The Iskandarian Feb 2014 Issue

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The Iskandarian is a public-private collaborative product of IMSF Roundtable

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The Iskandarian Monthly Drill

We get in touch with CEOs and Chairmen of organisations and drill them with questions pg 9 website/download : www.theiskandarian.com

Dwelling the Streets of JB Community: With rapid developments taking shape all around, a swelling social issue that needs immediate attention is the increase of homeless dwellers in the streets of Johor Bahru town

By Edey Suresh

newsdesk@theiskandarian.com

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A homeless man spotted at Jalan Trus, Johor Bahru

leeping on sidewalks or dark corners and having to huddle under bridges is a daily reality for around 110 homeless souls who cannot afford a roof over their head for a variety of reasons. Many of the city’s homeless can also be found sleeping on benches of public transport terminals and car parks.

The JB Sentral terminal for example has homeless individuals sleeping on the benches meant for commuters and in the bus stop seats stretching till the old KTM station.

“I hope that the authorities would look into this issue. There should not be any homeless people on the streets here anymore as Johor Bahru has gained its city status,” said a police beat cop stationed at JB Sentral.

“It is also not a comfortable sight to see the homeless sleeping when others were busy going to work,” he added.

Among the identified homeless are hardcore drug addicts, alcoholics, mentally challenged, senior citizens and a small cluster of ‘unable to afford a living’ individuals.

Continued on page 4

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INSIDE

Johor Kaki explores the best foods in Johor Bahru >>PAGE 23

>>PAGE 3

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Dinner and Dance at Thistle Johor Bahru

Pickup points Highlight: In conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2014, Thistle Johor Bahru is

INFORMATION COUNTERS: • Senai Airport • Columbia Asia Hospital • Regency Specialist Hospital • KFCH • Raffles University Iskandar OFFICE LOBBIES: • City Plaza Tower • Menara Pelangi • Bangunan Pelangi • UDA Angsana Sdn. Bhd. • Menara Landmark • Leisure Farm • KCC The Senai Garden • JBCCCI • IMCCCI • Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) • Iskandar Investment Bhd (IIB) • Iskandar Waterfront (iwh) EATERIES (F&B): • Annalakshmi • 8Lido • Tutti Frutti • BierHaus HOTELS: • Renaissance Johor Bahru Hotel • Thistle Johor Bahru Hotel • The ZON Regency Hotel • Hotel Granada • Traders Hotel • Pariss Hotel Many other participating hotels Gated & Guarded Communities and Others:

featuring local dishes and traditional dances under Citrawarna Malaysia

By Maisarah & Zarakay newsdesk@theiskandarian.com

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n a year long promotion exercise to usher in Visit Malaysia Year 2014 (VMY2014), Thistle Johor Bahru’s Glass Restaurant is showcasing the finest of our land in terms of cuisine and traditional dances. Citrawarna Malaysia highlights a combination of local food and entertainment.

There will be 83 local dishes that are served on rotation basis in buffet style throughout the year. Thistle’s Executive Chef, Imran Hamid, will be the expert hand guiding his team of chefs.

“We will provide a unique selection of food which will be complimented by the traditional dances. We are very detailed when it comes to food, like for instance, we ground our own herbs and spices to ensure an authentic taste,” said Executive Chef Imran.

“We welcome patrons to indulge in local food as a show of support for VMY 2014,” said Thistle’s General Manager Edward Kollmer.

The promotion highlights the diversity of cultures in Malaysia. There is a wide choice of appetisers, main dishes and desserts. Among the appetisers are cencaluk, pajeri, sambal jawa, acar buah, acar rampai,

Citrawarna Malaysia at Thistle Johor Bahru gado-gado, and five types of kerabu. Patrons can also have fresh salad with dressing, broccoli with crabmeat or nangka masak lemak. One of the main dishes is nasi tomato served with ayam masak merah and daging masak hitam. For seafood, there are baked seabass, grilled red snapper, ikan patin masak lemak, stir-fried turmeric squid and fried sea prawn. There is also lamb ribs served with kuzi gravy.

As for the entertainment dance performances by Lambaian Seni Group,

there will be four sessions of a 10-minute performance. Performances will begin after 7.30pm.

The promotion is held every Friday between 6.30pm and 10.30pm.

The buffet costs RM85++ each for adults with 25 per cent discount for senior citizens and RM42.50++ for children aged between six and 12.

For reservations, call 07-267 8984 or 07-222 9234 (ext 80216) or visit www.thistle. com

HIGHLIGHTS

O ur P artners

TOURISM CENTRES: • Johor Tourist Information Centre @ JOTIC • Kiosk Pelancongan MBJB @ Jln Tun Sri Lanang • Tourism Malaysia Tourist Information Centre @ JB CIQ COMPLEX & JB SENTRAL

• Taman Molek Zone 3, • Tmn Impian Emas Jln 60-70 • Yong Ming Motors (Tampoi) SINGAPORE: • Tourism Malaysia • Raffles Also available for pick-up at Selected Taxis & Busses And at various Associations Want to become a distribution point? Email us today at: admin@theiskandarian.com

This year’s Thaipusam Festival saw devotees ariving in droves to the Maha Mariamman Johor Bahru Temple. (Pic by Zarakay)

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

JB North Police IPD 07-556 3122

Ministry of Tourism (Johor) 07-223 3171

Tourism Malaysia Johor 07-222 3590 / 91

Immigration 07-224 4233

JB South Police IPD 07-2218 999

Nusajaya Police IPD 07-511 4222

Tourism Malaysia Hotline 1300 88 5050

Johor Tourism 07-223 4935 / 224 9960

Senai International Airport 07-599 4500

Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) 07-233 3000

Please recycle this newspaper after reading. Thank you Published by True Soul Entertainment [14, Jln. Selasih 10, Taman Kemas, 81200, Johor Bahru] Printed by Percetakan Gemilang Sinar/Gan Seng Printing(M) Sdn.Bhd. [No.100, Jalan Tampoi, 81200, Johor Bahru] Copyright of articles, contributions and photos which are published by The Iskandarian is the property of True Soul Entertainment. The Iskandarian does its best to ensure the authenticity and accuracy of its contents, the publisher cannot accept any responsibilities for errors, mistakes and inaccuracies. The publisher reserves the rights of this product and no part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the permission of the publisher.

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The Iskandarian

Do’s & Don’ts With Iskandar Malaysia aspiring to reach greater heights, The Iskandarian citizens are key players in helping Iskandar Malaysia reach greater heights, and can do so by first making the change within ourselves. A first class mentality has to be instilled where we accept nothing less than top notch performance in all things. To prepare ourselves for that, here is a quick recommended guideline on the Do’s and Don’ts. This will be a monthly column to showcase the good, the bad and the ugly of fellow Iskandarians.

YOUTH’S PERSPECTIVE ON

Iskandar Malaysia

The Iskandarian speaks to everyday teens to derive their suggestions and opinions about Iskandar Malaysia. The Iskandarian also invites all youths to share your thoughts with us via email at: newsdesk@theiskandarian.com What kind of entertainment do you prefer?

I’m actually very interested in music especially the Korean ones popularly known as K-Pop! What kind of family holiday destination do you usually look forward to?

I love heading to Sunway lagoon in Kuala Lumpur as it is a fun place for all ages and perfect for the family to unwind and have a good time together.

A car broken into at Iskandar Malaysia Information Center.

More vigilance is needed in our city!

-Submitted by Anonymous (Danga Bay)

Snap your thoughts and send in pictures to our Do’s & Don’ts segment today: newsdesk@theiskandarian.com

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LEGOLAND Malaysia here in Iskandar Malaysia is the first LEGOLAND in Asia. As a consumer and member of the public, what are your feelings about this?

I’m definitely very proud because LEGOLAND exists in Johor and more people can come here for family entertainment. Personally, I like visiting it myself.

What other kinds of leisure projects and developments would you like to see in future?

I wish more improvements can be done

to the shopping centres here having the youth in mind.

What does it mean for the youth in Iskandar Malaysia to see so many leisure and tourism products coming up?

It is a positive sign of growth as this boosts the tourism industry as well, especially now since it is the Visit Malaysia Year 2014.

How do you see Johor before and now (with the development of Iskandar Malaysia)?

There are a lot of good changes that have taken place thanks to Iskandar Malaysia’s involvement.

Nurul Najwa B Rashid Age:19

Chellam is an everyday Joe encountering the trials and tribulations of everyday folks. Chellam’s encounters aren’t merely for comic relief but more to instigate mindset change.

Email us if you have any suggestions: newsdesk@theiskandarian.com

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from cover page

A husband and wife couple living on the sidewalk till the husband goes to work in the morning

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rying to ease this rising social problem is Kechara Soup Kitchen (KSK) who provides food, minor medical attention, counselling, rehab introduction, and other aids to the homeless. The Johor chapter is inspired by Kechara Soup Kitchen KL and is headed by Centre Director, Justin Cheah.

Like the other Kechara Soup Kitchens, they started small; distributing a mere 20 packets during their first outing. Through word of mouth, Kechara Soup Kitchen Johor Bahru has gradually attracted more volunteers and sponsors and now distribute over 110 packets of vegetarian food per session.

“We distribute every Saturday night, from 10.30pm to 1am. First time volunteers will be required to attend a compulsory orientation briefing prior to going out on the streets,” said Justin.

“This is to ensure that all volunteers understand our vision, the process of distribution and most importantly, volunteers’ safety,” he added.

Among the hotspots identified by KSK for their distribution activities is Dataran Majlis Bandaraya Johor Bahru, Hospital Sultanah Aminah, Jalan Trus, Jalan Duke, Taman Sri Tebrau, Taman Sentosa, Johor Bahru Sentral, Jalan Wong Ah Fook, Larkin Bus Terminal and under the bridge carpark of Tropical Inn. Justin who is very passionate about the initiative, told The Iskandarian that he drives down every week from KL to coordinate the distribution in Johor.

“Volunteering in KSK makes me feel very happy and it is really better than just spending my free time doing nothing. I am also very fortunate and honoured to be elected as one of the committee member in Kechara Soup Kitchen.”

Speaking about what encourages him in getting involved with KSK, Justin said, “I love the spirit of giving and helping the poor very much. I grew up in a poor family and maybe that was how I learned to give more to the needy people. The feeling of fulfilment after doing Kechara Soup Kitchen’s food distribution rounds is immeasurable. Nothing beats the feeling of watching the homeless waving goodbye to you with a full stomach.”

Members of Kechara Soup Kitchen listening to a briefing from Justin

“It is also very encouraging when you see some of our homeless who have already left the streets and are slowly moving back into the society either through KSK’s help or through their own initiative. I believe if we work even harder, we will be able to help many more to get out from their current situation.”

The primary number of homeless individuals is made up of hardcore druggies.

Among them is Zaiton, who has been sent to rehabilitation numerous times but still ends up on the streets, unable to kick her habits.

Zaiton claimed she is all alone and can’t pick herself up and the KSK team convinced her to head back to rehab.

The Iskandarian team alongside KSK also came across a homeless couple who claimed to be living at the City Square sidewalk for the time being and won’t be there for long as the husband has secured a job in Singapore and will head to work at 4am and return at night to their sidewalk makeshift home until they have enough money to rent a space.

homeless, a “free hotel” known as Anjung Singgah in Jalan Segget here. As long as you have a Malaysian identification card, a person can “check in” to the four-storey centre and stay for up to two weeks.

The centre, which provides temporary shelter to the homeless, was established by the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry while the National Welfare Foundation Malaysia (NWF) manages it.

Those staying at Anjung Singgah get a roof over their heads and receive three free meals, basic toiletries including a towel, sarong, toothbrush with tooth paste and a bar of soap.

They take in anyone as long as they were not alcoholics or those with diseases or addictions such as drugs. The centre, which could accommodate 95 people at a time, had a dormitory for men and women on separate floors.

KSK works closely with Anjung Singgah in trying to provide temporary

Some of the mentally challenged and senior citizens ended up on the streets after going for a joyride with their family to Johor Bahru town but only to be abandoned there and left waiting for their respective family members to return but to no avail.

As of September 2013, Johor Bahru has also opened up its own refuge for the

shelter and job placement for the homeless who are ready to be injected back into society.

The shelter is not a permanent solution since its patrons can only live there up to two weeks but nevertheless, it is still an initiative to ease the predicament.

In addressing this issue, The Iskandarian spoke with Gibran Ilram, a social

entrepreneur from Kuala Lumpur seeking to set up base in Johor Bahru. When prompted for his thoughts on the rising issue of the homeless in Johor Bahru, he responded “The homeless, just like the other big issues such as climate change, affordable housing, and disconnected communities- are complex in nature, often requiring a few parties coming together to coordinate a probable solution as it is widely accepted that no one organisation will have the necessary skills, knowledge let alone mission focus in tackling complex issues. It cannot be solved by doing things the old way which is why social innovation is needed. But while the ‘What’ and “Why” are widely understood, the “How” and “Who” in trying to bring real and sustainable solutions that work to the table remains unclear.

Though it might seem simple, the homeless is very much an issue related to the growing problem of urban poor. As you can see, it is inter-connected, all social issues are”.

The discourse around the subject went on to cover a wide range of other social issues that only confirmed what he had earlier opined. We asked where he thought should be the starting point, he quipped “Social Innovation!” Very little work is done on bolstering the institutions, frameworks and structures that will actually enable social innovation to take place. As it is, the government is keener to control social assets rather than creating a conducive environment, an eco-system if you will. Those working to find and develop solutions for the homeless often feel as if they are facing a series of brickwalls- as not only are the issues complex and interconnected, the knowledge of what works and what doesn’t is not effectively shared.

Hence the need for someone- for example the government to set up a social innovation ecosystem. For all you know, using this approach just might settle the issue of the homeless and perhaps a couple more inter-connected issues.

The Iskandarian will be doing more follow ups on this social problem and keep our readers updated.

For more information on Kechara Soup Kitchen visit, www.facebook.com/ KSKPage or www.kechara.com/ksk. You can also call or email them at: ksk@kechara.com/ +60321416046

news Getting to know E22 FREE COPY ISSUE 18 | FEB 2014

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Highlight: Senai – Pasir Gudang – Desaru Expressway (SDE) or fondly known as E22 is designed, constructed, managed, operated and maintained by Senai-Desaru Expressway Berhad (SDEB)

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he expressway, which is being operated as a closed toll system, commences from Malaysia-Singapore Second Crossing (LINKEDUA) near the Exit 301 Persimpangan Senai and transverses across Senai Airport road (Route FR16), Ulu Tiram Town and straight to Desaru, it also connects the travelers to Pasir Gudang at the Tanjung Langsat Industrial Area via the Pasir Gudang Connector (PGC).

The total length of the Expressway from the Senai Utama Interchange to the terminal point at the Penawar Intersection, inclusive of the Pasir Gudang Connector, is approximately 77km. The journey is flavoured with scenic views;featuring orchid farms,mangroves,palm oil plantations and water bodies, thus giving users an enjoyable drive from the beginning to the end of expressaway.

As part of Iskandar Malaysia, the E22 links the Senai air-hub to the Pasir Gudang port and industrial centre and proceed eastwards towards the Desaru resort area.

As most highways do, the E22 is expected to enhance economy activities in the areas along its stretch.

The E22 comprises of six (6) interchanges, four (4) toll plazas and two (2)

Cinematic view of the E22 Senai – Pasir Gudang – Desaru Expressway (SDE) rest & service areas. The E22 also features a 1.7km Single Plane Cable-Stayed Bridge across Sg. Johor. The bridge is one of the longest Single Plane Cable-Stayed Bridge in the world featuring 500m main span.

The E22 Traffic Control Centre also links the E22 Safety Team to the motorists in need. The Safety Teams are on duty 24hours to provide minor assistance and traffic management to the expressway users.

New Year Babies Celebrated

Proud parents of the New Year babies

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ight New Year babies, comprising four boys and four girls were born at the Columbia Asia Hospital at Nusajaya on 1st January 2014.

The first baby was delivered at 12.47 am, a baby boy. Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, Dr Rohani Jonit said, “While everyone was celebrating the New Year elsewhere, I was busy celebrating new deliveries throughout the night with another twins two hours prior to this delivery. It was a very meaningful moment for the parents and me.”

(pic by Columbia Asia)

According to the parents, it was their wish came true to have a baby boy on New Year’s day.

Another Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, Dr Teh Jin Teik said, “It was really exciting to see both the mothers and their babies delivered healthily and stable at our hospital”.

Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, Dr Rajesh Mahendran delivered the last baby at 9.15 pm under the Caesarean section and it was a baby boy. The mother was 22 years’ old and it was her third child.

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IM Exciting – A Joint Effort

Highlight: The Iskandarian has embarked on a campaign for 2014 in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2014 (VMY2014) to provide a joint promotion solution for businesses in the region

By Maisarah & Zarakay newsdesk@theiskandarian.com

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he Iskandarian in collaboration with Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) and Tourism bodies is providing attractive collaboration and promotion platforms to businesses in Johor Bahru.

A two session briefing was held at Iskandar Malaysia Information Centre (IMIC) Danga Bay for over 200 targeted stakeholders. IRDA’s Economic Intelligence Division also did a presentation for the stakeholders informing them of the upcoming plans for Iskandar Malaysia in terms of better positioning their businesses.

Also present was David Noon from UCSI Blue Ocean Strategy who gave a quick presentation on business systems development, implementation, change management and business process documentation in various industries.

“We want to make lifestyle enrichment as a major factor in Iskandar

Want to share your ideas? Email us today: newsdesk@theiskandarian.com

Malaysia to attract investors and individuals considering MM2H,” said Sr Khaidzir Abdul Rasip, Senior Vice President of Economic Intelligence, IRDA. IM Exciting will provide SMEs as well as big organisations to use a myriad of marketing platforms made available by The Iskandarian. Among the tentative platforms are Telco blasting services, Classifieds, Social Network solutions, Outdoor Solutions via TV Selatan and JB Walker TV and shared platform on Iskandar Malaysia’s official app; Iskandar.my to name a few.

“There are many challenges for businesses in 2014 but these challenges can be faced and overcome easily with a shared platform. Our state is competing for business not only with other states but with neighbouring countries as well and proper marketing strategies and co branding efforts will be one way to better position our local businesses against competition,” said Marco De Souza, Chief Marketing Officer of The Iskandarian.

For more information, contact The Iskandarian: admin@theiskandarian.com

The Iskandarian Issue 18 | JAN 2014 Advertisement

The Iskandarian Issue 18 | JAN 2014 Advertisement

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The Iskandarian Monthly Drill The Iskandarian aspires to be the voice of the rakyat and with that in mind, our Editor is touching base with CEOs and Chairmen of organisations to Drill them with questions to hear their perspective.

The CPAGroup comprises a group of companies with more than 18 years of experience in providing services related to the incorporation of new companies, the application of licenses, permits and investment incentives. Its clientele is a mixture of foreign and local companies.

Its main office is located in Skudai, Johor Bahru. Currently, there are 50 permanent staffs.

Tell us more about CPAGroup and what do you do?

CPAGroup’s strength lies in its ability to build a unique partnership between qualified professionals in our organisation with a network of experienced retired government servants armed with the know-how and expertise of setting up new business operations.

As the managing director of this group, my role is to carefully orchestrate and co-ordinate the whole team to work effectively and efficiently by assisting our clients in the setting up of new businesses or running established ones which are in compliance with government laws and regulations.

Who are among your clients and what are the services engaged?

Our clients range from new and established entities, local and foreign, housing developers and manufacturers, and even government linked companies.

Our services include incorporating new companies, followed by the application for licenses, investment incentives and permits from the relevant regulatory bodies such as MITI, MIDA, The Department of Environment, Local Authorities, The Department of Health & Safety, the Fire Department, Immigration, Royal Customs and Excise Department etc. We also assist in identifying potential business premises, application for work permits, manpower sourcing, as well as assisting in the ‘Malaysia My Second Home’ (MM2H) applications.

If a foreign company (i.e. from Singapore) were to set up operations in Iskandar Malaysia, what would be the A-Z steps/process that they would have to go through?

Firstly, we will evaluate the investment proposal to ascertain whether it is in line with current

government policies or preferences and try to assist our client whether the investment proposal is viable given the existing business scenario. Then, the foreign investor wishing to start a business will have to incorporate a private limited company (Sdn. Bhd.).

Incorporating a company now is easy and fast, provided that all documentations and information submitted are in order. It is also mandatory for all new companies to obtain relevant licenses and permits before being allowed to commence operations.

In manufacturing industries; it must be sited in specific allocated zones in relation to residential areas. CPAGroup will do the initial research to identify all potential locations that meets the client’s needs as permitted by the law.

The next stage for the investor would be to apply for a manufacturing license and explore the possibility of getting investment incentives from the approval bodies such as MITI and / or MIDA. After that, the company must apply for a business and signboard license from the local authority.

The company will also need to apply work permits on behalf of its expatriate staff from the Immigration Department as well as the relevant custom licenses (Royal Customs & Excise Department).

Finally, matters such as the sourcing for local and foreign manpower will be a prerequisite before the commencement of operations, followed by mandatory registration exercises for EPF, SOCSO and Company Tax Numbers.

Why engage in your services instead of going about it by themselves?

Setting up a new company can be very daunting, time consuming and potentially a drain on financial resources. There would be challenges for the newcomer right from the application and reply forms which are printed in the Malay language, to a lack of knowledge on the running of the government machinery and etc. These problems would not only hinder but may even “put the brakes” on the progress of the project.

CPA will ensure our clients experience a smooth and hassle free process in their efforts to set up their business in Iskandar Malaysia.

Established for 18 years now, what is your sustainability secret?

Ow Chong Fu Managing Director CPAGROUP OF COMPANIES

We are local and experienced, and we understand the local government machinery very well. Over the years of handling a myriad of local and foreign clients, we have a much better understanding of their needs, while at the same time keeping abreast with the changes in the government and local business environment. That is how we have maintained our relevance and sustainability in this scope of business.

In these years of business, what were among the highlights and turmoil’s faced?

The highlights were when our clients grew their business from strength to strength in a relatively short time frame, and our client base grew from word of mouth.

Some of our long-serving staff obtained their license to practice; and then there were those who graduated to become partners in our Group, and some even established their own business elsewhere in Johor.

As with many other companies in our field of business, we were affected by events beyond our control, like the regional crisis in 1997 and the global meltdown of 2008, where many of our long established clients had to close shop and new business is hard to come by.

How has the emergence of Iskandar Malaysia affected your business?

CPAGroup would like to state unequivocally that the emergence of Iskandar Malaysia has benefited our business, especially over the last 5 years. We saw a strong inflow of local & foreign investors into this region, and CPAGroup was involved in assisting many of these investments. We also experienced new business opportunities with the variety of businesses coming in.

Do you forecast a steady growth of your business; with more foreign interest eyeing a strategic position in Iskandar Malaysia?

Yes, we are confident that Iskandar will grow from strength to strength in the coming years, with more investment coming from foreign investors. However, CPA is of the opinion that we should not overlook the role played by the local investors in the growth trajectory.

What are the changes you would like to see in Iskandar Malaysia?

Things have been improving at a good pace and going forward, we would like to see more changes, especially in the following matters: We would like to see greater coordination and transparency among the various approving authorities within the Iskandar region. There are still complaints from our clients on this matter; The maintenance of the existing roads needs to be further improved to allow a smoother flow of traffic. Moreover, the quality of service in the public transportation sector still needs to improve.

Iskandar has taken many measures to improve security and policing, but we believe there is still room for improvement based on feedback from our clients.

Dealing with both the public and private sectors, do you encounter a lot of red tape bureaucracy?

The accusation of red tape and bureaucracy normally occurs in the situation where the parties concerned lacked understanding and knowledge of the regulations, procedures and requirements of the relevant approving agencies. Investors need to work closely with service providers like us, to avoid unnecessary situations that result in these accusations.

CPAGroup believes that the Iskandar region is one of the best business friendly environments in the country.

Your opinion about the market sentiments of 2014?

Since mid-2011, interest from overseas investors has been growing steadily, escalating into 2012 and 2013 with the completion of many catalyst projects in Iskandar. As many are aware, due to the very rapid growth, the government has introduced cooling measures in the 2014 budget. For 2014, we expect the market to slow down. However, we think the market will pick up again in the second quarter but we expect development in the Iskandar region to achieve a new watershed level before end of 2015.

Your vision for CPAGroup for the year?

My vision for CPAGroup is to become a leading player for providing services to local and foreign investors that will contribute to the development of Iskandar region.

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Competition with Employement Offers For Finalists Interest: Frost & Sullivan Recognises Young Talents at the 2013 Iskandar Malaysia Case Challenge Competition

F International Accreditation for Raffles American Interest: Raffles American School receives prestigious accreditation from Western Association of Schools and Colleges

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affles Education Corporation Limited (“RafflesEducationCorp” or “the Group”), the largest private education provider in the Asia- Pacific region, recently announced that its Raffles American School (“RAS”) is now an accredited institution by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, USA (“WASC”) through June 2017.

This is a significant achievement for RAS, which is just into its second academic year, particularly given the unanimous decision on the part of the WASC Executive Committee to confer RAS with this prominent accolade. Only the most accomplished schools receive immediate accreditation by the WASC Executive Committee without delay for a full Commission vote. This is a clear validation of RAS’ strengths and true focus on student learning.

WASC is a world-renowned accrediting association and one of six regional accrediting agencies in the United States. The philosophy of the Accrediting Commission for Schools centers upon three beliefs: (1) a school’s goal is successful student learning; (2) each school has a clear purpose and school-wide student goals; and (3) a school engages in external and internal evaluations as part of continued

school improvement to support student learning. WASC encourages school improvement through a process of continued evaluation and to recognize, by accreditation, schools that meet an acceptable level of quality, in accordance with established criteria. WASC means “We Are Student-Centered”.

RAS’ vision is to be a learning institution that empowers students to achieve their academic and life potential, with rigorous and rich academic and cocurricular programs designed to encourage student growth through a learning outcome approach, acknowledging multiple types of intelligence and paths to learning. Offering an American Pre-K-12 curriculum program with Advanced Placement Offerings in high school, RAS students are well prepared for entry into universities worldwide.

RAS is currently operating at a temporary location in the Anjung Neighborhood Center in Nusajaya, the growing Iskandar Development Region in Johor. Its permanent site in the vicinity is designed by the New York Architectural firm of SOM (Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP). Construction is targeted for phase one completion for Kindergarten through Grade 12, including full boarding capacity in the 2014-2015 school year.

rost & Sullivan, together with its strategic partners Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA), i2M Ventures Sdn Bhd (i2M) and Malaysia Development Corporation (MDeC) recognised young talents at the inaugural 2013 Frost & Sullivan Iskandar Malaysia Case Challenge competition recently.

The objective of the challenge was to encourage recent graduates and final year university students to develop and present ideas, strategies and action plans on how Iskandar Malaysia can be developed into a sustainable economic region by 2020.

“The case challenge is also a platform to engage with the younger generation to help develop the talent pool in the Iskandar region,” said Mr. Kavan Mukhtyar, Partner at Frost & Sullivan.

The case challenge was opened to all Malaysian individuals in their final year of undergraduate or post-graduate studies, and also individuals who have completed their tertiary education but less than 25 years old.

The applicants were mentored by Frost & Sullivan consultants, and a total of 10 finalists were selected to the final round.

The finalists presented their solution to an esteemed panel of judges which comprised of Pn. Zalmiah Hj Long, Vice President of Business Eco System, IRDA, Ir Wan Murdani Wan Mohamad, Director of Digital Enablement, MDeC, Mr.

Zulfiqar Zainuddin, Managing Director, i2M Ventures and Mr. Aroop Zutshi, Managing Partner and Global President, Frost & Sullivan.

The finalists were judged based on their communication skills, logical reasoning and flow, innovativeness of the proposed solution, actionability of the proposed solution and completeness of the submission.

After careful deliberation, Shaun Adam Abdullah from Lim Kok Wing University of Creative Technology, Nurrafidah Mohammad Rashid from Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka and Max Lee Chia Chun from Universiti Malaya emerged as the top 3 winners respectively.

All finalists were offered employment opportunities at Frost & Sullivan Global Innovation Center in Iskandar Malaysia, which serves Frost & Sullivan’s global operations and offices, providing opportunities for local employees to work on global projects.

“We are excited to offer these young talents a place at Frost & Sullivan.

We believe that they will be an asset as we strive to effectively contribute and develop new competencies and skill sets in driving our growth locally and globally,” said Mr. Mukhtyar.

The Iskandarian and GTI Media were the media partners while AIESEC Malaysia was the supporting partner for the case challenge.

Malaysians advised not to travel to Thailand for time being

T

he Foreign Affairs Ministry has issued a travel advisory to Malaysians against travelling to Thailand, following unrest in Bangkok.

“Following the series of bomb explosions in Bangkok since 15 January 2014 and the emergency decree declared by the Caretaker Government of Thailand on 21 January 2014 covering Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani and Samut Prakan provinces, the Foreign Affairs Ministry wishes to advise Malaysians to avoid travelling to the affected areas,” it said in a statement.

It also advised for postponement of non-essential visits to the region for personal safety and security reasons.

Malaysians already in the region were also asked to closely monitor and follow instructions issued by Thai authorities.

Malaysians requiring consular assistance can contact the Malaysian Embassy at 33-35 South Sathorn Road, Tungmahamek, 10120 Bangkok / Tel: +662 629 6800 / +6687 028 4659 (after working

hours) / Fax: +662 679 2208 / +662 679 2270 / email: malbangkok@kln.gov.my

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HIGHLIGHTS

Johor Bahru MP Tan Sri Shahrir Samad has been appointed to the Iskandar Regional Development Authority’s (IRDA) board of advisers by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. PM Najib, who is also IRDA’s Joint-Chairman, said this during the opening of the new Johor Baru Umno building in Taman Putera.

The Iskandarian

8th Mayhem at Desaru

L

T

Quick Reads CNY @ LEGOLAND

EGOLAND Malaysia Resort will be holding a unique LEGO building activity until 9th February 2014, in conjunction with Chinese New Year. To celebrate the Year of the Horse, guests visiting the Park will be able to build LEGO Horses using their imagination and creativity. The Horses will be displayed at the Beginning area of the Theme Park.

The Park is also challenging guests to build a total number of 888 LEGO Horses.

The number is considered to be symbolic of prosperity. The two week challenge will see guests building with more than 20,000 LEGO bricks.

“LEGOLAND Malaysia is the perfect place to be for families during this holiday season. Our building activity is focused on giving children and parents the opportunity to bond and engage in fun learning,” said Thila Munusamy, Director of Sales and Marketing for LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort.

For those wanting to take a piece of the celebration at LEGOLAND home, they can now purchase exclusive Chinese New Year t-shirts that celebrate the auspicious Year of the Horse. The t-shirts are for sale at all the Retail outlets.

Highlight: Malaysian surfer bags top prize in Monsoon Mayhem 8 at Desaru, Johor

he Monsoon Mayhem has been running consecutively for the 8th year and the first event for the Year 2014 under the ‘Visit Malaysia Year programme’.

A total of 73 competitors took part in 5 different categories of this year’s event.

Participating countries were from Malaysia, Australia, Singapore, Maldives, Japan, Thailand, Germany and USA. Other side events included; Slack line, flying fox, and car boot and food and beverage sales.

Day 1 started off with the bodyboard division. Surf was pumping the whole day with a very light offshore, which is a really rare condition but the body boarders took full advantage from the surf. The day ended with 4 qualifying heats.

Day 2 became windy and had choppy seas. Nazri from Singapore said, “Mentally all competitors are already prepared what to expect of Desaru waves’ situation, and conditions like this is a typical monsoon waves. It’s really challenging out there.”

Car boot sales were also set up by JOHO community group and saw a great turnout. The skateboarding contest was also held on the same day at Bandar Penawar Skatepark with a total of 20 participants from Malaysia and Singapore. This is the first time a skateboarding contest was held at Monsoon Mayhem and the response was positive.

The day ended with a dinner for the

competitors at Pulai Desaru Hotel hosted by the Chief Minister’s Office. VVIP Princess Adityadhornkitikhun of Thailand and her delegates were also present at the dinner and were entertained with music and cultural dances of Malaysia.

Day 3 was the final day of the competition and waves’ condition was 2 to 3ft onshore but that did not stop the competitors. The finals were between 2 Malaysians, a Malidivian and an Australian.

Kuda Isse from the Maldives was leading the score but Malaysian Didaqt answered back aggressively and managed to get a good score 5 minutes before the event ended. He kept his momentum right to the very last second

and was crowned the champion for Monsoon Mayhem No 8.

“I almost gave up. I just couldn’t find the right wave to get a good score and I guess I was just lucky on that particular wave that put me in the 1st position. It was hard out there”, said Didaqt.

Monsoon Mayhem 2014 was organised by Bigfoot Industries and supported by the Johor State Government, Ministry of Toursim, Johor Tourism, Kejora, and Tourism Malaysia. The event was sponsored by; UNKL347, BGFT, MINOR WAX, Surfprise TV, Andaman Sea Surf, Diverse, JOHO, Surfing Thailand and FRIENDZ. - By BIGFOOT INDUSTRIES

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Empowering Local Indian Women Entrepreneurs Social: Human Resources and Unity Exco YB R Vidyanathan along with Iskandar Regional Development Authority’s (IRDA) Social Development Division guide local Indian women entrepreneurs

(from left) Noor Hisham Hussein from IRDA, Elilen Chandra, YB Vidyanathan (6th from left), Datin Sri Kanagam Palanivel and Datuk S. Balakrishnan (5th from right) along side the programme participants and other dignitaries

By Maisarah & Zarakay newsdesk@theiskandarian.com

T

he Women’s Entrepreneur Outreach programme has been set up by the state government as a driving force to help empower local Indian women who are keen on starting up a business. The programme has been initiated to offer business opportunities to Indian women especially those who fall under the low-income category.

“Many locals, especially Indian women complained that there was limited business opportunities made available for them in Iskandar Malaysia. Through this programme, we will identify the needs of these women and aid them to start up a business,” said Human Resources and Unity Exco YB R Vidyanathan.

The programme received backing from the Iskandar Regional Development Authorities (IRDA), which would act as a channel for local Indian women to take up the opportunities available here.

The first phase of the programme began with a full day engagement with almost 200 interested local Indian women entrepreneurs. The programme will continue with a succession mini lab and projects being awarded to the selected candidates.

“As a first step, we invited these

women to brief them on the programme, identify their business interest and also to find out their needs,” said YB Vidyanathan.

“Our department will constantly follow up and monitor the participants until target is achieved,” he added.

Officiating the programme was MIC President Datuk Seri G. Palanivel’s wife Datin Seri Kanagam Palanivel who has also been appointed as the patron for the outreach programme.

“I am very glad to see that our Indian women are working together with IRDA to create opportunities for themselves,” said Datin Seri Kanagam Palanivel.

Driving the programme was IRDA’s Social Development Division Head Noor Hisham Hussein.

“Iskandar Malaysia is a platform for engagement and opportunities. All quarters are welcome to seek opportunities in Iskandar Malaysia. Iskandar Malaysia has been designated by the Malaysian Government to be a prime hub for nine economic clusters which will be given special focus and offer excellent investment opportunities,” said Noor Hisham Hussein.

Johor Bahru MIC Chief Datuk S.Balakrishnan who also graced the programme said, “Our Indian community will work more closely with the state

government and IRDA to better position ourselves in Iskandar Malaysia’s development.”

“I really hope to see more engagement with the Indians as we are not really aware about Iskandar Malaysia and its developments. We are not aware of the opportunities and hence we think we have been sidelined without basis. I am eager to see the continuation process of this programme and I hope to be kept

informed of future engagement sessions,” said Krishna Devi, a participant and business entrepreneur who does beaded jewellery.

This initiative was ambitiously championed by Elilen Chandra who said, “This is the first among many programmes organised for the Indian community with IRDA as the facilitators in the months to come, there will be more such engagements to benefit the local community.”

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Launching of EduCity, Iskandar Malaysia Highlight: Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Najib Tun Razak launched world-class education hub EduCity in Iskandar Malaysia

M

alaysia’s best-in-class education hub, EduCity Iskandar Malaysia was officially launched by Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Najib Tun Razak after signing the official plaque at EduCity’s stadium and sports complex recently. The launch was in conjunction with the Gen-Y Fest organised by JUITA (Johor Elected Representatives’ Wives Association).

Dato’ Sri Najib Tun Razak, Prime Minister of Malaysia, at the launch said, “We have to prepare the younger generation so that they will continue to lead our country to achieve greatness”.

Joanne Jacinta Oei, Managing Director of Education@Iskandar Sdn Bhd (EISB) said, “The Prime Minister’presence to officially open EduCity is a momentous event as it demonstrates the significance of this educational initiative to Malaysia’s future. Through EduCity, we offer students the opportunity to obtain a topquality education at some of the best global institutions right here in the heart of Iskandar Malaysia” Also present at the ceremony were Y.Bhg Datin Sri Rosmah Mansor, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Chief Minister of Johor, Datuk Seri

Mohamed Khaled Nordin.

EduCity is a 600-acre flagship education initiative comprising of top global universities and institutes of higher education, academia-industry research and development centres, as well as accommodation and recreational facilities. The initiative was conceptualised

by Iskandar Investment Berhad (IIB) and is run via its subsidiary Education@ Iskandar Sdn Bhd (EISB).

Several leading international universities and schools are now educating students in key industries and sectors at EduCity, which is strategically designed to act as a talent pool for the booming development region of Iskandar Malaysia.

Currently EduCity offers students the opportunity to study at Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia, University of Southampton Malaysia Campus, Netherlands Maritime Institute of Technology, and Marlborough College Malaysia. The next three years will see four more tertiary institutions including Management Development Institute of Singapore, Raffles University Iskandar, University of Reading, the Multimedia University in collaboration

(from left) Tan Sri Mihyiddin Yassin, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Prime Minister Najib and Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin with University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts, as well as one additional international school, Raffles American School, to further bolster the education value chain in Iskandar Malaysia.

Participants of the Gen-Y Fest were students from all over Johor who took part

in the many activities specially organised to appeal to the generation. Some of the activities include creative workshops, auto shows, football & swimming clinics as well as sports activities i.e. biking, motocross, wall climbing and the flying fox challenge.

The 1-day fest ended with a car decoration competition and a lucky draw.

HIGHLIGHTS

A big turnout despite the minor downpour at Mutiara Motors Carnival. The event was officiated by Chairman Datuk Haji Ahmad bin Kemin and Brand Ambassador Aaron Aziz.

(Pic by Zarakay)

The Iskandarian Issue 18 | JAN 2014 Advertisement

ENDORSED BY

Calendar of Events >> pg4

feb 2014

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

YUNA ‘Nocturnal’ Live in S’pore Travel: Bangkok Movie Reviews: Saving Mr. Banks Music Updates Black Sabbath Re-mastered for iTunes >>pg2

scan to visit website

Feb 2014 | Page 2

The Iskandarian | WAVES Lifestyle

Editor ’s Note

Malaysia’s Finest: YUNA - Live in S’pore

Priya Manikam editor@waveslifestyle.com

G

ong Xi Fa Chai dear readers!

Some exciting news awaits you – As it’s the Visit Malaysia Year 2014, The Iskandarian in partnership with IRDA is embarking on an initiative to coordinate a community led effort to promote the southern region as a wholesome funfilled destination. Dubbed ‘IM Exciting!, the objective of the campaign is to harness collective strength to trumpet our region as the most exciting destination for leisure and business. More updates will be coming your way soon, so stay tuned for it.

This time we have a lot of music updates under our personality / music column, courtesy of Universal Music Singapore. Our homegrown, very talented local singer, songwriter and businesswoman – Yuna will be performing live in Singapore on 24th February at the Esplanade Concert Hall.

We hope you got the tickets and can’t wait to catch her belting out her favourite tunes. As for Black Sabbath fans, you can now get their lineup via iTunes stores worldwide.

Under our movie review - check out how Walt Disney brought the all time favourite “Mary Poppins” to the big screen in Saving Mr. Banks which hits our big screens this month. We continue our travel tales from the City of Angels and this issue may specially interest the shopaholics. Kindly take note that our writer embarked on her Thailand journey prior to the unrest. For all you foodies, Tony brings us food for the soul with Soul Thai.

As always, for those wishing to share their clothing line, travel tales, or like us to review your restaurant/property, or want to appear under the Personality column, drop us an e-mail at admin@waveslifestyle. com today and be featured

Before I forget, Happy Valentine’s Day to all you love bugs out there!

Fun Facts About YUNA

U

niversal Music Singapore once again will be presenting Malaysian singer-songwriter YUNA, in Singapore for a brand new concert on 24 February 2014 at The Esplanade Concert Hall.

In a remarkably short period of time, Yuna has risen from regional D.I.Y. notoriety to full-on international stardom and has become the first artist from her homeland to conquer the American Market.

Yuna makes her Verve Records debut with ‘Nocturnal’, which marks a major step forward for her, expanding upon the achievements of her self-titled 2012 debut album and its Pharrell Williams-produced breakthrough hit “Live Your Life.”

The 11 sparkling new originals include the warmly intoxicating first single “Falling,” produced by Robin Hannibal of Quadron and the soul-pop group Rhye; the effervescent, uplifting “Rescue,” produced

by English pop auteur Chris Braide; the breezy, upbeat “I Wanna Go,” produced

by Michael Einziger of Incubus; and the hauntingly bittersweet “Someone Who Can,” produced by Chad Hugo of the Neptunes.

LUSH 99.5FM, Singapore was the proud official radio station for YUNA Nocturnal concert which saw a great crowd.

Source & Cover Photo: Universal Music Singapore

• Born as Yunalis Mat Zara’ai in Malaysia and commercially known as Yuna.

• Started writing her own songs at the tender age of 14!

• Yuna started out as a solo MySpace artist in 2006, singing in both English and Malay.

• She kicked off her music career with a six-track EP in 2008 called Yuno Demo.

• Her single “Live Your Life” was produced by Pharrell Williams.

• She has a small rice cooker which she had packed and brought to US to have her staple food!

• Owns a women’s clothes boutique in Subang Jaya.

MUSI C UP D AT ES Black Sabbath Re-mastered for iTunes

Scheduled to perform on February 21, 2014 at Fort Canning Green, this will be the award-­ ‐winning Australian electronic music act’s first-­ ‐ever headline show in Singapore.

The anticipated EOTS performance will be a high-­‐octane display of lights, choreography and scintillating showmanship, as the band performs hits from their highly successful debut album Walking on a Dream (released in 2008) and their critically acclaimed sophomore album Ice on the Dune (released on 14 June 2013).

Event Details: Date: Friday, February 21, 2014 Gates Open: 6:00 PM Venue: Fort Canning Green Public Transport Access: Nearby Stations: Clarke Quay, City Hall or Dhoby Ghaut Bus Lines: 7, 14, 32, 171, 174 For more information, Log on to: www.facebook.com/thegatheringasia

T

he full catalogue from the original Black Sabbath lineup has now been mastered specifically for iTunes, ensuring the delivery of the music to listeners with increased audio fidelity, more closely replicating what the artists, recording engineers,

and producers intended.

It is available exclusively on the iTunes Store worldwide.

Source: Universal Music Singapore

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The Iskandarian | WAVES Lifestyle

Why and How to Move On? (part 2) Face The Fear.

What makes many people unwilling to move on is fear; that if they have moved on, they might lose their identity of being the victim or the one that feels the pain. Many people choose to stay in pain because it’s easy to let the fear win than facing the fear.

energy of Love. While love heals, fear does the opposite by increasing the pain for longer term. Therefore, it is important to be aware of the existence of fear when we try to move on. Always ask yourselves, “Why am I feeling this fear? What is this fear all about?” You will be surprised that fear has no power over you when you actually face it.

Here’s how we heal fear:

Commit to the Present Moment.

Get to know the fear by facing it.

Understand that fear is the opposite

When we have decided to move on, we should not hang on to whatever

By Rose Osman Personal Motivator & Energy Coach www.facebook.com/ yourpersonalmotivator Twitter:@BucketOfRoses

that has happened in the past. This is a stage where moving-on involves the commitment from the mind as well. Be aware that unconsciously, the mind will try to go back to the painful memory, and whenever it does, take a deep breath and remind yourself to stay in the present moment. We can go back to the past and deal with the pain whenever we need it but do it consciously and

with awareness. In other words, go back to the past that creates the pain as a witness and not as the victim.

After all the efforts to move on, how do we know if we have completely moved on? There’s one way to tell; whenever we recall the painful memory - the pain is no longer there but it is just the memory as if we never experienced the pain before.

MOVIE PREVIEW Saving Mr. Banks Genre: Drama Rating: PG-13 Malaysia Release Date: 20th February 2014 120 min Running Time: Cast: Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Paul Giamatti,

Jason Schwartzman, Bradley Whitford, Annie Rose Buckley, Ruth

Wilson, B.J. Novak, Rachel Griffiths, Kathy Baker and Colin Farrell Director: John Lee Hancock Producers: Alison Owen, Ian Collie, Philip Steuer Executive Producers: Paul Trijbits, Christine Langan, Andrew Mason, Troy Lum Written by: Kelly Marcel and Sue Smith Two-time Academy Award – winner Emma Thompson and fellow double Oscar - winner Tom Hanks top line Disney’s “Saving Mr. Banks,” inspired by the extraordinary, untold backstory of how Disney’s classic “Mary Poppins” made it to the screen. Emma Thompson stars as author P. L. Travers and Tom Hanks as filmmaker Walt Disney, with supporting roles from Paul Giamatti, Jason Schwartzman, Bradley Whitford, and Colin Farrell.

Synopsis

W

hen Walt Disney’s daughters begged him to make a movie of their favorite book, P.L. Travers’ “Mary Poppins,” he made them a promise—one that he didn’t realise would take 20 years to keep. In his quest to obtain the rights, Walt comes up against a curmudgeonly, uncompromising writer who has absolutely no intention of letting her beloved magical nanny get mauled by the Hollywood machine. But, as the books stop selling and money grows short, Travers reluctantly agrees to go to Los Angeles to hear Disney’s plans for the adaptation.

For those two short weeks in 1961, Walt Disney pulls out all the stops. Armed with imaginative storyboards and chirpy songs from the talented Sherman brothers, Walt launches an allout onslaught on P.L. Travers, but the prickly author doesn’t budge. He soon begins to watch helplessly as Travers becomes increasingly immovable and the

rights begin to move further away from his grasp.

It is only when he reaches into his own childhood that Walt discovers the truth about the ghosts that haunt her, and together they set Mary Poppins free to ultimately make one of the most endearing films in cinematic history.

Inspired by true events, “Saving Mr. Banks” is the extraordinary, untold story of how Disney’s classic “Mary Poppins” made it to the screen—and the testy relationship that the legendary Walt Disney had with author P.L. Travers that almost derailed it.

“Saving Mr. Banks” is the first feature-length, theatrical drama to depict the iconic entrepreneur Walt Disney. P.L. Travers’ father was a banker and is the basis for the “Mary Poppins” story’s patriarch, Mr. Banks—the character in the book whom the famous fictional nanny comes to aid.

Source: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, Malaysia

Feb 2014 | Page 4

The Iskandarian | WAVES Lifestyle Calendar of Events

From the Land of Smiles … Thailand (part 2)

By Priya Manikam & Mithil Tawde editor@waveslifestyle.com

Day One (continued): Asiatique/Patpong

feb 2014 JB, 31st Jan - 1st Feb LEGOLAND CNY fireworks

1st - 2nd Feb Happy Chinese New Year!

JB, 8th Feb Fishing Competition Series 2014

Spore, 11th - 16th S’pore Air Show @ Changi

JB, 13th Feb ACCA Events @ Mutiara Hotel

14th February Happy Valentine’s Day!

Spore, 15th Feb Avril Lavigne Live in S’pore @ Indoor Stadium

JB, 17th - 21st Chingay Parade @ JB City

JB, 19th Feb Pasir Gudang World Kite Festival 2014

JB, 22nd February MY HipHop Future @ Dewan Jubli Intan

JB, 22th Feb Johor International Cat Show @ Plaza Angsana

JB, 28th Feb - 2nd Mac Perfect Livin ’14 @ Persada

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

admin@waveslifestyle.com

Head to Sathorn pier and take a boat to Asiatique night market (There is a free pickup and drop off service at this pier mentioning ASIATIQUE on the ferry). This is a good place to just chill or to take a stroll along the river as well as to shop for some souvenirs. If this is not your scene, then head to the infamous Patpong market but it would be wise not to bring along your children as the later part of night brings out the wild side of this place!

Central World Plaza – Ratchaprasong After resting for awhile, we decided to head out to the area that sells the famed “Pla Yang Klue” which is Grilled Fish with salt and lemongrass and “Tom Yam Koong Nam Sai”. We first stopped by the mall and after having no interest to shop that night, we headed to the short row of hawker stalls situated opposite the Central World Plaza. These foods are a MUST TRY when you are in Bangkok and are worth the effort to travel to even

if your hotel is away from this area! Both the dishes would cost you about 300 Thai Baht (RM30) and it tastes absolutely delicious, leaving you wanting for more if your stomach could do so! After this heavenly meal, we stopped over at the Elephant God and four-faced Buddha temple which attracts tourists from all over the world. We were told that it is a place where your wish comes true. We noticed that the influences of Hindu Gods are evident in Thailand and after our prayers, and feeling absolutely tired and full, we called it a night.

Day Two: - Strictly Shopping!

Once done with the usual breakfast drill, we hopped into the shuttle service from the hotel to MBK Center to do some shopping. This huge shopping mall which is 8 storeys high is quite well known for buying souvenirs, t-shirts and fake bags at reasonable rates. However, be prepared to bargain in order to get a good deal. It can take you several hours in this mall or a good half day to check out the shops and would be wise to take a break at their food court for some authentic Thai cuisine or International food. You are really spoiled for choices here and we’d recommend you to try the

Mango Sticky Rice, and Thai Green curry served with rice.

After a good lunch and a few bags in your hand, you can head back to Ratchaprasong (Siam Square) for more shopping choices at Platinum, Central World Plaza, or head to the posh Siam Paragon for the branded stuff. Besides this, you may also go to Siam Center/ Discovery Center for more shopping or click pictures with the “Who’s Who” at Madame Tussaud. Another well known shopping district in Bangkok is called Sukhumvit Rd but as we did not have the time, we gave it a miss. Conclusion: You may need extra days in Bangkok just for shopping per se!

Day Three: It’s time to bid farewell to Bangkok and head to Don Mueang Airport to Phuket. For those whom are not aware, most domestic flights now operate from this airport and if you have any connecting flights to Suvarnabumi International Airport, you can always hop into the free shuttle service plying from these two airports. The airport ground staffs can guide you on this and make sure you have ample of time.

Next stop – Phuket...

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AFTER SPM, WHERE DO I GO? (part 6) Asasi

A

sasi is a foundation course offered by the government, tailored to a specific university’s degree programme. The programme is usually a year in duration, but may stretch up to two years since students need to complete 38 credit hours. Most Asasi programmes are only offered to bumiputera students, with the exception of Asasi Sains Pertanian offered by UPM, UKM’s ASASIpintar and all of UPNM’s Asasi programmes. As with the matriculation programme offered by the government, there are two types of Asasi programmes – the one year programme

(PST) and the two-year programme (PDT).

Asasi programmes are offered

by UM, UIAM, UiTM, UPNM, USIM, UPNM, USM, UNIMAS and UKM. The fields offered are law, science, accounting, engineering and TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language).

As stated above, students who are interested in enrolling in an Asasi programme need to have bumiputera status (except for UPNM, UPM’s Asasi Sains Pertanian and UKM’s ASASIpintar) with a minimum of five credits in the SPM examinations, including in Bahasa Malaysia.

Similar to the Matriculation programme, Asasi programmes are also

subsidised by the government. Students get to study for free and on top of that, they are also given allowance of RM1,250 each semester.

For most of the Asasi courses, students who meet the minimum requirements will then be accepted to do their degrees at the same university that they completed their Asasi in. However, students of Asasi UM and certain programmes from Asasi UiTM have to reapply through the UPU to get a place either in the same university or any other university. Asasi students of other universities are not allowed to switch, therefore, those who intend to opt for Asasi should be very sure

as to which pathway they intend to take for their education.

The good thing about taking this programme is that students are able to specialise very early on and enter the working world faster than their peers who are taking diploma programmes. However, should they decide halfway that the course taken is not suited for them; it would be very difficult to switch to another course or another university. Students should also bear in mind that should they fail to complete the programme successfully, they have to pay back the full amount that was awarded to them by the government, and start over.

Follow this multiple part series next month

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Please Do Not Dig Your Ears!

Dr. Tay Huey Ling Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) doctor at Regency Specialist Hospital Graduated from of Oxford in United Kingdom, his specialties lie in treating hearing loss, balance disorders, dizziness, head & neck pathology, as well as voice & swallowing problems. He also does sinus surgery and cosmetic nasal surgery.

E

ar wax, also known as cerumen, is produced by special sebaceous glands in the outer part of the ear canal which contain hairs. It has the function of protecting the ear by trapping dirt and keeping the delicate ear canal skin clean and dry. Ear wax also contains antimicrobial substance to protect the ear canal skin from bacterial and fungal infections. So ear wax is usually a friend and not a foe. If left alone, the old earwax will gradually move with the ear canal skin outwards and new ear wax will be formed. The ear canal skin moves outwards like a very slow conveyer belt, getting rid of dirt automatically; hence the word self cleansing.

Normally, the ear canal PH is 4.5.

The acidic environment is important for the normal balance of flora. PH of sea water is more or less constant at 8-8.2. So when sea water gets into ear canals, the dilution by an alkaline medium will affect the growth

of bacteria and the normal protective mechanism of the ear.

The best way to take care of the ears is to leave the ear canals and its earwax alone. Do not go “mining” for wax.

Cotton buds are not promoted as a tool to remove earwax, but yet, they are used for exactly that purpose. Some people – and you know who you are – are literally addicted to using cotton buds in their ears every day after shower. Many will go through their entire lives thinking earwax is dirt, or implies that you are an unclean person, and wax must be removed. The dangers with using cotton bud include pushing wax deeper in and causing impacted wax on the eardrum or even perforated eardrum leading to conductive deafness. It also causes ear canal infection due to dirt being pushed in. In the worst situation, it can cause fracture of ossicles (middle ear bones) and inner ear damage leading to permanent deafness.

Never use hairpins or paper clips into your ears as well.

Some people use water lavage to flush out the ear wax. The “Waterpic” was very popular in the 1970’s. Designed as an adjunct to dental hygiene, the “Waterpic” proved to be an effective cleaning tool, especially helpful for those with braces.

However, the equipment was not tested to be used in the ear and unapproved uses are not encouraged. The force of the water jet is too high on the high setting and could easily

rupture the ear drum. One should not get the ear wet if there is a perforated eardrum.

There is a significant risk of causing serious ear infection.

Cleaning Although the advice is to leave the earwax alone, it can build up enough to block the ear canal. So what should one do if the ear canal is full of wax? One could try softening the wax with some olive oil or almond oil.

If the eardrum is intact one could try to dissolve the wax with half strength White Vinegar (white vinegar is 5% acetic acid) or 3% hydrogen peroxide drops.

One should dry the outer ear (pinna) gently with a clean soft towel after shower or swim. Tipping the head to the side will help

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drain any excess water in the ear canal. The safe way to dry the ear canal is to apply a few drops of Isopropyl alcohol (not Ethanol). If you experience burning sensation or pain then you may already have an ear infection or a perforated eardrum.

If the ear becomes painful or infected one should see the ENT doctor immediately.

The ENT doctor should be able to remove all wax and dirt in the ear canal using a small suction cannula. The doctor will normally use a microscope or eye loupes to visualise the ear canal clearly so that the procedure is done in the clinic safely. Any infection will be treated with the appropriate antibiotic (usually topically). The patient is advised not to get the ear wet and no swimming until the ear infection is cured.

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t can be difficult for adults to have to take care of their families and manage their careers. This can cause a lot of stress and anxiety. As a result, here are a few steps on how to take care of your family and career without getting stressed.

Try to set goals for yourself when you manage your family or career. When you go to work each day, try to set some goals for you to accomplish. For instance, let’s say your goal for today is to finish the report that your boss wants. At the end of the day, you will feel better about yourself knowing that you were able to finish that report. When you accomplish these smaller goals, you will feel happier, more confident, and less stressed.

Delegate part of your responsibilities.

When taking care of the family, get your spouse to help out. If your kids are older, get them to assist you. If you are at work, only take on what you can handle. Don’t try to do everything all at once. Learn to delegate and work with other people.

If you try to do everything, you will get stressed and anxious. A person can only do so much in a given day. Do not try to do everything. Learn to manage your

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responsibilities and if you feel like you are doing too much, then take a break and evaluate your situation.

Try to do things in terms of their importance. Let’s say that you have to clean the living room, go to the supermarket, and wash the dishes. You could go to the supermarket first since this is the most important thing that needs to be done, followed by the other two tasks later on.

Determine what needs to be done right now and do those particular tasks in order of importance.

Managing your family and career does not have to be very stressful. Learn to budget your time and manage your tasks. Eventually, you will be able to balance your career and family. If you still have trouble, then talk to a professional who can give you additional advice.

Stan Popovich is the author of “A Layman’s Guide to Managing Fear Using Psychology, Christianity and Non Resistant Methods” - an easy to read book that presents a general overview of techniques that are effective in managing persistent fears and anxieties. For additional information go to: http://www.managingfear.com/

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invest

ACCUMULATING WEALTH? ¬ Profit from the 80-20 Rule in Share Investment

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hile “Happy New Year” is what we always hear at the beginning of the year, I believe we will only be happier if we’ve made good progress in life. One of them is getting a handsome return through an investment.

Getting consistent result in share investment is about doing the right thing consistently. I’d like to share with you the lessons I’ve learned from the 80-20 Rule in share investment.

What exactly is the 80-20 Rule?

It’s also referred as the Pareto Principle. According to Wikipedia, “Management consultant Joseph M. Juran, suggested the principle and named it after an Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto, who observed in 1906 that 80% of the land in Italy was owned by 20% of the population”.

To relate this in our life, it means that 80% of your results come from 20% of the causes. As a rule of thumb in business, 80% of the total sales come from 20% of your clients. How about in share investment?

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Tey Bin Yuen is the founder of BY Enrich Resources and the author of ‘Life beyond the Comfort Zone’. His books are available at major bookstores in Singapore & Malaysia.

He’ll be conducting a seminar ‘Profit from Technical Analysis’ on 15 Feb 14. Reach him at contact@teybinyuen.com

What would be the 20% of activities that leads to 80% of the profits? Based on my experience, there are “4 Rs”, which if done always, would lead to consistent winning results. a) READ This is how you discover potential companies; either during an outing or by reading newspapers, magazines, technical charts and advertisements. The more awareness you have, the easier for you to discover great business. This allows you to decide whether to spend more time on the research. b) RESEARCH Making money from the share market is about doing your due diligence.

The more extensive research you do, the more confidence you have of your own decision. This part includes more extensive reading such as, analysing the company’s quarter / annual report, analysts’ publications, talking to someone who works

in the industry or in the company, and even by going to the site and ‘experiencing’ the company’s product or services. c) RECORD If the ‘buy’ call is made once solid research is done, it’s vital to record down all the details of the decision such as, the counter (company)’s name, number of shares bought, amount invested, date, and most importantly, WHY you bought this counter. d) REFLECT This is the critical step that determines

if you’ll make money consistently. For example, do you know why you made money this time?

And do you record the WHY? Likewise, it’s important to know why you lose money (too) and you record it. If you write and keep your records properly, you’d be able to review your success and areas of improvement.

In summary, it doesn’t really matter what numbers you apply. The important thing to understand is that, there are certain activities that you do would account for the majority of success in an endeavour. Once you’ve discovered the activities that produce great results, you’re on your way to replicate the success and profit consistently.

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Soulful Meal at Soul Thai

Soul Thai – First Visit

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was at Soul Thai restaurant at the invitation of Vincent, the Executive Director. At first look, Soul Thai’s imposing façade would make any budget conscious person like me think twice before stepping into the restaurant. Soul Thai is actually attached to its sister company Soul Asia which provides traditional Thai massage services.

Stepping inside Soul Thai, the very well appointed interior includes an exclusive private room which reinforces the impression that this restaurant is only for deep pockets but I was pleasantly surprised at how family and price friendly the dishes at Soul Thai are. Vincent has Thai family members and sharing Thai food with Johorians is one of the reasons for setting up Soul Thai.

The food here is prepared by Thai chefs led by Executive Chef Payup Suwong who is an award winning chef from Thailand.

Chef Payup has turned the tastes and flavours to suit local palates while honouring the essence of Thai cuisine.

Our lunch naturally started with Tom Yam Kung (RM17.90).The fresh shrimps and squid were cooked in a moderately spicy murky broth with fragrant lemon grass and herbs. This tangy, sweet, savoury, and spicy Tom Yam is a great way to “open the appetite” as they say in Chinese.

Next was their signature fried fish dish which is another favourite. Soul Thai uses live sea bass to make the fried fish. It is covered by a grassy looking blanket of lemongrass, spring onions, cashews, peanuts, chili and other ingredients. The whole fish is doused with a savoury spicy house blended sauce. It was definitely one of my favourites of the day.

I love Soul Thai’s Massaman curry chicken and potatoes (RM13.90). The curry is an interesting blend of sweet, savoury, mildly spicy and nutty. There are lots of roasted peanuts and cashews in the pot softened by cooking. In a way, this Massaman curry reminded me of Satay sauce but more

drippy. The fresh chicken pieces were tender and sweet. I liked this Massaman curry so much that I ate and drank up two bowls of it!

It is worth mentioning that Massaman curry is originally from South Thailand and was voted by CNN in 2011 as the World’s Number 1 most delicious food.

Personally, Soul Thai’s rendition of this Malay-Thai fusion dish is a Must Try. (On a side note, Tom Yam Kung was voted Number 8 and Penang Asam Laksa was Number 7.)

We then had fried crab in Thai curry. The curry had a dense complex mix of savoury and spicy flavours though it was pretty toned down in spiciness. The Thai style gravy was a tad greasy. However, I did like the refreshing sweet juicy crab meat which was mostly shielded from the curry by the shell.

As usual, Thai style fried rice was served. The pineapple rice was cooked with turmeric and topped with cashews, fried shallots, raisins, maize and peas.

Being mildly flavoured, the pineapple rice complements the more robustly flavoured Thai dishes well.

We also tried another of their signature dish which Vincent is quite proud off. The Thai style battered fried Kang Kong was a nice, crispy batter enveloping the crunchy green Kang Kong inside. A plate costs RM12.90 and accompanied by a dip made with coconut milk spiced up with curry and sweetened with chicken meat.

The meal never ends without deserts and I noticed that the Thai style Ice Kacang (or ABC) is different from the Malaysian variety. There are Attap seeds, ruby chestnuts, and Pandan worms in a bowl of coconut milk with ice. However, my favourite was the rubies chestnut with coconut milk. Both deserts were priced at RM4.90 each.

Overall, I enjoyed the meal and am looking forward to come back here to try their green curry, crab cooked in tang hoon, steamed squid and, of course, Phad Thai and maybe their Massaman curry beef too at my next visit.

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Soul Thai – Revisited This was my second invitation to Soul Thai restaurant in Taman Nusa Bestari. We made a date to come back here after our first visit as we did not have enough room in our stomach for more of our favourite Thai dishes.

As crab and glass noodle is one of my favourite crab dishes, we ordered Soul Thai’s Claypot Crab with Glass Noodle.

Price is seasonal and this was at RM80.

The live crab from Sarawak was meaty, juicy and tender. It tasted savoury and had the sweetness of the sea. We were really impressed with the glass noodles and it sponged up most of the savoury gravy and crab juices. Yet, the strands were still springy and stayed in shape with good bite.

This is a must try dish for all crab lovers.

Next up was Thai style steamed squid which is another of my favourite dishes. Soul Thai’s squid dish come soaking in soupy, tangy gravy and buried under a blanket of sliced lime, shredded cabbage, chili and parsley. Sweep aside the shroud of cabbage, chili and lime and the beautiful steamed squid emerges.

The squid was steamed just right. In the mouth, the fresh squid flesh felt bouncy and soft yet slightly chewy. The eggs felt milky and a little like jelly. The flavours were savoury and it complemented well with the tanginess, spiciness and sweetness of the gravy. I always liked steamed squid and Soul Thai’s version was very good. The presentation was also really lovely and the dish costs RM22.90.

We also had Soul Thai’s Green Curry Chicken in Coconut Milk. This was a bit too sweet and mild for me. If you like thick, creamy, sweet and very mild spice in your green curry, then this is for you. The dish costs RM14.90.

For dessert, we ordered steamed tapioca. It was really great and the tapioca was steamed just right. It was soft and felt like mashed potato. The tapioca had a slight refreshing taste and the soft fibres were loaded with sweet warm syrup made with sugar and coconut milk. The Steamed Tapioca with Sugar Syrup costs RM3.90.

I conclude that Soul Thai is definitely a good place for delicious Thai food in a nice environment at reasonable prices.

Restaurant name: Soul Thai Restaurant & Bistro Address: 3G, Jalan Bestari 3/5, Taman Nusa Bestari, Skudai Map: http://goo.gl/maps/J8HgL GPS: 1.492009,103.659587 Hours: 11:00am to 11:30pm No pork, no lard, No Halal cert

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Health and Fitness From A Proper Diet

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’m sure we all remember our parents telling us to eat our vegetables, and encouraging us to eat fruits, but all we wanted to do was to eat more candy!

In a world of fast food joints opening on every street corner and the subsequent increased obesity in both adults and children, it’s time to seriously consider our health.

Nutritionists have proven that fruits and vegetables form a very important part of a healthy diet and studies have shown that it helps prevent illnesses. These foods are also very good when you are dieting as they are quite filling and naturally low in fats and calories.

It is worth mentioning that many governments around the world recommend five servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

Eating the recommended amount daily as part of an overall healthy diet is likely to reduce the risks of chronic diseases including heart diseases and certain types of cancers which are historically the biggest killers of all.

Why eating five times a day, helpful?

Because, fruits and vegetables provide a variety of nutrients which include: Minerals, Antioxidants and Vitamins.

Research shows that only 1 in 7 of us eats the recommended amount of fruits

and vegetables daily.

Diet rich food containing fibre, such as that provided in many fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of heart disease, obesity and type 2 diabetes. Fibre is also very important for proper bowel movements. It helps reduce constipation and diverticulosis. Fibre-containing foods such as fruits help provide a feeling of fullness with fewer calories. Whole or cut-up fruits are sources of dietary fibres, whereas fruit juices contain little or no fibre.

Eating fruits and vegetables rich in potassium as part of an overall healthy diet may lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of developing kidney stones and also helps to decrease bone loss. Fruit sources of potassium include bananas, prunes and prune juice, dried peaches and apricots, cantaloupe, honeydew, melon, and orange juice.

Nutrients • Most fruits are naturally low in fat, sodium, and calories and none have cholesterol.

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Fruits are sources of many essential nutrients that are under consumed, including potassium, dietary fibre, vitamin C, and folate (folic acid).

Vitamin C is important for

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growth and repair all body tissues and helps in the healing of cuts and wounds, as well as keeping teeth and gums healthy.

supplements. This reduces the risk of neural tube defects, spina bifida, and anencephaly during fetal development.

Folate (folic acid) helps the body form red blood cells. Women of childbearing age who may become pregnant should consume adequate folate from foods, and in addition take 400 mcg of synthetic folic acid from fortified foods or

As experts in the fitness industry, our aim is about the whole body and health. Health and Fitness is not just about food and it’s not just about exercise.

It’s about a combination of both.

-By Kim Lee Tan – REPS Fitness, Johor

@home

ISSUE 18 | FEB 2014

T HE I SKANDAR I AN

PROPERTY

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RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS

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APARTMENTS

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VILLAS

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CONDOMINIUMS

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OFFICE/ RETAILSPACE

Cover Story Out with the old and in with the new; Designer Living in the Southern region >>page 27

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Design Living A

cross the nation, homeowners are investing heavily to convert their conventional looking home façade for a sleeker looking designer finish. Home remodeling is now on the rise with the boom in property market around Iskandar Malaysia.

With homeowners nowadays spending more time at home, maximising

their comfort in their invested surroundings has become a priority with intricate design details being looked at to enhance livability. Out with the old and in with the new is the chosen path for now and the new comes in fine living with tailor-made designer touch to reflect their individual taste and needs.

Achieving such a refined degree

of sophistication interior designing takes either innate taste or a highly educated aesthetic eye. Among the leading caterers to this market is Homlux Interior Furnishing who offer a fresh eye to conceptual tailor-made interior designing.

Ranging from articulated colour usage that sets the mood for that

particular space to tailor making a space based on specific needs, the designers provide a holistic conceptual solution to all needs of the market. Featured here is among the fine living introduced at Bandar Dato Onn’ as done by the Homlux Interior Team. For further information, contact Homlux Interior Furnishing www.homlux.com.my or +6072413341

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Iskandar Malaysia’s Property Sector Still Optimistic for 2014 Highlight: With 2014 showing signs of caution in the property investment sector, Iskandar Malaysia still surges forward with a steady stream of confidence

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he year of the horse has begun with signs of caution in the air with a wait-and-see approach being indicated by many investors. Many are holding back to see the real impact from the property cooling measures.

The cooling measures are not something new as many other countries would have also resorted to similar measures to ensure locals were not sidelined and denied from owning houses.

Buyers would be more cautious on the new policies – the real property gains tax (RPGT) and the hike in ceiling price from RM500,000 to RM1million for foreign property buyers. Foreign buyers however will continue to buy properties in Medini, Nusajaya as there was no restriction to foreign ownership in the area and they were not subject to the RPGT. There is still much hype over the 902ha Medini township in Iskandar Malaysia. Medini’s exemption has provided a significant boost to Eastern & Oriental Bhd’s (E&O) Avira Wellness

Johor Bahru town which is still seeing pockets of development. development.

Analysts say that fundamental demand for properties in Iskandar

would remain high and strong as long as developers could adapt to their products to suit this demand.

(filepic by Zarakay)

The outlook is still good as properties are fetching good yields and are the best hedge against inflation.

Property Investment

¬ End Results Depend on Early Intentions Ed Cheong is the Singapore founder of the Iskandar Malaysia Investors Forum and Rafflesland Group of Companies which provides platform for property investors to gain insights and world-class investment strategies. He is contactable at iskandar@rafflesland.com or +65 97111271

M

any readers, developers, investors and home owners have written to me with questions on the future of Iskandar region based on recent economic and socio-political policy changes, and my replies to them are as the following: I have invested in residential properties in Nusajaya but with the constantly changing rules of ownership and taxes, should I continue to hold on to my properties?

I can understand your anxiety well. Even developers have held back new launches in view of dampened sentiment due to both anti-speculation measures and local Johor taxes on foreign buyers. The answer depends on your own original investment

plans. In a policy-induced shift, short term investors or speculators who overbought and over-borrowed depending on rental for loan servicing are the worst affected.

Investing in emerging regions based on future rental returns bar commercial and industrial properties is foolhardy. During the global financial crisis, the lack of rental is the single largest contributing factor to the downturn in all major property markets. Add the rising interest rates due soon, you have a potential emergency on hand.

For those who are prudent, staying positive will sustain the current cycle to allow them to enjoy their homes with long term asset price appreciation. Early buyers, who have the best of locations, are the most fortunate. For the rest, keep learning how to navigate through these necessary measures by following this column.

With the recent announcement of the addition of three economic nodes in the Iskandar region, which are the Eastern, Western and Senai-Kulai areas, and what incentives do these offer and how will existing developers in Medini be affected?

Many developers in Medini are mulling

over the impact of these new economic nodes on their land. Again, developers and end investors have one thing in common; they make decisions based on intentions.

The shorter and more commoditised their vision, the more they get hurt whenever strategic shifts take place. Genuine value creators with the local community in mind welcome these new expanded nodes with glee.

On the three new nodes, I welcome them with open arms. It overcomes the lack of synergistic, cross industry development which the original plan lacks. With these new zones, which incentives are still under planning, Iskandar will be a mega economic area. It stretches the end goal timeline and therefore investment return.

But it makes strategic sense to me as it gives many more years of healthy job creation to raise the standards of living of the people of Johor. If you have followed my thinking, I am always looking at what returns can the peope of Johor enjoy first. With so many new government led projects for the people, why should anyone be worried?

Instead we should celebrate this bold decision the state and federal governments have made for industrialisation to be the economic transformation cornerstone of Johor.

As a Singapore business owner, I am concerned with the unabated reportage of crimes in the Johor region. How does one invest in the Iskandar region especially building and relocating manufacturing facilities from Singapore?

Other than raising income and job creation, tackling crime is the single most important tipping point for the success of Iskandar.

These three factors are interlinked.

I am sure the authorities agree with this.

While they have made strides in better security infrastructure and manpower to prevent crime, publishing crime and incidents resolution statistics on a frequent basis will help. Doing town hall meetings with residents is another good way to know the anxiety level. New York is a good example where it turned from being a crime story to the top city to invest in the USA. So, it is doable and Johor should aim to be the safest place in the country with confidence.

Meanwhile, the best location sites are those with reputable developers who have a strong record in location selection.

Do email me if you are looking for my recommendations at iskandar@rafflesland. com.

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Property Corner ¬ The Singapore Effect A.Devadason CA(M), FCCA, MDRT Deva is a partner in the firm of Dason & Dason, Chartered Accountants who specialice in tax advisory and consultancy.

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

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ew property prices in Johor Bahru (JB) are at stratospheric levels and I suspect, on a square foot basis, is probably the highest in Malaysia now. I don’t have statistical data to prove but it sure does feel like it.

Consumer goods as well as produce at the wet markets are obscenely priced and I wonder how the lower income group even survive these days.

When asked why JB is experiencing this nasty phenomenon, the finger is readily pointed at Singaporeans. They seem to be at the receiving end on almost anything that has a price on it!

I think it’s not fair to blame them for everything that’s price related. To a large extent, JB’s prosperity is largely dependent on Singapore. Just like most border towns of the world, prices tend to be higher than the national average.

It is said that over 100,000 Malaysians cross into Singapore on a daily basis for their employment. These people bring back valuable Singapore Dollar into Malaysia and enjoy a higher than average per capita income.

With a stronger purchasing

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power, these Malaysians also possess higher disposable income to spend on discretionary items such property investments, holidays, better quality food, luxury items, and et cetera. So, Johorians who earn Dollars have also contributed to the increase in prices.

The state of Johor has ample land for its entire population many times over.

Look around and it’s still possible to see oil palm plantations within 25km radius of JB City. Then why have prices gone up? Well, if one were to see positively, we have to thank our southern neighbour.

Their strong Dollar has created demand, and investors who bought into property many years ago are able to realise profits on their investment.

Singaporeans in a way have helped create wealth by merely buying into new properties and older properties within the same area resulting in an automatic increase in value. Isn’t this also enriching Malaysians?

To attract investments, our government has also improved on infrastructures such as the Coastal Highway, fibre optic connection, tax breaks for returning Malaysians and many others. Didn’t this improve the standard of living for Johorians? Aren’t we able to reach home faster and have better internet connection?

While Singaporeans have contributed to price escalation, we must balance that criticism with merits. The city state not only provides employment, it also assisted in better lifestyle and helped create wealth and conveniences.

The Iskandarian

Quick Reads

PR1MA vs PR1SMA Housing

PR1MA

PR1SMA

JB: Housing Developments – ‘the boom and bust’ bubble? (part 2) Steve Cowen A local business owner who specialises in helping clients to get the most from their website and online marketing activities. He is also the Principal of the leading locally owned International School in JB. You can learn more about Steve and contact him directly at my.linkedin.com/ in/stevejcowan/

T

he situation with housing may not be an awful lot different. There are new developments springing up here and there, seemingly without any focused planning and as someone who has lived through catastrophic property ‘boom and

bust’ phases in Europe, I question how long this can continue?

There are too many unanswered questions and so far, no-one seems ready to propose solutions.

Starting with the most obvious, are there too many constructions in anticipation of a deluge of new JB residents that might never happen? Do you really need a new condo thrown up everywhere you look, seemingly with little or no coordinated planning? Isn’t it damaging the unique nature of what made JB what it was?

Even if the population explosion does continue, is it sustainable or is it the first leg of the classic ‘boom and bust’ bubble?

Who knows? But it certainly bears

enough resemblance to what has happened (primarily in the UK) to be a real cause for concern.

Sadly, those that say it’s not a bubble are always 100 per cent right until the day they are 100 per cent wrong, but the longer the property prices and the availability of property climbs, the more cause for concern there should be.

What happens when all these ‘in it for profit’ owners (speculators is such a dirty word, right?) start selling at exactly the same time a few years down the line? What becomes of property prices then?

I don’t want to be overly pessimistic, but every pronouncement I’ve heard about Johor in the recent past has been so overwhelmingly positive that I can’t

help wondering where the balance in the conversation is going to come from.

I don’t pretend to have all the answers to the questions I’ve posed, and I may be doing someone, somewhere who actually has every solution right there in front of them a terrible disservice by doubting him, her or them. Moreover, the purpose of this article is not to denigrate current achievements or point the finger of blame at anyone.

However, I feel that we should be asking these questions rather than accepting everything we see, hear and read. Only by doing can we actively help to ensure that the best of what we’ve seen in Johor and Iskandar Malaysia in recent times keeps on happening!

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The Iskandarian Issue 18 | JAN 2014 Advertisement

The Iskandarian Issue 18 | JAN 2014 Advertisement