Monday, March 31, 2014

Flat Tyre

Started the day with a flat tyre. Called Easy Taxi but there were no cabs in the vicinity. Tried another smart apps My Teksi and managed to get a cab.

I'm blogging using my iPad. Nearly drove me crazy. Need some getting use to because it's so different from using a laptop.

Went to Pekan Nanas in Pontian, Johor, for a "stakeout" later in the day. Customs enforcement officers recently launched a nationwide blitz on illicit cigarettes.

Don't sell illegal cigarettes. Or better still, don't smoke! I know some people think they're going to die anyway whether they smoke or not. But if you don't smoke, you get to save money and have better health. No?

The day may have started with a flat tyre, but the day was anything but flat. There was much to be thankful for.

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Modern Policing in Iskandar

By Chuah Bee Kim


Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (left) visiting the CCTV control room at the Seri Alam district police headquarters in Johor Baru. Briefing him is Johor police chief Datuk Mokhtar Shariff (right). Pic by Hairul Anuar Abd Rahim CURBING CRIME: Hi-tech equipment , CCTVS, and more police presence in the pipeline JOHOR BARU: THE Iskandar Malaysia development corridor near here will be the first to have a taste of modern policing to bring greater peace of mind. Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the implementation of the modern policing would come at a cost of billions of ringgit. It will see more aggressive recruitment of police personnel, use of high-tech equipment such as high-definition closed-circuit television cameras and the setting of more police beat bases, police stations and police headquarters. Ahmad Zahid said Iskandar Malaysia was chosen because of its high foreign direct investment. He said all the analogue cameras at crime hot spots would be replaced by digital cameras. "This also protects policemen who are often accused of being rough towards suspects. A clear footage could be produced in court to prove whether the policemen were guilty of the act. "We will also increase police presence by building more police beat bases and police stations in districts," he said at the Seri Alam district police headquarters here yesterday. Present was Johor police chief Datuk Mokhtar Shariff. Ahmad Zahid assured the public that their safety would not be compromised. "I am aware that the crime index in Johor dipped 10 per cent from last year, but people do not care about the crime index. The important thing is that the locals and investors living here must feel safe," he said. Asked when the modern policing would be implemented, Ahmad Zahid said he would like to start it immediately if he could. "These things take time. It will be carried out progressively, starting with Iskandar Malaysia, and developed in stages nationwide." Ahmad Zahid later visited HID Global Sdn Bhd, which will be providing the security solutions for the modern policing system, at the i-Park Industrial Area in Bandar Indahpura.

Security checks at the entrance of the iPark Industrial Area in Bandar Indahpura in Kulaijaya

Pic by Chuah Bee Kim

Monday, March 24, 2014

The Catalyst for MCA Re-emergence

24 March 2014

By-election sees MCA revival

By Shahrum Sayuthi

BACK IN ACTION: The enthusiasm of its members is real

AMONG the first to arrive at the polling station at SK Convent Kajang before it opened yesterday was a group of about 30 MCA members.
   Clad in the blues of Barisan Nasional, they placed themselves not far from the centre and started to chant "Satu Malaysia!" and "Menang BN!", providing some excitement for the early voters, waiting for the school gate to be opened by Election Commission officials.
   A short while later, a smaller group of PKR members turned up and gathered at the opposite site of the road and shouted "Reformasi!" and "Menang, Kak Wan!", in reference to their party's candidate, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
   The enthusiasm of the MCA members was very real as they tried to drown the incessant shouts of their PKR rivals.
   Despite Dr Wan Azizah's win yesterday, it was obvious from the PKR's reduced majority that Barisan Nasional, in particular, the much-maligned MCA, had finally got their work together.
   Dr Wan Azizah's 5,379-vote majority was significantly lower than PKR's Lee Chin Cheh who won by 6,824-vote majority, less than a year ago in the 13th General Election (GE13).
   More telling from the outcome of the poll yesterday was the early estimate by observers that suggested BN's candidate Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun, who is also MCA vice-president, had garnered more than 25 per cent of the Chinese community votes.
   It was a relatively huge improvement from the estimated 10 per cent received from the community by the BN candidate Lee Ban Seng, also from MCA, in the GE13.
   Judging from the MCA's new vigour following its leadership change and the apparently positive response in the by-election, the party may probably be well on the recovery process after the nightmare of the general election's Chinese tsunami last year which reduced its electoral representation to merely seven parliamentary and 11 state seats.
   The positive advances by MCA in the by-election should also spell trouble for Pakatan as the die had been cast that the Chinese voters in particular are no longer buying the opposition coalition's sweeping accusations against the government -- lock, stock and barrel.
   Despite the much-hyped call for Reformasi 2.0 to protest against Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's five-year conviction for sodomy, this could mean that the public had gone weary of the conduct of Pakatan leaders, in particular, the PKR's engineering of the by-election itself.
   The statistics could not lie. Of the 39,287 Kajang voters, only 28,314 or 72 per cent of them bothered to vote in the PKR's engineered by-election as compared to 88.40 per cent in the GE13.
The percentage of voter turnout in Kajang yesterday was also the lowest among by-elections, post GE13, with Kuala Besut by-election recording 79.76 per cent and Sungai Limau, 85 per cent turn-out.
   It should be noted that the other two by-elections held in July and November last year, respectively, were held on a working day instead of a weekend, as in the case for Kajang yesterday.
   The situation may have been different if Dr Wan Azizah's plea for sympathy for her husband's legal issues was before the last general election, where she would probably receive an avalanche of votes.
   Bear in mind that the Kajang by-election was supposed to be Anwar's watershed moment in his quest for the seat of power in Putrajaya.
   Such a pyrrhic victory by his wife in a constituency which is now the bastion of Pakatan could very well mark the end of his life-long quest to be a prime minister.
   Anwar had obviously overestimated his popularity when he decided to proceed with the so-called "Kajang move", a misstep which in all likelihood will mark the end of his political relevancy.
   It would not be easy for him to retain his stature as the head of the opposition following his miscalculation which had also dealt a severe blow upon his allies.
   Pakatan leaders, such as DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang, had during the campaigning period repeatedly expressed his conviction that Chew would be totally crushed and even lose her deposit.
   It was a "loss of face" for the veteran politician for uttering such an arrogant remark as the voters, especially among the Chinese community who had overwhelmingly supported DAP and its allies during the general election last year, proved themselves to be more discerning this time.
   Whether Pakatan may recover from the setback will be a question to ponder for quite awhile, but what is certain is that Anwar's desperate attempt at stimulating his ebbing efforts for power had been dealt with a severe, if not fatal, blow by his own engineered by-election.

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Pray For The Safety Of MH370

Thoughts and prayers go out to the crew and passengers as well as loved ones who are still waiting. Someone contacted me today because of this article. He wanted to get in touch with my aunt. However, it was too sad for the family to talk about the incident again although it had happened so long ago.

I also met a stewardess, Rofidah Idris, at R&R Bistro today. On March 8, she was flying from Maldives to Kuala Lumpur while MH370 took off from Kuala Lumpur for Beijing.

Rofidah's husband, Md Saleh Md Sidek, a police inspector was with her at the bistro. He said although he is worried about his wife, he would never ask her to quit as his occupation, too, was in the high risk category.

"If things want to happen, it can happen anywhere," said Md Saleh.

at R&R Bistro in Johor Bahru

Over at Kajang, PKR's candidate, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail polled 16,741 votes and retained the Kajang state seat with a majority of 5,379 votes. Barisan Nasional candidate Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun obtained 11,362 votes. Only 28,314 voters or 72 per cent of total registered voters cast their votes. - an excerpt from NST online.

Thursday, March 20, 2014

"Attack On BN Candidate Shows Desperation"

On March 20, 2014

Shahrum Sayuthi
New Straits Times

‘PATHETIC’: MCA says Pakatan has nothing to use against Chew except baseless allegations

THE baseless attacks on Barisan Nasional candidate Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun are signs of desperation.

MCA deputy president Datuk Wee Ka Siong said accusations that Chew did not care about the interest of Chinese schools, for example, showed that the opposition “have nothing to use against her”.

“This is why they had dug up a 13-year-old issue involving the relocation of SJKC Damansara. I find this rather pathetic of them.

“Their intention is obvious. They want to paint a bad image of Chew.

“They are trying to score some political points despite the issue being resolved in 2008 and the committee, set up to protest the school’s relocation, had disbanded the following year.”

Wee said Pakatan leaders were not telling the truth when they told the Chinese community that the BN government aimed to close down Chinese schools in the country.

“These allegations are nonsense. The government has no intention of closing down Chinese schools. Instead, we are doing our best to assist them through grants and other allocations.”

Pakatan’s campaigning strategy has, of late, shifted to attacking Chew’s personality, including accusations that she did not prevent the relocation of SJKC Damansara that was demanded by some residents in 2001.

Chew had denied the allegations.

Wee yesterday visited the site of two new classroom blocks of SJKC Sungai Chua, which is undergoing construction.

Upon completion in June, the classrooms can accommodate more that 1,500 pupils in single- session classes.

Wee said the project, which cost RM3.7 million, was started in June last year despite BN losing in Kajang in the 13th General Election a month earlier.

“We (BN government) will never go back on our word.

“For us, a promise must always be fulfilled.”

For The Love Of All Things Indian

By CHUAH BEE KIM

BIG DEALS: Gear up for a colourful shopping spree at Global Indian Fiesta 2014

all pics by Malaysia-India Chamber of Commerce

JOHOR BAHRU: ONE need no longer make several stops at different places for Indian jewellery, accessories and hand-stitched embroidery -- at least, not during Global Indian Fiesta 2014.

A treasure trove of Indian products and food, the exhibition organised by the Malaysia-India Chamber of Commerce (Maicom) will be held at Galleria@Kotaraya, here, from Saturday to March 30, 10am to 10pm daily.

Maicom deputy president D.P. Ganapathy said local and overseas exhibitors would be setting up over 60 booths featuring textiles, saree, Punjabi suits, men's traditional attire, fashion accessories, cosmetics, spices and condiments.

There will also be North Indian sweets, Indian cuisine, Indian dishes, herbal products, interior decor and wooden and metal carvings.

Visitors will find products from Kashmir, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh.

Visitors will also be able to find foreign and local Indian products that are only available at the Global Indian Fiesta.

After Johor Baru, the event, which ended in Sungai Petani, Kedah, two weeks ago, will be making its way to Shah Alam, from May 23 to June 1.

"After Shah Alam, it will head for Penang, Ipoh and back to Kuala Lumpur for the Deepavali celebration in October.

"Among the entertainment highlights are singing performances, talk shows, games and talent quests," said Ganapathy.

For details, visit the Maicom Facebook page.

Maritime Courses

NIMT in Educity, Nusajaya

By CHUAH BEE KIM

From left: Prof John Chudley, Prof Mike Wilkinson, Prof Malek Pourzanjani and Captain Razali Yaacob.

JOHOR BARU: One thousand new students are expected to enrol at the Netherlands Maritime Institute of Technology (NIMT) Educity campus in Nusajaya when it opens in May.

Its president Prof Malek Pourzanjani said that number was expected to double by the end of the year at the institute, which has been built to accommodate 4,000 students.

Malek said this after signing a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with Southampton Solent University (SSU) deputy vice-chancellor Prof Mike Wilkinson at the NIMT City Campus at Galleria@Kotaraya, here, yesterday.

Also present were SSU Dean of Maritime and Technology Faculty Prof John Chudley and NIMT founder and managing director Captain Razali Yaacob.

The city campus began offering diplomas in Maritime Transport Management, Port Management and Shipping Management in May 2011. It currently has 620 students.

Malek said NIMT would offer programmes in Maritime Health, Safety, Security and Environment, Maritime Law and Logistics in September.

With the signing of the MoA, homegrown professionals and students graduating from the NIMT can now pursue degree and graduate qualifications from SSU in the United Kingdom.

NIMT academic programmes are designed by academicians and industry players to provide students with in-depth knowledge of the maritime industry, maritime transport and its interface with associate industries.

The signing of the MoA will see an exchange of students from both countries. Plans for a twinning programme are in the pipeline.

Malek said NIMT, a Malaysia-Dutch private educational collaboration, was in talks with several global partners for joint collaborations.

"We are selective about who we want to work with. The two global partners we are in talks with are in the United States, Canada and Australia," he said, adding that NIMT was also looking at the possibility of working with a group of universities.

Razali said NIMT would play a significant role in nurturing Malaysian maritime professionals to meet the increasing demand for such professionals in Johor, which has a burgeoning oil and gas industry, in Malaysia and worldwide.

"However, students lack awareness of what the maritime industry is all about," he said.

Razali said 97 per cent of what went into Johor came through the three ports -- Port of Tanjung Pelepas in Gelang Patah; Johor Port in Pasir Gudang; and Tanjung Langsat Port, which is between the first and second ports.

Wilkinson said it was the same in the United Kingdom, where 97 per cent of its imports also came by sea.

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

The Unending Debate

Hypocrisy of playing the racial card in Kajang

By Shahrum Sayuthi

How forcing this by-election could stop BN from employing the so-called racialist tactics has never properly been dwelled into but it is as clear as day that this ploy is Pakatan's way to win over impressionable moderates.

As Pakatan's tired script goes, only those in Pakatan are cool, genuine Bangsa Malaysia, while BN people are devoid of good traits and are just a band of racists.

On the ground, Pakatan's campaigning strategy reflects a totally different scenario.

While BN candidate Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun concentrated her campaign on providing good service as a wakil rakyat, the Pakatan camp had over the past few days resorted to attacking her personality as they tried to convince the Chinese in Kajang to despise her.

PKR vice-president Tian Chua started the ball rolling on Sunday when he resuscitated the issue involving the relocation of SRJK(C) Damansara in 2001, and accused Chew of not even lifting a finger to stop the decision when she was the then Petaling Jaya Utara member of parliament from 1999 to 2008.

Despite Chew's explanation on the rationale for the relocation and what MCA had done to protect the interests of the school and pupils, the attacks against her on the issue have persisted.

Yesterday, PKR's Simpang Pulai assemblyman Tan Kar Hing reiterated the accusation that Chew had not been concerned enough about Chinese schools.

It's a sweeping assumption, especially when Chew herself was educated in a Chinese school and even received her tertiary education in a prestigious university in Taiwan.

The 13-year-old SRJK(C) Damansara issue was again raised at Tan's press conference, with the opposition leader bringing in tow some Petaling Jaya residents who used to oppose the relocation of the school.

Present was Bock Tai Hee, the former secretariat chief executive officer of United Chinese Schools Committee Association of Malaysia, or better known as Dong Zong.

Bock, who is campaigning in Kajang for PKR candidate Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail insisted that the Chinese school system had been discriminated by the BN government.
Ironically, he could not defend his own stance.

When asked if there was any other country in the world with a Chinese school system other than Malaysia and China, Bock gave a resounding "no" for an answer.

Bock also admitted that even Singapore, with a high population of Chinese, had closed theirs down.
Yet, he insisted that the existence of Chinese schools in this country was because of the struggles of the Chinese community and that the BN government's ultimate aim was to close them down altogether.

Most unsettling was when Bock repeatedly referred to the national schools as "Sekolah Melayu (Malay schools)", which were purportedly given preferential treatment by the BN government,

It seems that people such as Bock and the Pakatan leadership had conveniently chosen to ignore the fact that Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also the deputy prime minister, had repeatedly promised that the government would never close Chinese schools.

Also, conveniently forgotten by them were the billions of ringgit spent by the Federal Government annually to assist Chinese schools in terms of teachers' salaries and other contributions for their upkeep.

They evidently will never let go of the Chinese school issue and will use it as fodder to stir up the sentiments of the Chinese community to go against the BN government.

The glaring question then pops up: so who is really playing the racial card?

I Love The Rain

By CHUAH BEE KIM

I am sure I do not need to tell you the title of the song, whose melody is simple yet infectious, and whose lyrics beautifully reflect life.
Last Saturday, Johor folk saw the rain again, if only for a little while. I'm not sure which parts of the state but in Johor Baru, where my office is, the sight, sound and smell of rain really made everyone's day, even though it was only for a very short while.
After all, it hadn't rained for about three months.
The fact that it started to rain after the long dry spell made us realise how we tend to take things for granted.
How we waste water when we wash our cars, or just let water leaks go unattended without any urgency to repair it.
Regarding the latter, there is a water leak in Susur 1, Jalan Tun Abdul Razak, which has been left unattended for months. I wouldn't be surprised if it is still leaking.
Fortunately, Johor did not have a water crisis, with the exception of Kluang where the residents' water supply came from the Sembrong Timur treatment centre.
Syarikat Air Johor Holdings (SAJ) had to introduce scheduled water supply exercises for the 150,000 residents there.
The move was implemented after the water level at the Semborang Timur river dipped to 0.2m, which was below the critical level of 0.5m.
The low level affected the output for the Southern Water Corporation treatment plant there.
The Semborang Timur Dam even went to as low as 0.1m at one time.
Some non-governmental organisations tried to help out by supplying water channelled from higher ground, and distributing the water to the villagers using a private tanker.
However, SAJ said this was not advisable as the water was not treated and could pose a threat to one's health or skin condition.
Then, on Sunday, it poured.
I usually carry an umbrella with me wherever I go but, due to the dry spell, I forgot to bring one when I went out that day, and so was caught in the rain.
However, I was happy and thankful for the rain.
A friend of mine who had been posted to Saudi Arabia told me that in that country, it's not only the children that come out and play in the rain. It seemed to him that people of all ages there would rejoice whenever it rained.
He said he had even come across people in Saudi Arabia who would stop their vehicles and get out just to touch the rain.
I have never been to Saudi Arabia, but I have heard about the dry spell in that country.
Last Monday, it rained again in Johor Baru. And again, as I am writing this. It is raining cats and dogs.
Now, instead of drought, one would be checking if there is any flash flood at flood prone areas.
In case you're still wondering about the title of the song, it is Let Her Go, by Passengers.

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

April 6: Cast Your Vote (If U Love Indonesia)

Pak Taufiqur

The Consulate-General of Indonesia in Johor Baru is ready for the 2014 Indonesian legislative election that will be held in Malaysia on April 6.

A total of 327,000 eligible voters in Johor, Malacca, Pahang and Negri Sembilan are urged to cast their votes on this day.

Consul-General Taufiqur Rijal said a team of close to 1,000 election helpers have been roped in to be deployed to the four states in 300 rented vehicles. They will leave the consulate office in Jalan Taat on April 5 to venture into oil palm estates and remote areas to reach out to eligible voters on April 6.

A week before April 6, the consulate office will also despatch 16,000 self-addressed envelopes for those who want to cast their votes by post.

On April 6, voters can also head to the consulate office or the official residence of the Consul-General in Taman Pelangi, Johor Baru, to cast their votes from 8am to 6pm.

I met Pak Taufiqur on Sunday, at an event called the "Pentas Menuju Pemilu". He took over from Jonas L. Tobing on Sept 1 last year.

Prior to his appointment as the Consul-General in the Johor Baru office, Pak Taufiqur had served in Sabah from 1991 to 1995 as the vice-consul. He was then posted to Kuwait from 1997 to 2001 as Head of the Consular Section, before helming the Consulate-General of Indonesia in Saudi Arabia from 2003 to 2007.

Meanwhile, the envoy is also waiting for the green light from both the Indonesian and Malaysian government to open a Sekolah Indonesia in Johor (most likely Johor Baru).

Currently, there are Indonesian schools in Kota Kinabalu and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.

Sekolah Indonesia will prepare schoolchildren for the Sekolah Dasar (primary), Sekolah Menengah Pertama (secondary) and Sekolah Menengah Atas (upper secondary) examinations.

As for the Indonesia Open University online courses, Pak Taufiqur said there are currently about 200 students in Johor pursuing degree and diploma programmes.

Monday, March 17, 2014

You Go Girl

The minister counsellor of the Consulate-General of Indonesia in Johor Baru, Djudjur S.H. Hutagalung (left) giving Shella Rini the thumbs up after she won the 2nd place in the public speaking competition on Sunday.

Called "Pentas Menuju Pemilu", the event was organised by Universitas Terbuka Pokjar Johor, and held at the Consulate General of Indonesia in Johor Bahru, a satelite office of the Indonesian Embassy in the southern region. The office is located at Jalan Taat, Johor Bahru.

A total of 9 Indonesia Open University students took part in the public speaking competition, organised in conjunction with the 2014 Indonesian legislative election that is happening in Malaysia on April 6. A total of 327,000 eligible voters in Johor, Malacca, Pahang and Negri Sembilan are urged to cast their votes on this day.

The Indonesian Consul-General Taufiqur Rijal (right) congratulates the champion Gupran, while Shella and 3rd place winner Surina, watches on.

Shella's first public speaking experience. The title of her talk "Semangat Nasionalisme".

That's me on the far left, feeling extremely happy and so proud of Shella. On the far right is Aarina Melinda Marzuki (wife of Djudjur S.H. Hutagalung) and next to her is Noranisa Wahid (wife of Taufiqur Rijal).

The judge for the public speaking competition was Andi Anto Patak, an undergraduate of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.

Sunday, March 16, 2014

To MK With Love

Everything happens for a reason. Last week, I called for a cab to come pick me up at home. The telephone operator was rude and so was the driver.

This Saturday, I decided to try Easy Taxi, a smartphone app that I downloaded. Booking a taxi was hassle-free and the charge was reasonable. Wow! I am now a fan of this service.

The cab took me to New Lucky Restaurant in Taman Sri Tebrau, Johor Bahru where I enjoyed a night of

great songs.

This is MK Ong and Shella singing "Top of the World".

gastronomic delights

This meal was an alluring appetizer. It's a rojak of duck meat, longan, mango and a variety of veggies.

priceless friendship

With MK, Fung Lee Jean and Tony Tan.

To MK with love. May you remain forever young, forever beautiful and always enjoy good health.

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Home Away From Home

Suzelah Ahmad, 41, who lives in Kulaijaya is the director of Human Resource at Thistle Johor Bahru.

By Chuah Bee Kim

I am passionate about our company's new training programme. It is called Our World Class Way and was specially designed for the Thistle Hotel in Johor Baru and Thistle Port Dickson Resort.

First, let me explain what each word of the programme means.

"Our" means "We", which includes everyone in Thistle Hotel, from the stakeholders to the entire team.

"World Class" means being the best in whatever we do and how we interact with our clients and stakeholders.

"Way" means our distinctive approach and style.

The Presidential Suite

The programme, which was mooted in the middle of last year, was unveiled two months ago.

The team is trained to customise their interaction with each guest, taking into consideration their needs and maximising their experience. This approach will leave an indelible impression on guests during their stay with us.

This helps us to develop the hospitality which is inherent our team naturally. We spent time focusing on our team's strengths, particularly as this is Visit Malaysia Year 2014. When we warmly greet our guests the Malaysian way, it is the start of Our World Class Way.

Our mission is not only to give our clients satisfaction, but also to improve the performance of each team member and make a difference in the hospitality industry.

The hotel industry in Johor has evolved from a corporate market to the corporate and leisure market, with the introduction of Hello Kitty Town and Legoland Malaysia Resort.

We have to ensure that the hotel industry can support the economic growth of Iskandar Malaysia.

For me, there is a difference between a nice hotel and a memorable one. My mission is to make Thistle a brand that people will remember.

Thistle, known for being a "resort in the city", has the amenities of a five-star hotel, but we need to provide unparalleled service to make every guest feel at home away from home. When I recruit team members -- I do not like to use the word "staff" -- I look for attitude and passion.

One must have passion, integrity and honour as these are positive attitudes. Other than these, the other virtues can be nurtured.

I love being in this industry. I have been with the company since February 2008, and I see myself growing with it for many years to come.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Precious Resource

Pic by Roslan Khamis

At the site of the water leak at Susur 1. Jalan Tun Abdul Razak, Johor Baru.

On a scorching day like this, the sight of water should evoke joy. This one raises concern. How many gallons of water have and will continue to flow down the drain before somebody does something about it?

Water Leak Causing Problems reported on Feb 25.

Edward Kollmer

Edward Kollmer, 44, is the general manager of Thistle Johor Bahru.

By Chuah Bee Kim

WHEN I am working, I don't perceive work as work. That is how much I enjoy my role. I strive to make improvements, big and small, as I believe there is always room for improvement. When I'm not at work, you will probably find me enjoying a game of golf. I also love travelling, as I find it is not only a form of recreation but also something that is educational.

I travel to London, my home base, four or five times a year. When I was growing up in Dublin, Ireland, my father owned a fine-dining restaurant. I helped out in the restaurant from the age of 6 till when I was about 16.

This was really tough as you can imagine. The business was very successful and I learned a lot, especially how to work hard and be part of something successful.

I graduated from Shannon College of Hotel Management and during the course, I worked in London. I then spent a year in Switzerland.

A scholarship from Cornell University enabled me to complete a Master's degree from the University of Buckingham in the United Kingdom.

Since then, I went on to work in numerous hotels and held many roles and business responsibilities before joining Thistle Hotels and Resorts in the UK in 2006.

Two years ago, I came to Thistle Johor Bahru and I must say that I am very proud of the fact that Johor Baru is a city that is currently experiencing rapid growth.

There is so much I can do here. I want Thistle to maintain its status as one of the leading hotels here. We are currently working with several government, corporate sectors and tourism boards to attract more tourists to Johor Baru.

With our continuous efforts in conducting "Our World Class Way" training for the entire team and extending the warm southern charm and Malaysian hospitality, it gives our guests a sense of feeling of being at home.

The past two years were exceptional years for Thistle Johor Bahru, the best ever.

I see this year as another splendid one as it is Visit Malaysia Year 2014 and we are seeing more business and leisure tourists from Singapore, Hong Kong and Indonesia.

The Malaysian greeting of placing one's hand over the heart, for example, is such a warm gesture and you will see the entire team doing that here. It truly reflects the Malaysian hospitality and guests usually reciprocate the same way.

Johor Baru has much to offer tourists, especially with the new development in Iskandar Malaysia and the Legoland Malaysia theme park. This motivates us all to ensure that we are at the centre of transformation.

Sunday, March 9, 2014

Pray

We need to move beyond talking and preaching and start PRAYING.

Pray consistently. Pray persistently. Pray for the salvation of others. Pray for clarity and wisdom. Pray for the strength to face whatever challenges you are facing.

I was in church today. I'm not a Christian, but I think the most important thing to do NOW is to pray.

I really enjoyed the sermon. The pastor talked about God opening doors for us, but our pride, behavior and attitude may have closed the door, denying ourselves the privileges and blessings.

I enjoyed the joke which the pastor shared about the two parrots where one was trained to say "Let's Pray". Yes, the parrot can only utter "Let's Pray", while another parrot had only been trained to say "Let's Get Married". One day the owners of these two parrots decided to get their pets together so that they can learn from one another.

When the meeting eventually took place, one parrot uttered "Let's Get Married" and the other promptly replied: "Prayers answered."

There was another joke he shared which I found was pretty funny too, but I shall leave that for another day.

Nothing was mentioned at all about the flight MH370 but as we all closed our eyes to pray, I'm sure many of us were sending prayers to the victims and loved ones of the passengers and crew.

When I read NST online today, I also came across this report where our Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had called on Malaysians to continue offering prayers and motivational support for families of passengers on board the missing Beijing-bound MH370 flight. The report was by Adib Povera.

I also read this Prayers for MH370 on http://bigcatrambleon.blogspot.com/ She said it so well here.

I've always been interested in faith and prayer. I don't really pray or chant consistently. I get lazy and also "hilang semangat" at times. But I do believe in the power of prayers. And it is essential to know what we are praying for.

Saturday, March 8, 2014

Chill With Avocado Juice

The "juice alpukat" (avocado juice) with ayam penyet at Ayam Penyet Ria in City Square Johor Baru was the highlight of the day. The avocado juice was so so so delicious.

I'm not working today. It didn't start out too well, but after hearing news about the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 that went missing after it left Kuala Lumpur earlier today, how bad could my day be?

Yesterday, my emotions went haywire. I handed a form to someone a few days ago. The form went missing. We both tried to remember that day but I only remembered up to the point where I handed her the form, and she only remembered up to the point where she received the form from me.

Whatever happened after that, neither of us could remember. I could have taken back the form after I had given it to her. I'm not saying I did that but I just couldn't remember. I also cannot say that she left it on her desk and someone took it away simply because I didn't see that. The wind could've blown it away. It could've gotten into one of the files. There are a few possibilities.

I wasn't angry because I can always fill up the form again. It wasn't a big problem.

But I needed to inform someone about the missing form. And this someone said this to me: "Let this be a lesson to you." He said that because he thought I didn't make a photocopy of it. But I had already made a copy.

Anyway, that one short sentence sent an avalanch of thoughts and emotions my way. Immediately, I switched to victim mode. Initially, there was no anger at all. But when the anger took over, I contemplated writing a nasty note. Something like this one, somehow I didn't know how to.

I only had this to say: "Saboteur, what do you get by taking my things except earn demerit points? I can always fill it up again. And I get merit points."

Quite nasty, right? :) Maybe I just didn't have the mean streak.

But all this was yesterday. Today, I don't see it as a personal attack anymore. I was expecting some understanding, some sympathy perhaps, and didn't see "Let this be a lesson to you" coming.

Today I just want to say "Sorry, I should have better control of my emotions."

David vs Goliah

08 March 2014

A tale of two campaigns

By Shahrum Sayuthi

THE end-lot terrace house near Pearl Avenue in Sungai Chua, which is MCA's main operations centre for the Kajang by-election, is a hive of activity from early morning till late night for the past weeks.    Yesterday, election workers, many in their early 20s, were seen arranging posters and party flags while others were briefing party members in the living room, which had been turned into a makeshift conference hall.
   On the wall outside, there were two buntings which have no direct political element, capable perhaps of attracting the immediate attention of visitors. One promotes an anti-dengue campaign while the other offers of free medical check-ups.
   At one corner of the porch, young party workers man a public services and complaints booth.
   Every few minutes, residents, many of whom are elderly, turn up to ask for help in matters ranging from clogged drains to loss of land title documents.
   The workers record the complaints before channelling them to party officials for action.
Barisan Nasional candidate and MCA vice-president Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun was, meanwhile, busy making her rounds in Kajang.
   Early yesterday morning, she had a walkabout at Pasar Pagi in Taman Ceras Mas, followed by an appearance at the education and career fair at Kompleks Metro Point. Later in the evening till late at night, she had meet-the-people sessions at several locations in Kajang.
   It is a typical MCA style of campaigning -- low key and down to earth with emphasis given to providing services for the people and keeping it all very community-oriented.
Chew's daily schedule mostly consists of visits to public places and functions in the daytime, and meeting voters in small groups in the evening.
   Not known for giving fiery speeches, she is calm and collected when she explains to those present at her meet-the-people functions about her plans if elected.
   She may not have the eloquence of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, PKR's candidate, but Chew holds the advantage when it comes to offering sensible touches to the campaign which is hotting up as nomination day on March 11 draws near.
   Perhaps her lack of aggressive posturing may even turn out to be the crucial ingredient, which could possibly turn the tide come polling day on March 23.
   Still, the underdog tag worn by Chew and the rest of the BN campaign crew seems to be obvious considering PKR's intense activities in Kajang since day one.
   Anwar, on the other hand, has obviously been preparing for the engineered by-election for quite some time as his party workers appeared to be well coordinated, down to the minutest details on how to carry out their campaign.
   Operating from a four-storey building in Sungai Sekamat, they appeared confident, particularly in winning an overwhelming bulk of votes from Kajang's Chinese voters in a repeat of the outcome of the 13th General Election in May last year.
PKR won the Kajang state constituency of more than 38,000 voters in that election by an almost 7,000-vote majority.
   Political observers estimated that up to 90 per cent of the Chinese voters in Kajang had given their support to PKR. Malays make up 48 per cent of the voters; Chinese, 40 per cent; Indians, 10 per cent; and others about one per cent.
   Anwar has, so far, been obvious about his campaign strategy; he is going all out for the Malay votes, believing that votes of the Chinese community are already in his pocket.
   Most of his scheduled ceramah, all the way to nomination day, are concentrated in Malay areas, where they draw a few hundred strong crowd per night.
   PKR's campaign in areas with a sizeable Chinese community has, so far, been led by its vice-president, Tian Chua, during the day.
   Anwar would, on most days, only turn up later in the evening, first for maghrib prayers at one of the mosques or surau in areas where there is a concentration of Malay voters, before proceeding to another venue nearby for his ceramah.
   While Chew may talk about improving healthcare services, traffic flow and basic needs of Kajang folk, the opposition leader mainly focuses on accusing the BN government of being responsible for all the problems afflicting Malaysian society.
   It is a total contrast between the two potential candidates in a contest, which could be dubbed David versus Goliath.
   The outcome, which will have far-reaching consequences, especially for Selangor, could, however, still go either way, depending on what the folk of Kajang want -- a good service-oriented wakil rakyat with a track record of hard work in her previous constituency in Petaling Jaya Utara, or a smooth-talking populist leader who fashions himself as the country's alternative prime minister.

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Fires To Put Out


Phones are ringing off the hook at the operations room of the Johor Fire & Rescue Services Department, says its assistant director (operations) Mohd Rizal Buang (standing)

There are lives to save and fires to put out everywhere. Owing to the current hot spell, Mohd Rizal shared with us that the department receives an average of 110 calls per day throughout Johor since the beginning of the year to now (Jan 1 to March 4). In the same period, there were 49 prank calls.

The telephone operators at the operations room hardly have time to go for their lunch breaks. So, please don't send the firemen on a wild goose chase. The telephone operators are divided into 3 teams of 5 staff each. One team will work from 8am to 8pm, another team from 8pm to 8am while one team gets to rest.

The department's priorities are to save lives, followed by buildings and the environment. Do call the operations room immediately when you spot a fire. Don't call out of boredom to chit-chat with the friendly firemen.

And if your vehicle were to catch fire --- there have been a number of cases of late due to the hot spell --- don't forget to also lodge a report with the fire department other than the police department. The fee for lodging the report, which is essential to claim for insurance, is RM100.

That's all for now. Weather's hot, drink lots of water to prevent dehydration. It's also a weight loss strategy.

Sunday, March 2, 2014

Touching Speech by Top Cop

His subordinate had prepared a speech for him, but Johor police chief Datuk Mokhtar Shariff refused to look at it --- not because it was badly written --- but because Datuk Mokhtar wanted to speak from the heart.

And the heartfelt words touched many hearts, mine included. The event took place at the Johor Baru Utara (JBU) police station in Skudai.

It was a ceremony to welcome the new JBU police chief Assistant Commissioner Khamsani Abdul Rahman and to bid adieu to the outgoing police chief Assistant Commissioner Ruslan Hassan, who has been promoted to Assistant Director of Management in Bukit Aman.

It was a bittersweet occasion, a teary day for the boys in blue.

Datuk Mokhtar said: "Policing, the landscape and public expectations have changed over the years and the police force cannot remain stagnant. There has to be transfers; and the sole intention of a police officer is to serve the rakyat.

"We need to remain united as there are plenty of kulit pisang

just lying in wait for the police to fall.

"We work day and night. We work 14 hours a day but when one crime happens, we get a lot of shelling, We just need to do our best, and leave it to Allah to do the rest."

with Johor top cop Datuk Mokhtar Shariff

The current staff strength of the state police force is 8,556. With Iskandar Malaysia undergoing massive development and robust growth, it looks like the police force certainly needs more manpower.

But apart from manpower, the vital ingredients of great performance are teamwork and a competent leader. One that leads by example, and cares about his men, like ACP Ruslan, and Datuk Mokhtar.

Ruslan said: "If you Datuk Mokhtar says I am brave, my men's bravery are beyond words."

Ruslan served in JBU for 7 years 4 months 3 days. He will be heading to Bukit Aman now that he has been promoted to assistant director of management.

All the best Tuan Ruslan and to his successor, Tuan Khamsani.

An Interview with Chew Mei Fun

'I am fighting for a cause'

By Shahrum Sayuthi and Adrian Lai

Chew Mei Fun

Question: You have been away from politics for quite some time after quitting your deputy minister and Wanita MCA chief posts in 2010. What has changed since then?
Answer: My feelings towards politics now are different compared with in 2008. After three years of rest and reflection, I think I have different views on politics. Now, I tell myself that as long as I'm doing something right, why be so worried?
Just say and do what you think is right. At the end of the day, if you are too worried about what people think of you or how they look at you, then you might be compromised.

Question: How do you plan to appeal to the voters in Kajang, as well as your party comrades on the ground?
Answer: We need to be sincere. We need to tell our comrades and friends what we're feeling. What is needed is for us to serve the people without fear or favour. At the same time, we need to take care of the sensitivities of all the ethnic groups.
The truth is, everyone loves peace and everyone wants peace. Everybody wishes that we can live in harmony and respect each other.
Somehow, there are extremists who are doing and saying things that are damaging to the country's unity. We need to face it and find out how to address it. Therefore, I think dialogue among the races is very important.

Question: Political observers have labelled you as the "underdog". Many of them feel that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is going to win. What is your view on this?
Answer: Everyone thinks that about me. I do think I am the underdog but I believe anyone can do it if they are fighting for a cause and deliver their message clearly. With my proven track record and how I have served people in the past, the Kajang electorate may give me a chance.

Question: As Barisan Nasional's (BN) candidate and a senior MCA leader, how well have you been received by Kajang voters since you started making your rounds?
Answer: I have been here (Kajang) for many days now. I shifted here after I was selected as the BN candidate. I walked around and talked to people. Of course, I feel the difference compared with in 2008.
However, even though I found the situation quite encouraging, I will never take this support for granted. All my time was filled up with programmes; I even found it difficult to take two hours off.

Question: In the last general election, there were reports that many Kajang MCA members had voted for the opposition. Will this trend continue?
Answer: This round might be different. I met some of our members during my programmes and they told me that things are different now. They said: "We want to support our party and we want to see our party reform and transform."
And, I believe this is the sentiment of all our MCA members. There are more than 4,000 MCA members in Kajang.
If everybody votes for BN, we will do much better. In the last election, only 18.8 per cent of the Chinese community here voted for BN. Many of our members didn't vote for BN that time. But, now, they are with me.

Question: Tell us about your day-to-day activities.
Answer: In the mornings and afternoons, I go to coffeeshops to chat with local residents. In the evenings, I attend Chinese gatherings. From 9pm to midnight, I mingle with Malays and give ceramah. In fact, (Umno information chief) Datuk Ahmad Maslan comes here every night to assist me with my campaign.
My campaign methods are different from Anwar's. He sends (the party's information chief) Tian Chua to the ground. Do you want to vote for his assistant or the candidate himself?
Anwar takes the people's support for granted. He thinks the Chinese community will definitely support him.
That's why he engineered this by-election, which is unnecessary. He is just trying to solve his party's internal problems. I think the Chinese people here are not blind. If you ask me, they are more critical than anyone else, besides being pragmatic voters.

Question: Why do you think it is important for the voters to give BN a chance to wrest Kajang?
Answer: This is a multiracial country. Whether we're in BN or the opposition, we need to adopt a multiracial approach to politics. Currently, the opposition in Selangor does not reflect that.
And, all 12 BN state assemblymen are from Umno. There are also no female representatives. Therefore, the voters here need to give MCA and me a chance to represent them.

Question: What if the Chinese community in Selangor has decided to regard DAP as their sole representative?
Answer: Here, in Selangor, DAP is part of the ruling government. The Chinese may choose to have DAP as their only representative but that's provided DAP does not do anything wrong.
Currently, DAP can't even stop PKR from doing what it wants. One should not put all the eggs in a single basket. You need to split your risks when you make investments. It is the same in politics.

Question: How do you think your Chinese education background will help you win over the voters and safeguard their interests?
Answer: No doubt, I am from the Chinese-speaking circle because I attended Chinese school. I even studied for my degree in Taiwan and pursued my Master in Chinese Studies at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman.
So, I understand the feelings of the Malaysian Chinese. But, I do believe that we cannot live in our own bubble. We need to reach out to others. As leaders, we need to bridge the gap between the ethnic groups. We need to bring them out of their circles.
If we don't do that, we won't be able to have a good platform to talk to each other. If you look at Malaysia now, even though we are a multiracial country, many Malays are still living in villages, the Indians in the estates and the Chinese in new villages.

Question: You mention that BN adopts a multiracial approach to politics and that this is the correct formula to govern the country. However, Pakatan, in particular DAP, propagates the same ideology. How are the coalitions different?
Answer: We are different because even though BN has three large race-based parties, we are able to agree to the concept of power-sharing, but at the same time keep our ethnic identities. Officially, we represent our own race and safeguard their interests.
If you look at things this way, BN is actually a multiracial alliance. It means that we can work together but, at the same time, not forget our identity.
However, even though DAP claims it is a multiracial party, it is obviously Chinese-based. That is how different we are. MCA founder Tun Tan Cheng Lock had once said that although we are a race-based party, we are moving forward with other political parties in BN (then known as the Alliance). The same cannot be said about Pakatan.
For example, when Anwar said he was contesting the Kajang seat, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said he was not informed.
I want to win this election not only for MCA but also for BN. If MCA is weak, it won't be good for BN. We need to work together and bring everybody together. Everybody must progress.

Question: That said, how will you rate your chances of winning at this juncture?
Answer: This is a "mission impossible" but we are fighting for a win. Last time, when we had the same dire situation in Ampang Jaya in 1989, we still managed to win the seat there.

Question: Tell us why Kajang voters should give you their votes.
Answer: First of all, you will be voting in a proper representative, not his assistant. Second, you are strengthening the opposition in Selangor. Third, you will be electing a person who can bring a lot of progress to Kajang.
Remember, Putrajaya is just 15 minutes away from here. The development of Putrajaya will spill into its surrounding areas. Besides, the PKR-led Selangor government is beset with problems. Why push the blame on BN when the prices of goods increase?
They (PKR) cannot even rationalise why the state leaders' salaries are higher than the prime minister's. On one hand, you criticise your opponents, but at the same time, you do the same thing, hoping people will not complain.

Question: The so-called Chinese tsunami last year caused MCA to lose badly, leaving it with only seven parliamentary and 11 state seats. Will a win in Kajang prove that Chinese support is swinging back to BN?
Answer: First of all, last year's loss was largely because of an urban tsunami, and not just a Chinese one. And, it has only been eights months since the 13th General Election. Our (MCA) new leadership has been in office for less than four months.
If you use the results of this election as a yardstick, it won't be fair. But a win for MCA will mean a lot for the party as it will receive a much-needed morale boost to continue its transformation. If we win, the Chinese voters in Kajang are sending out this message: "Do your best and don't disappoint us again".

Question: How long do you think is needed for MCA to pick itself out of the doldrums?
Answer: I think we need at least five to 10 years. It is not easy as we are going through a massive transformation.
Actually, we have many young people and all we have to do is make sure they have a platform to perform. We need the support of the younger leaders if we are to get through this process of transformation.

Question: What would be your message to the voters in Kajang, especially those who feel that you are being used as BN's sacrificial lamb in this by-election?
Answer: People keep asking me, Mei Fun, why do you let yourself become the sacrificial lamb?
Well, I tell them, you don't have to worry about me. I was a normal party member, then I became a member of parliament, then I almost lost my life (in an accident), became deputy minister, and then quit everything. I led an ordinary life, came back as an MCA vice-president and now, I'm going up against a titan like Anwar Ibrahim.
I think I've been through quite a lot and I just want to go in knowing I'm fighting for a cause and doing what I think is right. You don't have to worry about me. After many years in politics, I've learned that there's no point stressing over winning or losing. Just let things be.