EFY Magazine Issue 1

8/16/2019 EFY Magazine Issue 1

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JAN - MAC 2016


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Welcome to the rst issue of the EFY Magazine!w time ies! It was just a year ago that Chan (our CEO) and I had a casual chat about publishing theY magazine. Yes, EFY started off as an online portal, focussing on the real issues that affect our lives

a daily basis, from lifestyle, business, property and home & living.

wever, it was becoming clear that we needed a physical presence to wrangle the hundreds of “pages”content we were creating and trying to manage. We felt it was a good time to start a magazine, andidea simply caught re.

d here we are today with our inaugural is sue! We couldn’t be more excited to have made it to thisnt. Therefore, please do take some time to get to know our magazine. You will notice the fouregories of articles: Lifestyle, Business, Property and Home & Living.

hen we set out to create the EFY magazine, one thing we agreed on right away was to steer-awaym the glossy images of the too-perfect, product-driven magazines that we all sometimes read.

hat you will nd in the pages of EFY Magazine is a collection of inspired and instructive articles ofl, honest, down-to-earth folks who work ha rd to live deliberately, but who are not afraid to admitstruggles they sometimes face. We are honoured to share the lives of so many committed andughtful people in our rst issue.

, we have some fun stuff and tricks up our sleeve, and a few surprises, but for that, you’ll have to ipough every page of this magazine. You’ll nd everything spelled out in our table of contents.

ove all, thanks to our writers for throwing in with us - and to you, our rst readers, for making it alll.

nvite you to e-mail me [email protected] , and feel free to give your comments on the articles ormply to share your thoughts. We appreciate your support to our EFY magazine.

ould like to end my note by wishing you a Happy Chinese New Year! February 8th, 2016 marks theginning of the year of the Fire Monkey. A ccording to Chinese astrology, the year of the Monkey isal for a quantum leap! Now is the time to shake things up, create change, innovate and take a leapfaith on a new path.

ppy New Year, everyone!

Priya Rama

PUBLISHER’S OFFICEEFY Dot Com Sdn. Bhd2-3-1 Wisma Pauson, Jalan Taming Kanan1,Taman Taming Jaya,43300 BalakongSelangor Darul EhsanTel: +603 8962 3528 / [email protected]

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICERChan Sook [email protected]

EDITORPriya [email protected]

WRITEREris [email protected]

CONTRIBUTORS

Basil Foo, Najihah Sani, Shalina Geraldine, SabrinaMosbergen, Audrey Wong, Fariza Saidin, MeenaSrinivasan, Ajit Singh, Y.S Siew, Jeremy Wong

EVENTS & MARKETINGHelen [email protected]

SALESSteven [email protected]

DESIGNMamboart DesignsThird J Two Enterprise

CONCEPT & DESIGNEFY Dot Com Sdn Bhd

COVER CREDITCapital Trend Asia Sdn Bhd

PRINTED BYUltimate Print Sdn BhdLot 2, Jalan Sepana 15/3,Off Persiaran Selangor,Seksyen 15, 40000 Shah Alam,Selangor Darul Ehsan

ADVERTISING OR GENERAL ENQUIRIESTel: +603 8962 3528 / 3670Email: [email protected]

www.facebook.com/efynews

www.twitter.com/EFYeffie

instagram.com/efymalaysia

E D I T O R ’ S N O T E & C R E D I T S


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om the Publisher’s Desk

ppy New Year!

hat better way to kick off the year than by welcoming EFY’s very rst issue! After months of hard work, our dream of having a physical copy of our online portalnally come true.

to the new reader – what is EFY? Short for ‘Easy For You’, we pride ourselves in being an online publication that f ocuses on presenting quality and analytical articles.m property and wealth management to inspiring business and lifestyle stories, you’ll nd all this and more on EFY. Never miss out on what’s hip and ha ppening,

we write about the latest trends, events and launches in town.

r aim is to provide information and useful tools to our esteemed readers, especially for those wanting to increase their wealth andprove their lifestyle. We also provide directory listings and discount coupons for all our members through our portal, so that you cane more on your expenses. Thanks to your tremendous support, we currently have over 100,000 members and fans in our databaseust 10 months. We couldn’t have done this without you!

ur input matters, so we’d love to hear your suggestions on how to improve your experience with EFY. Feel free to reach out to usnf [email protected] you once again for your strong support, and we hope that you will nd our publication useful and informative.

ere are two primary choices in life; to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them” – Denis Waitley

oose to make your life a happier and more fullling one!

COVER STORYAmerin Mall & Residence

TECH TALK Gotta Have Gadgets

PREDICTIONYear of Monkey 2016

YUMMYLICIOUSMessed Up Family

Kompassion II

CONTENTS

STAY WHERE?Melange Hotel

WHEELSBMW i8

Ford Ranger

TRAVELSunway Lagoon

The Little Big Club

ENTREPRENEURSVerity Intelligence: Guilty Until

Proven Innocent

CHIT CHAT WITHUbernising Malaysia

PERSONALITYSiva Shanker: Pinnacle of Power

PROPERTY TALK Seremban: The Next Klang Valley?

HOME & LIVING5 Things Homeowners Should Have

Having The Elderly In Mind

EFY CONTESTSSing It To Win ItMerdeka Jump

DIRECTORY LISTINGS

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Chan Chan Sook Fen

Publisher / Chief Executive Officer, EFY Dot Com


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T E C H TA L K

CHOETECH WIRELESSCHARGER:Hassle-free chargingSimply place your Qi-enabled smartphones,tablets or device onto the wireless charging padby Choetech. No more bulky chargers or tangledcables again!• Fastest wireless charging speed, and easy to use• Compatible Models: Galaxy S6/S6 Edge; Nexus

7 2nd Gen/Nexus 4/5/6; LG Optimus Vu2/LGG2/G4; Nokia Lumia 920/1020/928, HTCDroid DNA/Rzound

• Models Requiring a Wireless Charging receiver:

Galaxy S3-S5, Note; Nokia Lumia 820; iPhone4-6; Blackberry Z30Price: RM127.69Available at: Lazada.com.my

UAWEI HONOR 7:ur Unfair Advant ageek and stylish, the latest Honor 7 series deviceboth design and function for the cool, urbanr.tures:Wake up with a designated voice command, likeDear Honor’, or ‘Where are you’ for device to

call user to nd out its location

BLACK BOXDASHBOARD CAR CAM:A Reliable WitnessProtect yourself on the road with the Black BoxDual Lens Dashboard Car Camera; not only fromaccidents, but against insurance frauds and roadaccidents.Features:• Full 1080P HD Recording : LED Night Vision

and automatic motion detection

• Low power consumption, HD videocompression and smooth image processing• Auto o , no touch required; and auto-start with

on-spot play back• 2.7’’ HD Wide Screen LCD with WDR 140

Degree Wide Angle 4x Zoom Lens and 5MPcamera

• G-Sensor Enabled Recording starts with anysudden braking, impact, rapid acceleration orsharp cornerings

• Swivel ball suction mount to attach device toany at surface

Price: RM250Available at: www.dashcam.com.my *Prices are accurate at time of writing

FITBIT FLEX:Stylish Wristband TrackerKeep track of your active lifestyle with the FitbitFlex, a stylish slim, removable tracker that ts onyour wrist in small or large sizes.Features:• Tracks all-day activities like steps, distance,

calories burned, active minutes, displays daily

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GOTTA HAVE GADGETS!

• 5.2” encasing , fully metallic, with air brushed,ceramic coating for premium nish

• Unlock with smart buttons and gesture-enabledngerprint reader, easier single-handed operation

Price: RM1,399Colours: Mystery Grey and Fantasy Silver Available at: Huawei outlets and retailers

progress towards goal and monitors sleep• Five-day battery life, water-resistant wristband• Wireless syncing : Sync your daily stats on

smartphones, tablets and computersPrice: RM408Colours: Black, red, tangerine, blue, teal, slate,navy, violet, lime, pinkAvailable at: Official retailers such as Radioshack,All IT Hypermarket stores, A One Plus, iStore,Harvey Norman and Superbuy.

MICROSOFT SURFACERO 4 traportable Tablet

crosoft Malaysia recently launched the Surfaceo 4 - an ultraportable tablet with the power ofaptop.

only 8.4mm thin, the Surface Pro 4 is tted withlatest operating system from Microsoft, the

crosoft 10 Pro with 6th Generation Intel CoreCore 15 and Core i7 processor.

s 30% more powerful and quieter than Pro 3,ns smoother and is more efficient with up to nineurs of battery life.

e redesigned Surface Pen that clings tightly to thevice lets you write, draw and mark documentsh precision ink on one end, and an eraser onother.

tailed betweenRM3,999 (Core M / 128GB /B with pen) andRM9,799 , Surface Pro 4 is also

ailable on Lazada. There are also 8GB and 16GBsions available.

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Feng Shui Consultant Expert Master Kenny Hoo reveals his predictions for2016 – the year of the Fire Monkey, in a nutshell.

P R E D I C T I O N

ZodiacLove &

Relationship Wealth & Career HealthNobleman &

Help from others• Rat• Ox• Tiger • Rabbit• Dragon• Snake• Horse• Goat• Monkey• Rooster • Dog• Boar

Very Good

C ha ll eng in g Ver y Ch al le ng ing

Good Fair

2015 has been a turbulent year. We’ve seen anoverall slowdown in the economy, and escalatingconicts in the Middle East, to name a few.

So what’s in store for the year of the Fire Monkey?EFY speaks to astrology master Sherwin Ng on theprospects for 2016.

Ng is the founder and chief at House of Kite andWeather Light, with over a decade of experiencein the eld of astrology and Chinese metaphysics.

CLASHING ELEMENTS

Fire and Metal will be the dominant elements in2016. As the two oppose each other, the yearahead will be a tough one.

Ng shares his calculations based on the Four PillarsEnergy Map, which is divided into Year, Month, Dayand Hour - each one representing one quarter ofthe year.

The rst half will be a time of uproar, as it has a lotof opposing elements due to the Year (Yang Fire /Monkey) and Month (Yang Metal/Tiger) pillars.

“Fire will try to ‘melt’ metal, so there will beadversity and challenges. It is a slow process andinvolves a certain amount of pain,” he explained.

This clashing of elements will be reectedworldwide, in terms of economy and stability.

Metal and re indicates ‘ghting’, so Ng predictsthat the year will have its fair share of conicts andpossible wars. Whereas the second half of the year, which is madeup of Day (Yang Fire/Dragon) and Hour (Yin Fire/Rooster) pillars will see the overall s ituation ease offa little, as the elements are more compatible.

“The most comfortable time is expearound autumn from August to Ocreiterated.

Not all is doom and gloom, however.

“2016 will be a year of self-discovdiscoveries in the world. It will be a ginventions or gaining knowledge,” It will also benet those who are any eld, as these talents will be sThe medical industry and other helpinare expected to do well.

Health-wise, people should take caeyes and heart (represented by the respecially at the ‘peak’ period around The Earth element will be weak in 20

“Earth is often related to the propeWhile it is a good time to buy, it is noto sell as you will not get back the sayour property,” he said.

Moving forward, Ng’s advice is ‘not t

“A lot of people will struggle, but at thif they rise to the challenge, many willwell.”

An important theme he believes in isDestiny.

“Fate is when you react based on yourand what happens, believing that youof circumstance. Whereas Destiny islife you were meant to live, by bringchange to your immediate environmenaround you and to transcend your inne

“One should focus on what they wanstick to it,” concluded Ng.

Master Kenny Hoo is the fouand chief researcher at Good

Shui Geomantic Researc

2016:A ChallengingFire Monkey

Year

By Eris Choo


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NEW KIDZ ON THE BLOCK

Eris Choo

DEVOTION CAFEA new dessert café in town, Devotion servesup world famous Taiwanese cream custardpuffs, home baked cookies, speciality teas, juicesand yogurt drinks made fresh every day for ascrumptious experience.

Lot LG-23, Lower Ground Floor,Quill City Mall, 1018,

Jalan Sultan Ismail,50250 Kuala Lumpur

LIKE MOM BISTROA curious combination of both Nyonya food andCold Coffee, Like Mom Bistro offers spicy, tangyand saucy dishes like Nasi Lemak Rendang, NyonyaCurry Kepala Ikan, Gulai Asam Senangin, GulaiOng Lye, Black Bun Bu rger, and the lesser caffeine

and smoother Cold Brew Coffee.

E-0-5, G Floor, Plaza Damas, Jalan Sri Hartamas 1,Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur

03-6203 9224

MEET THE

FAMILYMESSED UPY U M M Y L I C I O U S

you haven’t been acquainted with THE MESSED UP FAMILY, you should goet them in person! No need to be afraid. They’re not psychotic killers orything – just a range of drinks by CS Fifty One Sdn Bhd (the Societe Family).

nd-crafted from scratch by co-founders and siblings Choong Kar Waid Choong Kar Heng, these giant milkshakes are gloriously messy and just…ughty looking.

ere’s The Father, a blend of chocolate and peanut butter with cream, caramelcorn, chocolate sauce and biscuits; and The sweet Mother, which comes withreen tea base topped with crumbly Oreos, whipped cream and love letters.

perhaps you’d like to meet the bright and sunshine-loving Daughter, with herky sweet coconuts (We mean the avour! What are you thinking of?), raisins

d whipped cream.

ke father like Son, the last member of the family ha s hints of chocolate but withronger Nutella avour, served with mini pretzels and uffy marshmallows.

THE MOTHERTHE FATHER THE SON THE DAUGHTER

“The drinks were inspired by a viral post from Australia, where the ‘messymilkshake’ phenomenon has become super popular”, said Kar Heng.

“We let our imaginations run wild when we concocted the drinks. When weintroduced it to our customers in September, it was a massive hit,” said Kar Wai,adding that there were ‘crazy, long queues’ for it.

“The drinks have been ying off the shelves, with an average of 40 glassessold per hour. If I’m doing my math right, that’s close to 400 glasses a day!”Kar Heng explained.

He added that THE MESSED UP FAMILY will now be available at all of theirexisting cafes: Coffee Societe in Publika, Garage 51 and Underground Societe inBandar Sunway and Procaffeinating in Petaling Jaya.

The event also saw the unveiling of The Cousin, a new Salted Caramel milkshaketopped with two layers of moist brownies, which will only be available at CoffeeSociete. All of the drinks are priced atRM18.90.

For more details, visitwww.facebook.com/CoffeeSociete

By Er

At KomPassion II, we learned that Thai food can bemuch more than just pad Thai, tom yum and mangosticky rice.

Helmed by Chef Nikom ‘Kom’ Uatthong (of MyElephant fame), the restaurant started off threeyears ago at Damansara Kim and is now a stapleamong foodies looking for unique and delicious Thaifusion cuisine.

Their second outlet, KomPassion II, opened itsdoors in Taman Tun Dr Ismail in August this year.

To kick off our food adventure, we started off withPucuk Paku Salad with Young Coconut (RM20).

Similar to its Malay ulam counterpart, this appetiserwas spiced up with a Thai twist. Crunchy ferns,shredded crab meat sticks and slices of youngcoconut were topped over with crispy almonds,a smattering of sh roe and a side of coconutshavings.

Mixing the beautiful colours together was likecreating an art piece, and the blend of spicy, sourand savoury avours made for the perfect appetiser.

Next up was the Beef Salad, which has yet to beo cially introduced on the menu; so lucky us to beone of the rst people to try it!

Beautifully seared pieces of tender beef lay on abed of fresh lettuce, mixed with creamy chunks ofavocado, thinly sliced carrots, onions, tomato cubesand chilli.

Moving on to the mains, we had the house special:Hang Lay Chicken Curry (RM28), a specialty fromNorthern Thailand tweaked to suit local tastes.

“This is a dish that is popular in my hometown ofChiang Rai. It was originally brought in from Indiato Myanmar before reaching Northern Thailand,”Kom explained.

The curry leaned more towards sweet than savoury,with a strong hint of masala powder, cumin andcoriander.

The original version is spicier and sweeter with nococonut, but Chef Kom has tweaked it to suit localtastes by including cooking and coconut cream for asmoother, creamier taste.

The Nasi Campur Special (RM18.90) serving wasgenerous, with two types of curries (creamy green

TAIPEI TAIPEITaipei Taipei’s newest outlet at Cheras Leisure Mall openedrecently, with a menu offering Taiwan’s most-loved disheslike Taiwanese-style Marinated Pork Chop with Rice, SichuanPepper Chicken with Rice, Taiwanese Beef Noodles and Pork/

Chicken Spicy Sour Noodles, just to name a few.

Level 1, Lot L1-48-2, Cheras Leisure Mall,Taman Segar, Cheras, 56100 Kuala Lumpur

03-9133 9838

BUNS & MEATIt’s a really cool name for a burger joint, tucked away at thecorner of Lakeelds Sungai Besi. The menu at Buns & Meatis in a class of its own, from the wicked pork and chicken

burgers to sinfully BBQed ribs and to-die for desserts.

72A Jalan Tasik Utama 7,Lake Fields Sg Besi,

57000 Kuala Lumpur03-9055 3378

KomPassionate About

Tai Food curry and Hang Lay chicken curry), white rice andbrown rice topped with fried egg, fried chicken andsh, and tangy mango salad. It was served with a sideof spicy tom yam soup. The colourful presentationwas pleasing to the eye.

The hot and spicy Fish Special Tom Yum (RM50)was a welcome addition to our food spread.Generous slices of mushroom, sh llet, lemongrassand tomato oated in a clear broth.

Spicy food lovers will enjoy this clear, hearty soup,as it was hot without overpowering the avours.“We blended fresh belacan and chilli as the base,”Kom explained.

Despite the fusion of different ingredients andcooking styles, the food at KomPassion II stillretains the avour of traditional Thai cuisine. Thedishes had a predominantly sweet, sour and spicytaste, enhanced with the heavy use of herbs such aslemongrass and chillies.

For Chef Kom, three elements had tobefore a dish was served: avour, ingpresentation. “The food needs to look bhas to be avourful,” he shared.

Ending the meal on a sweet note, Coconut Gelato, Red Ruby and Jack FCreamy and rich, the coconut gelato wa hint of v anilla. The combination of iin-the-mouth texture paired with chewand crunchy jackfruit was simply divi

KOMPASSION II RESTAURANTNo.15, Lorong Datuk Sulaiman 7,Taman Tun Dr Ismail,60000 Kuala LumpurTel: 03-77317016Opening hours:Tues - Sun (11.30am-2.30pm, 6pm - 1Closed on Mondays


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By Eris Choo

MELANGEHOTEL

Right Smack in the Heart of Bukit Bintang

S TAY W H E R E ?

Elegant and cosy would be the perfect words to describe the recently-opened MelangeBoutique Hotel, tucked strategically at the corner of Jalan Rembia, Kuala Lumpur.

For those in the dark about Jalan Rembia, it’s a street which is just a block behind thelively Jalan Alor.

The newly opened hotel sports more than 40 rooms, comprising Deluxe Single, DeluxeTwin, Deluxe Queen and Deluxe King options. The EFY team recently checked in for a quick stay to see what the whole deal is about.Upon our arrival, we were greeted by a friendly front desk staff, who brought us aroundfor a tour. The decorations were impressive, as each oor is done based on differentthemes - there’s one to suit every traveller’s taste! Initially, we were a little confused as there were no room numbers on the doors, butupon further inspection, we found that the numbers were lighted up on the oor in frontof each room.

For a touch of class and fo rmality without compromising on comfort, the Tampansuites are on point with their wooden furnishing, dark furniture and spacious work tables.Perfect for the business traveller looking for a quiet environment to get that businessproposal done.

EAT, SHOP, PARTY

Just a stone’s throw away from Bukit Bintang,Melange is located right at the throbbing pulse ofKuala Lumpur, where shopping, entertainment andgood food are all just a few steps away from eachother. After checking in, our group of foodies madea beeline for foodie heaven - Jalan Alor, which is justbehind the hotel (about a ve-minute walk).

Decorated with red lanterns, the street is a hive ofactivity with the smell of delicious food everywhere,and smoke from cooking rising up into the night air.

Prepare to be stopped by dozens of restaurant staffcompeting to get you to stop by at their outlet asthey shove menu after menu into your face. Butwith so many stalls featuring dishes from the majorcultures in Malaysia (and from all over the world!),we had a rst world problem: What To Eat?

A must-try here is, of course, the famous WongAh Wah barbecued chicken wings (RM3.20 each),which we polished off very quickly. Roasted overa charcoal re until crispy and golden brown, the

Meanwhile, minimalist lovers will feel right at homewith the Ayu series. Like a beautiful, pure maiden,the rooms have clean white designs and no-fuss,basic lines. We were pleasantly surprised at thecorridor’s design, which was lined with gauze whitecurtains. It felt like walking down a wedding aisle! The fun and playful Manja series featured colourfulrooms and funky shapes, which will be a good choicefor the young at heart and families with children.From calming blue to funky green and soft pink, picka favourite coloured room to spend the night in!

A dragony on the wall is not welcome in mostcases, but at Melange, the ‘dragonies’ are cute,insect-shaped wall lights hanging over the beds.Before drifting off to sleep, look up at the birds andbees painted on the ceiling.

All rooms are air-conditioned and come with freeWi-Fi (very important!). There is also an adjustablehot and cold shower, and complimentary drinkingwater and instant coffee or tea f or the mornings.

We each picked a room. This writer preferredsnuggling up in a simple Ayu Deluxe Single - cosyand perfect for solo travellers. Or upgrade toa Deluxe Queen or King and hog the entire bed toyourself - your choice.

wings are juicy, succulent and nger-licking good. It had a caramelised texture and athe basted sauce. Simply divine!

Also try their signature Wantan Mee, which is topped over with crunchy bits of pork lall tossed in a dark s auce till silky smooth. Then it’s on to Round 2 at Restoran Mewhich is famous for grilled seafood items done to order. The Portuguese-style Grillewas a bit of a hit and miss, as the meat was tough and overdone; but the sour and tangy sauce madeup for it.

We also ordered Tauhu Bakar (grilled tofu - RM6 for two pieces) as a snack. Stuffpeanuts and slices of vegetables just like Rojak, the tofu was very crispy on the ouon the inside. With our pants much tighter, we walked off the calories at the nearby shopping distriBerjaya Times Square and Low Yat Plaza. Along the way, you’ll see many souvenclothing, miniature landmarks, magnets, watches, bags and toys - a good place to hunto bring back home.

Party-goers can also liven up the night at Changkat Bukit Bintang - KL’s premiera taste of the city’s nightlife. There are bars and pubs abound with live entertainment an

Back at the hotel, we watched some shows on cable TV before slowly drifting off to sduvets and covers. If you’re worrying about keeping your personal belongings safe, stuffdeposit box in each room.

After a relaxing night, the friendly staff at the front desk gave us a wakeup call, so that our tebe late for work the next day!

Rooms are available from RM160 onwards. For details and reservations, call03-2141 8828 or visit www.melangehotel.com.my

MELANGE HOTEL14, Jalan Rembia, off Tengkat Tong Shin, Bukit Bintang, 50200 Kuala Lumpur Tel: 03-2141 8828www.melangehotel.com.my


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W H E E L S

The All-New BMW i8W Group Malaysia recently presented the all-newW i8 to Scott Brown at the CIMB Classic 2015.

American golf professional made a Hole-in-on the 199-yard, par 3 on the 15th Hole withon on the rst day of competition at the CIMB

sic 2015.

led in Malaysia at RM1,188,800, the all-newW i8 is the rst premium plug-in hybrid sportsn the world.

2+2 seater sports car is crafted with a Lifeule passenger cell completely built from Carbon

Fibre Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) as well as a DriveModule, which combines the World Engine of theYear 2015 award winning 1.5 litre, three cylindercombustion engine with Electric Motors.

The combination of BMW TwinPower Turbo andBMW eDrive Technology enables the BMW i8 toaccelerate from 0-100 km/h in 4.4 seconds whileonly consuming 2.5 litres per 100km of fuel andemits only 59 grams per km of CO2.

Ford Motor Company and its local distributor Sime DarbyAuto Connexion (SDAC) recently launched the all newRanger in Malaysia that features a suite of safety features.

With three models to choose from – Ranger XL(RM91,588); Ranger XLT (RM101,388) and the 3,2LRanger Wild Trak priced at RM132,188, it sets a newbenchmark in the pickup truck segment with an unmatchedblend of capability, safety and advanced technology.

Ranger features a class-leading suite of safety features,including up to six airbags, and driver assistancetechnologies like Lane Keeping Aid, Adaptive CruiseControl and Electronic Stability Control. Ranger’s suite ofnew technologies are complemented by a stylish, smartand functional new interior, as well as best-in-class water-wading, towing and payload capabilities.

Under the hood, signicant improvements in Ford’s latestgeneration 3.2-litre Duratorq ve-cylinder and 2.2-litreDuratorq four-cylinder TDCi diesel engines, help the newRanger deliver up to 12 percent better fuel-efficiency.

The new Ranger’s driver-assist technologies included thee-Locking Rear Differential, Hill Launch Assist, Hill DescentControl, and Forward Collision Warning, as well as Ford’sSYNC 2 connectivity system.

So if you are thinking of owning a pick-up soon, head overto Ford Motor showroom to view or test drive the newFord Ranger.

LatestFORDRANGERS

to focus onsafety features

T R AV E L

Looking for a rather different kind of wholesomefamily event this coming school holidays? Well, youare in for a treat with The Little Big Club!

Located in Puteri Harbour, Nusajaya Johor, TheLittle Big Club houses lovable children’s characters,namely Bob the Builder, Barney, Angelina Ballerina,Pingu and Thomas & Friends.

It is the rst time in the world that the ve popularglobal characters are housed in a single themedattraction.

Children can look forward to Bob’s Play Structureas well as the Build with Bob Interactive Playhousewhere they can build houses in Bobsville by doingbrick laying, door and window framing, kitchen andbath assembly.

Live performances by Barney and friends and aplay set similar to that in the television series is alsoanother highlight. Head to Angelina’s CamembertAcademy where visitors will meet and dance witha computer generated image (CGI) of Angelina

@ THE LITTLE BIG CLUB

Must-Do @

WORLD’S 1ST 5D WATERPLEXXBring on the full sensorial owet and be thrilled by 3D vfog, lasers and ambient ligunique multi-sensorial 5D exmotion seats, which have bedesigned to get you wet.VUVUZELA

Dive off from a launch tower of an amazing 11 stories in height, then rocket througof twist and turns of 152 metres in length which can be likened to riding the rapids iYour raft will plummet into the world’s largest water funnel of 22 metres in diametzero gravity, as you shoot up the other side of the funnel to reach the apex of the ridethrilling oscillations before exiting the ume in one nal splashtacular plunge!

SCREAM PARK If you’re into wacky and spooky science-ction,you’ll be in for a thrill! Experience spine-chillingsci- twist as ‘The Frozen Dead’, the park’spreserved inhabitants, are brought to ‘life’ at thenew Kevil Hill experience, exclusively inside theLynton V Harris Scream Park at Sunway Lagoon.

CLEOPATRAQueen of ancient Egypt and the magni cent Nile, Cleopatra is one of the most famousfemale rulers in history and even the most ruthless of men bowed before this legendaryand fearless leader. So, come discover, and uncover, the Myths, Mysteries and Mummies of

Ancient Egypt, in the brand new immersive and interactive adventure!

SUNWAY LA

Ballerina and her friends, Miss Mimand A.Z. who teaches children fun dance move

Level 3 features the famous Thomacharacters such as Bertie the BuHelitours, Colin Crane Drop and WindPingu will excite visitors at Level 2 in attraction with customised games suchFish, bowling, basketball and ice hock

Located 20 minutes from Tuas 2nminutes from Senai Airport and 10 mLEGOLAND.

THE LITTLE BIG CLUBPersiaran Puteri Selatan,Puteri Harbour, 79000,Nusajaya, Johor Darul TakzimOpen daily from10am - 6pm

Visitwww.playtime.com.my or call1 300 88 FAMILY (326459)

Fun Family Fiesta


10/19

ckground check! Two words dreaded by mostople. We all have skeletons in our cupboard, don’t? That CTOS blacklist, fake degrees, exaggeratedployment history, undeclared bankruptcy, policeord or even that non-existent Datukship.

tty much we are all guilty in one way or another.s, guilty until proven innocent by backgroundeck companies like Verity Intelligence.

Y recently had a chat with Mark Leow, the Founder

and Managing Director of Verity Intelligence, whohas been in the business of verifying people andcompanies for the past six years.

Admitting that he had always wanted to be in thebusiness of people, Leow revealed that he was ahead hunter before venturing into this business.

“Being an agency that provided human resourceservices for IT and banking, many of my clientsbegan asking me to do criminal, education and

nancial checks to verify prospective candidates,”he said.

However, there appeared to be a conict ofinterest. “As a head hunter, my job is to ensure myclients, the job-seekers, get the best job, but as abackground screening company, I had to have thebest interest of my client, the companies, in mind.

“When we rst started, I knew we had to stop head-hunting and solely focus on building this business.

E N T R E P R E N E U R S

By Priya Rama

UNTIL PROVENGUILTYINNOCENT

There are many head hunters out there. There areno barriers to entry, no regulations and just aboutanyone can get into the business,” he lamented.

On the contrary, the background screening industryis well regulated. “We follow the US standardsas Malaysia lacks in regulations for our industry,”claried Leow, who is also a sub-committeemember of National Association of ProfessionalBackground Screening (NAPBS).

NAPBS exists to promote ethical business practices,compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act(FCRA), equal employment opportunity and stateand international consumer protection laws relatingto the background screening profession.

ENVIABLE GROWTH

Today, with a team of 18, Verity Intelligence isa name to be reckoned with in the backgroundscreening industry.

“We are moving into our 6th year, and have grownour customer base to 400. Majority are localnancial institutions due to compliance issue andregulations imposed by Bank Negara Malaysia,” heenlightened.

“Our clients also include multi-national companies(MNCs), and a handful of Malaysian oil and gascompanies, local private schools and internationalschools; so our clients are quite diverse,”expounded Leow.

Also on the list are MNCs from the US, UK andEurope who practise high standards of due diligencebecause they have to abide by the Foreign CorruptPractise Act (FCPA) and the UK Bribery Act.

“In short, we have more than 50 of the top largest100 companies in Malaysia, and more than 10Fortune 500 companies,” he stated.

“Many come to us after burning their ngers hiringthe wrong people, or experiencing employeefraud,” said Leow.

Their clientele also include companies who make ita point to get their vendors screened. “This is a verysensitive issue as many employees of the vendor willvisit our clients at their premise to get work done.

“Like in the IT industry, employees can becontracted at a customer’s site where they areexposed to condential information. So there is adue diligence process to screen their contractors aswell,” he highlighted.

WHO GETS SCREENED?

When questioned if background screening is onlyfor top management candidates like CEOs, CFOsand such, Leow specied, “This is the biggestmisconception that most people have with regardsto background screening.

“See, you will never know for sure whom you’rehiring or working with. It can be any kind of role,not just senior management or C-level. Actuallyfrom every level of the company there is alwaysa risk. The question is what risk – low, middle orhigh.”

“It doesn’t mean a junior person doesn’t havea higher level risk. If you hire a driver, wouldn’t youwant to check the driver? He is driving the boss,his family and kids, listening to all information,thus exposed to high risk incidents. So, we usuallyencourage our clients to screen every levelregardless who they are,” he explained.

The company has low, middle and high level riskproducts. “We go through these risk proles withour clients, understand what their risks are, and letthem get back to us on the level of risk,” said Leow.

When asked how due diligence is viewed inMalaysia, he said that most big boys practise duediligence, but the same can’t be said about SMEs.“SMEs, which make up almost 99% of companiesin Malaysia, still take background screening with apinch of salt,” he opined.

NEW LAW

However, Leow added that the good news is thetabling of the Corporate Liability Provisions Act,which is a new provision that will be included in theMalaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC)Act 2009.

This is an anti-bribery law, where directors andmanagement of a company are penalised shouldtheir employee commit fraud.

“If an employee accepts a bribe or bribes someone,the management will be found guilty and ned.However, the provision is that if management canshow that they have adequately educated theiremployee or have a system in place to educate theirstaff on anti-bribery measures, then they will bereleased.

“But the employee will still be ned,” he elaborated,adding that the Act will encourage employers toeducate their employees and hopefully reduce theoccurrence of bribery and fraud.

THE PROCESS

On how background screening takes place withoutviolating the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA)2010, Leow stressed on the importance of gettingconsent from the candidate before screening them.

“We usually get consent from the employee. Thisis part of PDPA. Everything is done legally here.A consent letter, which spells out each and everycheck to be conducted on an employee, is a ttachedtogether with the job application form.

“When the employee comes for a rst face-to-faceinterview, they will ll up the job application formand sign our consent form attached. Our client willthen decide if they want to run a background searchon them,” he listed the process.

Verity Intelligence screens for a variety of checks,namely ID, criminal, civil litigation, bankruptcy,industrial court, nancial checks such as CTOS,education checks, HR verication and referencechecks, just to name a few.

“Our client will send us their resume and we will

run a screening. The data we are screening mustbe open source data, meaning legally and publiclyavailable data. We don’t do data that needs to bebribed to be picked up. Information must be legal.That’s the essence of pre-employment screening,”emphasised Leow.

A variety of sources is used to obtain informationabout a particular person. “We purchase mostof the information. For ID checks, we workwith National Registration Department (JPN).Police checks are through open source data. Forbankruptcy, we refer to Jabatan Insolvensi Malaysia.For directorship checks, we seek CompaniesCommission of Malaysia’s (SSM) assistance,” herevealed.

One wronghire can cost the

company between6 to 10 times the

salaryAnother misconception, which Leowas a challenge, is the perception thatscreening is expensive. “It’s actually vIf they weigh the cost benet factor ihire can cost the company between 6the salary, as opposed to our screeniabout RM150-RM500 per screening. work we do, it’s very affordable!”

At Verity Intelligence, there is onlyfollowed. “Whenever we do our screena simple rule that we follow ‘Guiltyinnocent’. I have personally intervi

with fake degrees who still come in foand give their consent for backgrodespite having a fake degree,” he said

“We have even caught doctors withand Datuks with no Datukships in thTherefore, we need to be sceptical abouwe meet, do background checks and“innocence”,” added Leow.

When queried about the future of Veritin the eyes of its founder, Leow enviper cent of our revenue comes frclients, particularly from France, the USingapore. So our aim is to try a nd expto do more work overseas.”


11/19

de sharing apps have become all the rage inny cities around the world, offering affordable

d reliable transport services like never before.prime example of this is Uber.

unded in San Francisco, California, the self-dubbedch company’ connects users with smartphones tovers who ferry passengers using their own cars. As2015, it is available in more than 50 countries.

er entered the Malaysian market in 2014 andnow available in Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahrud Penang. Public opinion seems to be largely inour of the service, thanks to perceived betterordability, convenience and reliability compared toditional taxis.

is hasn’t boded well with many taxi operators, whoim unfair competition: since Uber drivers are notuired to pay for a taxi license or vehicle rentals.

Y speaks to Uber Malaysia general manageron Foong on the ride sharing business and howhnology and competition can bring change to theal transport industry.

We rst started in the Klang Valley with ourmium agship product, the Uber Black. The ideas that it would become everyone’s private driver,ng technology to offer good, affordable premiumnsportation,” Foong explained.

e luxury car service became popular, promptingong and his team to open it up to the masses.

We decided to launch UberX, our low-cost option.day, it is our bestselling product,” Foong shared,

y Eris Choo

UBERnising MALAYSIA

C H I T C H AT W I T H

adding that they’ve seen excellent growth in the riderbase and driver-partner base since its inception.It’s not just about ferrying passengers and makingmoney, according to Foong.

“It creates good economic opportunities for ourdriver partners, and is safe for our riders. We alsowant to serve the city, reducing congestion by takingaway the number of cars on the roads during peakhours. I think in KL, that’s a big problem so we arestriving to invest in that,” he said.

BECOMING A DRIVER-PARTNER

Uber Malaysia has a eet of over 20,000 registereddrivers, with the majority based in Kuala Lumpur.They come from all walks of life: ex-taxi drivers, ex-limousine drivers, part-timers with exible jobs andwhat Foong dubs ‘casual participants’.

“They drive from anything around ve to ten hours

a week to earn a little bit of extra income. With therising costs of living, it’s good to have that exibilityand to make that extra income to pay for a holiday orto buy their children a certain gift,” Foong explained.Top performers earn between RM1,500 to RM2,000a week, working 10 hours a day, six days a week.

The standard model allows Uber to take 20% of allfares, leaving the rest for the driver. Transactionsare cashless: all anyone needs is a smartphone and acredit or debit card.

“If you like meeting people, it’s a lot of fun. This iswhy we have executives, VPs, CEOs and even GMsdriving on our system,” Foong enthused.

Becoming a Uber driver is a simple (but stringent!)process.

First of all, one signs up online and uploads thenecessary documents, such as driver’s license and thevehicle’s insurance cover note. Next, they go to anUber center and submit their IC and details for a fullbackground check.

Once you get a clean bill, there’s a quick brieng andtraining session to teach driver-partners how to usethe application, and a talk on topics such as basicexpectations that riders have of driver partners.

“When we go through the checks, it’s a full,comprehensive criminal and driving history of theindividual. For example, we will know if someone hasoutstanding summons or was convicted for a crimeeven up to 15 or 20 years ago,” he assured.

The company works with third party agenciescertied by the government and had a ‘zero tolerancepolicy’ for anything other than clean.

COMPETITION IS A GOODTHING

As technology such as the likes of Uber come in,the cost of transportation has also gone down forconsumers. More choice equals cheaper, morecompetitive prices.

“We see that the overall market grows a lot quickeronce Uber enters a market. This has been provenacross multiple cities that we’re in,” said Foong,adding that this growth meant more space for newridesharing entrants, and more business for taxidrivers.

By connecting riders directly to drivers, the need fora middleman is eliminated, creating a greater passedon to the consumer.

“Obviously, there will be more competition, whichmeans that quality will have to improve,” he said.

Growing opportunities for driver-partners wouldalso contribute to the overall economy, according toFoong.

“Ownership is a very powerful thing. It gives someonea sense of entrepreneurship, exibility and incentivesto do better and earn more. The key idea is how tohelp people own the cars that they drive, rather thandoing it through operators or paying high effectiveinterest rates for say, a taxi,” he said.“We see it ashaving a multiple effect in terms of creating smallerbusinesses.”

PROPER REGULATIONS NEEDED

Despite the Land and Transport Departmentconscating some Uber vehicles this year due tocomplaints by taxi companies, Foong is adamant thatthey are not ‘illegal’ per se in Malaysia.

“There’s a difference between being illegal and beingunregulated. Right now, we fall into the unregulatedspace because the current set of rules was notdesigned with this kind of technology in mind.”

Foong is optimistic about Uber nally beingacknowledged as a proper, regulated business in theMalaysian public transport industry.

“Throughout our interaction with differentgovernment agencies and regulators, we’ve cometo realise that Malaysians are very pro-innovationand pro-competition. We are condent thateventually, similar to other markets we’ve been insuch as Australia, Philippines and Mexico, ridesharingbecomes officially recognised and regulated,” he said.

Foong thinks that in this case, the public has spoken.“We’re creating benets for hundreds of thousandsof riders and driver partners, and that speaks foritself. These benets will be here to stay. It’s a matterof nding a regulated outcome that is focused onconsumer safety and public interest, and using thatto further encourage innovation and competition,”he said.

He added that they were ‘constantly engagingmultiple parties’ and having productive conversations;and hopes that they can work in a truly regulatedspace in the near future.

On concerns that the taxi industry might be disrupted,Foong believes that only a small percentage of taxidrivers are expressing their discontent.

“From what we know, many markets have actuallygrown once Uber enters a city. There’s more businessfor everybody. At the end of the day, players need to

learn how to grow the pie,” he said.Foong shared that under 20 % of people in the KlangValley take public transport - way behind cities likeSingapore where the usage is close to 80 percent.

“I think right now in Malaysia, we’re not there yet. Butwe want to work together with the government todo that, because the appetite for that is there. Wecan extend our technology and expertise to worktogether to achieve that outcome,” he hoped.

Ultimately, he said, it was about providing the bestlevel of service to everyone. “We’re always trying toimprove the experience. What’s good today mightnot be good tomorrow,” he advised.

Read the full story on www.efy.com.my

Live The Life Of Your DreamWithout Going Broke

One year ago, I sold everything I owned to travelthe world and try to discover my life purpose.On this journey, I have learned a lot about myrelationship to work, purpose and money.

It made me realize that when I was living in the US,the greater majority of my money was spent on“stuff”.

I didn’t feel wealthy even though I was making moremoney than the average person does. I felt stressedout, like I constantly had to keep working because Ihad been sold the American dream.

Now that I’m rambling around the world withouteven a spoon to slurp my soup with, I’ve come torealize, I feel wealthier than ever. This has led me toponder — “What is wealth, anyway?”

“Without Money We’d All Be Rich.” – Blessed unknown

I know that when I spend my time writing themessages that my soul is pouring forth, I feel wealthy.I know that when I am deep in conversation withsomeone, being completely vulnerable and open,and staring into their eyes, and seeing the miracleof that person, I feel wealthy.

I know that when I am letting go of judgment andpast pain, I feel wealthy. When I’m staring at thesunset, my bare feet being tickled by the sand, mytoes being tickled by the kiss of the salty waves, Ifeel wealthy.

I started realizing that true wealth had nothing to dowith money. I realized that I felt truly wealthy whenI followed my life’s calling. When I was strugglingagainst my heart, I was causing stress in my body,and I was letting fear of “enough” guide my life.

However, it does take money to live. I have a lotof people approach me who want to follow theirdreams, but they are scared to death. What is themain cause of their fear? They don’t want to endup starving on the streets. So, how can you do whatyour heart desires without going broke?

“We no longer live life. We consumeRobin

First, you can let go of the conditioninthat tells you what you must own to media does a lot to shape our ideas of wown to make it in this world.

I don’t need to own a big house like I uneed to own as much stuff. I don’t neReally. I’ve lived without a Smartphonow.

Guess what? It really is possible to subeing connected to the internet all daymost inspiring thoughts usually come connected to Wi-Fi, but instead to my s

Second, once you have reduced your blittle of your time as you can workingbills.

If you live with just the basics, you wdon’t have to work as hard as you thinkcan spend the extra time taking the steplife of our dreams.

If you have debt, the rst thing you mto pay it off. And, live life in such a wa

use credit cards to pay for anything whiin value.

I have never owed money on anydepreciated in value. This means thdrove around were at least ten years oof the things that I bought were seconbeing responsible with my money gavefreedom that I was longing for.

Third, trust life. Guess what? Life is prWhen you align with your soul’s callsure you are taken care of.

* This article was originally published on Twsource: ©Twedya http://www.twedya.comwith permission

By Valen Dawson


12/19

PINNACLE OFPOWERt many people can claim that their life has come to a full circle. Siva Shanker

one of them.

e former President of the Malaysian Institute of Estate Agents (MIEA)ently had a heart-to-heart chat with EFY. Touching mostly on his personalwess, we decided to stay off the usual professional path to understand whatruly takes to be one of the most powerful and well respected man in thelaysian property scenario.

y life has indeed truly come a full circle,” said Siva Shanker, reminiscing theod old days from his office at Jalan Dang Wangi.

remember, as a teenager after SPM, wandering the streets just a few blocksm here, looking for a job. Any job to makes end meet!” recalled the CEO ofC International Sdn Bhd, a property consultancy company.

er being turned away for the umpteenth time, a job vacancy advertisementched on a door caught his attention. “Real Estate Agent Wanted”, read the

vertisement.

Where I am todayis due to sheer hard work,

determination andperseverance.

It wasn’t an easy journey. I sacriced

a lot to get here,especially my time

with family

P E R S O N A L I T Y

SIVA SHANKER

My bosses were surprised, albeit pleasantly, and life became asmoother journey after that.

We tried to pin him down, asking him to point out on whatreally caused the change. To which, Siva claimed, “Franklyspeaking, I haven’t got the faintest clue. It just happened. Guessit was my Aha-moment.”

Siva’s rise to stardom happened when he was elected thePresident of MIEA two years ago. “Upon being elected, apress conference that MIEA held pushed me into the limelight.I was highlighted in the media as being rather critical of certainproperty-related body. The media loves me and vice-versa, asI felt I had a responsibility in voicing out certain crucial issuespertaining to the industry I’m in.”

Which is why, even after he had stepped down as the Presidentof MIEA this year, he is still being sought out by the media oncomments regarding the property industry.

In addition, Siva is also a prominent speaker who provides talkson real estate issues and standards, as well as motivation forMIEA members nationwide.

“After stepping down, this is how I keep myself active and busy,

apart from of course running PPC International,” he stated.Siva was also bestowed the “Estate Agent of The Year” awardby the Board of Valuers, Appraisers and Estate Agents lastApril.

When asked about his biggest challenge, Siva admitted it wasnding the right people. “It has become very difficult to nda candidate with the right knowledge and skillset to becomea real estate agent. Oh yes, and attitude! The new generationseriously suffer from a lackadaisical attitude.

“They can’t handle criticism, even constructive ones, and justwalks away if they aren’t happy, despite the hours we spend ineducating and training them,” he lamented.

His biggest fear? Failure, he nonchalantly said.

“Where I am today is due to sheer hard work, determinationand perseverance. It wasn’t an easy journey. I sacriced a lot toget here, especially my time with family,” mentioned the fatherof two young daughters.

Siva remembers wanting to teach his little girl to ride a bicycle onone weekend and couldn’t make it due to work commitments.“My daughter eventually learnt it from the maid, and when I gotback home, she showed me her bicycle-riding skills. I was soupset. I wanted to be the one who taught her.

That’s when he realised that family time is important and

decided to cut down on his weekend commitments to spendmore time with his family.”

“After all, if you can’t balance work and family, then you’re reallynot that successful,” he stated, before concluding the interview.

As of Jan 2016, Siva has moved on to chart a new path as theHead of In vestments at Axis REIT, a real estate investment trustwhich owns and invests in commercial, office and industrial realestate. However, his involvement in the Real Estate industry,as well as his speaking engagements at seminars and propertyevents, will continue.

The rentalmarket will remain

a hot market tolong-term investors,as many Londoners

can’t affordto buy

With property prices increasing in mostmajor cities around the world, London is notan exception for this.

Londoners nd it difficult to own a home andwith the rising cost of rent in London city, theyhave decided to move out of the city to live.

The question for international propertyinvestor wanting to invest in overseasproperties is:

“Will London still be an attractive propertyinvestment place for investors?”

Many people are afraid of the propertybubble in London, as the price has increasedup to an average of 9.4% in the past years.

Based on an interview between PropertyWeek & BBC Broadcaster, James Max andBoris Johnson, Sir Edward Lister’s righthand man on property, London will not beexpecting any property bubble soon.

The Greater London Authority has identiedthat the capital needs 50,000 new homesannually to match the population growth,which now stands at 8.6 million. Yet in year2014, only 20,000 new homes were built.

LO N DO NTo Invest or Not

The rental market will remain a hot marketto long-term investors, as many Londonerscan’t afford to buy. In the past years, the rent

in London has raised on an avethe past years.

The national target is for 180,00to be completed annually for tsupport the population growthHowever, a survey by Knightthat two-thirds of house builderis simply unachievable.

This shows that London wilattractive to property investorin, either for long term or shorFor those looking for internatinvestments, London is a markmissed.

One of the upcoming areas thalike to consider would be the area in London that is nearbWharf and Stratford.

Canary Wharf was developednancial district in London siStreet in the United States. Proparea has gained a capital apprecthan 37% in the last 5 years.

Major headquarters of bankingnancial rms are based theretouted to be the next boomingpeople working in this nancundoubtedly search for propertivicinity.

About the writer: Chan is an avidinvestor who has years of rst-hand einvesting in local and overseas property

By Chan

Though, at that time, Siva hadn’t an iota of what the word Real Estate Agentmeant, he decided to try nevertheless. To his surprise, he was hired and his journey into the real estate world began. But it wasn’t one without thorns!

“You wouldn’t believe the constant reprimanding I used to get from my seniors.But I must admit I wasn’t really in f ull form at that time. I made mistakes, analysedincorrectly and used to get into a lot of trouble with my bosses,” he chuckled.

Just as Buddha received his enlightenment under a Bodhi tree, Siva was jolted outof his slumber and had a 360o paradigm shift, one day.

“Come to think of it, I really can’t explain the change. Suddenly, from someonewho needs constant pushing, I became this person who had all the facts andgures at my ngertips. I knew every single property in detail; from whether it’sin a promising location, its interior specications, how many rooms and squarefeet, price of the property and how to get there. It was truly unbelievable,” hepointed out.

By Priya Rama


13/19

P R O P E RT Y TA L K

Seremban used to be a sleepy tin mining town, famous for their MalayMinangkabau culture and siew bao (baked buns). Today, the place is poised tobecome a central hub, much like Petaling Jaya or Puchong in Selangor.

As the population migrates south, Seremban has boomed and ourished, withschools, hospitals and entertainment sprouting up in the area. It seems set tobecome the next Klang Valley - but what can we expect from this township ofhalf a million people?

EFY speaks to Setia Synergy Marketing Sdn Bhd (SSM) co-founder and director Jason Ooi Ying Hock on the Seremban property market, why people aremoving here, and the overall outlook for Malaysia’s property sector in 2016.

THE NEXT KLANG VALLEY?

Ooi is certainly no stranger to property trends in Seremban, having co-founded real-estate marketing company SSM two years ago.

“If a developer has a new project launch, we help them to manage their salespackage and provide consultation services, such as advising them on what suitsthe current market and the best marketing practices,” he explained.

Although relatively new, the company has managed to capture the Serembanproperty market, which is fast becoming a popular choice among homeownersas a conducive place to live and raise their families, thanks to a lower cost ofliving and well-rounded facilities.

“In KL, there isn’t much land left to develop. Prices have reached their peak,but it will still grow,” Ooi predicted.

KL’s high cost of living and expensive properties are drawing more people toinvest in Seremban, where properties can be 30 to 40 percent cheaper thanthose in the Klang Valley.

“More and more people are choosing to buy properties here, then drive toKL for work,” he cited.

THERE ARE OTHER REASONS TO MOVE SOUTH

“Seremban is a complete city with many facilities. Transport wise, thereare major highways like PLUS and LEKAS that can take you to KL within 45minutes. The traffic jam in the Klang Valley already takes over an hour!” hemused.

Also in the works is a high speed rail that can get passengers to Singapore in45 minutes.

SEREMBAN:

The NextKLANGVALLEY?

By Eris Choo

For those planning for their children’s education,there are many schools and colleges in the area.Medical amenities are also available, such as theTunku Ja’afar Hospital, Columbia Asia MedicalCentre and the Seremban Specialist Hospital.

For all the party animals out there, the town is notshort on entertainment and nightlife. Shoppingmalls such as Aeon Seremban 2 Shopping Centrehave a vast selection of retail and F&B outlets, whilethe Seremban 2 Uptown area is lined with chiccafes, bars and clubs to keep the younger crowdentertained.

Some of the ‘hot’ projects include Bandar SeriSendayan, a large mixed development by MatrixConcept. IJM is also slated to develop a huge projectin town, while Sime Darby has its sights on Nilai.

“There are more plans in the pipeline. Hilton Groupis entering Seremban 3 with a new mall, which willcome complete with cinema, gym and grocerystore,” Ooi explained.

“Developments are all moving south. Now is thebest time to buy,” he advised.

While some Seremban properties have already

reached KL prices, Ooi said that they were stillselling like hotcakes.

“The pricing depends on the area and the prestigeof the developer attached to a project. A typicalhouse without lifestyle amenities and nice designscosts about RM500,000. Whereas a higher endhouse in a good location, equipped with facilitiesand built by reputable developers might go up toRM800,000,” he stated.

Condominiums are relatively cheaper. A 950 sq ftcondo in town is priced from RM300,000 onwards.

BUYING PROPERTY IN A BADECONOMY

2015 has been less-than-stellar for the Malaysianeconomy, with the depreciating ringgit and theintroduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).Even so, the demand for property has not sloweddown, Ooi shared.

“Malaysians like to buy property. One of the mainreasons they are still selling well is because thegeneral consensus out there is that properties are‘safe’ and will appreciate over time.

“For example, if the ringgit depreciates and you’veput your money into a xed deposit, ve years downthe road there might be nothing left. Properties, on

the other hand, can hold the value of the ringgit,”he explained.

If the ringgit depreciatesand you’ve put yourmoney into a xed

deposit, ve years downthe road there might be

nothing left.Properties, on the otherhand, can hold the value

of the ringgit

Another reason why properties are still in highdemand is because people view it as a necessity.“Everyone needs a home. If they’re already rentingan apartment for RM1,000 to RM1,500 per month,they can already purchase a house to call theirown,” he said.

The demand for affordable housing, in particular,has seen an increase in the last few years. “The best-selling properties are those between RM300,000 toRM600,000. These are the ones that people usuallybuy for own-stay,” he cited.

While many will be more cautious in spending duringa volatile economy, Ooi believes that an economicdownturn is a good opportunity for bargains.

“Developers will include a lot of deals and packages,such as full down payments, discounts and freeitems. This is considered easy entry for rst timehome buyers,” he said.

“It’s also an opportunity to build your owninvestment portfolio. For example, people canconsider hunting for properties in groups. There willbe a lot of ‘l elong’ and freebies in a recession; so ifyou buy then, you will make a lot of prot when therecession is over,” he added.

Moving forward, Ooi thinks that the demand forproperties will not be affected much in 2016.

“The demand will still be there. The biggestchallenge now is getting loan a pproval,” he pointedout, adding that awareness is needed to educatesociety on how to handle their nancial wealth.

“If you have good records, it will help when applyingfor bank loans,” he said.

THE FUTURE

So what’s in store for SSM now that they’ve done sowell in the Seremban market?

With over 70 people on the team, Ooi aims to bringit to even further heights. Aside from ‘conqueringthe Selangor and Seremban market’, they are alsoplanning to venture into development.

But isn’t this terrible timing, seeing that the economyisn’t doing so well?

Ooi sees an opportunity even in dark times. “Whenthe economy is not good, most developers willplan, stop building and look at the market. Buthome buyers will still be there, whether or not theyare developing any projects. We aim to catch thatmarket segment,” he enthused.

Future plans also include moving into budding butless aggressive areas, just like how they did with theSeremban market. The strategy has worked so far,seeing as how SSM is pretty well known in town.

It was certainly a radical change for Ooi, who wasin the music industry before making the switch toreal estate.

“Property has always been a passion for me.I wanted to do something big and make a change insociety,” Ooi shared. “In music, we didn’t do sales – we only f aced our students! It took a lot of gutsand courage to talk to people and to gain all thisknowledge,” he laughed.

Make instant cash when you buy. at a discount so that you can imm

earn cash at the point of buyi

Add value to your property by renand refurbishing it so that you caa higher price. Use only 3 colou

refurbishment.

Continuously make offers to probuyers. If you’re not making offe

not making money.

Be embarrassed about your offer. not embarrassed by your offer,probably pricing your property to

Have exit strategies. Make sure ytwo exits in every property deal. nd out what your most protastrategy is by asking yourself thisare you looking to buy a property it as a rental (rst exit), or sell i

immediate cash (second exit

Always be legal in all your undMake sure everything is clearly sin writing.

Finally, always, always have inyour dealings.

About the author: A protégé of Robert KPip is one of the top property trainers in and Canada. A property investor himself, successfully invested in 41 properties andlooked back! He was recently in Kuala Lum

the National Achievers Congress 2015

By Pip Stehlik

Rules of PROPERTYINVESTING

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2

3

4

5

6

7


14/19

Things HomeownersShould Have5

FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

Fire extinguishers – used to be red, bulky, dull-lookingand functional. Not anymore with these beautifully-designed ones by the folks at OSafe Fire InspectionSdn Bhd.

Combining functionality with beautiful designs, theextinguishers come in smaller sizes of 1kg and 2kg,suitable to be placed in homes and even in the car.

Retails betweenRM200 - RM300 @www.osafe.com

HILIPS VIVA COLLECTIONIGITAL AIRFRYER

you’re really not into the 3Cs – cutting, cookingd cleaning - why not allow thePhilips Vivalection Digital Airfryer to do the job foru.

om frying, roasting, baking and just plain grilling,Airfryer is perfect for those on the go! Retails

RM999 and is available at all major electricald departmental stores.

NESCAFÉ DOLCE GUSTO DROP

Are you a coffee-lover? Then the all new NESCAFÉDolce Gusto DROP is ideal for you!

With 17 different avours, NESCAFÉ’s latestmulti-beverage system can deliver perfect cafe-style beverages, from Bold Espressos, IndulgentChococino, Frothy Latte Macchiato and evenRefreshing Teas.

Retails atRM829. Available in dark silverand red metal at selected household appliance anddepartmental stores nationwide.

Eris Choo

TOOLBOXYou probably have a hammer, plier and ascrewdriver in your Toolbox, but that’s just astart. These tools and devices are superstars forhousehold projects and repairs - Philips Screwdriver,Flathead Screwdriver, Tape Measure, Level, UtilityKnife, Hammer, Putty Knife, Nail Set, CombinationSquare, Pliers, Adjustable Crescent Wrench, WireStripper, Hex or Allen Key, Power Drill, C-Clampand Flashlight.

Find them all atlelong.com.my , where prices start

fromRM100.

H O M E & L I V I N G

IKEA PS 2014 PENDANT LIGHTThe IKEA PS 2014 Pendant Light is truly a sightto behold. A simple mechanism changes the contourof the luminaire: pulling the strings changes the shapeof the lamp shade as well as the intensity of the light.

When closed, only a small amount of light nds itsway out, while when full y opened, more light spreadsand creates interesting light effects on the wall.

This award-winning light retails atRM199.Available in orange & turquoise and silver& copper versions.

ou’ve just bought a house.ongratulations! Now let EFYuide you through the 5 thingsou should look into beforettling in.


15/19

n thinking of designs for the modern home, weto forget one important thing – making it aged-caredly.

he little details that go a long way in making the homee conducive for the elderly and their f amily members,ed Ooi Boon Seong from PDI Design & AssociatesBhd.

niture, counters and table tops should have roundeds and ample space to allow those in a wheelchair toe around easily,” said Ooi, an interior designer.

alling hand rails for support and making sure the surfacee ooring is not rough to prevent falls are just somee other ways to make your home aged-care friendly.

ou have a sofa, it should not be too soft as it is difficult

he elderly to get up,” he advised.s designs were among the three Aged Care Living &gn showrooms at the recently concluded HOMEDEC.

showrooms, a highlight of the event, are designed tothe needs of different stages in aged care living. They‘Awakening’ – low-care living (40sqm), ‘Style Withoutders’ – mid-care living (43sqm) and ‘Calm Realisation’l-care living (41sqm).

Calm Realisation showroom by Majidah Design seniorior designer Idzam Othman(with microphone in hand) drawn from his experience of caring for his late

her. The unit resembles a specialist hospital unit, bute as homely as possible.

en you have to care for an elderly person almostours a day, you will think about things that should bee to help them go about their daily lives, such as grabin the bathroom,” Idzam explained.

cited an example of having to carry his mother upm the bed, which required a lot of effort.

m’s solution was a ‘bed chair’, a single bed with aner, which can be propped up into a sitting positionthe push of a button.

ther ingenious piece is the automated armchair,ch can be tilted to help an elderly person into a better

tion to stand up.he wardrobe area, an attached pole is used to pulln the bar so that clothes can be grabbed easily. Lightches are also positioned lower, while in the toilet thereemergency panic button.

e unit will not have much loose furniture and there willbe one cabinet to incorporate a fridge for medicine,”

orated Idzam.

en you’re caring for a person all the time, you willk of proactive actions on how you can make them asfortable as possible through creating and designingtions,” he added.

HAVING THEIN

ELDERLYMIND By Eris Choo

H O M E & L I V I N G


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SING IT TWIN

C O N T E S T

JUMPMERDEK

EFY’sMERDEKA JUMP CONTEST inconjunction with the58th National Day.The prize givingceremony was atSheraton ImperialHotel KL.

EFY recently organised our rst ever SING IT TO WIN IT CONTEST ,which was a total blast! The prize giving ceremonywas at Backyard Pub & Grill Sri Hartamas.

CHRISTMASSELFIE

Tis the season to be jolly! We asked our readers to send ustheir festive seles for Christmas.Here are the winners at the prize

giving ceremony at Kafe Skrin,Ukay Boulevard.

Winners posing with the judges (from left) : RichaGerard Singh, Nicole Ng(1st runner-up) , Zoey Hui (champRachel Voon(2nd runner-up) and Edmund Anthony


17/19

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18/19

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19/19

EFY Magazine Issue 1

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Transcript of EFY Magazine Issue 1