the inkSlingers Wednesday, 25 November 2015
•
IS#31:251115(3)
News
Auto-Gate Project Delays in Activation
>4
•
For internal circulation only
News
3D Printing Captures Attention
Features
Arnold Schwarzenegger Shares Keys to Success
>6
> 10
TU to Address Parking Situation By DARIUS SHU CHEN KEONG AND TIFFANY MAREE LIM HUEY MIN
semesters to ensure that students or staff do not take advantage of it. Registration is free and 30 bays will be designated for carpooling at the season parking space near Block E. More bays will be allocated when there are more demand for it.” Chong said those who carpool will need to renew and re-registered for a new tag every six months to ensure the validity of the registration. Chong added that FEHSSA has also partnered with TU’s Corporate Social Responsibility to build cycling lanes around the campus compound with future plans to extend the cycling lanes to Sunway and SS15. “Designated dual level bicycle bays will be built on the side of the road behind Block E and those cycling can make use of these new bays,” Chong said. He added that the back gate will also be opened from 7.30am to 9.30am and 4pm to 6.30pm on weekdays for those cycling to campus. Chong said the aim of this project is to address the lack of parking space, reduce carbon footprint and encourage healthy lifestyle in TU. The Green Transport Project will begin from January to March next year.
The traffic congestion and parking situation at Taylor’s University Lakeside Campus have become worse over the years.
SUBANG JAYA: Taylor’s University (TU) plans to address the parking situation at Lakeside Campus through the Green Transport Project. The project promotes transport sustainability through several initiatives that includes a parking area at Leisure Commerce Square (LCS), a new carpooling system and cycling lanes within TU compound. Facilities, Environment, Health, Safety, Security and Administration
(FEHSSA) Senior Sustainability and Project Manager Edward Chong Eu Siang said a new shuttle van system would be implemented to reduce the parking problem in TU campus. “Taylor’s Education Group (TEG) has purchased LCS in Bandar Sunway six months ago and will lease out the basement car park to TU staff and students,” Chong said. Chong said the parking bays at LCS will be at a flat rate of RM5 per day.
“This free shuttle van service will ferry students and staff between LCS and TU campus at a pickup interval of 10 minutes,” he added. He also said a new carpooling system will be implemented at TU. “A carpool tag will be issued to each car registered under this programme and it is only applicable to a car with two persons and above,” Chong said. He added that colour-coded tags will be provided according to
2
NE W S
November 2015
TU Adds Overnight Study Areas By TEH WOON YA
the ink
Slingers Editor Darius Shu Chen Keong
Deputy Editor Lyana Rosalini Mohd Yunus
Chief Sub-Editor Yeong Xiu Hui Layout Editor Yong Chun Khuen
Online Editor Kelly Cheng Chiali
Writers Abel Khor Ju Yi Angelina Lee Tze Theng Au Hui Shan Farah Nadhirah Muhammad Khairun Foong Kah Mei Goh Song Wei Karmugilan Panneerselvam Kelly Wong Yee Lin Krishna Kumar Apparao Law Cheng Jing Lee Jie Yin Lee Ting Nadya Sulaiman Nicholas Jessey Lim Ow Ji Jing Sacha Malli Gerard Christopher Siti Nabila Hashim Tan Yong Loke Teh Woon Ya Teong Yi Xin Tiffany Maree Lim Yap Ying Ying Visit us at theinkslingerstulc.weebly.com Write to us at inkslingersaug15@gmail.com
Printer C&T Graphics Mr. Ng Hock Swee AS 82 (1st Floor) Jalan Hang Tuah 4 Salak South Garden 57100, Kuala Lumpur
Contact Number +603 7981 2250 016 277 8201
SUBANG JAYA: Taylor’s University (TU) management opens more study spaces for students who stay late or overnight on campus for revision, discussions and assignment purposes. According to Academic Services Scheduling and Academic Resources Manager Hew Hon Choon, students can now utilise informal learning environments such as classrooms, the Student Life Centre and open areas in front of library. “All classrooms except for the lecture theatres will remain unlocked at night, but we do not advise students to stay in it with only few students as it is a waste of electricity,” he said. Hew said students could make bookings two days in advance to stay overnight in computer labs, classrooms and lecture theatres through their respective School Academic Services or online using the student portal. Hew added that the classrooms had a maximum capacity of 40 students per room, while the 24/7 Study Room could fit 60 students. “X-Space was previously open at night, but we decided to lock it to prevent any damages on the expensive equipment,” Hew said.
Chia prefers to complete his work at university during night time.
TU Auxiliary Police Sub Inspector Singaraveloo Renganthan said, “Security guards will conduct patrols five times a night to ensure all corridors and staircases are safe and no outsiders are in campus.” “Security guards will be on duty for the whole night at the walkway between two blocks at level two, five and seven,” he added. Singaraveloo said one police will patrol each block at every hour to check student identification cards, and unless they have permission to use the rooms, the police will ask students to leave the classrooms due to safety concerns. He said, “We will only allow the students to stay in classroom when
24/7 study room and other formal learning spaces are fully occupied.” “I would encourage students who stay late to study at places equipped with closed-circuit televisions, and to call the extension numbers 7000 or 5214 during emergencies,” he added. School of Engineering student Chia Wei Qian, 22, said, “I prefer to discuss with my group members at night as it is hard for us to arrange meetings during the day due to our classes.” School of Biosciences student Lee Yun Yee, 21, said, “I prefer to study in individual classrooms rather than the 24/7 study room which is often smelly and noisy.”
TU Staff Unwinds at Fairytale Themed Dinner By FOONG KAH MEI SUBANG JAYA: Taylor’s University (TU) staff mingled with colleagues from different departments at their annual Staff Appreciation Dinner with the theme ‘Once Upon A Time’. “Some of the staff members were very sporting as they took the effort to dress up in different costumes,” said Organising Chairman and School of Hospitality, Tourism and Culinary Arts lecturer Reuben Suresh Arthur. Reuben added that 860 staff attended the dinner and the overall response was as good as expected. “The weather on that day wasn’t the best but everyone participated in the games nevertheless,” he said. Taylor’s Business School lecturer Robin Theng said, “The String Pull and Strike the Rat game booths were my favourites in the Medieval Village.” Theng said the highlight of the event for her were the games where participants challenged and cheered for one another. “Normally I would dress up for the event but this year I did not because
Staff lining up at the bread station to sample a variety of breads and dips. Photo Credit: Darius Shu Chen Keong
I had to rush back for the event from a training programme,” Theng said. Students who were helping out with the dinner were also dressed as different fictional characters such as Harry Potter and Shrek. School of Design senior lecturer Sabariah Ahmad Khan said she liked dressing up for the dinner as it is her only opportunity to do so. “It does not matter if I did not win because the main point was that
I get to be a different character for just one night,” said Sabariah, who dressed as the Red Queen from Alice in Wonderland. Sabariah said she really enjoyed catching up with friends and the lucky draw where she won a fourday, three-night trip to Krabi. On expectations for next year’s dinner, she said, “I hope we get to see something different or perhaps some change in activities.”
November 2015
NEWS
3
Recent Toll Hike Frustrates TU Students By LYANA ROSALINI MOHD YUNUS SUBANG JAYA: Taylor’s University (TU) students responded negatively to the recent toll hike that were implemented by the Malaysian government on 15 October, which affected 17 intracity highways. School of Education student Lum Kit May, 21, said she felt displeased with the recent toll hike and believed that it would further contribute to the wide economic gap amongst working class citizens. “Beside additional transportation costs, businessmen take advantage of the situation to increase the price of their products and consumers will have to spend more,” Lum said.
Taylor’s Business School student Zaahir Dawood Mohammad Sadiq, 25, said the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and the toll hike will lead to an increase in petrol prices along with an increase in pricing
for everyday expenses, food and beverage outlets. “This spiral effect from GST and toll hike will impact citizens and have them resort to staying at home
Among the affected highways is Damansara-Puchong Expressway (LDP).
rather than going out,” Zaahir Dawood said, adding that the authorities did not fully justify the increase in toll rates. However, School of Communication student David Teoh Qi-en, 22, said his dissatisfaction was more directed at the incompetency of Malaysia’s public transportation system and its slow progress in improvements. “I am not ignorant about my surroundings and the economy of this country, neither am I fine about the matter but politics have disappointed us in many ways that it has made me jaded and this development is not unexpected,” he said.
TU to Build a Man-made Island as Bird Sanctuary By KELLY CHENG CHIALI AND FARAH NADHIRAH MUHAMMAD KHAIRUN SUBANG JAYA: Taylor’s University (TU) Facilities, Environment, Health, Safety and Security Administration (FEHSSA) will be building a bird sanctuary island on the lake by the beginning of next year. FEHSSA Senior Sustainability and Projects Manager Edward Chong Eu Siang said, “TU is conveniently situated under the bird migrating path.” “So, this gives us a great opportunity to create a bird sanctuary island for migrating birds
to stop by or to make a permanent home for them,” he added. Chong added that the island would be about 30m by 60m in size and will be situated at the far end of the lake, opposite the staff carpark. He added that the floating manmade island will be attached to the banks of the lake to prevent it from moving about on the lake. He said a suspended wooden bridge will also be constructed to allow people to walk over to the island.
“Besides the migrating birds that will come and go, TU will also purchase some flightless birds in pairs to be placed on the land and on the island itself,” he said. “We will also plant some trees on the island to make it look livelier,” he added. He said, “We will organise weekly guided tours on the island for people to learn more about the bird species and trees.” Chong said benches will be provided on the river bank for
students to relax and take pictures of the island. He added that a landscape gardener and security guard will be assigned to upkeep and maintain the security of the island. Chong said, “The estimated cost is about RM30,000, which will be fully-funded by the Revision Energy Partners company.” The technical drawing phase of the bird sanctuary will begin in January next year and the project is expected to be completed by April.
TU Students Offer Lower Priced Goods through FeedOn! Alpha By TEH WOON YA SUBANG JAYA: Taylor’s University (TU) students initiated Facebook page FeedOn! Alpha last month to sell surplus groceries at a lower price with the aim of reducing food wastage in Malaysia. Founder of FeedOn! Alpha Duncan Tsen Ken Sang said FeedOn! Alpha sold mislabelled products, near expiry but edible goods and promotional items that could not be sold in grocery shops. Tsen said, “The Facebook page serves as a test-run for the FeedOn! app to build up the FeedOn! brand name and to iron out logistics issues that might occur during transfer of products from suppliers to the customers.” Tsen added that TU students can place their orders on the Facebook page and collect their items at the stated date, time and venue.
School of Communication student Cheong Sin Hwa, 21, checking FeedOn! Alpha for the first time.
“The responses were great, with a total income of RM313 during the first week after the page is launched,” he said. Tsen said, “The misconception that we sell expired products to consumers is not true.” The team consisted of School of Computing and IT student Tsen,
21, and his partners, School of Architecture, Building and Design students Chin Khang Wei, 19, and Chan Yi Qin, 20. “FeedOn! app will be launched officially in December if everything goes smoothly,” Tsen said. He added, “We might provide local delivery services in the near future.”
School of Engineering student Vinosyah Palaniandy, 20, said, “I’ve bought foods from the page because I think that FeedOn! Alpha is a great movement to end world hunger.” School of Hospitality, Tourism and Culinary Arts student Yuan Fengyuan, 18, said, “I’m satisfied with the services provided and items bought were edible without deterioration in quality in terms of its taste and texture.” Dean of SOCIT Professor Dr Hiew Pang Leang said, “I’m proud that Duncan has applied his knowledge by utilising the latest technology to help the people in need and reduce food wastage.” “This is the behaviour that we wish to see from our students to materialise ideas and bring it to life rather than purely learning for academic purposes,” he added.
4
NE W S
November 2015
Auto-Gate Project Faces Technical Issues
TUCSI to Organise Talent Time Competition
By TEH WOON YA SUBANG JAYA: Activation of Taylor’s University (TU) library auto-gates has been delayed since June due to technical problems. Chief Librarian Jefrina Jamaluddin said, “System Integrator (an external party) has faced technical issues which deferred the implementation of the speed gates system.” “The System Integrator has been working with the equipment supplier and system developer to resolve these issues,” she said. Jefrina added that the project team has provided assistance to the vendors to ensure that the autogates could be facilitated soon. “We will also subsequently perform acceptance testing on the system and announce a go-live date to the campus community,” she said. Jefrina was quoted in The InkSlingers April issue as saying that the main purpose for installing the auto-gates is to ensure the safety of TU community by prohibiting outsiders from entering the library.
IN BRIEF
TU management installed auto-gates in library but they are yet to be activated due to technical problem.
“Students’ library privileges such as resources and seating could also be protected,” she added. American Degree Transfer Programme student Seshan Kumar Gopala Krishnan, 18, said, “I agree with the auto-gates in library as it is unfair when students from other universities can use our facilities that we paid for.” “TU management should inform students about the reasons behind delaying the implementation to avoid misunderstanding,” he added.
SUBANG JAYA: Taylor’s University Community Service Initiatives (TUCSI) is collaborating with Refuge for the Refugees (RFTR) for their fund-raising Talent Time competition that will be held in April next year. President of TUCSI Ong Eunis said the theme of the competition is Lumière, which also means ‘light’ in French. “Participants will be expected to perform their talents of dancing, singing and other activities under the spotlight,” Ong said. Ong added that the competition is one of TUCSI fund-raising initiatives to raise funds for future community service projects.
Seshan Kumar said TU management might have a hard time managing complaints after the implementation of autogates, especially from students who never bring their student identification card. Taylor’s Business School student Mission X: Racing Rachel Lee Ruo Ying, 19, said, “I hope that TU management will for Charity consider having a trial period for the SUBANG JAYA: The Mission X Charity Race will be held on 28 auto-gates so that students could SUBANG JAYA: get used to it and bring their card November from 2pm to 8pm at Taylor’s University (TU) to raise next time.” funds for the National Cancer Society Malaysia (NCSM). Students Should Seek Help if Stressed, Says Befrienders KL School of Communication student and Sponsorship Manager By SACHA MALLI GERARD CHRISTOPHER Alexis Hii Wei Xin, 21, said the SUBANG JAYA: Students facing “Befrienders KL gets 55 calls a day race consists of five stations with examinations have higher stress which is a very high number. This physical and mental challenges. levels and might need more mental shows that our service is greatly “We decided to spice it up a little and emotional support to maintain needed and welcomed by many by focusing on challenges instead overall health, said Befrienders people in distress,” Lim said at of just a run,” Hii said. Outreach Director Kevin Lim. the Break The Silence talk held on Organising Chairperson Audrey According to Lim, people aged 2 November at Taylor’s University Septian, 20, said there will be a 15 to 20 years old are considered Lakeside Campus.. bazaar as well as a speech by a at a higher risk of feeling alone, Befrienders KL is a support group representative from NCSM. depressed and unmotivated, with that operates 24/7; they can be Registration booth is available at one of the main factors being the contacted by phone or email and Student Life Centre foyer from 16 pressure they feel during their face-to-face appointments. to 18 and 23 to 27 November. study pursuits. All information will be kept “It is important to talk about private and confidential. Xmas Event to Bring your difficulties and not keep things Students Together bottled up,” said Lim, adding that Contact Befrienders KL via: SUBANG JAYA: Taylor’s University he encouraged students facing Phone: +(6) 03- 7956 8145 Student Council’s Campus dilemmas to seek help, whether Address: 95, Jalan Templer, Integration is organising Christmas from family, friends, Taylor’s 46000, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. Miracle on 18 December from 7pm University (TU) counsellors or Email: sam@befrienders.org.my to 9pm at the Amphitheatre of Lim presenting his talk in TU. Befrienders themselves. Taylor’s University. The event aims to integrate students and strengthen relationships between the student By FARAH NADHIRAH MUHAMMAD KHAIRUN body and university students. SUBANG JAYA: Taylor’s University beside Old Town White Coffee “The timers would be activated Campus Integration Director (TU) Facilities, Environment, and X-Space classroom D3.08 from 6am and turned off at 7pm Carmen Chia, 20, said there will Health, Safety, Security and in December. every day. However, the common be a photo booth, games, a ‘snow’ Administration (FEHSSA) plans to Chong said this approach is called corridor lights which use minimal challenge and gift exchange session. change the current switches for building automation whereby it is electrical energy will still be Participants are encouraged to wear red, green or white colours as air-conditioning systems and lights a system that turn switches on or switched on after 7pm,” he said. to motion sensor switches. off automatically. Chong said, “To keep the lights a dress code. FEHSSA Senior Sustainability “The purpose is to minimise on after 7pm, one just have to move Tickets are up for sale at RM10 and Project Manager Edward Chong energy used after office hours and to their hand or head and when the per entry in front of the Student Eu Siang said a pilot test would be reduce the electricity bill up to 80% motion sensor detects movement it Life Centre on 1 and 2 December from 10am to 3pm. carried out at the Academic Suite a month,” he added. will turn the electricity back on.”
TU Plans to Implement Motion Sensor Switches
November 2015
NEWS
Sticket App Receives Top Award at TechFest
5
By YEONG XIU HUI SUBANG JAYA: Sticket, the work of four Taylor’s University (TU) students, was chosen as the best mobile application among the five presented during Post-ImagineHack at TechFest 2015. Sticket is a digitalised version of the coupon-based public parking payment system in Malaysia, with several features such as advance payment and real time top-ups included for users’ convenience. The application was chosen alongside four others at the end of Imagine Hack in September, to undergo further development before being pitched to a panel of judges, which included representatives from IBM and Cyberview. Sticket’s development team consisted of School of Computing and IT (SOCIT) students Ahmad Shahid Nassir Rogers, 21, Bryan Lee
Kar Meng, 20, Gareth Teoh Jia Lok, 21 and School of Communication student Matthew Chan Kuok Han, 20. Agents of Tech (AOT) President Janice Chau Sian Lu, was the organising chairperson of ImagineHack, said, “Sticket won because the team demonstrated a
strong technological background that was able to support their idea.” Chau added that the competition evaluated applications based on concept, technology and execution, impact and innovation as well as commercial viability. Team leader Ahmad Shahid said the idea of Sticket emerged
SOCIT Deputy Dean Dr Raja Kumar Murugesan (left) presenting the mock cheque of RM1,500 to (from right) Chan, Lee, Teoh and Ahmad Shahid. Photo Credit: Darius Shu Chen Keong
from personal experience with the inconvenience and hassle that came with the current public parking payment system. “We carried out a survey with 109 local drivers, with 91% agreeing that the current system was inconvenient and 71% were discouraged from purchasing parking tickets as a result,” Ahmad Shahid said. Despite winning RM1,500 and a place in the IBM Global Entrepreneurship programme, Ahmad Shahid said the team has yet to finalise future plans for the application, as the team treated this as a learning experience. Sticket team member Chan said, “From this experience, I learnt that the most important thing you need is confidence when you take up any task, because if you have confidence, all other things will fall in place.”
TU Students Volunteer for Treehouse Wins ECOWorld Recruitment Video Contest Refugee Food Drive By LEE TING
By AU HUI SHAN SUBANG JAYA: Nineteen volunteers from Taylor’s University Community Service Initiatives (TUCSI) took part in a food drive to distribute packaged meals and dry foods to help 10 Burmese families. President of TUCSI Ong Eunis, 21, said the purpose of the event was to supply food for the Myanmar refugees as well as to get to know and provide the support and care they need. Ong said, “The volunteers served the families food and had the precious opportunity to bond with the refugees by playing a game called ‘tangled up’ and taught the children drawing and origami.” Ong added that the kids were immersed in the origami and drawing sessions. TUCSI volunteer Tan Jit Yiing, 21, also taught the refugee children to dance Gangnam Style. “It was such a joy to see the kids enjoying themselves as they were happily dancing without any care in the world,” Tan said. TUCSI volunteer Ng Shir Li, 19, said it was a good opportunity for her to take part in this meaningful food drive event, in order to broaden her horizon. Ng said, “Seeing the difficult life the refugees face due to financial instability and food shortage; I’m grateful with the life I have now.”
TUCSI volunteer Lai Xie Vern, 18, said, “Although we had some language barrier during the activities, it did not stop us from having fun and connecting with one and another.” “The refugee adults and children were very friendly, approachable and supportive among their community,” Lai said. “They taught us some basics of their native language, Burmese, such as the different greetings and numbers,” Lai added. Organised by Refuge for the Refugees (RFTR) in collaboration with TUCSI, the event is a bi-monthly activity carried out in PJ Section (PJS) 17, a housing area where the Burmese families stay. Ong said this food drive is a smaller-scale event conducted for interested TUCSI volunteers only during a recruitment drive through their Facebook page. Ong added that the priority of participating food drive this time was only given to TUCSI volunteers only, however, they are excited to open application to other students for a larger scale event in the near future. “Along with our mission, this is to instil civic-mindedness in the Taylor’s community and inspire more people to be involved in community service,” Ong said.
(From left) Low, Yeo, Nik Sharmine Afina, Norlyana, Wong and Khoo are excited to win the recruitment video contest.
SUBANG JAYA: A team of Taylor’s University School of Communication broadcasting students won the ECOWorld recruitment video contest, bringing home RM5,000 and an opportunity to work with ECOWorld for the reproduction of the video for official use. Treehouse Productions, which comprised producer Norlyana Mohamad Termidzi, 21, Nik Sharmine Afina Shaharin, 21, Japhia Wong Jie Ern, 21, Ethel Khoo Sie Xuan, 21, Melissa Yeo Mei Yin, 22, and Low Aw Yian, 25, found their win to be quite a surprise. “We did not expect to win at all,” Norlyana said. Norlyana said the video represented themselves and Generation-Y in terms of being fun and quirky. “They (ECOWorld) want Generation-Y recruits, so we did a
video that was kind of fun for us and would also appeal to our generation,” Norlyana said. ECOWorld CEO Datuk Chang Khim Wah said it was a hard decision because students wanted an out-of-the-box thinking video while still taking into consideration a corporate image. “With the level of enthusiasm shown by every team, I think all the students here will do well as life is more than just studying,” Chang said. Chang said with the opportunity to do a project with ECOWorld, students should make full use and get something out of it. “Taylor’s University is an exciting education institution and ECOWorld is a growing development company, so the synergy is good and we will find other ways to collaborate and work together again,” he said.
6
NE W S
November 2015
3D Printing Booth Amazes Visitors By DARIUS SHU CHEN KEONG SUBANG JAYA: The 3D Printing Booth by Triplaxis, a private business company started by two Taylor’s University (TU) students, amazed visitors at TechFest 2015, on 29 October at Lakeside Campus. “The crowd responded better than I expected as they were overwhelmed and fascinated by it,” said School of Computing and IT student Lim Jan Chian, 26, the business development director and co-founder of Triplaxis. Lim said he was happy to see many people were interested in the booth, with some recording the printing process in action with their mobile phones. “It’s a great eye-opener to have this displayed at TechFest and I’m sure people have seen 3D printing over the internet but not the physical
machine in action,” said Lim, adding that TechFest was the best place to showcase 3D printing technology to the student community. Lim said he knew 3D printers were costly and therefore wanted to provide the service to people who could not afford the printer. “The 3D Printing will revolutionise our country’s manufacturing industry,” Lim said. School of Engineering student Winston Lim Lik Khai, 19, said, “As we often do prototypes for projects, 3D printing would help us in moulding what we want. “This would benefit us a lot due to the detailed accuracy of 3D printing, which is crucial for us when building different types of prototypes.” Taylor’s College A-Levels student Sim Yi Xuan, 19, said, “I would love
to use custom designing with 3D printing technology to send gifts to my friends and family.” Sim added that he was amazed that the business was started by
rain and haze to have polluted the lake water.” He added that his team is still investigating other possible causes of pollution. “A polluted lake spells harm for marine life such as Japanese Carps and tortoises, including our ducks and geese,” Chong said. “It would be a shame if the lake becomes so dirty one day that the fishes in it die,” he added. He added, “The pollutant in the lake will affect the nearby Klang River since our lake flows into it.” Chong added that the lake water circulates to the manmade waterfall at the university. Chong said TU management will remediate the lake by building a
constructed wetland where the current man-made waterfall will be modified to be less steep and aquatic plants such as water hyacinth and water lily will be planted. He said the gradual incline of the waterfall slows the water flow and allows time for the aquatic plants to filter out the water, a process also known as aquaponics. “The plants foster the necessary conditions for microorganisms to remove pollutants from the water,” he said. Chong said the lake remediation project will begin January next year. Universiti Utara Malaysia Adjunct Professor Anthony Wong Kim Hooi said that this is a good case study for bioscience students.
He added that the small engine dynamometer will allow him to obtain the performance curve of engines running on petroleum or diesel when it has been modified. “After I have gathered all the information that is needed, I will tabulate all the results into a graph which will be compared to the information from other compressed air engines,” Naresh said. He added that after the information has been tabulated correctly, he will further modify
his own compressed air engine to achieve maximum efficiency. Technical Officer from TU School of Engineering Ahmad Hassan Mohd Som said the small engine dynamometer is used to calculate the revolutions per minute, torque, and horse power while adding any amount of weight to any engine connected to the device. “The temperature of the engine oil, air intake, exhaust manifold, cylinder head, eddy current and ambient can be monitored separately,” he added.
university students because it can be very challenging. He was interested in the technology to make gifts that was on display at the booth.
Students at TechFest admiring the 3D printing technology.
Lake to Undergo Remediation for Poor Water Quality By KELLY CHENG CHIALI SUBANG JAYA: Taylor’s University’s 5.5 acre man-made lake will undergo remediation using constructed treatment wetlands method. Facilities, Environment, Health, Safety, Security and Administration (FEHSSA) Senior Sustainability and Projects Manager Edward Chong Eu Siang said, “On certain days some parts of the lake is green due to algae growth from eutrophication, which means excess nutrient in the water.” According to the Trend of Toxic Ammonia and Nitrate Concentration report, the high level of ammonia and heavy metals in the lake has been found to have exceeded the healthy range. Chong said, “Our preliminary investigation suggests rubbish, acid
Student Builds First Compressed Air Engine By ABEL KHOR JU YI SUBANG JAYA: A Taylor’s University (TU) engineering student will be the first person in Malaysia to modify an engine to run on compressed air. The new small engine dynometer acquired by School of Engineering enabled Naresh Jeyapalan, 22, to work on his latest project ‘Building and Testing Compressed Air Driven Engine’. “The school has allocated a fixed budget for me to purchase a motorbike engine that can be modified,” Naresh said.
“They can now apply what they have learnt in textbooks and see real life examples,” he said. School of Biosciences lecturer Dr Teoh Ming Li will include lake studies in her students’ final-year project next year. Dr Teoh said they will collect and identify the microalgae in the lake. Dr Teoh, who is part of the lake remediation project, said, “We could include lake activities to raise awareness of the importance of the lake among students and staff.” She said TU management might as well take full advantage of the lake since it is already there. “This is why we need to keep the lake clean so that we can explore more possibilities with it,” she said.
November 2015
FE AT U R E S
7
Are You Game Enough to Take the Heat? By FOONG KAH MEI Malaysians are known for their love of all that is spicy. Here are some of the most tongue-numbing spicy food challenges in our country that everyone can try to satisfy their fiery appetite. Be prepared to get your adrenaline pumping! The 9-1-1 Pizza Challenge Owned by Michael Helfman, Mikey’s Original New York Pizza serves a variety of hot and hearty pizzas to their hungry customers. The 9-1-1 Pizza Challenge requires challengers to finish a whole 18inch 911, Call-The-Fire-Department Pizza under 40 minutes. Those who succeed will be immortalised on their Wall of Fame and earn themselves RM500 cash. This self-proclaimed ‘spiciest pizza in Asia’ is sprinkled with Cayenne pepper, chopped Habaneros, Thai chillies and covered with a layer of ghost pepper powder. Address: 17, Jalan Telawi 2, Bangsar Baru, 59100 Kuala Lumpur The Chilli Rush Challenge Heat-seekers will discover the line between good spicy and crazy spicy as they scorch their taste buds at Chilli Rush. The restaurant’s specialty hot wings are served in different levels of spiciness, from CR1 to CR10.
Their ‘level 11’ hot wings are a force to be reckon with. These wings give customers a tongue-numbing spiciness that persists on the palate and burns slowly in the stomach. Challengers are required to finish a dozen ‘level 11’ hot wings under two minutes to be honoured on the Chilli Rush Wall of Fame. Address: 93-G, Block H, Jaya One, No 72A, Jalan Universiti, 46200 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan
One Fire Challenge If you have an appetite for the Korean taste then head to The Street Café for this next challenge that will leave your tongue swelling from the first bite. A Korean street food restaurant that serves authentic Korean food like Ramyun and Ddokboki, this place has its own surprise in store for their customers – scoff down an entire pot of spicy Ramyun in less than eight minutes.
School of Hospitality, Tourism and Culinary Arts student Lee Ji Hao, 20, takes on the Fire Noodle Challenge with added ingredients of cheese, milk and ham.
Challengers who succeed will receive a lifetime membership for free drinks and be remembered on their Wall of Fame. Address: No. 28, Jalan USJ SS15/8, Subang Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan Fire Noodle Challenge If you do not feel like traveling far then why not try this one instead with friends or family in the comfort of your home? This food fad has taken the world by storm when people started uploading YouTube videos of themselves taking on one of South Korea’s spiciest ramens – the Flaming Chicken Fried Noodles. Some accepted and dominated the challenge while others lost their tongues to the fires of these ramen noodles. There are even those who went as far as to add their own crazy twists into their noodles – extra chilli powder and chili peppers. You can even watch videos on how you can cook variation of the noodles. So what are you waiting for? If you have the tendency to torture yourself in the most delicious way possible then try out these challenges yourself! Just be ready to put your senses to the test and let your tummy take on a flaming pounding or two!
Beyond Fandom: Unfolding the Realm of Fanfiction By NADYA SULAIMAN Everyone has doubts about fanfiction. Fanfiction allows freedom to explore ideas for any fandom, but this sometimes leads to weird and uncomfortable stories. People new to fanfiction might instantly develop negative perceptions regarding fanfiction, but not all creative expression is cringeworthy. It is time to debunk the four most common misconceptions that people have towards fanfiction. Fanfiction is not ‘real writing’ Did you know that Fifty Shades of Grey started out as a Twilight fanfiction? The author E.L. James reworked her fanfiction into an original story, turning it into the now international bestselling series. All forms of writing, fanfiction included, is literature. Poor grammar, bad storytelling and other lack of literary skill may happen but fanfiction writing still allows writers to express creative freedom in anonymity. Fanfiction writers are fans who use the basis of someone else’s
creative universe to explore their own ideas. Even if littered with grammatical errors and plot holes, fanfiction has helped in terms of literacy amongst regular readers. After a good amount of time reading stories, they come to learn the differences between good and bad grammar. Fanfiction also have ‘BETAs’ who act as editors to a writer’s story, correcting and improving on any given fanfiction. Fanfiction incurs copyright issues It is not plagiarism of course. The retelling of a story has been humankind’s favourite past time. The fairytales we know today are completely different from the original and are arguably fanfiction too. Little Red Riding Hood may be a fairytale now complete with a happy ending but it once was a cautionary tale with an entirely different ending – the wolf ends up eating Little Red. Normally, the use of original works is prohibited but writers are protected by the ‘Fair Use Clause’. As long as the works are used ‘fairly’
or more accurately, for educational and commentary purposes, then fanfiction is perfectly legal. In fine print, parodies of such works are acceptable, which is why writing fanfiction is still allowed today. A good word of warning, fanfiction is best not to be published for commercial use. Fanfiction readers and writers are teens Nonsense! Anyone can read and write fanfiction. Teenagers are not the only ones who have an active imagination to boot. While certain fanfictions may seem like they are written by immature teens, you would be surprised to know that a good majority of fanfiction writers are actually in their 30s. Writers are hesitant to reveal their age for fear of judgement and also because their poor grasp in language has lead people to assume that fanfiction writers are teenagers. Fanfiction is erotica/slash/smut “Fanfiction is just porn in words”, most would say. Contrary to popular
belief, that’s only part of the story. Erotica is just a very big sub-genre in the world of fanfiction. Homoerotic reinterpretations are ridiculously popular in almost comedic heights. From tragic love stories between Spock and Captain Kirk to the romantic trysts of Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson, stories get more and more eccentric. Just because this particular subtopic is considered disturbing to most people, it shouldn’t dismiss the merit of the community that produces it. While there almost a ridiculous number of sex-fuelled fanfiction, there are some profound and touching stories, even dark and foreboding ones. There is plenty of intrigue, mystery and suspense, romance, comedy and adventure. Writers have an aim to satisfy curiosity – the ‘What if’ questions that original stories fail to answer. Some fandoms have no conclusive endings. Show cancellations and constant cliffhangers leave fans frustrated and the need to know what happens next.
8
FE ATUR ES
November 2015
Inside an Introvert’s Introversion By LYANA ROSALINI MOHD YUNUS Quiet individuals are often called introverts. The word introvert is mistakenly used to mean lone rangers who are shy and do not like to communicate. Time after time introverts are misunderstood in society and if common stereotypes have anything to say on this, it is that quiet individuals are usually socially awkward loners who abhor large crowds and would run away at the sight of others. When it comes to categorising a person, identifying an introvert goes beyond just a shy individual. According to Carl King, author of 10 Myths About Introverts, a commonly believed myth is that introverts do not like to talk. However, King explained that this assumption is not true. While introverts may find small talk difficult, thus resort to silence when it comes to chit-chatting, it is relatively simple to get them talking. Just approach them with a topic of interest to them instead. With regards to this particular misconception, I am of the opinion that introverts are just more cautious communicators. They would prefer to listen before they talk, choosing words carefully and only speaking when there is a need to.
My sister faces this issue on a regular basis, with strangers often assuming she is anti-social, unapproachable or a plain snob. Relatives would usually label her as the quiet one amongst my siblings and would always compare us in term of friendliness. This stems from a lack of understanding about my sister, a typical introvert. She only talks when the topic is of her interest and expertise. She dislikes small talk but appreciates factual and informative conversations. Try talking to her about the human anatomy, she can go on for days! As quoted by Chicago Lawyer magazine columnist Christina
Martini, “Introverts are quiet but this does not mean that they do not have anything to say.” Introverts may not be keen on talking. However, this does not mean that they do not have an opinion. My takeaway on this is that when it comes to communicating, introverts would usually gather data first before forging out their opinions. Introverts feel that it is best to deliberate before commenting on an issue and giving their say. Another famously, erroneously attributed trait for introverts is their shyness, but if you ask me being shy has nothing to do with introversion. Introverts are not afraid of approaching or communicating with
While mingling with others is easy for some, introverts often struggle to fit in large crowds. Photo Credit: nbcnews.com
people. However, introverts often need a reason to interact. Introverts do not interact just for the sake of it. A writer from Lifestyle website, Scott Christ shared in his article that among other famously known misconceptions, people think introverts always want to be alone. Even though it is true to some extent as introverts do enjoy quiet time alone such as reading or selfreflecting, they can also get lonely if they do not have anyone to share their thoughts, experiences and discoveries with. I once dated a classmate who was deemed as the ultimate introvert. He shared with me that he prefers spending his free time alone. Even though spending time with friends was entertaining, a day out with a crowd will usually tire him out. He will then turn to gaming for hours on end at home to replenish his energy. Introverts look for sincere and authentic connections with people, usually either one-on-one or in a small group of friends. They do often enjoy the company of others, especially if the individuals share common interests. So the next time you see a quiet person and you feel like talking to them, just strike up a conversation. and say hi!
Oh No! Our Attention Span is Decreasing By DARIUS SHU CHEN KEONG How many times have people of our generation lose focus when something does not seem to interest them? Yes, our attention span is dying and it is taking a toll on our lives. As university students, there is a constant need for concentration. The attention span is so short that even during lectures, it is easy to lose focus after a while. This is the same during group discussions or revising. It is difficult to keep focus as people are constantly distracted by their gadgets. Technology has been one of the causes of this and because of the overload in information that bombards us, we easily lose interest in things that does not capture our attention. When people spend too much time communicating with their devices rather than face to face, their ability to concentrate during real life interactions greatly decreases.
The increase in visual-based content on the Internet does not help either. Videos plastered on Facebook shows increasing demand for more interactive content rather than mere words on the news feed as our attention span continues to shrink. All these have been rewiring our brains. Consultant Psychiatrist at Pantai Hospital Dr Brian Ho Kong Wai said, “Technology has simplified our life as it makes everything easier but it cuts short the way we interact with the world.” Dr Ho added that the reason attention span is shorter for today’s generation is because everybody wants immediate gratification. “The traditional way of communicating and focusing has been cut short due to the digital lifestyle we are living in,” Dr Ho said. He advocated for self-control over usage of technology and learning to appreciate things around us, in
order to help restore our declining attention span. “We have to be mindful and aware about our usage in technology and not to forget about the basic things in life such as human relationship and interactions as these are the reasons that help us in psychological attention,” Dr Ho said. Dr Ho added that if we are easily distracted and cannot concentrate, our productivity drops. School of Pharmacy student Chen Seat Theng, 22, said, “Nowadays, I’m easily distracted during lecture times and with us having very short attention span, we often missed out on important notes from lecturers.” Chen added that she and her friends easily get bored on certain topics and hence she prefers interactive content that can help keep her focus. School of Hospitality student Mukund Rai, 24, said, “Gen Y minds are very indecisive about their
interests and therefore this will be reflected in their attention span.” Mukund added that he prefers visual-based content on social media because when individuals scroll their news feed and something interesting appears, they will first watch it before reading its content. The digital generation are becoming more efficient when it comes to doing less. With this short burst of attention, our generation are only capable of having the highest attention at the beginning of an activity or task but slowly start to lose interest as time goes by. What we should start doing now is to realise this and take the right precaution to increase our attention span again. Humans have lived in the age before technology whereby our attention span was once high, therefore there is no reason why we are not able to attain such high attention span again.
November 2015
FE AT U R E S
9
How a Hug Transformed My Family Life By OW JI JING I came from a distant family. We lived under the same roof, but our hearts are miles apart. We did not know the importance of showing appreciation towards each other, nor did we know how to show affection. In fact, we could barely communicate properly with one another. My mum used to be a hottempered person. She will get annoyed at the smallest things; like when we did not fold our blankets. You can already imagine how often she gets annoyed every day. My young sister particularly did not like that; she would talk back loudly and sometimes even shout. When that happens, my dad would be reading his newspaper, pretending not to hear anything. That left my brother and I confused and unsure of what to do. It stayed that way for years and we have grown to ignore it. Earlier this year, the arguments have gotten worse. It would normally end up with sister slamming the door and mum crying alone in the guest room. She will then cry herself to sleep and then wake up the next
morning pretending that everything is alright. We will not even talk about it. I sincerely thought the situation was toxic for the family, but I could not find the courage to talk to them. One day, I attended an interreligious forum, where they talked about ways to lessen the tension between different religious groups. The speaker said, “Go back to your family, give them a hug and tell them you love them.” He said we are not capable of loving others if we cannot first love our family. He also explained the benefits of showing affection, on how it is therapeutic and it could repair and strengthen relationships. The morning after, I decided to do something differently. Instead of just leaving to university without even saying goodbye, I went to my mum, gave her a hug and said “I love you, mum”. That was the first time I showed affection to my mum in a long time. It was also one of the most awkward moments that I had in 21 years of my life. She did not say anything, but
I could clearly see a bright smile on her face. After repeating it for a week, my mum became the most joyful person. The arguments that I used to hear turned into mild ones, and eventually evolved into warm reminders. Few days later, I repeated the same method to dad. I got more comfortable talking to him and
We live in a generation where repetitive music is considered ideal. Vulgarity and swearing have become a norm and most songs nowadays associate with situations of ‘partying in a club’ such as LMFAO’s Party Rock Anthem or Black Eyed Peas’ I Got A Feeling; hatred and cheating on relationships songs such as Charli XCX’s Break The Rules or Ariana Grande’s Problem. I feel that the lyrics of songs during the era of the 70s and 80s relate towards the theme of positive love and togetherness.
The music in that era has become a classic with their meaningful lyrics. Bands such as ABBA, The Beatles, Bee Gees and Aerosmith became famous during the 70s and 80s because of their in-depth songwriting. Today, it is almost impossible to avoid auto tune and various synthesisers to the instruments. Music videos today tend to focus on sexual themes with many rap videos empowering the ‘gangsta’ image such as Drake’s Worst Behavior and Kanye West’s No Church in Wild. Sadly, the encouragement to embrace violence, vulgarity and elements of sex with a certain perception to the role of the African-American people will only continue to degrade the mindset of our generation. I believe there are singers with great songwriting talent but who are prohibited by their record label to write their own songs. The record label prefers to hire an expert to write songs for the singers as these experts are deemed to know what appeal to the public. Therefore, the contents of most songs are very similar and these songs are just another product of the ever evolving pop culture.
started to discuss the issue about mum, followed by my brother and sister. We agreed that we should treat mum with more love and care. Ever since then, my mum has never shed a tear. My house has become a happier place to live in. My house has finally become my home and that is how a hug transformed my family life.
Hug is a good way to express appreciation towards the family.
Our Self-Centered Music of Generation Y By DARIUS SHU CHEN KEONG Pop music has evolved into a very narcissistic industry and they literally feed the public on what to listen rather than focusing on the authenticity of the music. Majority of lyrics today no longer has its depth and lacking good content. Is the industry implying that our generation is more narcissistic in attitude through its lyrics? Listening to my favourite songs, most lyrics nowadays seemed to emphasis on individuality such as ‘I’ and ‘me’ showing how self-centered we have become these days.
School of Communication student Siau Yeu Jiun, 21, enjoying pop music.
What makes our generation listen to pop music when there are more genres to explore? For me, it is an undeniable fact that we are constantly bombarded repeatedly with the same music on our television, radio and streaming services. Maybe it is just another way to fit in with the crowd because it would be easier to communicate with like minded people. There is no end to pop culture. Music is no longer just for entertainment but has become a money-making machine. The influence is big and it moves people everywhere around the world physically and mentally. What we Gen Y can do is to get out of our comfort zone and explore new music from the young talents, who gets lesser attention in our media nowadays. Expand your music genres beyond pop music and try to listen to songs that brings positivity to your lives. Take a look at your parents’ old records or tapes because you never know that what you may find could change the way you listen to music forever.
10
FE ATUR ES
November 2015
Life Lessons from Successful Leaders By TEH WOON YA Recently, I had been given a great opportunity to attend the Global Transformation Forum which was held from 21 to 22 October. The forum brought world-class leaders and opinion leaders across the globe onto one stage to share how socio-economic transformation could effectively shape the global environment. All the speakers were insightful and inspiring in their speeches, which motivated me to transform myself and make changes for a better future. Here are some of my main key learning outcomes. Keys to success Former Governor of California, actor and bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger shared secrets on how he transformed himself into a successful person. First step is to set a vision and follow the vision throughout the journey. An individual must be able to think big and aim for higher achievement. We should ignore the naysayers and take out the ‘no’. Schwarzenegger said, “Everyone said that it’s impossible for me to become a government leader in America. Yet, I tried my best and ignored all the comments and I have succeeded in the end.”
The next key is to forget plan B. “You need 100% of attention for the initial plan. Never be afraid of failure and never give up! A winner is one who will get up after they have fallen,” he added. Lastly, he encouraged many to leave their mark on the world by giving back to the community, state and country. Leadership and teamwork to drive transformation AirAsia Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said, “I would not achieve what I have achieved now without a fantastic team with similar mission and passion.” He shared that companies tend to focus on external stakeholders, but in fact, internal branding and relationships are more important. Fernandes shared, “I have reduced the gap between myself and my staff, offered rewards and training as well as communicated with them on a regular basis.” Performance Management Delivery Unit CEO Datuk Sri Idris Jala has identified the types of leadership that can lead to a successful transformation. “We need leaders who will pursue the impossible and are willing to try something new. Leaders must
Datuk Sri Idris Jala (left) and Schwarzenegger taking a ‘wefie’ with the crowd. Photo Credit: Global Transformation Forum
anchor on their true north (life mission),” he said. Idris added that leaders should be able to work hands-on operationally by being involved in planning and coming up with solutions. Play your role in making changes Social commentator and activist Kiran Bedi said cultural values and lessons taught in school will shape how an individual views society. Her parents have often empowered her by telling her that no one can prevent her from choosing to be exceptional. The media should
be accurate in selling solutions rather than selling problems to the public. Bedi said, “We are empowered to empower. The future depends on what you do today, not yesterday or tomorrow. You must always push the negative thoughts away and take in the positive thoughts.” We are the future pillars of society, it is time for us to re-evaluate and improve ourselves to develop a better and more sustainable society. If is not us then who? If is not now then when?
and some of the Chinese will believe that three people in one photograph represents the three incense sticks. As a way to pay respects to their ancestors, incense sticks are symbolic to death and such disrespect in the form of a photograph could lead to ill will.
Indians say, “teen tighada kaa, bighada”, which translates to ‘three is unlucky, anything above two will gets difficult to handle’. You should not open umbrella inside the house It is said that if you open an umbrella indoors, the bad luck will rain upon you. One explanation is that umbrellas were used as protection from the sun and if you open an umbrella indoors, you will make the Sun God angry. The Chinese believe that evil spirits hide underneath umbrellas to hide from the sun. If you open an umbrella indoors, evil spirits would be unleashed into your house. Besides that, the Malays also believe that if a child opens an umbrella inside the house, a snake will come out from the umbrella. For Indians, they believe that when an umbrella is opened inside the house, it will accidentally injure people and break an object, so it is considered as bad luck.
5 Superstitions We May Overlook in Our Lives By YAP YING YING Malaysians live with many different races, languages and religions. As a consequence, we grow to blindly believe in superstitions. There are many different stories for where these rules have most likely originated - both logical and illogical. Believe it or not, these beliefs are still present today, passed down through the generations. You should not give shoes or clocks as gifts Some people say that giving shoes may represent the want to send someone away or to end a relationship. If you are giving a watch or clock as a gift, it is basically saying that you are putting time into a relationship. In Cantonese and in Mandarin, “give a clock” is in a way, a saying for “attending a funeral”. You should not cut your nails at night The Malays believe that if you cut nails at night, you will die young. This reasoning came about from back in the old days where there was no
electricity. Those who cut their nails at night could accidentally cut their fingers, resulting in bloody fingers. Another belief is that spirits will eat the nails and will eventually take on your form and appearance. However, Indians believe that night spirits will awaken and attack those who cut their nails at night. You should not pat or touch a gambler’s shoulder According to the Chinese, there are three lights or flames on a person, which are located on the forehead and on each side of the shoulders. If you are patting or touching a gambler’s shoulders, it may extinguish that flame, thus bringing bad luck to the gambler. Three people should not be taken in one photograph Some say that the person standing in between two others in a photograph of three people will be the first to die. The Chinese burn three incense sticks for worship or prayer,
Some people believe that cutting nails at night will bring bad luck. Photo Credit: es.paperblog.com
FE AT U R E S
November 2015
11
Should You Let Your Sign Define You? By FOONG KAH MEI Horoscopes, also known as zodiac signs, give us an insight into how the time or the moment of an individual’s birth influences a person’s personality as well as how we perceive things around us. Each sign is different and unique in their own way and some individuals tend to behave according to their signs. However, how far of an extent should we allow our horoscopes to define our identity? Writers Winona Dimeo-Ediger and Katelyn Kollinzas in thefrisky website commented regardless of how accurate your personality is compared to your sign, it is important to know that not everyone share the same traits as their zodiac sign. For example, a person can be calm and patient even when they are born under the sign of Aries, which are often described to be reckless and impulsive. The same can be said for other signs like Capricorns. They are
often said to be ambitious but they can also be laidback in life. According to AstrologyNumerology writer Michael McClain, to understand a person’s behaviour better, we need to take into account the positions of our sun sign and moon sign in our birth chart. Our sun sign represent our basic identity. It is a way of learning who we want to be. It represents our conscious mind and our will to live whereas our moon sign are the representation of our deepest personal needs - the way we make ourselves feel safe and how we instinctively respond to a problem. Alwaysastrology website stated for some individuals, their personality is driven more by their moon sign and the way they behave can be the total opposite of their sun sign. Despite its lack of reliability, what are the reasons that make horoscopes so popular among readers and enthusiasts alike?
A writer from elephantjournal Phillip J Watt said the new generation is open to any forms of connection with the unknown. Many yearn to discover themselves and their future. This in turn, intrigues people to know more about their zodiac sign. Horoscope enthusiasts worldwide gather on social media to share stories related to their respective signs. New information obtained about themselves acts as a stepping
Video gaming can be an addiction, but just as you do not claim that every sommelier is addicted to alcohol, you similarly cannot assume that every eSports athlete is addicted to video games. Another common misconception towards video gamers are their apparent lack of direction in life. A frequently touted cliche points to video gamers being antisocial and unable to form social relations. Such an observation stems from the lack of deeper evaluation into the situation. Yes, video gaming undoubtedly leads you to stay in a room facing
a screen, communicating within digital contexts. This however, does not mean video gaming makes you an antisocial person. Soren Bjerg, a famous LOL player in North America, wrote about his personal experience of how he used video gaming as an escape from being harassed and bullied by his peers in real life. After joining a professional video gaming team, Bjerg opened up and became more sociable as he interacted with teammates and fans from around the world. There may be a correlation between a tendency to be less
Our sun and moon signs correlate to shape our personality. Photo Credit: sasstrology.com
stone in unravelling a side of them that they have yet to realise. Psychologist Bertram Forer connects the popularity of horoscopes with the Barnum Effect, which is the tendency to accept certain vague or worthless information as true and attribute it to themselves. Perhaps many view horoscopes as an appealing illusion to feel defined and therefore more easily understood by others. I think horoscopes are a fun and interesting way to get to know someone new. However, one should be mindful not to judge someone solely based on that. Everyone has a story to tell and it would be unfair not to take into consideration other aspects of their life. If we do not like being judged in that manner, I believe others would not be too fond of it as well. After all, we are all pink on the inside.
What Did You Say about Video Gaming? By YEONG XIU HUI The competitive video gaming industry, also known as electronic sports (eSports), is expected to give out over 50million United States Dollar (RM214million) in prize money this year. Major tournaments with multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games like Dota 2 and League of Legends (LOL) have witnessed live viewership counts peaking at over 20 million spectators, selling out stadiums and streaming games online to an international audience. Yet comments about the futility of playing video games and the negative perception towards those who admit enjoying video gaming doggedly persist. So let us set the record straight about some of the common misconceptions towards the professional video gaming industry. Professional video gamers, or eSports athletes, are not video gaming addicts. While the world loves to bring up occurence of unfortunate incidents in cybercafes involving video gaming binges, professional video gamers are exactly like physical sports athletes - they know when to stop and when to step back in order to maintain their top form.
SK Telecom T1, champions of LOL Worlds Championship 2015, wins one million US Dollar (RM4.35 million). Photo Credit: The Score eSports
sociable and video gaming, but this does not mean there is a causation. Professional video gamers will often testify that video gaming boosted their confidence and gave them hope when they needed it the most. And finally, video gamers have had an uphill battle to climb in proving that video gaming required the ability to develop valuable soft skills in life. MOBA games require quick reflexes and the ability to work well in a team. Just as not all physical sports require the exact skill set, video games similarly will differ in its play styles but they are still very much capable of developing skills that society values. In MOBA games, players have to not only coordinate their movements, but also have counter steps in order to win. In competitive gameplay, seemingly small mistakes could snowball into a heavy loss. In the end, everything that is so-called negative about video gaming must be taken in the proper context. If someone tries to say that professional video gamers have no future, they should know that this year’s The International, a major Dota 2 tournament, had a prize pool that totalled over 18million Dollar (RM77million).
theinkSlingers
FEATURES November 2015
Life Values Volunteerism Had Taught Me By OW JI JING I have always been inspired by the stories of people who volunteer to help victims in catastrophic areas. I always hoped to do the same. In November 2013, Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines badly. Without a second thought, my friend and I decided to join a twoweek volunteering programme in the Philippines to help the victims to rebuild their houses. We thought it will be an exotic adventure, but little did we know it would teach us some valuable life values. Generosity We were assigned to Fatima Village, a small and poor fishing village, in Kalibo. Some of the villagers did not even have a pair of shoes, but they gave so much despite how little they possessed. My host family offered us to sleep on the only bed they had and they slept on the floor instead. Besides that, they will bring us coffee and snacks every morning that cost
them a bomb. They even offered to help us wash our clothes and shoes. I am deeply touched by their generosity. I also felt ashamed, for being selfish in giving, despite having so much more back in Malaysia. Family-like community After a week of building houses, I had infected wounds due to the
unhygienic environment. One evening, a young boy noticed it and to my surprise, the whole village knew about it the next morning. Once they knew about it, a group of them put herbs on my wounds and even checked on me consistently. They treated a stranger like me as their family and that made me
felt at home, even when I am far away from home. Disconnect with the world occasionally Throughout the two weeks, we were asked to cut off from any form of media so that we could focus on our mission and spend more time with the villagers. It was difficult at first, but I learnt to love it eventually. We did a lot of things with the villagers. We went fishing in the ocean, climbed trees to pluck coconuts and even played hide-and-seek with the kids. It made me realised how much I have missed out in my life back home. After coming back to Malaysia, I constantly remind myself to spend more quality time with my loved ones. I flew to the Philippines with the intention of giving, but I received and learnt so many valuable life values. The experience changed me and I could never thank God enough for this opportunity.
the sarong in which he made it into a knee-length skirt. During Christmas celebration with his family, alcohol was served but they specially made me a separate non-alcoholic ice-cream. The best part that caught me off guard was during the presentsexchange session. His mother gave me a scrupulously hand-crafted snowman that she made from shells of nuts and twigs. Religiously speaking, I became more intrigued about my religion because I wanted to be able to answer every question correctly and not simply by what I think is right. My family whom at first would subconsciously stereotype Malaysian races and call them by race, blatantly shouting out “that Chinese!” or “that Indian!” are now more cautious of their words. Our relationship came to an end recently this year however it was not due to our cultural and religious
differences, but it was because of our personal issues. However, the experience had completely changed my perception towards interracial relationships. Ever since my previous involvement, I am more open towards the idea of being in an interracial relationship . Currently I am dating a Chinese man and we are having good progress.
When it comes to interracial relationships, it does not matter what colour your skin is or whether you choose to use a chopstick or hands to eat with. What matters most are the love you both have for each other, the willingness to make sacrifices into making it works and the commitment to the relationship – that is what will make it or break it.
Partners in crime, Rosh (left) and Ganji (right), who plucked coconuts together with the writer.
Rojak Kind of Love – Interracial Relationships By LYANA ROSALINI MOHD YUNUS Interracial relationships are not uncommon these days, especially amongst 21st-century youths. However, we still project a contemptuous attitude towards it and deeming it impossible to be achieved. I am a Malay Muslim and initially my perception towards an interracial relationships was always little to no chance at all. It was until the beginning of last year which led me into a relationship with an Atheist who is half-Chinese, half-Austrian. I had the chance of attending Chinese weddings and he had the opportunity of learning my mother’s daging masak hitam secret recipe for Hari Raya Aidilfitri. It was amusing how nervous and awkward he was at greeting my father with a salam - a hand gesture used as a Muslim greeting. The best part was seeing him trying to figure out on how to wear
Interracial relationships can be an enlightment if one is brave enough to pursue it. Photo Credit: interracialmarriageandfamily.com