JOURNEY OF MALAYSIANS
A PUBLIC LIFE THE FIRST MALAYSIAN CONSUL GENERAL IN MELBOURNE
MAJOR CHANGE IN MIGRATION CROSS CULTURAL RELATIONSHIPS DEMYSTIFYING POSTAL VOTING ELECTING YOUR A-TEAM DAVID TEOH
ISSN 2201 - 3016
9 772201 301002
ISSUE 03 FEB/MAR 2013
JOM Magazine
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Editor Joyce Ng Editorial Assistants John Ward, Josh Yu, Sonya Ong Design & Layout Wiriyak Suvanmani Advertising Officer Christina Soh Public Relations Clarice Chan, Pam Vasu Finance & Legal Eddie Lee, Josh Yu, Cheer Ray Ang Circulation Officers Jun Tan, Wei Liang Tan Editorial Contributors Clarice Chan, Trinity Chua, Joanna Loh, Honming Tung, Sumisha Naidu, Lianne Zilm Letitia, Julian Harding, Erick Ng, Andy Ellen, Ka Mun Ho, Eddie Lee, Cheer Ray Ang, Fern Yi Lim, Jasmine Saw, Ken Lin Ooi, AK7, Pam Vasu, Stan CH Lee, Veronica Hui Mei Lee, Julian CH Lee Photographic Contributors Josh Yu, Ian Tay, Eric Chiang, Lebin Teo, Lance Vun, Eddie Lee, Cheer Ray Ang, Charlene Chen, Jasmine Soraya, Julian CH Lee Website Designer Bei Xian Koh Videographers Josh Yu, Kenneth Leow, Emily Yii JOM would also love to thank everyone who has helped or supported and given us encouragement over the past months.
Advertise in JOM advertise@jommagazine.com.au ON THE COVER Dr. Mohamad Rameez Yahaya Photographed by Josh Yu
General inquiries contact@jommagazine.com.au Work experience/ internships JOM is recruiting and is looking to facilitate work experience or internship programs. Please email Joyce Ng at joyce@jommagazine.com. au for more information. Submissions JOM welcomes article, story, comic, joke and photo submissions. Please email your submissions to editor@jommagazine.com.au or for more information. JOM Magazine is published by JOM Media Printed by Forest Printing & Trading JOM is a bi-monthly magazine.Views expressed by authors are not necessarily those of the publisher. Copyright is reserved. Find us online Facebook www.facebook.com/jommagazineaus Twitter Jommagazine Youtube JOMmagTV Channel www.jommagazine.com.au
Difference The Malaysian General Election is just around the corner, and is a hot talking point amongst many Malaysians the world over. This much anticipated 13th general election is different and significant in a few ways, one being the recent announcement of postal voting being made available to many overseas Malaysians. Some patriotic (or rather, sceptical about electoral process) Malaysians have even decided to fly home from thousands miles away to cast a ballot paper. Thus this issue, we dedicate JOM to the election and to all overseas Malaysians who are taking a role in shaping Malaysia’s future. We also include a few other topics such as cross cultural relationships and differences between living in Australia and in Malaysia. Our ‘Malaysian Tales’ explores the story of the first Consul General for Malaysia in Melbourne, serving the Malaysian government of the day, and also the story of a prominent Melbourniun Malaysian Bersih activist; both of whom have made a difference to the Malaysian community in Melbourne, and possibly others in the world. So for those anticipating the looming election battle, all the best; for new students just arriving, welcome to the most liveable city in the world; and to our Chinese Malaysian readers, Happy Chinese New Year! Yours sincerely, Joyce Ng Editor
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CONTENTS
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10 JOM Picks 12 Upcoming Events 16 Inside Malaysian and Beyond News Corner Demystifying Postal Voting JomBalikUndi campaign Of Ballots and Battles Living in Malaysia vs Melbourne 24 Malaysian Tales Dr. Rameez Yahaya David Teoh 28 Culture and Art Cross Cultural Relationships, Street Photography 36 Down to Business Elect You Property Buying Team Migration matters Tale of Making Papparich 42 Styling Life The secret recipes, Melbourne CafÊ Picks Versatile Blazer The Darts Hype Melbourne Laneways Survival Tips in Melbourne 52 Talk, Think, Laugh Melbourne Living Mt Kinabalu We’re gonna pop some tags Message from the Malaysian Diaspora Casting my One Vote Kurang Manis Fun facts of Melbourne
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JOM’S PICKS
PHOTO PETER MOONEY
Madam Kay’s Platz 139 Londsdale St, Melbourne, VIC 03 9663 2603 Madam Kay’s Platz, a halal restaurant, is probably one of the most authentic and traditional Malay eateries you can find in Melbourne. Here you can find a wide range of Malaysian dishes but the one that will bring you the most nostalgia is probably their ‘nasi campur’ (mixed rice) which allows you to pick dishes you like with your rice at a good price! Other popular items include Nasi Ayam, Nasi Goreng Ikan Masin, Nasi Lemak and Nasi Goreng Kampung. The staff, smiling subtly and speaking with a Malaysian accent together, together with the scent and the food, make you feel like you are at home.
Run for the Kids 24 March 2013 Various times and locations www.runforthekids.com.au This event is organised to raise charity for the kids at the Royal Children’s Hospital. Not only will you raise funds, you will also make friends and find a good excuse to do some exercise for your own health. The long course is 15km whilst the short course is 5.5km. Join in and live up to the Melbourniun spirit and show them whatchu got! Online entries close on 8 March 2013 and postal entries close on 1 March 2013.
PHOTO CATCH WILLIAMS
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang & Jersey Boys http://www.showbiz.com.au/ One of the items that should be on your to-do-list in Melbourne- the famous art and cultural city- is possibly to watch a stage show at the Princess or Her Majesty’s Theatres. Be captivated by the performers, sensational settings, stunning special effects and memorable classics. Now playing in Melbourne are Jersey Boys (until the 14th April) and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (until the 24th February). Coming in June this year is King Kong! Tickets are already on sale.
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JOM’s Picks
Lucas Paw Paw Ointment Available at most pharmacies One of our staff has tried many different lip balm products in Melbourne and this is what she recommends the most. It is only $4 a tube. Why not give it a go?
WRITES SONYA ONG
TEN OF:
Melbourne Music Festivals An urban Australian summer is usually abuzz with summer events, parties, carnivals, concerts, open-air cinemas, and heaps free BBQs. This edition we put together a list of music festivals around Melbourne – of various genres, most of which are outdoors and some are free – which you should totes catch before life gets serious and winter comes back to chill your bones. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
25 JAN–17 FEB THE GARDEN PARTY http://thegardenparty.info/ Genre: Indie, Electro, Soul Line-up: Hiatus Kaiyote, Little Bastard, Van She, Gurrumul, Gossling etc. Music starts late afternoon until night time with food, drinks and deck chairs – perfect for balmy summer nights. 2-10 FEB ST KILDA FESTIVAL *free http://www.stkildafestival.com.au Genre: Acoustic pop, Indie, Ska, Local Line-up: Oh Mercy, The Cat Empire, Pez etc. Festival music is on Sundays. Go early to play games, win things before the live music starts. 3 FEB ST JEROME’S LANEWAY http://melbourne.lanewayfestival.com. au Genre: Indie rock, Indie folk, Indie Pop, Indie Dance Line-up: Alt-J, Of Monsters & Men, Flume, Kings of Convenience etc. Wear old loafers and vintage-tortoiseshell-half-framed-sunnies & you’ll fit in just fine. 8 FEB GOOD LIFE http://www.goodlifefest.com.au Genre: Dance, Club, Techno, Pop Line-up: Steve Aoki, PSY, Rita Ora, Dizzee Rascal etc. An event strictly for Under-18s only. If you’re older than 18 and want to catch these artists, check out Future Music Festival (below).
13-23 FEB MELBOURNE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA *free http://www.mso.com.au/whatson/2013/sidney-myer-free-concerts/ Genre: Classical Line-up: Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Hosted by the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, playing classical pieces of Rachmaninoff, Dvorak, Beethoven and Bartók. 1 MAR SOUNDWAVE FESTIVAL http://soundwavefestival.com Genre: Rock, Heavy Metal Line-up: Metallica, Linkin Park, Paramore, Blink 182 etc. 2013 is supposedly the largest line-up to date. Tickets were sold out minutes after they were released. So your only hope is maybe a friend of a friend who doesn’t want to go anymore, or eBay, or catching the sideshows. 3 MAR BRUNSWICK MUSIC FESTIVAL *almost free http://www.brunswickmusicfestival. com.au Genre: Folk, World, Blues, Roots Line-up: Chris Smither, Shaking the Tree, Bill Jackson Trio etc. Part of the Sydney Road Street Party. Buy tickets for more than 3 shows and get a discount, or check out the free street events. 8-11 MAR PORT FAIRY FOLK FESTIVAL http://www.portfairyfolkfestival.com Genre: Folk, Roots, Blues, Jazz Line-up: Glen Hansard, Kate MillerHeidke, The Bedroom Philosopher
Held in the Port Fairy village of south-west Victoria, this festival features international and local artists performing, hosting workshops, classes, talks, dancing, comedy and more. 9-11 MAR GOLDEN PLAINS LUCKY SEVEN http://2013.goldenplains.com.au Genre: Rock, Folk, Electronic Line-up: Cat Power, Purity Ring, Flume etc. Another weekend campout festival – make sure to pack a good tent, warm bedding and water proof clothes. Melbourne’s weather is as fickle as fickle can be. Oh, and good company too. 10 MAR FUTURE MUSIC FESTIVAL http://www.futuremusicfestival.com. au/ Genre: Dance, Club, Electro Line-up: Avicii, Steve Aoki, Bloc Party, Azealia Banks, Fun, PSY etc. “Day of the Dead-Set Awesome” The adult version of Good Life. Go with good vibes, come back with good vibes. *Bonus #11, to make up for in case you miss the ones in February. 26-28 APR APOLLO BAY MUSIC FESTIVAL http://www.apollobaymusicfestival. com Genre: Jazz, Blues, Roots, Funk Line-up: Sandi Thom, Turin Brakes, King of the North, Chase the Sun etc. A largely community based festival – with music, food, craft stalls, buskers etc.
Like writing lists? Write to us at editor@jommagazine.com.au JOM’s Picks
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UPCOMING EVENTS
FEBRUARY
13th, 16th, MSO Free Concerts 20th, 23rd 7.00pm, Sidney Myer Music Bowl http://mso.com.au/whats-on/2013/sidney-myer- free-concerts/ The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra presents several Melbournian concerts featuring some of the best talents in Australia. 9th – 24th
2013 Australian International Airshow 1st : 2.00pm – 9.00pm 2nd – 3rd : 8.00am – 6.00 pm Avalon Airport http://airshow.com.au Be thrilled and awed by the serial displays at the airport. The event showcases the best of the engineering world in the sky.
1st – 17th
Melbourne Food and Wine Festival Various times and locations http://melbournefoodandwine.com.au Titillate your tastebuds, and be inspired by the gastronomical experience at the assortment of masterclasses and markets.
8th – 11th
Moomba 2013 Various times Alexandra Gardens/ Birrarung Marr/ Yarra River Moomba is the largest community festival in Australia and is one of Melbourne’s favourite events.
14th – 24th
23rd Melbourne Queer Film Festival (MQFF) MQFF is the biggest and longest running queer film festival in Australia, and screens the best in queer film from Australia and around the world.
14th – 17th
2013 Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix Thurs- Sat : 10:30am - 8pm Sun : 10:30am - 9pm Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit http://grandprix.com.au/splash Watch the intense action as the rubber hits the road. Overhead, be awed by RAAF jets and Roulettes as their breathtaking stunts fill the skies above.
20th – 24th
Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show 9 – 5pm, Royal Exhibition Building & surrounding Carlton Gardens http://melbflowershow.com.au/ Expect to marvel at spectacular floral and landscape displays, be inspired about artistic garden design ideas, smell the latest fragrance of rose hybrids, discover new and rare plants for sale, see the latest and extensive array of garden-themed products or just soak in the picturesque setting and entertainment on offer.
Event Calendar
PHOTO BY NEKONOIR
1st – 3rd
PHOTO BY N.HEWSON
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Sustainable Living Festival Various times and locations http://festival.slf.org.au Explore what it really means to go green be part of Victoria’s largest sustainable living festival. PHOTO BY J.MARROW
MARCH
Events
FEBRUARY 18th Feb 7th April
MARCH
Malaysian Games 2013 Various times and locations Federation Square http://www.malaysiangames.com.au This annual event selects the best Malaysian athletes Malaysian to represent Victoria in precedence to MASCA’s annual National Conference and Games (NCG), while promoting a healthy lifestyle as well as fostering closer bonds among Malaysian student participants. Orginised by Malaysian Students’ Council of Australia (MASCA), Victoria. 18th February - Registration opens 5th April - Opening/Official draw ceremony 6th & 7th April - Games 7th April, 5-7pm - Closing ceremony
6-7th
UMNO Cup Melbourne http://kuamuniti.com/v2/ An annual football tournament open to all Malaysians in Australia. Organised by Kelab UMNO Melbourne (KUAM).
9th
Malaysian Welcoming BBQ Melbourne http://kuamuniti.com/v2/ A Malaysian gathering welcoming newcomers to Melbourne in an Aussie way! Organised by KUAM.
10th
MoMu Welcome BBQ Flagstaff Gardens www.facebook.com/momumomu One of the largest Malaysian student societies, Malaysians of Melbourne University (MoMu), welcomes everyone to join their warm and free gathering – also in an Aussie way.
17th
MoMu & RUMA Beach Outing www.facebook.com/momumomu Free event for members of MoMu & RUMA (RMIT University Malaysian Association) to get together and have fun at the beach.
23rd
MoMu Social Night (to be confirmed) www.facebook.com/momumomu
16th
Fiesta Malaysia 2013 9pm – 5pm Federation Square http://www.fiestamalaysia.com.au One of the biggest Malaysian cultural events in Melbourne, promoting Malaysian food and culture! Free admission for everyone. Organised by MASCA Victoria.
Events
Event Calendar
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NEWS CORNER WRITES TRINITY CHUA
Tilted playing field for blue-collar workers Many workers- both foreign and local- shouted for joy when a blanket minimum wage was implemented at the start of this year, escalating their previous monthly wages by 30 to 50 per cent. This joy, however, was cut short following a new cabinet ruling to shift foreign workers’ levy to be paid by foreign workers themselves instead of their employers. Each of them will now have to pay between RM34.16 to RM154.16 a month each from their new wages. Malaysia’s largest labour group has lashed out that the new levy on foreign workers is discriminatory to the migrant blue-collars. Malaysian Trades Unions Congress (MTUC) said the new levy defeats the purpose of implementing a blanket minimum wage which was intended to show that Malaysia does not practice discrimination against foreign workers.
for all citizens. However, she failed to present any concrete plan on how the proposed corporate tax hike can be implemented. Malaysia’s corporate tax is currently at 25%. It was 26% in 2009 and 27% in 2008. Economists have said Bawani’s free education dream is not far-fetch if the government cuts off the “free tyres and cash reward [e.g. RM100 to school children].” Another option, they said, is to slash down the defense budget. However, in the long run, local economists warned against providing a blanket free education system. Chief Executive of Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS), Wan Saiful Wan Jan said the country’s deficit budget will sky rocket. He also argued that education is the responsibility of the individual and their parents, not the government alone.
On the other end, employer groups smiled at the new ruling, saying it will boost job opportunities for local workers and reverse an annual RM2 billion cash outflow. Employers heaved an euphoric sign of relief since the RM2 billion levy yearly has been a huge strain on employers, that in turn, will cushion the damage on employers from the new minimum wage. Malaysia’s workforce is made up of four million foreigners from the total of 13 million workers. The bulk of the foreign workers are employed in blue collar jobs such as construction and plantation. Source: MalaysianInsider
Sources from the Sun daily and Free Malaysia Today. Psy as political mascot Korean superstar, Psy will perform his famous “Gangnam Style” dance at an event organized by the ruling coalition where the party hopes to connect with young voters as election looms. Psy, who made history when his hit “Gangnam Style” became the most watched video on YouTube, will perform at a Chinese New Year party in Penang on February 11, hosted by Barisan National. The coalition hopes to attract more than 60,000 people in the event. The event organizers could not disclose the cost of the lunar new year’s event. Source: Malay Mail
PHOTO COURTESY OF MALAYSIAKINI
Free education back on national debate After a series of scandalous verbal cat-fights between local double-degree student, Bawani KS and a forum moderator, Sharifah Zohra Jabeen Syed Shah Miskin that took place from university’s hall to YouTube, the issue of free education has once again resurfaced in Malaysia. Bawani, supported by a number of vocal university student groups, said that the government should raise corporate tax to fund for free education from primary to tertiary level
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Inside Malaysia and Beyond
Banks adjust lending patterns as election looms With the toughest election on its way and uncertainty of the global economy, Malaysia’s banks are reported to have to go the extra mile to maintain earning levels. Many analysts have predicted that loan growth will slow down in 2013. Alliance Research Sdn Bhd showed that loan growth will go down to seven to nine per cent in 2013 compared to 2012’s 11 per cent and 2011’s 13.6 per cent. Consumer activities, followed by bank lending, could be largely affected by the possibility of new taxes and higher utilities tariffs after the elections.
In contrast, private firms who are looking to benefit from the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP), a government initiative intend to double per capita income by 2020 and create 3.3 million new jobs by encouraging private sector investments in key areas, might help boost banks’ growth. The firms will be looking to the banks to help finance their participation in state-backed projects. While banks will be seeing a low growth 2013, economists suggest that the economic development in Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam holds a promising market for Malaysian banks for outside investment. Source: BorneoPost Identity card and citizenship blunders There are 600 identity card numbers that are shared by more than one person, reported an official from the National Registration Department (NRD). However, NRD has denied that MyKad was ever issued to foreigners. A few Pakistani and Indian immigrants testified in a royal inquiry on illegal immigrants that they obtained the MyKad either from runners or from NRD directly after living in Sabah, Malaysia for a few years. Another Indian immigrant said he got his citizenship without any supporting documents presented to the NRD. By national law, one has to be a permanent resident for more than 12 years and lived in Malaysia for more than 10 years to become a citizen. In the last month, the country’s longest serving Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was accused of allegedly spearheading a move in 1976, dubbed “Project IC” to offer citizenship to immigrants in exchanged for their votes. Mahathir stressed the Sabah foreigners who received citizenships were “within the law.”
remembered as the year Malaysia, or at least its food, took over the city. At least ten Malaysian restaurants have opened in the Melbourne region last year. In Flemington alone, there were five new Malaysian restaurants. Papparich alone opened five stores in the last year, making it the fastest expanding food outlet chain in Melbourne in 2012. New communication platforms and devices for Malaysians Apart from JOM magazine, there seems to be growing interest in seeking to communicate to one of the largest migrant communities in Melbourne. This includes an iPhone app called ‘Malaysians in Melbourne’ expected to be launched soon, and ‘Perantau’ by Kelab UMNO Melbourne, which is to provide a guide for Malaysian students and is expected to be launched in March 2013. Postal Voting and Jom Balik Undi For the first time in history, postal voting for Malaysians other than public servants and full time students will be allowed, with registration commencing 21 January 2013. To date, there have been over 1000 Malaysians who have registered to be postal voters. However, for some people postal voting is not enough. Jom Balik Undi is a campaign started by Malaysians in Australia to encourage Malaysians to go back home to vote. Their Facebook site has exploded, growing from 50 to over 2500 ‘likes’ and with over 15,000 users ‘talking about this’ just in a week. The campaign has managed to garner support from Air Asia X, which will offer registered voters from Australia, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and China (Chengdu, Hangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing) special promotions to fly home to vote.
Also in the 1970s, 73,000 Filipino refugees were allowed to settle permanently in Sabah on the condition they were genuinely “displaced persons” and were Muslims. Sources: The Malaysian Insider and BorneoPost
PHOTO MELISSA AZLEEN
2012 –The year of Malaysian restaurants In the Melbourne culinary world, 2012 may well be
Inspiring the kids of Southeast Asia Feeling privileged about their lives and wanting to make a difference, a group of Malaysian students pioneered a successful inspirational camp, called InspireSEA, for a remote school in Malaysia in late December last year. Organised by MInspire, an arm under MASCA Victoria (Malaysia Australia Student Council of Australia, Victoria), the aim of the camp was to help students develop thinking skills, be more outspoken and excel academically. More of such projects will be developed by MASCA for the semester breaks, according to the organisers. semester breaks, according to the organisers.
Inside Malaysia and Beyond
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PHOTOGRAPHS IAN TAY
Demystifying Postal Voting WRITE JOANNA LOH & HONMING TUNG
On the 21st of January 2013, the Election Commission (EC) announced that all overseas Malaysians could register as postal voters, provided they met several conditions as outlined in Box 1. This was a much-anticipated move, after the EC announced on August 2011 that postal voting rights would be extended for all, not just for full-time students, the military and government servants. This brings the postal voting regulations more in-line with article
119.1(1(b)) of the Malaysian Constitution that states that ‘every citizen who is a resident of a constituency… or … an absent voter, is entitled to vote in that constituency in any election to the House of Representatives or the Legislative Assembly…’. Postal voting is hardly a new development for Malaysia’s regional peers, as the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand all have postal voting practices in place.
Conditions to be able to register as a postal voter. 1. 2. 3. 4.
A Malaysian citizen Already a registered voter Resides overseas except in Singapore, Southern Thailand provinces (Narathiwat, Pattani, Yala, Songkhla and Satun), Brunei and Kalimantan, Indonesia Has resided in Malaysia for a cumulative 30 days in the past 5 years before the date of dissolution of the current Parliament and State Assemblies
* Apply via Form 1B via this link (includes how-to guide): http://tinyurl.com/form1B ** Borang A may still be valid for students/government servants/members of the military who have yet to register as voters in Malaysia. How-to guide here: http:// tinyurl.com/formAguide. However, it may take 3-6 months before the applicant gets onto the electoral roll. *** Check if you are registered as an overseas voter: http://daftarj.spr.gov.my/UpdateKPLUAR/ This move is notable, given that in less than 4 months from the writing of this article, Malaysia is due for her 13th general election. All indications are that this battle between the ruling coalition, Barisan Nasional (National Front) and the Opposition coalition, Pakatan Rakyat (the People’s Pact), will be the tightest yet and victory for Barisan Nasional is not the certainty it has been in the past. Although Barisan Nasional has formed the ruling government of Malaysia ever since Malaysia gained independence on 1957, it did not manage to garner a twothirds majority in the previous federal elections in 2008. Malaysians have also become increasingly aware and vocal about issues pertaining to Malaysia, including the electoral process itself which has been subject to significant public scrutiny in recent years. This push for greater public scrutiny has given rise to malaysia’s Bersih movement. The Bersih movement is a campaign for clean and fair elections in Malaysia and its popularity has been steadily increasing. A rally organised by the opposition in January this year was also attended by over 70,000 Malaysians in Kuala Lumpur. In addition to the growing influence of the Bersih movement in Malaysia, the clout of overseas Malaysians is another force to be reckoned with in the call for electoral reform. According to the most conservative World Bank estimates there were at least 800 000 Malaysians living abroad in 2010. Indeed, as Wong Chin Huat, a political scientist and steering committee member of Bersih opines, permanently overseas Malaysians are still stakeholders in Malaysia’s future, as they still contribute, more than any other foreigners, via remittance, tourism revenue,
investment and transfer of technology. There has also been a visible overseas Malaysian community advocating for postal voting rights for overseas Malaysians, such as MyOverseasVote and the JomBalikUndi (Let’s Return to Vote) project. The participation of overseas Malaysians in this coming general election via postal voting can have far-reaching consequences. Bala Chelliah, a Malaysian who is returning home to vote in Malaysia from Geneva, feels that the overseas Malaysian community should come alongside other Malaysians in carrying out their duties as responsible citizens. This is because it will encourage other Malaysians who have yet to commit themselves to voting in this current general election to participate, and also lay the groundwork for increased participation in subsequent elections. Furthermore, their participation will support the great amount of effort already expended by several civil societies to secure the right to cast a postal vote, and for clean and fair elections. It may even make a difference in marginal seats, should sufficient overseas Malaysians participate in this current general election. But why did the EC take one and a half years to implement the postal voting process? The logistical gymnastics required to implement postal voting was initially deemed to be unreasonable given the low number of registered and traceable voters (estimated 25,000), and high costs for delivery. For example, each ballot paper mailed to the United States allegedly costs US$70 (RM210) with an additional $5 for distribution throughout the country.
Inside Malaysia and Beyond
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PHOTOGRAPHS IAN TAY
However, Wong Chin Huat pointed out that the main cost of the process was in the establishment of the mechanism i.e the voting centre. Therefore, the marginal cost for any additional voter is low- running the postal voting process for 500 Malaysians or 5,000 Malaysians may not make much difference in cost. In any case, this is no longer an issue as the budget of RM 700 million requested by the EC for postal voting implementation was passed in July
2012. It is a significant jump from the RM 40 million for the previous general election’s budget allocation. The remaining time from July 2012 until the 21st of January 2013 was spent implementing minor amendments to the current laws, and to “finalise the policy, planning logistics, labour and financial provisions to implement the system effectively”, according to the EC Secretary Datuk Kamaruddin Mohamed Baria in the Sun newspaper.
Description of the postal voting process 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
The ballot papers will be printed after the nomination day, and sent to their respective countries. These should reach within the two weeks between the nomination and Election Day. The dates for postal ballot paper pick-up in respective overseas EC representatives will be announced on the Election Commission website. Postal voters are expected to pick up their individual ballot papers from their respective overseas representatives themselves, bringing either their identity card or original passport as proof of identity. If the postal ballot paper is collected on the designated voting day, they can cast their vote there and then at their overseas EC representative. Alternatively, postal ballot papers can be picked up on days other than the designated voting day. However, the voters must mail their ballot papers to the overseas voting department in the Malaysian EC themselves. All postage costs are to be borne by the voter, and must reach before 5 p.m. of the Election Day in Malaysia. All postal votes will be collated in the overseas voting department of the Malaysian EC. These ballot papers will be then mailed to their respective constituencies for counting alongside the other regular ballots.
Amidst all of the work being undertaken to prepare for the next election, there has been considerable angst between the EC and NGOs advocating election transparency and postal voting. The EC has been viewed as colluding with the incumbent government, and deliberately ‘dragging its feet’ in implementing postal voting. For example, a
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Inside Malaysia and Beyond
spokesperson from JomBalikUndi Singapore cited the exclusion of Malaysians residing in Singapore from postal voting as a move to remove the influence of this group who may negatively affect the chances of the incumbent government to retain power. Bersih 2.0, in a memorandum on the 6th February, says that the requirement that
Malaysians must show they have visited the country for at least 30 days in the five years before an election date is announced, is unnecessary. On the other hand, the EC has felt that they have been putting in their best efforts, only to be met by relentless criticism from these NGOs. Also, the NGOs have been more visibly supported by the Opposition,
Rally organised by the opposition on the 12th January 2013 in Kuala Lumpur. Photographed by Eric Chiang.
further polarizing the two sides. Malaysians residing in Singapore, Kalimantan, the southern Thai provinces, and Brunei, are not allowed to cast a postal vote, as the EC feel that Malaysians in these countries should be able to return to Malaysia given their proximity. However, this may pose a considerable logistical challenge as the Malaysian general election dates are typically announced only two weeks before the election itself, during the dissolution of the Parliament. This may not be enough time for Malaysians residing in these areas to organize leave from work and transport back to their respective constituencies in Malaysia to vote. For example, there are at least 385 979 Malaysians residing in Singapore, according to 2010 World Bank estimates. The Bersih Singapore movement has organized a car-pooling service to encourage Malaysians in Singapore to return to West Malaysia to vote. During the writing of this article, 200 people have signed up to participate in this car-pooling initiative. In addition, the AirAsia X CEO, Azran OsmanRadi, announced on the JomBalikUndi Facebook page that registered voters will be offered low-fare tickets from Air Asia X destinations which include Australia, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and China (Chengdu, Hangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing). There has been some doubt regarding the integrity of the postal voting system. MyOverseasVote has expressed its disappointment that there have been no official mechanisms to keep postal voting in check, such as appointing agents from each political party to observe postal voting. Currently, they are recruiting volunteers to observe the conduct of postal voting in Malaysian overseas. The Bersih 2.0 Steering Committee in their memorandum also invites all political parties to nominate postal voting agents and election observers for all overseas polling stations. Given this uncertainty, both MyOverseasVote and JomBalikUndi advocate for overseas Malaysians to return to the country to vote if possible. If Malaysians overseas who are registered voters are unable to return home, they are encouraged to register as postal voters to minimize the
occurrence of phantom voting in their absence. The EC has also undertaken several measures to curb postal ballot tampering, as corroborated by NGOs like MyOverseasVote and Global Bersih. In efforts to clean up the electoral roll, the EC deputy chairman Datuk Wira Wan Ahmad Wan Omar has also encouraged households to check the electoral roll, to report any discrepancies so that the EC can make the necessary changes. From our personal experience, we have found that both the EC and the Malaysian missions have endeavoured to be as helpful as possible in our attempts to register as voters. Unfortunately, there is possibly a lack of communication between the EC and their overseas representatives, as the Malaysian missions are not kept up-to-date with the latest developments by the EC. This has made registering as a postal voter via consulates initially somewhat difficult, until the introduction of form 1B which allowed individuals to directly liaise with the EC to register as a postal voter. So far, we have found the efficiency of the EC team in charge of receiving form 1B and answering queries to be commendable. Up until the middle of January, over 1000 postal voting applications had been received by the EC via form 1B, although we were unable to procure official figures from the EC. Unfortunately, voters applying via form A will take 3-5 months to get onto the electoral roll as the roll is only verified every 3 months. Given the projected growth of the number of postal voters, it will be interesting to see how the EC will coordinate their postal voting machinery with their overseas representatives, given our previous experiences.
Celebrating Malaysia Day in Kuala Lumpur in 2011. Photo obtained from Flikr, by Esharkj.
Although the situation may be less than ideal, it is heartening to see the community of overseas Malaysians moving away from mere ‘click’ activism in the advent of social media to making the effort to register as postal voters, and even for some, who are flying home to cast a ballot paper. It is also encouraging that a Malaysian authority has responded to the wishes of Malaysians, and we certainly hope for Malaysian bureaucracy to be further oriented to the needs of the people. Come what may, perhaps the 13th Malaysian general election will be Malaysia’s coming-of-age as her people lay claim to the ownership of Malaysia’s future.
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Malaysians abroad from different cities all over the world have written in to express their hopes, desires and even decisions to fly home to vote via the socialmedia campaign, JomBalikUndi. It is expected that Malaysians from all over the world will be travelling home by car, bus and plane to take part in this significant election. The campaign has even garnered support from Air Asia X, which has announced that they will offer discounted tickets for designated cities. For more info: http://www.facebook.com/JomBalikUndiMalaysia Photos by JomBalikUndi
Stay or Go? Sumisha Naidu compares living in Melbourne to Malaysia. For many Malaysians studying in Australia, there’s one question that will grow in the back of your mind as you enter your final year of study – should you stay in Australia or should you go home? Others make up their mind about this even before arriving down under, while some have no intention of ever staying here at all. Whatever decision is made, it’s a very personal one. But it’s hard not to compare the two countries when you’re trying to make up your mind. Take these differences: 1. THE WEATHER Melbourne’s renowned for having “four seasons in one day”. Even the hottest summer day can end with a freezing night. For Malaysians who are used to constant, tropical warmth, this change of climate can be a jarring one - and for some, can even be a deal breaker. But for others, it is the cool breeze and the unpredictability that makes Australia’s weather so exciting. No more three showers in a day, no more having to sit in air-conditioned rooms for hours on end, and no more driving all the way to Genting for a “winter” holiday! 2. THE FOOD We Malaysians love our food. Especially when it’s cheap and available at 3am in the morning. If there’s a giant TV screen and some stray cats running around, even better. Australia may not be able to deliver in terms of ambience (too many health regulations!), but it actually does pretty well in terms of catering to the culinary needs of the Malaysian diaspora. I mean, come on, if you’re craving a roti canai or a milo ais, there are places you can go to get them. And that’s something you won’t be able to find in every other country. That being said, if you’re a Ramli Burger Special or a chilli pan mee kind of person, Australia may disappoint. After all, Melbourne may offer a huge range of food from Ethiopian to Greek, but it can’t have everything, right? 3. THE CULTURE This is probably one of the biggest differences between Malaysia and Australia. Take for example the different ways people in each country choose to spend their free time. While many Malaysians enjoy eating or “lepakking” at shopping malls, in Australia you’ll find there’s a bigger drinking culture and more time dedicated to sport and other outdoor activities.
about different lifestyles and viewpoints, Malaysia has more traditional, and some might say conservative values. But who’s to say you can’t retain your Malaysian values even in Australia? And if what’s been going on in the civil society and political front is anything to go by, we can’t really generalise all Malaysians as being conservative either. 4. THE PEOPLE Unless you’re lucky, no matter which country you move to, you’ll have to leave friends and family behind when you pack up and leave to go overseas. For some, that’s a point of difference between Australia and Malaysia that’s too hard to ignore. After all, what’s life without the people you love in it? For others, summer vacations and annual leave spent visiting home is enough to get them through the years apart. There are always opportunities to forge new relationships in Australia that could grow as solid as the ones from back home. 5. “QUALITY OF LIFE” Finally, we come to a term often used to describe Australia – even by Malaysians who’ve never set foot here themselves: “better quality of life”. The question is, how do you measure quality of life? If we are looking at this from a financial standpoint, undeniably, Australia is a richer country with a relatively stable economy, a high minimum wage and a strong welfare program. Malaysia, conversely, has some catching up to do in this regard. But if your definition of a high-quality life encompasses more than just a good salary; if it includes food, weather, friends, family, culture and more – then, as we’ve seen, there are arguments to be made for both Malaysia and Australia. Ultimately, it’s tough to make a score sheet for something like this. I recently made the choice to return to Malaysia after five years in Australia. And while friends, family and career development all played a part in my decision, it mostly came down to me trusting my gut. Or perhaps it was my heart...after all, that’s where home’s meant to be. Sumisha Naidu worked as a journalist for ABC Pacific News Centre and an Associate Editor for Meld Magazine but is going home to explore new opportunities.
Similarly, while Australians can be viewed as more open
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Of Ballots & Battles WRITES CLARICE CHAN
As most Malaysians around the world would know by now, the 13th General Elections (GE-13) in Malaysia are just around the corner. Many have considered this election as make-or-break for the campaigning parties, and ultimately, the Malaysian Parliament. We have seen and heard news where citizens have taken to the streets in protest. The internet is awash with reports of questionable expenditures by the government, favouritism shown to certain companies and contractors, gerrymandering, issues of non-compliance, murder, and all kinds of political scandals. We have heard the cry of the people, and seen the sensational protests that have gone on in the past decade. But really, what do we know about the Whos and the Hows of voting and the election system in Malaysia? For the less informed, here is the lowdown: How does the system work? The Malaysian Parliament is divided into 3 sections: His Majesty The King, the Paramount Ruler Senate – 59 senate members House of Representatives There are generally two types of elections:
State Elections
Federal Elections
Nominated candidates who win State Elections will be elected into the State Legislative Assemblies (also known as Dewan Undangan Rakyat- DUN). There are 576 State seats altogether.
Elections must be held every 5 years. When the 5-year term ends, Parliament must be dissolved, and general elections held no longer than 2-3 months after parliament dissolution.
State Assemblies can be dissolved independently of the Federal Parliament; however, it has become common practice for most States to dissolve their Assemblies at the same time as Parliament.
Those elected make up the House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat)(referred here as House). There are 222 seats in total. The campaigning party that has the largest amount of votes will form the federal government. The leader of the majority party usually goes on to be the Prime Minister.
After the Parliament/ State Legislative Assembly is dissolved, candidates may register themselves on Nomination Day. Campaigning generally runs from Nomination Day until Election Day (usually a time frame of 2-3 weeks).
In order to pass any amendments to the Malaysian Constitution, it needs to be agreed upon by two-thirds majority in the House. This may prove problematic should any party have their elected candidates amounting to less than two-thirds of the House.
Of Campaigners and Voters Parliamentary candidates are allowed to spend RM 200,000.00 on campaigning, whilst State assemblymen/ assemblywomen have RM100,000.00. However there have been reports alleging big disparities between the allocated spending budgets of the two main coalitions.
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Barisan Nasional (National Front)
Pakatan Rakyat (People’s Alliance)
Formed in 1973, Barisan Nasional (BN) has been the major ruling force in Malaysia. The party’s slogan, Rakyat Didahulukan, literally means citizens first. It is a coalition of many smaller parties:
The coalition recently formed in April 2008, and is said to have evolved from a group of Opposition parties previously known as Barisan Alternatif (Alternative Front). The catchphrase for this alliance, Ubah Sekarang, Selamatkan Malaysia (Change Now, Save Malaysia) is a reflection of the coalition’s stand on various national issues. It is currently made up of 3 parties:
United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) Malaysians People’s Movement Party (GERAKAN)//PGRM Parti Pesaka Bumipitera Bersatu (PBB) Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (UPKO) Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) Sarawak People’s Party (PRS) BN Youth BN Women BN members adhere to the party’s constitutionPerlembagaan Barisan Nasional. The party’s aim is as follows: To create, promote and maintain a harmonious and united Malaysian race; To strive to achieve physical and mental development; To maintain Islam as the official religion of the Federation, however, other religions can be practised in peace; To upkeep the National Principles (Rukun Negara); To strive towards a fair and just society; To further inculcate bonds and ties within the Barisan Nasional community.
People’s Justice Party (PKR) Democratic Action Party (DAP) Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) Pakatan Rakyat (PR) has a common manifestoBuku Jingga (Orange Book). This coalition aims to create and maintain: A transparent and true democracy to reflect and empower the supremacy of the people; A dynamic and sustainable economy to provide prosperity and social welfare to all; Social justice to ensure the complete development of rights and respect of human dignity; Federal-State and foreign policies that are based on principles of fairness and justice. PR made its debut in the political arena in 2008, albeit as an informal coalition then. It caused an upset when it laid claim to several states in the General Elections then, including Penang, Selangor, Kedah, Kelantan and several more. This substantial win caused many to speculate that BN’s parliamentary reign could be coming to an end. However BN has been able to retain sufficient votes to remain in Putrajaya. As at the time of publishing, PR continues to strive towards effecting changes in the lead up to Election Day.
Since 1973, BN has won parliamentary seats by landslide majorities. However it only just managed to hold on to majority of the seats in Putrajaya in the elections of 2008. The coalition has since been struggling to recapture the former glory of landslide wins and keep its two-third majority in Parliament.
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As many Malaysians living in Melbourne would know, for many years before 2011, the closest location to Melbourne where a Malaysian could obtain consular assistance was Canberra – quite a distance to travel in order to have your passport renewed! It was therefore very welcome news to many when the first Malaysian Consulate General for Melbourne was opened in mid-2011, providing much-needed assistance to the many Malaysian students, workers and expats living in this city. We had a chat with its first Consul General, Dr Mohamad Rameez Yahaya, and asked him a bit about himself, his thoughts on being the first Consul General for Melbourne – the city with the largest Malaysian community in the world and his experience with Melbourne’s Malaysian community. Dr Rameez graduated from Keele University in England with a degree in international relations and international law, before returning to Malaysia where he joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Now almost two decades later, he has served as a diplomat in various posts around the world, including in the Middle East and as Consul in New York, USA, and had done legal work at the United Nations as well. This wealth of experience made him an excellent candidate to become the first Malaysian Consul General in Melbourne, where he has been posted since July 2011.
The Power of Engagement Dr. Mohamad Rameez Yahaya Melbourne’s First Consul General WRITES JOSH YU INTERVIEWS JOYCE NG PHOTOGRAPHS JOSH YU
Hitting the ground running, Dr Rameez has spent one year and a half building relations with and assisting Melbourne’s Malaysian community and also people who have an interest with the Malaysian community. This, he considers, is the most important aspect of his job – listening to and engaging with the public, both Malaysian and local, in order to build relationships and to provide assistance. Indeed, as the representative of the Malaysian government in Melbourne, Dr Rameez feels that engaging with the public is vital not only to promote the interests of the government of the day, but also to ensure that the benefits are given to the Malaysian public. However, the policy of communication has also been the most challenging part of his role as Consul General. Sometimes faced with difficult questions from the public or media, he has been confronted with the dilemma of needing to engage openly with people of different beliefs whilst keeping in mind the interests of his employer, the Malaysian Government. “I have to play my cards very well”, he says, giving the example the Bersih 3.0 rally in 2012, where he was asked for his opinion in a video recorded interview live at the event. “You become perplexed. For you to say no, it is difficult because you need to engage”, says Dr Rameez. Nevertheless, such incidents have not dissuaded him from engaging with anyone willing to have a proper conversation with him, as he assures us that engaging with people is still the most important part of his job. Whilst not wishing to delve with us into matters of politics, Dr Rameez does nevertheless reveal to us his belief that the current government in Malaysia has been trying its best. “They do listen”, he tells us. In particular, the notes the recent postal voting reform that will allow many overseas Malaysians that are not full time students or public servants to cast a postal ballot if they meet some basic requirements.
Some of the bias against the current government, in his view, is also the result of misinformation, and he hopes to correct some of what he believes to be the misconceptions held by many overseas Malaysians through his work as Consul General. He has attended many Malaysian oriented talks and events in Melbourne, including the Bersih movement Co-Chaiperson Dato’ Ambiga Sreenevasan’s talk in Melbourne last year, where he has addressed misinformation about the Malaysian government. Furthermore, he gave his views about the importance of vernacular schools during a seminar with University students. “You need to ‘turun padang’”, he says.
“Engagement is important. I will try to assist whenever I can”.
Dr Rameez is popular even amongst the large number of Malaysian activists in Melbourne hoping for political change in the upcoming Malaysian general election. But despite differences in opinion, Dr Rameez tells us that as long as people are willing to listen and be informed, anyone can have a mutually respectful conversation, even if their views differ. Dr Rameez’s belief in respect of others’ views extends not just to politics, but also to religion. As a Muslim, he nevertheless sees it as important to engage with people of other beliefs, and actively participates in non-Muslim celebrations such as Christmas and Chinese New Year, attending functions and events. There’s something he found in Malaysia that is not happening in Melbourne. “Like you, as a Chinese, and me, as a Malay, but we don’t accept ourselves as Chinese or Malay. We accept ourselves as Malaysians”. To Dr Rameez, this is one of the greatest things that Melbourne’s Malaysian shares. “I hope this can be kept and further enhanced; not only in Melbourne”. In a foreign diplomatic post, this openness and acceptance may be his strongest asset when playing the role of a bridge between the government and the Malaysian public, and it is because of this perhaps, that Dr Rameez is afforded respect even by many who do not hold the same respect for the Malaysian government as a whole. When asked about his greatest achievements in his time as Consul General, Dr Rameez is too modest to give us an answer, insisting that he has not really achieved anything significant, and that the establishment of the Consulate General’s Office in Melbourne is itself the greatest achievement of his appointment to his role. “We have done a lot, but not enough”, he says. Dr Rameez tells us he is delighted, however, that the community in Melbourne has accepted him so openly for who he is, and hopes that he can continue to improve himself. We believe his approachable personality and humility will definitely bring him, and also the Malaysian community in Melbourne, a long way. For those requiring Consulate assistance in Melbourne, the Consulate General is located at Level 1, 432 St Kilda Road, Melbourne. Office opening hours are between 9.00am and 1.00pm and 2.00pm and 5.00pm Monday to Friday. The Consulate General can also be contacted via telephone on 9573 5400 or email at malmelbourne@kln.gov.my.
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David Teoh
The Humming Bird INTERVIEWS JOYCE NG
He was the man who started the Bersih movement in Melbourne - the largest Bersih rally in the world outside of Malaysia in both 2011 and 2012 - to join the cause for a clean and fair Malaysian election. He was also one of the key people working behind the scenes for the Global Bersih movement, where over 100 cities outside of Malaysia joined the cause. JOM caught up with David Teoh before he heads back home for good after 8 years in Melbourne.
How’s your experience been living in Melbourne? What has Melbourne taught you as an individual, and as a Malaysian? Melbourne is an amazing place and is indeed amongst the world’s most liveable cities. The urban structure encourages people to meet in convivial and informal settings within the city fabric more frequently and it is in this environment that ideas are discussed and new projects are created. The demographic composition of Melbourne is such that, by and large, we are an egalitarian society and a melting pot of different peoples living in harmony. Therefore, I guess I would always be Melbournian in spirit. I was a lot more selfish when I first came to Australia, and my concerns were solely about myself and getting the best out of life overseas. “Why would I ever want to return to Malaysia?” I thought. I appreciated that the air was cleaner and public transportation works! My time in Melbourne taught me the meaning of citizenship and what It means to live as part of society. Being a citizen would require of each individual some form of contribution and participation to make things better. Hence I feel that this sense of ‘citizenship’ needs to be nurtured in Malaysia. For the first time in 56 years, we might see a change on government if there is a clean and fair election. What does that translate to for the lives of the ordinary Malaysian? I am hopeful that more people come to awaken to a new kind of citizenship and be part of a new kind of participatory democracy. The time was also right for me career wise to step up to a role with more responsibility and to participate in an increasingly vibrant construction sector in Malaysia
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and in South East Asia. And besides, where else can you enjoy durians fresh off the tree? Were you a part of or have you attended training programs conducted by the Malaysian government or any Malaysian political institution? After SPM I was selected for the Tun Razak Leadership Program which was held over two weeks. It was an eye opening experience and we were able to come into contact with key people in government, academics, former judges and the like. We also spent a week in a Felda estate and stayed in the village while taking part in community service activities. It was quite an interesting experience. Some of the speakers had what we would deem more extreme views by today’s standards. The recent ‘Listen, listen, listen’ video only goes to show that our society has moved on from a ‘do as I say, not as I do’ culture. Respect has to be earned through what we say and what we do. Do you consider yourself an activist? This Chinese New Year I am lobbying the family not to have sharks fin soup as part of our reunion dinner. Would that be considered a form of activism? I see what I have been doing with Global Bersih and more recently JomBalikUndi just opportunities to engage with others and shift the conversation towards a different trajectory. Lobbying for cleaner elections and putting an end to the sharksfin trade are important issues. I just do what I can, where I see a difference can be made. What would you tell people who do not support the causes of Bersih? A clean and fair election is a basic requirement for a just and equitable society. If the results of our elections are in doubt, we will cease to have the integrity to hold others to account. As for those who think this is not important, apathy is also a democratic right. But all indications show that there is a growing awareness and increasing participation by those who were once apathetic.
David Teoh leading the crowd at Bersih 3.0 Melbourne in 2012, which was attended by about 2500 people, the largest Bersih rally in the world outside of Malaysia. Photgraphed by Lebin Teo.
PHOTOGRAPHS SENG WAI HO
What made you start Bersih 2.0 Melbourne? How did you start it? It was all quite unintended. I was just shocked by the arbitrary arrest of the EO6 back in June 2011 and wanted to organise a gathering to show solidarity with them. I did not expect the overwhelming turnout. We intended to have a small gathering of 50 people but in the end we had close to 750 at Federation Square for Bersih 2.0 Melbourne.
about 3 hours of sleep per night. Bersih 3.0 in Melbourne was a totally different experience for me because I was in the background looking at people who would not have been activated a year ago taking leadership roles and totally taking ownership of that event. It was inspiring that so many came out to take a stand for the future of our country and it was a relief that I was no longer a ‘one man show’.
Who were your first followers, and how was the turnout of the Bersih 2.0 rally in Melbourne? It started with just myself and Lutfi Hakim, later we were joined by William Ng and others. I think the environment was awesome at the rally, because we made it a positive and carnival-like event. It was a peaceful assembly and with an enthusiastic bunch. Many have since related to me their #bersihstories and we were one united people calling for the integrity of our great nation to be restored – and this begins with a clean and fair electoral process.
How was your experience being the President of Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia Melbourne? SABMoz was a means for us to be accountable for the funds we have collected through all these rallies and public talks. I think it has also grown into an organisation that provides a platform for those in civil society and the opposition to present their views to Malaysians in Melbourne. I believe that it is important for all to have a balanced view of what is happening in Malaysia.
How’s did Bersih 3.0 compare to Bersih 2.0 Melbourne? What was your role in Bersih 3.0 Melbourne, and globally? What were the difficulties? I was asked by Ambiga to mobilise more cities to participate. It was fortunate that we had a whole month to plan Bersih 3.0 in Melbourne and I had good lieutenants, (some of whom prefer not to be names, you know who you are!) so I dedicated a lot of time to set up a structure to offer support to Malaysians thinking of setting up a Bersih event in their city. We had 38 cities around the world for Bersih 2.0 and we managed to grow this number to 105 locations, 85 cities in 38 countries. Photos from various locations have now been compiled in the book Clean Sweep: The global triumph of Bersih 3.0. The support provided included designing T-shirts and banners, designing and maintaining the globalbersih.org website, organising press releases, doing media interviews, coordinating the social media campaigning. I learnt a whole lot in the process and I am grateful for all the late nights spent as an architecture student! For a whole month I had
Which Malaysian political figure or activist did you admire the most? I am in awe of both A Samad Said and Ambiga Sreenevasan for their work in championing the Bersih cause. But there are also many unsung heroes like Maria Chin Abdullah, Andrew Yong and the MyOverseasVote litigants. Since returning to Malaysia it has been heartening to meet so many ordinary Malaysians contributing in extraordinary ways to make Malaysia a little bit better for everyone. If someone tells you that you are being too idealistic, what’s your response to them? Wangari Mathai, a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate shared a beautiful story about the Hummingbird. I am a hummingbird. I am doing what I can. What’s your plan after going back home? Will you be directly involved in politics and activism? I’m involved in encouraging Malaysians overseas to return home to vote through the JomBalikUndi campaign. It really is so exciting that AirAsiaX has come out in support of the effort. It has truly been an amazing outcome for this campaign.
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Cross Cultural Relationships This issue for Valentine’s, we asked two couples, who are happily married to a partner of a different culture from him or herself in Australia, to share us their stories.
Lianne & Daniel WRITES LIANNE RITCHIE
Being relatively multicultural in the first place, I have always been exposed to people of different cultures. On one end, I have Chinese relatives who would insist on speaking Hokkien to me (of which my command is terribly poor), whereas on the other end of the spectrum, I have aunties and uncles scattered across the UK who insist on the Queen’s English. Hence, meeting Daniel was not a complete culture shock to me. We met in an Adventist church in Adelaide, went out for some nasi lemak and the rest is history. Prior to meeting me, he probably would have never pictured himself dating (let alone marrying) an Asian, but that was solely due to his lack of exposure. He had never travelled to Asia before and knew little about our culture. Bringing a 6’2 blond haired Western boyfriend back to Malaysia is always an interesting experience. We got quite a few curious stares and whisperings behind our backs, and he was always losing me in a sea of dark haired people. Simple things baffled him; like eating roti canai or maggi goreng
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for breakfast rather than cereal, how people would bargain for everything and how every sentence ended with lah, mah or ah. Nevertheless, he loved his experience there and would grow to love this Malaysian girl more and more. In our first year of courtship, I was posted to work in Melbourne for six months, which would be a testing time for us. Regardless, we made the effort to visit each other and had many romantic excursions, from the Eureka Skydeck to the hot springs out in Mornington Peninsula. Over this period, he proposed and I was over the moon. After whisking me back to Adelaide, that year was spent planning not one but TWO weddings – one in Adelaide and the other in Kuching, where most of my relatives are. We’ve been married for almost one and a half years now, and life has thrown at us a new house, a new puppy and a brand new lifestyle. I’ve assimilated well into the Australian culture; I can cook a mean barbie, when I’m sick I’m crook and my dinner is actually called tea. However, I still love to remind him that I’m Malaysian and we often tease each
other about our little quirks. He can’t understand why I want to buy a fruit that tastes and smells like dirty socks (guess which one?). I don’t know how he can watch a sports match involving a ball and a bat that lasts for five whole days. However, aside from these little things, we don’t find it too hard to understand each other – love is about accepting another person for exactly who they are. For those of you who find yourselves falling in love with someone who’s not necessarily from your hometown, don’t be afraid! The most important thing is to understand what you’re getting into, and not to take things too personally – having different upbringings, you will have different views on many things and may have to exercise tolerance and compromise on a regular basis. Last but not least, enjoy yourself thoroughly because learning about each other is a wonderful experience. We look forward to cherishing our individual heritages and teaching our children the same tolerance and love towards other cultures.
“
I still love to remind him that I’m Malaysian and we often teach each other about our little quirks.
“ Daniel Zilm Age: 30 Country of birth: Australia Ethnicity: Caucasian (1/2 English, 1/2 German) Lianne Ritchie Age: 23 Country of birth: Malaysia Ethnicity: Eurasian (1/2 Chinese, 1/8 Scottish, 1/8 Thai, 1/8 Welsh, 1/8 Malay)
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Julian & Zahrah WRITES JULIAN PAUL HARDING
I met Zahrah during one of my architectural projects for the federal government of Malaysia in 2007. What seemed by coincidence was that I was searching for capable translators (English, Malay, Arabic) as the project at Taman Tamadun Islam, Terengganu (Pulau Duyong Heritage Bay and The Crystal Mosque, 2006 - 2008) required someone with good understanding of local culture, religion and language as well as architecture. Prior to the project, I had worked in Malaysia for nearly ten years in the architectural field with local, international and Australian architectural firms. This project however, was unique in many ways, not mentioning it was my first project for the federal government of Malaysia. I was trained in architecture in my home country, Australia and have worked in the UK, Scotland and Middle East before working in Southeast Asia. Initially I was reluctant to take up the challenging project as my previous experience included neither religious nor cultural architecture but I was willing to give it a go. As it turned out, I received much assistance from Professor Ismawi from UIAM Gombak School of Architecture and Landscape and from Dato’ Zakaria and Engku Azmi from the state government and also, my eventual wife to be – Zahrah! The first time I met Zaharah was at KL Sentral, when I was conversing in Malay to a group of Indonesian workers and she was booking her flight at the Air Asia office. Zahrah wobbled up to me and said: “Can you speak Malay?” I answered back: “Saya tak boleh!” (No, I can’t)
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Instantly she knew I was a playful joker but I discovered she knew Arabic which could help with the translations in my project. None of the staff in my office knew any Arabic so I passed her my business card. Several weeks later she messaged me and she kindly volunteered to help! Numerous presentations were given during that time to both then Prime Minister, YAB Abdullah Badawi as well as the Sultan of Terrengganu at the time. As it turned out, Zahrah’s father was a close relative to YAB Abdullah Badawi. Was a coincidence - or was it? Was all this by chance? Or was it something more? These long lying questions led me to look closer at the remarkable similarities between Islam and my family’s religion, Roman Catholicism, with my Mum’s uncle even being ordained as a priest in Rome. I’ve had numerous cross cultural relationships including with Australian Chinese, Indonesian pen pals, Mexican, Dutch, Scottish and French. Initially I was nervous to inform my parents about my involvement with a Malay Muslim girl. I wasn’t quite sure how they would react - but as it turned out Zahrah was welcomed into my family as a daughter and new member of who had managed to win the hearts of almost everyone in my family including my half-brothers. Equally, Zahrah’s family had welcomed me as a son having seen my honesty and sincerity towards them and their youngest daughter Zahrah, whom to me at the time was still young and naive but incredibly intelligent and eager to embrace the wider world of both the east and western culture. Her ability to adapt and to get along with others enabled her to easily become a respectable
ambassador for both her own family as well as mine. Being much younger than me by nearly 18 years I took it as my responsibility to take as much care of her as any responsible husband of the modern age - regardless of religion I’ve always considered the old fashioned way of marriage and family values as of significant importance to the integrity of our world society. My schooling was from a private Catholic boys’ college and the alumni there were most surprised to discover of my young Muslim wife and conversion to Islam in 2008. Zahrah is now the mother of my wonderful children Kyla Humaira and Kyle Anikin with another on the way! (Alleluia and alhumdulilah :)) My children prefer English as this is our main language at home. However, they do understand Malay when my wife’s parents speak to them. They are also studying Arabic although myself I consider to be a lesser student than they are. Despite our age and cultural differences, both my partner and I have almost always agreed on virtually everything. My wife unfortunately faced much prejudice and persecution by her peers during our early days. As a divorcee myself, Zahrah was faced with the horrible stigma of associating herself with an older westerner and was virtually outcast from her social groups. However, despite people’s narrow minded views and prejudices I am now my mother-in-law’s favourite son-inlaw. Both her friends and family’s eyes have been opened to realise this world is much bigger than the boundaries of countries, culture and religion- the celebration of humanity and God’s amazing diversity.
Julian Paul Harding Age: 43 Place of Birth: Australia Ethnicity: Caucasian/Anglo Australian Zahrah Binti Zakaria Age: 26 Place of Birth: Malaysia Ethnicity: Malay
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Both her friends and family’s eyes have been opened to realise this world is much bigger than the boundaries of countries, culture and religion.
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Street Photography INTERVIEWS JOSH YU
With almost every mobile device coming equipped with an image capturing function of some sort, we see a rampant increase in street photography everywhere. But as these Melbourne based Malaysian street photographers tell, the art of street photography is beyond simply snapping pictures and applying an app filter. 32 |
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LANCE VUN www.cameralance.com
2010 - Weddings and Portraits Photographers Malaysia Annual Print Awards - Winner of Journalism Category 2012 - Creative Asia - Street and Travel Category - Bronze Award (previous page, top) 2012 - Kenyalang Shell Press Award - Winner of Photojournalism Category Where in Malaysia are you from? I was born and raised in Kuching, Sarawak.
Photographically speaking, these two places are unique in their own ways and neither one is better than the other.
How did you first get into photography? In 2008, I attended a wedding photography talk with some friends just to kill time and was moved that the photography can capture priceless moments and emotions. And thus it got me started taking pictures.
Apart from street photography, do you do other photography styles? My style of photography is always about story-telling. Before I came to Australia, I used to work for the press as a photojournalist. Commercially speaking, I specialised in weddings, event coverage and portraits as a freelancer.
Why street photography? I find street photography very loose and personal compared to other genres of photography and that’s what I like about. It’s highly dependent on the individual how he or she interprets the scene so there is no right or wrong way of taking pictures on the street. It can be done under bright noon sunlight or on rainy days. You can photograph a person candidly or strike a conversation with him/her and ask for permission to take a photo. The photo can be either in black and white or in colour. I guess the only rule is the photo must be taken on the street. How do you find taking street photos in Melbourne different from in Malaysia? I mainly do street in my home town(Kuching) and have never really explored west Malaysia so I can only make comparisons between Melbourne and Kuching. Kuching is a laid back town and far behind with development so the buildings and streets are kinda plain and old. Melbourne is a totally different taste with different characteristics and different array of colours. In Kuching you get to see mainly Chinese, Malay and Dayak. Whereas in Melbourne, you get to see people with all sorts of skin colours as well as different fashion preferences, accessories and hairstyles.
What do you use to take your photos? I use different combinations of camera equipment so it all depends on my mood. For camera body, I use either Canon EOS 40D or Canon EOS 5D MKII. Lenses would mainly be Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L USM. Sometimes Canon 70-200mm F/4L IS USM for a different perspective. Unlike most street photographers, I personally prefer zoom lenses over fixed prime lenses because I like that I can change my angle of view instantly. Although fixed prime lenses produce superior image quality, I’m not too fussy about that. It’s a matter of personal preferences. Any tips for people who want to try street photography for themselves? It’s like swimming, just knowing the theories is not enough, you need to get into the water and practice regularly. I understand it’s scary to photograph strangers on the street for the fear of being reprimanded. Honestly I still do feel that way. However you need to get out of your comfort zone and practice it often if you wish to produce good street photographs. If people do get offended, just humbly apologise with a smile and walk away. Move on to the next photo.
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LEBIN TEO http://www.facebook.com/lebin.photo
2011 - ‘People Favorite Photo Awards’ by WGIJB group. 2012 - ‘Best photo of the day’ by Canon Malaysia (4 photos) Where in Malaysia are you from? I am from the southern city of Peninsula Malaysia, Johor Bahru. How did you first get into photography? I have always loved taking photos since I was young. Every time I get a chance, I will try to use my parents’ cameras – both film and digital. I still remember my dad’s first digital camera was a square-ish Kodak Camera which cost about RM5000 at that time. I was so excited about it and was totally amazed with the ‘Erase’ function. When I attended my university foundation program, I met a few photo buddies, Yi Ping and Kai Liang. Back then, neither of them were experts in DSLR photography and I was still using a small Canon ISUS Compact camera. After getting along with them for a while, they slowly and patiently taught me about the basics of photography. And there was no more auto-mode for me after that. In the end of 2011, my ‘more professional’ photography career began when a family friend gave me a surprise and bought me a DSLR as a gift. Why street photography? It is all about dynamics on the street. It changes every single second. When you miss a moment, you can never make it up or get the person to pose for you again. And, street photography normally also means that I have no control over the environment, only experience and practice will make the photographer a better one. Everything is spontaneous, therefore only people who are quick observers will get the chance to capture good shots. What are the most interesting aspects of Melbourne for a street photographer? Melbourne, especially the CBD, is a very active and friendly community. Events are happening almost every two or three days, and street artists are performing every day. Also, Melbourne has unpredictable weather. These changes actually make street photography interesting so you would want to keep shooting and find unique scenes around the city. Moreover, every inner suburb of Melbourne also has its own style. Some are more like a relaxing place and some have a hipster style. All these little characteristics are what develop into a photo.
How do you find taking street photos in Melbourne different from in Malaysia? In Malaysia, specifically in JB, people are more afraid of the camera, so I tend to use a longer lens (around 50mm on Crop camera) to capture people. While in Melbourne, I like to use shorter focal length to shoot on street. One of the reasons would be the spaces in Melbourne are always interesting. It makes a photograph look richer with content. Apart from street photography, do you do other photography styles? I like to challenge everything. I am trying every part of photography but not HDR. Apart of street photography, I like doing photojournalism which is quite similar, event photography, and also wedding photography. These are the few styles that I have tried and liked. I hope to explore more in the future. What do you use to take your street images? A basic DSLR EOS 1000D, with any lens but no longer than 85mm (on Crop ) in general. My DSLR is very manual and requires fine tune control. And its response is faster than any phone camera or compact camera. I need a camera that responds as quick as possible so that I will not miss the moment that I saw. Most of the time, I like to use a 28mm lens because it is small and fits into my bag well, but sometimes I use an ultra-wide angle lens. Ultra wide angle lenses give you most depth of field, giving viewers the feeling of ‘being in the scene’. But I also use a film camera to take street photos. Film is very fun. It gives me a better idea about photography and trains me to be a better photographer. For film, I used Praktica TL1000 with a 50mm lens. I hope to get a 35mm lens, but I am still saving for that. Any tips for people who want to try street photography for themselves? Stop talking and start shooting. Just do it. Nothing can stop you from taking street photographs, except yourself. You need not plan with anyone, or plan with the weather, because any weather is good for street photography. And spend less time in post-production. Look at others’ photos to get inspiration but retain your own style.
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Assembling a team of high-standard consultants to advise you on your property purchase will significantly improve your buying results.
WRITES ERICK NG
Elect Your Grade-A Property Buying Team Buying a home or an investment property is a major project. There are many areas in which you will need expert assistance. So it is wise to have your selection criteria ready when choosing consultants. Essentially you need a team of experts who will go the extra mile to help you achieve extraordinary results.
Erick Ng is a licensed property buyer’s advocate at Capital Exchange International. He exclusively represents homebuyers and investors to master plan, search, research and negotiate the lowest possible purchase price and best terms. Trained in architecture, construction and real estate, Erick’s client base ranges from first home buyers/investors to property developers and government officials. Erick was featured on Channel 9’s prime time show ‘Hot Property’ and 3CW Chinese Radio Station. He can be contacted via erick.ng@cexi.com.au.
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It is easy to find a consultant by following up an advertisement or looking in a service directory. But how do you know if they are of high standards? How do you know if they are the best for your circumstances? A great approach is to get recommendations from others who have high standards and then conduct your own qualifying interviews. It takes much effort to evaluate recommended consultants and to accumulate a trusted network of experts who can deliver the results you require.
Some buyers tend to be misguided by “one-stop-shop” consultants who provide accountancy, finance, conveyance advice as well as all sorts of real estate services. Laden with conflicts of interests, their advice is often not independent and the outcome could result in ongoing problems. They often target inexperienced buyers and time-poor consumers. By the time that their clients realise their shortcomings, it is often too late. This could be an expensive lesson that can be avoided. The Consumer Affairs of Victoria website [www.consumer. vic.gov.au]and publications provide basic information for property buyers, and they are good places to start. However, each area of property expertise is complex, and knowing who to pick and what to avoid takes time. Here are some of my suggestions on how to elect your grade-A property buying team, to save you time, expense, and disappointment. Financial Planners/ Tax Advisors/ Accountants Financial planning is about developing strategies to help you manage your financial affairs and meet your life goals. Financial planners can assist in investment strategies and recommend investment products. If you are considering investment properties, a tax advisor or an accountant can provide tax-related advice. A good tax advisor can maximise your deductions in tax, saving you thousands. They also provide advice on the most suitable structure, asset protection, review of cash flow, or set up a selfmanaged super fund (SMSF) etc. Mortgage Brokers/ Finance Specialists There are many benefits in using a good mortgage broker. They have access to more lenders, have professional experience to structure a loan, are accessible after office hours, negotiate loan discounts on behalf of their clients and provide invaluable information to those clients. There are some mortgage brokers who may also try to market off-the-plan properties and house-and-land packages to their client base. Be cautioned that they may ‘spruik’ properties which are not necessarily the best for you. I suggest using mortgage brokers who possess creativity and client-oriented judgement in their work. They also must return calls promptly. Buyer’s Advocates/ Buyer’s Agents Always choose a buyer’s advocate who will provide you with more than a buying service. A good buyer’s advocate should always educate their clients on the pros and cons of each property, have high standards in their due diligence, possess the necessary experience and qualification to get you the lowest price and be a power negotiator. It is a good idea to test your buyer’s advocate on their skills and compare their service inclusions. They should have contacts with other good consultants in all the areas listed here. Conveyancers/ Solicitors A buyer’s preferences and individual requirements will determine whether a solicitor or conveyancer is used. I would always pick one with an eye for details, an in-depth
understanding of property law and who is fussy with contracts. They are invaluable in assisting in perusing and wording of real estate contracts, advising about any anomalies in the owners corporation documents and keeping track of cooling-off periods and other contractual details and datelines. Building Inspectors I recommend the use of a qualified building inspector, surveyor or architect to provide a professional report of the target property. They report to you the condition of the building regarding faults and recommend repairs. They are able to see through cosmetic improvements covering up faults that may be missed by the untrained eye. It is a good idea to attend the building inspection together with the inspector. Be careful if you use building inspectors recommended by the selling agent as they could be working on the agent’s side, hence providing you a biased report. Pest Inspectors In some circumstances it is crucial to engage a professional pest inspector to obtain a pest report. Many areas of Melbourne are in the termite-infested zones, and many termite activities are undetectable by the naked eye. I like inspectors who use sniffer dogs to detect termites. Building Insurance Many lending institutions require a current building insurance certificate as part of their loan settlement conditions. Some insurance companies have exclusion clauses for certain damages (flood, hail, etc.), so it is recommended that buyers compare insurance policies and their coverage. Renovation Specialists/ Builders/ Architects Having a building professional in the buying team helps when you are purchasing ‘diamonds in the rough’. Generally speaking, renovation costs in Australia are more expensive than in Malaysia. Often, migrant buyers are surprised by the higher costs of renovation here. Always look for a recommended registered building professional, as this will avoid those that may include ‘shortcuts’ in their work. It is a good idea to check their level of craftsmanship where practicable. Property Managers Good property managers are a rare species. Not only can they provide us realistic rental appraisals, they can also advise on any potential problems in regards to leasing before you purchase a property. For example, an oversupply of apartments will significantly reduce the rental rates achieved in the area. Do not rely only on the rental appraisals provided by selling agents or developers as they may be inflated to attract a buyer. Always obtain independent rental appraisals. The above suggestions are not exhaustive. Property buyers should always seek personalised advice that suit their particular situation. Happy hunting!
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Migration Matters WRITES ANDY ELLEN
Just in the last few weeks, two huge announcements have been made by DIAC which may seriously affect you. First, DIAC has announced that if you are in Australia studying and have not applied for a Graduate Skilled 485 visa, your chances to apply for this visa have been seriously jeopardised. The first announcement affects many students, presently here in Australia, who are studying, or planning to study at Bachelor Degree level or above. DIAC are now saying that only those students who obtained their first student visa after 5th November 2011 and completed a Bachelor Degree level qualification or above, in any study discipline, (minimum 2 years study) will be eligible to apply for the 2 year Post Study Work Rights visa. If your present student visa was granted after 5/11/2011 but was not your first Australian student visa, DIAC will only allow you to apply for the 485 Graduate Skilled Visa if you apply post-study for the 485 nominating an occupation on the narrow list of occupations listed on Schedule 1 at: http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/_pdf/ sol-schedule1.pdf Let’s look at an example: If you are studying a Business Marketing or Management tertiary qualification and your student visa was granted after 5th Nov 2011, can you apply for the 485 visa?
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Yes, but only if your student visa which was granted after 5th November 2011 is your first student visa in Australia according to DIAC ‘s announcement here:
Finally, the idea of submitting your own Expression of Interest (EOI) looks straightforward but the reality is that many EOI submissions are being made incorrectly.
http://migrationblog.immi.gov. au/2013/01/10/new-post-study-workarrangements-and-internationalstudents/
Therefore when an invitation from DIAC is received, and when applicants seek advice from us, we are finding that, in many cases, the details in the EOI do not match reality.
So, what is the best course of action for you if your present student visa was granted before 5/11/2011 or if the visa was granted after 5/11/2011 but is not your first Australian student visa? Do you simply change your course to an area of study which is closely linked to the occupations that are listed on the narrow Schedule 1 listed above? Before you make that decision, here is the second “announcement” which could seriously affect your chances of applying for a 485 Graduate Skilled Visa and even PR itself. There is a strong possibility that DIAC will remove the occupation of ACCOUNTANT from this Schedule 1 Skilled Occupation List. An article in The Australian 23/01/2013 states the government “say that the profession should be removed from the 192-strong Skilled Occupation List, which governs eligibility for independent skilled migration.” http://www.theaustralian.com. au/higher-education/change-inmigration-list-adds-up-to-fear/storye6frgcjx-1226559548412
This means that the applicant will have their application refused and could throw away thousands of dollars by making an incorrect application by themselves, money which will not be refunded by DIAC. The unprecedented events and new policies of the Immigration Department since 2009 have left everybody confused and unsure about the correct pathway/options to secure permanent residency, making it increasingly complicated to make a decision about your future plans to stay in Australia.
-------Andy Ellen, RMA, MARN 0962018, is the Senior Immigration Consultant at Kabo Lawyers. As a previous international student migrant from England, having completed a Bachelor of Japanese and French at Melbourne University, Andy understands the stress and pressure students face in applying for visas to stay in Australia. If in any doubt, speak to Andy for advice on migration options.
MARN 0209289 MARN 0209289 MARN 0209289 MARN 0209289 MARN 0209289
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SYDNEY REPRESENTATIVE info@kabolawyers.com Magazine | 5886 37 Telephone +61 Telephone 2JOM 9299 +61 5886 2 9299 Telephone +61 2 9 In all matters, In all matters, we deliver we In quality. all deliver matters, quality. In wealldeliver matters, quality. we deliver quality. www.kabolawyers.c www.ka Telephone +61 2 9299 5886 www.kabolawyers.com In all matters, we deliver quality.
SPONSORED ARTICLE
Rich Tan, the founder of Papparich.
THE TALE OF MAKING PAPPARICH WRITES KA MUN HO
With its ever-expanding string of franchises in Malaysia and overwhelming popularity in Melbourne since the opening of its first outlet here in March 2012, Papparich Group Sdn Bhd is set to bring its Malaysian offerings to greater audiences at home and overseas. So what’s the secret to the company’s success? We delve into the company’s humble beginnings, its founder’s vision of the company and its Australian operations to find out. Papparich founder Rich Tan came up with the idea of offering Malaysians kopitiam food in a polished, comfortable setting after noticing the concept of such modern outlets serving traditional kopitiam food in Singapore. Armed with a background in sales, Tan opened his first restaurant in 2005, then named Pappa Kopitiam. His first outlet had simple offerings: only five dishes and some drinks. Nevertheless, Pappa Kopitiam met with huge success, leading Tan to realise the potential of his restaurant concept. Soon after, Tan was approached to franchise his business. It was then that he decided
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to drop ‘kopitiam’ from the name, wanting to associate his business with good ambience and quality food rather than the economical connotations that came with the word ‘kopitiam’. With his vision of making Papparich synonymous with Malaysian food globally and the concept of high quality Malaysian food that extended beyond the standard kopitiam fare, Rich Tan’s company has grown to 70 outlets all over Malaysia. Which brings us, of course, to its expansion to Australia. The move to bring the Papparich franchise to Melbourne was a swift one. Early discussions of expanding Papparich’s operations to Australia occurred in July 2011. The popularity of Malaysian food in overseas markets, combined with the number of Malaysian students in Australia made the formation of Papparich Australia a viable business opportunity. By November 2011 the company was incorporated in Australia. Four months later, the company opened their first outlet in QV. Despite the short amount of time involved, Papparich went through an extensive process to ensure a successful
Traditional lion dance to launch the Papparich Nanawading outlet.
transition of its business model to an Australian setting. A crucial part of the process was securing imported products from Malaysia to retain the signature Papparich style in décor and consistency in the taste of food. To cater to the Australian market, Papparich’s R&D team redesigned their entire menu. Firstly, the shift in concept of Papparich Australia outlets as Malaysian restaurants rather than casual hangout joints meant rethinking the menu. New dishes were added to the Papparich Australia menu such as satays, roti canai, nasi kandar and wat tan hor. The company also faced the challenge of not being able to import all of the necessary ingredients. After much tweaking and experimenting, the R&D team managed to achieve the “Papparich taste” in their dishes using a slightly different set of ingredients and cooking processes. Papparich also had to rethink aspects of its franchise model. In Malaysia, Papparich has strict control over all aspects of their franchisee operations to achieve consistency across all outlets. This consistency spans across how they greet customers, the layout of their outlets, how the laksa is cooked, how their teh (tea)
is brewed, and closing procedures. With the expansion to Australia, the franchisee manual outlining these procedures had to be rewritten. These alterations reflect the changes in their recipes and the need to adhere to Australian standards such as health regulations and common practices. The company chose to start its Australian operations in Melbourne rather than other Australian capitals, as they were able to find a right team for the venture in Melbourne. The better-developed Malaysian food scene and less competitive nature of Melbourne’s food industry relative to that of Sydney’s also informed the company’s decision. However, with five outlets opened in Melbourne in the past year, the company has set its sights on Sydney next. Working with a small but passionate team, Papparich Australia aims to grow its presence in Australia and fulfil Rich Tan’s vision of bringing Malaysian food to the world.
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SPONSPORED ARTICLE
Although Secret Recipe is a relative newcomer to Melbourne’s café and restaurant scene, it lives up to its reputation and standards established for the past 15 years in Malaysia where it has become a household name., Its approach of serving high quality, delicious food and cakes at affordable prices at its outlets in Melbourne Central, Forest Hill and Knox Ozone puts it in good stead with people from all walks of life. One particular demographic whose hearts (and stomachs) have been captured by Secret Recipe is the Muslim community. Halal certifiedby The Australian Federation of Islamic Councils Inc. (AFIC), Secret Recipe is one of a handful of high quality café restaurants which serves as a welcome haven for the Muslim diners in Melbourne. Catering to Halal requirements certainly hasn’t limited the repertoire of Secret Recipe’s menu. We were invited to try some of their more popular dishes and were certainly impressed! Secret Recipe’s Caesar Salad combines parmesan cheese, croutons, a perfectly poached egg, and a generous drizzling of Caesar dressing on a bed of crisp lettuce, whilst the usual bacon pieces have been replaced by surprisingly delectable smokey beef rashers. The Chicken Satay, while missing the charred smoky quality of Malaysian streetside satay, recompenses with well-marinated and tender chunks of lean chicken breast and thigh. The same can be said of the Fried Kuay
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Teow, which makes up for the absence of the deep fried fats traditionally used in the dish, with generous servings of seafood and fishcake and perfectly-textured rice noodles. The Irish lamb shank, on the other hand, is faultless- the smooth, creamy mash topped with a juicy and tender lamb shank in rich gravy makes this dish pretty hard to resist! Of course, it just wouldn’t be ‘Secret Recipe’ without the quality cakes, and luckily, the Secret Recipe bakery has largely stuck to its reliable recipes with a few modifications. All cakes are made fresh in-house, and chilled rather than frozen to ensure great flavour and texture. The New York cheesecake is smooth and creamy, while the Chocolate Indulgence satisfies chocolate cravings without being overly sweet. The seasonal special of Mango Delight is a light sponge studded with chunks of mango and topped with a tangy mango puree. And good news for frequent (and thrify!) customers, Secret Recipe also offers plenty of in-store promotions and a free VIP card program - cardholders are notified about promotions, receive 10% off their bills, and accumulate points to be redeemed in-store. With a food and service philosophy of pleasing as many people as possible, Secret Recipe has plenty of food options on offer to satisfy any local palate, whilst also maintaining its reputation amongst its Malaysian customers for serving fantastic top quality cakes.
Caeser salad at Secret Recipe doesn’t use bacon but beef rashes, which makes it healthier, yet still delectable.
The mouth-watering Irish Lamb Shank . The nostalgic Fried Kuey Teow at Secret Recipe. If you want a little more spice, don’t forget to inform the staff.
Secret Recipe’s cakes were irresistably yummy. They are made with local Australian ingredients.
Satay served at Secret Recipe uses a mixture of chicken breast and thigh for the best texture.
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De Clieu 187 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy VIC 3065
CAFE PICKS Food lovers Eddie Lee and Cheer Ray share some of their favourite breakfast and brunch places in Melbourne. PHOTOGRAPH CHARLENE CHEN, CHEER RAY & EDDIE LEE
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Bonjour! Feel like having a classy brunch like a Parisian? De Clieu serves a classic cafe menu with a French spin. We highly recommend two of their signature dishes: Breakfast De Clieu, which consists of slices of fresh baguette, Virginian ham, Emmental cheese, a soft-boiled egg and tarragon mustard. This dish also goes with other accompaniments such as marmalade, fruit jam and mustard. Forthose a little more daring, De Clieu’s Boudin Noir (French blood sausage or black pudding), is made up of two toasted ciabattas with grilled asparagus, confit egg yolk and a generous spread of black pudding. The flavour is so rich and exquisite that it will linger on your tastebuds. As for dessert, French toast, anyone?
MART 107 Canterbury Rd, Middle Park VIC 3206 If you are looking for a venue for brunch that exudes a Melbourne vibe then MART café is the place to be. This quaint café is located right at tram stop 103 and is easily accessible from the city via the 96 St Kilda Beach tram route. Particularly known for its next-to-thetram-stop location, what avid MART goers may not be aware of is the building’s rich history. Forming part of a train station in the 1900s, the exterior including the bright red door is a heritage site. Apart of the unique atmosphere, the menu provides a wide array of breakfast delights from pancakes and salads to their renowned corn fritters. Served with sour cream, bacon and chutney, the corn fritters are a definite must-try.
Chez Dre 285-287 Coventry St, South Melbourne VIC 3205
Beatrix 688 Queensberry Street, North Melbourne VIC 3051 Many will agree that Manchester Press serves the best bagel in Melbourne. Beatrix, on the other hand, serves the best ciabattas in Melbourne. Beatrix’s ciabattas are always fresh and the menus change everyday. Apart from ciabattas, this little hidden gem also has amazing homemade cakes and desserts! They sell an ever changing selection of homemade pastries that are almost always sold out before the end of the day. Adding to its charm, sweets are served on English style dessert plates. It’s the little things here that always cheer you up when visiting. If you want to know what will be on their coming menu, visit: https://www. facebook.com/BeatrixBakes
Affogato Espresso Bar 29 Hardware Lane, Melbourne VIC 3000 If you are looking for a nice but affordable sit-down brunch spot in the CBD, Affogato Espresso Bar is a pretty good choice! It is conveniently located on Hardware Lane in the heart of Melbourne, 5 minutes’ walk away from Bourke Street Mall. Affogato Espresso Bar serves simple but tasty breakfasts in generous portions, almost all of which cost less than $15. As their name suggests, try their signature coffee-based beverage “affogato” (which takes the form of a scoop of vanilla ice cream topped with a shot of hot espresso) to wash down your tasty meal.
Located in South Melbourne, this French inspired café forms part of the Melbourne Café culture. This venue is a great place to sit back, relax and ponder the meaning of life. The café boasts a robust breakfast and lunch menu with a range of savoury breakfast options. When having brunch on a weekend, patience is a virtue. Depending on the size of the group, waiting for a table may take up to an hour. Whilst the food is great, the desserts are divine. They form a pretty sight at the front counter, with a wide range of cakes, éclairs and macarons arrayed in neat little rows within a glass casing. The cakes have never failed to deliver when it comes to taste but our personal favourite has to be the vanilla éclair with its fluffy vanilla cream complimenting the texture of the pastry beneath.
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BLAZERS Fern Yi Lim shows us formal and casual ways to wear a fitted blazer. A well-fitted blazer is a classic piece that can be added to your wardrobe to supplement your outfit. A great layering piece, it can go with just about anything. Dress it down with a tank and shorts for a laidback and comfortable ensemble. Alternatively, dress it up with slacks, skirts or a dress for a clean and polished look. Because of its versatility, you can wear your blazer over and over again. So, it is important that the blazer that you pick out not only suits your body, but is also comfortable. LOOKING FOR THE PERFECT FIT Some blazers have padded shoulders but a general rule of thumb is that the shoulder seams should rest on the edge of your shoulders. However, if you can’t lift your arms above your head, the shoulder width is too small. Meanwhile, the torso of the blazer should complement your curves when buttoned, although it should not pull tight. But, if there is enough room for your fist to fit between you and the blazer, it is definitely too loose. Also, the sleeves should stop at the joint that connects your thumb to your wrist. Now that you’ve found your blazer, here’s a few ideas on how to create different outfits with it: Blazer from Dotti.
OUTFIT IDEA #1 Urban Chic Create a chic ensemble by layering a white tank top underneath a white blazer. Then, chinch your waist with a brown belt to accentuate your curves. Add a pop of colour with a pair of coloured jeans and/or a brightly-coloured scarf. Complete the outfit with these gorgeous, glamorous platforms.
Target coloured jeans, Cotton On belt, Forever New Platforms, Katies scarf
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OUTFIT IDEA #2 Sweet and feminine This second ensemble just oozes femininity. Leave the first two buttons of the white top undone for a more casual look, and layer with the white blazer. The colour and print of the skirt should add texture to the outfit. During colder days (we all know how sudden the weather can change), wear an olive-coloured, or sheer pair of tights for extra warmth.
Nordstrom Skirt, H&M Top, Novo Heels, Mimco Tote Bag, Cotton On Tights
OUTFIT IDEA #3 Back to basics This outfit just screams comfort and familiarity. But, the blazer takes your everyday shorts and tee and transforms it into a sophisticated look. With a whole range of shorts and basic tees already in your wardrobe, you can experiment with various colour schemes, especially since a white blazer will emphasize the coloured pieces. Lastly, add a classic pair of shoes to complement, not draw attention away from the colours of your outfit.
Forcast Shorts, Target Basic Tee, Asos Wedges
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i Darts Hype
The phenomenon was started in Hong Kong by a Malaysian, and the wave has spread across Asia and now to Melbourne!
SPONSORED ARTICLE
It Takes Flight… …cutting a slight arc as it soars through the air. It lands with a muffled thud as it hits the LED illuminated screen. BULLSEYE! Applause breaks out in the background as the player wipes the cold sweat off his brow. What’s all the hype about? A new craze is taking the world by storm; a revolution in the entertainment industry. i Darts and DARTSLIVE have come together to bring you a brand new local and global casual sporting experience. DARTSLIVE is the premier soft tip darts console, the latest in the market. After its success in the IDF (International Dart Federation)World Cup Shanghai 2011, IDF have begun using these machines in their international tournaments. i Darts have taken these machines to the next level by synergizing themselves with DARTSLIVE to provide patrons with a complete darting experience. Each i Dart venue leads with an upbeat ambiance to provide a fun-filled, friendly atmosphere surrounded by suave décor. Accompanied by charismatic darts instructors to introduce the sport to new players, or have a couple of matches with seasoned pros, i Darts is an inviting place to have a drink, play darts and socialize in an alluring backdrop. DARTSLIVE offers a variety of fun games from the traditional count-up (highest score wins), to basic ‘01’ games (first player to 0 wins), to the more advanced cricket
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It’s actually like a real social network.
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(Steven Ng, CEO of DARTSLIVE International Ltd., 2010)
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The new contraption is faster and more accurate at keeping score, and it is also embracing today’s online way of thinking.
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WRITES JASMINE MAY CHEN SAW
(Nov 10, 2012 - IDF World Cup uses new dart machines – BBC News CCTV)
games. Players are able to choose games based on their preference, whether for individual practice, challenging matches or party games for all your friends. The DARTLIVE machines also come equipped with webcams enabling players to connect with others playing around the globe via the internet. The rapid rise in popularity of soft tip darts has enabled DARTSLIVE to host their own championship with the recent 2012 grand prize of HK$2,284,000 in cash (equivalent to about AU$282,600). The next DARTSLIVE grand championship is scheduled to begin on the 28th April 2013. i Darts in Australia will also be hosting local based competitions with the grand prize rumoured to be a car!
How do I start? i Darts venues promise a unique introductory experience for new players. If you’ve never played darts before, this is the perfect opportunity to experience darts under the guidance of friendly Dart Instructors. For those who want to achieve the ultimate i Darts experience, obtaining the DARTSLIVE membership card is the key. The DARTLIVE membership card enables you to customize your player information and settings, keep track of your statistics and is your gateway to the DARTSLIVE network; accessible on computers, iPhones and Android smart phones.
Where in the world is this? The very first i Darts bar is i Darts Club in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong established in 2009. Slowly, these bars started popping up around Asia. Macau, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, even our beloved Malaysia have outlets, each featuring its own unique charm with different themes corresponding with its name. beloved Malaysia have outlets, each featuring its own unique charm with different themes corresponding with its name.
With a sophisticated Japanese aesthetic, i Darts Club in Hong Kong was the first i Darts venue to be opened, allowing patrons to enjoy a high tech game of darts in a sleek and polished classy setting.
i Darts Hex at The Scott Garden, Old Klang Road, is the first i Darts outlet in Malaysia. Walking into the i Darts Hex, you will immediately notice the familiar motif of bee hives all over the place.
i Darts Quad at Sunway Giza, Kota Damansara has, not just one, but TWO floors! That means more than enough space for a giant party and everyone to have fun.
With its sophisticated and exclusive setting at i Darts Gold in Puchong, you wouldn’t be surprised if there were people in tuxedos and evening gowns playing darts while drinking champagne.
Gentlemen, in need of something new to impress the ladies with? Ladies, want to enjoy yourselves even while wearing heels? FINALLY, i Darts is arriving on the shores of Australia and heading straight to the heart of Melbourne! Keep your eyes peeled for the launching of i Darts bars around your area and join in the fun!
“ “My experience with i Darts has been revolutionary”.
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Not sure what to do or where to go to hang out with friends? Bored of old joints and in need of something new and refreshing?
(Ben Cheong, General Manager of i Darts Australia)
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Love your Laneways WRITES KA MUN HO PHOTOGRAPH JOYCE NG, LEBIN TEO, IAN TAY, LANCE VUN
Melbourne city prides itself for its bustling lanewaysthose little pockets of street art, food, drinks,shopping, entertainment and eccentricities. An exhaustive list of the great laneway spots in Melbourne would overflow these pages, but we’ve attempted to bring you a little sampler of that laneway action. While the world disputes over whether works by the likes of Banksy can be considered art, what’s indisputable is that the street art emblazoned on Melbourne’s laneways draw large crowds. Drop by spots such as Hosier Ln, Caledonian Ln and Union Ln to admire these brightly coloured, ever-evolving walls. Melbourne’s laneways are also home to many of its best-loved eateries. Being tucked away in a laneway clearly hasn’t hurt business for cafes such as Hardware Societe, Manchester Press and 1000£ Bend. Apart from nurturing locals with affordable food and mismatched furniture, 1000£ Bend also serves as an art, event and cinema space. Another multitasking enterprise is The Little Mule, a bicycle workshop cum café that combines Melburnian’s undying love for great coffee and fixed gear bicycles. If you’re feeling faint from navigating your way through those laneways, it’s always a good idea to get your blood sugar up by devouring a Liege waffle at Waffle On. Fancier meals can also be had at laneway locations, with laneway veteran Movida offering tapas-style Spanish cuisine and relative newcomer Chin Chin dishing out modern Southeast Asian food.
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These laneways hold drinking establishments whose hidden nature means you’re better off locating them early in the night before you get too inebriated. For classic cocktails in a stylish American-themed interior, check out Bar Americano. Those with a passion for bubbling test tubes and mad scientist set-ups might prefer The Croft Institute, though the dark and winding alleyway will have you believing you’re walking towards an organ-harvesting den by the time you find the laboratory-like cocktail bar. To experience the contrast of opulence and socialist practicality of West and East Berlin while sipping a cocktail or some European beers, make your way to the Berlin Bar. While St. Jerome’s Laneway Festival is held at large venues in six cities these days, its origins can be traced back to –you guessed it –a Melbourne laneway bar of the same name. Jerome Borazio started out by booking bands for nightly and monthly events at his bar, but this year’s festival lineup boasts performances by bands ranging from 2012 Mercury prize-winners Alt-J to Scandinavian folk outfits Kings of Convenience and Of Monsters And Men. Finally, laneways are also the perfect place for shopping with a touch of quirk. Flinders Ln houses a number of small boutiques, while nearby Cathedral Arcade is a beautiful display of art deco design offering a unique shopping experience. For those seeking the variety and unexpected finds of a bazaar setting, Blender Ln artists market offers an array of handcrafted clothes, accessories and knick-knacks with a good dose of live music performances. So next time you’re in the city, step off the main streets and find a little piece of this intricate ecosystem to call your own.
Survival Tips in the Land Down Under WRITES LIANNE LETITIA ZILM
Do your research – and I don’t mean looking for ‘Australia’ on Wikipedia! Depending on why you’re coming to Australia, there are millions of resources online that can offer tips to prospective migrants such as university sites, travel sites, expat sites and so on. Some of the most honest perspectives come from blogs of Malaysians who have moved to Australia. Build your network – it’s not about being kay poh, but about finding connections to make you feel more at home. Being one of the most popular destinations for Malaysian migration, you’re bound to have some ex-classmate, ex-colleague or acquaintance living in Australia. One thing you’ll find is that Malaysians in Australia love to show you their favourite eating spots in their respective cities, and the rest is history – you may have found a new best friend! Find a few different circles of friends – while people normally find friends in the course they study at Uni or at their workplace, it’s also good to broaden your friend circle by joining activities or groups outside your normal frame of things. That way, when Uni ends and everybody goes their separate ways or if you change jobs, you still can have strong friendships around you – plus, it’s always fun to try different things like a new sport or new language. Give yourself ample time to settle in – while you want to make the most of your time before you fly away from your friends and family, don’t leave it until a few days before your course or job commencement to get here. Among the many things you will have to organise are accommodation (which can be tricky if you’re picky), a mobile phone, internet and familiarising yourself with the local area as well as how to get around. A week or two is probably ample time, though some people like to go in a bit earlier to do a bit of touristy stuff around the area. Get to know the locals – and when I say locals, I don’t necessarily just mean fully home grown Australian locals. Regardless of whether they have lived in Australia all their life or have been migrants like yourself that have assimilated to local culture, there is so much you can learn from the locals. You could ask them about the best places to buy groceries, the best transportation to take and even to the best places to rent accommodation or how to find a good job. And of course, don’t just take – offer something back, like making them a delicious Malaysian home-cooked meal. Keep an open mind – so you’ve spent a few weeks here and no matter what good advice people give you, you feel like you just want to crawl thousands of miles back to homeland. Don’t worry – homesickness is natural and obviously, you are out of your comfort zone and it’s just taking a while to adjust. The best thing to do is to get out there, meet people (as much as you don’t want to) and do new things. You’ll soon find that you’re not alone – there are others out there feeling quite as lost and lonely as you, and things will just get better from thereon.
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The cold, misty morning soothes the senses accompanying the natural orchestration of symphonic creaking sounds of insects in the foreground. Only the moon and stars serve as backdrop lighting in the solemn sky that illuminates the trail as silence start to ensue. The air gets thinner and clouds begin to disappear as altitudes get higher with every step. A eurhythmic-like melody is in the air, and such expanse of resplendent light encompasses her, even though she is deep into nervous overload. While most of us were cosily cuddling under the warmth of our comforters’ snuggle, Jasmine was giving her all in an attempt to conquer Southeast Asia’s highest summit, a pinnacle feat aimed to be achieved in time to catch the awe-inspiring sunrise from the East. To speak of a beauty that is a hidden testament, one that removes you from the enigma of metropolis, into the thin air of Low’s Peak, at an enchanting height that literally takes your breath away. Meet Mount Kinabalu, one of Mother Nature’s well-known children that represents prominence, power, strength and pride by your stride. This fortune from heaven will leave you breathless with plenty to discover and understand, more than it takes to analyse your tax income slip. It’s an adventure to indulge; you’ll count every step you make, as you plunge into the midst of the mist.
Another form of fascination that will definitely grace mortals’ eyes, Mount Kinabalu was designated a natural World Heritage Sites by UNESCO in appreciation of over 4500 species of plant, 326 species of birds, and 100 mammalian species, including the gigantic Rafflesia plants and the orang-utan, each playing a part into turning this as one of the world’s epicentre of Biodiversity. Named after the legend “A Chinese Widow”, Mount Kinabalu elevates at an impressive 4,095 meters above sea level, approximately equivalent to the height of nine Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur or five Burj Khalifas in Dubai; making this majestic mountain the highest natural summit between the Himalayas and the Jawijaya Mountains of Irian Jaya, Indonesia. Kinabalu National Park covers 754 sq. km, which constitutes three main mountains under its’ jurisdiction, namely Kinabalu (4,095 m), Tambuyukon (2,579 m) and Templer (1,133 m). A 3.2 km spur from the eastern end of the summit of Mt. Kinabalu ends in a long, narrow, jagged ridge at approximately 3,500 m. This particular spur encloses a deep cleft known as Low’s Gully, which splits Mount Kinabalu into two halves - the Eastern Summit Plateau and Western Summit Plateau. Principle peaks on both plateaux include; Low’s Peak, South Peak, St. John’s Peak, the Ugly Sister Peaks, King George, & King Edward Peak.
BACHELORETTE’S WIDOW ROMANTICS. WRITES AK7 PHOTOGRAPHS JASMINE SORAYA
Glorious on hills, gorgeous on heels and witty within film reels, Jasmine is not the average girl-next-door you could toy around with. Before embarking on mountain climbathons, obstacle-crossings and running seriously, Jasmine admitted that the way things work nowadays have weighed many people down and suffocate them with the unnecessary distractions, nuisances and conflicts of life. Opposed to labelling herself a kibitzer; “You are what your mind tells you”, she said to briefly elaborate about the capabilities, talent and potentials every single man and woman out there should realise and understand, and to start seeing oneself as an autonomous individual and not just another product of the society to be consumed. A business researcher and developer in an international conglomerate, Jasmine thinks that giving and receiving appreciation is therapeutic. For her, a recluse into the wilderness stands as an escapade from her soul-crushing schedule. Her escape provides plenty of opportunity to reclaim time that is hers for self-recovery, attain good judgments and clear-sight decision-making processes, as well as improving health. “To do something that is unusual is a challenge to become awesome and to indulge greatness.” is a phrase chanted by Syed A. Jalil, who greatly inspires her. Jasmine loves her dad so much, she sees him every time she looks into the mirror. Her dad has drawn lines in the sky for decades as a decorated pilot, and she wants to come within an ace of his, through the rocky trails of the mountain to the entrance of the sky at the apex. The sky probably is not the limit after all. Non c´è due senza tre (Everything comes in threes); having listed TV hosting, modelling and finalist of a beauty pageant in her minimalistic profile, AK7 asked about how a beauty-with-brains would describe a beauty-with-myths, in 3 words; “Life, Change, Experience”, “Life-changing experience”, and “Life: changes experience”. A place she calls her second home, the peak resembles her personal safe-zone to hide and heal, and she will leave her problems before descending from the mountaintop. “Both to my eyes and to my mind, Kinabalu is the most charming mountain in South East Asia. It is, indeed, one of the great mountains of the world.” So what does it really take to reach the top? Since the elevation is as steep as almost 70 degree and not just a slope or hill you can sneak through your backyard, it requires lots of mental strength, other than energy, stamina and good physical condition. It goes without saying that you should prepare your body and mind doing cardio routines. Synonymous with the all-Malaysian traits, beautiful and friendly, the mountain is highly accessible to all types of climbers from all walks of life, with R&R
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centres that offer temporary shelter for recovery, built at each checkpoint at different levels. Of course, her climb became more convenient since she equipped herself with a pair of Solomon trailing shoes, running outfits, torch, whistle, lightweight bivouac bag, proper clothing (thermal, fleece, waterproof, appropriate footwear), and supplies of high-energy food. There are a number of useful items designed specifically for climbers or mountain runners and one of them is the must-have Suunto Ambit GPS watch-developed for runners and climbers to record their personal progress (heart beat rate, distances, speed, time, etc.) as well as the trails and tracks according to the map via GPS. That said, since accessibility is not an issue, prospective climbers don’t need any previous experience at high altitude, nor do they require any specialised equipment. Other than the type of clothing and items mentioned, don’t forget to add water purification tablets, sunscreen cream, small first aid kit, and your personal just-in-case items. Spare some extra cash for climbing permit, guide (especially for climbers in group) and the insurance fee, all conveniently available at the park headquarters. One of the world’s magnificent mount-runners, Kilian Jornet, had once shown Jasmine and many other participants of a climbathon at Kinabalu last year the essence of any mountaineering activities. Besides prepping yourself with the aforementioned hiking gears, a prepared mind is a prerequisite; to be ready to push yourself and learn your limits. Kilian also emphasises on being explorative and not just clever. Apart from the to-do and shopping list, Jasmine says that it is a hopeful duty for those who desire to set an adventure to organise their schedules to befit the recommended climbing period, as well as to prepare for unwarranted surprises caused by bad weather. February, March and April are the best months to climb as there isn’t much rain, as an advice to avoid the monsoon season. First, visitors must proceed with registration and will be on the waiting list, prior to the visit. Although Mount Kinabalu is marketed as a highly accessible tourist attraction with many completing this endeavour without any problems, one must not ignore the potential dangers of climbing one of the world’s highest tropical mountain. Climbers must also obtain information regarding the best course of action in case of an emergency, altitude sickness, edible flora and fauna, and the volatile nature of the weather, amongst others. The best weather and time to ascend and descend as known to many, is in the morning.
From Jasmine’s memory, she could still vividly describe the physical conditions of the terrains of Mt. Kinabalu. The 14km summit trail from Kinabalu National Park to the peak of the stegosaurus-backed mountain, begins with a straightforward 6km march from Timpohon Gate to Laban Rata, where climbers will have to spend a night. Climbers are expected to spend up to 5 hours in their climb to Laban Rata. After the rest, the ascent to Low’s Peak will begin at 2am and takes about three hours, since the idea being to watch the sun rise from the pinnacle. This final 3km of the climb is much steeper and more technically difficult, and a pretty daunting prospect in the dark. At first, there are long sections of steep wooden steps, followed by slippery granite slabs with guide ropes. For the final 1km, the slabs are less steep for climbers to make their way up thus planting themselves on the close-to-freezing summit (less than zero degrees) in time to see the daybreak. Descending the waterfall slabs is much trickier. The technical difficulty of the final summit stretch and the temperature at the top may come as a surprise to many, therefore, be prepared. On the brighter notes, all successful climbers will be awarded with a certificate upon the course completion. In the twilight sky, upon the appearance of Mr Apollo (the sun, based on Olympian deities), no words will do justice to such breath-taking features that graced her eyes and melted her lacklustre heart. Touched, tranquilised and surrendered herself to the peacefulness and amazing beauty of one of the world’s tallest vertexes, she cried in admiration. It began with curiosity that later beat adversity; in fact, this experience taught Jasmine to be more appreciative of life, despite all the stress that drowns and frowns. Every mountain in the world is unique and incomparable. Jasmine has described the peaceful ambiance in its purest form; the features that resemble bedtime fantasy stories or maybe not even close, this article itself. “I normally see Gunung Kutu in Selangor as my training ground. I’ll be there almost every month on weekends. The next climb will be Mount Rinjani in Indonesia and I’m very psyched to think about a qualifying race that will take place in Sabah this September, it’s called The Most Beautiful Thing Ultra Trail Race 2013. Qualified contestants will then proceed to Du Mont Blanc Ultra Trail 2014 at the amazing Mont Blanc (France & Italy), known as The White Lady in French and The White One in Italian. To climb up Mont Blanc is my biggest dream, and seems like I’m getting closer each day to see that moment comes to live! But I wouldn’t have gained such confidence and abilities to even think about it if it’s not because of what I call a ‘paradise on earth’ that we have, here at home. It all began with Mount Kinabalu, the exordium where I fell deeply in love, and this will remain strong within, high and low, as far and as deep as how it has captivated the best of me”, which perchance tantamount to the legend of the mountain, the symbol of the everlasting love and loyalty.
-------A hard-kicking, gun-belting foxy in the Malaysian culinary industry, Sharifah Jasmine Soraya Syed A. Jalil is an alumnus of University of South Australia who fancies wheels over coffee chats, and sunsets turn her on.
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What was the biggest challenge you faced when you first came to Australia, and how did you overcome it? INTERVIEWS LIANNE LETITIA ZILM
A big challenge was looking for a job and sorting out visa arrangements – I had to find a good agent to sort out my visa and just have to keep an eye out for jobs because the market is very competitive. – May, 23, Melbourne
Budgeting and controlling my finances was quite tricky initially – having the currency at such a high rate made things so expensive, and I couldn’t believe a simple meal could cost so much! I ended up having to take up a casual job to supplement my pocket money, but after a while I got the hang of controlling my expenses and even managed to save up for a car!
– Danial, 30, Sydney
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The hardest thing was taking control and responsibility of my life, as I had always lived with parents and hadn’t even done grocery shopping independently before. To overcome it, I just had to muster my courage and get it done. – Tanya, 24, Adelaide
I stayed in student dormitories – getting used to the dorm was an issue and dorm mates weren’t all that friendly. Even people who I knew back in high school treated me differently. Luckily, I had a very close friend living out in the suburbs and we found time to hang out – it really helped!
– Lionel, 27, Melbourne
“Living in Australia, so what?” said the twenty-year-old me who first arrived on Melbourne soil last Valentine’s Day to begin his university life. Despite all the talk about culture shock being the primary difference between life in Malaysia and Australia, he found it to be the last thing on his mind. Rather, it was the price of food that hit him first. Notwithstanding the fact that the exchange rate shrunk his Ringgit to only one-third in value, the food prices in Melbourne were all doubled as compared to those in KL. Eating out was harsh for his pockets. Soon, he became a regular at Queen Victoria’s Market and the Asian Grocery Store, aided by his discovery of a somewhat unearthed cooking talent that stretches beyond the cooking Ramen instant noodles (no more Maggi!). Nevertheless, the uniqueness of Melbourne’s back-lane brunches, the wide variety of Asian food and the lovely ambience of Western dining demanded a justified compromise between cooking meals and eating out. After all, he could hardly find a tasty bowl of Vietnamese beef noodle or a well-made Rosetta latte in Malaysia, or so he thought. The cultural disparity between Malaysia and Australia only became evident after he settled down. Take one; no mamak stalls! The absence of cheap roti canai became a bitter pill to swallow since he had to settle for Arnott biscuits instead. Take two; footy over soccer. Footy matches are religion to Melburnians, and that felt so weird for the Malaysian boy who grew up obsessed with the English Premier League. Take three; public intimacy. Smooching would be a supreme example of this. While you can be assured that he has no complains – after all, the act being an expression of love– it is definitely not of his liking to be inconveniently sitting next to the couple in a tram, and be a witness to the scene!
Melbourne Living: A Student’s Exposition WRITES KEN LIN OOI PHOTOGRAPHS LEBIN TEO
Take four; public toilets. The Malaysian public toilet in general is a real eyesore. Not only do these toilets charged a ridiculous thirty cents to take advantage of your ‘vulnerable urgency’, they are outrageously filthy. This drew a stark contrast with their Melbourne cousins who were well-maintained and entrusted with a pleasant supply of toilet rolls. Lastly, and perhaps the most subtle disparity felt by him was the need to speak proper English. Coming from a community who spoke the ‘Lahs’, the ‘Mahs’ and the ‘Walaos’, one would say that he speaks Manglish, with a Mandarin taste added to it. Fortunately, speaking proper English was not an issue to him, although it did give him a foreign feeling about the place he lived in and at times made him miss home. In short, studying overseas gave him the chance to live outside his small Malaysian world. He made many international friends, and Skype-d a lot to keep in touch with friends back home. He used a heater instead of the air-conditioner, and a debit card instead of cash. Lastly, he felt much safer walking down Melbourne streets at night compared to KL streets. Indeed, living in Melbourne has very much changed his life and in some ways for the better.
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WE'RE GONNA POP SOME TAGS Only got twenty dollars in your pocket, looking for a come-up? Pam Vasu has tips on how to get by.
Coming to Melbourne for studies has made me a very thrifty person. Why? I will begin this article by stating the obvious: University is expensive. In fact, really expensive. It’s easy to see why university students are notorious for being broke. Back in Malaysia, I didn’t have to worry for the costs of tuition fees, textbooks, groceries, bills and everything else. Unfortunately, as bratty as this may sound, practically everything was taken care of by my beloved parents. Over here though, is a different story. I could say that coming to Melbourne has made me an independent person as well as helping me shape a newfound appreciation for money. Hence, I’ve come up with my own simple guide on how newcomers could save some money! So if you keep seeing moths fly out of your wallet every time you open it, this article might help you out (I hope).
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URBANSPOON Cheap Eats!
All of us want to enjoy cheap, ‘Masterchef’ quality food but we know how frustrating it could be to find a nice yet inexpensive place to dine these days. UrbanSpoon, however, helps lessen that burden. Urban Spoon explores local flavours which brings users a great deal of information on restaurants, cafes and other eateries in their region. The user has the option to select their location to view the best cheap rights, fine dining and casual dining on the homepage. Each restaurant is given a profile page that includes a user rating, contact and location information, hours of operation, price range as well as popular menu items with images (when available). The user can also view Google Maps for the location and read critic reviews from popular media resources on the web. Urbanspoon is both available online and in mobile apps! No
Bargains, bargains, and more bargains!
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Everybody loves a great shopping deal (totally judging you if you don’t)! Often, Bargain websites offer the average person luxury services and items that they either couldn’t normally afford, or can’t normally justify spending money on. So far, I’ve gotten myself a luxury hair pamper package deal, food in a High-end restaurant…and more things I don’t usually spend on because of the ridiculous prices. But thanks to these bargain websites, I get to lay my hands on unbeatable deals with discounts of 50%-90% off the best stuff to do, see, eat and buy!
livingsocial.com: LivingSocial Deals has a deal per day in multiple cities of up to 90% off at restaurants, bars, spas, comedy clubs, sporting events, theatres, classes, retailers and more! groupon.com: Find deals in your city with Groupon Australia. Groupon vouchers offer discounts up to 70% on spa, cinema, travel and more!
scoopon.com: Named Australia’s number 1 group buying website two years in a row (2010, 2011 Telsyte Research). Featuring everything from restaurant deals to pampering packages, movie tickets to luxurious getaways, every day at noon a new offer promises a top deal based on a pre-determined number of coupons purchased.
ozbargain.com.au: OzBargain is you, the community of on-line shoppers in Australia. This is the place where the best bargains are shared in Australia. OzBargain’s goal is simple – bringing the best deals and bargains in Australia to consumers. groceryrun.com.au: Australia’s number one online grocery store. Save up to 80% just like the supermarkets, only cheaper!
vinomofo.com: Like good wine? You might like the ‘Fo. Every day, a small selection of handpicked wines and wine-like things are available to members at very ‘mofo’ cheap prices! catchoftheday.com.au: Australia’s number one shopping website which features one amazing deal every day, at midday, for an insanely low price!
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Direct Factory Outlets (DFOs) all the way!
I spend most of my weekends shopping at DFOs instead of retail stores in the CBD. With big brands and big savings of up to 70%, I would say that DFO is the best place for shopping for shoes, clothes, sunglasses and more! You’ll find over 120 big name brands all under the one roof, with Cotton On, Country Road, Diana Ferarri, Guess, and more! With so many brands to choose from, you’re sure to find everything you’re looking at a bargain!
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P/S: Go on weekdays, you wouldn’t want to be in a DFO during weekends.
ESSENDON 100 Bulla Road, Strathmore* Trading Hours: Open 7 days 10am to 6pm
SOUTH WHARF 20 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf Trading Hours: Open 7 days 10am to 6pm Friday: 10am to 9pm
MOORABBIN Corner Grange Road & Centre Dandenong Road, Cheltenham Trading Hours: Open 7 days 10am to 6pm
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Clubs, societies, organisations –Keep yourself updated!
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*DFO Essendon is located on the Tullamarine Freeway next to Essendon Airport.
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Don’t just sit at home and watch TV all day. GET OUT! Be involved! Keep yourself updated with fun-filled occasions! Events, outings, gatherings, garage sales, trips –you name it, are often hosted by everyday people just like me and you! A good platform to get started is to participate in clubs, societies or organisations. Being part of an environment of a society is always motivating and inspiring for any individual. Not only does this give you an opportunity to meet new people who share your interests, you will also be able get freebies as well as incredible deals! Okay, I admit. I do sound like a cheapskate, but I’m only speaking from experience! I’m part of: i) RUMA (student society): coupons, freebies, free entry to clubs, discounted deals for trips, attend free awesome events. ii) MASCA: attend exclusive & intellectual events, meet influential and intellectual people. iii) JOM magazine: meet celebrities and inspiring people, get free magazine, coupons, keep updated with news and more!
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Free tram service!
THAT’S RIGHT! It says FREE tram service! The City Circle Tram service provides a free and convenient way to get around central Melbourne. Tourists, shoppers, office workers and families can use the City Circle Tram all day to travel to major attractions, shops and city events. Awesome, huh? The tram will take you past shopping malls and arcades, and major attractions such as the Old Treasury Building, Parliament House and the Princess Theatre. To catch the free City Circle Tram service (route number 35), simply board the tram at any of the specially marked stops on the route.
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Google is your next best friend -Online shopping!
Besides googling for your homework and cute pictures of kittens, I can assure you that Google can seriously help you get rid of those moths in your wallet I’ve mentioned earlier! No But how, you ask? Online shopping! From my experience, I could honestly say that shopping online can save you money especially when you couple it with online savings codes, deals of the day, and free shipping offers! It is convenient, has better prices, great reviews, has huge varieties and not to mention less time consuming! I’ve been doing online shopping for years and my advice is: always check out the prices of items online first before purchasing anything from a physical store, because most items sold in retail stores are more expensive –due to their costs of running an establishment. I do go on eBay and Amazon sometimes but I usually make use of Google; googling stuff online so I could check out as many online stores as I can and compare prices! Piece of advice: do make sure that you are purchasing from legitimate and trustable online retailers in order to prevent fraud! One of the ways of doing so is to check the website’s information as well as the reviews and testimonials made by the consumers!
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Rated to be one of the best Op-shops in Melbourne: Brotherhood of St Laurence - Brunswick 132 Barkly Street, Brunswick This northside store is how one would imagine op-shop porn. It’s impossible to leave this store empty-handed. 132 Barkly Street, Brunswick Salvos – Abbotsford 81 Victoria Crescent, Abbotsford Moved to Melbourne and need to furnish a bedroom, a house? This Salvos has all your furniture needs sorted. Buy a chest of drawers for $30, a 70s coffee table for $40 and a couch for $50. Salvos – Kilsyth 239 Colchester Road, Kilsyth This Salvos is for the keen op-shoppers who love the thrill of striking gold in a pile of suburban waste. Behind the plastic prams and crap floral furniture you will find the best set of wine glasses or a retro wooden fruit bowl shaped as pineapple for 50 cents. Savers – Greensborough Shop 7, 108-114 Main Street, Greensborough It’s worth the long hike alone once you step inside the juggernaut that is Greensborough Savers. A massive warehouse filled with endless aisles of clothes you will need to make sure you’ve had a big breakkie to tackle the task at hand.
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Op-shops mania!
To save money on clothes, furniture, etc you can buy second hand goods fromopportunity shops, which are usually run by charity organisations such as Red Cross, The Salvation Army, Goodwill, St Vincent de Paul etc. There are also various stores that sell new clothes for very cheap prices,
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Common Sense & Will Power! If it’s out of your budget, don’t even think about it.
Sacred Heart Mission – St Kilda 415 Inkerman Street, St Kilda This tiny little op shop houses some kitsch little pieces that are soon to adorn the walls of your house!
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A MESSAGE FROM THE MALAYSIAN DIASPORA. WRITES STAN CH LEE / TORONTO
For a long time now, we have heard the familiar refrain from the powers that be. “If you don’t like it here in Malaysia, you can leave.” thundered the UMNO Putras and their hangerson in BN. And many did leave. Entire families uprooted and left. Some left because their parents see no future in this country. Some have job offers or scholarships that they will not get in Malaysia simply because of the colour of their skin or their political inclinations. Odds are stacked against anyone not aligned with UMNO, Malays included. Brain drain, capital flight, call it what you will. Unpatriotic bunch say the politicians. Traitors, some even labelled us. Good riddance to bad rubbish cried the Little Napoleons. The remarks were biting. The insults not less so. But here we are- the Malaysian Diaspora. Spread worldwide inconspicuous in their new homes. Showing up recently to be counted when BERSIH called. Man oh man, it was inspiring to see so many come forward when the clarion call sounded. Thanks to the internet, this gave face to the much maligned millions who left not because they wanted to, but because they had to. We love the country no less in our leaving. We may have left Malaysia physically. But our thoughts and our hearts remain true to the country where we were born and the place we grew up in. Memories remain of bygone days spent with friends from every race, colour and creed. These were the moments etched in time - the living inspirations for Lat’s Cartoons which used to tell a tale of a people happy in their skin. A people who have no problem playing together, eating together, living with each other. Calling each other friend, kawan,
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member, brother or bradder. A time when calling each other names like “Cina Kui”, “Keling Cai” or “Oi Melayu” were done in the spirit of friendship. If you are my friend, you can call me names. No offence meant or taken. We leave behind friends and sometimes family who envy us. But in hindsight, it is we who envy those we left behind. We leave behind the comfortable, easy camaraderie of our colleagues, friends and relatives. Gone are the “drop by anytime” invites that are serious and sincere. Gone are the golf kakis, windsurf buddies, cycle groups, and every imaginable activity groups you can think of. All these groups now taunting you on Facebook’s “#seewhatyoumissed” type posts. We leave behind familiar places that sing a song of wonderful times shared. We leave behind years of the interwoven fabric of life shared with loved ones, friends and family alike. We leave behind a smorgasbord of mouth-watering food often imitated, never matched anywhere – the nasi lemak prepared as only the corner mak cik knows how to - the char kuay teow dished out with a swivel and a twist by the coffee shop uncle, and the firey mutton vindaloo served by the grinning mamak . Nostalgia often hits those who have been away for a while. Even in the “better” land, they long for Malaysia. It is only in their hearts that a true measure of the word “patriotic” should be made. Not by the size or number of flags you fly. Not by the silence you keep when you see wrongs inflicted on a people. Leaving the country you love today is no longer “forever” like it used to be. When my father left China for Malaya in the early 1940’s it was more than 40 years before he saw his family again, and he only communicated with them via occasional letters for all that time. It is a different world today of course. With the internet, you are no longer cut off from interactions with old friends. Skype and a host of other new
age tools make sure that you have plenty of face time with those you love. Emails keeps you connected and informed. People still stay in touch with you and you do keep up with and may even be more aware of events in the country than those who chose to stay. It is like you have never left. Many take a keen interest in political developments in Malaysia and many are willing to do their part - touched by what they can see that is a total polar opposite of what has been promised by those who lead us. The shiny, plastic looking 1Malaysia logo cut out at every street corner remains just that - a cut out devoid of life or substance. Coming back is an option for some, but certainly not under that farcical 1programme Talent Corp run by UMNO to attract talented Malaysians back to serve the country. I see no sincerity in that window dressing. People will come back under their own steam but on their own terms. Lured back, not by the 1promise, which in reality has become a virulent disease that corrupts and ravages the country,but to answer that persistent siren calling in their hearts. Social media websites are filling up with Jom Balik Undi pictures. The Malaysian Diaspora is on standby. And we will come back. To save Malaysia, the land that we love. Because you can take a man out of Malaysia, but you cannot take Malaysia out of the man.
CASTING MY ONE VOTE WRITES VERONICA LIEW HUI MEI / SWAITZERLAND
Why am I so passionate about casting my vote!? Why am I so willing, and why have I been waiting since last year, to fly back from Switzerland to Malaysia, to cast my single vote? Last New Year my family members asked me to come back home to celebrate New Year with them. I answered that I would only come back when an election is called. My eldest sister could not understand why for me, an election could be even more important than New Year. This New Year, my family members were again encouraging me to come back home. I said: “Yes, yes, I will come back, when an election is called!” It has always been my thinking that my one vote may not be able to do much, but if there were more Malaysians who were willing to put their patriotic and democratic thoughts into action, the number would not be just one but rather it would be thoudands or millions. The true, democratic voice of millions cannot be denied, but this true voice sometimes struggles to be heard. For example, there have been stories of ghost voters and dead people being able to ‘rise from the dead’ to vote, or illegal immigrants being granted blue identity cards giving them the right to vote. We need a fair and robust democratic political system to rid Malaysia of these ‘ghosts’. Recently, the option to cast an overseas postal vote has been made available to Malaysians living abroad, but I will still insist on flying back from Switzerland to Malaysia to cast my vote in person. I want to stand in the polling booth and exercise my democratic right and see my ballot go into the box. I see the upcoming GE13 as crucial in pushing our country to continue the move towards a true bi-partisan
system.. Every single vote is significant in the upcoming election. Malaysia is facing an unprecented electoral crossroad with the 55 year ruling party facing a credible and genuine opposition for the first time in living memory. Personally, I do not care which party or which individuals benefit from the present democratic movement. What is more important is the birth of a clean and transparent democratic system that allows Malaysians to enjoy a fair and healthy political environment regardless of who is running the country. If we have the best and fairest political system we can then this will allow Malaysia to continue to move forward and to be internationally competitive regardless of what party is running the country.
we are in, Malaysia is forever our motherland, where our roots originate from. It is an undeniable fact that Malaysian blood circulates in our body even whenwe have been exposed to the cultures of other countries.
I have worked, lived or visited some so-called “first-world” countries such as Singapore, Japan, England, Switzerland and the United States. While some people envy these countries and are inspired to migrate to these destinations, I have experienced that every country has its own unique problems. Nowhere is perfect but it is the people who make a country a better place to live. While I presently live in Switzerland with my German husband, I know that Malaysia can be one of the very best places on earth to live. Malaysia is rich in natural resources and Malaysians are warm, talented and multi-lingual people. In Switzerland, people find it astonishing that I speak not only English, but that I speak Malay and Chinese as well. I answer them proudly: “Malaysia is like Switzerland. In general, Malaysians speak at least four languages’. We are a smart country. Because I am proud to be Malaysian and I am proud of my fellow Malaysians (at home and abroad), I want to put in my very best effort to make my home country, Malaysia, one of the best countries it can be. Malaysia is a country with a rich heritage and Malaysia deserves bright, new political leaders of all parties and all relegious and ethnic backgrounds to continue to lead our country to the future it deserves. No matter what corner of the world
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One of the most attractive things about Melbourne’s laneways is the graffiti art that covers many of the walls. Those sides of buildings become canvases upon which fantastical creatures and engaging messages are brought into being and enliven the city. While it is certainly the case that a good deal of graffiti around Melbourne lacks artistic merit – we might distinguish graffiti art from territorial ‘tagging’ and defacement – much of it is thoughtful and is done with the consent of the walls’ owners. Kuala Lumpur, by contrast, has relatively little graffiti art. Happily, the kinds of vandalism that you see sometimes on Australian trains and along railway lines are largely absent there. However, throughout town, and if you keep your eyes open, you can see engaging pieces of graffiti peppering pavements and walls. Graffiti in KL, I have found, often has a social and political message, while the messages in Melbourne often seem more oblique.
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Kurang Manis BY JULIAN CH LEE
Julian CH Lee is a lecturer in Global Studies at RMIT University.
While the walls of the monsoon drain near Pasar Seni /Central Market LRT station have been a site for graffiti artists to display their skills for some time, thoughtful and comical stencil art can often be found in unlikely places. Among my favourites was the one you can see on this page and which was variation of the ‘Free Anwar’ image (seen sometimes while he was imprisoned). I photographed ‘Freeky Anwar’ near Menara Maybank in KL. Another site for graffiti for the eagle-eyed is Bangsar (where I found the ‘Open your mind’ image). However, in Melbourne, I’m lucky to work in a building just off Little Latrobe St, where favourite of mine, a phantasmagorical creature – a kind whiting fish to my mind – descends to join an alleyway full of art and colourful rubbish bins.
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12 MELBOURNE FUN FACTS So we’ve all lived in Melbourne for some time – some longer than others – but how much do we really know about this city? We’re here to give you a lesson about some of the more interesting – if not the most important – facts about the most liveable city on earth!
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Melbourne was named Batmania because it was explored by a man called John Batman.
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The aboriginal word, ‘Moomba’ actually can be literally translated as ‘up your bum’ according to aboriginal language specialists, which is probably what the Birdmen shout each time they leap out over the Yarra during Moomba Festival.
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A bronze sculpture of an athlete throwing a hammer at Alexandra Gardens, just opposite the NGV in St Kilda Rd, always has his hammer stolen. Each time the hammer is replaced, it disappears soon after.
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Up until 1966 all pubs in Melbourne closed at 6pm.
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Melbourne’s tram tracks stretch for 244 kms.
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Melbourne has more cafes and restaurants per capita than anywhere else in the world.
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Melbourne is the only city in the world that has hook turns. Cars on hook turns lane only turn when the traffic light turns red.
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The first traffic light in Australia was erected in Melbourne at corner of Collins and Swanston St.
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The largest stain glass ceiling in the world is at the National Gallery of Victoria.
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You can get hailing (ice falling from the skies) during summer in Melbourne.
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Dim Sims (not dim sum) were first developed by Chinese chef William Wing Young who was living in Melbourne.
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Melbourne is the fox capital of the world, with between 6 and 23 foxes per square kilometre in the urban area of the city. That compares with 4-6 foxes per square km in country Victoria and around 13 sheep and 3 people per square kilometre in Australia.
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Immigration Lawyer Business & Investment visas Employer Nomination visas Family Reunion visas Overseas Students visas Tribunals Appeals applications De Facto/Spouse visas Skilled Independent Sponsored visas Expedient Competitive Rates High Success Rate Friendly Service Confidential
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Immigration Consultants M.A.R.N. 9686457 & 0321384 +613 9886 6802 Tel Fax +613 8677 2566 H/P +614 1232 3883 Email jamestan@immigrationlawyer.com.au Website www.immigrationlawyer.com.au
The JOM team would like to wish you a Happy Chinese New Year!
And here is a little gift for you! (Grab a hard copy for your ‘angpau’! )
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COME HELP US! We’re currently looking for the following talents to join our team: Journalist News-making, chasing current issues, writing feature stories, covering events. Marketing Officer Planning and executing marketing strategies. Advertising Officer Representing the magazine in business meetings, generating advertising revenue. You don’t have to have experience, although that would be really really great. We will provide training and guidance to help you with your role. However you’ll need to be committed, dedicated, creative, willing to learn and have an interest in media.
You’ll have the opportunity to gain experience in the publishing industry and work with a team of vibrant and dedicated young people – both students and working professionals – passionate to develop this little community media.
JOM is the first and only Malaysian community magazine in Australia. We aim to provide a media platform for the Malaysian community. Send queries, cover letter and resumes to: contact@jommagazine.com.au
SUBSCRIBE TO JOM! You may subscribe to our online magazine or the hard copy of the magazine by simply dropping an email at contact@jommagazine.com.au By subscribing to our hard copy of the magazine, you will be one of the first to receive JOM magazine at your door step whenever it is published, at the cost of only $4.00 per issue. Subscribing to the online magazine is for free. Interested in getting a hold of our past issues? Just say hi and let us know at contact@jommagazine.com.au Issue 00
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J O U R N E Y O F M A L AYS I A N S
INTERNET KING OF NICHE Questions for PappaRich Best Durians in Melbourne 55th Year of Independence Biggest Hari Raya Celebration Bargain Property? Jinnyboy
ISSUE 00 SEP 2012
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Issue 01
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