The Iskandarian E-Paper June 2020 by The Iskandarian-WAVES Lifestyle

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the

ISKANDARIAN

Iskandar Malaysia’s Official Newspaper is an effort by True Soul Media PLT & Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA)

ISSUE 94

Iskandar Malaysia

JUNE 2020

Monthly Drill

USTDA Advances Smart City Priorities Page 3

KPRJ Brings Hope

Accumulating Wealth

Page 23

Page 15

Light at the End of the Tunnel

with Serena Yong, CEO of Regency Specialist Hospital Page 7

Body temperature screening in progress at Senai International Airport main entrance

Senai International Airport Upgrades Travelling Procedures

enai International Airport is all set with upgraded travelling procedures and new measures to ensure passengers’ health safety as airlines resume more domestic flights in stages for the upcoming weeks. Amongst the additional measures

and procedures include requiring all passengers and airport users to wear face mask and undergo body temperature screening at the airport entrance with only those temperature below 37.5ºC will be allowed to enter the building. To ensure the procedure implementation, the entry and exit to the terminal building is limited to the main entrance only and is controlled by the Aviation Security personnel. Senai International Airport has also put in place measures for passengers to practice

social distancing by placing 1-metre separation markings at the common areas including at the check-in counters, seating areas, boarding gates, elevators, baggage pick-up area and others. Meanwhile, hand sanitizers, soap and water are made available around the terminal area and washrooms to encourage good personal hygiene amongst the airport users. “Apart from continuous disinfecting and sanitizing of high usage areas, the airport has recently undergone a full-scale

Mother Temple Comes to the Aid of the Needy

Temple President K. Kiruppalini KMN

he management of Johor Bahru’s century-old Hindu temple, Arulmigu R ajamariamman Devasthanam Temple stepped up to provide aid to the society during the Movement Control Order (MCO). K. Kiruppalini KMN, President of temple trustee unveiled a RM200,000 aid plan which included a welfare fund of RM30,000 to help needy families with groceries and cash, rental waiver with

As more flights resume, new measures are in place

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a reduction of 20% till August 2020 for the flower shops along Jalan Ungku Puan which is estimated to cost around RM150,000 and another RM20,000 which is to be channelled to other subsidies.

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disinfection exercise in cooperation with Johor State Fire and Rescue Department to protect our airport users,” said Md Derick Basir, Chief Executive Officer of Senai Airport. With the new travelling procedures implemented, passengers are advised to arrive at the airport 90 minutes before departure time to avoid long queue. Passengers are also encouraged to use online check-in to save time and ensure smooth travel. - by The Iskandarian TI

The temple which is also known as the ‘mother temple’, manages the Hindu crematorium along Jalan Kebun Teh which will remain open as a social obligation to serve the community. - by Norfy Shafeq TI www.theiskandarian.com

THE ISKANDARIAN

ISSUE 94 | JUNE 2020

NEWS

NGOs Lead the Way SEND LETTERs or inquiries to facebook.com/theiskandarian editor@theiskandarian.com www.theiskandarian.com

Our Friends

IMSHA winners network of NGOs & NGIs collaborate to provide aid

umble people from various backgrounds a n d b e l i e fs c a m e together to fulfil social needs of the community by contributing their time and efforts to do their part to improve the lives of others. Iskandar Malaysia Social Hero Awards (IMSHA) winners’ network of NGOs and Volunteers gathered the strength of 130 volunteers who devoted themselves to serve 1178 families. The initiative was

led by IMSHA winners Ihsan Johor and Yayasan Kebajian Suria. “ The vo l u n t e e r s a re assembled in staggered phases to ensure social distancing was maintained. We all want to serve the community, but we must also adhere to the Movement Control Order (MCO) and ensure steps are taken accordingly,” said Farrah Baptist, CEO of Ihsan Johor who coordinated the programme. In total, around 120 baskets or 4 tonnes of non-leafy vegetables and 200 chickens which was cut in half was packed by the volunteers. The vegetable produce was donated by Persatuan Kebajikan Sooriya Udhayam, Kulai and the chickens were donated by Aqina Farms.

IMSHA Chairman Thanam Visvanathan, Yayasan Kebajikan Suria James Ho, Ihsan Johor Farrah Baptist and IMSHA Founder Edey Suresh The programme is part of a food aid campaign which will have five series overall. In total, 1178 families in the Masai, Larkin

New Norm in Schools upon Reopening

Gleneagles MEDINI

“In The Arms Of One Who Cares”

The Ministry of Education will provide constant guidance and support

r Mohd Radzi Md Jidin, Education Minister has recognised the challenges that may prevail when schools reopen after the Movement Control Order (MCO) is lifted and that includes ensuring social distancing among students during lesson time and around the school compound. All schools will be informed two weeks in advance before the actual opening day. New norms for schools will include hosting half the usual amount of students; 17 students maximum per classroom. “Large classes (however) can house a little over 20 students,” he

said during a live tv Teachers Day interview, while adding that schools may alternatively utilise school halls as makeshift classrooms. Students will also receive prepacked food served in school canteens and no gatherings are allowed, citing the ministry is putting the safety and health of students as the top priority. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for students will be implemented and as the Form Five and Six students make up the smallest number, they would be the first batch to start school where it is easier to control and monitor while ensuring the appropriate SOPs are being carried out properly without a hitch with the teachers to take up the role as SOP enforcer. Additional details on other groups of students to return to school will be disclosed later. The ministry is also looking into how to improve education for students both in schools and at home, encouraging home-based learning among students post-MCO. - by Norfy Shafeq TI

Education Minister Dr Mohd Radzi Md Jidin (pic: Jabatan Penerangan Johor Facebook page)

and Kempas areas were the beneficiaries. The programme was completed in under three-hours. by Edey Suresh TI

MICCI: MCO is to Flatten the Curve, Not to Eradicate the Virus

ince the Movement Control Order (MCO) was on effect nationwide since March 2020 to curb COVID-19 pandemic, the Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MICCI) through their media statement, expressed their gratitude to the government especially to Ministry of Health where frontliners are working tirelessly, then further reminded the initial intent of MCO is to flatten the curve and not to eradicate the virus completely. “It’s time to make decisions based not on fear but facts. The facts are that the Malaysian mortality rate from COVID-19 is extremely low and almost all the deaths are from underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and cancer,” said MICCI President president Datuk Tan Cheng Kiat. The 183-years old chamber cited them going through two world wars and multiple economic events and added that a prolonged MCO will have far more damage to the country’s well-being than the epidemic itself given that the death rate is exponentially lower than existing non-communicable

Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MICCI), Datuk Tan Cheng Kiat diseases or even the common flu. He pointed out that, “Some key mid to long term effects of prolonged MCO are irreversible damage to the country’s fiscal health, loss of reputation as a global supply chain provider, loss of confidence from foreign direct investments, delayed education of future human talents and potential loss of employment of more than a million employees”. “In conjunction with the final lifting of the MCO, active enforcement of MOH SOP compliance, localised EMCO, border controls, social distancing and sanitary practices should continue,” added Datuk Tan Cheng Kiat. - by Norfy Shafeq TI

Published by True Soul Media PLT [No.51-B, Jalan Impian Emas 5/1, Taman Impian Emas, 81300 Johor Bahru] Printed by Percetakan Osacar Sdn Bhd [No. 16, Jalan IDA 1a, Industrial Desa Aman, Taman Desa Aman, Kepong, 52200 Kuala Lumpur] Copyright of articles, contributions and photos which are published by The Iskandarian is the property of True Soul Media PLT. The Iskandarian does its best to ensure the authenticity and accuracy of its contents, the publisher cannot accept any responsibilities for errors, mistakes and inaccuracies. The publisher reserves the rights of this product and no part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the permission of the publisher.

ISSUE 94 | JUNE 2020

THE ISKANDARIAN

NEWS

USTDA Advances Iskandar Malaysia’s Smart City Priorities

.S. Trade and Development Agency announced it will provide grant funding for technical assistance that will transform how Malaysia’s fast-growing Iskandar Malaysia region manages its urban planning and development through advanced data analytics. “USTDA’s targeted investments will help Iskandar Malaysia collect, manage and

disseminate data that will facilitate urban planning and policy making,” said Thomas R. Hardy, USTDA’s Acting Director. “U.S. companies possess the most innovative and cutting-edge solutions in this policy space and are eager to partner with Iskandar Malaysia to achieve its ambitious smart city goals.” Specifically, USTDA’s grant to the Iskandar Regional Development Authority

(IRDA) will develop implementation plans for the Iskandar Malaysia Urban Observatory (IMUO) project, a top smart cities priority for Malaysia. Iskandar Malaysia is an economic region with a holistic development agenda covering economy, social and environment. It is located within the State of Johor in Southern Malaysia and encompasses more than 2.0 million people across five cities. Through this collaboration and the use of smart technologies, as well as advanced regional data analytics, USTDA foresees Iskandar Malaysia becoming a premier sustainable and inclusive “smart region.” “IMUO collates and analyses data into information that can assist the government, businesses and people make timely and informed decisions. This smart peopletechnology partnership is becoming more important as we try to understand, plan and adapt to the fast changing and challenging local and global environment which is also embracing an ever innovative and progressive online economy. We are pleased to have received the trust, acknowledgement and support, from USTDA in this big data initiative that will definitely benefit the many parties within

and around the region,” said Datuk Ismail Ibrahim, Chief Executive of IRDA. U.S. businesses interested in submitting proposals for the USTDA-funded technical assistance should visit the USTDA website at https://www.ustda.gov/businessopportunities. IRDA also welcomes any parties who are interested to jointly work on their Smart City initiatives at www. iskandarmalaysia.com.my/SCIM. This collaboration between IRDA and USTDA is part of the Asian Smart City Network (ASCN) initiative. - by The Iskandarian TI

Virtual signing of MoU between both parties

Pantai & Gleneagles Hospitals Nationwide Launches eHealth Video Consultation Giving patients convenient access to treatment options with their preferred specialist

atients can now have online access to close to 200 specialists, with more to come, at 11 Pantai Hospitals and 4 Gleneagles Hospitals via the newly launched eHealth Video Consultation service. The easy-to-use virtual consultation platform allows patients to seek medical consultation with their preferred specialists from the comfort of their homes to identify the appropriate treatment options. For a start, teleconsultations are open to existing patients from Pantai Hospitals & Gleneagles Hospitals for a variety of specialties such as Cardiology, Oncology, Orthopaedic, Neurology, Dermatology, Nephrology, Paediatrics, Urology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Ophthalmology, Psychiatry and many more. Patients can also choose to have medications delivered to their doorstep or arrange for pick-up at the hospitals. eHealth Video Consultation is most importantly a private and secured online consultation platform for patients to consult specialists of their choice. “We live in uncertain times but access to quality healthcare should not be compromised. While it’s safe for patients

to visit our hospitals as we have put in place strict infection control procedures to protect our patients and staff, the launch of eHealth Video Consultation is a value added service to help patients who are unable to visit our hospitals for whatever reasons,” said Parkway Pantai’s Chief Executive Officer of Malaysia Operations Division, Jean-Francois Naa. He further reassured that Pantai and Gleneagles Hospitals commit to ensure uninterrupted provision of specialists and services. The launch of eHealth Video Consultation is testament to its efforts to constantly evolve and revolutionise its medical practises with systems to keep up with current and future needs. “We want to provide patients with continuous care, giving them more convenience and access to consultation to a specialist of their choice. This is the driving force behind the launch of this platform,” he continued. Appointment booking on eHealth Video Consultation platform is simple with only four easy steps: First, patients need to visit the respective hospital’s eHealth Video Consultation appointment page. Then select their preferred specialist, date and time slot. Next, they will be prompted to create their eHealth account using their mobile number and fill-up the patient details. Lastly, appointment is confirmed via SMS upon receipt of payment with options of online banking, credit or debit card and eWallet. An SMS reminder will be sent

closer to the patient’s appointment date and on appointment day, patient needs to logon to the eHealth Video Consultation website and click ‘enter video room’ for their scheduled consultation. Currently eHealth Video Consultation is available to follow-up patients, from Pantai and Gleneagles Hospitals, be it in Malaysia or overseas. While eHealth Video Consultation is easy and convenient, patients should seek immediate medical attention in case of an emergency or for any major health concerns, by visiting our nearest hospital. Pantai and G l e n e a g l e s Hospitals are part of Parkway Pantai, one of Asia’s largest integrated private healthcare providers operating in Malaysia, Singapore, India, Greater China, Brunei and Sri Lanka. For eHealth Video Consultation

Appointment Booking, please log on to; Gleneagles Hospital’s eHealth at: https://gleneagles.ehealth.com.my Pantai Hospital’s eHealth at: https://pantai.ehealth.com.my TI

THE ISKANDARIAN

ISSUE 94 | JUNE 2020

Telecommuting: A Take on Productivity or Procrastination? Home is where your productivity is. Or is it?

s the new generation starts streaming into the workforce, companies are attempting to shift the paradigm of working culture by adopting disruptive designs and working programmes to engender a more conducive working environment. Open office concept that features transparenc y and boasts lateral communication to greater emphasis on work-life balance resulted in a particular working arrangement favoured by a myriad of multinational companies — working from home or telecommuting which became an unavoidable reality during COVID-19 lockdowns around the world. Based on a 2018 survey by TalentCorp, only 16% of

Malaysian employers consider telecommuting as a potential working arrangement. For starter, telecommuting presents a flexible schedule for employees. They are offered a certain extent of freedom and convenience to meet deadlines. For instance, some employees may have childcare to tend to so they can have peace of mind before attempting a project. Certain employees excel burning the night oil whereas some are productive in the wee hours of the morning. In addition, such comfort zones may induce creativity and results in higher productivity or better quality of work. Though many appreciated the flexibility, the main setback is that telecommuters may be exposed to a higher level of distractions and propensity to procrastinate due to the flexibility and lack of monitoring. With media-ondemand, it is not surprising to discover telecommuters underperforming because of

the latest season of a show being aired or they are spending working hours to check off the weekend list of chores. Along a similar vein, office distractions exist too. For example, the dreaded yet inevitable office gossips which otherwise could be converted into clocked productive working hours. Telecommuting may spell the end to micromanaging employees and numerous studies have shown that its efficacy in boosting productivity, but it is essential to acknowledge that telecommuting is highly dependent on the nature of the industry as well as personality of the individuals for it to be efficient. So is Malaysia ready for this shift even post CMCO?- by Izzbil TI **The facts and views expressed are solely that of the author/authors and do not necessarily reflect that of the editorial board.

NEWS

Safety Measures On-Board

ith no near end to COVID-19 pandemic and people anxious to get back to their families, some of the airlines abroad have already stepped up to bring people home safely. Locally, AirAsia has recently resumed its normal flights and this also included recovery flights to bring people home. As passengers wellbeing are taken care off with required temperature screenings and so on, the crew’s health is also paramount as they take care of passengers’ needs on board. With this in mind, AirAsia introduced new personal protective equipment (PPE) COVID-19 uniforms for its cabin crews. The uniforms are complete with matching medical face masks, plastic visors, and disposable gloves. The outfit reminds you of what the Formula One race car drivers wear. Airline spokesperson Malik Ridhwan Zaihan said in a statement to CTVNews.ca that AirAsia Philippines initiated a trial run of the customised PPE uniform during a recent recovery

alaysians returning from abroad will have to bear 50% of the RM150 per day quarantine cost starting 1st June. All non-Malaysians including permanent residents and dependents, meanwhile, will have to pay the full cost. Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said all returnees will have to sign agreements to pay the necessary costs before they can

make the journey home. “A lot of non-Malaysians married to Malaysians did not want to pay. Now they will have to sign the agreement first,” he said. He added that the Malaysian embassies overseas would issue the letter to be signed before the individuals concerned board their flights. The immigration department meanwhile will notify all airlines

to ensure that the letter has been signed. As for those under the Malaysia My Second Home programme, he said they too would be allowed to enter the country. “But it will not be automatic. They will have to apply. We will need to see which country they are coming from as some of them may be coming from high-risk countries.” .- by The Iskandarian TI

L.A.-based Filipino designer Puey Quinones designed the one-piece suit for AirAsia cabin crews (Pic credit from Tony Fernandes Instagram)

All the Useful Websites That You Need uring this MCO period, our lives are pretty much existing digitally. Most of us didn’t anticipate this situation but it has somehow become the new normal that we’ve adapted and perhaps the right move forward technological wise. Here are some useful websites that may actually help you with local council’s payment even after the MCO is lifted.

Malaysians Abroad to Pay 50% of Quarantine Cost

flight and further assessment of the design is underway. Meanwhile, AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes clarified via his Instagram account that the new uniforms will only be used for rescue flights and not during their normal flights. AirAsia flights have already resumed its flights in Malaysia with its other operations in Thailand, India, Indonesia, and the Philippines to follow suit subject to approval from the authorities.by Priya Manikam TI

MyPay MyPay is a comprehensive source for consolidating government services on a single platform covering information, services, and payment. You can get a personalised service where you as users will receive reminders for all government due dates and what is even better; you will receive reward points for in-app transactions! Head over to their website and synchronise all your government agencies-related business in all in one place https://mypay.com.my/main E-Khidmat This site is similar to MyPay that is catering to local pay, mostly

district councils. If you’re looking to pay your compound, license, taxes, premise rental fee and even to fill in tender form. You can also place your booking for halls, courts and other facilities under Johor’s district councils. Check out http://johor. ekhidmat.my/ekhidmat/ for their variety of services that you can tap in. It is also available as smartphone’s application in both App Store and Google Play. MyEG Yes. It has been 20 years since MyEG was first launched and it is still, the best to use if you are in need to renew various types of permits and check your summons, or renew your insurance. Do take some time to go through it and it would benefit you greatly -https://www.myeg. com.my/ We hope these sites will come in handy, and if you know of any other useful websites that we need to know, drop us an email or message us in our social sites so we can share it with more readers. - by Norfy Shafeq TI

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THE ISKANDARIAN

ISSUE 94 | JUNE 2020

Over 15,000 Johor Employees Affected by Pay Cuts and Unemployment

ohor Health and Environment Committee chairman R. Vidyananthan has given a total figure of 15,597 employees in Johor that had their salaries cut or being retrenched during the Movement Control Order (MCO) period, with 11,110 employees receiving payment cuts, 1,443 being laid off and 180 workers quitting their employment. According to Vidyananthan’s daily Johor COVID-19 updates dated 30th April, the data was collected by Johor Labour Department where 398 Johor employers have made their application to state their employees’ termination or payment reduction due to the requirement being made under Section 63 of the Employment Act 1955 for employers to submit any statement of employment being withdrawn or terminated through the PK Form. The PK Form, an official government form is required to be submitted to the nearest labour office. The form carries information such as reasons for the retrenchment, number of workforce, number of workers involved in the voluntary

separation scheme, and etc. Vidyananthan said the total figure of 15,597, included 1,443 permanent retirements, voluntary layoffs (180), temporary layoffs (2,864) and salary reductions (11,110). “ The Johor Labour Department and DOSH will contact the employers to advise them in complying with the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342) and if the employers still fails to comply with the directive, the special task force will contact the employer to present themselves for the purpose of complying with the enforcement order,” said Vidyanathan. Disobeying the order will see a visit of the special task force at their premises and it may or may not involve the police to enforce the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342). He has also updated that the state authorities are monitoring employers closely and extended it to their related accommodation providers which are involved directly in the management of foreign workers all over the state. - by Norfy Shafeq TI

NEWS

IMSHA’s Social Heroes COVID-19 Aid Awareness Report

oday, more than 820 million people regularly go to bed hungry. That’s one in nine of the global population. Hunger kills more people every year than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined. Undernutrition is the cause of around 45% of deaths among children under five. Hunger increases one’s risk of chronic diseases. Hunger traps people in poverty. Hunger kills. In Johor, 15,597 employees are facing unemployment or salary reduction throughout the Movement Control Order (MCO). This means the poverty statistics will need to be recalculated and the number of people going to bed hungry in our beloved state becomes a guessing game. Households which were already facing financial stress can’t cope with fulfilling their basic needs of functioning and to cater to the needs of the household. The ripple effects of hunger can be huge as societal impacts can range from psychological disorders to an

IMSHA Winner Kelab Alami providing food for foreign workers increase in crime. Social Hero Foundation (SHF) and Iskandar Malaysia Social Hero Awards (IMSHA) which has around 60 Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and 60 Non-governmental individuals (NGIs) in our IMSHA Winners Network saw 25 of our Hero organisations and individuals mobilising aid to help disadvantaged communities such as the poor, the stateless, the homeless and refugees in the city.

The report will help to briefly capture the work of these organisations, the reach impact as well as the financial expenditure from the 18th of March till the 12th of May 2020. Without the involvement of NGOs and NGIs, we will not be able to close the gap of disparity and effectively reducing inequality. The report is available for download on Iskandar Malaysia Social Hero Awards Facebook page. - by Edey Suresh TI

Saving Grace for the Tourism Industry amidst Pandemic Johor State Tourism, Youth and Sports committee announces incentives for the state’s tourism industry

ohor State Tourism, Youth and Johor State Tourism, Youth and Sports committee announced incentives to

provide aid for the state’s tourism industry that has been severely affected by the Movement Control Order (MCO) introduced to curb the fast spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a press statement on 21st May, Johor Tourism, Youth and Sports committee chairman Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi addressed the struggles faced by the tourism industry players. Hotels are facing large numbers of booking cancellations from domestic and foreign travellers and so are homestay

operators, travel agencies, tourist guides, tourism product owners as well as supporting industry players. Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi announced tourism incentives in 3 different segments under the Johor Ihsan Economic Stimulus Package. A one-off cash aid of RM1,000 as will be granted to the 936 licensed tour guides operating in the state totalling to an estimated RM936,000. Tourism businesses and hotels will be exempted from business license fees for the year 2020 (about RM894,211) benefiting 1,031 businesses

around Johor. The final aid is for theme parks and family entertainment centres’ whereby entertainment duty fees will be waived. This will total to an estimated RM3million. More information can be obtained via Tourism Johor Facebook page at https:// www.facebook.com/tourismjohor/ Datuk Onn Hafiz also mentioned that the committee is in the process of developing both short and long term strategies to restore and improve the competitiveness of the state’s tourism industry post COVID-19 situation. - by Norfy Shafeq TI

ISSUE 94 | JUNE 2020

THE ISKANDARIAN

NEWS

MONTHL

Serena Yong Chief Executive Officer Regency Specialist Hospital Serena Yong does not primarily come from a Health and Medicine Services industry. Prior to joining HMI Group under Regency Hospital as a Chief Executive Officer, Serena has clocked up close to 30 years of experience in the Information Technology industry.

DRILL

Her long tenure with HP Singapore began in 1988 when she joined the company as a Product Specialist responsible in managing personal computer and printing demos as well as presentations. After taking some time off to enjoy motherhood, Serena came back to the IT industry in 2000 as a Product Marketing Manager in HP Asia Pacific Region and rose through the management ranks right up to Managing Director of HP Inc Singapore. In 2018, Serena Yong was appointed the CEO of Regency and is responsible in spearheading the overall growth and development of the Hospital into becoming a leading comprehensive care hospital in Johor Bahru and Malaysia. Tell us more about Regency Specialist Hospital and its uniqueness Founded in 2009, Regency Specialist Hospital (Regency) based in Johor, Malaysia, is a reputable progressive tertiary care private hospital with a current bed capacity of 218 and serving more than 172,000 patients annually through quality medical services at affordable rates. Strategically located within Iskandar Malaysia in the growing township of Bandar Seri Alam, Johor, Regency’s patients have access to advance specialty care from more than 80 full-time specialists and visiting consultant specialists across a wide range of medical and surgical disciplines supported by advance medical and diagnostic facilities. As the only private hospital in Malaysia offering 24-hour emergency and trauma service by specialists who are boardcertified in emergency medicine; Regency has five Centres of Excellence focusing on Emergency and Trauma, Digestive Healthcare, Heart and Lung, Neuroscience and Neurospine, and Women and Children. It is also the only hospital in the Southern region of Malaysia to offer Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) service for seriously ill patients in need of cardiac and respiratory support. The hospital’s team of specialists, nursing and allied health care providers are always ready to serve with competence, compassion and collaboration. Has there been a change in business continuity during this COVID-19 pandemic? Yes, there has been. Our top priority is to ensure the safety of our patients and their loved ones, doctors, nurses and support staff. Our services continue to operate throughout the COVID-19 pandemic but we have put in place several initiatives for our customers to safely access our medical facilities as well as services at the convenience of their home. Appointments can now be made online via https:// appointment.regencyspecialist.com/#home/ and refilling of prescriptions for patients who are on chronic medications during the MCO period can be made over a phone call; the delivery and pick up service for our retail services is made available (for more information: www.regencyretail.com), and those who want to make an appointment for COVID-19 screening can make an

appointment with us two days in advance and upon screening, the results will be ready within three days. New medical services and facility enhancements will be announced on Regency’s website, Facebook and Instagram from time to time. What are some of the measures and SOPs initiated by Regency to curb the spread of COVID-19? We have taken enhanced measures to protect everyone. Our frequency of cleaning using disinfectants has been increased and we also carry out deep cleaning at the counters, office, lobby area and common areas. Hand sanitizers are prominently and sufficiently located. Mandatory pre-screening and filling up of health declaration form at hospital entrance has been introduced. We introduced a traffic light inspired systems which segregates patients into Red, Amber or Green zones according to the individual health status. Ward restrictions have also been imposed with no inpatient visitors being allowed into our wards. Only 1 caregiver is allowed to stay overnight for patients who are bedridden or restricted in movement. COVID-19 screening is mandatory for all patients for both elective and emergency surgery. Keeping in mind personal health and wellbeing within Regency, everyone is always encouraged to maintain good personal hygiene. Reminders are given to maintain physical distancing and more importantly, we have ensured that sufficient provision of PPE is provided for all our staffs. All team members are supplied and required to wear 3-ply face mask at all times and a Regency Care Pack which consists of some health supplement as love and care for their health has been handed out. Any of our team members who are unwell or have come in to contact with anyone returning from overseas,

or have come into contact with anyone suspected/confirmed to have COVID-19 have been reminded to seek medical attention and inform their supervisor, HR or infection control team immediately. Can you share some advice with us in regards to how important personal hygiene is to our health? Taking precautionary measures like personal hygiene can be one of the many ways to reduce health risks. As we interact with different living organisms on a daily basis, it exposes us to a wide range of

infectious or communicable diseases. Therefore, poor hygiene can increase the risk of developing any kinds of infectious diseases. Infectious diseases are caused by living organisms like viruses and bacteria, and it can be passed from person to person through body secretions, insects or other means. Most importantly, maintain good personal hygiene to reduce the risk of infections and spreading to others. A simple action such as hand washing can prevent illnesses. People tend to forget to wash their hands after using the washroom or before handling food, and this can cause a great deal of illnesses and even death. A good personal hygiene can also help in our psychological health. As we present ourselves as clean and tidy, it can influence our levels of confidence and self-esteem which can affect many aspects of our lives. On a personal note, why did you make a change from IT to Healthcare? I have been comfortably serving 30 years in the IT industry, and the thought of shifting into healthcare is a personal decision to do good for the community. Moreover, I wished to gain more insights on healthrelated matters. In healthcare, I’m surrounded and work closely with experienced healthcare professionals. Through these interactions, I’m happy to learn and update myself on the many interesting health issues. The healthcare industry is not a sunset industry similar to the IT industry. Both are fast paced which are driven by constant improvement and advancement. It demands one to be actively updating ourselves with the latest development within the healthcare industry and to make the right decision based on our value system.

Serena Yong

What do you do in your free time? I enjoy being active in both physical activities and character building. I practice yoga and also exercise. When I’m not exercising, I still keep myself active through learning by reading or attending talks and seminars. I also do charity work as I wish to help and leave a positive impact in people. TI

The Iskandarian ISSUE 94 | JUNE 2020 Advertisement

IC S U Artists Comes Together Virtually

JUNE 2020 | Page 2

The Iskandarian | WAVES Lifestyle

editor’s note

M u s i c U p d at e s

Chester Bennington-Penned Grey Daze Song, ‘Sometimes’, Offers Particularly Prescient Message ‘Sometimes’ will be released on 26th June 2020

By Universal Music Singapore

Priya Manikam waves.lifestyle@gmail.com

s businesses are conditionally allowed to operate and possibly the whole nation given more freedom after the 9th of June, do not rejoice and go back to the old norm. Practice social distancing at all times, adhere to SOPs and pay attention to hygiene. Since COVID-19 is still very much out there, our movie partners have put their releases on hold with some of the titles being pushed to the later part of the year and even to next year. So, hang in there movie buffs, and I may bring you better news next month! For this year’s Father’s Day, why not stay indoors and whip up a meal for the good ol’ man – as they say, the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach! I’m sure daddy will appreciate all the efforts, so flip over the pages to our food column and learn some mouth-watering recipes. In this issue’s travel tales, I’d like to take you through a great hygiene initiative put forth in Bali, Indonesia. Kudos to Bagus and team from Wyndham Garden Kuta Beach, and hopefully more hotels and resorts will follow suit all over the world. As always, for those wishing to share their fashion collection, travel tales, or like us to review your restaurant/hotel for a staycation, drop me an e-mail at waves.lifestyle@gmail. com and be featured. For more news, do access www.theiskandarian.com and https:// waves-lifestyle.com/ The Iskandarian wishes all the hardworking fathers out there a very Happy Father’s Day and Happy Birthday to DYMM Yang Di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.

Priya SEND LETTERS OR INQUIRIES TO www.facebook.com/waveslifestyle www.waves-lifestyle.com Waves.lifestyle@gmail.com Waves Lifestyle

rey Daze has released ‘Sometimes’, the third single from the band’s upcoming album Amends (26th June 2020) with a corresponding video that showcases the Chester Benningtonwritten song’s message of hope amidst unexpected times. Chester was already a masterful lyricist at the age of 18, when he wrote this song (which was

initially recorded when he was 21),” explains Sean Dowdell, Grey Daze co-founder and drummer. “I’ve said this in prior interviews but this is one of those songs that when I hear it now, I recognise the pain Chester was living with even more acutely now that I’m an adult. As so many of Chester’s lyrics do, this message in this song, that bad things happen and there things will get better, resonates in an entirely different way with the current crisis we are all living through, and brings a message of hope.” Amends was originally slated for 10th April 2020 release but due to the rapidly shifting situation with COVID-19, the band announced the 11-song album would move to 26th June release date. As a thank you to the fans who have been so integral to this release, the band gave newsletter subscribers a free

download of ‘Sometimes’. The series of global listening parties that happened on 10th April 2020 was hosted by fans for the fans, and streamed online from 10 different countries across 11 different time zones in 9 languages (Bulgarian, Chinese, Czech, English, French, German, Hindi, Portuguese and Spanish) and across various platforms (including Facebook, Twitch, Twitter and YouTube). “Sometimes, things just seem to fall apart, when you least expect them to,” offers Bennington in the lyrically profound three-and-a-half minute song. The track, which was written in 1994 but only recently re-recorded for Amends, goes on to say, “maybe things will look better, maybe things will look brighter.” Watc h t h e m u s i c v i d e o here: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=4VeLYpyTnJQ TI

Stay Home: A Special Project to Encourage Singaporeans to Stay Home 14 Singaporean artists joined forces on a multi-lingual song

niversal Music Group recently brought together 14 talented Singaporean ar tists from different ethnicities and background to create Stay Home, a poignant track that drives the message of strength in unity, to show support for nationwide efforts to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic. The single features 14 artists which includes Charlie Lim, Yung Raja, Fariz Jabba, ShiGGa Shay, Alif, ABANGSAPAU, Tosh Rock, Iman, Aisyah Aziz, Shye, Zadon, YAØ, Hashy and Dee Kosh. Stay Home conveys a powerful message that social distancing does not mean emotional distancing. This project highlights how music can be kept alive through digital means and collaborations made possible through technology. With music being a universal language, this project aims to give Singaporeans comfort through the voices of the 14 artists and motivation to stay strong through the song’s lyrics. Inspired and in collaboration with M alaysia’s version of

#JanganKeluar, a single that was released in response to their country’s MCO initiative, Stay Home is a re-interpretation of the song for Singaporeans. While keeping to the original song, the Singapore version has completely re-structured all the melody lines and chorus to inject its own brand of creativity, transforming it into a rendition unique to Singapore. The artists wrote, recorded, and filmed the single and music video from home, completing the project within a short span of 11 days. The song also features the four

different languages including English, Mandarin, Malay & Tamil celebrated in our multi-racial society. The music video showcases how these artists have been keeping themselves busy at home and hopes to encourage more people to play their part in making this “Circuit Breaker” a success by committing to staying at home. If you have not watched it, click https://um.lnk.to/stayhome for the track that brings together 14 local artists from different ethnicities and backgrounds within a short span of 11 days. TI

JUNE 2020 | Page 3

The Iskandarian | WAVES Lifestyle

MOVIES UPDATE By Priya Manikam

Six Steps of Adaptation (Part 2)

ave you found your balance and calmness in dealing with the changes and chaos around you? Since COVID-19 made its way into our world, we are constantly dealing with extreme changes in our lives and I’d like to discuss the remaining steps of adaptation. Step three – Acceptance This is a crucial step that gives us the strength to continue surviving in this world. If you’re struggling to adapt, try welcoming acceptance into your life. When you can accept changes, there are higher chances of you finding your ways to survive the changes. Step four – Communication Communication plays a vital role in keeping us sane. Firstly, is the communication within ourselves, as this is where we analyse our situation mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. Secondly, we share our findings with others. Communication during social distancing helps us bond and keeps our social foundation strong and healthy.

isney’s “Artemis Fowl,” based on the beloved book by Eoin Colfer, is a fantastical, spellbinding adventure that follows the journey of 12-year-old genius Artemis Fowl, a descendant of a long line of criminal masterminds, as he seeks to find his father who has mysteriously disappeared. Slated to release on 28th May 2020, the movie will now be released on Disney’s streaming service – Disney Plus on 12th June 2020 instead, making it the first major Disney

film to move to streaming service. Artemis Fowl with the help of his loyal protector Butler, Artemis sets out to find him, and in doing so uncovers an ancient, underground civilisation — the amazingly advanced world of fairies. Deducing that his father’s disappearance is somehow connected to the secretive, reclusive fairy world, cunning Artemis concocts a dangerous plan — so dangerous that he ultimately finds himself in a perilous war of wits with the all-powerful fairies. TI

THE NEW MUTANTS

adly, Twentieth Century Fox in association with Marvel Entertainment’s “The New Mutants,” filmed in 2017 will once again be delayed time after time since its initial release date in 2018! With no new release date set due to COVID-19 pandemic and talks of it going digital, here’s a look at what this movie is all about: “The New Mutants,” is an original horror thriller directed by Josh Boone set in an isolated hospital where a group of young mutants (Magik, Wolfsbane, Cannonball, Sunspot and Mirage) is being held for psychiatric monitoring. When strange occurrences begin to take place, both their new mutant abilities and

their friendships will be tested as they battle to try and make it out alive. However, there is one other mutant involved, Alica Braga’s Dr. Cecilia Reyes, a medical doctor who mentors the teens at this facility. Just like her comic book counterpart, Braga’s Reyes is capable of generating force fields. The movie stars Maisie Williams, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Heaton, Alice Braga, Blu Hunt and Henry Zaga. At the time of writing, it is still unknown whether this teenage horror-thriller will finally see its big theatrical release at a later part of the year or watched at home on Prime Video. TI

Step five – Practical solutions Try to see if you can find any silver lining in your situation. What can be improved on an individual and collective level? If you see any potential for growth and improvement, try to lay out practical approaches and solutions for it. We are doing it right now on a global level. It simply shows us that we are capable to act collectively and change the world. Step six – Take the right action Now that we have practical solutions in hand, it’s time to take the right action. Remember, life is about mutation where old form dissolves and new form emerges. We are discovering a new way of life in many ways. Can we implement the right action and change the way we do businesses and education? Even though e-commerce or online education may not sustain for the long run, it is going to grow within a decade or two. Think about what we can achieve if we do it differently? TI

Rose Osman is a Certified Human Design Professional. She’s a guide for Living Your Design Workshop and coaches others on self healing for anxiety via E-courses and group workshops yourpersonalmotivator BucketOfRoses www.roselifecoach.com Discover your True Self, Inner Power, Potentials and Purpose with Human Design. Visit Facebook Page : Human Design Malaysia for more info.

JUNE 2020 | Page 4

The Iskandarian | WAVES Lifestyle

travel

Bali Hotel Help Locals Take Precautions against COVID-19 in Kuta, Bali, Indonesia By Priya Manikam waves.lifestyle@gmail.com

that the locals there stay safe first and take precautions before accepting ‘guests’ again.

Manager, Bagus Ngurah, has worked with industry colleagues to distribute 52 public washbasins for high-traffic areas like walkways and locations near temples and mosques. These basins come complete with a water tank, soap, and tissues to dry hands. “As a result of COVID-19, there is unfortunately a very high demand for hygiene products, meaning that they are short in supply in certain areas and not affordable for many people. I was inspired to build these basins so everyone can clean their hands and protect themselves,” said Ngurah. As he sets up more basins, the initiative

tablets to the village of Songan at Mount Batur to improve community health during this time. The village was chosen due to low ratio of health care professionals to people. Wyndham Destinations manages the 155-room Wyndham Garden Kuta Beach along with three other Bali properties: Wyndham Dreamland Resort Bali, Wyndham Tamansari Jivva Resort Bali, Ramada by Wyndham Bali Sunset Road Kuta, and six other Indonesia properties in Lombok, Jakarta, Surabaya, Palembang and Solo through its local subsidiary, PT Wyndham Hotel Management. Wyndham Garden Kuta Beach is

Tanah Lot temple frequented by locals and tourists

icture Bali, Indonesia and we immediately think of its beaches, beautiful temples, culture, spa, picturesque sights and its friendly people. However, since COVID-19 struck the world, all our travel plans have to be put on hold, and some of us have started to reminisce through our past photos to relive the beautiful moments spent in this city. We have now learned to accept that this is the current new norm and our hearts goes out to the people there who are always welcoming. So, it is important

The famed Kuta Beach

Having that in mind, Wyndham Garden Kuta Beach Bali has helped locals in Bali take precautions against the spread of COVID-19 on the tourist island by building public washbasins for people and donating vitamins to at-risk communities. International health authorities say social distancing and self-isolation are both key ways to minimise the spread of the coronavirus, while frequently washing or sanitising hands is an excellent precautionary measure. Wyndham Garden Kuta Beach General

The picturesque Ulun Danu in Bali, Indonesia gathers more momentum in the form of greater public awareness and donations. “Through corporate donors, hospitals and our personal friends, we have been able to raise approximately 88 million Indonesian Rupiah for more than 50 basins so far, and we have plans for more. It has been pleasing to see the community support because the only way we can defeat COVID-19 is by working together. These basins remind us of the importance of personal hygiene and give us all the opportunity to practice it,” he said. The basins drain into existing infrastructure and locals are encouraged to refill them with soap and water when they run low. The team at Wyndham Garden Kuta Beach has also worked with hoteliers and academics to donate 10,000 vitamin

positioned directly across the famous Kuta Beach and offers two pools – a family pool for children and a rooftop pool overlooking the ocean – an all-day dining restaurant, a bar, a day spa and meeting rooms for seminars and events. TI

Bagus Ngurah, Wyndham Garden Kuta Beach GM with the washbasins

THE ISKANDARIAN

ISSUE 94 | JUNE 2020

LIVE

Almost a Feather in the Sand: Sea Pens

ea pens were named after the feathered fountain pens of olden times. They are a colonial species meaning that many individuals live in a single structure. Sea pens bury themselves in the sand with its foot (the part that looks like a bulb), but emerges for its many polyps to catch food. If it is worried about

being preyed on, it can also totally retract into the ground. Sometimes sea pens are pulled out of the water by strong currents and can be found at low tide lying on its side. The top half of the sea pen that looks like a feather is where the polyps are. Polyps can grow here, but they can also die. When they die, they stiffen and become part of the central

‘stalk ’ which is the base from which other polyps emerge. It’s a fascinating colony of animals. The sea pen is also often home to many other species such as the porcelain crab and

tiny transparent shrimp. At times there is a commensal relationship (where both species benefit) between them. Some sea pens also have zooxanthellae which is a type of algae

Serina Rahman

(also found in corals) that photosynthesises, producing food for the sea pen. But most of the time the sea pen’s polyps trap tiny food parts from the water. Kelab Alami runs guided habitat walks during the low tide, on which you might get lucky enough to spot one of these strange creatures. Log on to kelabalami.weebly.com for more information TI

Serina Rahman is the co-founder of Kelab Alami and a Visiting Fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore. She is also a winner of the Iskandar Malaysia Social Hero Awards (IMSHA)

THE ISKANDARIAN

ISSUE 94 | JUNE 2020

WORK

Manoeuvring the New Normal Post-MCO

he Conditional MCO (CMCO) was announced by the Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on 10th May 2020 and was later extended to 9th June 2020 has come as a relief to many businesses and SMEs. This relaxed movement order allows the operation of businesses without the need to apply

permission to operate with the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) as long as the companies follow the relevant Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs) that has been put in place. In the process of flattening the curve, there are economic considerations which the Federal Government had seriously contemplated and the outcome of extending a full lockdown may cause debilitating effects on the Malaysian businesses in the long run. As such, there was a lot of confusion upon the announcement of the CMCO as some State Governments were

reluctant to embark on the CMCO immediately. Some of the reluctant states w e r e Selangor, Kedah, Penang, S a b a h and Sarawak because of the fear of unretainable spread of the COVID-19 virus. However, these states have eased into allowing businesses to operate but keeping in mind the municipal rules which have been regulated by the respective State Governments. Nonetheless, for most part of the country, the CMCO has begun to slowly get businesses back into gear. Companies should be well informed and aligned with the main requirements for operation and at the same time ensuring the safety and welfare of the employees. The following are the list of the SOPs which is non-negotiable if companies are planning to reopen: Non-Negotiable SOP The first basic rule is to ensure that “social distancing” is complied with. The prescribed

distance will vary from industry to industry but for most part it is to ensure a 1-metre distance between the employees. Secondly, the premises must be sanitised periodically starting with a major sanitisation before the employees are allowed to return to the business premises. All employees must be screened of their temperature before they are allowed into the premises. Finally, the employees must be provided sanitisers and face masks at all times. These are the non-negotiable SOPs that all companies must observe upon deciding to start operation during the CMCO. Work From Home Apart from the SOP, we recommend that companies start placing internal SOP of best practices to ensure the efficacies of preventive measures in curbing the virus at the workplace. One of the ideas which were widely explored during the MCO is the flexi working arrangement or “Work From Home” (WFH) option. The MCO, announced on 16th March 2020 had propelled half the industries to work from home to ensure

continuity of business and it has become a forced norm for some companies. We therefore, expect that WFH will be some of the new normal practices that companies will be implementing until we are out of the woods. Apart from safety reasons, WFH has also began to appeal as a form of cost cutting measures as companies no longer need to fork out expenses such as travelling allowance and overtime pay as the employees are now working at their own pace in the comfort of their homes. This would also mean that companies must now consider new policies regarding employees’ KPI measurements and work from home etiquettes to ensure there is no breach or misuse of the flexi working arrangement. The WFH arrangement has opened to an array of possibilities of manpower optimisation and may just be the new normal moving forward. Hence, the current working culture will face a shift in paradigm, and Human Resource Managers must be ready to pioneer the change of management in getting their respective companies to be

Rachel Tan Consultant Meca Employers Consulting Agency Sdn Bhd rachel@meca.com.my

ready for the new normal. Conclusion In summary, CHANGE is the new constant we are to be prepared for in the new world post MCO. As long as the war against COVID-19 virus is still at large; companies are advised to remain vigilant and practice putting employees’ safety and welfare in the forefront of their business considerations. TI

THE ISKANDARIAN

ISSUE 94 | JUNE 2020

Accumulating Wealth Tips & Tricks

Light at the End of the Tunnel

t has been more than two months since the Movement Control Order (MCO/CMCO) and things only appeared to get worse before getting better. At the time of writing, there are over 4.5 million COVID-19 cases reported and over 300,000 people had lost their lives. At the same time, over 36 million Americans have lost their jobs. The irony is, while we are hearing bad news every day, the stock market does not seem to be as volatile as before. One major drama happened on 20th April though, where the US oil prices turned negative for the first time in history, as traders needed to pay people to take their oil due to constrained storage spaces. In Malaysia, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) cut its overnight policy rate (OPR) by 50 basis points (bps) to 2%. With this latest cut, BNM has reduced OPR by 100 bps since January 2020. The frequency of OPR reduction signifies the economy is heading to winter. While we are flooded with negative news, is everything still so bad now? I’d like to share my views. 1) Even though the US stock market has gone up 30% from the bottom (as long as the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) does not stand above 24000 points), it is still unstable. Refer to the DJIA chart on 15th May 2020, the candles are below the MA50 (pink line) and MA200 (orange line), which means they

bankruptcies sooner or later. I would not be surprised if another correction emerged with bad news flowing out continuously. 4) From the middle of March until May 2020, many Malaysian counters’ share prices moved in tandem with the US market. That was mainly a rebound supported by the macro sentiment. It will not last long. Soon, the price movement would differ after companies’ earnings are unfolded. So what should we do? Invest or Trade? Either one would work. The key is we need to know if we want to buy to trade or invest. For trading, you need to operate based on technical indicators and the macro sentiment. In addition, have a trading plan where you’d always have a loss cutting point and profit target in mind before executing the trade. For investing, keep things simple. Only buy businesses that you understand. Look out for businesses with strong balance sheet and growth prospect. A good sign of strong balance sheet is when the company has paid regular dividends in the last five years. If a company can pay regular dividends, it means it has strong cash flow; implying it can survive through the turbulence. Companies that have good track record of giving dividends are Hevea, Scicom, Magni, LCtitan,

Perstim, to name a few. Of course, most companies do not pay good dividends. Th e re fo re, t h e p o te nt i a l company must have growth prospect with the right price. For example, the recent oil plunge has seen many oil counters’ prices plummeting to a multiyear low. So the question is, will oil price hover between USD20-

Who’s a Bot and Who’s Not? A new study reveals behavioural differences between bots and humans that could inform new machine learning algorithms for bot detection software

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

30 per barrel for many years? It is unlikely. According to International Energy Agency (IEA), global demand for oil is still rising before 2045. This means there is obvious demand for oil at least for the next two decades. If so, why did oil fall so much since March 2020? There are two main reasons: geo-political and economic. While demand for oil would be low because of the economy downturn, the sharp fall of oil was triggered by the disagreement of production cut between Saudi Arabia and Russia. So, the question is, will economy recover? Yes, only a matter of time. Will oil producers like low oil price? Of course not. All these means low oil price is temporary, and the oil companies which had their share prices hit hard offer good bargain, especially companies

The companies or strategies mentioned in this article are meant for study purpose only. It doesn’t constitute any ‘buy’ or ‘sell’ recommendation. Please consult your financial professional if you want to make any decision. (Source: www.investing.com) have strong resistances to break. 2) From business point of view, the re-opening is not straightforward. Recently, there were COVID-19 cases resurging after the reopening, such as in Korea and Germany. 3) We have heard huge unemployment numbers reported lately in the US. I believe we would hear more

INVEST

with billions of contracts on hand, such as Serbak, Yinson and Armada. Conclusion With every crisis comes an opportunity. As an investor, let us be cautious as well as be open-minded, for there is always light at the end of the tunnel. TI

ots are social media accounts which are controlled by artificial software rather than by humans and serve a variety of purposes from news aggregation to automated customer assistance for online retailers. However, bots have recently been under the spotlight as they are regularly employed as part of large-scale efforts on social media to manipulate public opinion, such as during electoral campaigns. A new study in Frontiers in Physics has revealed the presence of short-term behavioural trends in humans that are absent in social media bots, providing an example of a ‘human signature’ on social media which could be leveraged to develop more sophisticated bot detection strategies. The research is the first study of its kind to apply user behavior over a social media session to the problem of bot detection. “R emar k ably, bots continuously improve to mimic more and more of the behavior humans typically exhibit on social media. Every time we identify a characteristic we think is prerogative of human behavior, such as sentiment of topics of interest, we soon discover that newly-developed open-source bots can now capture those aspects,” says co-author Emilio Ferrara, Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Research Team Leader at the University of Southern California Information Sciences Institute. In this work, the researchers studied how the behavior of humans and bots changed over the course of an activity session using a large Twitter dataset associated with recent political events. Over the course of these sessions, the researchers measured various factors to capture user behavior, including the propensity to engage in social interactions and the amount of produced content, and then

compared these results between bots and humans. The researchers found, among humans, trends that were not present among bots: Humans showed an increase in the amount of social interaction over the course of a session, illustrated by an increase in the fraction of retweets, replies and number of mentions contained in a tweet. As sessions progress, human users grow tired and are less likely to undertake complex activities, such as composing original content. Bots were shown to not be affected by such considerations and no behavioural change was observed from them. The researchers used these behavioural results to inform a classification system for bot detection and found that the full model including the features describing session dynamics significantly outperformed the baseline model in its accuracy of bot detection, which did not describe those features. These results highlight that user behaviour on social media evolves in a measurably different manner between bots and humans over an activity session and also suggests that these differences can be used to implement a bot detection system or to improve existing ones. Emilio highlights, “Bots are constantly evolving - with fast paced advancements in AI, it’s possible to create ever-increasingly realistic bots that can mimic more and more how we talk and interact in online platforms.” “We are continuously trying to identify dimensions that are particular to the behaviour of humans on social media that can in turn be used to develop more sophisticated toolkits to detect bots.” *Further reading may be found via https://www.frontiersin.org/ articles/10.3389/fphy.2020.00125/ full TI

ISSUE 94 | JUNE 2020

THE ISKANDARIAN

PLAY

Malaysian Team Yoodo Gank Crowned As PMPL Sea Finals S1 Champion

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OBEY THE NEW NORMAL SOPS #SOCIALDISTANCING #STAYSAFE

Scan QR Code for the solution

DOODLE

every month The Iskandarian shares what you should and should not be doing in your communities !

Happy Father’s Day

eam Yoodo Gank from Malaysia has been crowned as the champion team in the PUBG MOBILE Pro League Southeast Asia (PMPL SEA) Finals S1 which took place from 1st – 3rd May 2020. The winning team took home the top prize of USD30,000 out of the USD150,000 prize pool. Team Yoodo Gank was one of the three Malaysian teams to battle against 13 other teams from across the region, in this competition. Additionally, Yoodo Gank also won USD3,000 and USD5,000 for the Most Popular Team and Gunkiller Player categories respectively. Team Bigetron Red Aliens from Indonesia won second place and took home USD20,000, while team King of Gamers Club from Thailand bagged the third-place prize of USD15,000. The winning teams will join three other teams, including Team Secret, also from Malaysia, that will now advance to

the PUBG MOBILE World League. Team Secret secured a spot in the World League after being announced champions of the PMPL MY/SG S1 last month. The PMPL SEA Finals S1 was streamed live on each country’s official PUBG MOBILE Facebook page. In Malaysia, matches were streamed via the PUBGM MY official Facebook page. PUBG MOBILE is based on PLAYERUNKNOWN’s BATTLEGROUNDS (PUBG), a genuine royal battle phenomenon that brings excitement in the world of interactive entertainment in 2017. Up to 100 players plunge in parachutes to remote islands to battle in the winner-takes-all fight. Players also have to find and search for their weapons, vehicles, and supplies, and defeat every player on the battlefield. Not only that, players will be spoiled with rich and tactical visuals, and then players will be forced to enter the game zone which is getting narrower. - by The Iskandarian TI

The Iskandarian ISSUE 94 | JUNE 2020

Johor Property Market: NAPIC released its Property Market Report 2019 which showcases the industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s18 performance pg 21

PROPERTY

PROPERTY INSIGHT

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RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS

APARTMENTS

VILLAS

CONDOMINIUMS

OFFICE/RETAILSPACE

Country Garden Real Estate (CGRE) issues Islamic Sukuk totalling RM495 million

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PROPERTY

iProperty.com.my is Set to RECHARGE the Malaysia Property Market Digital and data driving the way consumers seek properties

he changing property market condition today is inevitable due to COVID-19. We are seeing digital and data driving the way consumers seek properties. The recent effects of COVID-19 is showing further shifts in the way property agents and property buyers, sellers and investors, interact on their property journey. iProperty.com.my is investing into the Malaysia property market with the launch of a brand new proptech tool, and special support and packages designed specifically for property agents for today’s market. This is with the objectives to forge stronger partnerships with property agents, help them recharge their businesses and the property market. Property is one of the biggest financial transactions a consumer will make in their lifetime and today’s market condition sees property seekers demand

more information and insights from property agents. It is key for a property agent to gain consumer confidence for a transaction to happen, and that is more so now than ever. Property seekers are also moving online for their property search and research, and COVID-19 have accelerated this. iProperty PRO is designed to equip property agents in the market with the right tools and property data insights to help them recharge and grow connections with the millions of property seekers in Malaysia whether it is buying, selling, renting or investing. We want to continue partnering with property agents to provide them with the right tools, support and packages to stand out and win. “With access to the largest pool of property seekers in Malaysia and the latest innovation in design, data and technology, iProperty PRO is the perfect proptech tool and place for property agent clients to connect with the Malaysia property market,” said Premendran Pathmanathan, General Manager for Customer Data Solutions & Quality. iProperty PRO allows property agents

to be flexible and adapt to the changing environment. It is also a mobile-first, fast and simple to use tool that allows property agents to connect with the largest pool of property seekers in Malaysia anytime, anywhere. Property seekers can also benefit greatly by getting trusted and professional advice and the latest data from their property agent before they make that important decision to buy, sell, rent or invest. The thousands of property agents in Malaysia are burdened by the aftereffects of COVID-19. Therefore, the #iPropertyCares support was introduced when the MCO was first announced in March 2020 with a second instalment

when the MCO was extended. Currently, a third instalment is now introduced where iProperty.com.my is making investments to help property agents recharge their businesses across the coming months. “The #iPropertyCares third support package is designed to allow property agents to RECHARGE. We want to support the livelihood and careers of thousands of independent property agents in Malaysia who are impacted by COVID-19 to return stronger than before over the coming months. We are making an investment in the market to enable this to happen”, said Sean Liew, General Manager for Agent and Developer Sales, iProperty.com Malaysia Sdn Bhd. - by The Iskandarian TI

Gobi Partners and MDEC Announce SuperSeed II Championship Funding of up to RM15 Million to be made available to winning startups

n an effort to help the Malaysian economy and local startups through this unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, Pan-Asian venture capital firm Gobi Partners and Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) have jointly announced a pitching competition for Malaysian startups. Winning companies will get the opportunity to secure equity investment from the firm under their Malaysia SuperSeed Fund II vehicle, a fund jointly announced last year by Gobi, MAVCAP and Sunway, as well as be a potential MDEC grant recipient. Additional prizes include the chance to attend an entrepreneurship programme organised by Alibaba Business School and the iLabs Accelerator Programme by the Sunway Group. “The SuperSeed II Championship resonates with MDEC’s #DIGITALvs COVID movement, which aims to harness digital technologies to help our people, entrepreneurs and businesses surmount economic challenges caused by the pandemic. As we navigate life and work in the new norm, there will be an extraordinary demand for novel tech solutions – a gap that can be capably fulfilled by prolific and innovative startups.

As such, we will passionately support the successful startups in this competition with their tech endeavours, giving them an edge as choice prospects of our MDEC grant if all requirements are met,” said Surina Shukri, CEO of MDEC. Gobi’s Managing Director for Malaysia, Jamaludin Bujang, added, “The Malaysian startup ecosystem is teeming with talent. Startups want to solve the country’s problems in new and innovative ways, and this will be one way for them to realise their aspirations. We, as a venture capital firm, also believe that we need to keep investing as the world goes through these kinds of cycles; in order for the ecosystem to survive, the show must go on.” Aside from capital, the winners will also be automatically eligible to attend a suitable entrepreneurship programme organised by Alibaba Business School, while finalists will be placed in a priority channel to be selected for the programme. The event will be held in Hangzhou, China in 2021 and provide startups with firsthand exposure to E-commerce and digital innovations, access to business leaders across Alibaba and China, as well as an opportunity to connect with like-minded, leading entrepreneurs in the region. As an added bonus, Sunway will be offering the top three finalists for the competition a wild card to enter their iLabs Accelerator programme, which is in collaboration with Gobi Partners. The

programme will begin in September 2020. Evan Cheah, Executive Vice President of President’s Office, Sunway Group said, “We are confident this unique publicprivate partnership between Gobi, MDEC, MAVCAP and Sunway will contribute positively to Malaysia’s startup scene, especially during these trying times. In addition, the Sunway iLabs Accelerator programme provides startups with access to Sunway’s resources across 13 business divisions as well as the township of Sunway City Kuala Lumpur, which is a living lab that continuously fosters a thriving innovation ecosystem. This means that startups will have a wide market as a potential test bed, access to Sunway University’s labs, researchers, and potential interns”. The criteria for the SuperSeed II Championship are as follows: 1) the company is incorporated in Malaysia or; 2) the founder is Malaysian or there is a Malaysian shareholder or; 3) the company has substantial operations in Malaysia or; 4) the company has concrete plans to expand their business into Malaysia. Startups in the following (but not limited to) key verticals will be considered for the competition: 1. Retail & Enterprise (i.e. AI, B2B, B2C, Big Data, e-commerce, and logistics); 2. FinTech (i.e. crowdfunding, InsureTech, mobile payments, P2P lending,

and robo-advisors); 3. Smart Cities & Circular Economy (i.e. construction solutions, e-hailing, environment solutions, IoT, mobility solutions, and public transport solutions); 4. TaqwaTech (i.e. companies providing products and services to Muslim consumers and communities). The SuperSeed II Championship will see startups being added to Gobi’s portfolio for Malaysia SuperSeed Fund II, a fund that was launched together with Malaysia’s largest venture capital company MAVCAP, and local conglomerate Sunway Group. The Fund is focused on financing early-stage startups in Malaysia. There will be 20 - 25 startups in the Fund’s portfolio, and the median ticket size will be between RM 1.5 – 2 million. MAVCAP’s Acting CEO Shahril Anas Hasan Aziz, said, “Supportive of the government’s initiatives to support tech startups through this pandemic, with this fund, MAVCAP, together with Gobi, MDEC and Sunway, will be providing a viable and complementary alternative to startups that need the help.” To enter the competition and for more detailed information, interested startups can visit here. The deadline for entries is 12 AM (Midnight), 16th June 2020. The preliminary round is scheduled to take place at the end of June, while the qualifying rounds and final round is set to be held in July and August. TI

ISSUE 94 | JUNE 2020

THE ISKANDARIAN

PROPERTY

Living Large With Sunway Iskandar - From Home to Communities

Best Luxury Series Award-winning Sunway Iskandar Emerald Residence

unway Iskandar is an awardwinning integrated township for sustainable environment under Sunway Property, the Master Community Developer. With the capability and capacity to build, own and operate the communities it built, it’s no secret that they are the recipient of 9 recognitions at the Star Property Awards 2020 namely The Proximity Award, Best Integrated Transit Oriented Development (Excellence) for Sunway Velocity TWO, The Long Life Award (Honours) for Sunway GEOLake Residences, The Holiday Home Award (Excellence) and The Northern Star Award (Honors) for Sunway Onsen Suites. Sunway Property also received

the StarProperty All-Stars Award for Best Overall Champion and Exceptional Community Builder, The Southern Star Award (Excellence) for Sunway Iskandar along with Best Integrated Development for Sunway Citrine and Best Luxury Series Award for Sunway Emerald Residence. The honours for Sunway Iskandar has proven that a meticulously planned unique business model based on a fully integrated real estate value chain, has managed to create a livable community in Sunway Iskandar, a 1800acre land that aims to be Malaysia’s first Nature’s Capital City within its six precincts – The Capital, The Parkview, The Lakeview, The Riverside, The Seafront, and The Marketplace.

Designed to be part of a self-sustaining integrated city, each of the precinct’s convenient amenities are facilitated within the city itself to cater to the needs and demands of its residents. In creating such a vibrant township, the proven formula of the award-winning township includes the five complementar y components - Connectivity, Amenities, Communities, Security and Environment and Sustainability. As a Master community developer, Sunway Iskandar built more than residential and commercial areas by providing a space to Live Every Dream, Learn without Limits, and Play beyond

Imagination in a Safe, Healthy, Connected, and Sustainable Community. The development focused primarily on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals number 3, Good Health and Well-Being with each of the precincts in Sunway Iskandar equipped with a park complete with cycling and jogging track, serving as a connection for residents in the whole area. As an addition, the 20-acre Sunway Emerald Lake and Events’ Gallery both serve the community and the developer as a platform to set up any community events and activities, keeping the venues vibrant. Some activities that

Lush greenery view from Sunway Citrine building

were previously held are the World Environment Day, Viper Challenge, Sunway Iskandar Half Night Marathon, Breast Cancer Workshop, Nutrition Workshops, HOPE –Charity, Merdeka Fun Run, Unicorn Run, Malay Weddings, Little Entrepreneurs – special

that encompasses 553 units of Duo Living Landed Homes and is expected to be completed by 2024. SJK (C) Cheah Fah, a Chinese school, will be opening its registration in Q1 of 2022 and Sunway Big Box Hotel is scheduled to open in Q2 of 2021.

Sunway BIG BOX the first large format retail park in Malaysia and Singapore needs kids and Sunway Iskandar End Polio Ride. Many more events will continue to take place within the Lake and Events gallery. Developed as a service-driven township, Sunway Iskandar’s next and upcoming projects that will be completing soon are Sunway Maple, SJK (C) Cheah Fah, and Sunway Big Box Hotel. Sunway Maple Residence is a leasehold townhouse

As an award-winning integrated township, Sunway Iskandar has displayed its success with the implementation of the build-own-operate business model. Sunway Iskandar always focuses on engaging their community and promises to ensure community growth and assures the stakeholders that Sunway Iskandar has a lifelong commitment to growing together with them. TI

THE ISKANDARIAN

ISSUE 94 | JUNE 2020

Pandemic COVID-19 Lock Down and the Delivery of Vacant Possession – Part One

ll housing development projects in Malaysia have been stopped since 18th March 2020 when the Prime Minister announced the Restricted Movement Order (MCO). Inevitably, all construction activities must comply with the MCO and suspend all activities on site until the MCO is lifted for this economic sector. This has inevitably resulted in developers possibly facing issues of late delivery of vacant possession to the purchasers due to incomplete projects within stipulated period. Time essence of a contract under the Sale and Purchase Agreement In Malaysia, the housing development projects are governed by the Housing Development (Control and Licensing) Act 1966 (the Act) and the Housing Development (Control and Licensing) Regulations 1989 (the Regulations). The Act, being a social legislation designed to protect house buyers, the interests of the purchasers shall be the paramount consideration against the

developer. Therefore, parties are bound by the terms and conditions mentioned in the Schedule G and Schedule H of the Act. By virtue of Clause 9 of Schedule G and clause 8 of Schedule H of the Act, it clearly states that the time of the contract shall be of an essence in relation to all provisions of the agreement. Further, Clause 26 of Schedule H and Clause 24 of Schedule G provide that vacant possession of the property shall be delivered to the purchaser as follows: (i) under Schedule H of the Act, the vacant possession shall be delivered within 36 calendar months; and (ii) under Schedule G of the Act, the vacant possession shall be delivered within 24 calendar months. In the event, the developer fails to deliver vacant possession within the stipulated period in the SPA, the developer shall be liable to pay to the purchaser liquidated damages calculated from day to day at the rate of ten per centum (10%) per annum of the purchase price from the due date for

the delivery of vacant possession until the date the purchaser actually takes vacant possession of the said property/parcel. Since time is of the essence for the developer to perform its obligations such as deliver vacant possession within stipulated time under the Act, otherwise the developer may be exposed to late liquidated damages due to the lock down. On the other hand, if the developer has completed the property but was unable to deliver the keys to the purchaser due to MCO and the developer’s notice to the purchaser could not been served to the purchaser. According to Schedule G and H of the Act; any notice or letter shall be served by registered post or by hand. Nevertheless, based on these clauses in Schedule G and H of the Act, the developers may be unable to serve the notice to the purchaser during the MCO. Obviously, this scenario is unfavourable to the developers as Schedule G and H of the Act do not have any exemption clause or Force Majeure clause to protect the interest of the developers in cases where there are any unforeseeable circumstances i.e. the MCO prevented developers from fulfilling their obligation under agreement. More so, the Federal Court has decided in the case of S.E.A. Housing Corp Sdn Bhd v. Lee Poh Choo [1982] CLJ Rep 305 that a Force Majeure defence does not apply in the context of a SPA. In that sense, questions arise on, what are the alternatives available to a developer to mitigate losses due to MCO as there is no exemption clause to protect the developer in Schedule G and Schedule H. Therefore, reference should be made to the legislation to find out whether any potection is available to the developer. Application for an extension of time for the delivery of vacant possession due to MCO

UDA in Talks with Banks for Housing Financing’s New Payment System

DA Holdings Bhd, one of the country’s leading proper t y development and asset management companies, were reportedly discussing a payment system for housing financing with several commercial banks. UDA Holdings Bhd’s Chief Executive Officer, Mohd Salem Kailany said that one bank has agreed to cooperate with UDA Holdings Bhd to implement the system with no further elaboration stated. Bernama reported that Mohd Salem said the launch date of the system will be announced later. On the latest news from UDA Holdings, Mohd Salem commented that the developer is currently reviewing five new affordable housing projects

which are looking to launch within the year. “We will be reviewing whether we will launch all five projects or just some of them and will announce it in the second half of this year,” he said. At least five residential projects that are eyeing to capture the younger demographics are set to launch this year. UDA is also planning to develop 1,000 residential units nationwide specifically in Johor Bahru, Kuala Lumpur, Kuantan, Kuala Terengganu and Penang. When the country is under the implementation of Movement Control Order (MCO), UDA Holdings took some proactive steps to help reduce small and mediumsized enterprises (SMEs) burden

PROPERTY

by providing assistance like discounts and rent exemptions under UDA’s shopping complexes like Angsana Johor Bahru Mall, Angsana Ipoh Mall and Angsana Seremban. “We’ve offered one-month rent exemption for April 2020 and 20% discount for the months of May until September 2020,” said Mohd Salem, adding that it costs an estimate of RM10 million and has benefited around 1,500 traders. Apart from that, UDA has also donated RM200,000 worth of goods, equipment and finances to support some of the major hospitals nationwide such as the Johor Bahru Permai Hospital, Sungai Buloh Hospital, Kuala Lumpur Hospital, Penang Hospital and Rembau Hospital. - by Norfy Shafeq TI

Kalaivani Govindasamy Associate Law chamber of Vin Sa & Ian Graduated with LLB (Hons) from National University of Malaysia, Kalaivani advises and represents property developers. She also advises joint management bodies and management corporations on all matters relating to the Strata Management Act and Strata Titles Act. It is however emphasised that developers are unadvisable to apply for an extension of time under Regulation 11(3) of the Regulations. Under this, a developer is given an option to apply to the Housing Controller for an extension of time for the delivery of vacant possession of a housing development. Regulation 11(3) permits the Housing Controller to “waive or modify” the terms of the SPA where compliance with the SPA becomes “impracticable or unnecessary” due to “special circumstances or hardship or necessity”. Undeniably, COVID-19 pandemic may fall within the circumstances provided in the said Regulation 11(3) of the Regulations which is special circumstances or hardship or necessity compliance with any of the provisions in the SPA is impracticable or unnecessary. Despite the above, there is a diferring view which I will discuss in the next issue. TI

Johor Property Market: Observations from 2019 & What Can We Expect in 2020

APIC recently released its Property Market Report 2019 which showcases the industry’s performance at a national and state level. Samuel Tan, Executive Director of KGV International Property Consultants highlights important observations in the Johor property market and what we can look forward to in 2020. Here are the 7 Observations from 2019 in a nutshell: 1. Johor’s property market performance increased at a slow pace, with residential at the forefront 2. Johor contr ibuted the second-highest residential transac tions to Malaysia’s overall in 2019 3. Serviced apartments & SOHO sub-sector remained

active in 2019 4. Commercial property market – Increased in transactions, but dropped in value 5. Shopping complex subsector strengthened as occupancy improved slightly 6. Purpose-built offices por trayed a downward performance 7. Industrial property held on, new planned supply increased 6 fold in 2019 For a complete breakdown of the observations and what we can look forward to till the rest of 2020, log on to www.theiskandarian.com – property news section. - by The Iskandarian TI

ISSUE 94 | JUNE 2020

THE ISKANDARIAN

PROPERTY

AKPK’s Scam Alert: Third Party Agent – Don’t Be Duped – Part One

redit Counselling and Debt Management Agency (AKPK) wishes to inform the public that AKPK has never appointed any third party agents or charged a fee for its services. All individuals can come directly to AKPK for its financial counselling and debt management services for free of charge. Should anyone be approached by individuals claiming to be an agent of AKPK and are offering his or her service for a fee, we would like to alert the general public that it is a fake agent who has no authority to act on behalf of AKPK. AKPK was established by Bank Negara Malaysia as a wholly-owned subsidiary in April 2006 to provide 3 services which are Financial Education, Financial/Credit Counselling and Debt Management Programme (DMP). Financial counselling and Debt Management Programme are services provided for free to individuals by AKPK, without the use of any third party agent.

Over the years AKPK has received numerous reports and feedback from customers of being approached by certain individuals claiming to be representatives or agents of AKPK offering to help them restructure their debts through AKPK’s Debt Management Programme (DMP). Some of the customers were wise enough to check with AKPK first and avoided being scammed by these agents but many others were not so lucky and have incurred losses. There are also third parties soliciting money from individuals in debt as payment to restructure or reschedule their debts by referring them to AKPK. In terms of their modus operandi, usually these agents would make a phone call or send SMS to the customer to offer their services. Individuals who are in some kind of financial mess and in dire need of assistance would be more vulnerable and are more likely to be convinced that the agents can help them. Scammers always prey on people’s feelings and emotions.

Long-Term Outlook Positive: Country Garden Raises RM495 Mil Sukuk

The longest tenure for the sukuk issued is for 7 years

n March 2020, Country Garden Real Estate (CGRE) successfully issued 3 tranches of Islamic Sukuk totalling RM495 million with the longest tenure being 7 years, despite the downcycle of global market and recent chaos in financial market due to the COVID-19 outbreak. These issuances fully reflect the confidence that Malaysian capital markets have in both Country Garden Group (the Group) and CGRE’s long term development in Malaysia. In addition, RAM Ratings had in Sep 2019 reaffirmed the AA3/Stable rating of CGRE’s Islamic

Medium-Term Note (IMTN)Programme. Malaysia is one of the biggest Islamic financing markets in the world today. The Malaysian government has been actively promoting development of Islamic financing and strives to become global centre for Islamic financing. A sukuk is an Islamic financial certificate (similar to a bond), that complies with Islamic religious law commonly known as Syariah. Sukuks have become extremely popular since 2000, when the first sukuk was issued by Malaysia. CGRE’s IMTN Programme was set up in 2015, which was first ever Ringgit Sukuk issued by a China-related corporate entity. It was bestowed the Triple A Islamic Finance Awards 2016 by The Asset and

The agent will then tell the customer that payment in advance is required first before processing can start. Some may ask for as much as 10% – 20% of the total loan value. After the payment is made, the agent will then assist the customer to submit a DMP online application to AKPK and book an appointment for counselling. It is usually at the counselling stage that the customer realises he or she has been duped after finding out that AKPK’s services are free and AKPK does not appoint any third party agents. By then it is too late as they have already parted with their money and in some cases the agent has already disappeared. They have paid money for a service which they can actually get for free. It’s a double financial blow to someone who is already in a stressful financial situation. Besides third party agents, there are other types of financial scams which victims have fallen prey too especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, after the Prihatin Rakyat Economic Stimulus

the League Awards 2016 by RAM. Malaysia has been a strategic investment market for the Group, which currently has 5 projects launched – 2 projects in the Klang Valley and 3 projects in Johor. Diamond City, located in Semenyih in the state of Selangor, is a development near Nottingham University, Malaysia. Diamond City is Malaysia’s first Spanishstyle landed housing, and includes Bungalows, Linked Houses, Semi-Ds and Terrace Houses. At this juncture, six phases have been completed with the remaining three phases currently under planning and construction. Another project, named Lake City, was recently launched in 2019. Lake City is jointly developed with a renowned local developer. Sales have been encouraging despite the recent property market downcycle. Located in the city of Johor Bahru, Country Garden Danga Bay was

Gunasegaran Munusamy Head, AKPK JB Branch Package was launched and financial assistance given to those in need during the Movement Control Order (MCO), it has been observed that there was an increase in cases of financial scams or frauds reported to the authorities. Scammers are taking advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic and related government aid to dupe people into parting with their money. TI

completed in 2017, with the Beletime shopping mall – the Group’s very first shopping mall operating overseas; opened to public in 2019. Central Park is another high-rise project in Johor targeting local buyers. Phase 1 was completed in 2019 and is currently in the process of VP. Forest City, which is located adjacent to Singapore and situated in the Iskandar Special Zone of Johor, is currently the Group’s largest overseas project. Forest City is a long-term sustainable development project, and to date, the basic infrastructure of the city has been developed in scales. Country Garden Malaysia has strong cashflow with a healthy balance sheet which was quite encouraging. In 2019, the Group (including joint ventures and associates) achieved contracted sales attributable to shareholders of CNY552.2 billion, which represents a year-on-year increase of 10.03%. - by The Iskandarian TI

THE ISKANDARIAN

ISSUE 94 | JUNE 2020

PROPERTY

Bringing Hope to the Frontliners handed over to the Ministry of Health (MOH) staff by the Chief Executive Officer of KPRJ, Dato’ Hj Mohd Noorazam Bin Dato’ Hj Osman. MOH is constantly reminding the public to stay at home to help break the chain of COVID-19 transmission, practice social

KPRJ – HOPE focuses efforts to provide aid to the frontliners battling Covid-19

s we’re still under nationwide Conditional MCO until 9th June 2020 (at the time of writing), the citizens are not allowed to leave their homes except to stock up on groceries and during emergencies. As the community struggles with the profound implications of COVID-19 pandemic, frontliners have put themselves in the literal line of fire as they sacrifice themselves to helping patients who have contracted the highly infectious disease. Realising the need to act, Kumpulan Prasarana Rakyat Johor (KPRJ), a wholly owned company by the State Government of Johor, stepped up their corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts to provide support and aid to the

distancing and frequent hand washing. “We also hope that the corporate sector, the GLCs and all parties will lend help, to ensure that we successfully rid COVID-19 pandemic that has plagued our country,” added Noorazam. - by Edey Suresh TI

CEO of KPRJ Dato’ Hj Mohd Noorazam Bin Dato’ Hj Osman handing over the boxes of food to the MOH personnel frontliners since April when the MCO was in its earlier phases. Using their CSR arm – KPRJ HOPE, they donated 120 boxes of mineral water to the Royal Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) and Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) personnel. KPRJ are also committed to donating 100 food boxes every day to the frontliners at the Screening Centre of Hospital Permai throughout the MCO

period as an appreciation to the MOH staff for their sacrifices. “As a Johor State GLC that is concerned and cares for public safety and health, KPRJ, through our CSR initiative – KPRJ-HOPE, have extended our assistance to the frontline staff of the Ministry of Health (MOH) who are working hard to curb the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak,” said Noorazam. The contribution was

120 boxes of mineral water donated to the Royal Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) and Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM)

WCT Malls offers ‘Purchase & Pick- Time to Share and Care elabuhanTanjung Pelepas Up’ service at Paradigm Mall (PTP), a member of MMC Group, together with Lembaga Pelabuhan Johor Bahru and PJ Johor (LPJ) continues to make

hoppers of Paradigm Mall Petaling Jaya (PMPJ) and Paradigm Mall Johor Bahru (PMJB) can now shop in comfort and convenience as WCT Malls introduces the ‘Purchase & Pick-Up’ service that allows customers to purchase essential and non-essential items online and then later pick them up from designated spots within the Malls. WCT Malls ‘Purchase & PickUp’ service aims to enhance customer experience through integrated online-to-offline shopping as well as provide shoppers with an easy and convenient alternative to collect their purchases, while practicing social distancing and avoiding queues in view of the current conditional movement control order (CMCO). S elena Chua, Chief Executive Officer of WCT Malls Management said, “We are delighted to launch the ‘Purchase & Pick-Up’ service at WCT Malls. Through introducing this service, we can facilitate social distancing while able to meet our shoppers’ needs. The rise of online-to-offline retailing is rapidly changing the current retail landscape, and at WCT Malls, we are constantly

exploring new ways to provide enhanced and seamless shopping experiences for our shoppers and for our retailer partners to increase their consumer touchpoints.” How the Purchase & Pick-Up Service Works? Step 1- Browse the page: Customers can browse through the PMPJ’s and PMJB’s Facebook pages to check the names of the participating stores. Step 2- Place your order: Shoppers can click on the links, which will direct them to the selected retailer/brand website or Facebook page. Customers can communicate directly with the selected retailer/brand on the items to purchase,

payment terms and date/time of collection. Step 3- Collect your purchase: Shoppers will have to drive-through the designated pick-up points at the scheduled date and time to collect their items from the store representative. A ten-minute grace period will be provided to shoppers to pick-up the items, post that the customer will have to collect their purchase directly from the respective shops within the malls. The pickup services are available seven days a week from 12:00 PM-5:00 PM and the designated pick-up point for Paradigm Mall Johor Bahru is the Level G entrance near Uniqlo. TI

impactful change and bring joy to the Gelang Patah community by organising the annual Tijarah Ramadan Programme from 11th to 14th May 2020. The CSR event was organised give assistance to those who come from unprivileged and disadvantaged families, especially those who are severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic during the fasting month. This year, a group of 170 identified families from 5 villages namely; Kampung Pok, Kampung Ladang, Kampung Tanjung Adang, Kampung Pekajang and Kampung Tiram Duku in Mukim Tanjung Kupang Gelang Patah area received the special aid in the form of cash donations and essential goods. LPJ General Manager, Muhammad Razif Bin Ahmad remarked that the collaboration between the government authority and local conglomerate like MMC Corporation Berhad and port operator like PTP is commended as it demonstrated the best synergy between private business entity and government authority in improving the standard of living amongst the community. “As the port grows and continues to be successful, it is

MMC - PTP - LPJ CSR Programme Hari Raya Aid Distribution to the needy important that the community surrounding it is not forgotten,” he added. PTP Chief Executive Officer, Marco Neelsen remarked that this year, the Tijarah Ramadan Programme brings us closer to the local community since it coincides with the COVID-19 crisis. “With the threat of COVID 19 still looming, our 25 CSR volunteers PTP and LPJ worked closely with the village representatives in distributing the aid to recipients without jeopardizing their safety. It was important for all of us involved to swiftly respond, commit and contribute to this crisis. We pulled all stops to ensure the aid was procured quickly and transported in a timely and safe manner,” added him. - by The Iskandarian TI

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