the iskandarian nov 2014 issue

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Feng Shui Tipsfor your home inculcated by Master Paw

Johor Kaki visits Greenet Bar and Restaurant

INSIDE

The Iskandarian Monthly DrillWe get in touch with organisations’ CEOs & Chairmen to drill them with questions

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Official Newspaper The Iskandarian, Iskandar Malaysia’s Premier Community

Newspaper, is a public-private collaborative

product by IRDA’s Social Development Division

pg 34

pg 27

Property Choke?Chinese developers have been flooding the property market pg 31

pg 9

Can’t be competitive with the price without providing good service

- Gan Hong Lee Director/ Founder Tunamaya Beach & Spa Resort & Hotel Granada Johor Bahru

Headlines: Puteri Harbour management tackles some greasy water pollution in the marina area

pg 4

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Budget 2015IRDA’s Datuk Ismail comments on the recent Budget pg 2

Iskandar Investment Bhd’sABCs of Nicer Photos Unveiled

pg 11

Oil Spill at Puteri Harbour

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Published by True Soul Entertainment [14, Jln. Selasih 10, Taman Kemas, 81200, Johor Bahru]Printed by Percetakan Gemilang Sinar/Gan Seng Printing(M) Sdn.Bhd. [No.100, Jalan Tampoi, 81200, Johor Bahru] Copyright of articles, contributions and photos which are published by The Iskandarian is the property of True Soul Entertainment. The Iskandarian does its best to ensure the authenticity and accuracy of its contents, the publisher cannot accept any responsibilities for

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The community and industry players in Iskandar Malaysia will benefit from the all-rounded 2015 Budget

announced by Prime Minister YAB Dato’ Seri Najib Tun Razak.

I s k a n d a r R e g i o n a l Development Authority (IRDA) Chief Executive Datuk Ismail Ibrahim said the 2015 Budget further cemented the fact that Iskandar Malaysia’s development plan was in line with the national agenda.

He said the Government’s measures in invigorating the services sector, strengthening the Islamic financial market, spurring the creative industry and boosting the tourism industry, as well as offering a specialised incentive package for projects based on technology, innovation and knowledge would attract even more high-quality investments into Iskandar Malaysia.

Iskandar Malaysia is driven by nine promoted economic sectors – Electrical and Electronics, Petro and Oleo-chemicals, Food and Agro Processing, Logistics, Tourism, Health Services, Education Services, Financial Services and Creative Industries to develop a strong, sustainable, diversified and dynamic business eco-system.

“We are in the final stages of reviewing Iskandar Malaysia’s Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) and I am pleased that the strategies outlined are in tune with the programs and plans outlined in the 2015 Budget.

“I would like to thank the Government for a Budget which takes into consideration the welfare of Malaysians from all walks of life and also the industry players and entrepreneurs. It is truly a People First budget,” said Datuk Ismail.

Datuk Ismail also welcomed the Government’s call to accelerate small and medium enterprises (SMEs) through various assistances such as special funding and investment partnerships as these would further boost entrepreneurs to participate actively in Iskandar Malaysia’s development.

SME development, he said, was one of the main focuses of entrepreneurial development in Iskandar Malaysia due to its huge contribution to the nation’s economy, adding that Iskandar Malaysia had 341,152 SMEs registered with the Companies Commission of Malaysia (CCM ) in 2011.

Measures to strengthen Bumiputera Entrepeneurship were also welcomed. Datuk Ismail said, “Up to June 2014, a total of 59 high-performing Bumiputera companies have been granted TERAS status and 15 others have been approved under the Facilitation Fund with the approval of RM65.79 million, involving the project of RM438.64 million.”

“As of today, a total of RM16.2 million has been awarded to 4 high performing Bumiputera companies to finance part of the project infrastructure,” he said, adding Iskandar Malaysia was also looking into developing more women entrepreneurs as well.

Touching on the Pengerang Integrated Petroleum Complex project, Datuk Ismail said although the project is not within

the Iskandar Malaysia boundary, IRDA would give its full support and look forward to the spillover effect, especially in the creation of more than 10,000 job opportunities.

In addition, Datuk Ismail said Iskandar Malaysia’s International Youth Hub, which is in the pipeline, was strategically in line with the Youth Transformation Program announced.

“We will be able to support the programs content development especia l ly in t h e a r e a o f leadership, volunteerism

and entrepreneurship development,” he said.

Datuk Ismail also applauded the Youth Housing Scheme and additional units of affordable housing as this showed that the government is showing commitment on the need to provide more affordable houses for the Rakyat.

“IRDA will work closely with the State Government and other related agencies to ensure that these units are built in Johor Bahru and Iskandar Malaysia due to the high

demand for these housing. We will definitely facilitate

the planning and implementation,”

he added.

There was a big turnout of Happy Riders cyclist for the launching of their

second Riders Corner at the Shell station at Jalan Bakawali, Taman Johor Jaya.

Taking a short ride compared to their normal longer routes, the riders were flagged off at Taman Johor Jaya Police Station to Shell Bakawali; around 8km. The launching of the second Riders Corner was officiated

by Dato’ Benjamin Hasbie from Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA).

The launching was completed with a donation drive for Nadzatul Dhiya Nadzeera, a 2-year old infant suffering from Biliary Atresia which is an inflammation and blockage of the tiny tubes (bile ducts) that drain bile from inside the liver to the gall bladder and on to the small intestine. As a result of

the blockage, bile becomes trapped in the liver causing s car r i n g an d eventually cirrhosis.

This disease b e g i n s v e r y soon after birth and affects 1 in approximately 15,000 infants.

At the Riders Corner, a donation box was installed in the presence of Dhiya and her family members.

The corner will be

open 24 hours for the riders. The initiative is in line with IRDA’s Smart Healthy City & Communities which aims to reduce non communicable diseases and in support of the low carbon society blueprint.

Also present was Shell Malaysia Trading Sdn Bhd Regional Retail Manager (South) Jasme Mohd Johan and Taman Johor Jaya Police Station OCS Inspector Mohamaden Bin Bujang.

2015 Budget & Iskandar Malaysia Highlight: An all-rounded budget in line with Iskandar Malaysia’s

strategic development plans

By Maisarah [email protected]

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2nd Riders Corner at Shell Bakawali

Dato’ Benjamin Hasbie launching the Riders Corner

Datuk Ismail Ibrahim



The IskandarIan

Expose inconsiderate motorists at our facebook rant group:Against Inconsiderate Motorists (AIM)

The good, the bad and the ugly of fellow Iskandarians.

Do’s & Don’ts

Failed parking by all 3 motorists -Posted by Andrew Chun

pg 10 pg 20

InsideInsight

WAVES LifestyleJessie J & Taylor Swift’s album reviewed

Peggy LohTakes you on a Fantasy family fun in Johor Bahru

03

Southern University College has once again coordinated with Johor Bahru Chinese Chamber of Commerce

(JBCCCI) and The Federation of Tiong-Hua Johor Bahru to organise the 2nd Community-Initiated Iskandar Malaysia Conference (CIMC) with ‘Sustainability and Stability of Iskandar Malaysia Development’ as a theme for this year.

The conference was well supported by the Chinese community of Johor Bahru and Iskandar Malaysia which is currently the largest development project in the region.

CIMC 2014 was officiated by Menteri Besar Dato’ Mohamed Khaled Nordin right after his speech with a Chinese-cultured hitting the

gong three times launch gimmick. “The benefits of Iskandar

Malaysia include creation of jobs, world-class infrastructure and improved life quality,” said Dato’ Khaled.

Dato’ Seri Tey Kim Chai, President of The Federation of Tiong-Hua Johor Bahru, who is also the CIMC Conference Co-Chairman mentioned in his welcoming note that CIMC 2014 is a continuation from last year’s event which signifies the importance of three prominent Chinese Community Institutions working together in promoting the awareness and investment opportunities in abundance within the Iskandar Economic Region.

Chief Executive of IRDA, Datuk Ismail Ibrahim was invited as the keynote speaker for this year’s CIMC. A short and precise slideshow of all the investment

opportunities and reports relevant to the conference was presented by him.

“Community involvement is more important than economic growth in the development of Iskandar Malaysia,” said Datuk Ismail.

This event also featured property investment booths of few

upcoming development programs. Mostly in the Iskandar Development Region, these new properties are a major attraction for not only local but international investors from the likes of Singapore, China, Japan, Australia and the USA to name a few.

The rapid development in Iskandar Malaysia has significantly

boosted the economic growth of the state and country. With an area 3 times the size of Singapore and with 5 designated flagship zones (Johor Bahru City Centre, Nusajaya, Western Gate Development, Eastern Gate Development, Senai – Skudai) Iskandar Malaysia has accumulated approximately RM146.2 billion in investments up to June 2014.

2nd Community-Initiated Conference Engage: Sustainability and Stability of Iskandar Malaysia’s development was

discussed at at Southern University College’s public engagementBy Harish Mustak

[email protected]

Menteri Besar Dato’ Mohamed Khaled Nordin officiating the 2nd community-initiated conference in Southern University College



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

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from cover page

The effected area of oil spill at Puteri Harbour’s Marina

Oil Spill at Puteri Harbour Headlines: Puteri Harbour management tackles some greasy water

pollution in the marina area

By Harish [email protected]

An oil spill polluted the clear marina waters of Puteri Harbour recently and the management

needed to make haste in dispatching solutions to address this unpleasant incident. This was no black oil spill from large deep sea oil tankers but instead it was diesel from a docked boat at Puteri Harbour.

Although it was just a small patch of oil to be compared to other incidents that have happened around the world, this unfortunate incident has distorted the scenery at Puteri Harbour and also became a matter of environmental concern.

“The oil spill is from one of the boats at the marina. We managed to stop the leak and have asked the owner to rectify the leak,” explained Jeff Saw, General Manager of Puteri Harbour who saw the seriousness of the matter and handled it effectively and efficiently.

It was made clear by the Marina Manager, Ahmad Zailani Bashah that the oil spills are not a normal occurrence. Nevertheless, the management understands

the effects of pollution and the importance to uphold the integrity of the environment at Puteri Harbour.

“This happens only when the boat is having a technical problem with their engine or pump. The oil will leak into the bilges and the automatic pump will discharge the contaminated water out to the marina,” said Ahmad Zailani.

The management informed The Iskandarian that they are very concerned about pollution in the marina and will always do their best to rectify any discharge of black oil or diesel from their berth holders as well as from Johor Straits.

“At Puteri Harbour Marina, we have our Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of handling the situation. There are major and minor oil spillage situations whereby in the event of thin and minor spillage, we will use water and soap sprayed directly on the floating oil to be dispersed and evaporated by the sunlight. In thick and major spillage, we use the oil absorbent mop or boom to contain the fuel before it is sprayed with certified oil dispersant (SOLAS) and scoop out the debris into a container for disposal. The oil

mops are collected and disposed in accordance to the Environmental Regulation,” explained Ahmad Zailani.

Puteri Harbour’s management have done a good job in containing

oil spills however it is encouraged that the boaters too must be responsible with their own actions and operations and not leave it solely to the management. Berthing agreements clearly state

the rules and regulations of the marina. Customers violating these environmental laws on pollution control will see further disciplinary actions taken against them by the relevant authorities.

The Iskandarian ISSUE 27 | NOV 2014 Advertisement05



Want to share your ideas? email us today: [email protected]

Bon Appetit at Renaissance

If you love food and want to find a reason to celebrate it, mark your calendars on the 20th of October every year

because that will be the day when chefs around the world are celebrated.

Marriot International celebrated this gastronomically significant day on the 23rd of October and its sister hotel, the Renaissance Hotel Johor Bahru held a special event on the 18th of October to honour its chefs. The public and media were exposed to the knowledge and skills of the Renaissance Hotel ‘s chefs.

Renaissance Hotel’s talented chefs, Chef de Cuisine, Chef Khairuzzaman Ahmad Hadzri, an award winning Pastry Chef, Chef Zainuddin Md. Isa and the hotel’s leading Chinese Cuisine Chef, Chef Allan Choong shared their tips and tricks through live cooking sessions. Guests were brought to discover the hotel’s four main food and beverages outlets at Café BLD, Wan Li Chinese Restaurant, The Chocolate Cake Company and Rbar.

“International Chefs Day is indeed about celebrating

being a chef but more importantly about making a difference where we can. I will take this opportunity and urge my colleagues, not only here in Malaysia but around the world, to celebrate and reflect on the past and look to the future,” said Chef Khairuzzaman.

On this day, chefs around the world will have the opportunity to showcase their talents in their specialties and signature dishes. Aspiring chefs will take this day as an opportunity to shine and also show their hidden talents to the world.

This year was no different. Along with this year’s theme of the International Chefs Day which is “Pass It On”, veteran and apprentice chefs

also worked together to put on a show for the public via some special events. As the slogan states, chefs of all ranks and age around the world had been called up to pass their knowledge and know-how, while bearing in mind a meaningful impact they have on the sustainability of the society in general, and what an important role they play as mentors, change agents and humanitarian pioneers.

Initiated by the World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS), this commemorative day has been marked as a special occasion by culinary professionals to create awareness of chefs who have set remarkable industry standards for the gastronomical art.

Interest: Renaissance Hotel Johor Bahru honours its chefs on International Chefs Day 2014

06

The chefs letting their hair down in celebration


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Looking and feeling beautiful is an innate need for all of us and it cuts across cultural,

racial and geographical differences. The notion of beauty may differ but having a confident and attractive inner glow is looked upon very positively.

Nestled within the boundaries of Iskandar Malaysia in Bukit Indah is Aesthetic Glow Medical Clinic. As a boutique aesthetic clinic, they emphasise on quality treatment and excellent, professional and personal client service. ‘Bring out the inner glow in you’ is the tagline for the Aesthetic Glow Medical Clinic.

Ae s t h e t i c G l ow Medical Clinic prides itself in neither over-stating nor over promising results but only

recommends and carries out medically sound procedures which are accepted by the general medical community.

“ We provide a range of medical aesthetic treatments which have minimal or no downtime and are proven to be safe to our patients. The interest and safety of our patients are of paramount importance to us as we strive to build a long lasting relationship with them,” said Dr Shahira Banu who is the owner and American Academy of Aesthetic Medicine (AAAM) certified practitioner of Aesthetic Medicine.

Located conveniently in front of Jusco/Aeon in Bukit Indah, the clinic is part of Klinik Medivron Group.

For those who want to look and feel beautiful, book an appointment with the

clinic and have a chat with Dr. Shahira. Aesthetic practices are also used to treat some medical conditions such as sweaty palms and acne for example. Treatment will only be recommended after careful consideration and consultations.

Feedback from the many happy customers speak of the friendly and down to earth doctor and the competitive pricing in the market. Patients from Singapore are a common sight at the clinic.

Dr. Shahira added, “We don’t charge for the aesthetic consultations and use only high quality products from Europe which have been certified safe. What is important for us is the satisfaction of the patients in their quest to bring out their inner glow.”

The beauty of Aesthetics

UEM Sunrise Berhad (UEM Sunrise), the master developer of Nusajaya, one of the five key nodes

of Iskandar Malaysia has successfully concluded its Green Campaign 2014 with a prize-giving ceremony held at Sekolah Kebangsaan Nusantara, Gelang Patah for PINTAR schools.

The ceremony was graced by the Nusajaya State Assemblymen, YB Dr. Haji Zaini Haji Abu Bakar who presented the prizes to the schools along with UEM Sunrise’s Senior General Manager, Mohd Nadzari Haji Bachek.

Since 2010, the Green Campaign has sought to create environmentally responsive school students who are passionate about saving the environment. The Green Campaign represents part of UEM Sunrise’s strategic effort to inculcate green habits in students and develop their awareness on climate change.

In 2014, the campaign entered its fifth consecutive year with active participation from 15 out of 17

UEM Sunrise PINTAR adopted schools. The PINTAR schools comprised of 11 primary school and four secondary schools. This year, UEM Sunrise in collaboration with Department of Environment (DOE) Johor, under the Education Unit, designed the Green Campaign in the form of project work for the participating schools. The

project required each participating school to beautify their school compound, landscape corner or any form of creative corner in a way that resembles a green and sustainable environment. The project took place over three months starting from July to September and was funded by a cash grant amounting to RM1,000 for each school.

“As a responsible corporate citizen, UEM Sunrise is committed to building sustainable communities

in environmentally friendly living spaces. The Green Campaign aims to educate the younger generation on the importance of environmental protection and cultivate an environmentally responsible culture in the community. We believe that early education and awareness is imperative in changing public perception and modifying behavior and can result in more acceptance and support towards green initiatives and practices. This, in

turn can help ensure that the long term objectives and global efforts in addressing environment issues are achieved,” said UEM Sunrise’s Senior General Manager, Mohd Nadzari Haji Bachek.

“This year’s participation from each school was overwhelming and we had a tough time deciding the winner. We hope to see continued support from students, teachers as well as parents for our future campaigns,” he added.

Going Green from the Grass Roots

Responsible: UEM Sunrise promotes green habits amongst its PINTAR schools in Green Campaign 2014

The winning participants

YB Dr. Hj Zaini admiring the landscape

pics: John Lee

“UEM Sunrise is committed to building sustainable communities”Mohd Nadzari Haji BachekSenior General ManagerUEM Sunrise

Gan Hong Lee is the Director and Founder of Tunamaya Beach & Spa Resort in Tioman Island. He is also the owner of Hotel Granada Johor Bahru. He holds a Civil Engineering degree from the Paisley College of Technology, UK and has worked for the government sector as a planning engineer for a long time. In 1990, he joined Afico Holdings (M) Sdn Bhd as a Director and in 2012; he made a switch in fields as he launched Tunamaya Beach & Spa Resort in Tioman Island. At the same time, he also launched Hotel Granada Johor Bahru in Bukit Indah.

Hotel Granada and Tunamaya are two different target markets. How did you come up with the idea for Hotel Granada and Tunamaya Beach & Spa Resort? As you can see, this is two different market segments for these two properties. My late partner was running a resort called Tuna Bay in Perhentian Island and when a friend recommended a resort plot of land to me, the rest is history as they say (laughs). We checked out the land and envisioned a resort on it. We simply thought we could replicate Tuna Bay so that gave us confidence to invest in an unknown field (chuckles).

Hotel Granada has a similar tale. We scouted for a piece of land and coming from an engineering background, we foresaw that constructing a hotel there was not much of a problem. However, managing a hotel was alien to us, so to start with, we got the right person to give the proper input as to the number of rooms, the room size and the facilities that we have to incorporate into the hotel. That’s about all how these two properties came about.

You come from an engineering background, why did you become a hotelier? What was the motivation behind this?

I came into this hotel business basically by sheer chance! After being in construction for 20 to 30 years, I thought tourism was a good sector to explore and that’s the motivation. Truth be told, the passion for the resort itself is more from my late partner. Coming from the construction field, we always believe that once you build something and run it properly, it will be possible to replicate it anywhere else.

What is the most difficult lesson you have learned as an entrepreneur?Being a contractor is a difficult industry to get into; it’s just like going to war every day (laughs). Human relations and human capital management is one of the biggest lessons learnt as managing people can be tricky. To me, running a hotel has its own set of problems but is less risky than running a construction company so juggling both is a lesson to be learned.

Hotel Granada is located inside Flagship B of Iskandar Malaysia and it is only 15 minutes to Hello Kitty, Legoland and Pinewood Studios. How do you stay competitive against the other hotels in your area?

As you say, our hotel is 15 minutes away from all that, which is one of the plus points. At this present moment you can see that there is no full fledged hotel like ours in this surrounding area other than Trader’s Hotel and all that is because of the location. It’s convenient to our guest and food is readily available around Bukit

Indah. Shopping is just opposite to our building so other than staying competitive, what I always press on my staff is good service. You can’t be competitive on the price alone without providing good service. I mean, hardware everybody can do it, it’s the software that counts (laughs)!

Share your 5-year forecast with us on what’s upcoming in Hotel Granada and Tunamaya Beach & Spa Resort? Is there such a forecast? As you are aware, we have acquired another piece of land beside Granada Hotel which is now in the planning stages. So as you said forecast is also quite right because we’re planning to build another hotel in that plot of land but it won’t be ready for at least another 3 years from now. Actually, we are all thinking amongst our

management and staff

about what sort of hotel should we build. Which target group? Corporate, longterm, family? So our hotel is definitely going to be in the region of 4 stars grading which would boast first class facilities. As for Hotel Granada, we’re in the works of increasing our star rating which will happen once our swimming pool is in place.

As for Tunamaya, logistics in Tioman is quite a problem as you know at this present moment in terms of ferries and flights. Even big players like Berjaya are facing a dip in revenue in Tioman and one of the reasons is that there are no open flights heading there. So to fill this void, we are arranging flights from Subang and Senai International Airport to Tunamaya Tioman. We are hoping to extend this service to Singapore as well in the near future. This will not only help Tioman Island as a destination resort but also help give more credence and prestige to Tunamaya. The flights will be made available for all to use even if they’re not accommodating at our resort.

Also, when we fly to Tioman, we will fly around the island so that you can see the whole island in all its beauty. The holiday starts when you step onto the plane and we are flying at around 7000 feet and I can tell you that the scenery that you can see is spectacular. And how will you yield against any market uncertainties?Look at Tunamaya, we are not a very big resort, we only have 34 chalets to maintain. Of course any ups and downs will affect us but I don’t think it would be that great because our target market is different. 80% of our clients come from all over the world with the majority being Europeans.

Hotel Granada is basically a business class hotel and our locality to Legoland can capture some of the leisure market but this is seasonal especially during school holidays and weekends. Iskandar Malaysia is booming and we get spillover business due to it. With Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios bringing more productions to our shores, we’ll be short of accommodations and more spillover effect will be resonated.

Tunamaya Beach & Spa Resort and Hotel Granada Johor Bahru

The Iskandarian aspires to be the voice of the rakyat and with that in mind, our Editor touches base with CEOs and Chairmen of organisations to Drill them with questions to hear their opinions and perspectives.

DRILLFREE COPYThe Iskandarian ISSUE 27 | NOV 2014


GAn HonG LEE

MoN

ThLy

DRi

LLDirector/ Founder

09

EXCLuSiVE

“Human relations and human capital management is one of

the biggest lessons learnt as managing

people can be tricky”

Quote

A friend whose extended family has plans for a holiday in Johor Bahru (JB), asked me for tips on what to do to entertain them here because

there was a mix of elderly uncles and aunts as well as cousins with young families. I assured her that there is something for everyone to enjoy and told her that we can take the seniors on nostalgic heritage walks and arrange for the young families to enjoy a time of family bonding in our theme parks. I can sense her relieve as she saw how her whole family can have fun here because while JB welcomes the new in our developing modern metropolis, our city still has charming old treasures.

I understand how overwhelming it must be to host visiting friends and family members who have heard so much about our new attractions but we have yet to visit these sites ourselves. Visitors, both local and

from abroad, are coming to international attractions located at our very doorstep but sadly many locals either have a vague notion or no idea about them. So I’m often the go-to-person for some honest insights as I’ve had the privilege to experience resort attractions locally and abroad in my travel assignments.

While the rides and restaurants in Legoland Malaysia opened in September 2012, last October the adjacent Water Park opened as the largest Legoland Water Park in the world. Designed with over 70 Lego models and more than 20 unique slides, this park is bordered by a meandering river where visitors can create their own rafts from soft Lego bricks and float along with the current. Besides restaurants, a retail store and cabanas for hire, there is also a wave pool and plenty of shade if you wish to just chill out and doze on the deck chairs. The Joker Soaker is a favourite spot for thrill-seekers who can enjoy interactive fun on platforms built in the wade pool and wait for the giant bucket to fill up before it tips 350 gallons of water to splash and soak everyone below!

I assured my friend that young families will have an unforgettable stay with the Legoland Hotel because there is non-stop fun from the moment they step into the hotel lobby. That’s because children will be delighted with the thousands of Lego bricks available for play in the moat around the knight’s castle and in the sea where the pirate’s ship is anchored – right there in the lobby! I’ve seen how children are happily occupied with Lego while parents check-in or check-out and I even spotted several dads bonding with their children as they create swords and guns from Lego bricks, ostensibly for them but they were probably also having fun reliving their own childhood!

At Star Wars Miniland, the latest attraction in Legoland Malaysia, parents will also have fun introducing their families to Yoda, R2D2, C-3PO and the infamous Darth Vader among other favourite Star Wars characters designed in Lego bricks. This indoor experience showcases over 2,000 detailed models displayed in iconic scenes from the six Star Wars blockbuster movie episodes and The Clone Wars animated series. I’m sure Star Wars fans will recognise scenes like the battle at Naboo even before reading the brief provided at each exhibit. While the clever play of light and sound effects will transport you to a galaxy far, far away, I instantly recognised familiar music from my favourite scene with the weirdest creatures in the Cantina where Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi first met Han Solo, captain of the Millennium Falcon and his co-pilot Chewbacca!

Over at Sanrio Hello Kitty Town in the Little Red Cube, Puteri Harbour, Hello Kitty fans and families with younger children can thrill to meeting the life-size pair of Hello Kitty and Dear Daniel. The experience continues in Hello Kitty House, the fantasy home of the pair of furry felines that’s filled with Kitty-shaped and themed furniture and knick-knacks. Then at the Wishful Studio, you can enjoy activities like Costume Dress-up, Nail Salon, Jewellery Making and paint a Kitty face-shaped cookie at the Cookie Studio. Older children can have fun with an exciting hi-tech interactive game in the Black Wonder, a dark labyrinth where the solution to a puzzle will release Hello Kitty and Dear Daniel from their kidnappers!

Familiar characters like Bob the Builder, Barney the Dinosaur, Angelina Ballerina and Pingu the Penguin are all in the Little Big Club. Safe play structures, rides and interactive activities keep the youngsters engaged and entertained for hours while adults can also have fun on the rides designed with Thomas & Friends. The rides are child-safe and adults are allowed to accompany younger children on the Train Ride, Bertie the Bus, The Windmill, Colin Crane Drop and Harold’s Helitours. At the Bumping Buffers Steamies & Diesel Ride, you don’t need driving experience to join in the fun, dodging each other in bumper cars!

timesFREE COPYThe Iskandarian ISSUE 25 | SEP 2014


Fantasy family fun in Johor Bahru

PEGGy lOH

My johoR SToRiES

One of the dining options at the Little Red Cube is Lat’s Place, a unique themed restaurant that serves Malaysian cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner. This is where you meet Lat our kampung boy, a familiar local animated character and get original Lat merchandise. Reservations are essential for dinner that is offered with adult, child or vegetarian choices and it comes with an 80-minute live animation entertainment experience, a set meal, free-flow of non-alcoholic drink and one complimentary photo for two persons. This is a must for Lat fans to enjoy the antics of the kampung boy and his Latoon friends!

With a glimpse of what her visitors can do for holiday fun and family bonding in JB, my friend was more than ready to be a better host. Later she told me that her cousins and families will head to Nusajaya to enjoy theme park activities while the seniors have opted for a heritage walk. This presented her with yet another dilemma but to resolve the situation, she quickly invited me along because I’m also familiar with the city’s heritage sites.

Hello Kitty and Dear Daniel welcomes children to enjoy a host of activities with their favourite animated characters at Sanrio Hello Kitty

Besides having an entertaining dinner experience with Lat and his friends, now you can also enjoy breakfast and lunch at Lat’s Place

Meet your favourite Star Wars characters designed in Lego bricks at Star Wars Miniland, the latest attraction in Legoland Malaysia

Peggy is a regular contributor to NST and actively writes in her blog www.peggyloh.com about matters that are close to her heart. She can be reached at [email protected]

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In the world’s largest Legoland Water Park, watch the giant bucket in the Joker Soaker tip over to give everyone a splashing good time!



As part of the IM klik Photography Competition organised by Iskandar Investment Berhad (IIB), a photography workshop

entitled ‘The ABCs of Nicer Photos’ was held at EduCity Iskandar Malaysia’s Multivarsity’s lecture hall on 12 October 2014. 86 photographers from Johor, Selangor, Kedah and Perak joined the fully sponsored photography workshop.

Andrew Boey of Nikonian Academy Beyond Photography led the three hours session. The renowned photography guru requested all participants to bring along their DSLR or compact camera, flash and tripod so that they could immediately practice what they learned from the theory session. He used specially produced video presentations to engage the eager crowd. “Seeing the overwhelming response for this fully sponsored workshop is truly satisfying. The seats were snapped up in just days after we announced it. Throughout the workshop, participants pressed for more in-depth knowledge as they enjoyed the class and benefited from it. I sincerely hope we can repeat such workshop in the future as nothing is more honorable than sponsoring education and knowledge to groups of enthusiasts. I thank IIB for putting together and sponsoring this learning experience,” said Boey.

“As we want photographers to tell the Iskandar Malaysia story through their

lenses, we decided to give an opportunity for serious shutterbugs to learn a few tricks from the professionals. Hence the Nikonian Academy Beyond Photography is brought in to conduct the workshop and with Andrew heading the class, we could not be happier.” said Datuk Syed Mohamed Syed Ibrahim, the President and Chief Executive

Officer of IIB.A participant, Cheow Beng Soon

shared “I hope we can do more of these photography workshops because I gained so much from it. I have purchased my camera for over one year now but have never used it as effectively as it should have been, until today.”

The IM k l ik Photography Competition was launched last September by Y.B Tan Sri Datuk Seri Shahrir bin Abd Samad in a ceremony in Johor Bahru. There are two categories for the competition, Open Category and Junior klik-ers category. The closing date for the competition was on the 22nd of October 2014.

The ABCs of Nicer Photos unveiled Interest: 86 photographers mastered the tricks at IM klik Photography

Workshop, sponsored by Iskandar Investment Berhad (IIB)



Malaysia’s first Mixed Martial A r t s e v e n t organisation;

Ultimate Beatdown Sdn Bhd announced that following the very successful First Johor

Jiujutsu Open in October at Plaza Sentosa, they will hold their 15th MMA event on November 15th on the roof of Plaza Sentosa, some 8 floors above the streets of Johor.

“We are pleased to

announce that Tiger Beer will be our Headline Sponsor of the event to be called: Ultimate Beatdown 15 at Plaza Sentosa presented by Tiger Beer,” said organiser Alan H. Cole.

Inaugurated four years ago in a gym in Mount Austen, Johor Bahru, Ultimate Beatdown Sdn Bhd has grown rapidly with a gathering of 50 for their first event in 2012 and their last show at Educity Sports Complex, Iskandar Malaysia, being their largest to date with around 750 people buying tickets.

“ W h e n w e a p p r o a c h e d t h e management of Plaza Sentosa we were very pleased with their “can do” attitude and also the fact they wanted a long term partnership. Ultimate Beatdown needs a permanent home and the venue we have been offered is not only a great space but it is also unique in MMA. We think our fans will love it,” added Alan.

Tickets are available at RM30 from www.4znet.com. Also visit their facebook page for updates at facebook.com/UltimateBeatdownJB or contact Alan H Cole for further information at ult [email protected].

UltimateBeatdown

UBER Upbeat

Uber has expanded beyond Kuala Lumpur and are now running in Johor Bahru since August. This marks the second city in Malaysia

to have Uber services introduced.Uber offers UberBLACK services and

its cheaper alternative; UberX offers rides as cheap as regular taxi cabs while upholding pristine service.

Uber ensures safety by conducting criminal background checks on all their drivers. In New York, they have uberFAMILY where child safety seats are included in Uber cars so that parents can ensure a safe journey for their young child.

Service is also a priority hence they make sure that the drivers open the door for the users and they expect users to really enjoy the comfort to keep coming back for more. Here’s their price listing

Base fareUberBLACK: RM3.00UberX: RM1.50UBER (JB): RM1.50

Per kmUberBLACK: RM1.15UberX: RM0.55UBER (JB): RM0.60

Per minuteUberBLACK: RM0.35UberX: RM0.20UBER (JB): RM0.20

Minimum fareUberBLACK: RM5.00UberX: RM2.50UBER (JB): RM2.50

Cancellation feeUberBLACK: RM5.00UberX: RM5.00UBER (JB): RM5.00

Flat ratesUberBLACK (KL–Putrajaya): RM68UberBLACK (KL–KLIA): RM270UberBLACK (KL–Genting Highlands): RM150uberX: (KL–KLIA): RM80UBER (JB City–Senai Airport): RM50

pic: Uber Facebook



Fo l l o w i n g t h e m o m e n t u m o f Visit Malaysia Year 2014, the Ministry

of Tourism and Culture Malaysia, has designated next year as Malaysia Year of Festivals 2015, or MyFest 2015.

T h e m e : E n d l e s s celebrations

MyFest 2015 heralds the country’s biggest ever fiesta of celebrations, events and happenings all year long; encompassing all genres including culture, shopping, festivals, destination marketing, food and other themed events.

MyFest 2015 brandingMyFest 2015’s logo

was launched in Kelantan on 18 September 2014 by YB Dato’ Seri Mohamed Nazri bin Abdul Aziz, Minister of Tourism and Culture Malaysia.

The logo personifies the elements of 1Malaysia with Visit Malaysia Year 2014 logo and festivals, to depict an amalgamation of colours, flavours, sounds and sights of Asia, all in 1Malaysia, the result of its multi-racial heritage. This new branding showcases Malaysian warmth and hospitality; echoing the “We are the host” philosophy. The iconic Rebana Ubi drum in the logo represents the common use of drums during festivals by the various races in Malaysia.

n e w e ve n t s , n e w attractions, new insights

Working together with industry players and stakeholders, the Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia has identified key events, attractions, focus products and marketing

strategies. D e s t i n a t i o n

market ing strategies i n c l u d e P u t r a j a y a’s upcoming year- long Skyride Festival which is a hot air balloon theme park and Marina Putrajaya’s musical fountain. New events include Asian Symphonies, International Festival of Shadow Plays, Truly Asian Street Food Festival, Kuala Lumpur Lake Gardens Festival, BBKLCC World Fiesta MYOF 2015 and the 1st Craft International Festival. Other strategies include participation in the World Travel Mart London in November 2014, MyFest travel packages and the Countdown to MyFest 2015 and the Grand Launch event.

A national missionMyFest 2015 is a key

driver and national mission to achieve the National Key Economic Areas goal of 36 million tourist arrivals and RM168 billion in tourist receipts by 2020. The target set for MyFest 2015 is 29.4 million tourist arrivals and RM89 billion in tourist receipts.

The success of this tourism campaign banks upon an integrated public-private partnership strategy that nurtures stakeholder engagement, support and participation. The symbiosis empowers m a r k e t c o m p e t i t i v e strengths while enabling industr y players to generate jobs and revenue. Opportunities can be found in domestic industries such as hospitality services, food and beverage industries, transportation services, handicrafts and tourism support services.

The Minister has urged, “It is my sincere

hope that industry players and stakeholders can all work together with the ministry to make MyFest 2015 a success. This is part of the government’s National Blue Ocean Strategy to create value i n n o v a t i o n t h r o u g h public-private partnership collaboration.”

Moving forwardB u d g e t 2 0 1 5 ’s

RM316 million allocation for var ious tour ism promotion programmes has set a positive outlook for the industry. Malaysia’s strong positioning as the 10th Most Visited Country in the world in 2012, 2nd Most Visited Country in Asia Pacific and listing by Lonely Planet as one of the top 10 destinations to visit in 2014 are all factors that add value to MyFest 2015.

To promote MyFest 2015 and create strong engagement with industry players and stakeholders, the Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia is organising a series of nationwide meeting sessions from October 2014 to January 2015. The events will disseminate the vision, targets and branding guidelines of MyFest 2015 for effective implementation; while providing the opportunity to meet up to share ideas and garner feedback.

With so many strategies, partnerships and incentives in place, it is envisaged that government agencies, the private sector, non-government agencies and industry players are in for a great start to MyFest 2015.

F o r m o r e i n fo r m a t i o n , p l e a s e v i s i t w w w. v m y 2 0 1 4 .com or facebook.com/VisitMsiaYear2014.

Tourism declares 2015 as Malaysia Year of Festivals

Highlight: Synergistic public-private partnership strategy key to MyFest 2015’s success



The opening of the Johor Bahru Performing Arts Centre (JBPAC) is

set to transform the Johor Bahru arts scene, with new opportunities for the advancement of the arts in the city.

JBPAC, on Level 4M of Danga City Mall was launched on September 6th and is jointly run by the mall’s management and the Johor Society for the Performing Arts (JSPA), organisers of the award-winning JB Arts Festival.

JBPAC is divided into two sections. The White Box is a space for art galleries, exhibitions and other art activities, while The Black Box is a small but cosy venue for performances.

The two venues were also venues during the recent 11th JB Arts Festival. The Black Box hosted various performances, including singer-songwriter open-mic sessions, a classical music recital Crossover, featuring musicians from the National Symphony Orchestra, the 3rd JB Writers and Readers Festival and Gostan Forward, a performance lecture by pioneering dancer-choreographer Marion D’Cruz.

Meanwhile, over 3,000 people visited the art

exhibition at The White Box throughout the month-long festival.

The JSPA hopes that JBPAC can contribute towards the production & development of the arts in Johor, either by providing a platform for more local Johor artists and performers to display their talents, and also to present more regular, high quality performances and other arts-related activities for the JB community.

To this day, more events are being lined-up at JBPAC throughout the months of October and November.

About JBPAC and the Venue JB Performing Arts

Centre (JBPAC) is a new exciting venue for the performing and visual arts where people of all walks of life can enjoy and experience art.

The White Box @ JBPAC provides a new secure and spacious gallery for visual artists to showcase their talents. Spaces are available to hire for private, solo and group art exhibitions - for all types of art, including photography, illustration, painting, print, sculpture, animation, and graphic design.

The Black Box @ JBPAC is a newly-refurbished

theatre for all sorts of performing arts. It has comfortable seating for up to 150 people, a cosy reception and waiting area and access to dressing rooms and changing rooms.

Theatre Rentals – Whether you are staging a full production, workshop, small recital, producing an acting showcase, or searching for a bright and comfortable studio for your music rehearsals or staged readings, we have the perfect options to fit your needs.

Special Events – Our theatre and reception are the picture-perfect settings for a wide array of events including corporate conferences and meetings, award shows, private movie screening, private parties and more!

Collaborate With Us – JBPAC also seeks to provide a platform for the production & development of the arts in Johor, where it’s possible for everyone to engage in the arts, where ideas are made visible! If you think you have genuine or interesting production ideas do let us know. For all enquiries, please contact Suzie Yap at 019-713 9900 or email [email protected]. Please also visit the JBPAC Facebook page: www.facebook.com/jbperformingartscentre

JBPAC @ Level 4M Danga City Mall



Quick Reads

Marlborough College Malaysia (MCM) raised RM35,000 for the Malaysian Red Crescent Society (MRCS) in aid of its national community services programme.

The donation was raised from a charity polo match between the Royal Johor Polo Club and MCM teams which took place at the Istana Pasir Pelangi here earlier this year.

Among the beneficiaries of the donations are SK Sungai Melayu, the Care Haven Orphanage, MRCS, the Handicapped and Mentally Disabled Children’s Association and the Children’s Surgical Centre of the Sultanah Aminah Hospital.

Presenting the aid on behalf of the MRCS to MCM was its National Services Committee Chairman Tunku Temnggong Johor Tunku Idris Iskandar Sultan Ibrahim.

Also present at the ceremony were Tunku Tun Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah Sultan Ibrahim and MCM Master (Principal) Robert Pick.

RM35,000 raised for Red Crescent This is the 10th consecutive

year that Care United Johor Bahru has initiated its ‘Back to School Campaign’ that

benefits underprivileged students across Johor Bahru and Kuala Lumpur.

This year saw Care United providing up to an estimated 5,000 children a ‘Back to School Kit’ that contained a new school bag, a Giant Hypermarket voucher worth RM70, a stationery set, colour pencils and school supplies. The kit was sponsored by Care United, Swan Stabilo Malaysia and also YB Datuk Nur Jazlan who is the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee.

The distribution of the Back to School Kits was held at Dewan Kenangan, Kompleks Tan Sri Mohamed Rahmat, Tampoi. Datuk Nur Jazlan officiated the event and personally handed over the kits to the students.

Only a segment of the recipients received the kits during the event. The rest collected their kits from Care United’s office. Recipients of the Back to School Kits comprised

from underprivileged children from schools and foster homes. There were a total number of 24 institutions that were part of this campaign throughout Johor Bahru and in some areas in Kuala Lumpur.

T h e c h i l d r e n w e r e enthused by the presents that they had received.

“I am going to get myself a new pair of uniform with this Giant Hypermarket voucher,” said one of the student recipients.

“I would like to thank Care United Johor Bahru for this contribution and also would like

to express my gratitude to YB Datuk Nur Jazlan for his donation,” a parent happily said.

“We hope that this Back to School contribution can ease the burden on parents and guardians,” said Madam President Florence Goh.

Care United relies on public funds for many of their projects, where RM677,400 is required annually. A hefty chunk of the money raised will go to the Back to School Campaign which aims to eliminate poverty by helping needy children get quality education.

Back to School with Care United Responsible: Care United helping out children in need of

school supplies for ten years running

YB Datuk Nur Jazlan personally handing out the Back to School Kits

pics: John LeeBy Harish [email protected]

“Ease the burden on parents and guardians”

Florence GohPresidentCare United Johor Bahru



Switzerland is ranked as the number one country by expats

looking for a well-balanced, high quality lifestyle - followed by Singapore, China, Germany and Bahrain according to the seventh Expat Explorer survey commissioned by HSBC Expat.

Malaysia ranked number 19 to be in the top 20 while its ASEAN neighbours Singapore and Thailand ranked second and seventh respectively to make it to the top 10.

The Expat Explorer survey, conducted by YouGov, is one of the largest global surveys of expats. This year, nearly 9,300 expats from around the world shared their views on quality of life, financial wellbeing and the ease of raising a

family abroad. Expats looking for

a challenge are among the most likely to head to Malaysia – 49% of expat respondents cited this reason motivated their move. The need to ‘look for a new challenge’ was the most popular reason for expats to move to Malaysia, followed by better job prospects.

It appears that a larger culture change is in order for many expats when they make Malaysia their home, with over a quarter (27%) of Malaysia-based expats surveyed this year originally from the United Kingdom.

Nearly half of expats in Malaysia (47%) say they find the local language difficult. But expats who make Malaysia their home seem to embrace the sense

of adventure, with over half (56%) trying to learn and use the local language, despite its difficulty, 70% travelling more since embarking on an expat life, and 57% describing Malaysia as a culturally interesting place for them and their families.

Many also find that Malaysia is cost-effective as well as an exciting destination. Respondents report that accommodation is easy to find, higher quality and relatively inexpensive.

F i n d i n g accommodation is described as easy by 63%, over half (54%) say it is of a higher standard than they enjoyed in their home country and 34% are now spending less on housing than before. Utilities are another area in which expats are saving – 37% now spend less on these bills.

Happenings

IME SOLIDWORKS Innovation Day 2015.

Hilton Worldwide SEA General Managers Leadership Meeting CSR outing of painting the walls of Johor Area Rehabilitaion Organisation (JARO).

Thistle Johor Bahru get Astro performers to wow the hardcore poor students of SJK (T) Jalan Yahya Awal for their Deepavali CSR event.

All pics: John Lee

Interest: Malaysia is amongst the top 20 desired place for expat life

Top 20 for Expats

Calendar of Events >> pg 4

www.facebook.com/waveslifestyletwitter.com/waveslifestyle

ENDORSED BYNov

2014

TravelGo local, Eat local, stay local: SkyBar @ Traders Hotel>>pg 4

Movie: Big Hero 6

in 3DThe Art of

Manifesting(pt I)

Jessie J & Tailor Swift October albums viewed

Artist

Editor’s Note

Priya [email protected]

November is here and that means 2014 will be coming to an end real soon as well. Time flies

when you’re having a lot of fun doesn’t it? So what’s the talk of the town? Yup you guessed it, Komtar JBCC is now in business and has a lot to offer in terms of keeping up with the trends with designer wear and entertainment in the likes of Angry Bird.

In this issue, we take a quick look at Jessie J’s album and Taylor Swift’s 1989. There’s been a lot of mixed reviews about Jessie’s latest drop but Taylor’s 1989 will be soaring the charts despite the fear of her highly anticipated album getting leaked online which came true just a few days before its official release. While the status of some leaks remain unknown, her entire album currently continues to live on an anonymous Tumblr page and is accessible to anyone who happens to get their hands on the password. Yikes!

Rose tackles ‘The Art of Manifesting’ this month to give you the pointers needed to turn your dreams into reality. Big Hero 6 in 3D will be hitting the screens soon and so far, the flick has garnered a 6.9/10 rating on iMDb based on a 123 votes. Directed by Don Hall and Chris Williams, “Big Hero 6” tells the story of Hiro Hamada (Ryan Potter), a 14 year old big-brained scientific prodigy who would rather make money off illegal back-alley robot fights than go to college. Everything changes when…ok no spoilers so go watch the movie and catch up on the rest.

That’s all from me folks, as always, for those wishing to share their clothing line, travel tales, contribute articles, and would like us to review your restaurant/property, or want to appear under the Personality column, drop me an e-mail at [email protected] today and be featured.

Priya

NOV 2014 | Page 2 The Iskandarian | WAVES Lifestyle

MUSIC UPDATES

nEW ALBUM : JESSIE JSWEET TALKER ALBUM

nEW ALBUM : TAILOR SWIFT 1989 ALBUM

UnIVERSAL MUSIC AnD PoPULAR PRESEnT SECRET GARDEn, THE GREATEST HITS ToUR6 noVEMBER 2014

This is Jessie J’s third a lbum which also features

guest appearances from 2 Chainz, Ariana

Grande, Nicki Minaj, hip hop group De La Soul and violinist Lindsey Stirling. Jessie co-wrote the album and worked with The-Dream, Diplo, Tricky Stewart, Max Martin and Ammo amongst a host of collaborators from both new and old.

This album represents a musical departure from the country

pop styles in her earlier work. The album’s title is

the year Taylor Swift was born. ‘Shake It Off’ is the lead single from 1989 and It debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, becoming Swift’s second single in the country and the twenty-second track to debut in the peak position in Billboard history.

For the first time in a decade, Secret Garden will stage a one-night only concert of their greatest hits on 6th November 2014 at The Star Theatre, The Star Performing Arts Centre in Singapore. The Greatest Hits Tour will be

backed by a full band which includes guest vocalists.The award winning Irish-Norwegian duo performing

Cross-Over Pop and Classical music has sold more than 4.5 million albums worldwide. They made history after winning the Eurovision Song Contest in 1995 with “Nocturne”, an entry that was more of an instrumental piece than a song. In the 40-year history of this prestigious pan-European television extravaganza, an instrumental piece had never before won. It was a piece so stylistically removed from the “European pop format”

commonly associated with the song contest that the press stated, “Secret Garden has redefined the Eurovision Song Contest”.

This surprise victory at the Eurovision Song Contest was the ultimate showcase that successfully launched their first album, Songs from a Secret Garden. It quickly went international, including to most European territories, the USA, Canada and Asia. Awards followed, including attaining Platinum record status in Norway and South Korea, Gold record status in Ireland, Hong Kong, New Zealand

and Singapore, as well as staying nearly 2 years (101 weeks) on the Billboard New Age charts in the USA.

On 29th of November 2005, Rolf received an ASCAP award (American Copyright organisation) recognising the success of ‘You Raise Me Up’. The hit song, co-written by Brendan Graham, has been played on American radio 660 000 times, making it one of the most popular songs in the US in 2004. The hit has been covered by scores of artistes over the years and to date has about 125 different recordings available.

Josh Groban was nominated for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance of Rolf Lovland’s melody and Brendan Graham’s words for the song. The song peaked at #1 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, with the album at no.1 on the Billboard top-200 album chart. The song was also performed at the Super Bowl to an estimated 900 million TV-audience worldwide as a special commemoration to the NASA crew that was tragically killed in the Columbia accident last year.

In 2007, Secret Garden released “Inside I’m Singing” in Norway. The Quadruple Platinum Award album included guest stars like Barbra Streisand and Elaine Paige. “Inside I’m Singing”

was released internationally in 2009 and sold an additional 20 x platinum.

Secret Garden has also been nominated twice for the World Music Awards, voted best International Production in Shanghai, and performed in Live TV concerts such as The Nobel Peace Prize Concert with Sting, Tina Turner, Brian Ferry and The Corrs.

Expect an intimate programme of original arrangements and signature tunes from composer Rolf Løvland and violinist Fionnuala Sherry in the 90-minute show. Tickets are available from SISTIC ticketing counters and website.

Source:Universal Music Singapore


The Art of Manifesting (pt I)

Perhaps you are still struggling in turning your dreams into reality. Achieving our goals can be challenging if we do not know how to do it right. Our mistake

is we go the hard way because we’ve been taught to do so. Sometimes, even after the hard work, the result is still inside the box with a lock, waiting for us to find the secret key. Let’s get our mind to look from a different shape of consciousness. Let’s change the word ‘hard work’ into ‘manifesting’.

Hard work is all about doing and trading the time and energy for the result. Action is

always required, but overwork for it can drain the energy as a whole. Manifesting is about asking and attracting, and then trading your desire and energy (especially love) for the journey. Manifesting process is more ease and enjoyable. Here are the secret keys of manifesting:

Ask. Those who read The Secret know this. In a manner of asking/request, be specific of what you want. Avoid asking in general sentences like ‘I want to be rich (or) successful’. General prayer means general result. It takes forever to become aware of the result because it’s too general for the mind to see it. Here’s

the example of a specific request; ‘I want a harmonious relationship with him/her, where in every difficulty we have, we find love towards each other.’

Be conscious when asking. Know what you want and ask for something you really love. You create a portal as you ask. It will attract not just the result but all the effects into your life too. Avoid manifesting when you are in lower frequency emotion like anger or hatred. All emotions are equally powerful in manifesting process, hence being conscious can help you choose your words wisely.

By Rose osman

yourpersonalmotivatorBucketOfRoses

Personal Motivator & Energy Coach

Motivation

An Energy Coach, A Reiki Master and A Personal Motivator.Rose Osman uses her knowledge in energy and Reiki to help people achieve their goals in personal growth, life, love, career & relationships.

MoViE pREViEW

Source:Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, Malaysia

BIG HERo 6 (In 3D)

With all the heart and humour audiences expect from Walt Disney Animation Studios, “Big Hero 6” is an action-packed comedy-adventure about robotics prodigy

Hiro Hamada, who learns to harness his genius—thanks to his brilliant brother Tadashi and their like-minded friends: adrenaline junkie Go Go Tamago, neatnik Wasabi, chemistry whiz Honey Lemon and fanboy Fred. When a devastating turn of events catapults them into the midst of a dangerous plot unfolding in the streets of San Fransokyo, Hiro turns to his closest companion—a robot named Baymax—and transforms the group into a band of high-tech heroes determined to solve the mystery.

Inspired by the Marvel comics of the same name, and featuring comic-book style action, “Big Hero 6” is directed by Don Hall (“Winnie the Pooh”) and Chris Williams (“Bolt”), and produced by Roy Conli (“Tangled”). The film hits theaters in 3D on November 7, 2014.

With all the heart and humor audiences expect from Walt Disney Animation Studios, “Big Hero 6” is an action-packed comedy-adventure about robotics prodigy Hiro Hamada, who’s catapulted into the midst of a dangerous plot and must transform his closest companion—a robot named Baymax—and a diverse group of friends into a band of high-tech heroes.

With all the heart and humor audiences expect from Walt Disney Animation Studios, “Big Hero 6” is an action-packed comedy-adventure about robotics prodigy Hiro Hamada, who learns to harness his genius—thanks to his brilliant brother Tadashi and their like-minded friends: adrenaline junkie Go Go Tamago, neatnik Wasabi, chemistry whiz Honey Lemon and fanboy Fred. When a devastating turn of events catapults them into the midst of a dangerous plot unfolding in the streets of San Fransokyo, Hiro turns

to his closest companion—a robot named Baymax—and transforms the group into a band of high-tech heroes determined to solve the mystery. Inspired by the Marvel comics of the same name, and featuring comic-book style action, “Big Hero 6” is directed by Don Hall (“Winnie the Pooh”) and Chris Williams (“Bolt”), and produced by Roy Conli (“Tangled”). The film hits cinemas in 3D on November 13, 2014.

• “Big Hero 6” is the 54th feature film from Walt Disney Animation Studios.

• Disney veteran Don Hall helmed 2011’s “Winnie the Pooh” and has earned screenplay and/or story credits on Disney features, including “Meet the Robinsons,” “Tarzan” and “The Princess and the Frog.” Chris Williams directed the 2008 feature “Bolt,” as well as the short “Glago’s Guest.” Williams was a key member of

the “Mulan” story team, and was nominated for an Annie Award for outstanding individual achievement for writing in an animated feature presentation for his work on “The Emperor’s New Groove.”

• Producer Roy Conli counts among his credits Walt Disney Animation Studios’ 2010 hit “Tangled,” as well as “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” “Hercules,” “Tarzan” and “Treasure Planet.”

Synopsis

oFFICIAL BoILERPLATE

notes

Genre: Malaysia Release date: Voice Cast: Director: Producer:

Animated Action/Comedy/AdventureNovember 13, 2014 TBADon Hall, Chris WilliamsRoy Conli

If you need more information on the above mentioned events,

drop us an email at:

[email protected]

JB, 1st Nov

Spore, 1st - 9th Nov

Spore, 3rd Nov

Spore, 6th - 9th Nov

JB, 7th - 9th Nov

JB, 14th Nov

JB, 8th Nov

Spore, 21st - 25th Nov

JB, 23rd Nov

JB, 22nd Nov

Spore, 27th - 30th Nov

Spore, 30th Nov

JB, 1st Nov

BarCamp @ Menara Cyberport

Singapore National Games 2014 @ Sg Indoor Stadium

Mozart Madness @ Esplanade, Singapore

Consumer Electronics Exhibiton @ Suntec Singapore

Johor Furniture Fair @ Persada

Startup Weekend JB @ Menara Cyberport

Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim & Consort Istiadat Persandingan; screening @ Dataran Bandaraya

Asia Pacific Food Expo @ Singapore Expo

“Lets Act” Drama @ JBPAC, Danga City Mall

14 Strings Classical Performance @ JBPAC, Danga City Mall

Singapore Art Fair @ Suntec Singapore

Bill Callahan LIVE In Singapore @ The Substation Theatre

Asian Horror Movie Screening @ JBPAC, Danga City Mall

Calendar of events

Ever wanted to have a romantic dinner date with that special someone or a party with friends and family on a rooftop? Well, now you can experience

that feel of freedom at the SkyBar, Bar and Restaurant at Traders Hotel Puteri Harbour.

SkyBar’s open air ambience provides patrons with a fresh experience while enjoying their day of clear blue skies or evening sky full of stars. SkyBar would naturally be the perfect venue for a romantic dinner with a loved-one or a BBQ party with family and friends.

With mesmerising sceneries of Puteri Harbour and a perfect spot for a panoramic sunset view, SkyBar offers an elegant dining experience with its delectable set dinner meals at reasonably low prices. Serving fresh steaks and seafood, delightful cocktails, dessert and quality wines, SkyBar transforms from a sun-kissed poolside outlet by day to a chill-out lounge and grill by night.

An in-house band performs every Friday and Saturday. The current band, Cherlike Acoustic, is a quintet that performs a wide repertoire of songs, from oldies, rock, pop, R&B and even retro favourites.

Apart from the exhilarating cocktails and mocktails, food is something that keeps faithful patrons returning to SkyBar, which is well known for its Western set dinner, BBQ chicken wings and sandwiches. Special food promotions are held regularly to give patrons variety and choices.

With a seating capacity of 101 (64 seats at the Bar, and 48 seats at the Restaurant), SkyBar opens from noon until midnight on weekdays and from noon to 3.00 am on weekends. It boasts one of the earliest happy hours from noon to 8 pm daily with draught beers, house pouring liquor and wine brands.

For reservations or more information, please call o7-560 8888 or 012-260 7294 or email [email protected].


Dining up in the Skies at SkyBar, Traders Hotel

Braised Lamb Shank Osso Bucco

SkyBar’s Gravlax

Executive Chef Alan Wong

Go local, Eat local, Stay local

November2014

liveFREE COPYThe Iskandarian ISSUE 27 | NOV 2014


Speaking two languages rather than just one has obvious practical benefits in an increasingly globalised world. With China emerging as a super-economy,

learning Mandarin is an added advantage. In recent years, scientists have begun to show that the advantages of bilingualism are even more fundamental than being able to converse with a wider range of people. Being bilingual, it turns out, makes you smarter.

What’s the benefit of learning more than one language?

As a bilingual person the positive changes in brain structure that result from it are not only limited to kids, they persist all throughout one’s life, even into old age. Learning a second language has been shown to have an effect on Alzheimer’s, not actually reversing the physical damage of the disease, but delaying its onset and to prevent it from spreading further. Bilingualism has also been shown to slow the decline of key brain functions and to protect the brain age-related degeneration.

Knowing more than one language seems to improve the brain’s executive

functions, which include: planning, working memory, attention, problem solving, verbal reasoning, task switching and the initiation of tasks. Being bilingual has been shown to help children develop better reading and writing skills in their primary language. Knowing a second language often helps to increase children’s self confidence and self-esteem and helps them to develop an appreciation of other cultures. Being bilingual greatly multiplies one’s career prospects and makes one more valuable in an increasingly global marketplace.

Is there any research done to back up the theory?

Yes. For instance, a bilingual seems to be more adept than monolinguals at solving certain kinds of mental puzzles. In a 2004 study by the psychologists Ellen Bialystok and Michelle Martin-Rhee, bilingual and monolingual pupils were shown blue circles and red squares presented on a computer screen with two digital bins, one marked with a blue square and the other marked with a red circle and were asked to sort by shape, which was more challenging because it required placing the images in a bin marked with a conflicting color. The bilinguals were quicker at performing this task. Another study shows us that students of a foreign language score better in standardised tests – particularly in maths, reading and vocabulary.

Why learn Mandarin now?One fifth of the planet

speaks Chinese. Mandarin Chinese is the mother tongue of over 874 million people, making it the most widely spoken first language in the world. In addition to that, Mandarin Chinese is also spoken in the important and influential Chinese and non-native communities such as Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Brunei, the Philippines and other countries in Europe and even United States. Not forgetting to mention our country Malaysia, as our economy grows with different races and culture, the society is becoming competitive as they know the trend of job givers is now to require job seekers to know Mandarin. With Mandarin language as an added advantage for job seekers to learn, it will open a new phase in their lives and this is where Kunkwan comes in as the best language center for them to learn Mandarin with first-class facilities provided for their students.

Ms. Sally Khor Seh LeePrincipal of KunkwanMaster of Linguistics & Applied Linguistics

Learn a second language to get smarter...

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Quick Reads

Malaysia Airlines announced its collaboration with local street-wear clothing brand Abstrax Jingga at the “#FLYINGHIGH” T-shirt launch in conjunction with the national carrier’s 42nd anniversary.

The collaboration is the second part of the two series #STAYSTRONG #FLYINGHIGH social media campaign which garnered a lot of buzz among netizens around the world.

The campaign started with its first post on Facebook, I n s t a gra m a n d Tw i t te r, #STAYSTRONG imprinted on images of its cabin crew and tech crew with accompanying tagline “Tough times do not last, tough people do”. The airline received outpouring messages of support from the public worldwide.

#FLYINGHIGH T-shir t was launched at Abstrax’s authorised concept store was Malaysia Airlines’ Senior Vice President of Strategic C o m m u n i c a t i o n s D a t o ’ Najmuddin Abdullah and Abstrax Jingga co-founder Dr. Faiz Izwan Anuar.

MAS launches #FLYINGHIGH Tshirt



live

Dizziness is a word used to describe many different symptoms ranging from feeling faint and lightheaded to feeling weak or unsteady. Dizziness

can also be used to describe the sense that you or your surroundings are spinning or moving which is then called vertigo. To help your doctor come to a right diagnosis, it is important for you to know what you mean when you say you feel dizzy. Treatment of dizziness depends on the cause and the symptoms you are suffering from.

Dizziness can usually be more specifically described as one of the following sensations: • The false sense of spinning or movement

(vertigo)• Lightheadedness or the feeling of fainting• Loss of balance or unsteadiness

(disequilibrium)Your body normally relies on a few

organs to keep you from falling over and becoming unbalanced. These organs include:• Eyes, which help you determine where your

body is in space• Sensory nerves (from skin, muscle) which

send messages of touch and joint positions to your brain- informing you of your body

movements and positions• Inner ear, which houses sensors that help

detect gravity and head motionCentral nervous system (brain and

spinal cord) which receives all the input signals from other organs and process the information, using it to constantly keep the body balanced.

When to see a doctor?See your doctor if you experience any

unexplained, recurrent or severe dizziness. It is especially important if your dizziness is associated with the following:

• Significantheadinjury• Arecentandsevereheadache• Astiffneck• Blurredvision• Suddenhearingloss• Ringingorhummingintheear• Troublespeaking• Legorarmweakness

• Lossofconsciousness• FallingordifficultywalkingChest pressure/pain or palpitation (fast

or irregular heart beat)

CausesThe way dizziness makes you feel —

such as the sensation of vertigo, a feeling of faintness or feeling as if you’ve lost your balance — provide clues for possible causes. Specific triggers, such as certain activities or positions, may give clues as to the underlying cause of your dizziness. The duration of any dizziness episodes and any additional symptoms you feel can also help pinpoint the exact cause.

Vertigo Vertigo usually results from a sudden or

temporary change in the activity of the balance organ in your inner ear (vestibular system) or in the nerve connections into your brain. You

normally will describe spinning sensation or can actually see your surrounding environment spinning. Moving about may makes the vertigo worse. When you try to walk you tend to veer to one side. Sometimes vertigo is severe enough to cause nausea and vomiting. Causes of vertigo may include inflammation of the inner ear from infection, dislodged loose calcium particles of the inner ear or brain tumour.

Feeling of faintnessDizziness may make you feel faint and

lightheaded without losing consciousness. Sometimes nausea, pale skin and clamminess (cold sweating) accompany a feeling of faintness. Causes of this type of dizziness usually include problems with blood circulation to the brain especially due to blood pressure problems and heart problems.

Loss of balance (disequilibrium)Disequilibrium is the loss of balance

or the feeling of unsteadiness when you walk. Causes may include inappropriate medication, joint and muscle problems, neurological conditions which can be due to other medical conditions such as diabetes, stroke, brain tumours etc.

other dizzy sensations such as floating, head swimming or fuzzy head

Other “dizzy” sensations those are more difficult to describe including spinning inside your head. Your doctor may refer to this as nonspecific dizziness. Some causes include anaemia, hypoglycemia, dehydration and anxiety disorders. Sometimes certain medications such as sedatives and tranquilizers can cause dizzy side effects.

The minutiae of Dizziness

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dr. Tay huey LingEar, Nose & Throat (ENT) doctor at Regency Specialist HospitalGraduated from Oxford, UK, his specialties lie in treating hearing loss, balance disorders, dizziness, head & neck pathology, as well as voice & swallowing problems. He also does sinus surgery and cosmetic nasal surgery.

workFREE COPYThe Iskandarian ISSUE 27 | NOV 2014


Electric Vehicle (EV) is a major trend that will impact the mobility of people and in turn the Automotive, Auto-

component and related industries. EVs are powered by on-board storage batteries which can be charged therefore these vehicles have no tailpipe emission. Changing the source of power from fossil fuels to electricity has a very strong rationale and profound impact on multiple industries. All major automotive players have set their eyes on producing vehicles with zero emission. Reducing carbon emission is seen as intermediate steps that ultimately lead to zero tailpipe emission vehicles.

This Mega Trend is also built upon major convergence between automotive technology, rechargeable battery technology and renewable energy technology. It is also likely to give rise to unprecedented infrastructure development for recharging and the development of new business models in the automotive industry. These developments would also ultimately support the new mobility solutions being planned by most of the automakers.

There are several building blocks for the Mega trend like Electric vehicle to come to reality.

• Environmental Concerns:Concerns about the environment are the major driving force behind this Mega Trend. Electrical vehicles will cut down the tailpipe emission to zero. The overall carbon footprint depends on the electricity source. If the electricity is generated by renewable energy sources the

carbon footprint would be zero, while the benefits may not be as high if the source of electricity is coal or diesel. The use of electric vehicles will reduce the pollution levels in the city and have a positive impact on public health.

• Regulatory Support:Environmental concerns need to be supported and mandated by governments to bring them to reality. The extent of regulatory

support and government push has direct correlation with the progress of electric vehicles in the country. Some governments in Europe have mandated the maximum carbon emission and the reduction on year-on-year basis. Failure to reach emission targets will result in high premiums to be borne by vehicle manufacturers for excess emissions.

Governments have also supported the demand generation by supporting recharging infrastructure development and providing benefits to consumers to

utilise electric vehicles. These benefits are in form of tax concessions, discounts as well as indirect benefits such as no congestion charge and assured parking.

• TechnologyAdvancements:Battery storage technology holds the key to bringing the electric vehicle Mega Trend into reality. Due to research breakthroughs in Lithium based batteries, storing power in a compact, lightweight battery has

become feasible. This development combined with power electronics and electric motor technologies has made electric vehicles a feasible, user friendly product.

• Renewableenergysourceand smart grids: EV depends heavily on the source of electricity and electricity distribution. The more the proportion of renewable energy sources in the energy used, the more attractive the electric vehicles proposition. Recently, most developed nations have mandated that renewable sources make up a proportion of their energy production.

Smart grids, grids that are capable of transmitting electricity both ways, are an important part of the Electric Vehicle Mega Trend. EVs, when connected to smart grids, can act as power storage devices; they can charge and store power during lean times when it is cheap and supply power back to grid during peak times when the power is expensive. This improves the performance of the grid and also earns extra cash for the EV owner, making it an even more attractive proposition.

The Importance of Mega Trends for Long-Term Sustained Growth

Manoj MenonPartner & Asia Pacific Managing Director at Frost & Sullivan

¬ Mega Trend 3: Electric Vehicles (pt I)

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investFREE COPYThe Iskandarian ISSUE 27 | NOV 2014


We’ve been discussing how to discover gems from reading companies annual

reports since last few months, and I thought to continue in this issue. However, due to the recent market’s volatility, let’s take this opportunity to explore how we can handle it, so that if it happens again, we can use some of the strategies discussed here and benefit amidst the market uncertainty.

Before that, let’s realise the common fall of the stock market worldwide has caused many retail investors to panic sell and hence they lose money. The question is that can this be prevented? A few of my friends have shared with me the lessons they’ve learned during this market sell down:

Lessons Learned:1. Taking profit is never wrong. At least, it helps in preserving your capital. In this time, some of my friends have turned their profit into

losses as even though they’ve made 20-30% profit, they were reluctant to sell. When the market came down, they became more hesitant to cut loss. This brings us to the next point.2. Even though they have set a loss cutting price (cut loss) to limit their possible loss, they did not follow through. So when the share price has dropped below that price, they did not sell at all. Deep in their heart, they thought and ‘hope’ the market will rebound, but it didn’t. It ended up losing more.3. Having said this, the above two can happen because they did not even determine the exit point at the time they bought the stock. For instance, you buy at RM1 and target to sell at RM1.2. Likewise, if it falls below RM0.9, you’ll sell the share to limit the loss (cut loss). Instead, they adopted a ‘see how’ mindset, say, if the share goes up from RM1 to RM1.2, they will ‘hope’ it can go up more and when it came down to RM0.9, they also ‘hope’ it

will rebound. What happened in the end? The share price dropped to RM0.7 and they finally can’t endure the pain and sold it at 30% loss. But guess what? They could have made 20% profit instead of 30% loss had they decided the exit price upfront.

So what if the market continues to be uncertain and perhaps go down more? There are a few things you can do:1. If you can’t resist the temptation of investing instead of holding more cash, go for

valuation. Be very picky in selecting undervalued companies. It’d be better if the company pays decent dividend that beats the bank’s interest rate. This is because if the company’s share price goes down further, you can consider holding it, as you’ll still receive the dividends from the company.2. You can adopt a shorter term approach, such as you buy companies with sound fundamentals when they’re oversold, and sell it when there is a 10%-15% gain. This

approach is more suitable to those who are trained in technical analysis before.3. The simplest one is to wait and only reenter the market after the sky has become clearer.

To sum it up, it doesn’t matter what happens to the market, what matters the most is how you act when the market behaves differently. Let’s say if the market has lost momentum to the rebound and goes down again, will you be handling it differently?

ACCUMULATING WEALTH

Goods & Services Tax (GST)

Tey Bin Yuen is the founder of BY Enrich Resources and the author of ‘Life beyond the Comfort Zone’. His books are available at major bookstores in Singapore & Malaysia. He’ll be conducting a workshop ‘Profit from Share Investment’ on 15 Nov 14. Reach him at [email protected]

Lam Kwai Soon is a qualified accountant with ACCA qualification, and is a member of Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA), the Chartered Tax Institute of Malaysia (CTIM) and a Certified Financial Planner (CFP). He is a Tax Director atCheng & Co. Taxation Sdn Bhd. (A Member of Cheng & Co Group).

Financial Data Processing for GST Computation and Declaration

GST Submission TimelinesIn accordance to the guides there are 2 types of taxable periods under GST.1. Monthly taxable period if the taxable turnover is more than RM5 million; 2. Quarterly taxable period if the taxable turnover is below RM5 million.

Taxable periods are a timeframe that the taxable business shall compute and submit its GST return to the relevant authority. The deadline to submit the GST return and make payment is on or before the last day of the month following the end of taxable period.

The graph picture explains that:1. Assuming for monthly taxable period of March, the GST return of March shall be submitted and payable by 30 April.2. Assuming quarterly taxable period consists of July, August and September, the GST return shall be submitted and payable by 31 October.

To file the GST return and compute the GST payable or refundable in time, the taxable business will then have to determine its total Output Tax and Input Tax. They will need to know how much taxable supplies were made or acquired, how much GST were incurred on purchases, expenses and the capital

expenditures pertaining to each of the taxable periods. In order to do so, the accounts will almost always need to be finalised every month or every quarter, depending on which taxable period the business falls into.

This is no doubt a big challenge to SMEs. In order to cope with the increased frequency to update their accounting books and meeting the extremely tight deadlines set by the system, they will have to review their operational procedures and processes, the data processing and management systems from the initial transaction stage to its final stage of input into the accounts to shorten the timeframe.

Inter-related Companies TransactionsUnder the Companies Act 1965, a company is treated as a legal entity and under GST it is the same treatment, any taxable supply made by the company will have to charge GST. Some companies, however, will have subsidiary companies and have inter-related companies’ transaction.

For example, a Holding Company sells its goods to its subsidiaries. Under the GST system, the Holding Company have to charge GST on the goods sold and at the same time the subsidiaries is able to claim input tax credit on the GST incurred on the purchases. Both the Holding Company and the subsidiaries have to account all these transactions in their respective GST returns, and this will increase administrative

time and cost.According to the Draft GST Guides

available, the good news is that this Group of Companies can apply for Group Registration. Under the Group Registration, the transactions between the Group Members are disregarded for GST. To be the members of the Group Registration, it must fulfill the conditions of controlling test and other conditions. However the Group has to appoint a representative company to submit a consolidate GST return for the whole Group of companies. For companies which do not fulfill the conditions will need to adhere to the GST rules.

Wide Branches networkA company with wide branches network coverage will need to have an effective and efficient data processing and management system in place to better manage the GST computation and submission within the system’s tight deadlines.

If the company has many branches nationwide, they may apply for Branch Registration for GST. Under this registration, branches can have separate reporting entities from its headquarters; this is to expedite the process of declaration of the GST return.

26

Data source: Yahoo! Finance

¬ Handling the Market Uncertainties with Peace of Mind

¬ The readiness of the businesses and the impacts of GST (pt III)



play

Greenet Bar and Restaurant

Greenet Bar and Restaurant is one of the newest Western restaurants to open in Johor

Bahru. I was invited to visit Greenet by Business Development Director, Ben Low. Greenet is located along Jalan Maju, Johor Bahru’s famous ‘newspaper street’ where several newspapers have their JB branch offices. It’s at one of the converted residences registered for business use. Parking is easy, street side or inside Greenet itself.

The restaurant is on the roof level of the converted terrace house; inside a unique all glass enclosure. Inside, Greenet is very bright during the day and its cool and comfortable with air conditioning.

The green and leafy décor reminded me of those garden cafés, perfect for a lazy weekend brunch. Greenet’s theme as its name suggests is environment friendliness in their operations and use of natural ingredients in their food.

Chef Eddie Soh is Greenet’s Culinary Director trained in the United Kingdom and worked in the Savoy London before returning to Johor.

Stepping in from the hot midday sun, we cooled down with a couple of icy blended fresh fruit juices. Our lunch followed soon afterwards with creamy Truffle Mushroom Soup made with real mushrooms and drizzled with truffle oil. Thick and

creamy like a savoury and slightly sweet gruel with interesting bits of finely diced spongy mushrooms.

I requested for Squid Ink Pasta as it is my favourite way of eating pasta now. The pasta came with generous ingredients like clams, scallops, shrimps and

squid rings on top of the noodles. The seafood ingredients were cooked in the usual tangy and sweet spaghetti sauce while the pasta was tossed in squid ink.

The brandy flambé was barely visible under the bright midday sun. I am sure the orange and blue flame would be quite dramatic during dinner time. The thick, tender, beefy and juicy marbled beef was done medium well (70%). The meat was creamy, smokey and savoury.

We had a large chilled tiramisu for dessert, one of my favourites. Spongy, not overly sweet, nice coffee aroma with a slight liquor kick. Greenet Bar and Restaurant is an interesting new place to check out in Johor Bahru.

Delicious Squid Ink Pasta at RM36

Juicy Veal Rack with Brandy Flambé

Beautiful decor of Greenet Bar and Restaurant sets the mood right

johoR kakiTony is a very passionate Johor food blogger. He is fascinated by Johor’s unique culinary heritage created by its melting pot of diverse cultures. He hopes that his writings about the delightful experiences with Johor food and the people behind it, visitors from around the world will appreciate the potpourri of Johor culinary art.

Restaurant name: Greenet Bar and RestaurantAddress: 28, Jalan Maju, Taman Pelangi, Johor BahruMap: http://goo.gl/maps/nrwE3GPS: 1.481144,103.769335Hours: Mon - Fri: 12:00pm - 10:30pm (12am on Fri) | Sat - Sun:12:00pm - 11:00pm (10.30pm on Sun)non Halal

LoCATIon

Spongy and not overly sweet Bailey’s Misu RM18

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playFREE COPYThe Iskandarian ISSUE 27 | NOV 2014


Team building has become a strong tool to align goals and develop sense

of belongings to a company hence the reason companies nowadays indulge in teambuilding activities beyond the norm.

Let’s explore what EscapeRoom has to offer in building your team.

1. Build Trust – EscapeRoom is a game which requires teammates to play different roles, i.e. clues scouts, puzzle solvers and time keeper in order to complete the task on time. We rely on information provided by teammates. No one can complete the mission by him or herself since there is a time limit.

2. Motivate open

Communication – The games encourage players to share their ideas. Effective discussion is vital to interpret clues scouted and then solve the puzzles together.

3. Align goals and create values – The games demonstrate the importance of teamwork in order to achieve the common goal which is to escape! Throughout the game, at any point of time; players who lose focus, doubt their teammates or fail to communicate, will find that their escape time will be deferred resulting in a signifying delay or failure in delivering results.

4. Break-the-barriers – EscapeRoom is also effective in bridging the gap between management and employees. Knowing each other better

can do wonders for employee morale! In addition, it is also a great way to connect new employees to the rest of the team.

5. Celebration – Be it a formal team building activity or just for fun, EscapeRoom is always the right place to celebrate and reward the team.

In short, conducting t e a m b u i l d i n g i n EscapeRoom enables better communication, better relationships and ultimately increases productivity. EscapeRoom is always adaptable to support your team building objectives.

Invest in your assets today – Human Resources! Challenge your team’s senses now at EscapeRoom Sutera Mall.

Experience EscapeRoom’s teambuilding thrill

Interest: Is your workforce a strong, highly motivated and cohesive team which shares values that help the individuals and organisation as a whole?

Halloween fun at Legoland

T hemed ‘Brick or Treat’, the main attraction was a giant Lego pumpkin that was been built by Master Model

Builders using more than 28,000 bricks.In addition to that, there was also

a pumpkin carving challenge for children and face painting sessions. The design and building of this special showcase took more than 300 hours.

During the celebration period, children came dressed in their spookiest costumes to win the coveted free entry to Asia’s 1st Legoland Theme Park.

The Lego Kingdoms area was festooned with Halloween decorations and the activities lined up included a guided

building session with model builders to construct mini pumpkins, bats, spiders and spooky monsters using Lego bricks.

“This is a wonderful time for our most important guests, the children. With so many activities, it will be a fun filled weekend for the whole family. This is our first time celebrating and next year it will be even more special,” said Mark Germyn, General Manager Legoland Malaysia Resort.

There will also be a special Halloween show at Castle Stage, the 3ft x 5ft giant Castle spider with legs that stretches up to 18ft in length and a Brickmaze designed specially for children.

Attraction: Legoland Malaysia Resort organised a special Halloween celebration dedicated to children

A special Brickmaze has been designed especially for the children

P R O P E R T Y I N S I G H Thome@

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


Should the authorities of Iskandar introduce measures to cool down the over supply?

How to get it right in property investment. Understanding Malaysia’s Past & Future

5 Easy Feng Shui tips to create a productive officepg 33 pg 36 pg 36

Is Iskandar Malaysia Choking on Properties?

Propernomics by Dr. Daniele Gambero

Feng Shui Tips by Master Paw

29



home@

An interesting situation happened some time ago to a friend whom I know very well.

He had the pleasure of purchasing a semi-detached house located at Horizon Hills in late 2011 for a then princely sum of RM900k.

Construction was in an advanced stage when he purchased and the house was promptly delivered by the developer around mid 2012. Armed with the keys to the property, he had a change of heart and decided to sell the unit although the original intention was for own occupation.

The main incentive for the change of plans was the rapid rise in prices for new launches, which was only due for completion some 2 years in future. He now had a property that was ready for occupation and was in high demand.

By October, a buyer was found for RM1.35m and it so happened to be a foreigner who

incidentally was a Privilege Banking customer of a UK based bank. In a matter of days, loan amounting to 60% of purchase price was secured, with the bank accepting full valuation on the property.

A Conditional Sales and Purchase Agreement (SPA) was signed because State consent was needed for transactions involving foreigners.

The buyer placed a deposit amounting to 10% of the purchase price and the SPA was drafted such that in the event State consent was not obtained, then the SPA will be terminated with full refund of any monies exchanged between both parties.

However, once consent was obtained, the SPA will thus become unconditional and all parties are bound by the contract entered into. Any termination by either party at this stage will incur damages that must be compensated to the aggrieved party.

Due to year end, the uncertainty of the impending General Elections and Chinese New Year, State approval got delayed longer than expected and was only obtained in early March 2013. By then, 5 months has gone by since the SPA was entered into.

In this short time, the purchaser’s financial situation deteriorated due to unforeseen

medical expenditure incurred by a family member. He was unable to raise the remaining 30% of the purchase price amounting to RM405k.

Since State consent was obtained, the buyer is now caught between forfeiting the initial 10% amounting to Rm135k or come out with a further 30% to complete the purchase.

Sadly, he had to forfeit. The SPA was aborted and in the end, everyone involved in the process got paid except the buyer and the loan officer who processed the loan.

The lesson learned from this misadventure for the buyer can be summarised as follows :-

a. When big ticket items are involved, conclude it as fast as possible as a change in circumstance may render a routine situation to be untenable.

b. Segregate funds carefully so as not to mix them up when entering into legally enforceable obligations.

c. Always keep an extra amount of funds just in case unexpected costs come up. One can never be too prudent when anticipating expenditure.

d. Always be careful of local laws when dealing with overseas ventures.

e. On top of the loss of deposit, there were abortive legal

costs. The final loss might be financially crippling.

Back to the friend. He was now RM135k richer, less legal costs, which incidentally was very insignificant as the bulk of charges was incurred on the purchaser’s side.

By then, property prices have raced even higher and he now decided to stay in it as per original intention. The only difference is, he now has an extra Rm135k for the renovation budget.

He was having mixed emotions on the morality of the RM135k gain. On one hand it seemed like piling misery on someone who is already financially distressed. On the other hand, he too suffered from paying instalments on a property that he could neither occupy nor rent out during the 5 month period.

To compound matters, he received numerous offers that were higher than the SPA price, all which he declined so as to be compliant to the agreed price.

In the end, after much soul searching, he moved on and is now occupying the house. No one cheated or plotted against anyone. It was just an unhappy end to what was supposed to be a happy occasion for both parties.

I suppose, if something is meant to be, then it’s meant to be. Hence concludes the tale of the boomerang property.

Quick Reads

A.Devadason CA(M), FCCA, MDRT 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]

Continuing the collaboration established between Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) and Dynasty View Sdn Bhd (Dynasty View) in 2010, both companies today inked the 2nd Service Agreement for the deployment and provision of TM’s high speed broadband (HSBB) network infrastructure and services to the new phase of residential development of Seri Austin, Johor Bahru.

The collaboration is an extension to the first service agreement that was signed in October 2010 of which TM will extend the HSBB network infrastructure to the latest Phase 5 Seri Austin development project by Dynasty View, a Johor-based property development company.

Under this collaboration, all house buyers of Dynasty View’s Seri Austin development Phase 5 - a modern tropical design with gated and guarded community housing concept - will be equipped with FREE TM’s 5Mbps UniFi HSBB service for a maximum of two years.

Glomac Bhd is planning to build a new township in its recently-acquired landbank in Kulaijaya, Johor, which has an expected gross development value (GDV) of RM750 million.

Its Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Datuk Seri FD Iskandar Mansor said the project, to be launched in March next year and will comprise affordable landed properties, is now at the final stage of approval.

“For the first two phases, we are putting up affordable homes and trying to introduce a new concept in the area.”

“We are looking at things that are already in the Greater Kuala Lumpur but not in Johor but at affordable prices,” he added.

“We are looking at any place in the country where we think there is strong demand for affordable properties, especially at the price range of RM500,000 and below,” said FD Iskandar.

Seri Austin inks second service deal with TM

Glomac plans Kulaijaya township

31

Iskandar Malaysia has seldom been out of the news since its inception in 2006. The massive 20-year project is spread across a

sprawling 550,000 acres and divided into five flagship zones. It is designed to rejuvenate JB (Johor Bahru) and position it as a major regional economic.

H o w e v e r , p r o p e r t y development has fuelled the spectacular growth of Iskandar Malaysia in recent years with local and international developers flocking to the area and units being snapped by eager property hunters. Some analysts say they see a formation of a housing bubble as a result of Chinese developers that have been flooding the property market with masses of projects.

A Kenanga Research property analyst said things are moving very slow at the corridor especially with houses which are selling above RM600,000 reported the Malaysian Reserve.

RHB property analyst Loong Kok Wen said the formation of a bubble could be seen in Iskandar Malaysia, yet it could not be ascertained if prices will fall, which is

dependent on the financial position of the Chinese developers.

Malaysian Rating Corp Bhd’s property analyst Yap Lai Ken said despite seeing the slowdown in Iskandar Malaysia, there is no necessity for developers to lower prices as other incentives could be given, such as rebates and freebies, to attract demand.

With market sentiment decidedly mixed on the property market for 2014, some are concerned that the ‘Iskandar effect’ maybe coming to an end. Some recent property launches in Iskandar with lukewarm uptakes seem to suggest that the euphoric demand for all things Iskandar have cooled to a certain degree. This can be attributed to factors such as the measures announced in last year’s Budget 2014 to clamp down on speculation such as the increase in RPGT (Real Property Gains Tax), the increase of minimum property purchases of foreigners from RM500,000 to RM1 million and a property levy of 2% for foreign purchases in Johor.

Budget 2015 however introduced the Youth Housing Scheme, which is a smart partnership among the Government, Bank

Simpanan Nasional, Employees Provident Fund and Cagamas.

The scheme offers a funding limit for a first home not exceeding RM500,000 for married couples aged between 25 and 40 years with household income not exceeding RM10,000. The maximum loan period is 35 years.

Under the scheme, the Government will provide monthly financial assistance of RM200 to borrowers for the first two years to reduce the burden of monthly instalments. The Government will also give 50% stamp duty exemption on the instrument of transfer agreements and loan agreements.

It will also provide a 10% loan guarantee to enable borrowers to obtain full financing including cost of insurance. Borrowers can also withdraw from Employees Provident Fund (EPF) Account 2 to top up their monthly instalment and other related costs.

Additional measures are: (a) PR1MA to build 80,000 affordable houses and eligibility raised from monthly household income of RM8,000 to RM10,000

(b) National Housing Department to build 26,000 units under the People’s Housing

Programme with an allocation of RM644mil; and

(c) Syarikat Perumahan Negara Bhd (SPNB) to build 12,000 units of Rumah Mesra Rakyat and 5,000 units of Rumah Idaman Rakyat. SPNB will also build 20,000 units of Rumah Aspirasi Rakyat on privately-owned land.Iskandar bubble?

“I am not convinced that there will be enough demand to absorb these high-end property supply in the next five to seven years. I don’t have the exact figures but easily we are looking at an additional 15,000 to 20,000 units in Iskandar alone in the next five years. This makes the KLCC and MK (Mont Kiara) bubbles in 2008-2009 look lame in comparison,” said Faizul Ridzuan, head of research for Far Research adding that a high percentage of foreign buyers won’t be using Iskandar as their primary homes.

It seem that Iskandar is now caught in a dilemma with buyers already applying some brakes, shouldn’t the authorities at least decelerate the breakneck pace of developments to be more in tandem with current realities of supply and demand?

Is Iskandar Malaysia choking on properties?By Maisarah

[email protected]

Property Corner¬ Case Study 6 : The Boomerang House

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Here are 5 easy feng shui tips that will benefit your Office:

1. A clear organisation system is a must for any office, especially an office cubicle. When placing office desks, everyone’s desk should face the same direction where the boss’s desk is facing. Sitting positions that are made to face each other often create disharmony amongst colleagues, which will ultimately lead to challenge the boss’s authority. Proper sitting positions create positive energy flow thus creating good performance and results among employees and management.

2. See what Feng Shui office energiser items you are allowed to bring into your space and go for their best placement. Some of the Feng Shui must-have for the office are air-purifying

plants and high energy items, such as photos that carry the energy of happy moments or bright, inspiring art with vibrant colors. Avoid placing trash basket at the bottom of the desk.

3. If you have your back to the door while sitting at your desk, be sure to find a way to see the reflection of the office entrance, meaning to have a view of what is going on behind your back. You can do that with any strategically placed office related-object made from shiny metal. The best position here is to have your back supported by a solid wall structure and hang a portrait that has wealth properties which will bring good business.

4. Look into the topic of Electromagnetic Field (EMF) pollution and decide if you need any personal protection. Chances are, if you are surrounded by computers and office related equipment for many hours, your energy is being severely drained.

5. Know that Feng Shui always works best when it is applied in a subtle way. Do not have little wind chimes hanging from your computer or bring Bagua mirrors and three legged frogs. Find office decor-appropriate with solutions to improve your space. Solutions that you like and that fit into the overall office environment will be best for all.

News of a rebound in interest in Iskandar Malaysia property investment in the

industrial sector has been circulating in the media recently.

This can only be a positive development as the moribund residential sector continues its downward spiral with no end in sight. Since August this year, there has been renewed eagerness from major developers to do targeted marketing in Singapore. UEM Sunrise came over and previewed the D’Estuary and also retail lots of Alamas. Attention has been slow by past standards but not entirely non-existent.

UEM Sunrise Bhd has lowered its 2014 sales target for this year to RM2 billion from RM3.2 billion due to the market cooling measures. Medini has not seen any launches from its many Singaporean developers. Even Peter Lim’s Vantage Bay has been delayed. So what rebound can there be?

I think the real boom in Iskandar Malaysia does not lie in either the industrial or residential sector in the next few years. In fact, the biggest opportunity for developers is for

mixed use developments and special purpose megaprojects. One key example is the MICE or Meeting, Incentive, Convention and Exhibition space.

Iskandar is a prime target for MICE events that compliment those in Singapore. It will with one stroke cater to the Malaysian as well as international market. Every MICE center is an integrated destination comprising of hotels, conference halls, retail and residential. With its huge sea fronting coastline, Iskandar should focus on developing world class MICE facilities. That will not only be purposeful on its own, it will also be a core generator of jobs and visitors for the region.

I have seen how MICE and sports play major roles in spurring the economy. Tourist and business visitor numbers go through the roof every month when there is an international scale event. The beauty of the approach is that it often creates permanent mixed-used development with long term scalability.

It is time to rethink what boom means. To me, a boom must be scalable, repeatable and has a multiplier effect on the economy. It is by far not selling of properties to investors.

We have to think bigger and deeper to ensure economy value added booms happen. This requires a public-private partnership which eliminates the chance of oversupply, boom-bust and misalignment of interest. The idea is not new but it is high time to get down to it.

Simple Office Feng Shui for Productivity

Master Paw, International Feng Shui Consultant, Lecturer and Columnist is the Chairman of Tiong Hua International Feng Shui Consultancy and

a renowned speaker and VIP for Multinational Corporations.

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

How can we define if a country’s performance is good or bad? In science laboratories, we have

comparison scales and parameters. In an economic analysis of a country’s growth, we can make comparisons against better performing countries. This will allow us to see the strong and weak points of Malaysia’s current performance and possibly help us to better understand the path for future growth and improvement.

The table shows the basic indexes of the 2013 performance of several fully developed countries from around the world against Malaysia. Briefly we can say that a country must have positive growth as the GDP (gross domestic product) growth determines the rise or

decline of per-capita income and consequently the spending capacity of its population.

Malaysia’s performance is not up to expectation as the outlook was for a 5.2% to 5.5% growth, but it is still performing much better and stably compared to the others in the chart.

Government debt, which has been recently recalculated by Bank Negara at 65.2% for the first quarter of 2014, is a parameter to measure the efficiency of a country’s government. Theoretical guidelines set 65% as a healthy and manageable limit and we just hit

it. We’ll need to see what measures the government will introduce to ensure that the debt level remains in the pink.

From a general comparison, we can again say that even though Malaysia is not a top performer when compared to others, it is decently scoring.

Government deficit against percentage of GDP is another tool to evaluate the efficiency of government spending as it shows the over- or under-spending compared to the budget and inland tax revenue. The unfavorable result is leaving plenty of room for improvement and

the Malaysian Prime Minister has been committing his government to reduce this index to 3.5% or below by this year-end. We need to wait and see if they’ll be able to achieve it.

The balance of the current account shows how much a country is capitalising on internal resources and how strong is its trading appeal.

Malaysia is undeniably a country rich in natural resources such as oil, gas, minerals, palm oil and rubber. The Malaysian SMEs have been able to leverage on this natural abundance and through appropriate usage, keep the balance of the current account in positive

waters. The outlook for this index should be quite positive as the current weak Malaysian Ringgit makes Malaysian products much more attractive in general compared to the previous year.

Inflation is on the rise and it will possibly become worse during the next 12 months as GST is going to be implemented in April next year and, based on what I’ve seen in other countries around the world during the past decades, will surely push up the consumer price index to an unfavorably higher level.

Let’s hope the Government will be fast and efficient enough to control and regulate as much as possible indiscriminate overpricing of basic products. This way, there will be a rational control over an index which might badly affect future trend of growth for our economy.

Last but not least, unemployment index shows a very healthy labour market with logical growing wages and very low impact on the government debt due to an almost 100% employment in the country. The table shows the devastating effect of high unemployment on the government debt for countries like USA, Europe and UK.

Propernomics by Dr Daniele¬ Propenomics or how to get it right in property investment (part II) : Malaysia present and future

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

Property Investment¬ The Real Next Big Boom in Iskandar Malaysia

the iskandarian nov 2014 issue

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