the iskandarian april 2016 issue

I S K A N D A R M A L A Y S I A ’ S C O M M U N I T Y N E W S P A P E R

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pg 9

Based on our track record; we sell everything that we build- Arry Nazroun Ahmad,

Manager, Marketing, Sales & Product Development (Southern Region) I&P Group Sdn Bhd

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I S K A N D A R M A L A Y S I A ’ S C O M M U N I T Y N E W S P A P E R

ISKANDAR MALAYSIATHE NEXT 10 YEARS

Comprehensive Development Plan ii (CDPii)A review of the �rst CDP. It addresses the changes in development and challenges in the economic scenario globally and locally as well as integrating initiatives from all the blueprints in a strategic manner.

Wealth GenerationEnsuring continuous and risilient income generation for the people living in Iskandar Malaysia.

Wealth Sharing and InclusivenessEnsuring the community of Iskandar Malaysia all have a share of the pie.

Resource Optimisation and Low CarbonProtecting natural and man-made resources for a sustainable development.

THE FIVEBIG MOVES

Strategic plans for the next phase of development in

Iskandar Malaysia

INCLUSIVEIskandar Malaysia

Creating opportunities for the community to participate and bene�t from the development

DESTINATION Iskandar Malaysia

Creating exciting experiences for the local community, domestic and

foreign tourists

PORTIskandar Malaysia

World class logistics and maritime hub

URBAN OBSERVATORYIskandar Malaysia

An integrated knowledge and archive hub

GREENINGIskandar Malaysia

A green low carbon society through landscape design and ecology preservation

THEME PARKS

Higher quality of life, more business opportunities

& more jobs for everyone

outcomesTHEplan

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

02

His Royal Highness Sultan Ibrahim ibni Sultan Isk andar celebrated his birthday and first

anniversary of his coronation with a Royal tea party at Dataran Bandaraya Johor Bahru, recently. The joyous celebration attracted more than 20,000 visitors despite the scorching hot weather.

As any other tea party, it is deemed to have cakes on its menu and this party is no exception. Among the cakes on highlight, one cake in particular caught our eye - a Royal ‘Minion’ themed cake made for the Permaisuri of Johor, Raja Zarith Sofiah Sultan Idris Shah!

According to its maker and designer, Laily Ariffin of Laily’s Patisserie, the cake took almost a week to be designed and made. It weighed more than 40kg and was prepared as separate components in Selangor before they were transported to Johor Bahru.

“The request was for me

to personally see to the assembly of the cake at site, and with the prior experience of making and transporting a huge wedding cake to The Saujana for the son of Menteri Besar Johor’s wedding gave me the confidence to use the same approach,” explained Laily on the challenges of making the 3 feet tall cake.

This was certainly not her first creation for the Permaisuri of Johor too as her first was the two-tier Minion cake she made for the Permaisuri last year and another was a cake for Sultan Ibrahim’s birthday, also of Minion theme.

“Thank god, so far my cake creations have been well received by the royals and I hope to be able to maintain such service consistently for all my clients,” she continued.

To follow Laily’s Patisserie cake journey, visit her Facebook page of the same name, or her IG @lailys_patisserie - by Hakim Malik TI

The Sultan of Johor, His Royal Highness Sultan Ibrahim ibni Sultan Iskandar, has

given a string of comments and advices to his subjects in conjunction with his 58th birthday and the first anniversary of his coronation as the Sultan of Johor.

The Johor Sultan has urged Malays to retain their culture instead of trying to imitate the Arabs. He called for the Malays to not discard their unique culture, saying he was disturbed that some people want to stop local Muslim men and women

from shaking hands in the traditional greeting when they meet.

The Star Online carried that HRH wants Johor to take advantage of regional growth to further improve its strategic infrastructure and this includes building a new bridge to alleviate the heavy traffic heading to and from Singapore. Sultan Ibrahim expressed regret that thousands are stuck in traffic congestion at the Causeway on a daily basis to the point that some even have to resort to walking to Singapore to avoid the jams.

The Star Online also ran that Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar is working to make Johor Bahru the second biggest city in Malaysia after the Klang Valley. He said this could be achieved because of the state’s rapid transformation and strategic location near Singapore.

He also said that Singapore was one of the world’s most expensive cities and that this ‘flow’ will eventually reach JB, hence his constant push for the greater use of English as it was Singapore’s main language. - by Edey Suresh TI

Royal Cake for a Royal Celebration

HRH Johor Sultan says...

A 3 feet tall ‘Minion’ themed cake captured crowd’s attention at Sultan Ibrahim’s tea party at Dataran Bandaraya

Celebration

The Royal ‘Minion’ themed cake is 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide at the base. Photo courtesy of Laily Ariffin

Petronas to Complete Water Project

Quick Reads

It was reported that the national oil company, Petronas is all set to complete RM700 million water supply project to secure sufficient water for a massive petroleum complex being built in Pengerang, Johor.

The dam and reservoir project near Kota Tinggi town will also alleviate a “water crisis” for some 100,000 residents in the Kota Tinggi and Pengerang districts, as some 20% of the water collected at the new Sungai Seluyut reservoir will be for public use, officials said recently.

According to Ismail Karim, Johor State Secretary, this project is part of the government’s effort to resolve the people’s problems.

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1000 Learning Institutions under One Roof The Facon Education fair was back in town at the Persada Johor International Convention Centre recently, with 1000 globally recognised institutions from Malaysia and overseas. The two day event provided visitors with the opportunity to check out most of the major local and international institutions of higher learning at a single venue.

Among the major institutions that participated were Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Universiti Tenaga National (UNITEN), Management & Science University (MSU), Monash University Malaysia, Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak, Taylors University and Curtin University.

Thousands of programmes were

*Terms & Conditions apply.

For enquiries, call the Sales & Marketing Department:+607-354 9999 ext. 399/388/338

or email: [email protected]

offered from design to information technology, medicine, engineering and culinary just to name a few. These courses do not only focus on academic excellence, but also emphasises on cultivating soft skills for self-development which in turn boosts students’ employability for a greater future.

Postgraduates seeking to further their studies were also welcomed with various choices at the Postgraduate Show Directory, which focused on postgrad courses. Other attractions at the fair included the PIKOM PC Fair, online registration gift redemption as well as a scholarship information booth.

For more information on Facon Education fair, please visit www.faconedufair.com

Motivation Boost for PINTAR Students

120 form four and five students of UEM Sunrise’s Pintar adopted schools participated in the Motivation Camp 2016 programme, recently. Held at Tiram Indah Village, this is the sixth edition of the annual camp.

The three-day camp inspired and influenced students to have higher motivation and interest in their studies. Participants were continuously challenged mentally and physically throughout the camp.

In line with Malaysia’s National Education Plan, activities in the camp such as “Mind Re-Engineering” and “Right Brain Exploration” emphasised the essentials of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS). The various indoor and outdoor activities stimulated participants’ creativity while keeping them mentally engaged and physically active.

“We enjoyed every activity

especially the tele-match which reminded us of our childhood memory. It also made us understand the meaning of cooperation, sacrifices, patience and teamwork,” said Evelyn Wong Lye Mun and Angie Wong Lye Lin, twins from SMK Taman Nusa Jaya, who have been participating actively in UEM Sunrise Pintar Schools Programme since primary six.

“The UEM Sunrise PINTAR Schools’ annual Motivational Camp activities help towards positive cognitive development and enhanced moral values, and at the same time it helps boost the students’ self-confidence”.

“We established a platform for them to continue their learning process and we are very pleased to see the encouraging outcome at the end of the programme,” said UEM Sunrise’s Head of Corporate Communication, Nik Surina Suria Nik Abdullah. - by Hakim Malik TI

ALL NEW

Educationsegmentpage 22



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Hotlines

Johor Police HQ07-221 2999 / 07-225 4499

JB South Police IPD07-2218 999

Nusajaya Police IPD07-511 4222

Ministry of Tourism (Johor)07-223 3171

Tourism Malaysia Hotline1300 88 5050

Tourism Malaysia Johor 07-222 3590 / 91

Johor Tourism07-223 4935 / 224 9960

Immigration 07-224 4233

Senai International Airport07-599 4500

Iskandar Regional

Development Authority (IRDA)07-233 3000

Please recycle this newspaper after reading. Thank you

04

Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Menteri Besar Johor, Dato’ Mohamed Khaled Nordin during the launch of Iskandar Malaysia’s Second Comprehensive Development Plan (CDPii)

As Johor has transformed into a developing state in the country, it also aims to become the next

new economic capital of Malaysia especially when the Johor Strategic Growth Plan (PPSJ) and Iskandar Malaysia’s Second Comprehensive Development Plan (CDPii) was launched recently by Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

In support of Federal G o v e r n m e n t ’s E c o n o m i c Transformation Plan (ETP), Johor Strategic Growth Plan can be realised by focusing on Johor’s economic potentials such as eco-tourism, agriculture sectors and international trades throughout each districts.

“Johor creates an approach that employs a strategic interest of sustaining competitiveness,

transforming into a main player in the economy development sector of Malaysia,” said Dato’ Mohamed Khaled Nordin in his speech during the launch.

Khaled also expressed his thoughts that economic development in Johor should be democratised throughout the

state’s natural sources, skills and physical developments, while new economic narrative of its growth and innovation should be modernised.

In continuation from previous Iskandar Malaysia’s Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP), the second CDP will lead Iskandar Malaysia towards becoming a Smart City of

Iskandar Malaysia’s CDPii Launched

Iskandar Malaysia to become ‘smart city’ with the launch of the second Comprehensive Development Plan

Highlight international standings. Khaled said that the plan

would focus on three different aspects such as investments via domestic and foreign sources which will be planned and controlled, second base goes to sustainability and third should highlight on potential investments that contribute to the well-being of the corridor’s economy growth.

“The State Government should craft an inclusive planning whereby development concept that is sustainable and offers job opportunities to the locals. Other than that, transforming Johor into a new economic powerhouse of Malaysia will provide a platform to the people to enjoy the developments together,” said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Upon the launch, Najib also mentioned four other on-going mega projects in Johor that will drive economic status better and create potential investments namely Country Garden Forest City, High Speed Rail project connecting from Kuala Lumpur-Singapore, Double Tracking project between Gemas-Johor Bahru, and lastly Pengerang oil and gas complex. TI

By Maressa [email protected]

Low Carbon Action plans Handed Over

Quick Reads

Iskandar Malaysia welcomed a delegation from the UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) and Innovate UK who were on a trade mission

to South East Asia. This year’s mission, themed

‘Connected Cities Mission: South East Asia 2016’ provided UK SMEs, in urban living and with high-growth potential the platform for them to get insights and explore opportunities in Malaysia’s Smart Cities programme. Iskandar Malaysia, touted as Asia’s first Smart Metropolis is the delegation’s second stop in Malaysia after Kuala Lumpur.

In conjunction with the mission to Iskandar Malaysia today, UKTI and IRDA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which was witnessed by Datuk Latiff Bandi, Member of Johor State Executive Council and Chairman for the State Housing, Local Government, Public Works

and Public Utilities. IRDA was represented by Datuk Ismail Ibrahim, Chief Executive while Stephen Hill, Acting Director for Trade & Investment represented UKTI at the signing.

“Today’s MoU signing will open yet another door for collaboration and partnership between Iskandar Malaysia and its UK partners, particularly in the area of developing Sustainable Smart Cities,” said Datuk Ismail.

“This can be a platform for Iskandar Malaysia to identify potential partners from the UK for collaboration with local companies in implementing research and development (R&D), and innovation for Sustainable Smart Cities development, new green building materials and technologies,” added Datuk Ismail.

A total of 10 UK based companies joined this trade mission.

Un i v e r s i t i Te k n o l o g i Malaysia’s Innovation Centre in Agritechnology f o r A d v a n c e d

Bioprocessing (UTM-ICA) held an open day recently in UTM Skudai. It was a kickoff event to mark the centre’s relocation to their new facility at the Pagoh Education Hub as well as an outreach initiative to introduce various urban farming solutions to the public.

The event increased public awareness and interest to the concept, as well as expanding the synergy between the industry and university to develop the concept of high performance urban farming and biotic farming.

“We are trying to promote farming as a hobby and therapy, by releasing negative energy through the activity and also as a form of exercise,” said Abd. Rahman Jabir, the Programme Director.

Urban farming can be defined as growing fruits, vegetables, herbs, and raising animals in cities. Among the techniques exhibited at the open

day were hydroponic, bedding beds and potted plants.

“The produce is organic, with no pesticide and chemicals involved in the growth.”

There were also starter plants and seedlings on sale ranging from chilies to cabbages and even potted pineapples. Price starts as low as RM3 to RM25 per seedling.

The centre is moving to a new research facility at the Pagoh Education Hub, in the first quarter of 2017. The 20 acre facility would host a green house and product development labs. - by Hakim Malik TI

IRDA and UKTI sign MoU to promote smart city collaboration

Benchmark

Iskandar Malaysia and UK Connection Urban Farming at UTM-ICA Open Day

Datuk Ismail Ibrahim, Chief Executive while Stephen Hill, Acting Director for Trade & Investment represented UKTI at the signing

Starter plants and seedlings on sale at the UTM-ICA open day

Menteri Besar Johor, Dato’ Mohamed Khaled Nordin today handed over the Iskandar Malaysia Low Carbon Society (LCS) Action Plans 2025 to the five local authorities.

The local authorities involved are Majlis Bandaraya Johor Bahru (MBJB), Majlis Bandaraya Johor Bahru Tengah (MBJBT), Majlis Perbandaran Pasir Gudang (MPPG), Majlis Perbandaran Kulai (MPKu) and Majlis Daerah Pontian (MDP).

Datuk Ismail Ibrahim, Chief Executive of IRDA said “Apart from the emphasis on low carbon development and green economic growth, the action plans are also aligned with the strategic spatial development plans of each local authority to ensure that the plans can all be implemented effectively.”

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Malaysia Airlines Berhad has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Malaysia Healthcare Travel

Council (MHTC) to promote Malaysia as a medical tourism destination.

Under the MOU, Malaysia Airlines will be positioned as MHTC’s preferred healthcare tourism airline with both parties jointly exploring marketing activities to

position Malaysia as the premier healthcare destination regionally and globally.

As the official airline, Malaysia Airlines will support MHTC with sponsored tickets for familiarisation trips to Malaysia. This will also be supplemented with discounted rates for guests traveling to Malaysia for medical tourism purposes. The offer begins today and is valid for a period of one year.

In continuation from the predecessor Rotary Club of Johor Bahru Haemodialysis Centre Berhad (RCJBHCB) in Jalan Tun Razak, a second haemodialysis centre is

currently on the way to be sited in Bandar Seri Alam.

Recently, Rotary Club Johor Bahru (RCJB) hosted a charity gala dinner to raise fund for the upcoming centre in Amansari Residence Resort Seri Alam with an overwhelming turn out of approximately 700 people.

On behalf of Johor Menteri Besar Dato’ Mohamed Khaled Nordin, Johor State Exco Chairman for National Unity and Human Resource, YB Vidyananthan Ramanathan also graced the night and donated RM30,000 as an initiative from the State Government of Johor.

“The Johor State Government hopes that efforts like this will continue to improve for the development of our State and the future,” said Vidyananthan during the speech.

The total cost acquired for the second

dialysis centre which is located in a 4-storey shop-office is in excess of RM2million and RCJB has received near RM1.33 million upon donation during the night for a start.

Cheques for the fund raising presented were from the family of the late Lim Kay Hua, Datuk Chua Song Lim Foundation, United Malayan Land Berhad, AME Construction Sdn Bhd, Tiong Nam Logistics Solutions Sdn Bhd, Tan Koon Seng, and Dr. Angamuthu Rajoo.

Besides, the upcoming centre which is expected to be ready by early 2017 has also received 8 dialysis machines that costs RM50,000 each.

Rotary Haemodialysis Centre has been offering dialysis treatment for the economically challenged group of patients that costs RM60 per session compared to other commercial cost treatment of over RM250 per session.

The new centre is expected to serve over 60 patients from Bandari Seri Alam, Taman Megah Ria, Pasir Gudang and Masai. - by Maressa Esa TI

The Pasir Gudang World Kite Flying festival (FLLSPG) once again never

failed to bring in an expected crowd of over 200,000 visitors who flocked to the fields to witness hundreds of colourful kites flying high in the sky.

This year, as many as 220 international par ticipants from 40 countries and 21 ASEAN student entries took part, with 700 local participants f rom var ious c lubs, industries and companies

which joined in the festivities at Bukit Layang-Layang.

The Iskandarian managed to talk to Malcolm Harvard, a 64 year old member of the New Zealand Kite Flyers Association, who has been flying kites since the sixties. He said it’s a pastime where one builds a healthy relationship with the mind.

“It’s a fun activity for all generations, it’s not necessarily expensive and sometimes can be for free,” said Malcolm.

He joined the FLLSPG with 50 other members of his association, added that people love to see kites fly and have something soaring in the air.

Organised by the Pasir Gudang Municipal Council and the State Tourism Board, this year’s theme was ‘Explore and Traditional Colours’, which translate to the symbolic meaning of traditional kites of our nation’s past till present. - by Amin Khairuddin & Hakim Malik TI

Malaysia as Premier Medical Tourism Destination

RM1.3 mil raised for new Rotary Haemodialysis Centre

It’s Kite Flying Time

Half total cost achieved for second branch of Rotary Haemodialysis Centre

Highlight

Cheques presented to Rotary Club of Johor Bahru, Freddie Lee (centre) with Johor State Exco Chairman for National Unity and Human Resource, YB Vidyananthan Ramanathan (fifth from right)

Several participants are seen flying various kites

The SolarMill is the world’s first fully integrated hybrid renewal energy system that’s designed

by WindStream Techologies Inc. Their engineers designed this unique solution in 2009 with the support of the State of Indiana and an Academic Alliance with Purdue University, United States of America.

After prototyping and launching pilot projects around the world, the company decided to start the production run in 2011. The first factory in India was opened and now the system has been installed in 35 countries, providing a new alternative to renewable energy.

MSC Cyberport Johor organised a launch event and

MOU signing between WindSteam Technologies and its sole distributor Proteg Technologies Sdn Bhd at their Johor HQ along Jalan Meldrum to introduce the SolarMill system to guests.

Present for the event was T. Venugopal, the Senior Vice President of WindStream Energy Technologies India who presented the various solutions and applications of the SolarMill to the audience.

Henry Khor, Managing Director of Proteg Technologies gave the closing speech before escorting the guests to the roof of the building to see a working Solarmill for themselves.

“ We want to grow WindStream’s hybrid SolarMill system to become the no. 1 choice in Eco Green Energy product in South East Asia,” said Henry. - by Amin Khairuddin TI

Providing an alternative in sustainable energy

A working SolarMill installed on the roof of the MSC Cyberport building

Introducing a highly efficient, low cost renewable hybrid energy system

Responsible



Qu a l i f i c a t i o n s , portfolios and c u r r i c u l u m vitaes are crucial

factors in building a career, but it takes more than that to land the job in the first place. Among other things in purview are work experiences, references and first impressions. The ability to speak English is also always

a plus point in any interview session.

In an effort to increase the desirability of graduates here locally, Elnet Talent Solutions and UMLand Seri Austin Dynasty View with the Nuclear Engineering Student Society (NESS) organised an intensive two day mock interview programme to prepare undergraduates for the working world.

27 undergrads from the Faculty of Chemical &

Energy Engineering, UTM participated in the course, where they attended talks on soft skills, work ethics and personal motivation by prominent figures in Johor Bahru’s real estate development industry such as Ir. Syarul Izam of Forest City and K. K. Wong, CEO of UMLand Seri Austin.

Among the highlights of the programme was the mock interview sessions, where the invited a panel from UMLand Seri Austin to expose the participants to the conditions of a job interview. They were given feedbacks and tips to help them ace any interviews in the future.

“It is a good exposure for us as it gives us a picture of the real working world out there, and the sessions prepared us for it,” said Nur Awal, 21, a second year Bachelor of Nuclear Engineering student after the programme.

Mock Training for the Real World

Participants of Mock Interview 2016 with Dr. Elilen Chandra of Elnet Talent Solutions and Ir. Syarul Izam of Forest City

The state economy is expected to remain strong, due to its inclusive nature and based on

the achievements of the main macroeconomic indicators in addition to the state supported economic development despite the global economic landscape.

Menteri Besar Johor Dato’ Khaled Nordin said the state’s fiscal position is strong with the financial results reported last year, a total of RM1.549 billion, making it a 25% increase than the original estimated value of RM1.239 billion.

“We estimate the growth of the state’s gross domestic product last year was 4.5 to 5.5%, despite the impact of the economic slowdown.”

“Johor also recorded the highest investment for three years in a row with last year’s RM30 billion as at September,” said Khaled at the Exco Awayday 2016, Persada recently.

He added until December last year, the state reserved RM2.63 billion with the state owned conglomerate comprising Johor Corporation (JCorp) also kept the

group recorded revenues exceeding RM4.5 billion with recorded profits above RM400 million.

With this achievement, the MB added that the state’s share of funds have amounted to RM11.6 million for 2014 till 2015. The amount does not include the value of non-cash returns which are much higher.

“Accomplishment of other indicators that guided the data in 2014, from 1.6 million labour force in this country, the unemployment rate has fallen by 0.6 to 2.6% compared to 2013,” said Khaled.

The upgrading works by the Johor Bahru City Coucil (MBJB) at Meldrum Walk is near completion.

According to MBJB city Councillor Sheikh Nafiq Alfirdaous, the project included cementing the tar road which had potholes and upgrading the drainage in the area which has about 102 traders.

There were overflowing drains problem in the area which

affected the traders and patrons, resulting in the upgrading works. The Councillor said that rubbish thrown from a nearby hotel clogged the drains. Notice has been already issued to the hotel in concern.

The upgrading works was in line with the Sungai Segget Rejuvenation Project. However, the public and operators should also play its part in keeping the area clean.

Johor’s economy will improve despite current economy

Upgrading at Meldrum Walk near Completion

As many as 88 Indian youths completed the first Indian Youth Intervention

programme, a joint initiative with the Johor Skills and Technical College (JSTC) and the YPJ Education Group (KPYPJ), which aims to improve the quality of life for the Indian youths in the state through various skills programmes to prepare them for the job market.

The intervention programme

ran from 14 November last year and was completed on 14 January this year, with six different skills courses offered, including Baking cakes and pastries, CCTV installation, Android App Development, Hair styling, Safety and Health Office as well as Blasting and Painting.

As much as RM287,000 was allocated to YPJ for the duration of the programme, which is inclusive of lodging, food and tuition fees.

In a closing ceremony held at KSL Resort and Hotel JB, the state Chairman of Solidarity and Human Resource, YB R. Vidyananthan Ramanadhan presented the trainees with their certificates for completion of the programme.

Also present at the launch was Chief Executive Officer for KPYPJ Abdul Razak Mohd Saad and YPJ General Manager, On Jabbar. - by Amin Khairuddin TI

Skills training for Indian youths

YB R. Vidyananthan addressing the crowd during the closing ceremony

Aimed to improve the quality of life for the Indian youths

Causes

By Hakim [email protected]

07



Arry has been with I&P Group Sdn

Bhd for 19 years and he is a familiar face to all in the property market of Johor. From humble beginnings by starting at the bottom of the hierarchy, Arry plays a significant role in I&P’s Southern region expansion. Starting his tenure as an Implementation Officer, he grew through rank and file to a become a Junior Project Executive, Project Executive, Product Development Executive, Senior Executive Project Planning, Assistant Manager Development Planning to where he is now as a Manager for Marketing, Sales, Product Development & Business Planning. The Iskandarian’s Drill segment is usually reserved for CEOs but we’ve made an exception for Arry who has experince in almost all aspects of the property market. He shares with The Iskandarian on I&P’s growth, the overall market and his personal experiences in this month’s Drill.

I&P Southern Region has not been in the news much lately, what are you guys up to?I think for the past 6 years since our branding, the perception might be that we’re quiet but we’re actually not (laughs). We are not big media spenders and perhaps that could be one of the reasons for the perception that we are quiet. In terms of performance and profitability, we have exceeded expectations and remain very competitive in the market. We let our numbers do the talking, and our performance speaks for itself. We’ve done very well over the last four years in terms of profit and we are currently in the preplanning stage of our other land banks and embarking on re-planning of existing products and it consumes a lot of time and effort, so we might be quiet now but we’re definitely busy.

What is the next upcoming project and please advice on the type, scale and location?Currently we’re selling our double-storey terrace in Pelangi Indah, Camwood, which has the serenity of the natural surrounding and equipped with modern amenities. We classify it as slightly premium as the quality

and finishing of the product is upscale in comparison to the other competition in the market.

We also recently launched our single-storey terrace whereby we opened up one parcel of 48 units with 30 units being snapped up. I must add that that’s a very good take up rate in challenging times like this. The double-storey sales is pretty challenging with 25% of sales thus far, the take up rate is quite gradual with bank loan encumbrances being faced but we have countermeasure strategies in place.

Is I&P hit by the market slowdown? If yes, what measures are being taken?We work well as a team and we need to rely on experience to overcome all challenges. We trust our team and we remind ourselves not to take things for granted so when the market is soft, we must be prudent with spending and rely on past experiences to persevere.

Our Taman Rinting product is about 80% complete with 71 units being launched and we’ve sold 49 units, but I still have about 25% units unsold so to say that we are not affected by the market slowdown will be untrue, but we have delivered all that we’ve promised to our customers over the years and have loyal customers who trust our strength and support our products.

To date, we don’t have a completed unit that has not been sold except for a few bumiputra lots but based on our track record;

we sell everything that we build.

Do you offer rental yields for your products?No, we don’t normally engage agents, and even if we do, it’s purely on a case to case basis and we don’t embark on rental deals. We develop and we sell, it’s pretty straight forward.

How is I&P different from any other developer in terms of products and in terms of the company itself?Our products are purely focused on the domestic market and our price range makes foreigner purchases ineligible. We build only landed products (mainly in JB) and strongly believe that we want to cater our products to the local market with affordable price offerings. Another area that I can mention is that I&P has a very solid background and we don’t have any external borrowings.

What is your take on the latest foreign workers issues and an increase in the levy as well?To share my experience, in mid 2014, we were unable to engage contractors to participate in our tenders and the reason given was that they had a lack of manpower. That was quite shocking to me because we are very good paymasters so there’s usually no issues but the reason given being ‘no workers’ by the

contractors was appalling. With the latest levy increase by the

federal government, it could deteriorate matters further. I think there is a lack of communication between the government and people on the ground. We welcome the government’s 6P Legalisation of illegal Foreign Workers Programme and I’m sure it will improve the overall situation but as I said, more communication is needed by all involved parties.

What would Arry be if he’s not a property man?I will be in the food industry for sure! I can’t cook but my mother used to run the canteen in Sekolah Tun Fatimah and from there she went on to run a relative’s restaurant, so being around the culinary atmosphere since a young age, I find the food industry to be very satisfying. Feeding another human being is a feeling that can’t be attained easily and you can get that satisfactory feeling in the food industry. It goes deep (laughs).

My brother is running 2 restaurants currently and his children have also earned degrees in hospitality and culinary industry so naturally they will run the business eventually. So if I’m not here, I’ll be there or be in an industry where I can interact with people. I love sharing my knowledge, so engaging with people and sharing knowledge is something that I crave.

DRILLFREE COPY www.facebook.com/theiskandarian

www.theiskandarian.com

Monthly Drill

09

&Q AInterview By Editor

BIO

Manager Marketing, Sales & Product Development (Southern Region)

I&P Group Sdn Bhd

Arry Nazroun Ahmad

TI



streets

demand for this r igid natural latex produced from the sap of Payena and Palaquiun gutta trees, resulted in an enthusiastic search for this tough substance in the Johor jungles. The word, gutta-percha comes from the plant name in Malay, getah perca, which translates as percha sap.

Another valuable resource from the Johor jungles was timber. In 1860, Meldrum set up the Johor Steam Sawmill – Johor Bahru’s first industry – at the mouth of Sungai Segget. He had a system where trees were cut in the jungles and the logs tied into large rafts and floated down to the steam sawmill. It could take as long as six months for this process to skillfully tie together up to 2,000 logs by rattan, to make the rafts.

These rafts were then floated down the straits to the water’s edge at Iskandar Puteri and hauled up to the saw-mill to be cut by steam engines. Sawn timber was then exported through Singapore to China, Mauritius, Java and other countries. Timber from Johor was particularly important to India because this sawmill supplied sleepers for the Indian Railways!

Timber from this sawmill was also used to build the first railway in Johor. Meldrum was the engineer for a proposed 20-mile wooden railway track through dense jungles to Gunung Pulai, which could potentially be developed into a hill resort for the Europeans in Singapore. By 1874, about 10 miles of the track was laid but the project, however, literally collapsed because they could not battle the ferocious appetite of termites which simply ate up the track!

Meldrum was also the son-in-law of Reverend Benjamin Keasberry, a tutor of Sultan Abu Bakar, and through his help, the land at Jalan Gertak Merah was obtained from the sultan to build the Holy Light Church. The original church, completed

in 1886, was constructed from timber supplied by this sawmill. While the church has expanded with various buildings, this sturdy original church is still being used as the Youth Hall.

The wisdom of choosing Tanjung Puteri as the site for the new state capital resulted in the continuous growth of Iskandar Puteri. The harbour at the mouth of Sungai Segget was small but adequate and the river was deep enough for the entry of tongkangs and boats of island traders. Sea-going vessels could dock at the jetty by the saw-mill.

For a long time, this sawmill was the only industrial enterprise in JB and the largest business concern in the state. After it was demolished, the site was used for the former Customs and Immigration checkpoint to Singapore.

Meldrum and his family lived in Iskandar Hall, a mansion built on the hill behind the saw-mill. The hill, Bukit Meldrum, was named after him and its main road is Jalan Bukit Meldrum.

At that time, Jalan Meldrum, which runs parallel to Jalan Wong Ah Fook – a main road named after one of JB’s Chinese pioneers – led straight into the steam sawmill. Jalan Sawmill was the road which bordered the steam sawmill and remains to this day as a small road under the highway ramp for Jalan Bukit Meldrum, close to the central Police Station.

Meldrum passed away in 1904 and was buried in a family plot in Bukit Meldrum. However, in 1971 his remains were transferred to his church cemetery at Jalan Kebun Teh when the site on this hill was turned into

the Customs checkpoint for heavy vehicles.

Roads and a hill named after James Meldrum is a lasting legacy of a Scotsman who made Johor his home, ran the Johor Steam Sawmill and made valuable contributions to the state and beyond. TI

Jalan Meldrum, Jalan Bukit Meldrum and Jalan Sawmill are familiar old roads in the heart of Johor Bahru but do you know the history and origin of these road names?

Meldrum was the name of Scotsman, James Meldrum, who came to seek his fortune in Johor in the 1800s. When Meldrum arrived in Iskandar Puteri, the early name of Johor Bahru, the shore was jungle and marshy ground and a Malay hut stood on the site of the present-day Istana Besar or Grand Palace. After a close study of the coast, he decided that Tanjung Puteri was an ideal spot to set up his steam sawmill.

Tanjung Puteri was the site of the state capital while the political centre of Johor was then in Singapore where the founder, Temenggong Daeng Ibrahim, was based in Telok Blangah. The location of Tanjung Puteri, which overlooks the Johor Straits, was not only scenic and tranquil but its potential for growth was quickly recognised.

Iskandar Puteri was conveniently situated about midpoint of the Straits, opposite the Kranji end of Bukit Timah Road in Singapore. The road was completed by 1845 and provided easy access for produce to be transported to Singapore which was then a busy entrepot.

Temenggong Ibrahim is regarded as the ruler who established modern Johor and the founder of his family’s political and material fortunes. By placing Johor’s economy on a firm footing with the widespread cultivation of pepper and gambier, he made it possible for the newly established state to progress and flourish. With Europe as a major market, the peak

of the gambier trade lasted from the 1830s to 1850s when Johor became the world’s largest producer of gambier. This industry put Johor on the world map and brought wealth to the local community.

It was left to his son and successor, Sultan Abu Bakar, to build on the foundations he laid, and eventually become known as the Father of Modern

Johor. In his book, History of Johor, Sir Richard Windstedt described Temenggong Ibrahim as courageous, wise and energetic.

The virgin jungles of Johor were the state’s earliest resource. The rainforest provided many kinds of jungle produce such as dammar, rattan, wood oil, camphor, ebony, wax, sandalwood and other types of wood, that were traditionally collected by the jungle people.

In the 1840s, gutta-percha was discovered to be the only material suitable for protecting submarine cables and a

A steam sawmill – Johor Bahru’s first industry

PEGGy LOh

My johor sTorIesOur resident writer, Peggy Loh, actively writes in her blog www.peggyloh.com about matters that are close to her heart. She can be reached at [email protected]

10

Road sign for Jalan Bukit Meldrum on Bukit Meldrum

Jalan Sawmill is tucked under the highway ramp, close to the central Police Station and original site of the historical steam sawmill

A 19th century view of the Johor Steam Sawmill at the mouth of Sungai Segget [Foreground] and Bukit Meldrum [Background]; The building at the top of the hill is Iskandar Hall, the residence of James Meldrum Photo Credit: Peter Lee

James Meldrum was a Scotsman who set up the Johor Steam Sawmill at Iskandar Puteri in 1860 Photo Credit: National Archives Singapore



Public speaking may not be everybody’s cup of tea, but the ability to speak on any given topic at any

given time is a much-sought-after skill. Recognising that there is a need to develop and hone this valuable skill, Iskandar Investment Berhad (IIB) recently partnered with the JB City Toastmaster Club and started a ‘Speaker’s Corner’.

The monthly gathering is an event that Iskandarians look forward to, as several of their colleagues take the centre stage and share their chosen topic. Each speaker is given 10 minutes and they may use a presentation aid to support their text. With only 30 seconds extension allowed for speakers, they must plan their presentation to deliver the introduction, subject body and closing points within the stipulated time frame. Choice of topics are diverse and may include community and social issue, arts

and culture, sports, hobbies, nature and even food.

As simple as it may sound, it takes a lot of courage for most speakers to stand and speak before a strong crowd of 100 people, which includes the senior management of the company. One of the ‘Best Speaker’ of the month, Shamini Veerasingam shared her experience of travelling to Paris, which happened right in the heart of the Paris attack. Her heartwarming story of the kindness shared by strangers during her visit to the ‘City of Love’ earned her the Best Speaker title. “This is our opportunity to conquer our fears as Eleanor Roosevelt put it, “You gain

strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. I certainly conquered my fear of public speaking during this simple exercise,” said Shamini.

Mohd Awee Sidek, an experienced member of the JB City Toastmaster Club, shared a few tips for a successful presentation. Messages must be delivered in the simplest form and communicated clearly. Communication must be done to express and not to impress,

therefore, one must avoid using jargons and big words that may cause the audience to lose attention.

“Good speakers will do the following: Research, Write, Read and Rehearse. They also look for a great opening to grab the audience’s attention and fill their speaking session with simple statistics and jokes. The best tip to deliver an excellent presentation is to relax; have a clear mind and minimise unnecessary movements and fillers such as ‘ummph’, ‘aah’ and ‘okay’,” said Mohd Awee.

Honing Presentation Skills Iskandar Investment partners with JB City Toastmaster Club to unearth hidden talents

Skills

Speaker’s Corner audience including the President/Chief Executive Officer and other senior management members

Shamini Veerasingam receiving her certificate of completionA typical set-up of a Speaker’s Corner session at IIB



streets

UTC dubbed as unique and innovative concept which can be an exemplar model

Highlight

12

The Malaysian Islamic Youth Movement’s (ABIM) Islamic Primary and Secondary Schools (SERI/SEMI) with Takmir Education Foundation

(YTP) organised their 16th National Ihtifal (Academic) at MARA Junior College (MRSM) Johor Bahru recently.

More than 1000 participants from 19 different SERI/SEMI schools joined the bi-annual academic gathering organised by the SERI Johor Bahru this year. Students participated in 22 different categories over four days. Among the competitions highlighted were choral speaking, tilawah Al-Quran, Nasyid and allocution in English, Malay and Arabic.

SERI Kedah was crowned overall champion for primary category and SEMI Seremban in secondary category.

“The event was organised to find hidden talents among the students, and polish it while instilling confidence in them,” said Abd. Razak Ariffin, state secretary for Yayasan Takmir Pendidikan (YTP).

“It is also a good measure to gauge our students’ outcome while creating a chance for the students to compete at national level competition,” he added.

YTP is a body responsible for all planning, monitoring, managing and coordinating for SERI and SEMI. The schools are private education institutions that employ KSSR and KSSM syllabus as well as incorporating YTP’s and Ministry of Islamic Education modules. It is also known as a one stop centre, catering for infants as young as 2 months old in its nursery, to kindergarten, primary and secondary school.

SERI/SEMI Johor Bahru currently has 542 students with 80 international enrolments mainly from Singapore, Philippines and Indonesia. The schools operate under the ‘Wakaf’ approach, an Islamic donation concept and they welcome any donations to improve and expand the school. Currently, four labs are under construction to further facilitate students’ learning.

For more information on donation or enrollment, contact the registrar at 07-2232548.

The replacement school buildings for SK Sungai Kapal and SJK

(C) Tai Sin in Taman Bayu Damai, Pengerang were fully completed and open for the school session after the recent term holiday. 126 students were involved in the move from SK Sungai Kapal and 82 from the latter.

In 2014, both schools were relocated to make way for the development of the Pengerang Integrated Petroleum Complex (PIPC). Students of SK Sungai Kapal

were temporarily placed into the nearby SK Telok Ramunia while students of SJK (C) Tai Sin to SJK (C) Yok Pon.

Johor Petroleum Development Corporation Berhad (JPDC) with PIPC’s Public Works Department’s (JKR) Special Task Force was given the responsibility to see the relocation project through.

“On behalf of the school, I would like to thank everybody involved in the realisation of the new school. Students are happy with it and this shows of

government’s commitment to the people’s wellbeing, especially those involved with the development of PIPC,” said Mohd Pauzi Mohd Shariff, Headmaster of SK Sungai Kapal.

Taman Bayu Damai is a newly developed residential area for the relocated folks of the area order to make way for the realisation of the PIPC. Among the amenities provided are six community centres, multipurpose hall, police station as well as a health clinic. - by Hakim Malik TI

The Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Najib Razak recently launched the Urban Transformation Centre (UTC) at Galleria recently, adding that even

the World Bank admits the unique and innovative concept that can be a model to the rest of the world.

Najib explained that the country has serviced more than 27.4 million people since the first UTC opened in Melaka in 2012.

“This fact has been recognised by the World Bank when on a visit to see the UTC project in June 2015, where they admitted that the UTC is the only model in the world,” he said during the launch.

Also present was Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadziah.

Najib, who is also the Finance Minister, said the concept of UTC is based on the National Blue Ocean Strategy (NBOS), where high impact programmes or projects must be implemented in a short time with low costs.

According to him, the concept of having the service of all government agencies under one roof, the UTC will help the public save time and cost.

“Imagine if you can renew your passport and get it completed within an hour. While waiting for your passport, you can also pay land tax or see a doctor at the 1Malaysia Clinic,” said the Prime Minister, adding that 1.8 million people have enjoyed the services at the Johor UTC.

Najib noted the Malaysian Immigration Department at the centre has recorded 180,158 passport applications last year, which was the highest among immigration branches nationwide. The National Registration Department recorded 193,000 applications last year, which is also the highest among the other UTCs nationwide.

The highest revenue recorded at the Johor UTC was by the Road Transport Department, which collected RM31 million last year. - by Amin Khairuddin TI

Mid April spells g o o d n e w s f o r t h o s e c o m m u t i n g

by public transportation as the state government will start a free bus service here and in the districts of Pasir Gudang and Kulai.

30 buses will ply several routes in the pilot project, cal led Johor

Muafakat, and to enjoy the free bus rides, one needs to obtain a membership card by registering at www.basmuafakatjohor.com

The membership card costs RM10 a year for adults and RM5 for senior citizens, but is free for the physical ly challenged, students from ages seven

to 17, and children under six.

The project was made possible by an allocation of an annual budget of RM11 million by four local councils. The buses would have free WiFi on board and will carry the Bus Muafakat Johor logo on the front for better identification.

Nationwide Academic Gathering for SERI/SEMI Schools

Replacement Buildings for Two Schools in Pengerang

UTC launched by Prime Minister Najib Razak

Free Bus Rides, Anyone?

SERI Johor Bahru hosts bi-annual Ihtifal in MRSM Johor Bahru

Interest

SERI JB choral speaking team with their trainer Ida Azlina, the first runner up for the Choral Speaking competition SERI category

Students of SJK (C) Tai Sin, Taman Bayu Damai studying in their new classroom




Jo h o r P e t r o l e u m D e v e l o p m e n t Corporation Berhad (JPDC) collaborated

with Koperasi Pengerang Jaya Johor Berhad (KOPEJA) and DUN Tanjung Surat D i s t r i c t Co o rd i n a t i n g Committee recently to host the inaugural sports carnival, ‘Karnival Sukan Rakyat Pengerang’ with the people of Pengerang.

With a participation of 200 people across Mukim Pantai Timur and Mukim Pengerang, the sports day was held at Padang PPMS and was graced by Tanjung Surat Assemblyman, Dato’ Dr. Ir. Syed Sis Syed Abdul Rahman, with the presence of Chief Executive Officer of JPDC, Mohd Yazid Ja’afar and Chairman of KOPEJA, Zebree

Mohd Hashim.“This is an initiative to

strengthen bonds between JPDC and the Pengerang locals, agencies and other representatives of the development in Pengerang I ntegrated Petro leum Complex (PIPC),” said Mohd Yazid Ja’afar.

KOPEJA expressed their appreciation towards

the cooperation as they were able to be involved in societal activities other than entrepreneurship.

Participants enjoyed most of the sports such as musical chair, tug-of-war, and treasure hunt for children, bowling, pole climbing, and more other traditional ‘kampung’ games. - by Maressa Esa TI

Inaugural sports carnival by JPDC

200 participation from Pengerang locals during the JPDC Sports Carnival

Highlight

Menteri Besar Johor Dato’ Mohamed Khaled Nordin launched Yayasan Pasir Gudang’s Smart Food

MyKasih programme that’s aimed to help the economically challenged cope with the rising cost of goods.

“All 120 beneficiaries will be accredited a sum of RM80 per month starting in March 2016, into their MyKad to proceed with any purchase transactions’ digitally at selected market for their groceries.”

“The selected beneficiaries can purchase groceries and other basic needs using their MyKad at selected stores namely Redmart, Econsave, and IMCOOP,” said Khaled while officiating the event.

Yayasan Pasir Gudang has a total of RM115,200 allocated for the programme, and the credit installation will continue until March 2017.

The beneficiaries selected were among all races from Pasir Gudang Municipal Council province with household earnings of RM350 per capita and below.

On another date, IMCOOP launched its fourth outlet in Larkin

Idaman with JB Member of Parliament, Tan Sri Shahrir Samad, who gave out 100 IMCOOP Shareholder cards to chosen recipients from middle and low income households.

This is an effort to ensure the less privileged local communities within the area to benefit from IMCOOP membership perks through the Koperasi Muafakat Johor platform. - by Maressa Esa & Amin Khairuddin TI

Smart Food MyKasih by Yayasan Pasir Gudang launched

Dato’ Mohamed Khaled Nordin during the launch of Smart Food MyKasih by Yayasan Pasir Gudang

A continued initiative from Yayasan Pasir Gudang to aid the needy

Responsible

Ce l e b r a t e d c u l i n a r y master and Malaysian food ambassador, Datuk Redzuawan Ismail or more

affectionately known as Chef Wan was in town recently to meet up with fans and share his recipes with them.

Cooking in front of some 30 local and international fans, the celebrity chef shared some crucial tips and tricks on preparing his signature dishes. The three dishes on the menu for the day was Nasi Ulam Diraja (Royal Rice Salad), Ayam Panggang Madura (Madura Roasted Chicken) and Laksa Nyonya Bibik Neo (Bibik Neo Nyonya Laksa).

The Laksa Nyonya is a recipe close to his heart, one handed down from his late grandmother.

“The laksa is a treasured Peranakan heritage, a recipe that’s been in the family for more than 300 years handed down to me from my grandma,” said Chef Wan during an interview after the session.

He continued to explain that Malaysian traditional foods are being forgotten with the newer upcoming names in the industry championing foreign or fusion cuisine.

“If we lose our tradition, we will lose our food and thus with that, our racial identity,” he added.

When asked about the younger generation of chefs coming up in the industry, the chef explained that everything in life has to be learned in steps and there are no shortcuts to success.

“You need to learn from the bottom. Hone your skills. Exercise patience. To be successful in the industry, one must have motivation and drive,” Chef Wan further explained.

Chef Wan’s signature dishes were made available to the patrons at Makan Kitchen, Double Tree by Hilton, Johor Bahru from 19th to 31st March 2016. - by Hakim Malik TI

Chef Wan shares family recipes at Makan Kitchen

Chef Wan after his cooking demonstration at Makan Kitchen, Double Tree by Hilton Johor Bahru

Twelve muscle cars auctioned at over RM5 million at dealership launch

Interest

Over RM5 million worth of Muscle Cars

Twelve muscle cars were auctioned off for over RM5 million recently in conjunction with the official launch of 23 Motors Sdn. Bhd. at Jalan

Abdullah Tahir. Originally valued at nearly RM15

million, the cars underwent some tough bidding that night. An estimated of 2000 people converged to the newly opened car dealership to witness around 200 muscle car aficionados bid it out to the end.

Officiated by Johor Bahru Member of Parliament Tan Sri Shahrir Abdul Samad, the event was also attended by Datuk Ramli Johari, Royal Malaysian Customs of Johor’s director, and ASP Sulaiman Salleh, Johor Bahru District Police Chief. Some 50 children from orphanages around Johor were also present at the event.

“A portion of the proceeds will be channeled back to the community as a donation to help those less fortunate than us,” said Datuk Khaatir Mustaffa, Executive Director of 23 Motors Sdn. Bhd.

The highest bid of the night was for

a McLaren MP4-12C at RM1.15 million, while the lowest was at RM290,000 for a Chevrolet Camaro 3.6. At market value, an unregistered high powered luxury like the McLaren can cost up to RM1.8 million.

Among other cars on auction that night was a Ford Mustang GT500 Shelby, Dodge Challenger SRT8 and Hummer H2.

Open to public from 9am to 9pm daily, 23 Motors Sdn. Bhd. is located at No. 13A, Jalan Dato Abdullah Tahir, Johor Bahru. - by Hakim Malik TI

Tan Sri Shahrir Abdul Samad officially launching the showroom and dealership Winners celebrate during Karnival Sukan Rakyat Pengerang



streets

Get your luggage and passpor ts ready as Johor MATTA Fair 2016 is

back and happening on 8th to 10th April 2016 at EXPO@Danga City Mall with exciting packages and grab the chance to win lucky draw prizes worth RM100,000.

There will be three installments that kicks off from 8th to 10th April, second at The Summit Batu Pahat from 30th to 31st July while the last fair will be scheduled on 5th until 7th August 2016 again at EXPO@Danga City Mall.

“This year, our lucky draw Grand Prize will be presented with a voucher of travelling package worth RM8,888.00 for every purchase of RM500 and above during the three-day fair,” said MATTA Johor Chapter Chairman, Kathryn Lee to the media.

As for April 2016 fair installment, MATTA Johor Chapter will be featuring

138 booths of local and international holiday and tourism products including 24 travel agencies, 4 hotels and resorts, 2 theme parks from Sunway Lagoon and MAPS Animation Theme park, 2 cruise liners and 9 other travel related services.

“Our highlight during the fair this year is that we are collaborating with Movie Animation Park Studios (MAPS) Perak to bring in ‘Mr. Peabody and Sherman’

mascots for the children while they enjoy participating in our drawing and colouring contests,” she added.

Entrance fee will be charged at RM3.00, while free entrances are entitled for children below 12 years old.

The fair is expected to receive a turnout of 12,000 people with sales projection turnover of RM12 million for three days. The fair will be open from 10.30 am until 10.00 pm. - by Maressa Esa TI

More travel package vouchers for lucky draws

Highlight

Get UK education right in the heart of Iskandar Puteri

In-focus

MATTA Fair Johor in April

Multitude of Cultures and Tradition

University of Reading Malaysia is officially open

The University of Reading Malaysia (UoRM) and Henley Business School Malaysia (HBSM) was recently inaugurated by the British High

Commissioner to Malaysia Vicky Tredell CMG, MVO with more than 400 guests and staff attending the opening ceremony in the University’s complex in Educity, Iskandar Puteri.

“UK education is getting increasingly accessible with the offer of transnational education where one can pursue a British qualification outside Britain. Over 58,000 individuals are studying for a British qualification in Malaysia, making Malaysia Britain’s largest market for transitional education,” said the High Chancellor.

The University awarded honorary degrees to the High Commissioner and Ong See Lian, the first non-British President of The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

UoRM is University of Reading’s first multidisciplinary overseas campus and its fifth campus overall, and part of an initial RM80 million investment from Reading to date.

“This is a momentous day for

University of Reading and Henley Business School. We are celebrating our 90th anniversary this year and Henley’s 70th, but this is an ambitious and clear statement of intent for the future,” said Vice Chancellor Sir David Bell.

The f irst foundation and undergraduate courses in business, finance, real estate, psychology and quantity surveying started last September, with HBSM’s MBA beginning in February. All courses are full UoR degrees, which is equal to the standards of UK, but at half of the cost. - by Amin Khairuddin TI

The British High Commissioner to Malaysia, Vicky Treadell CMG, MVO

In line with making Johor Bahru (JB) an International City by the year 2020, the public transportation network in JB has

to be on par with other international cities around the world. Constant increase in demand for public transportation has driven Handal Indah Sdn. Bhd. to continuously enhance the services they offer.

The proprietor of Causeway

Link bus service recently launched the CW7L bus service, from the Mall of Medini to Sultan Abu Bakar Complex (CIQ Second Link). It connects commuters and tourists from Singapore to JB’s major attractions. With the Park & Ride service at Mall of Medini starting from RM30 per month, it also serves as an alternative for commuters commuting to and from Singapore and Malaysia. More than 1 million Malaysians commute via public buses to the

Republic every month.“We have a total of 150

buses plying the routes to the island, making more than 50 trips a day to ensure the efficiency of our services,” said Rozlan A. Bakar, Handal Indah Sdn. Bhd. Executive Director at the press conference.

The launch held at the Mall of Medini was officiated by Johor Tourism, Domestic Trade and Consumerism Committee Chairman Datuk Tee Siew Kiong, who expressed his gratitude for the service provider’s initiative on helping the state improve its public transportation system.

Among other services launched at the ceremony were the new bus service from Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur at Taman Universiti Bus Terminal, the JB Tourist Bus Pass and the new service counters at Mall of Medini and JB CIQ. The Tourist Bus Pass offers tourist a three day unlimited bus ride on any ManjaLink friendly busses to major attractions in Johor Bahru.

The company also featured an open top double decker bus at the event, which is available for rental by the public. TI

Tenby Schools Set ia Eco Garden held an I n t e r n a t i o n a l D a y Celebration with students

from 24 different nationalities. Aimed at cultivating individual nationalism and unity among the students, most of them were donned in colourful traditional outfits from their respective cultures and countries.

The students performed various traditional dances in the morning including a guest Zapin dance performance from the SK Khir Johari’s dance troupe. Classrooms were decorated with different nation’s theme and showcased the specialty of the country they were assigned to. Among the specialties highlighted were traditional food including

Tempeh (fermented soy cake) from Indonesia, pan cakes with Canadian maple syrup and Vietnamese spring rolls along with various traditional costumes and famous landmarks.

“It is my first time celebrating the International Day here at Tenby and I like it very much as it instills unity despite the different cultures being displayed here today,” said Muhd. Rizandro, 15, a year 11 student originally from Indonesia.

Tenby Schools in Eco Gardens is spread over 14 acres of land with state of the art facilities including an indoor sports hall, a swimming pool and an auditorium hall. It currently has 475 students enrolled and is looking to expand the numbers in the near future. - by Hakim Malik TI

New Busses from Mall of Medini to Singapore

Johor Tourism, Domestic Trade and Consumerism Committee Chairman Datuk Tee Siew Kiong signing up for a ManjaLink card overlooked by Handal Indah Sdn. Bhd.’s officials

Students clad in their traditional costumes enjoying the Japanese themed decorations and attractions

Johor MATTA Fair Chairman, Kathryn Lee with Mr. Peabody & Sherman mascots

Causeway link bus service provides an alternative commute to Singapore

Benchmark


14



Johorians were excited to witness the state’s very own land, sea and air event with the inaugural Demi Johor DUA festival held in Iskandar Puteri last month. Several hundred visitors flocked to

the festival grounds as early as 7am during its opening day, which saw the start of a fun filled weekend for all festival goers.

“The public got to experience first-hand a

wide variety of the elements of land, air and water which included sporting activities, and traditional games among others,” said Tunku Idris Iskandar Ibni Sultan Ibrahim who is the patron of Demi Johor DUA 2016.

Organised by Four Bluered, the festival was a platform to expose the locals to the different forms of extreme sports and promoted tourism into Johor on

local and international level as well as bringing the people together.

Among the highlights during the first day of the festival were helicopter rides, hot air balloon rides, car drifting demo, powerboat demos, para gliding demos and Jet Ski rides as well as a wide range of booths including local traditional games for festival goers to enjoy. - by Amin Khairuddin TI

Demi Johor’s Triple Treat Festival

An arial view of the Demi Johor Dua event. Pic by Shufiyan Shukur

15

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APRIL 2016

iNSIDERose Osman talks

about The Power of

Acknowledgement

travel

go localAgro Tourism

A Trip to the Farm

+ CAPTAIN AMERICA : CIVIL WAR + THE JUNGLE BOOK

UB40 LIVE IN

SINGAPORE

APR 2016 | Page 2 The Iskandarian | WAVES Lifestyle

MUSIC UPDATES

editor’snote

Priya [email protected]

The first quarter of 2016 is officially over and I have personally achieved a few things and am looking forward to achieving

more before the year ends. It's always good to take a little time out from your busy schedule to reflect on matters and see where you can improve or make life-changing decisions.

On a lighter note, look out all UB40 fans, as the legendary Ali Campbell, Mickey Virtue and Astro comes together LIVE in Singapore this April. Do get your tickets soon and logon to www.livescapegroup.com for more details.

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures brings you two favourites this month, with the all new The Jungle Book starring newcomer Neel Sethi, 11 who was selected from thousands of candidates following a worldwide search for the perfect man-cub. Also, Captain America: Civil War will hit the big screens towards end of the month. So do block your calendar.

Stepping away from snazzy hotels, catch part two of our Eco-Tourism venture in our travel column and start your journey to these amazing destinations. This time Peggy goes Indian to the newly opened

Indian Kitchen at Medini which may also be the perfect place to celebrate the upcoming Tamil New Year.

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 [email protected] and be featured. For more news, do access www.theiskandarian.com

The Iskandarian wishes all Hindu celebrants a very Happy Tamil New Year!

.Priya

UB40 Featuring Ali Campbell, Mickey Virtue and Astro Live in Singapore

Universal Music Singapore

Br i t a i n ' s g r e a t e s t reggae band, and one of the world's most commercially successful

bands of all time, UB40, is set to perform live in Singapore for an exclusive show at The MasterCard Theatres at Marina Bay Sands on 2nd April 2016 at 8.00pm.

Organised by Livescape Singapore, the one-night-only show will have fans of all ages singing and grooving along to the legendary musicians' tunes. Tickets may be purchased via www.MarinaBaySands.com/ticketing.

The four-time Grammy Award nominees are also one of the world's bestselling artistes with over

70 million albums sold worldwide, and are known for their unique blend of reggae, pop, dub and ska sound. The band was first formed in

1978 and has had over 50 singles in the UK charts, and also a nomination for the Best British Group at the Brit Award.

UB40's breakthrough came with their hit single, Red, Red Wine, which topped the British singles chart

and reached the number one spot in the US. Other popular songs by the band include I Got You Babe, recorded with Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders, Rat In The Kitchen and

Can't Help Falling In Love, which topped the U.S. pop chart for seven consecutive weeks.

The band's initial line up lasted for 30 years from the band's formation in 1978 until front-man Ali Campbell's departure from the band in 2008. Since that time, two other founding members; Mickey Virtue, and Astro, have also left the band, and the trio of Campbell, Virtue, and Astro have since formed UB40 Reunited. These three founding members are now embarking on a huge world tour, which the fans have been crying out for and Singapore will be one of their stops for the tour. For more information or to obtain updates on the UB40 show live in Singapore, logon to www.livescapegroup.com or www.facebook.com/livescapeasia

T he 1975’s new album ‘I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it’

has debuted at number one in the UK Official Albums Chart and US Billboard Hot 200. The Manchester four-piece join the esteemed ranks of The Beatles, Radiohead and David Bowie, amongst others, in simultaneously conquering the official albums chart on both sides of the Atlantic.

The sophomore album from the Manchester four-piece has also soared to number one in Canada, Australia and New Zealand and claimed the top spot on iTunes in 37 countries on launch.

The much-anticipated album, released through Dirty Hit/Polydor, has united critics in their praise, earning plaudits ranging from “Essential” (NME – 4 stars), “Packed full of fantastic pop songs

and smart lyrics” (The Guardian – 4 stars), “Astonishing” (Sunday Times Culture) to “Heroically ambitious” (GQ), “A flamboyant triumph” (Evening Standard) and “This is their year” (The Times – 4 stars). Q declares them “The UK’s most exciting young band”

I like it when you sleep …’ follows in the footsteps of the quartet’s million-selling self-titled debut which also claimed the top spot on the UK’s Official Albums Chart on its first week of release. It is a bold and brilliant record made up of infectious pop hooks and sprawling electro sonics, an ambitious stride forward for one of the UK’s most exciting young bands.

The 1975 have had the sort of breakthrough that only happens once a decade. Healy, Adam Hann (guitar), Ross MacDonald (bass) and George Daniel (drums) formed at school on the outskirts

of Manchester ten years ago. After years of honing their sound, 2013’s debut album revealed a band who could blend accessible and anthemic choruses with an artistic aesthetic. It was a record where indie-pop grooves and alt R&B atmospherics sat seamlessly next to each other.

A mass audience connected with indelible tracks such as Chocolate, Girls, Sex and Robbers and their tales of adolescent recklessness. The group toured the world, playing sold-out shows from Kuala Lumpur to San Francisco. All these experiences feed into the band’s second album which was recorded in Los Angeles and produced by Healy and Daniel alongside production collaborator Mike Crossey. Their glorious second album will be one of the most important releases of 2016. The 1975 have set a benchmark that will be hard to follow.

The 1975’s New Album Tops the UK and US Albums Chart Debuts at #1 in UK, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand


How Acknowledgement Works on Energetic Level?Acknowledgement is not about giving credit, praising or saying something nice to the other person. To acknowledge requires an effort of observing or witnessing “What is Here” and “Who is Here” right now in our life. The process of acknowledgement does not only involve the five human senses, but also involves emotions and total awareness by the person who observed it. Waves of energy in this process have a tremendous effect on our energetic body and mind.

An individual, who does not receive acknowledgement from others, tends to feel isolated, ignored and disconnected based on

energy level. Therefore, it hurts when our existence is not recognised on a deeper level. We feel alienated when our presence had been shut off by others. Many relationship fails because of this. In organisations, some people do not get enough acknowledgements’ of their potential, creativity and talent.

What Happens When We Acknowledge Others? Our minds are capable of decoding subtle messages through the waves of energy sent by others. The energy of acknowledgement consist messages such as Respect, Love, Acceptance and Trust. When we acknowledge the presence of others, these messages are sent from our core being to another

human being. In every acknowledgement we give, we will receive it back too.

How to Acknowledge?Pay attention to everyone you meet. Acknowledge their existence. Be there to listen to their inner voice. Welcome them no matter the differences. Notice their talents instead of their flaws.

Everyone wants their existence to be recognised and accepted. With acknowledgement, we know our existence is noticeable and appreciated. But without acknowledgement, every particle in our Life ceases to disappear. We end up here; in this world, but our existence becomes a complete ghost in every way.

An Energy Coach and A Personal Motivator. Rose Osman uses her knowledge and intuitive skills in energy to coach people to live a joyful life through her coaching programmes on personal & career growth, relationship, love and health.

yourpersonalmotivatorBucketOfRoses

Personal Motivator & Energy Coach

The Power of Acknowledgement – Part 2

MOVIES

Marvel’s “Captain America: Civil War” finds Steve Rogers leading the newly formed team of

Avengers in their continued efforts to safeguard humanity. But after another incident involving the Avengers results in collateral damage, political

pressure mounts to install a system of accountability, headed by a governing body to oversee and direct the team.

The new status quo fractures the Avengers, resulting in two camps—one led by Steve Rogers and his desire for the Avengers to remain free to defend humanity without government interference, and the other following Tony Stark’s surprising decision to support government oversight and accountability.

Directed by Jon Favreau (“Iron Man”), based on Rudyard Kipling’s timeless stories and inspired by Disney’s

classic animated film, “The Jungle Book” is an all-new live-action epic adventure about Mowgli (newcomer Neel Sethi), a man-cub who’s been raised by a family of wolves. But Mowgli finds he is no longer welcome in the jungle when fearsome tiger Shere Khan (voice of Idris Elba), who bears the scars of Man, promises to eliminate what he sees as a threat.

Urged to abandon the only home he’s ever known, Mowgli embarks on a captivating journey of self-discovery, guided by panther-turned-stern mentor Bagheera (voice of Ben Kingsley), and the free-spirited bear Baloo (voice of Bill Murray). Along the way, Mowgli encounters jungle creatures who

don’t exactly have his best interests at heart, including Kaa (voice of Scarlett Johansson), a python whose seductive voice and gaze hypnotises the man-

cub, and the smooth-talk ing King Louie (voice of Christopher Walken), who tries to coerce Mowgli into giving up the secret to the exlusive and

deadly red flower: fire. The all-star cast also includes

Lupita Nyong's as the voice of the fiercely protective mother wolf Raksha, and Giancarlo Esposito as the voice of wolf pack’s alpha male Akela.

Captain America : Civil War

The Jungle Book

Genre: Action-Adventure

Release date: 28th April 2016

Voice Cast: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Emily VanCamp, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Renner, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Rudd, Frank Grillo, with William Hurt and Daniel Brühl

Directors: Anthony & Joe Russo

Executive Producers: Louis D’Esposito, Alan Fine, Victoria Alonso, Patricia Whitcher, Nate Moore, Stan Lee

Producer: Kevin Feige

Genre: Live-Action/Action-Adventure

Release date: 7th April 2016

Cast: Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley, Idris Elba, Lupita Nyong’o, Scarlett Johansson, Giancarlo Esposito, Neel Sethi and Christopher Walken

Director: Jon Favreau

Producers: Jon Favreau, Brigham Taylor

Source:Walt Disney Studios Motion

Pictures Malaysia

Source:Walt Disney Studios Motion

Pictures Malaysia


If you need more information on the above mentioned events, drop us an email at: [email protected] your dates for this month!

Calendar of Events

After witnessing the quail scene at Simpang Renggam and just before the sun set, we arrived at UK Farm Resort to check in to

our lodging for the night. UK Farm is a huge farmland area which houses the breeding of cows, goats and sheep, chickens and more. We were fortunate to be entertained by a couple of games such as archery and sheep wrangling!

Day Two – Yong Peng & Bukit Gambir, LedangAfter all those activities the previous night, we retired to bed. The next day, we had breakfast and checked out from UK Farm and were brought to the infamous Kluang Coffee Factory. Kopi Cap Televisyen was an all-time favourite for most Malaysians and we were privileged to witness the production process of the coffee beans to powder.

Once again we had another short detour out of the planned two districts of Kluang and Ledang to Wansern AgroTech Sdn Bhd in Yong Peng. Wansern is the home to Swiftlets and they harvest the bird nests for commercial uses along with the vegetables they grow.

After the short stop, we carried on our journey to the Ledang District. Arriving at Bukit Gambir, we were brought on an agro-tour of the local agricultural and local businesses. Interestingly, the popular snack food Mee Siput is so easy to make and so

good to munch. At Bukit Gambir as well, we saw plots

of paddy fields that stretch as far as the eye could see. Who would have thought that we could plant paddy in Johor?

Day Three –Gunung Ledang ResortFinally, after a long day, we arrived

at our final stop which was Gunung Ledang Resort. After check in and dinner, we were taken up hill to Kolam Puteri in a blinding night-walk. This part of the trip was less agro and more eco as we needed to unwind from the hectic couple of days.

Gunung Ledang resort was definitely relaxing and an ideal getaway from the hustle and bustle of city life. It is the perfect location to begin your eco-friendly and mountain adventures.

Besides the sandy beaches and the islands on the east coast of Johor, swampy rivers and mangroves forests on the west coast, waterfalls and mountains in the heart of the state, Johor also has this agro-tourism to offer.

If shopping and city travel is not your thing, bring your family and friends to explore Johor from a different perspective.

By Harish [email protected]

JB, 2nd April JB, 16th April JB, 23rd April – 3rd May

Spore, 7th – 10th April Spore, 16th – 17th April

JB, 1st -3rd April JB, 13th -14th April JB, 21st April – 1st May

JB, 30th April Spore, 1st – 24th April Spore, 15th – 17th April JB, 23rd April

World Gourmet Summit @ Singapore

Heart Mind Body Festival @Suntec Singapore

Antenatal Physiotherapy Exercise @Columbia Asia Hospital Nusajaya

JB Urban Fun Nite Ride 2016 @Dataran Bandaraya JB

Tamil Puthandu Rhythms 2016 @Tropical Inn JB Sail Malaysia Passage to the East

1st Homefair 2016 @Persada Johor

Global Nail Cup Malaysia @Danga City Mall

Malaysia Craft Festival @Plaza Angsana

Viper Challenge Medini 2016 @ Medini Iskandar Puteri

Singapore Yacht Show @ONE 15 Marina Club, Singapore

HSBC World Rugby Sevens @National Stadium Singapore

Spore, 26th April

Comedy with Kumar @Canvas Singapore

Address Production process of coffee at Kluang Coffee Factory

travel

go localAGRO TOURISM

A Trip to the Farm – Part Two

Vast paddy fields at Bukit GambirKluang Coffee Factory

Sheep Wrangling at UK Farm Resort

educationFREE COPYThe Iskandarian ISSUE 44 | APR 2016


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abou

t.com

Co n c e p t u a l u n d e r s t a n d i n g , approaches to learning and inquiry based teaching and learning are the fundamentals of Fairview

International Schools. The school embraces the International

Baccalaureate (IB) Programmes under the purview of the UK National Curriculum that forms the backbone of the school’s curriculum.

Fairview International School is the largest network of International Schools in Malaysia with campuses in Penang, Johor, Subang, Kuala Lumpur and Ipoh. All campuses are purpose built to encourage learning without borders, space for collaboration and interaction, with a focus on extracurricular activities. Students here are equipped with the right tools to solve problems inquisitively and analytically.

The school employs the Cambridge Primary and Secondary Checkpoint, the International Competition and Assessment for Schools and the Cambridge IGCSE to benchmark student achievement and performance internationally.

The Middle Years Programme certification and the IB Diploma are also

well accepted by prestigious and well known universities worldwide. This year, the diploma s t u d e n t s o f Fairview achieved an average of 36%, beating the world average of 30% and receiving the highest score of 42 out of maximum score of 45.

Fairview also believes in professional development, thus the strong academic faculties it has in all its campuses. Teachers would undertake the Cambridge International Diploma for teaching and Learning (CIDTL) before progressing to pursue a master’s degree in Education from Sheffield Hallam University in the UK.

For more information on Fairview International Schools, visit them at www.fairview.edu.my. - by Hakim Malik TI

Does studying abroad really give one an edge over local graduates

in terms of employability? According to a recent report by

the Council on International Education Exchange (CIEE) on overseas study, it was noted that human resource professionals are more likely to value an overseas graduate for their global employability.

Even with that fact, there is still the cost factor to be considered. Therefore, the second question, is it worth to study abroad in this economy? We met up with IDP Education Limited, the leading student placement service provider in the world to find out more about the issue at hand.

“Money is always the main concern when you decide to study abroad, but it will not be a hindrance as there will always be something within your budget that suits your education needs,” said Janice Foo, marketing manager of IDP Education Limited (Malaysia) while explaining the correlation of economy and study.

“We did not see a decline of participation from the public at the fairs this year; in fact the turn up is bigger despite the economy.”

“Asians have a culture of saving money for their child’s education, sometimes as early as the moment that child was born, that is how meticulous parents can plan for their child,” she

continued.IDP Education Limited has

40 years’ experience in guiding students into the best school suited for them in over 30 countries worldwide. Representing more than 120 universities in UK, Australia, New Zealand, US and Canada, the company is co-owned by 38 Australian universities.

With certified counsellors available to help guide hopeful applicants through the application process, IDP can find the right course based on their results and budget

constraints. “Most universities offer

scholarship for international students and that is one of the free consultation we provide here today,” said Janice while explaining about the contents of IDP Education Australia and New Zealand Fair at KSL Resort Hotel.

More than 30 prestigious international institutions joined the fair which tours Malaysia throughout the year and they will be back in Johor Bahru next May. For more information on IDP Education and online registration for any upcoming IDP Education Fairs, please visit www.idp.com/malaysia - by Hakim Malik TI

World Class Education in Fairview

Studying Abroad: Is it worth it?

Highlight

School embraces the International Baccalaureate (IB)Programmes curriculum for its students

Highlight

Studying abroad offers graduate an edge over the rest in employment market

Students from Marlborough College Malaysia listening attentively to one of the counsellor at the recent IDP Education Australia and New Zealand Fair in KSL Resort Hotel

liveFREE COPYThe Iskandarian ISSUE 44 | APR 2016


Every woman wishes for an everlasting marriage. However, when a couple fails to resolve their marital conflict, the final step is deciding for a divorce.

According to statistics, there is an evident increase in divorce from the year 1990 to 2011 in Malaysia. In 2013, an average of three divorces occurred every hour!

Top reasons for divorces are irreconcilable differences, and marriage at a young age (about 18 years old after SPM). This relates to being less mature and being financially incapabale, which gives a negative impact to the relationship as a whole. Another common reason for divorce is interference by the in-laws and presence of a third party in the marriage.

Regardless who initiates the divorce; generally women suffer more when the marriage ends. Some may have suffered for a long period of time before the divorce process is finalised. Some learn to console themselves and continue to suffer for the sake of their children and some stay because of fear and stigma as a divorced woman status.

The first step of coping with a divorce is by becoming emotionally stable. To achieve stability, the woman needs to find her inner self which she lost and re-invent herself as what Emelda called as metamorphosis. Emelda, 28, is a young single mother. During her 3 years of marriage, she was a fulltime homemaker. Although she

was an obedient wife, her mother in-law’s interference caused turmoil in her marriage. After her divorce, she was determined to change her destiny and landed a job as an engineer at a private company. Emelda went on to apply for part time study in Master of Business Administration (MBA).

Many women suffer trauma and pain after divorce, therefore, finding love again can be challenging. However, there are certain circumstances that force them to find love again e.g. for financial purpose and loneliness. Financial difficulty is more profound among women with no qualification or no previous working experience, making them dependent solely

on men to support them and the children. But, remember that women are created to be courageous and strong. Eleanor Roosevelt once said “A woman is like a tea bag – you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water.”

Proper financial planning is crucial regardless of any marital status. Anna is an example of a woman who was financially prepared prior to her divorce. She didn’t foresee that her marriage was going to end but she believed in being financially prepared for any circumstances. “One stitch can save nine”, was Anna’s reason to start a secret saving. She deducted approximately RM300 from her monthly salary into a secret account, and a few years later, she filed for divorce after being attacked physically by her ex-husband. She managed to settle her legal fees from her secret saving and was ready to embark her new journey as a single woman.

Newly divorced women can get help from various support groups and NGO’s. Some of these groups help single mothers to start their new lives by providing career counseling or capital if the woman is interested to start a business. Social Welfare Department provides special incentives for single mothers. Johorean Empowering Intellectual Women Association (JEIWA) is one of the NGO’s that helps women who escaped troubled relationship to start new lives. JEIWA provides assistance in terms

of financial, advisory, moral support, legal advice and network connectivity.

Many women experience a great deal of anxiety after divorce due to uncertain future and loss of sense of security without a husband. Divorced women should embrace life by expanding their professional roles and dedicate to their main duty as mothers. The best protection any woman can have is courage. They need to move forward and make a transformation as a new woman. TI

Single Again: How to Face Divorce in the New Era

Dr. Haliza Zurah is a medical doctor of 8 years of experience hopes to assist the working mothers to balance work, life and emotion. As a representative of JEIWA (Johor Empowerment of Intellectual Women Association), she will cover crucial issues involving working mothers and matters relating to women’s rights, education and more.

Dr. Haliza Zurah



live24

Simple Tips to Prevent Diabetes Diabetes, a disease marked by high levels of sugar in the blood, is more common than ever before. The prevalence of Type-2 diabetes is rising at an alarming rate throughout the world due to increase in life expectancy, obesity and sedentary lifestyles. World Health Organization (WHO) projects that diabetes will be the 7th leading cause of death by 2030.

Do you know that close to 350 million people in the world are suffering from diabetes? Every 10 seconds, two persons develop diabetes and another dies from diabetes-related complications.

Type 2 Diabetes can actually be prevented. Changing your lifestyle is an integral part of preventing diabetes and ensuring your diabetic condition does not deteriorate. Adopting new and healthier

habits can do wonders for your health if you suffer from diabetes and even protect you from other serious health problems.

Switch to a heart-healthy diet People with diabetes have a higher risk of developing heart disease, so it is even more important to be smart about fats (which can lead to heart disease if consumed in excess).

A heart-healthy meal includes whole grains, vegetables and fruits, healthy fats, and fish and foods with omega-3 fats. Start by cutting out fatty and fried foods; limiting red meat, processed meats, desserts like cookies and ice-cream, salty snacks like chips, sugary drinks, and cream and solid fats like butter and lard. Increase your fiber intakes by packing up on fruits and vegetables.

Healthy diet isn’t about cutting out fats, but replacing bad fats with good ones. Go for unsaturated fats that come from plant and fish sources, such as olive oil, nuts and avocados. Also focus on omega-3 fatty acids - the superfats for the brain and heart. Good sources of omega-3 fatty acid include fatty fish such as salmon, tuna and mackerel, and plants such as flaxseeds, walnuts and canola oil. Remember, good fats are only good if consumed fresh. If they have been denatured or altered by heat they can bring more harm than good!

Choose high fibre, slow-release carbohydrates (carbs) Carb is the one single nutrient that has the biggest impact on you blood sugar level, but that does not mean you have to avoid them

completely. You just need to be smart about the types of carb you choose:1. Limit refined carbohydrates like white

bread, pasta and rice as well as soda and snack foods.

2. Try high fibre foods like brown rice, sweet potatoes, wholegrain bread, rolled oats, peas or leafy greens.

3. Skip the sugary drinks, and choose water, coffee or tea instead. Several studies have shown that people who drink soda or other sugar-sweetened beverages are more likely to gain weight, and that sugary drinks contribute to chronic inflammation, high triglycerides level and increased insulin resistance. All these are risk factors for diabetes.

So what are the tricks for cutting down on sugar? Find healthy ways to satisfy your sweet tooth, like having blended frozen bananas for a creamy treat instead of ice cream. Opt for products labeled as “reduced sugar” or “no added sugar”. Cutting down on alcoholKeeping an eye on what you drink can have a positive impact on your overall health and well-being. Stay in control when it comes to alcohol. It’s easy to underestimate the amount of calories and carbs in alcoholic drinks, which include beer and wine. Cocktails mixed with soda and juice can be loaded with sugar too. If you choose to drink alcohol, do so in moderation (no more than 2 drinks per day for men; and not more than 1 for women), choose calorie-free drink mixers and drink

only with food. If you are diabetic, drink only if your blood sugar is under control.

Get moving and stop being a couch potatoRegular exercise helps the body use insulin better, resulting in well-controlled blood sugar levels. Try to get at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity five days a week. Start off slowly if you have not been active. Try brisk walking, jogging, cycling or any other physical activity that helps pump up your heart rate, thereby bringing more oxygen to your muscles.

Just like a balanced diet, exercise can help keep your blood sugar level in range and prevent diabetes-related health complications. TI

Simple Tips to Prevent Diabetes

Ivy Gan

Ivy Gan is a Dietitian at the Dietetics Department of Regency Hospital

investFREE COPYThe Iskandarian ISSUE 44 | APR 2016


Adam’s Financial Journey

Brought to you by:

In the Adam Series, we explain how financial planning is being applied in our day to day life as we journey through different stages and challenges

Accumulating Wealth

Binyuen is the founder of BY Enrich Resources and the author of ‘Life beyond the Comfort Zone’. He’ll be conducting a mini workshop ‘Gain Financial Independence through Share Investment’ on 8th May 2016. Collect this article to exchange a ticket worth RM20 for FREE. Reach his team at [email protected]

Tey Bin Yuen

Tips & Tricks

Opportunities for the Prepared

After experiencing a bumpy ride in January and February this year, March was a calmer month for the global stock market.

First, the Dow Jones Industrial Index has formed a bottom at 15500 for the third time, while in Asia; Shanghai Composite Index didn’t seem to fall further compared to January.Fundamentally, the US job data released early March shows strong growth in payrolls, which sees higher possibility for the US Federal Reserve to raise interest rates; the firmer commodity prices especially oil, which rebounded 40% from 27 to 38 dollar per barrel, have bolstered higher confidence in the global economy.

In Malaysia, we’ve started seeing funds flowing in since a few weeks ago, pushing Composite Index to stand above 1691 points as at 15th March 2016. Moreover, the Ringgit is now ranging between 4.08-4.15 against the USD.

Technically, the Composite Index has retested the psychological level of 1700 for the third time. Although it’s yet to succeed as at 15th March, it now stands above the critical level of MA200 for the last two weeks, indicating a higher possibility to break 1700 in the near future.

With better clarity and slight optimism, KLCI managed to gain 47 points (or 2.9%) compared to a month ago. How’s the performance of our portfolio?

Portfolio adjustmentWith clearer global outlook and newly released quarter results in end February 2016, we’ve added three companies:1) AIRASIAAIRASIA has completed the bottom formation and now broken above MA200. This implies the share price could have more momentum to continue the uptrend. AIRASIA’s 4th result last year shows huge improvement, with earnings 550 million or 19.9 cents per share.

With the macro condition such as low oil price that’s favourable to the company, we’ve bought 20000 shares of AIRASIA at 1.66.

2) HEVEABOARDWhile many investors (or speculators) perceive export-oriented companies are no longer good since the Ringgit has regained its strength, the reality could be otherwise.

In Februar y, HEVEABOARD

released its Q4 result with net profit 25.7 million or 6.3 cents per share. This is a great improvement in comparison to year-on-year (yoy) and quarter-to-quarter (qoq).

However, the market didn’t reward accordingly as investors took the opportunity to ‘sell on news’. As a result, its share price fell below 1.2 again. With this low valuation, we bought 30000 shares at 1.19. With this price and sound earning, we estimated its PE ratio to fall below seven, which is deemed very attractive.

3) FEDERAL FURNITURE (FFHB)This is another company that shows encouraging earnings in Q4 2015, with net profit 2.2 million or 2.7 cents per share.

FFHB is not a conventional furniture

play. Apart from building the interior fit-out (IFT) for hotels, offices and kitchens, it’s also the exclusive licensee for Starbucks in Asia Pacific countries to provide interior design, furniture and fittings. Recently, the managing director of FFHB revealed that the company has prepared to establish its presence in China, as Starbucks intends to increase its store count in the country from 1400 to 3400 in the next four years.Based on its valuation and bright prospect, we bought 30000 shares of FFHB at 0.93Conclusion

With the above three counters added, we’ve used RM96800 and left with RM12370. Our current paper gain is 14.9% compared to 2.1% increase of KLCI since inception November last year. Investing is a process that requires planning, doing, checking and action. Instead of focusing on the result, let’s regularly observe, reflect and execute. After all, sound investment returns if we’ve done the right thing. TI

The First Home – Part Two

We continue with how Adam and Aida manage their finances as a couple to own a home. They started working out the ideal

amount of home instalment that they can comfortably commit to.

As a rule of thumb, we can safely allocate up to one-third of our monthly take-home pay towards all our loan commitments. As Adam and Aida are currently paying off their PTPTN loans and Adam’s car instalment, that leaves them with about RM3,000 for their home instalment.

With a loan tenure of 30 years and an assumed average interest rate of 7%p.a., they should limit their home loan to not more than RM300,000. However, they should also have about RM30,000 cash for down payment and approximately another RM10,000, for other incidental costs such as stamp duties and legal fees. With this in mind, they set their goal to save for this purpose for the next one year or so and until then they will start looking around for their dream home.

There are two good reasons why Adam and Aida felt that buying their own home is preferred than to rent one. Firstly, by buying a home, they should be able to increase their net worth over time while servicing their loan. This is because the value of the home would generally increase while the loan amount reduces. Secondly, owning one’s own home brings about a sense of pride and accomplishment. It will provide Adam and Aida and their family a greater sense of security in having a permanent roof over their head.

House Tips:• When buying a house, you should do your

homework - the golden rule of any property investment is location!

• Drive around the neighbourhood at different times of the day and week to see how your potential neighbours are like.

• Check the infrastructures or facilities in the area that can add value to the house, such as schools, shops, park / playground, public transport and surrounding businesses. Watch out for present conditions and/or any future development that may make the area economically disadvantaged.

• Check if the property is located on freehold or leasehold land. The market value of the house on freehold land is usually higher than if it is on leasehold land. However the preference for either a freehold or leasehold land is subjective to an individual.

• Talk to property experts who can give you sound advice about the property market, suitable locations or types of properties such as apartments, condominiums or landed properties, which have appreciative values.

• Lastly, shop around for the best possible home loan package in town. However, interest rates alone may not be the sole criterion as you need to also look into the terms and conditions of the loan which should be pertinent and flexible enough to suit your needs.

Remember that you must be able to afford to buy and pay for your house. Otherwise, your dream home will turn into a financial nightmare! Again this comes to predetermination of your budget that will then determine your ability to service the home loan.

Disclaimer: The companies mentioned above and 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.

* Image is for illustration only

investFREE COPYThe Iskandarian ISSUE 44 | APR 2016


Malaysia Sharpens its Focus on Medical Tourism By:

Rising demand for private health care will continue to drive expansion in Malaysia’s medical tourism industry this year, although increasing

competition and global economic challenges risk inhibiting growth.

As an established medical tourism destination, Malaysia is well placed to make the shift from core health services to the promising wellness segment, according to a report released in late January by consultancy Frost & Sullivan.

However, the industry will need to invest more heavily in key areas, such as human resources, if it is to achieve sustainable growth and compete against new players in the market.

Growth prospectsMalaysia has witnessed slower growth in the medical tourism segment over the last two years. A total of 882,000 tourists came to Malaysia for health care purposes in 2014, a year-on-year (y-o-y) increase of less than 1%. In contrast, the number of medical tourists rose by 21% y-o-y in 2013.Year-end 2015 data has yet to be released, but officials have publicly acknowledged that although arrivals were up y-o-y, growth fell short of full-year targets.

While medical tourism accounts for just a fraction of overall foreign tourist arrivals, which are expected to reach 30.4m in 2016, the sector has significant growth potential. Although Thailand remains the dominant player in Asia-Pacific, with around 50% of the regional market share for medical tourism compared to Malaysia’s share of 3%, Malaysia is well placed to expand its client base and revenue in the coming years.

The Frost & Sullivan report found that medical tourism, along with elder care, would drive health care sector growth in the medium-to-long term.

Despite trailing Thailand in terms of patient numbers and earnings, Malaysia represents a high growth market for medical tourism in the region, with revenue levels rising by around 15% per annum, the report noted, outpacing the broader market.

Capacity investmentWhile Malaysia has the foundations in place to grow as a health care destination, Rhenu Bhuller, a partner at Frost & Sullivan, said additional investment, especially in human resources, was required to sustain growth.“Malaysia needs to further develop health care resources, particularly specialists and ancillary health care workers, and technical health care skills, as there are resource gap,” she said.

Looking ahead, the government aims to promote development of three health care hubs in particular, in Penang,

Malacca and Johor Bahru, as part of the country’s current five-year development blueprint, the 11th Malaysia Plan, to run from 2016 through to 2020.

Niche focus Rising international interest in wellness and traditional therapies could also support Malaysia’s efforts to raise its profile as a medical tourism destination. Having previously focused largely on core medical services, Malaysia is well placed to tap into this growing segment, according to Sherene Azli, CEO of the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council, a state agency that promotes the development of medical tourism.

“We now know that wellness is a growing sector, especially for countries where the people have the spending capacity,” she told local media in mid-January. “They are very much interested in looking at prevention, simple things like detoxification, or alternatives like traditional complementary medicine.”Post-operative medical services are expected to be another key focus area.

“We want to also create a holistic health care ecosystem for our health care travellers by offering wellness packages to complement the patients’ post-treatment recuperation period,” Azli said.

Source market expansionApproximately 80% of the medical tourists that visited Malaysia in 2015 hailed from neighbouring countries, including competitor markets like Thailand and Singapore, according to a recent report by the global retirement services publication International Living.

However, both state agencies and the private sector have been reaching out to markets farther afield, including Japan and the Middle East, through promotional campaigns.

The wide availability of halal food and prayer spaces gives Malaysia a particular edge when it comes to targeting Middle Eastern markets. Azli cited the range of halal medicines and treatment options, which are both gelatine and porcine-free, on offer as another competitive advantage. According to International Living, the fact that most doctors working in private hospitals have been trained in the US or the UK and speak fluent English gives the country a further advantage. Malaysia is also home to eight facilities with accreditation from the US-based accreditation body Joint Commission International. Cost competitivenessIn a report published in mid-January, International Living ranked Malaysia as one of the world’s top-four medical tourism destinations in terms of service quality, accessibility, the standard of post-procedure recuperation options and cost competitiveness.

The country’s cost effectiveness received a further boost from depreciation of the ringgit, which lost close to 20% of its value against the US dollar over the course of 2015.

This Malaysia economic update was produced by Oxford Business Group.



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Where else but the Indian Kitchen for a taste of authentic Indian cuisine in Iskandar Puteri! A team of professional chefs led

by Executive Chef G.K. Samy is pleasing the palates of diners who long for the satisfying taste of authentic Indian cuisine. Now they are enjoying an exciting range of dishes served daily for lunch and dinner buffets as well as an ala carte menu. With a daily menu change, regulars can enjoy different food every day in comfortable café ambience.

“We use local and imported ingredients to roast and grind our own recipes of spices to cook the dishes,” said Chef Samy who often steps out of the kitchen to help prepare food from a live-cooking station in the restaurant.The lunch spread comprises a range of 25 items with two types of rice, eight vegetarian dishes plus another ten meat dishes and three desserts. In addition to rice, diners may request for a choice of

freshly-made roti or naan breads to enjoy with the gravies. Dinner buffet includes Tiffin items. Priced at RM18++ (lunch) and RM25++ (dinner), this sumptuous spread is certainly value-for-money!

The Indian Kitchen takes Tiffin quite seriously. This is the Indian custom of eating a light meal instead of afternoon tea. Tiffin sets include freshly-made original Appam or Egg Appam (2 pieces) served with a side of fresh coconut milk and palm sugar, a range of dosai – original, ghee, rava, masala or paper, as well as vadai and idli.

An ala carte menu allows diners to pick from a range of starters, gravies, desserts and drinks. Tandoori Chicken served with a side of mint sauce, Crispy Ladies Fingers and

Malabar Prawn fritters are some popular starters. The chicken is tender and juicy while the lightly battered prawns and crispy ladies fingers certainly whet the appetite while waiting for your main course.

Meals are best savoured with warm drinks like Indian filter coffee and masala tea served in traditional Dabarah cups – metal tumblers within a wide metal saucer with lipped walls – or chilled juices like delicious Mango Lassi or a sweet cocktail blend in the IK Special. Then end your meal sweetly with dessert choices like kesari, payasam, gulab jamun, and melt-in-your-mouth South Indian lentil sweets. TI

Façade of the Indian Kitchen atMedini One Hub, Iskandar Puteri

G3 & G3A, Ground Floor No. 2, Persiaran Medini Utara 3,

One Medini Hub, Iskandar Puteri, Johor.

Open daily 11.30am to 10pmTel: 607 – 5539987

Our resident writer Peggy Loh goes scouting for scrumptious food all over Johor Bahru. Reach her for a review at [email protected]

Authentic Indian Cuisine at INDIAN KITCHEN

Regular diners helping themselves to the lunch buffet spread at Indian Kitchen

Executive Chef G. K. Samy preparing anEgg Appam at the live-cooking station

Starter items [Clockwise] Tandoori Chicken, mint sauce, Crispy Ladies Fingers and Malabar Prawn fritters


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PROPERTY | RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS | APARTMENTS | VILLAS | CONDOMINIUMS | OFFICE/ RETAILSPACE

29 FREE COPYThe Iskandarian ISSUE 44 | APR 2016

“There will be no restriction on foreign equity holders for companies that qualify for the above corporate tax incentives”

Cover: Forest City Awarded Duty Free Status

Mah Sing and Amari Topping Up Ceremony

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During the recent Forest City launch, Pr ime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced

four incentives for the billion ringgit development project, which includes the duty free status awarded to the four man-made islands.

“The companies will be given tax breaks and will not be imposed with restrictions on foreign ownership of their company shares.”

“ There wi l l be no restriction on foreign equity holders for companies that qualify for the above corporate tax incentives,” said Najib.

Other incentives include tax breaks for service sectors, namely education, healthcare and tourism.

The launch event was officiated by the Sultan of Johor Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar, where the ruler signed the plaque, witnessed by Najib and Menteri Besar Johor Dato’ Khaled Nordin and CEO of Country Garden Holdings, Yeung Kwok Keung at the Forest City sales gallery recently.

The Prime Minister also

announced tax incentives for green developers and green development managers, in hopes that the incentives will contribute RM175 billion of foreign investments by 2035.

T h e g r e e n c i t y development is expected to bring a new form of modern living not only for locals but

for the international market as well. When completed, the development is expected to provide amenities for at least 100,000 residents to live and work.

It was also revealed that the first duty-free shopping mall will be ready by end-2016 at the Fisherman’s Wharf on Island 1 of

Forest City, which will carry a wide range of leading international brands and products.

Built on a 1,370 hectares, th e development has a committed investment of RM170 billion and will take 20 years to complete, is expected to provide 220,000 job opportunities come 2035. TI

What must I consider when deciding on the choice of loan for my new property?

If the property is for own use, the objective is to settle as early as possible in order to minimise total interest payments. Therefore,

choose the option with the shortest tenure and lowest interest rate.

Endeavour to take as little loan as possible by placing a high deposit. The lower the borrowings, the faster one gets out of debt. However, the above rule is correct if

the property is not used to generate revenue.

In cases where a business is operated in a self-owned property, especially in the initial stages, go for the option with the lowest instalment. Often, this option will be the one with the longest tenure and also the highest interest rate as the lender has to wait very long before the debt is settled.

The rationale is to reduce cash flow until the business stabilises. It also means that initial deposits should be minimised and borrowing be maximised. A plus factor is the allowance of interest payments as a tax deductible expense since the premises is used to generate revenue.

Owner occupied premises that are residential in nature do not enjoy this benefit as the interest payments were not incurred to generate income. Ultimately, the

intended use of the premises plays a big role in the choice of lender. In some cases, there is no firm decision made by the borrower at the point of purchase. Under this circumstance, take the option that is easiest on the wallet. Decisions vary in time and when necessary, re-financing options can be considered.

Extra DepositsCheck whether the bank allows extra deposits to be made whenever there are surplus funds available. While this feature is common these days, there are one or two dinosaurs which demand a notice to be given before the borrower is allowed to make these payments.

While some have minimum requirements such as in multiples of RM100 there are some which place high amounts such as RM1,000. This is restrictive on the borrower and the bank is indirectly keeping the

loan from being settled earlier than the original tenure.

Other matters to consider would be feedback from friends and relatives on the ease of dealing with the bank, customer service, branch location, number of branches as well as a host of other qualitative factors.

Ultimately, deal with the bank with the overall package rather than just rates and tenure. Where possible, establish a long-term relationship with one or two banks rather than just choosing purely on financials.

In times when you need the most, it is this relationship that will assist in expediting funding. This is especially true when one is in business and funds are needed urgently to capitalise on opportunities.

To the new property owners out there, here’s wishing all the best in your search. TI

Real Life Case Studies Opinion Choosing the Bank

Deva is a partner in the firm of Dason & Dason, Chartered Accountants who specialises in tax advisory and consultancy. He can be reached at [email protected]

A.Devadason CA(M), FCCA, MDRT

Forest City awarded duty free status Highlight

The Prime Minister announced four incentives for the iconic development project

Due to the rising influx of foreign and domestic tourists to Johor, the state is in need of more hotels although Amari Hotel was the latest to join the bandwagon of hotels here.

Johor Tourism, Domestic Trade and Consumerism Committee Chairman, Datuk Tee Siew Kiong said tourism as well as other industries in the state has seen growth due to the developments taking place within Iskandar Malaysia.

He mentioned that there are currently 105 hotels throughout Johor but it is still not enough to cater to foreign and local visitors who are here on holiday or for business opportunities.

Tee also added that about 61 of the state’s hotels or 58% are located in Johor Bahru.

Iskandar Malaysia secures investmentsIt was reported that Iskandar Development Region (IDR) has secured investments worth RM4.94 billion in the fourth quarter of 2015, bringing the total cumulative investments since its inception in 2006 until Dec 31, 2015 to RM190.29 billion.

52% or RM98.47 billion represents investments that have been realised, Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) said in a statement.

It said 60% or RM113.68 billion of the total cumulative committed investments was derived from domestic investments while 40% (RM76.60 billion) was from foreign investments.

The top five countries with highest investments in Iskandar Malaysia were China, Singapore, the US, Japan, and Spain.

S e c t o r - w i s e , t h e manufac tur ing industr y accounted for RM54.08 billion in investments, logistics (RM5.7 billion), healthcare (RM2.77 billion), tourism (RM3.1 billion), education (RM1.97 billion), creative industry (RM0.56 billion), and financial services (RM0.74 billion).

More hotels needed in Johor

Quick Reads

By Amin Khairuddin [email protected]

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Sultan of Johor giving a speech during the Forest City launch ceremony

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Mah Sing Group Berhad (Mah Sing) recently held a topping-up ceremony for the Group’s The Meridin@Medini integrated

project in Johor. The ceremony symbolises the completion of the development’s structure.

The event was graced by James Bruyns, Senior Chief Operating Officer of Mah Sing Group and Lu En, Chief Executive Officer of China Sate Construction Engineering Corporation. The Meridin@Medini is scheduled to be completed by June 2017.

The completion of The Meridin@Medini’s structural works comes with the CONQUAS Structural Assessment score above 80 point. Since the project’s

commencement, it has registered a zero-accident safety record.

“Mah Sing as always emphasises on the importance of quality home. Working hand-in-hand with our ever growing talented workforce and business associates, we look to further enhance our value through providing our customers with uncompromising customer experience,” said James Bruyns, Senior Chief Operating Officer of Mah Sing Group.

He added, “By working together with prestigious companies such as China State Constructions Engineering, we are confident that the quality of our products is at its highest standard.”

The Meridin@Medini is an integrated development offering hotel-serviced

suites, serviced residences, and Small Office Versatile Offices (SoVo, the Meridin Walk Lifestyle Retail). The development measuring over 8.19 acres has an estimated gross development value (GDV ) of RMRM1.1billion.

“China State Construction highly values the cooperation with Mah Sing

Group. We have paid high attention to the quality and efficiency of construction, and will continue to do so. Together, we are confident that we have built a safe, quality and green project,” said Gua Qingsong, Director of China Sate Construction Engineering Corporation in his speech at the topping up ceremony. TI

As you drive into Iskandar Puteri via the Tuas Second Link, visitors from Singapore will see big road signs in white letters with brown

background pointing to a new destination called Forest City.

This mega project was officially launched in March 2016 by the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Sultan of Johor and Menteri Besar of Johor in a grand ceremony reported widely in regional media.

Forest City, set to be South East Asia’s largest green development, is officially a duty-free trade zone with amazing sea-fronting real estate located in the south-western tip of Johor. Spearheaded by Country Garden, one of China’s top real estate developers, the project comprises four reclaimed islands near Tanjung Kupang of an initial gross development of RM450 billion. It has achieved RM170 billion worth of commitment investment, generating about

an expected 220,000 jobs opportunities upon completion in 2035.

Forest City is envisioned to be a car-free zone with vehicular traffic channeled underground. This will trigger great changes on how development projects are being carried out throughout the world. With over 1,740ha of reclaimed land, it will be the largest of its kind as an iconic environmental friendly urban development. You will not see vehicles on the road, as Forest City is filled with greenery on the top layer. With a targeted population of over 100,000 residents, it’s a self-contained mini city within close proximity to the bustling Iskandar Puteri region and Singapore.

Moreover, with a duty-free status, this island project will be a fantastic business, investment and tourism centre of South East Asia. There are other duty-free zones in Malaysia like Labuan and Langkawi too, but Forest City is very different because it’s situated next to Singapore with one of the world’s highest per capita income. Also, I foresee Forest City to be a very successful offshore banking centre complementing the existing onshore banking and finance centre of Singapore.

Forest City could also play a critical role in offshore transactional process management for the vast network of banks in Singapore. This, coupled with the solid data communication industry in Johor with its accompanying large talent pool from the world-class Educity institutions, making it a potent business and living hub never before seen in Malaysia.

I’m very optimistic for the future of Forest City and Iskandar Malaysia. The southern region of Asia comprising Singapore and Johor connected as a seamless trade zone via the High Speed Rail and Rail Transit System will create a high income region of impeccable quality of life for all Iskandarians. TI

In the pursuit of a Home in the city nowadays, we consider many things that are mindful of today’s issues and house-hunting trends. Due to rampant

media reports about higher crime rates, we seek homes in gated and guarded developments. As status symbols, we buy homes that come with lifestyle trappings such as a clubhouse, or with parks that are complete with fitness and other leisurely facilities. To keep up with the Joneses we choose locations that are named and famed. Being business smart, we also buy homes with a view to investments.

Practically every property developer are well-researched and learned enough to build housing and high-rise residences with all these as part of the package - and making sure that these points are “shouted” out in aggressive marketing initiatives. Every other developer is offering the same thing and it’s just a matter of creative tweaking of messages to disguise basically similar features, while for the buyer to make purchasing decisions based on very thin lines of preference between one house over another.

As housing developer ourselves, we are also guilty of all these.

Amidst this highly-competitive and increasingly waning property market, perhaps it is time to take a step back and think what home owners REALLY want, or need?

Perhaps it is time we learn to live a life with deeper and more intrinsic meaning. It should start with the home we choose. • Should my home be just a shelter

to sleep and eat when we are not at work, or should it be a space to grow strong values of love, and social inter-connectedness?

• Should my home be a glorious show of wealth and status, or should it be an ‘educational’ haven for our children to observe what we do right in our multiple domestic roles?

• Should my home be a ‘palatial’ structure

cordoned behind the guards, or should it be an inclusive but all-embracing household that is strongly embedded within a tight and like-minded community?

You see, it should be all about owning a House that is more than a Home, and being able to impart good, innate values to our children. At Ponderosa Woods, we aim to provide an atmosphere of homes that are not just beautiful but with lots of space, parks and in low density. Remote yet connected to ‘civilisation’.

Each three-storey semi-detached villa occupies a quarter of an acre. This makes for a haven for the extended family home, convertible into plenty of private living space for individuals; while the adjacent Ponderosa Golf & Country Club will be the key to the much needed family-community bonding and fuller life that home buyers seek.

The Clubhouse offered here is a members’ club and the facilities are well looked after 24/7. It offers hospitality services to home owners with laundry, housekeeping, maintenance, electrical and other services.

With the privilege of a free membership to the Ponderosa Golf & Country Club to home buyers, they are already inducted into a wholesome, fun- and leisure-seeking community and everything that comes with it. - by Ivan Teo, General Manager of Ponderosa Woods and Ponderosa Golf & Country Club.

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Opinion Forest City - Another Success for Iskandar Malaysia

Property Investment

Ed is the Singapore founder of the Iskandar Malaysia Investors Forum and Rafflesland Group of Companies which provides platform for property investors to gain insights and world-class investment strategies. He is contactable [email protected]

Ed Cheong

Mah Sing Celebrates Topping-Up Ceremony

Owning a Home for Deeper and More Intrinsic Reasons

(5th from left) Lu En, Chief Executive Officer of China Sate Construction Engineering Corporation, and James Bruyns, Senior Chief Operating Officer of Mah Sing Group at the The Meridin@Medini topping up ceremony.

Highlight

Group targets completion of Phase One by June 2017

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Propernomy by Dr Daniele Opinion Housing the Nation: Is it happening?

Housing the Nation: How to make it happen?

As I was saying in my last column, there are several actions which if implemented, will surely help to spur the purchase of affordable

homes by genuine first time buyers. Of course there must be an unconditional support from all the parties involved and a fair behaviour by the purchasers.

Firstly, Bank Negara; our central bank authority should release some of the introduced curbing measures by allowing, only for first time home buyers, easing the high “cash-out” that purchasers have to get ready for when deciding to purchase an affordable home. In case our purchaser is buying a strata property, the cash-out amount might be limited to RM38,596.00 as Stamp & Duty on MOT will only be charged later on. But still the amount is impressive if we consider that a RM320,000.00 home will possibly be purchased by a household with a monthly income of RM5,000 to RM7,000.00. How long will it take a family to save enough to proceed with the long sigh for dwelling purchase?

A research conducted in 2013 by Sime Darby and the University of Malaya has been determining that the average Household in Klang Valley has a mix of out-goings as per the iconographic below:

By looking at an average house-hold income as per what mentioned above, RM5,000.00 to RM7,000.00, and using the percentages showed in the iconographic above we can estimate the following minimum time-frame, as per currently imposed “terms & conditions” (BNM), to enable a young family to buy their first home with values as per our previous table.

Nowadays, people are getting married not at a very young age, but between 28 and 34 years; which means that young families, as per current situation, will be able to look into their first home from the age of 40 and above. What if any unforeseen extra expenses suddenly comes in? What will happen to house values within the next 5 to 6 years? Isn’t there a very high chance that property values will move upward?

It is an extremely unfair situation and not a viable option to finally housing the nation.

Further difficulties are coming in if the future owner/s have accessed a PTPTN loan for further studies and possibly forgotten that

what is borrowed first must be repaid later. I’ve already written about this hidden gigantic issue which might be placing totally out of reach whichever property for the unlucky ones.

Not to mention the unreasonable standing of some banks which are slashing to a mere 80% or 85% the margin of financing for those affordable properties (priced below RM500,000.00).

Last but not least, most developers are still building unaffordable homes not because of the RM psf but due to the huge size (abundantly above 2,000 sq.ft.) of the dwelling’s design.

Where is the logic of all the above? It’s a total nonsense and by keep on talking and not acting, this problem will keep on growing instead of being finally solved!

A bit of common sense for everybody:-

Developers: Please build normal homes sized between 1,000 and max 2,000 square feet. Above all, please,

do not fit the homes with M&E and cabinets but leave the purchaser the right to choose what they like. In this way there will be much higher chances to obtain more affordable values.

Purchasers: The ones of you with outstanding PTPTN balance please go and discuss a repayment plan which will avoid your blacklisting as, since 1st April 2015, Bank Negara has started uploading the delay in repayment and many “bad PTPTN paymasters” have already been blacklisted! For them, unfortunately, purchasing their first home will remain a dream for a very long time.

Bank Negara: The wish list for BNM is quite long; hopefully it will be read and at least partially taken into possible consideration:

- A l l o w developers to reinstate the 10% deposit rebate for first time home buyers as it is still the fastest and most practical way to obtain 100% financing. If not full rebate, at least allow a 3% deposit only.

- Another good help for first time home buyers will be the possibility to avoid the payment of any interest

during construction. Only for first time home buyers please re-introduce the DIBS.

- For those PTPTN bad paymasters; why it is not possible to find a solution contextual to the home purchase? A minimum agreed upon and affordable amount per month should be transferred from the financing bank directly to PTPTN till balancing the outstanding study loan. There should perhaps be a committing document to be signed upon completing the Loan Agreement for the purchase of a home.

Government: Developing affordable homes is becoming more and more difficult for the private industry players as the reduced profitability leaves a zero margin to mistakes and unforeseen events. Is there any chance to introduce some sort of subsidies to reduce the burden on the first time home buyers? Defining an affordable-home values table which will grant; reduced premium/authority contributions/utilities contributions and so on will surely spur the supply of more affordable homes in the near future and possibly see the nation being final housed.

It is always easy to talk, I’m fully aware of this, but we really need to start from somewhere and the above are few opening discussion points that if properly carried on might have a good outcome in a relatively short time……My 5 cents with no intention of hurting or offending anybody. TI

REI Group of Companies CEO and co-founder Dr. Daniele Gambero gives presentations on the property market and welcomes feedback at: [email protected].

Dr. Daniele GamberoREI Group

Or i g i n a t i n g f r o m Thailand, Amari by ONYX Hospitality Group can finally pinpoint a

property in Malaysia, namely the Amari Suasana Hotel located in the heart of Johor Bahru.

Amari Johor Bahru is also part of UMLand’s Suasana Iskandar Malaysia (Suasana) which comprises 242 hotel rooms, a 35 storey serviced apartment tower and Zenith retail mall.

“With Amari Hotel, the State Government has more to offer and attract tourists to visit Johor as well as bringing in business opportunities to increase more investments and demand in tourism industry,” said Chairman of Tourism, Trade and Consumer Affairs of Johor, Datuk

Tee Siew Kiong when gracing the topping out ceremony.

With the hotel investment of roughly RM200 million, Amari Suasana Hotel is expected to provide roughly 500 job opportunities during their employment fair for the locals.

“Other than Amari Hotel, we are also developing two additional properties – OZO Iskandar Medini

and Shama Medini together with UMLand which conclude to our initiatives offering ONYX brands first ever in Malaysia,” said President and CEO of ONYX Hospitality Group, Peter Henley.

The hotel is expected to open by December 2016 and has been conferred with Provisional BCS Mark Gold Award. -By Maressa Esa TI

(from left) UMLand Group Managing Director, Dennis Ng, Chairman of Tour-ism, Trade and Consumer Affairs of Johor, Datuk Tee Siew Kiong, Chairman of UMLand, Tun Musa Hitam, and President of ONYX Hospitality Group, Peter Henley during Amari Suasana Hotel topping out ceremony

Highlight

Another hotel addition in Johor Bahru to create job opportunities

First Amari property in Malaysia

the iskandarian april 2016 issue

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