Bobby, Amari Johor Bahru (Amari JB) contributed clothes, toys and snacks for the 27 homeless and physically abused children at the Fitrah Qaseh home.

Th e C S R co m m i t te e also gave cash donation and celebrated the birthdays of the children born in August and September. They cut a lovely cake

in the shape of Red, the Angry Bird.

Thanks to the sponsors, Maslee Sdn Bhd and McDonald’s located in Larkin, the children had a great time enjoying the sumptuous food. The hotel also brought along sandwiches, muffins and kuih-muih.

Maslee generously contributed groceries such as rice, flour, eggs, sugar and other household items.

“This is the first time we

paid a visit to the home. We greatly appreciate the concerted efforts of all the staff in collecting cash, clothes and toys for the children.

We hope to come more often to help the home. Camelia Fitri and her husband manage the home and we would like to reach out to the public to come forward to help these children who need tender loving care and the home also requires daily sundries and household items,” said Bobby.

“We support and value

Launch of SGshop Equity Crowdfunding

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espite the differences many Malaysians have, the one thing we have in common is that we love shopping.

SGshop, Johor ’s foremost online quality assured cross border shopping site, www. s g s h o p . c o m . m y, has launched its inaugural Equity Crowdfunding(ECF) campaign to raise RM500,000 through Ata Plus, a registered ECF operator.

In 2017 according to UPS, 75% of online shoppers have returned purchased items to retailers; a 7% increase from the previous

year. Additionally, other studies have shown that over 85% of consumers want a convenient return policy, whilst 56% seek for affordable return shipping options.

“E-commerce in the region is Lua Cheong Hong presenting a growing rapidly token of appreciation to Johor State given A S E A N ’s Exco Jimmy Puah trusted and reliable platform huge population and growing middle for Malaysians to purchase class, but retailers need products from China. Product to address shortcomings quality is our utmost priority” on the customer front to said Lua Cheong Hong, Coensure businesses reach its founder and Director of full potential. This is why SGshop Ecommerce Sdn Bhd. SGshop prides itself as a - by Moazan Emran TI

Group Photo with the 27 Children of Fitrah Qaseh

the communities in which we live and work by bringing our social responsibility commitment to live

by organising several activities for the less fortunate,” added Bobby. by The Iskandarian TI

MB: New Hospital in Kempas

Menteri Besar Johor Datuk Osman Sapian

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esidents in the Kempas area can look forward to getting medical treatment and related services in with the opening of a hospital here.

Menteri Besar Johor Datuk Osman Sapian said the hospital will be built on a 19ha piece of land owned by the Health Ministry.

He said the hospital was very much needed as residents seeking treatment at public hospitals would have to go to the Sultan Ismail Hospital in Pandan or the Sultanah Aminah Hospital in Johor Bahru which is highly congested.

“The hospital will have 305 beds and is expected to cost over RM 500million,” added Osman.

He added that this will not be the only

hospital being built by the government as there will be another hospital that will be built in Bandar Seri Alam, Pasir Gudang.

A public hospital in the Pasir Gudang area will cater to the medical needs of about 350,000 residents from Pasir Gudang and nearby areas such as Masai, Plentong and Kong Kong.

The announcement was made by Datuk Osman Sapian after a gotongroyong event held at Perumahan Rakyat (PPR) Kempas Permai on the 22nd of September.- by The Iskandarian TI

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Moving Forward with a Knowledge-Based Industry “No more labour-intensive industry, we want a knowledge-based industry,” - Dr. S. Ramakrishnan

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nowledge and high skills are the two aspects stressed by Dr. S. Ramakrishnan, Chairman of Johor Legislative Assembly for Consumerism, Human Resources and Unity during his industrial visit to Bio-XCell Malaysia with Unit Swadaya Insan Negeri Johor.

Two challenges identified by Dr. S. Ramakrishnan and investors in a closed door meeting were keeping trained talents employed in Johor. Another challenge identified was lack of up-to-date skills and knowledge from fresh university graduates.

“Local universities are not up-to-date with technological development. Companies are building intensive programmes with the universities, reviewing syllabus of the courses and training lecturers as well which denotes a lot of work but a very positive aspect, as Malaysia will at least have a ‘fluent’ pool of talent in the field of biotechnology,” said Dr. S. Ramakrishnan.

“Government should also give more support to the companies for helping universities with syllabus and training the lecturers, as the companies are doing more than what they are supposed to do. Give them more benefits so that they can help Malaysia build knowledge-based workers and talent pool.”

For a more comprehensive field of

Model of the Bio-XCell factory

biotechnology in Johor, he plans to allocate the Northern Johor for biomass technology while Southern Johor will focus on biotechnology, high technology, more research components, and data analysis.

Bio-XCell Malaysia is a biotechnology and ecosystem park, a joint-venture between Malaysian Bioeconomy Development Corporation Sdn Bhd and UEM Sunrise Berhad in SILC in Iskandar Puteri. The 160-hectare park was completed in 2012 with the infrastructure to accelerate the development of biotechnology ecosystem, specifically for the bio and medical industries in Malaysia.

Currently, only 40% of the park has been occupied and they are planning to attract more investors and train more knowledge-based skilled workers. - by Salamahafifi TI

More than 1000 Vacancies Offered at Iskandar Malaysia Employment Fair 2018 IMEF 2018, a dedicated effort by IRDA to empower human capital development in Iskandar Malaysia

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sk andar R egional D evelopment Authority (IRDA) recently launched Iskandar Malaysia Employment Fair (IMEF) 2018 at Persada International Convention Centre, Johor Bahru.

This year, IMEF successfully attracted employers from different sectors and industries where more than 1000 vacancies were offered to job seekers including fresh graduates and experienced professionals.

According to IRDA’s Chief Executive, Datuk Ismail Ibrahim, continuous efforts in bringing investors to Iskandar Malaysia have indirectly created 746,457 job opportunities since 2006.

The main objective of IMEF 2018 was to serve as a platform to promote the current job opportunities in Iskandar Malaysia. Besides giving the exposure to the public, the event also gave a chance for the employers to recruit the best talent.

“To empower the human capital development agenda, IRDA has been introducing number of incentives including Iskandar Malaysia Employment Grant (IMEG) in 2015. With total fund of RM6mil, the programme had successfully created 800 new jobs,” said Datuk Ismail.

The event was launched by Johor Consumerism, Human Resource and State Unity Committee Chairman, Dr. S. Ramakrishnan as the official representative

Sayyidah Fakhrani and her twin, Sayyidah Farhana filling out job registration forms

to Johor Menteri Besar, Datuk Osman Sapian.

“I hope that IRDA will continuously gear up the human capital development especially for the local talents to meet the various industries’ demands around Iskandar Malaysia,” said Dr. S. Ramakrishnan during his speech.

The event received tremendous support from the employers as well as job seekers.

“It was a great event especially for those who are seeking for their dream job. I hope this event will be continued in the future,” said Nur Saiyyidah Fakhrani Nazri Nizam, one of the fresh graduates who attended the event. - by Nurfarahin Zahiridin TI

desaru coast

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15th Johor Arts Festival Fifteen years on and the Johor Arts Festival is still doing its best to educate, engage and empower the community through arts

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he colour and culture of any community can be seen or experienced i n s o m a ny w ays.

Some may indulge in the food of the various ethnicities and others may be interested in the everyday life events that a certain community may go through. However, to experience the raw essence of culture, one must also look into the arts and cultural performances of others to understand how heritage and contemporary culture can be meshed together.

In Johor, we are lucky to have a small community that grew year-to-year to bring education, engagement and empowerment of the community through arts – the Johor Society of Performing Arts (JSPA).

“Fifteen years ago, when we started this, we reached out to as many schools as possible and we managed to plant the art-loving seed in them. Now they keep coming back to our festival. They bring their friends, their spouses, their children and slowly the art community grew,” said Suzie Yap, Festival Director of the 15th Johor Arts Festival (15JohorAF).

The 15JohorAF has hosted hundreds of local and international artists and has also played a part in

The string instrument players of the MPO

the discovery of many local talents as well.

One evident example is the talented Johorean graphic artist, Mulo. His intricate design of a warrior was highlighted as the image of the festival.

“Like Mulo, we work with many other local talents and we are proud to show them off and share the spotlight with them,” added Suzie.

The launch of the 15JohorAF coincided with a spectacular performance by the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) entitled Mozart to Totoro.

The performance included Mozart’s celebrated Marriage of Figaro Overture and Symphony No. 40, followed by the lovely Mercu

Kegemilangan by local composer Vivian Chua.

The audience was also brought on a journey into the fantastic worlds of Hayao Miyazaki with music from Castle in the Sky and My Neighbour Totoro.

The 15JohorAF takes place from 1st to 23rd of September 2018 and will include an array of performances including a special show by comedian Joanne Kam, a big band jazz performance called Tarakaucha! by Sean Ghazi and Ida Mariana, forums, exhibitions, film screenings and many more.

For further details, visit the 15JohorAF website at www.jspa. org/15johoraf or JSPA’s Facebook page for event updates. - by Harish Mustak TI

news The 4th Season Charity Sunset Run4Fund 2018

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nce again, for the four th time, Le Grandeur Palm Resort Johor together with its co-organiser Lee Tet Loong of Pembinaan Titis Jaya who owns TJ Mart Saleng Kulai organised the 4th Season Charity Sunset Run4Fund 2018. This charity run raised a total of RM11,000 in aid of home -bound Flag off of Charity Sunset Run4Fund cancer patients under the 2018 auspices of The Palliative Care Association of Johor Bahru Veteran Men and Ladies category.

(PCAJB). PCAJB was established in The winners received cash prizes 2007 by the Rotary Club of Johor of RM300, RM200 and RM100 Bahru and provides quality medical respectively, with trophies.

Many sponsors played a and nursing care for terminally ill part in the success of the event with and cancer patients.

“This year’s run coincided Nestle providing free Milo and Bonus with Malaysia Day and the turnout Soy Bean drinks; F&N with 100 Plus of 320 participants was for the and Super Asia for mineral water. dual purpose of charity as well This year the Run also received the as celebration of the country’s support of The Johor Food Truck independence,” said Jef Kong, CEO of Association (JBFTA).

Dr Angamuthu, the President Palm Resort and General Manager of of PCAJB was grateful for the Le Grandeur.

The run started at 4.30pm contribution as the amount would and ended at 7.00pm. Four contribute towards covering the categories of winners emerged association’s expenses, its activities in the Run. The champion for the of which will directly benefit cancer Men’s Open Category went to patients confined at home. PCAJB is Mohd Athir Bin Ismail who finished operating mostly through donations the 8km run within 29.16 minutes, and hopes that members of the while the Ladies’ Open Category public would support the association saw Sharmila D/O Sivakumar as the through ways and means. They can winner clocking at 43.25 minutes. be contacted at 019-7301652 for There were also winners for the more details. - by Rose Natasha TI

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Mental Revolution for Students in the B40 Category EWRF JB celebrates 30 years of helping underprivileged Indian students

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GBS Iskandar Summit 2018 to Drive Industry 4.0 Agenda in Malaysia’s Global Business Services Sector

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he Educational Welfare R e s e a r c h Fo u n d a t i o n (EWRF) Johor Bahru celebrated its 30th anniversary with an evening of dinner and entertainment at Thistle Johor Bahru. Live Indian fusion music band serenaded guests while an 8-course Chinese dinner was served.

Traditional Indian dance also livened the scene. It was a night of appreciation for sponsors for their generous support Abhiynesh poses with his savings of five years with Vice Chairman Thevindran Kandasamy throughout the years.

The crowd’s youngest philanthropist community. Focusing on 5As - attendance, was an 8-year-old Abhiynesh who had decided attention, attitude, academic, and achievement, to donate five years’ worth of savings to the their mission is to uplift students through organisation. He was inspired to donate after education. To build a student’s confidence, his father brought him to EWRF Muar, Johor. the centre also provides non-academic classes The older child of two siblings dreams of being such as Silambam martial arts, Bharatanatyam an international singer, and donated because; classical dance, and Speech & Drama. Parents’ “poor people have no home and food. We need involvement as volunteers are also encouraged to instill a sense of responsibility for their to help them to buy food.”

EWRF Malaysia was formed in 1979 child’s education. As a result, there have been with 23 branches nationwide. EWRF JB was significant improvements in the students’ scores established in 1988 to improve the social, in schools.

Following the success of the KEC, EWRF educational, and economic welfare of the marginalised communities in Malaysia, JB plans to open up a new centre in Bandar particularly youths from low-income families Selesa Jaya after conducting research identifying known as the B40 community. The B40 areas of B40 communities. EWRF carries a category is defined as the Bottom 40% of the mission of creating opportunities for a better income group with median income of RM3000. future. Volunteers and donors are welcome to Kulai Education Centre (KEC) was set up support their cause.

For more information, visit EWRF Johor

by EWRF JB in 2013 near low-cost flats to be a platform for development and transformation, Bahru on Facebook or their website www.ewrf. and as a “mental revolution” in the Indian org.my - by Salamahafifi TI

GBS Iskandar Summit 2018

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BS Iskandar Summit 2018 was officiated here by Human Resource and State Unity Committee chairman, Dr. S. Ramakrishnan. The summit, themed ‘Are You Future Proof?’ was organised by i2M Ventures in partnership with Outsourcing Malaysia, an initiative of the Outsourcing Industry and a chapter of PIKOM. With suppor ting partners including Association of Chartered Certified Accountant (ACCA), Johor State Investment Centre (JSIC) and Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), the summit explored the readiness and challenges faced by Malaysia’s Global Business Services sector in embracing and adopting the evolution of Industry 4.0.

The event attracted over 200 participants comprising senior industry practitioners and key C-level executives seeking to grasp the impact of Industry Revolution 4.0 in the GBS industry which includes the Outsourcing and Shared Services Industry.

“The summit provided insights and case studies to give participants a thorough understanding of Industry 4.0 and how they can improve their analysing processes, beef up their human resources and deploy the right tools, control and measures needed to be a competitive player in the global business services industry,” said i2M Ventures Sdn. Bhd Managing Director, Zulfiqar Zainuddin.

Frost & Sullivan, Fusionex International,

PERSOLKELLY, IBM Application Services, Zalora Group, KPMG Consulting, Wipro Consumer Care, Daythree Business Services Sdn. Bhd. And Matryzel Consulting were among the invited speakers during the summit.

“As of July 2018, i2M has attracted a total of RM2.4billion in investment from local and multinational companies setting up their operations in Iskandar Malaysia, creating 5,260 high value jobs,” added Zulfiqar.

According to Dr. S. Ramakrishnan, the government’s utmost priority is in ensuring Johor’s growth with the creation of highvalue jobs with competitive wages and benefits.

He also said, to ensure continuous growth, Johor is committed to embrace new technology and upskill our workforce to be future-ready.

GBS Iskandar is a specialised programme which started in 2016 by i2M Ventures for Global Business Services with the objective to turn Iskandar Puteri into a Global Business Services Hub. - by Nurfarahin Zahiridin TI

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Maslee & Coca-Cola Johor Cleanup Hoarder Home Local retailer Maslee Express initiated efforts to clean up the home of an elderly couple in Pontian, Johor

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home of an elderly couple in Kampung Parit Bilal, Pontian, Johor caught the attention of local retailers, Maslee Express (Maslee) during a CSR campaign which took place during the month of Ramadan. Maslee and their partner, Coca-Cola Johor decided to take action into their own hands by organising a cleanup exercise recently as part of their service to the community.

Maslee and Coca-Cola recruited help from the Social Welfare Department, Fire and Rescue Department, as well as the Sewage and Waste Management Corporation (SWM).

Home to the couple, but not to the ones who witnessed for themselves the filthy living conditions of which the couple chose to live with.

Instead of “out with the old, and in with the new”, a skewed perception of this living concept has been adopted by the elderly couple.

“Without the old, there won’t be the new” is what they said when asked about their hoarding habits.

In an extreme case of hoarding, Saniah binti Ahmad seems to ignore the all-important

The cleanup done, group photo with all the hands that got down and dirty

cleanliness aspect of the religion that she preaches. With over 15 cats living with them in small cages inside of the house, they seem to have no issue with the stench that reeks in every corner of their home.

The husband, Rahim bin Buang has been diagnosed with bladder infection and numerous other health complications is carrying a urinary catheter with him, while his wife, Saniah cares for him.

Everything in the house was thrown away. Only the valuables and IDs were spared. Expired food items and sullied clothes were among the items that were disposed. Besides that, spoilt home appliances that

were beyond repair were also tossed into the trash.

Maslee and Coca-Cola presented new furniture and some sustenance for the couple, and advised them to take care of the cleanliness and their health.

The couple, as well as the village community, was grateful for the efforts of both Maslee and Coca-Cola.

Maslee and Coca-Cola Johor wishes to put out a message on the importance of cleanliness; that with the right education and civic mind, the number of people living with hoarding lifestyles can be reduced to promote a healthy lifestyle. - by Harish Mustak TI

news First LEP Summit 2018 in Iskandar Malaysia

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2M Ventures Sdn Bhd (i2M), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Khazanah Nasional Berhad and the Alumni of Look East Policy Society (ALEPS) jointly organised the inaugural Look East Policy (LEP) Summit 2018 at the Hotel Jen, Puteri Harbour in Iskandar Malaysia.

This event was part of the efforts in bringing together thought leaders, policy makers, and academicians to share their insights and opportunities arising from the recent realignment of the LEP which have been introduced

by Tun Dr Mahathir in 1982 when he was the fourth Prime Minister, and now, back in office, Mahathir is keen on reigniting the relationship between Malaysia and Japan by updating the policy.

Themed “Reignite.

Transform. Thrive.” the summit covered the impacts of LEP, technology transformation, upskilling for the new revolution, social impacts’ entrepreneurship, and responsible business.

The LEP Summit 2018 was officiated by Dr. Ong Kian Ming, Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry and attended by various Japanese agencies to Malaysia, such as the Japanese Embassy, Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) and Japan International Cooperation Agency

(JICA).

Dr. Ong mentioned that the LEP demonstrates Malaysia’s continuous efforts in knowledge acquisition and adoption of good ethics to further improve the nation’s competency and rapid economic development. The policy was instituted to promote bilateral relations between Japan and Malaysia, which have steadily developed since its introduction.

According to Zulfiqar Zainuddin, Managing Director of i2M and also the President of ALEPS, the LEP Summit 2018 has come at the right time as this is in conjunction with the 60th anniversary of the Malaysia and Japan relations, and also marks the 30th anniversary of the ALEPS. i2M also welcomed three Japanese tech companies that have chosen Iskandar Malaysia as a base of operations. They are Deluxe Games Sdn Bhd and its sister entity, Okakichi Sdn Bhd, and OK Blockchain Sdn Bhd. Since ALEPS began in 1988, it has now 10,000 members consisting of graduates who were under government or privately financed, from Japanese institutions. They are highly skilled in engineering, banking and finance, as well as in business management. - by Harish Mustak TI

011 2233 1010 www.sugarbun.com Gravity Green @ Bandar Seri Alam | Desaru Utama @ Bandar Penawar | Spring Labs @ Eco Palladium

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MO N T H LY DR I L L w Intervie by the Editor

Director

Holding a Bachelor of Commerce (Economic & Business Law) from University of Melbourne, Australia, Lindy Tan has been the Executive Director of Building Communities and Beyond Berhad (BCB) since 22nd May 2008.

BCB is the brainchild of her father and Group Managing Director Dato’ Tan Seng Leong who is no new name in the property sector.

The company was listed on the Main Board of the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange since 3rd December 1996. Lindy is responsible for the sales & marketing at the group level and is often seen as the iron lady who has been propelling the company forward.

Your demure appearance is a contrast to the work hat that you wear. How do you manage the perception?

I think generally, as a female in the property industry, we tend to be underestimated. One way to manage this perception is to make sure we know our stuff, go out on site and talk to people. However, I think I’ve had good partners and mentors along the way, which helped a lot.

Tell us more about your projects in Medini

Tell us more about Building Communities and Beyond (BCB)’s awards and achievements

BCB Berhad (BCB) has come a long way as a distinctive developer in the southern part of Peninsula Malaysia with most of the development projects concentrated in Johor & the Klang Valley.

Its awards and achievements include winning the Best Luxury High Rise Development 2014 for Concerto – I property, Best Luxury Landed Development for Hometree – I in 2014 and 2015, Best Residential Landed Development 2016 for Hometree – I property, Property Insight Best Family Living Development for Hometree in 2016, Best Southern Development 2016 for The Elysia Park Residence – I property, The Elysia Park Residence also received the Property Insight Best Hi-Rise Development Southern Region in 2016 and Green Champion of Innovative Urban Green Park Award 2016 for Mahkota Park. BCB Berhad also received Property Insight Outstanding Developer Southern Region in 2016 and Star Property Awards Best Commercial Development 2017 for Versis Medini.

Our Elysia Park Residence is currently in progress and comprises a high-end condominium with a GDV of RM650 million.

The development for Phase One has three towers consisting of 981 units. It is encircled by an award-winning 4.8-acres park called Mahkota Park which features the iconic Sultan crown-fountain perched at the top of the hill in the park. This project combines the best of urban living complemented by the green and natural environment.

Next, we have Versis Medini, a ‘Commercial Oasis Fronting’ coastal highway. Versis Medini is situated within the Medini Central Business District (CBD) right next to Singapore. The development entails 3-storey shops, semidetached shops, bungalow shops and some condominium units located above Phase 2’s 3-storey shops.

Versis Medini is targeting seasoned investors both locally and internationally as we are giving guaranteed rental return (GRR) of 5% per annum for four years. However, selected food and beverage (F&B) and other operators might stand a chance to obtain

Lindy Tan

E xe c utive Dire c tor B C B B erhad

different packages as they do not require GRR.

What sets BCB apart from other developments?

BCB believes in promoting community interaction and injecting lifestyle elements into its projects. As a builder of public spaces, BCB understands there is a need to return to the old way of community interaction and relationships. That is why we build homes not houses.

As a developer, it is important to conceptualise and develop from a micro to macro perspective. From a micro level, we can affect, dictate and even change certain usage patterns in interior spaces. These spaces are more intimate and personal, which allows for customisations and personalisation.

Something as simple as a switch or power point installed at a convenient or inconvenient height can make a world of difference for the end users. From a micro level, consumption patterns changing to lower consumption would also mean the reduction of utility bills. All BCB’s future projects have a strong emphasis on good layouts, lifestyle and connection with nature.

What is your forecast about Iskandar Malaysia’s property market as a whole?

We believe that long-term players will eventually gain from the growth of Iskandar Malaysia. In this long term period, I believe that Iskandar Malaysia will develop and transform itself into a new economic powerhouse in the region with good growth prospects.

How do you juggle and maintain a work – life balance?

It’s important to have my priorities in order — both work and life. What can’t be compromised or is completely nonnegotiable? What are the most-important commitments at work and family? Getting clear on these answers helps me prioritise, make adjustments and decide what I am. It is important to learn to set boundaries so that I can give my heart and soul to both aspects of life. Leave work at work, don’t come home with it.

What does Lindy do when she’s not busy being a property person?

I am a person who embraces challenges. I know that to advance my personal career goals and the business objectives of my company, I need to continuously push myself outside my comfort zone. Therefore, I love to spend my personal time picking up new skills such as traditional Chinese musical instrument, Chinese calligraphy, Latin dancing, horse riding and even kick boxing. Traveling solo is also in my next-to-do list.

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peggy loh

My johor stories

Our resident writer, Peggy Loh, actively writes in her blog www.peggyloh.com about matters that are close to her heart.

She can be reached at write2peggyloh@gmail.com

Fifteen Years of Johor Arts Fests

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he 15th Johor Arts Festival kicked off a three-week programme on 1st September 2018 with Poetic Vibes, a poetry-readingworkshop-book launch event and Kulit On The Go, an interesting and thoughtprovoking monologue in a contemporary theatre show.

The annual arts festival, organised by the Johor Society for the Performing Arts (JSPA), is not only one of the longest running festivals in the nation but also one of the most highly anticipated arts and cultural events in the state.

It all started in 1998 when a bunch of creative minds got together to do something to stir up some excitement in Johor Bahru.

In 2000, they registered as JSPA, a non-commercial organisation with a mission to encourage, develop, support, advance, create awareness and instill an appreciation for the arts in Johor through cool and relevant projects across a wide

Indigenous art presented through dance performances in the 2013 Johor Arts Festival that also welcomed the public to enjoy shows on Bukit Timbalan with the stunning backdrop of the majestic Sultan Ibrahim Building

spectrum of artistic disciplines and genres.

In addition to the annual Johor Arts Fest, JSPA also organises festivals for Jazz, Film, Indigenous, Classical Music, Piano, Writers & Readers and other stand-alone events.

From my collection of photos and stories on the past festivals, I seem to have traveled a fair bit of the journey with JSPA founder, Yap Siong Cheng, and his wife and Festival Director, Suzie Yap, over the years.

I remember the festival village in Plaza Kotaraya for the 6th Johor Arts Fest in 2009 and I watched shows in the open carpark, next to the Puteri Pacific Hotel.

In 2010, the 7th festival found

The finale of musical drama, Bumi Berlantai Permata, staged at the 2010 Johor Arts Festival that featured local musical artistes and actors as well as the pugilistic skills of wushu artistes, at a make-shift stage on Bukit Timbalan

a new home in the grounds of Bukit Timbalan where shows were performed on a temporary stage with the stunning Festival that featured local musical artistes and new destinations, the 12th arts fest was backdrop of the majestic Sultan Ibrahim actors with a Malay-English script, teamed with centered in the Mall of Medini in 2015.

Building. the pugilistic skills of wushu artistes.

Meanwhile the hip and happening The festival village was created in a Both Yap and Suzie, untrained and places in the rejuvenated heritage quarter few portable but air-conditioned rooms and unlearned in the arts, often faced doubts on begged to be rediscovered, so the 13th the temporary stage set up in its compound, their credibility or the right to do arts but arts fest in 2016 highlighted interesting was thankfully, canopied. their commitment to arts saw them through venues like cool cafés and even back F o r lanes! the first time The festival programme gradually in histor y, developed with music, dance, theatre, members film, comedy, culture/heritage, visual arts of the and also fashion. public were Perspective: The Runway, a fashion welcomed show for wearable art, made its debut in onto the 2016 at the ballroom of DoubleTree by hallowed Hilton JB and continued its series in 2017 heights of and 2018.

Bukit Timbalan “We have grown with the city and and as it likewise, we are constantly innovating The inaugural Johor Baru Jazz Festival in 2015 featured a cast of was once a internationally renowned artistes including international jazz legend and pushing boundaries,” said Suzie. restricted area, and world-class saxophonist, Sadao Watanabe Yap succinctly summed it up: “It it took some takes a non-artist and true appreciator of time before people learnt that it was no the years. the arts to organise a good arts fest and longer out-of-bounds!

Their daughter, Chloe, was actively that is why we do what we do.”

So the next three festivals, 8th involved since 2013 and after her graduation Yap and Suzie are now (2011), 9th (2012) and 10th (2013), were in 2016, she grew into her role as the Festival synonymous with the Johor Arts Festival held on the hill.

Administrator – Liaison, tasked with an and for their passion and commitment Suzie has done well in leading, unenviable job of liaising with government to creating a vibrant art scene; they motivating, training and inspiring their team departments, sponsors, partners, vendors, were honoured for Arts and Culture, to forge ahead in organising festival after suppliers and artistes. as Category and Individual winners at festival, in spite of daunting circumstances.

She may have started as a coolie but the 2014 Iskandar Malaysia Social Hero When I asked Yap for his thoughts Chloe has a vital role in the team, doing a great Awards. about their 15 years of arts fests, he replied deal of tedious work behind the scenes before While the festivals may have sagely with, “Passion sits incongruously with a festival happens. evolved since its inception, JSPA the realities of life.”

Besides coordinating stage-builders, continues to seek partnerships with He confessed that in the first few sound, lighting, instrument suppliers, hotels, likeminded individuals and organisations years, they were anxious to push ticket venues, transport agencies, caterers (the list to bring the arts fests to greater heights sales and he used to call his friends to get goes on!), Chloe also does copywriting to and showcase Johor as a destination with them to buy tickets and come for shows. compile programmes, for their website and its own cultural identity in this region. TI The response was good but after a while social media platforms.

Yap noticed that if he didn’t call, they didn’t Blessed with a have the inclination to get tickets. It dawned crisp, clear voice, Chloe is on him that they were just buying tickets to also the de facto emcee support him as a friend and did not believe at the fests! in the cause that JSPA was championing.

The 11th arts He feels that people must genuinely want fest held at Dataran to come for the performing arts and make Bandaraya Johor Bahru conscious effort and decisions. So he in 2014 was still within stopped calling them. a temporary shelter but Looking back, I saw how Yap and the next festivals moved Suzie worked hard to knock down walls into various venues – all and build bridges to link up with the various of them buildings with communities to get them to participate in halls that were modified Johor-born internationally acclaimed dancer and the festivals. for presentations, shows choreographer, Ajith Baskaran Dass and Suvarna Fine Arts dancers impressed the audience in the 15JohorAF with a A classic example of the fruit of their and exhibitions. labour is the musical drama, Bumi Berlantai As I s k a n d a r classic Bharatanatyam performance entitled, Much Ado Permata, staged at the 2010 Johor Arts Malaysia developed with About Dance

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Majestic Heritage Treasure Hunt @ KEJORA 2018 Participants spent the day treasure hunting in conjunction with Malaysia day celebrations

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n conjunction with the Malaysia Day celebrations, the Southeast Johor Development Board had organised a Majestic Heritage Treasure Hunt event at KEJORA. The event was a tourism adventure activity to promote tourist destinations as well as to promote the legacy of products found in the KEJORA Region.

This event was also seen as a way to test the participants to recognise the heritage and historic locations around Johor and had involved strategic cooperation between the Desaru Coast, Tourism Johor, Pengerang Local Authorities and official events manager of IPPJ Sdn Bhd. Participants were required to complete interactive assignments in selected destinations that not only gave commercial value to the site but also provided interesting

experiences and useful knowledge to the participants.

The event was officiated by Yang Amat Berusaha Norazman Bin Othman, KEJORA General Manager at Dewan KEJORA Bandar Penawar.

The Treasure Hunt at KEJORA involved 69 groups with a total of 276 participants which included from all over Malaysia such as Penang, Perak, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Melaka and Johor Bahru involving various races.

The route was themed ‘The heritage extravaganza’ involving eco-tourism areas in KEJORA Region such as Kampung Johor Lama Homestay, Kampung Mawai Homestay, The Wetland Belukar Durian, Tg Balau Fishermen’s Museum and ending at the latest holiday site in Riverside, Desaru Coast. - by Moazan Emran TI

Majestic Heritage Treasure Hunt @ KEJORA 2018

PATA GOS Takes First Place

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MK Palong Timur in S egamat, Johor has emerged with the highest award – Merit of Distinction – in the inaugural Digitalised International Invention, Innovation and Design 2018 competition while also receiving cash prizes of RM10,000 and other prizes.

The closing ceremony was organised by the MARA University of Technology (UiTM) at SMK Palong Timur grab best award, Merit of Distinction the MBJB Jubli Intan Hall. Sheikh for the innovation project, PATA GOS Umar Bagharib Ali, Johor State Entrepreneur Development, Cooperatives and have been done online, replacing the previous Creative Economy Committee Chairman was conventional competition mechanics. This is one of the efforts in promoting the innovative present to grace and officiate the ceremony.

Sheikh Umar mentioned in his speech and creative culture to the society while about the importance of inculcating innovative creating designs that have high potential to cultures within the community, especially be commercialised at a national or global level.

The PATA GOS project which is a among students of all levels. Innovative culture and commercialisation of ideas is part plant-based health product – made with the of the initiative to move towards becoming Patawali plant – are among the ingenious a developed nation and also acts as a major and innovative ideas that were featured driver for cultural innovation, entrepreneurship at the competition. Others include, Twoand creative technology in Johor, and Malaysia Tier Segmentation Technique for WMH Identification by UiTM Pulau Pinang Branch, in general.

This digital platform within the Integrated Braille-Supported Innova-Teach implementation of Johor Digital IID 2018 Board by UNIMAS, DF Sweeteners by UNISZA, programme is seen as a proactive step and one Lingera Juice by UiTM Sabah, and AIR Project of its kind where a digital platform is lifted as by SJKC Yuk Chai in Petaling Jaya.

Recipients of the Best of the Best award the main attraction for the competition which received RM2,000 for every professional level is in line with Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR4.0).

All participation, innovation project and RM1,000 for higher education institutions presentations, and deliberation processes and schools. - by Harish Mustak TI

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Kechara Soup Kitchen: From Soup Kitchen to Food Bank From and Empowerment Programmes Cover Well known for their Soup Kitchen programme every Saturday in downtown Johor Bahru, Kechara is now doing more to ease the burden of the less privileged

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echara Soup Kitchen (KSK) has opened their official office space in Taman Molek, Johor Bahru to facilitate training programmes and to coordinate their volunteerism efforts in the state.

KSK has been operating in Johor Bahru since 2011 with over 60 active volunteers. They are a well established NGO known for distributing food, basic medical care, haircut and counselling services via their soup kitchen activities catered to the homeless and urban poor in Johor Bahru and Kuala Lumpur.

Going beyond the soup kitchen, KSK have initiated a food bank programme with Tesco whereby out-of-date produce and perishable items from the store, which were “bound for the landfill”, to be distributed to selected families and needy groups.

“There are 8 Tesco outlets in Johor and we collect around 15 tonnes of surplus food from them to be channelled to the identified lower income families. AEON and Hero Market have also expressed interest to

show support to our Food Bank programme,” said Kechara Soup Kitchen’s Project Director Justin Cheah.

What started as a small aid programme in 2015, KSK’s Food Bank programme has now served 120 families, 600 individuals and distributed 136tonnes of surplus food.

Apart from the Food Bank, KSK has also embarked on providing training to single mothers and underprivileged individuals. They have currently trained 17 mothers under their Family and Community Empowerment (FACE) programme to make bags and rugs.

Justin who has been a volunteer at KSK for many years speaks passionately about the impact of the Food Bank and FACE Programme and how it can really make a change in families or individuals living in hardship. When asked about the current situation of homeless individuals in Johor Bahru, Justin stresses that “being homeless is not a crime but it’s the situation that they are trapped in and the problems they faced in

KSK office space in Taman Molek being officiated by Johor Women Development and Tourism Committee Chairman Liow Cai Tung Project Director Justin Cheah

the past that has brought them to the streets.”

Currently there are 150 homeless people living in the streets of Johor Bahru town. Soup Kitchen programmes are carried out in Johor Bahru town by KSK as well as

other NGOs such as Friends & Strangers and CIC JB. Interested volunteers can contact Project Director Justin Cheah @ 010-3333 260 via SMS or Whatsapp for further details. - by Edey Suresh TI

Clare Rewcastle-Brown Launches Her Book That Began as a Blog The Sarawak Report: The Inside Story of the 1MDB Exposé last book tour in Johor

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otable investigative journalist Clare RewcastleBrown ended her last leg of book launch tour in Johor Bahru to a full house crowd of 250. Her books sold out in matter of minutes. Previously banned from entering Sarawak and then Malaysia, she shared gist of what to expect in her tell-all book uncovering illegal deforestation that eventually pieced evidences revealing the 1MDB scandal.

The 528-pages book, The Sarawak Report: The Inside Story of the 1MDB Exposé, “wrote by itself,” said Rewcastle-Brown. During the investigation, intimidation tactics were used against her, from pictures of her whereabouts sent to her to receiving threatening messages about “disappearing” over The Andaman Sea. Rewcastle-Brown, however, claimed she took the threats with a pinch of salt but also mentioned how her father advised her to be careful when in the region.

Her entry into Malaysia from Singapore checkpoints also met with difficulties. She said

largest rainforest on the planet and the oldest rainforest in a couple of decades. A move she described as ignorant, ridiculous and uneconomic as the treasure of knowledge in the biodiversity of the rainforest would have attracted tourism and contained massive pharmaceutical and scientific potential and wealth; but all lost to greed who only saw the rainforest as “logs”. Lands were ripped off indigenous people with no

Posing with her book The Sarawak Report: The Inside Story of the 1MDB Exposé

she was briefly detained by the Singapore immigration authorities at 1am on reason that her name had been blacklisted since 2016.

She recounted that even the immigration authorities were puzzled as to why her name was there. She said they shook her hand and let her go.

The 2-hour session included Q&A, book signing, and photo

opportunity. Pre-order was available on book launch day as well.

Clare Rewcastle-Brown was born in Sarawak and moved back to the UK when she was 8, and returned to Sarawak in 2006. Sweet childhood memories of living in beautiful Sarawak motivated her to first uncover the truth behind the illegal deforestation that “lost” Malaysia as the third

Rewcastle-Brown speaking about her book

compensation for them. As global warming is caused by deforestation, she also saw this as a global issue that needed to be addressed.

Rewcastle-Brown did not expect to discover more facts, one after another, bringing to light the kleptocracy that had been earthed.

She tracked monies deposited into paper companies by individuals who had gained respectable statuses in society: a system for criminals and the wealthy to “hide their wealth”, and create confusion as to how much money they really had.

The Deputy Director of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) USA, aptly said, “We recognise that corrupt money endangers our democracy too. It means that dirty people who made dirty money bring their dirty money into our country and they bring their dirty practices with them.

They are enabled by their wealth to become influential and powerful.”

All these are in her detailed firsthand account of her book. - by Salamahafifi TI

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Gathering of Academicians

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The British universities at EduCity, Iskandar Puteri, got together for the inaugural Educators’ Conference with over 100 educators attending

Wan Ahmad Saifuddin Wan Ahmad Radzi, Director of EduCity Iskandar Malaysia

Southampton University’s Pro Vice Chancellor Professor Rebecca Taylor

Professor Wing Lam of the University of Reading Malaysia

Professor Christopher Baldwin, CEO and Provost of Newcastle Medicine Malaysia

hemed Innovation and Research, the conference was jointly organised

by Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia, University of Southampton Malaysia and University of Reading Malaysia.

The conference hoped to inspire all EduCity Institutions and other local universities to build collaborations in teaching, learning and education research.

When asked what inspired the conference, Professor Wing Lam of the University of Reading Malaysia said that for him, there were two main goals; one to raise the profile of EduCity and secondly to build a strong network of educators.

“EduCity is the only dedicated education zone in Malaysia and we want it to be an education hub to attract not only local students but also international students.

Secondly, we wish to build a strong network of faculty and academics from different

universities within Malaysia,” said Prof Wing Lam. “As there were over hundred educators attending the conference, there were a lot issues to discuss in terms of educational experience, academic standards, quality assurance,” he added.

Southampton University’s Professor Rebecca Taylor said that each university has their own specialist areas and strengths as institutions.

Concurring with Professors Wing Lam and Taylor, Professor Christopher Baldwin of Newcastle Medicine Malaysia said that excellence in learning and teaching are the key features of all three of the UK universities here.

By sharing good practice across the universities is excellent and that things done in one university could be adopted by the others.

“This is the inaugural Educators’

Conference and hopefully we can start expanding this conference to be a national conference that’s recognised across the country so that we can invite more private and public universities across the country to input into this area for staff to develop over the next five to ten years,” said Baldwin.

“From our perspective, we are heartened by the universities we’ve invited to open their campuses here and this is the biggest collaboration between the universities that we have seen,” said Wan Ahmad Saifuddin Wan Ahmad Radzi, Executive Vice President of Special Projects, Iskandar Investment Berhad and a Director of EduCity Iskandar Malaysia.

“The originating concept of EduCity was as a multi-varsity area so instead of inviting full universities operating here such as what Nottingham University Malaysia has done (in Semenyih), we invited the

universities to open their best faculties.

“So this is a unique approach where we have the strongest faculties from the universities to open here and we get them to collaborate under one umbrella which is the EduCity umbrella,” he added.

EduCity is made up of nine institutions, of which seven provide tertiary education, while the other two offer primary to secondary education following British and American syllabi.

A trust school, SMK Medini which follows the Malaysian syllabus is also located within the perimetres of EduCity.

EduCity targets to achieve 16,000 students by 2025.

Earlier, Datin Paduka Ir. Dr. Siti Hamisah Tapsir, Director General at the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia launched the conference.

- by Shufiyan Shukur TI

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The Iskandarian ISSUE 74 | OCT 2018 Advertisement

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oky o p s g n i h Somet you this awaits er!

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OCT 2018 | Page 2

The Iskandarian | WAVES Lifestyle

editor’s I note

n the Western culture, October usually spells two popular festivals – namely Oktoberfest and Halloween! This trend has slowly caught up with some locals where certain F & B outlets and even private parties are held just for the fun of it. In the spirit (no pun intended) of Halloween, Sony Pictures brings us Goosebumps 2 from R.L. Stine’s series of books and also Marvel’s baddie Venom which first came to screen in Spider-Man 3 debuts this October in cinemas.

October is also a special month for The Iskandarian as we host the 5th

Priya Manikam waves.lifestyle@gmail.com

Iskandar Malaysia Social Hero Awards.

Many inspiring heroes are out there which deserves a special day to be honoured.

For meat eaters, the Magistrate team brings you a special feature on aged beef from Eugene’s Grocery at Taman Pelangi.

We continue with our travel tales at Renaissance Johor Bahru hotel in Permas Jaya to inspire you further to take your next mini vacation locally here.

As always, for those wishing to share their fashion collection, travel tales, or like us to review your restaurant/hotel for a

staycation, drop me an e-mail at waves. lifestyle@gmail.com and be featured. For more news, do access www.theiskandarian. com

Priya

MUSIC UPDAtes

Dua Lipa and Jaguar Create Music Track Every Fan Can Remix and Call Their Own Global superstar and singer-songwriter collaborates with Jaguar to create music in a completely new way using revolutionary technology

By The Iskandarian

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ritish/Kosovan singer-songwriter Dua Lipa has collaborated with Jaguar to make music in a completely new way. Using Jaguar’s custom-made software, she created an exclusive remix of her latest track, ‘Want To’ and empowered fans all over the world to create personalised remixes using their own data – from the way they drive, the songs they listen to, or by tapping a rhythm on a mobile.

Over a million different remixes are possible, with multiple tempos and versions based on a range of music genres from hip-hop and dance, to orchestral, pop music and drum and bass.

The track has already become the most remixed song in history following its launch at

Speaking at the track’s launch in Amsterdam, Dua Lipa said, “I’m so excited to collaborate with Jaguar and push the boundaries of music and technology for my fans. It’s pretty mind-blowing that anyone can create their own unique version of my single ‘Want To’ based on the way they drive a Jaguar, or what music they listen to.

“It’s crazy to think that the data from my drive in the electric I-PACE can alter the energy of my music to create a totally new and incredible sound.”

It’s not only drivers who can remix the track, music fans across the globe will also be able to create their own versions of the Dua Lipa song by using Jaguar’s clever remix software at

an exclusive gig at Sugar City in Amsterdam, where music fans and stars from across Europe, including supermodel Doutzen Kroes and actress Alix Benezech, drove the all-electric I-PACE to create their own versions.

To create her own remix of ‘Want To’, Dua Lipa drove the Jaguar I-PACE, and her style of driving was captured by the car’s intelligent sensors. From the amount of electrical energy consumed, to the way Dua Lipa accelerated and braked, the data captured was used to influence the track; from the tempo to the arrangement and the overall feel.

The Dua Lipa x Jaguar version of ‘Want To’ appears on the album ‘Dua Lipa The Complete Collection’, released early September.

http://remix.jointhepace.com.

This innovative app allows users to remix the Dua Lipa track using their Spotify streaming history – taking data from the music they listen to and rearranging elements of the track to create a personalised version. From the average tempo of your playlists, to the mood and energy of the music you stream most often, the data is used to conduct a remix just for you. Those without a Spotify account can also create a remix in the app by tapping their mobile to ‘set the pace’ of a new version of the song.

All remixes can then be shared via the user’s social channels. Watch Dua Lipa’s video here - https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=wBRmR4q5EFM

OCT 2018 | Page 3

The Iskandarian | WAVES Lifestyle

Grieving Together – What to Expect? – Part 2

Rose Osman is a Certified Human Design Professional.

She’s a guide for Living Your Design Workshop and coaches others on self healing for anxiety via E-courses and group workshops

R

yourpersonalmotivator BucketOfRoses www.roselifecoach.com

Expect changes to routine outine will never be the same when you lose someone in your life. Every single step you make is a step of grief. Our ways to survive grief emotionally is by recreating new routines, or face the spaciousness left in those routines. Some people may choose to create new routines to shift the focus from grief to living a new life. Either way, managing routines from day to day is a process of coping with death. Expect changes in routines even if it may seem drastic. Adapt to the changes with an open heart.

Expect changes in behaviour We are emotional beings. It is within our intelligence to express emotions as part of the healing process. People who are mourning experience changes in their behaviour. This is a natural process of recovering from grief. Despite that, none of these behaviours is easy to deal with especially if one is unconscious towards the behaviour. For example, the state of depression may force an individual to retreat from social interaction. Realising that death is inevitable, no social connection can fix what has happened.

A state of anger causes damage on many levels too. It is essential to expect emotional

turmoil and understand it before jumping into conclusion that this emotional instability must be fixed. Take anger for instance, it has a higher level of consciousness than grief. Allowing anger to be expressed would give the body a little more strength to recover from the grief.

What do we do in the face of grief especially when it affects our relationship? There is no shortcut to heal grief. Take life one step at a time. Any form of ‘fixing’ must come from a higher place of Love. Practice acceptance, and respect each other’s healing process. Get help if the grief begins to cause damage to own self and the relationship. TI

Discover your True Self, Inner Power, Potentials and Purpose with Human Design. Visit Facebook Page : Human Design Malaysia for more info.

MOVIES GOOSEBUMPS 2: HAUNTED HALLOWEEN Genre: Adventure Comedy Release date: 25th October 2018 Cast: Wendi McLendon-Covey, Madison Iseman, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Caleel Harris, Chris Parnell and Ken Jeong

Source: Sony Pictures Malaysia

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alloween comes to life in a brand-new, family adventure comedy based on R.L. Stine’s 400-million-selling series of books. In the small town of Wardenclyffe on Halloween Night, two boys named Sonny (Jeremy Ray Taylor) and Sam (Caleel Harris) find a manuscript in an abandoned house that was previously owned by R. L. Stine called “Haunted Halloween.”

When they open it, they release Slappy (Avery Lee Jones) who plans to create the Halloween Apocalypse with the help of his Halloween monster allies. Now, Sonny and Sam, alongside Sonny’s sister, Sarah (Madison Iseman), must work to thwart Slappy’s plot before all is lost.

Director: Ari Sandel Producer: Deborah Forte, Neal H. Moritz Executive Producers: Timothy M. Bourne, Tania Landau Written by: Rob Lieber Based on the Goosebumps Books Written by : R. L. Stine

VENOM

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ne of Marvel’s most enigmatic, complex and badass characters comes to the big screen, starring Academy Award nominated actor Tom Hardy as the lethal protector Venom. Following a scandal, journalist Eddie Brock attempts to revive his career by investigating the Life Foundation, but comes into contact with an alien symbiote that bonds with Brock, giving him superpowers as long as they share the same body but at the cost of threatening his sanity. Together, they must work to stop other symbiotes from infecting all of humanity, taking on the shared form of Venom.

Genre: Action Thriller Release date: 4th October 2018 Cast: Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed, Scott Haze, Reid Scott Screenplay by: Scott Rosenberg & Jeff Pinkner and Kelly Marcel and Will Beall Based on the Marvel Comic Director: Ruben Fleischer Producer: Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach, Amy Pascal Executive Producers: David Householter, Stan Lee

Source: Sony Pictures Malaysia

OCT 2018 | Page 4

The Iskandarian | WAVES Lifestyle

travel 018 T2 OC

dar Calen ts n of Eve 5th Oct

Planet Pinewood Ball @ Capital 21 Rush ’18 Run @ Stadium Azman Hashim UTM

6th Oct Deepavali Bazaar (tbc) @ JB City Centre 7th Private International School Fair @ Hotel Jen Just Yoga @ Eco Botanic

8th – 11th Oct EduTech Asia @ Suntec Convention Centre S’pore

11th – 14th Oct October Beer Fest @ AEON Tebrau City

12th – 14th Oct Baby Fair @ Singapore EXPO

13th Oct Johor Fun Cat Show @ Perling Mall Rainbow Run 2018 @ Desa Tebrau Linear Park

15th Oct Hari Hol Almarhum Sultan Iskandar Johor

18th – 21st Oct Zak Salaam India Expo @ Singapore EXPO S’pore International Indian Expo @ Suntec S’pore

24th Oct ASEAN Summit @ Suntec Convention Centre S’pore

25th – 27th Food Japan @ Suntec Convention Centre S’pore

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

Experience 5-Star Treatment at Renaissance Johor Bahru – Part 2 The high ceiling and chandelier at the lobby

By Harish Mustak waves.lifestyle@gmail.com

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ne thing we noticed while going on our tour around the hotel is that there are so many “instaworthy” corners and ornaments scattered around Renaissance JB Hotel for those photography enthusiasts out there.

So be sure to look out for those corners and be insta-famous!

We then headed to level 2 where the multipurpose function rooms and business centre are. The biggest function room is the Grand Ballroom that can fit up to 1,000 people at one time. There are a total of 12 multipurpose function rooms at Renaissance JB Hotel that consists of 3 ballrooms, and 9 meeting rooms, where one meeting room is located at the Club Lounge level.

We then checked out the public amenities at level 2 which provides access

Delightful Dim Sum buffet at the Wan Li Chinese Restaurant

Right after that, we headed to the breakfast at Café BLD. Guests can also plan their weekend stays in JB at Renaissance F&B outlets available at the hotel. There are four outlets for guests to sip and by including excursions to their itinerary savour, namely, Café BLD which is an all- to JB City Centre and Johor Premium day dining restaurant, Wan Li Restaurant Outlets for shopping or food hunting, and which focuses on contemporary LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort for a fun-filled day. Shuttle services can be booked during Cantonese cuisine, R Bar where the weekends (Fridays and Saturdays). guests can meet, mingle and unwind Just before checking out, we to live music entertainment, and the had a chance to head down to the Wan Chocolate Cake Company which Li Chinese Restaurant again to try their offers beautifully fresh handcrafted breads, pastries, and cakes baked spectacular Halal Dim Sum buffet which offers 35 different menu items for your daily.

After the tour of the hotel, eating pleasure. we were treated to a scrumptious eight-course Chinese dinner at the Wan Li Restaurant. Wan Li restaurant The Grand Ballroom at Renaissance can fit up offers 120 menu items to guests to 1,000 people who want to experience authentic to the swimming and wading pools, sauna, and fitness centre. We noticed that the Cantonese cuisine. view of the entire hotel from the pool level With a satisfying full Wedding Planner booth at Renaissance JB Hotel ready is absolutely remarkable due to its unique tummy, we called it to make your dreams come true a night and retired wing-shaped structure.

Besides the five-star offerings, to our cosy room.

Renaissance JB Hotel Renaissance JB Hotel goes the extra mile also offers its guest by providing in-house wedding event to stay connected consultations and management services. with complimentary All wedding planners are certified and high-speed Wi-Fi they will help eager couples to plan their throughout the hotel perfect wedding.

So, what are you waiting for? Make premises.

At the crack a reservation for a lovely and unforgettable of dawn, we rose staycation with family or friends now! early to catch a Corporate patrons are also welcome to quick dip in the enjoy the facilities at Renaissance Johor pool before filling Bahru Hotel.

For more inquiries and reservations, our tummies with The area where the business centre and meeting rooms the most delicious please contact +607 381 3333 or visit are i n t e r c o n t i n e n t a l www.jbrenaissance.com. TI

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The Iskandarian ISSUE 74 | OCT 2018 Advertisement

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omerset Puteri Harbour Nusajaya is strategically located within Iskandar Puteri, home to developments such as EduCity which houses several world-class university campuses, Medini a business and leisure district, the Southern

Healthpark. Kota Iskandar, the Johor state’s new administrative centre, is also within walking distance from the property.

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

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

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

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

Somerset Puteri Harbour Iskandar Puteri, Persiaran Puteri Selatan, Puteri Harbour, 79000 Iskandar Puteri., Johor Darul Ta’zim, Malaysia. T: (607) 287 1088 F: (607) 287 1087 E: enquiry.iskandarputeri@ the-ascott.com GDS chain code : AZ. For reservations call (607) 287 1011 or fax (607) 287 1002

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

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

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

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

The 33-storey Somerset Medini Iskandar Puteri housing 310 units are exclusive yet inviting. From the exterior façade to the interior and its facilities, the residence marries contemporary with the comfort and familiarity of home to give occupants a space reminiscence of a home away from home. of studios, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, a fully equipped kitchen, separate living, work and sleeping areas, en-suite bathroom and other modern amenities greets occupants.

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

Somerset Medini Iskandar Puteri, Lot 5 Jalan Medini Utara 4, Medini Iskandar Malaysia, 79200 Iskandar Puteri Johor, Malaysia. T: (607) 560 5555 F: (607) 560 5556 E: enquiry.iskandarputeri@the-ascott.com GDS chain code: AZ. For reservations call (607) 287 1011 or fax (607) 287 1002

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How to Build a Healthier Salad Joyce Tan Sze Chia Consultant Dietitian Master in Nutrition and Dietetics (Flinders University) Real Food Matters

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ost health-conscious eaters or people who are embarking on weight loss journey opt for salads as their meal choice.

After all, salads are healthier and lower in calorie compared to fat laden or fried food.

However, that bowl of salad in front of you may just be a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Not all salads are created equal; some of them may contain more fats and calories than a Big Mac burger. Listed below are some tips on how to build a healthier salad.

1. Healthier Ingredients Choose or prepare ingredients in healthier cook ing methods (e.g. baking, grilling, steaming, stir frying) and avoid deep-fried or breaded ingredients.

2. Portion Size If your salad only consists of raw vegetables and dressing, it will not provide

1 cup is equivalent to 250ml (measuring cup)

enough satiety and you may end up reaching for unhealthy snacks in no time.

Always include protein food to keep you full for longer, complex carbohydrate and healthy fats to make it a complete balanced meal.

3. Healthier Toppings Salad toppings are extra ingredients that add colour and flavour to your salad.

If you choose to have toppings on your salad, add them sparingly especially if they are deep-fried/breaded.

You may also choose healthier toppings (e.g. fresh/dried fruits or unsalted roasted/raw nuts or home-made baked croutons) but limit toppings to 1-2

tablespoons.

4. Healthier Salad Dressings Avoid cream-based dressings (e.g. Thousand Island, Caesar dressing or Mayonnaise) as they are high in saturated fat and can easily turn your salad into a calorie bomb. You c an mak e your own healthy dressing by c o m b i n i n g vinegar (e.g. balsamic

vinaigrette) or lemon juice with 1 tablespoon of olive oil or herb/spice infused oil. A small amount of healthy fat helps the body absorb vitamins from the vegetables better.

By making some modifications to your salad, it can be a healthy and nutritionally balanced meal. Feel free to play around with different combinations of ingredients, herbs and dressings to create delicious healthy salads. TI

Creating a Community through the Edible Park

Serina Rahman Serina Rahman is the co-founder of Kelab Alami and a Visiting Fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore

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nuggled between construction and the vast open spaces of Iskandar Puteri, the Edible Park is a relief to the senses. This is a great place to stop by over the weekend; an organic farm that helps communities in transition, an easy introduction to nature and an opportunity for budding food entrepreneurs to test their products.

The Edible Park is owned by Medini Iskandar Malaysia and is one of the 45 parks within Iskandar Puteri. Conceptualised and designed by Chris Parry, his social enterprise JOGREEN is responsible for bringing the park and the surrounding area to life. Every

weekend there are activities here, from the monthly market every first Saturday of the month, to an evening yoga class on Sundays to workshops and other activities in their

open-air gazebo.

This space is a great place to reacquaint yourself with the outdoors, and if it gets too hot, sit in the cool shade of the park café, where drinks, cakes and snacks are available and there are always freshly harvested vegetables from the farm to buy. Many visitors stroll through the park marvelling at plants that they remember from their childhood and some relate tales of how they ate the featured vegetables and flowers in their kampung

days.

The Edible Park also contributes to the livelihoods of the Orang Seletar of Sg Temuan and the community of Mukim Tg Kupang – an ingenious way of bringing together rural communities and urban dwellers in unique food-related experiences. TI

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Stroke

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Dr Ashraf Sharifuddin

ow does a stroke occur?

A stroke occurs when the blood supply to a part of the brain is interrupted. This interruption deprives the brain cells of blood (and oxygen), thus the brain cell dies. It can either be due to a blocked blood vessel (ischaemic stroke) or due to a burst blood vessel in the brain (haemorrhagic stroke).

Ischaemic stroke happens more often in at least 4 out of 5 patients.

How dangerous is a stroke?

A stroke is a life-threatening medical condition which requires urgent medical attention. Worldwide, 15 million people suffer from stroke annually. Of this, 5 million are dead, while another 5 million are left with permanent disabilities. It has always been in the top 5 leading causes of death in Malaysia since the 2000’s.

What are some factors that causes stroke?

Factors that increase the risk of having a stroke can be divided into 3 groups: 1. Stroke factors that people cannot control - Gender: Stroke is more common in men - Age: Stroke risk increases as you get older - Family history of stroke 2. Medical diseases that increases the

Consultant Neurosurgeon Regency Specialist Hospital Sdn Bhd

risk of having stroke - Atrial fibrillation: irregular heart beat - Transient ischaemic attack: temporary blockage of a blood supply to the brain - Diabetes 3. Lifestyle risk factors that people can control - High blood pressure (hypertension): high blood pressure causes damage to the blood vessel, which will in turn cause stroke.

Lifestyle changes helps in lowering blood pressure, thereby decreasing chances of developing a stroke - High cholesterol: contributes to blood vessel disease, leading to a stroke - Smoking: either active smoking or passive

smoking, it is a major risk factor to stroke - Obesity: this leads to hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, cancer and heart diseases - Alcohol : heavy drinking (more than 3 units / day) increases the risk of stroke How do you repair lasting changes that occur after a stroke? Can the patient recover from a stroke? What is the recovery process like?

As the disease causing the stroke is under control, the brain will slowly change and adapt to the loss of that part of the brain. This adaptation or neural plasticity, is what allows patients to regain function like arm movements after a stroke. However, this process is slow and unpredictable.

Comprehensive Stroke Rehabilitation helps in recovery, but how much one patient can actually recover is still unknown.

Some patients take years to recover to full independence, while many others will be dependant and needing help from family members for daily activities.

In terms of brain health, what steps are taken to improve it after a stroke?

Comprehensive Stroke Rehabilitation at a Stroke Centre would certainly help as they would have frequent assessment and directed therapy specific to the affected brain. Repetitive activities and training would also help in recovery.

Family interaction and support also helps in the recovery process.

Why is it important for people to be aware of stroke occurrence?

It is a major worldwide disease, affecting those who are still in the productive age group. And the best treatment of stroke is always via prevention.

Lifestyle modification is of utmost importance, especially now that Malaysian obesity rate has increased to 45.3%. TI

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Minimum Wage to be increased in 2019 Victor Gan Managing Director MECA South Sdn. Bhd. victor@meca.com.my

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he Government has recently announced a new minimum wage which will come into force on 1st January 2019. This announcement provides for a significant change as the country will, for the very first time, have a standardised minimum wage across all states.

The table (inset) reflects the difference between the older and newer model: While anticipating the Federal Gazette of the new Minimum Wages Order, employers can consider taking the following steps: • Re-budget to cater to the increase of the minimum wage; • Renegotiate with outsourced manpower providers and re-contract if the management fees will increase come 1st January 2019; • If necessary, restructure (with consent) the current basic wages of those who are earning less than RM1050 before 1st January 2019; • If necessary, consider the impact of this minimum wage increase against employees who are currently earning RM1050 – RM1100 after gaining an

increment through their years of service; • Revisit annual increment plans to align s a l a r y brackets accordingly.

Section 25 of the National Wages Consultative Council Act 2011 provides that the minimum wages Council may at least once in every 2 years review the minimum wages order. While this has been the norm, employers are further advised that the Council may, under subsection (2) on its own accord or upon the direction of the Government, review the minimum wages order at any time.

Employers are further advised that failure to comply with the prescribed minimum wage carries an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine of up to RM10,000 for each employee. The fine is rolled forward based on RM1000 for each day of continuing offence

after conviction. Repeated offenders shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine of up to RM20,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years.

Did you know?

1.

The unemployment rate in Malaysia as of June 2018 is at 3.4% 2. Some employers rely on the fluctuation of the consumer price index as a factor to determine annual increments. As of now, the figure suggests an increase of 5%.

3. Insured employees of the Employment Insurance Scheme (EIS) who are retrenched will be able to claim full benefits if their last day of employment is after 1st January 2019. TI

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Accumulating Wealth Tips & Tricks

ON LY @

TA MA NT AS EK

Friday 12th Oct

Katnook Estate Wine Dinner 3 Course Wine Dinner featuring wines from Katnook Estate, Australia Complimentary 1 bottle of Katnook Founders Block Cabernet Sauvignon to take home Starts at 7.30pm RM188nett per person Call now to reserve your spot!

Saturday 27th Oct

Halloween & Octoberfest BBQ Buffet Join us for a delicious BBQ buffet featuring a variety of grilled meats, as well as fantastic beer promos Play traditional Halloween games and win prizes Special prizes for people who come dressed up!

Starts from 6pm Call us to reserve your spot!

MONTHLY TRADITIONAL

bOTH bRANCHES

ENJOY SUCCULENT ROAST BEEF OR LAMB WITH YORKSHIRE PUDDINGS, HOMEMADE GRAVY AND ROAST VEGETABLES AVAILABLE ON THE FIRST WEEKEND OF EVERY MONTH *

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TAMAN TASEK BRANCH

No. 1 & 3, Jalan Glasiar, Taman Tasek, 80200 Johor Bahru, Johor TEL : (07) 232 3761

JOHOR PREMIUM OUTLETS BRANCH Suite 204, Johor Premium Outlets, Indahpura, 81000 Kulaijaya TEL : (07) 590 9268

www.georgeanddragoncafe.com George And Dragon Cafe

@georgeanddragoncafe

Have a Clear Mind when the Market is Unclear

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he stock market is full of drama! While we started feeling positive sentiments in August, fear had set in the following month.

The main reason is the currency collapse of a few emerging markets, such as Indonesia, where the Rupiah fell to almost 15,000 per US dollar, the lowest since the 1998 crisis and the Turkish Lira fell nearly 70% against the USD. Moreover, in September, Nomura Holdings released an analysis,

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

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.

indicating seven emerging economies are at risk of an exchange-rate crisis, including Sri Lanka, South Africa, Argentina, Pakistan, Egypt, Turkey and Ukraine. To make things worse, China told World Trade Organisation (WTO) that it wanted to impose $7 billion a year in sanctions on the United States in retaliation for its non-compliance with a ruling in a dispute over US dumping duties, signifying an escalation of trade tensions between the two giants.

In Malaysia, the recently concluded 2Q earnings were below expectations. The KLCI Composite Index had plunged below the critical 1800 points after the earnings season ended. According to MIDF, international funds dumped RM663.4m net of Malaysian equities in the first week of September, the highest in 9 weeks. On 12th September, the market was very bearish as losers outweighed the winners by more than five times.

With the sudden change of market sentiment, what should we do? Before sharing further, let’s look at our portfolio performance: Bought PTRANS (0186) Perak Transit (Ptrans) is principally involved in the operations of Terminal Amanjaya integrated public transportation terminal and the provision of public bus services. Its revenue mainly comes from bus, petrol and terminal operation, such as rental of shops, kiosks and advertising space. There are five highlights of PTRANS: 1. Its revenue and profits have been growing consistently in the last five years.

On quarter basis, its net profit has been able to sustain between RM6 – 8 million.

2. It has strong recurring income. Its business activities, such as shop rental, bus and petrol services serve daily necessity to the public and is able to generate consistent earnings. This becomes very attractive in times of uncertainty like now.

3. Its net profit margin between 25-30% is another competitive advantage.

4. It is currently the leading stage bus operator in Ipoh, commanding nearly

98% market share of stage bus ridership.

This gives the company a monopoly position.

5. Its main catalyst is the Kampar Integrated Bus Terminal, which is eight times the size of Amanjaya, and slated for completion in end 2018 and expected to bring in significant earnings in 2019.

We therefore acquired 100,000 shares of PTRANS at RM0.27, using RM27,000 cash.

Dividend Received and Cash Level We received dividends of 0.5 cents, 1.2 cents and 1 cent from JHM, Hevea and Comfort respectively. The total dividend received is RM3440. With the cash brought forward and the dividends received, our new cash level is at RM30,965 after deducting the PTRANS investment.

What is important in times of volatility?

You need to have a clear mind when the market runs like a roller coaster.

When you buy a counter, be very clear if that is for investing or trading. It operates very differently. For investments, you want to buy for value and prepare to hold. Hence, the ideal scenario is that, the lower the price the better. It is like buying a house, it tends to be more attractive when the price goes lower. And ideally, you can collect rent from the house; for stocks, you can collect dividend.

For trading, it works the opposite.

When the price increases, you might want to join the uptrend. However, when the price goes down and exceeds your risk appetite, you may need to cut loss, as price could go lower and you don’t want to hold the company.

Conclusion Always remember; be clear whether you buy to trade or invest, as it works the opposite. If you buy to trade, make sure you have a trading plan and act accordingly. If you buy to invest, so long as the company’s fundamentals remain sound, the lower the price, the better it is. The question is, are you a trader, or an investor? TI

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Iskandar Malaysia Strengthen its Collaboration with Japan on Green Agenda

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Collaboration on the implementation of Comprehensive Assessment of Built Environment Efficiency (CASBEE)

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s a continuation of Iskandar Malaysia’s collaborations with Japan on the green initiatives, an exchange of Memorandum of Understanding between Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), and Institute for Building Environment and Energy Conservation (IBEC) was held at Iskandar Puteri on Tuesday, 18 September 2018.

The collaboration charts a new phase in the implementation of the CASBEE assessment tools for the built environment of Iskandar Malaysia. It was witnessed by Jimmy Puah, Johor State International Trade, Investment and Utilities Committee Chairman, with IRDA being represented by its Head of Environment, Boyd Dionysius Joeman, while Prof. Dr. Mohd Hamdan Hj Ahmad, Dean of Faculty Built Environment representing UTM and Prof Dr Ikaga Toshiharu, Deputy President representing IBEC. Jimmy Puah stated that there are potential for growth in green building assessment. He believes there is a huge potential in the local market especially in Iskandar Malaysia, a fast-developing economic region to have a proactive policy on going green through the Iskandar Malaysia Low

Carbon Society Blueprint and CASBEE Iskandar manuals.

“Comprehensive Assessment of Built Environment Efficiency (CASBEE) is a tested tool in Japan and now we have customized it to a tropical country like Malaysia. Iskandar Malaysia is the pioneer of CASBEE in our country. Several pilots and projects have been done over the past 3 to 5 years and have shown that this assessment tool is robust and very effective,” he added.

Datuk Ismail Ibrahim said that by adopting and using CASBEE Iskandar, it will attract more domestic and international investors to the region as our international standards of greening our built environment is high. This will boost confidence of investors and developers that Iskandar Malaysia is the place to develop and do business.

“In an effort to achieve Iskandar Malaysia’s vision of becoming A Strong and Sustainable Metropolis of International Standing, and ensure the region develops into a low carbon society, the development must adhere to and practise green principles by being more energy-efficient, use locally available building materials, and build their developments to be in harmony with the natural and built environments,”

Johor State International Trade, Investment and Utilities Committee Chairman, Jimmy Puah with IRDA being represented by its Head of Environment, Boyd Dionysius Joeman

said Datuk Ismail.

At the same event, YB Jimmy Puah also officiated the 2-day CASBEE training workshop, which was jointly organized by the Johor State Government via Johor State Investment Committee (JSIC), IRDA, IBEC and UTM. Workshop participants are from across different sectors, namely 16 local authorities of Johor, developers, town and country planners, and industry players.

The original “Letter of Cooperation” was signed in October 2015 in Toyama City, Japan, which led to the preparation and production of the CASBEE Iskandar Manuals.

These manuals are the first ones outside Japan, which have been customized for a tropical country.

CASBEE implementation needs a broader cross cooperation between local authorities and other agencies such as Malaysia Investment Development Authority (MIDA), JSIC, Ministry International Trade and Industry (MITI), as well as buy-ins from the project owners.

CASBEE, which originated in Japan, is design based on the concept of environmental efficiency or eco-efficiency in terms of built environment efficiency (BEE). It takes into account the level of quality within the targeted built environment, while accounting for environmental load outside the targeted built environment. At the same time, CASBEE assessment will produce the carbon emissions of a building. - by The Iskandarian TI

Find Dining with MAGistrate.my

Eugene’s Grocery:

Dry aged wagyu beef: the perfect steak is a matter of perfect timing!

At the core of all reputable steakhouses worth their meat, the secret to Eugene’s Grocery finest steaks can be found in this DRY AGER®, the 100% Made in Germany dry aging fridge where the beef for a minimum of 21 days and a maximum of 90. The longer the meat is kept allows for the flavours to become more concentrated, resulting in softer and tender meat.

The “steaks” are getting high now, as chefs worldwide are pushing the boundaries of beef by hanging meat for ever-increasing periods, and the resulting steaks are sensational. We are luckier than we know it, as we don’t really need to look very far.

For gourmands seeking extraordinary culinary feasting, look no further than Eugene’s Grocery.

What sets Eugene’s Grocery apart from the other grocers is the level of customisation provided in terms of meat preparation and marination, with broader and better range of services like meat portioning and marinating per our recipe. If we are not sure about the pairings, Edison and his team are on hand to give recommendations.

Our boneless Australian Wagyu Ribeye (RM130/100gm) is dry-aged for 60 days, leaving it well-marbled and its distinctive flavour comes from the decent amount of fat spread throughout the meat. On the other hand, our Japanese Hokkaido Wagyu A5 Striploin (RM208/100gm) boasts an incredibly soft texture and intense aroma, with its marble score of 12 making it one of the pricier options on the menu, but the flavourful meat makes it worthwhile!

If you love beef and also hotpot like us, then this Shabu Shabu (RM120) extravaganza is for you. Continuing our wagyu theme, this set comes with a right combination of seafood, vegetables and chilled Australian beef, of course!

They don’t call wagyu the “Rolls Royce” of beef for no reason, and Eugene’s Grocery wanted diners to try the variants of wagyu so that we can compare the nuanced tastes side by side. Come taste the difference for yourself!

For full review, visit: https://magistrate.my/eugenegrocery_agedbeef 14 & 16 Jalan Perang, Taman Pelangi, 80400 JB, Johor Wed - Mon, 11.30am - 10.00pm (Closed on Tuesdays) +607-331 1353

During aging, the meat darkens on the outside and forms a crust.

Before it’s cooked, this part is trimmed away and the meat is cut.

https://www.facebook.com/eugenegrocery/

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PROPERTY INSIGHT

Mah Sing and Netherlands Maritime Institute of Technology (NMIT) has announced their partnership to provide fully furnished accommodation for the pg 27 students PROPERTY

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Phase 2 of Ayera Residences Open for Booking Tropicana Danga Cove (TDC) launches Phase 2 of Ayera Residences

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Mah Sing Group and NMIT Partners for Affordable Stay for Students

From left: Raja Yasmin Binti Raja Zaini Ismail, Benjamin Ong, Dr. Mohd Farhan Bin Dato’ Capt.Razali and Azman Bin Yackob

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inding an affordable place to stay that is both strategic and comfortable can be quite a challenge for a lot of college students. Mah Sing Group Berhad (Mah Sing) and Netherlands Maritime Institute of Technology (NMIT) announced their partnership to provide fully furnished accommodation for the students of NMIT studying in EduCity.

Mah Sing’s first integrated development in Iskandar Puteri, Meridin @ Medini will be the selected student accommodation

provider for NMIT. The par tnership was announced at the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony at Ramada Meridin, Johor Bahru. In attendance were Mah Sing’s Senior GM of Development (Southern Region), Benjamin Ong and Director of NMIT, Dr. Mohd Farhan bin Dato’ Capt. Razali.

Meridin @ Medini is strategically located just 20 minutes away from NMIT and there will be a two-way shuttle bus service to cater for their transportation between the locations. The

rooms are fully furnished and other than being close by, the students will be able to experience the full recreational facilities at the Meridin @ Medini, such as swimming pools, gym, community centre, meeting rooms, tennis court, and other facilities.

They will also have access to the Meridin walk to cater to their shopping and entertainment needs. The security aspect is also well taken care of with a key card system being introduced to control the access to the accommodations.

“We are happy to collaborate with NMIT to provide a suitable accommodation for the students studying here.

Mah Sing is always looking ahead to work with different parties in enhancing life of the community around our development as it’s in line with our company’s vision,” Benjamin Ong shared at the MoU signing ceremony. - by Moazan Emran TI

Frontier Industrial Park Adopts the GGR Concept

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rontier Industrial Park is a 136 acre Gated, Guarded and Green industrial park in Desa Cemerlang, Johor Bahru. The park is broadband-ready and has a vibrant central park for recreational activities making it a one-of-a-kind offering in Johor. With this innovation, Frontier Industrial Park was named the “Five-Star Winner” as Best in Malaysia for Industrial Development.

“Industrial parks in Johor should incorporate the Gated, Guarded and Regulated (GGR) concept in order to attract investors,” said Jimmy Puah Wee Tse, Johor State International Trade, Investment and Utilities Committee Chairman.He said most prospective foreign investors want to see an industrial park with modern amenities such as water and electricity supply as well as internet.

Industrial parks should not only provide a conducive working environment and accommodation for the

Kevin Woon (centre) showing Jimmy Puah the locations of various types of factories located in Frontier Industrial Park

workers but also good recreational facilities, he told reporters after a working visit to Frontier Industrial Park in Ulu Tiram.

Developer WB Land Sdb Bhd (WB Land) has a unique end-to-end design-and-build offering called “Build-To-Suit” that offers industrialist practical solutions customised to their requirements.

Strategically located within Iskandar Malaysia, Frontier provides easy access to Johor Port, Woodlands Checkpoint, and Senai Airport, which are within half an hour of traveling time.

Frontier Industrial Park is being developed in 3 phases.

Currently, phase 2 comprises of 76 semi-detached and builtto-suit detached factories.

The central park is built to cater for group outdoor events with a seating capacity of 800. The park acts as a recreational facility which includes an amphitheatre, plaza, outdoor gym and a multipurpose court.

Puah also mentioned, parks that incorporate the GGR concept include i-Park @ Senai Airport City, Eco Business Park by Ecoworld and Frontier Industrial Park.by Harish Mustak TI

UMLand Bags Four Awards

O

ver a dozen developers were recognised at the second StarProperty.my Awards: Jewels of Johor

edition.

UMLand took home the Best High-Rise Residential Development for Suasana Iskandar Malaysia (Excellence), Best Sustainable Development for Dynasty View Sdn Bhd (UMLand Seri Austin) Seri Austin township (Excellence), Best Integrated Developmen for UMLand Medini Lakeside Development Sdn Bhd UMCity Medini Lakeside (Excellence) and Best Landed

Development for Seri Alam Properties Sdn Bhd (UMLand Seri Alam) Opal Residenz (Excellence).

The event was graced by His Majesty, Sultan of Johor Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar and Tunku Mahkota Johor Tunku Ismail Ibni Sultan Ibrahim.

The StarProperty.my Awards 2018 – The Jewels of Johor consist of 13 Awards. The Awards are assessed by a panel of reputable judges from a spectrum of professional backgrounds to ensure that the Awards’s judging process is transparent.

In the inaugural awards in 2017, UMLand triumphed with their projects – UMLand Seri Austin and Aster 2 respectively.

The property market in Johor has seen ups and downs but it is expected to pick up pace this year.

According to a report by the National Property Information Centre, of the recorded 10,058 transactions valued at RM4.33bil, Iskandar Malaysia – which combines four major towns (Johor Bahru, Kota Tinggi, Pontian and Kulaijaya) – emerged tops with 3,995 transactions. - by The Iskandarian TI

UMLand Group Managing Director Dennis Ng (left) receiving one of the four awards

Phase 2 of Ayera Residences Open for Booking Tropicana Danga Cove (TDC) launches Phase 2 of Ayera Residences and is open for registration

T

ropicana Danga Cove ( TDC), in partnership with Iskandar Waterfront Holdings (IWH) recently opened registration for Phase 2 of Ayera Residences after the successful launch of Phase 1 – both being TDC’s first landed project in the southern region of Iskandar Malaysia.

Set within the 227 acres of TDC’s township development, Ayera Residences is a 48 acres development project with doublestorey terrace freehold houses offered to eager investors, as well as first-time-buyers.

Af te r re ce i v i n g an

overwhelming response from the launch of Phase 1 which consists of 179 double-storey terrace houses, TDC is looking forward to a similar scene for Phase 2.

Each unit has its own pocket garden and is carefully designed to maximise functionality and versatility of space. Homeowners will also get to enjoy a peace of mind living within the guarded neighbourhood.

Strategically located between Flagship A and D of Iskandar Malaysia, Ayera Residences is surrounded by mature townships like Bandar Baru Permas Jaya and Bandar Seri Alam.

Accessibility to Ayera Residences is made easy via the Eastern Dispersal Link (EDL), JB East Coast Highway, and Pasir Gudang Highway while being barely 10 minutes away from Johor Bahru city centre.

This exclusive urban enclave not only offers a vibrant and green environment to live in but also attractive rebates, for a limited time only.

For further enquiries on the project, please contact Tropicana Danga Cove Property Gallery at +6073823355 or visit their website at www.tropicanadangacove.com. my. - by Harish Mustak TI

Comfortable and modern living at Tropicana’s Ayera Residences

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Ground-Breaking Ceremony of the New Gerbang Nusajaya Interchange UEM Sunrise and Mulpha international continue their commitment to enhance infrastructure in Iskandar Puteri through the new Gerbang Nusajaya interchange

U

EM Sunrise Berhad (UEM Sunrise) and Mulpha International Berhad (Mulpha International), continue their commitment to enhance the infrastructure for the community of Iskandar Puteri with a ground-breaking ceremony to celebrate the commencement of construction of the new Gerbang Nusajaya Interchange.

It was all smiles during the groundbreaking ceremony held at the Melia Residences Club House to commemorate the Interchange. It was officiated by Datuk Osman Sapian, Menteri Besar Johor accompanied by Anwar Syahrin Abdul Ajib, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of UEM Sunrise and Eric Lee, Executive Director of Mulpha International. More than 500 guests attended the event which included community leaders, representatives of local authorities, members of the media and nearby residents.

The Gerbang Nusajaya Interchange is strategically located within the 4,551 acres in Gerbang Nusajaya – the gateway to Iskandar Malaysia that is set to become the commercial and business engine of Iskandar Puteri, commanding an estimated gross development value of RM42 billion.

In 2014, UEM Sunrise and Mulpha International inked a Collaboration Agreement through its respective subsidiaries, Nusajaya Rise Sdn Bhd and leisure Farm Corporation Sdn Bhd to build three sets of

roadworks valued at RM162 million to build new roads, a new trumpet interchange and upgrade existing roads in Gelang Patah and Gerbang Nusajaya.

The first set of roadwork is to connect Gelang Patah to both Gerbang Nusajaya and Leisure Farm, by upgrading the existing JKR J4 state road from two-lanes to a dual twolane, constructing a new dual three-lane toad which links up with the Second Link Highway. The second roadwork is to connect Leisure Farm to the Second Link highway and the third roadwork is to construct a new trumpet interchange (Gerbang Nusajaya Interchange) connecting the Second Link Highway to Gerbang Nusajaya and Leisure Farm, including the link roads to/from the Second Link highway (enabling travel in all directions).

All roadworks are targeted for completion by end of the year 2020.

According to Anwar Syahrin Abdul Ajib, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of UEM Sunrise, “As the master developer of Iskandar Puteri, we are very pleased that the Gerbang Nusajaya Interchange will create an enhanced transport ecosystem around Gerbang Nusajaya and Iskandar Puteri, further enhancing the ease of travel for commuters. With its proximity to the Tuas Checkpoint and central Singapore CBD within easy reach, Gerbang Nusajaya Interchange will put Iskandar Puteri on the

Bandar Seri Alam City of Knowledge Festival Fun and games at the inaugural festival held at Bandar Seri Alam

D

ubbed as the ‘City of Knowledge’, Bandar Seri Alam held their inaugural City Of Knowledge Festival in conjunction with their new launch of Citrine Residenz (3 storey terace house) with lots of performances, parkour, footsal, health screening, food trucks and education booths.

“I came to try my hand at the parkour games organised by the Youth Hub at the festival and it was very exhilarating.

Fun and games for the family

Hope they have more such events in the future,” said Mohd Rashid who visited the festival with his family.

Developed across 3,762 acres, Bandar Seri Alam is home to a number of higher learning institutions such as Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL), and Asia Metropolitan University, as well as numerous international schools. - by The Iskandarian TI

Signing of the commemoration plaque by Menteri Besar Datuk Osman Sapian

map as the largest fully integrated urban development in Southeast Asia.”

UEM Sunrise has commenced construction works in Gerbang Nusajaya since 2014. Upon completion, an estimated 76,000 direct job offerings and 137,000 indirect job offerings will be created, and Gerbang Nusajaya is expected to become home to a population of 220,000 people.

“Mulpha International via its wholly owned subsidiary, Leisure Farm Corporation, is proud to once again collaborate with UEM Sunrise on another infrastructure project that will enhance the road network and connectivity in the vicinity of Leisure Farm for the benefit of the general commuting public in Johor as well as Leisure Farm residents. In fact, it will be a huge boon to Leisure Farm residents as it will enable them to bypass Gelang Patah town thereby reducing their travel time in and out of Leisure Farm by 15 minutes, virtually putting Leisure Farm on the doorstep of Singapore,” said Eric Lee, Executive Director of Mulpha International.

“This facility will also facilitate traveling back and forth from Johor to Singapore and is sure to attract more tourists or investors from abroad to come to Johor.

Efforts towards increasing mobility, capacity building, consumer safety and driving comfort will be carried out continuously. The perfect provision of infrastructure and public facilities will be able to improve the quality of life of the society as a whole. It also indirectly supports the competitiveness of Johor,” said Datuk Osman Sapian.

Gerbang Nusajaya had been planned and designed to be a sustainable development with catalytic enhancements strategically introduced in the area to support its transformation into a thriving and vibrant destination to work, live and play. These catalytic enhancements include components such as various residential precincts, namely Melia Residences; Nusajaya Tech Park – light to medium industrial parks; Fastrackcity – motorsports & lifestyle and many more. - by Moazan Emran TI

UEM Sunrise to Launch First Private Marina

U

EM Sunrise Bhd will be launching the first private marina project in the Southern region located here by the end of the year reported

The Star.

Chief operating officer Datuk Roslan Ibrahim said costing about RM150mil, the project is a joint-venture between the company and Singapore’s SUTL Enterprise

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Ltd. Among the components in the project including berth facilities to accommodate mega yachts, club house, serviced apartments and restaurants.

“Luxury yachting is a big business and owners of these luxury yachts are millionaires and billionaires who love travelling on high seas,’’ said Roslan. TI

HSR to Continue in 2020 After Suspension Ends

M

alaysia is committed to continuing with the High Speed Rail (HSR) project after its two-year suspension ends in May 2020.

Both Malaysia and Singapore have agreed to suspend the project and on the reimbursement amount, for which the Malaysian government will reimburse Singapore S$15mil (RM45.1mil).

“I don’t think I want to jump to a conclusion because the agreement signed (on the suspension) clearly states our commitment to continuing with the project after May 2020,” said Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali

at a press conference with Singapore’s Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan. The two Ministers signed and exchanged documents to vary the HSR Bilateral Agreement, with the terms based on an understanding between the new Pakatan Harapan administration and Singapore.

With the new agreement, the HSR service is expected to start by 1st January 2031 instead of 31st December 2026, as planned earlier.

Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean witnessed the signing at the Prime Minister’s Office. TI

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