SP Setia Boss Liew is Malaysian Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2011

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Liew named Malaysian Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year

KUALA LUMPUR: SP Setia Bhd president and chief executive officer Tan Sri Liew Kee Sin has been awarded the Malaysian Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2011.

Liew would represent Malaysia to compete for the coveted Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur of the Year award at the annual award in Monte Carlo, Monaco next year.

The award was presented at the Ernst & Young awards gala, which was launched by International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed who represented the deputy Prime Minister.

According to the panel of judges, Liew stands out for his innovative thinking – embodying the true spirit of entrepreneurial excellence and commitment to continue making a difference in people’s lives.

Tan Sri Liew Kee Sin, President Executive officer of SP Setia Berhad, with the Malaysian Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2011 award yesterday at the J W Marriot Hotel in Kuala Lumpur. Liew stands out for his innovative thinking – embodying the true spirit of entrepreneurial excellence.- Star picture by Shahrul Fazry Ismail.

Liew had demonstrated keen foresight and the entrepreneurial qualities of passion, vision, determination and innovation, with an emphasis on sustainability.

SP Setia is a property developer with a strong brand name.

It posted a 30% year-on-year jump in net profit to RM327.97mil for its financial year ended Oct 31, 2011.

Revenue increased 27.9% to RM2.23bil during the  period.

The group set a new full-year sales record in FY11 of RM3.29bil, a 42% increase from the previous record of RM2.31bil set in FY10.

It was the fourth consecutive year of increase in the group’s sales and represented the second consecutive year that total group sales had exceeded RM2bil.

The group recently launched its landmark integrated green commercial and mixed residential development called the KL EcoCity.

Internationally, its recent launches included Fulton Lane and EcoXuan, the group’s maiden project in Melbourne, Australia and second project in Vietnam respectively.



SP Setia was thrust into the limelight following a takeover bid by Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB) at RM3.90 per share and 91 sen per warrant in September.

SP Setia, Liew and PNB had proposed to enter into an agreement to formalise the incentives and management rights relating to the management and general conduct of the business of SP Setia.

The agreement is subject to an approval by the Securities Commission.

PNB might be paying out lucrative bonuses and stock options to SP Setia’s top management in order to persuade them to stay on with the group.

Meanwhile, Ernst & Young Malaysia country managing partner Abdul Rauf Rashid said Ernst & Young believed that entrepreneurship was fundamental and vital in every economy.

“Entrepreneurs help generate employment and industry growth.

“Indeed, driving entrepreneurship in Malaysia augurs well with the Government’s Economic Transformation Programme that encourages and facilitates private sector initiatives to drive our economy to a high-income nation,” he said in statement.

Ernst & Young presented four other awards for entrepreneurial excellence that included Emerging Entrepreneur 2011 to Exabytes Network Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Chan Kee Siak; Technology Entrepreneur 2011 to ViTrox Corp Bhd chief executive officer and president Chu Jenn Weng; Woman Entrepreneur 2011 to HELP International Corp Bhd chairperson/group CEO Datin Chan-Low Kam Yoke; and Master Entrepreneur 2011 to Liew.

The four recipients as well as the overall country award recipient were selected by an independent panel of judges guided by a set of globally-benchmarked criteria.

SP Setia targets RM4bil in property sales

By THOMAS HUONG huong@thestar.com.my

Developer posts 30% jump in FY11 net profit

SHAH ALAM: SP Setia Bhd posted a 30% year-on-year jump in net profit to RM327.97mil for its financial year ended Oct 31, 2011 (FY11). The property developer attributed this mainly to higher selling prices for new launches and the stabilisation in the prices of construction materials. Revenue also increased 27.9% to RM2.23bil.

The group also set a new full-year sales record in FY11 of RM3.29bil, a 42% increase from the previous record of RM2.31bil set in FY10.

It was the fourth consecutive year of increase in the group's sales and represented the second consecutive year that total group sales had exceeded the RM2bil mark, said SP Setia in a Bursa Malaysia filing.

Liew: ‘We target 70% of our product range in Singapore to cater to local upgraders.’>

(The sales figures are based on the retail pricing of properties sold, while revenue is recognised in the accounts when the developer is paid at the point of purchase and also when construction is completed in stages.)

SP Setia has proposed a final dividend of 9 sen per share. Together with the interim dividend of 5 sen per share, total dividend for the year works out to be 14 sen per share, representing a payout of about 59% of the group's net profit.

The group's profit and revenue were largely derived from property developments in the Klang Valley, Johor Baru and Penang.

Ongoing projects which contributed included Setia Alam and Setia Eco-Park at Shah Alam (Selangor), Setia Walk at Pusat Bandar Puchong (Selangor), Setia Sky Residences at Jalan Tun Razak (Kuala Lumpur), Bukit Indah, Setia Indah, Setia Tropika and Setia Eco Gardens in Johor Baru and Setia Pearl Island and Setia Vista in Penang.

President and chief executive officer Tan Sri Liew Kee Sin said the group was aiming to achieve total new sales of RM4bil in FY12.

“This is despite factors such as the external headwinds from the economic uncertainty in Europe, and Bank Negara's guidelines seeking to further encourage prudence in bank lending,” he told reporters.

About 90% of new sales in FY12 would come from Malaysia, with the balance from foreign markets.

Liew stated that the group had strong branding, and offered an extensive range of products that cater to diverse market needs.

The group's recent launch of its integrated green commercial and mixed residential development, KL EcoCity (Kuala Lumpur), is expected to contribute strongly to sales in FY12.

Other recent launches like Fulton Lane and EcoXuan, the group's maiden project in Melbourne and second project in Vietnam respectively, are expected to also help augment sales in FY12.

Meanwhile, Liew said he was not too concerned about the recent 10% increase in stamp duty for foreigners buying homes in Singapore.

“We target 70% of our product range in Singapore to cater to local upgraders. Foreign buyers will be about 30%, so we do not think there will be much of an impact,” he said.

Liew also said SP Setia was interested in making another bid to secure the project to redevelop London's Battersea Power Station. SP Setia had submitted a 262mil (RM1.3bil) offer for the project in November that was turned down, before recently making a a second bid of 324mil (RM1.6bil) that was also rejected.

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Rules for succession to Malaysian Kings

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Rules for royal succession

REFLECTING ON THE LAW By SHAD SALEEM FARUQI

For the first time in royal history, a reigning Sultan ascended the Federal throne the second time. The Sultan of Kedah had previously reigned as Yang di-Pertuan Agong from 1970 to 1975.

YESTERDAY, the distinguished reign of the Sultan of Terengganu as the 13th Yang di-Pertuan Agong came to an end and the Sultan of Kedah ascended to the Federal throne.

This draws our attention to the unique rules relating to the election of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Timbalan Yang di-Pertuan Agong as found in Articles 32, 33, 38(2) and the Third Schedule of the Federal Constitution.

The rules are exceedingly complex and constitutional conventions have added to their richness. The salient features are as follows:

> Only the Rulers of the nine Malay states are eligible to contest or vote. The Governors of Penang, Malacca, Sabah and Sarawak are excluded.

> Voting is by secret ballot and a simple majority of five out of nine Sultans is needed to disqualify or elect a Ruler.

> Seniority (by reference to date of accession to the state throne) carries some weight but is not an overriding factor.

> Election is on a rotational basis to ensure that every Ruler (who is willing and suitable) has had an opportunity to become the Yang di-Pertuan Agong before any state occupies the Federal throne twice.

> A Yang di-Pertuan Agong cannot be re-elected to continue beyond his five-year term.

Exceptions to rotation rule: Under the Third Schedule, a Ruler is qualified to be elected Yang di-Pertuan Agong except in three circumstances.

First, if he is a minor. Second, if he has notified the Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal that he does not desire to be elected.



In 1957 the Sultan of Johor, in 1970 the Sultan of Pahang and in 1975 the Sultan of Johor stood down in favour of the next eligible Ruler. In such a case, the state’s name goes to the end of the “Election List” and the next Ruler in line is offered the post.

Third, if at least five members of the Conference of Rulers have by secret ballot resolved that a Ruler is unsuitable by reason of infirmity of mind or body or for any other cause to exercise the functions of the King.

There is no verifiable record of any such resolution though it is rumoured that there was at least one such precedent.

First election: For the first election of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong in 1957, an “Election List” was drawn up to indicate the seniority or precedence that Their Highnesses recognised among themselves. In his book, the late Lord President Tun Suffian Hashim informs us that the list had this precedence: Johor, Pahang, Negri Sembilan, Selangor, Kedah, Perlis, Kelantan, Terengganu and Perak.

Though Johor and Pahang were high up on the List, the Federal throne was offered by the Conference of Rulers to Negri Sembilan. Johor had declined and perhaps this was also the case with Pahang.

Second to ninth elections: The Election List drawn up for the first election is not permanent and is subject to constant revision in accordance with Section 4 of the Third Schedule which provides that the state that contributed the previous Yang di-Pertuan Agong should be transferred to the bottom of the list.

The state whose Ruler is elected as the current Yang di-Pertuan Agong should be omitted.

Whenever a Ruler dies or abdicates and there is a change in the Ruler of a State, then, due to the juniority of the new Ruler, his State’s name should be transferred to the end of the list.

For example, in 1958 the Sultan of Kedah and in 1959 the Sultan of Johor breathed their last. Their states were placed on the last rung of the Federal succession ladder.

If a Ruler declines or is disqualified, his State is moved to the bottom of the list. This is what happened to Johor and Pahang in 1957.

The above rules governed all elections till April 25, 1994, when the ninth Yang di-Pertuan Agong completed his term of office and the first rotation among the Sultans was completed.

Under section 4(3) of the Third Schedule new rules and a new election list took over.

Tenth and subsequent elections: When all states have taken their turn to grace the office of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the election list is then reconstituted in accordance with section 4(3) of the Third Schedule.

States are placed in the order in which their Rulers have occupied the office of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

The Malaysian Kings thus far:

1. Yang DiPertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan: Aug. 3, 1957 to April 1, 1960 (died in office).
2. Sultan of Selangor: April 14, 1960 to Sept 1, 1960 (died in office).
3. Raja of Perlis: Sept 21, 1960 to Sept 20, 1965.
4. Sultan of Terengganu: Sept 21, 1965 to Sept 20, 1970.
5. Sultan of Kedah: Sept 21, 1970 to Sept 20, 1975.
6. Sultan of Kelantan: Sept 21, 1975 to March 30, 1979 (died in office).
7. Sultan of Pahang: April 26, 1979 to April 25, 1984.
8. Sultan of Johor: April 26, 1984 to April 25, 1989.
9. Sultan of Perak: April 26, 1989 to April 25, 1994.
10. Yang DiPertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan: April 26, 1994 to April 25, 1999.
11. Sultan of Selangor: April 26, 1999 to Nov 21, 2001 (died in office).
12. Raja of Perlis: Dec 13, 2001 to Dec 12, 2006.
13. Sultan of Terengganu: Dec 13, 2006 to Dec 12, 2011.
14. Sultan of Kedah: Dec 13, 2011.

Unique features: In an age of egalitarianism and democracy, one would have expected monarchies to wither away. But they remain robust and popular and are symbols of stability, continuity and national unity in many lands including Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Japan, Cambodia, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

The Malaysian monarchy is rather unique because of multiplicity of sovereigns at the state level and the elective and short-term nature of the royal position at the Federal level.

Another remarkable feature is that a time lapse is allowed between the end of one reign and the commencement of another.

In England, the rule is that “the monarch never dies”. On the death, removal or abdication of one monarch, the successor assumes office retrospectively to the date on which the vacancy arose.

This is not so in Malaysia where twice in 1960, once in 1979 and again in 2001, on the death of the Federal sovereign, the new sovereign’s reign commenced a few weeks after the vacancy arose.

Perhaps this is because the Constitution provides for a Timbalan Yang di-Pertuan Agong to fill the breach temporarily till a new election is held.

On the creation of a vacancy, the Deputy King does not automatically ascend to the throne. His term is tied up with the tenure of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Under Article 33(3), if the post of the King falls vacant, the Timbalan Yang di-Pertuan Agong acts on his behalf till the office of the King is filled, at which time the Deputy King’s term expires as well.

Yesterday was a unique moment in our royal history. A reigning Sultan, the Sultan of Kedah, ascended the Federal throne a second time, the first being from 1970 to 1975. May all blessings be with our new King and his consort.

Shad Saleem Faruqi is Emeritus Professor of Law at UiTM and Visiting Professor at USM.

Learning from Putin’s reversal

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Ceritalah By Karim Raslan

 Slick but cynical power-exchange with Russian president Dmitry Medvedev outraged millions of ordinary Russians who vented their anger whenever former strongman Vladimir Putin appeared.

BECAUSE my work is now so South-East Asia-centric, I rarely follow the news from Europe closely.
Still, I think we can learn valuable lessons from the recent developments in Russia.

On Dec 4, Russians went to the polls to elect a new State Duma – their lower house of Parliament.

Although he was not running in the election, the vote was seen as a test of the popularity of strongman Vladimir Putin, who is seeking to regain the presidency of the Russian Federation after three years as Prime Minister, replacing his former trusted aide Dmitry Medvedev.

Most observers expected the United Russia Party to secure a thumping majority.

Putin’s party had, after all, engineered Russia’s remarkable economic turnaround after the fall of the Soviet Union and Boris Yeltsin’s chaotic tenure.

The brusque St Petersburg veteran was the party’s “killer app” – popular and ruthless: an embodiment of Russian machismo.

However, Putin’s return to the centre-stage wasn’t quite so well-received: the slick but cynical power-exchange with Medvedev outraged millions of ordinary Russians.

As a result, Putin’s standing in the opinion polls plummeted.At the same time, public sentiment turned ugly.

Denied access to the mainstream media, ordinary Russians vented their anger whenever Putin appeared.

On one occasion, he was booed at a mixed martial arts match – an incident captured on YouTube and viewed by millions.

Moreover, Putin’s United Russia fared even worse as voters realised that they would be enduring yet another term of massive, institutionalised corruption and abuse of power by high-handed party apparatchiks.

In the end, Putin received a stinging rebuke as his party ended up winning just 49.3% of the vote – leaving it with about 238 seats in the 450-seat Duma compared to its previous 315.

To make matters worse, allegations of electoral fraud – also immortalised on YouTube – have led to demonstrations in Moscow.

More are in the offing, leading some to wonder whether the world will witness yet another “spring”.

Putin reacted in his tough-guy way, sending police out on a crackdown and insisting that he will still run for president in March next year.

Nevertheless, United Russia’s electoral drubbing cannot help but damage his image as a popular,performance-driven autocrat.



What can we learn from Putin’s (excuse my pun) Russian reversal? First, it again shows the power of the alternative media.

Putin’s control of Russia’s newspapers and televisions may be absolute, but this stranglehold can do nothing to prevent Russians from turning to blogs and social networks to express their disenchantment.

As with the Arab Spring, Facebook, YouTube and Russia’s own VKontakte have emerged as powerful tools to mobilise the masses against autocrats.

Which brings me to my next point: style cannot trump substance, especially when it comes to reform.

Putin’s obsession with spin is legendary – witness the proliferation of photos of him doing manly things like hunting, horseback riding or scuba-diving.

The United Russia party’s website is, likewise, flashy with links to its Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Read through the speeches of Putin or his sidekick Medvedev and you will often find them extolling democracy and moderation.

Still, these carefully-crafted images cannot conceal the fact that poverty and corruption run deep in Russia despite its economic successes.

While oligarchs close to the Kremlin enjoy the high life, the number of people living under the official poverty line increased from 20.6 million in the first quarter of last year to 22.9 million this year.

Also, the abuse of civil liberties under Putin’s watch is just as brutal as anything that occurred under the Tsars or the Communist Party.

Erstwhile allies, long-time dissidents and critical journalists were silenced, jailed and, in some cases, even died under highly suspicious circumstances.

Worst of all is Putin’s stubborn desire to cling to power.

Had he stepped down gracefully in 2008 having served two terms as president, he would have been hailed as the man who revived Russia despite the rough methods he used.

As it is, he now risks being just the latest of a long line of leaders who overstayed their welcome and were toppled.

One can detect painful shades of toppled Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak and Syrian President Bashar Assad in Putin’s blaming of Hillary Clinton for supposedly inciting the protests.

So it’s simply not enough these days for politicians to possess the formal, outward trappings of democracy or social engagement (like Facebook or Twitter pages) if they do nothing to increase the public space and empower their people.

More importantly, they need to realise that they fool no one when they speak of the need for reform but do nothing to change the status quo.

Indeed, such disingenuousness will come back to haunt leaders.

What I find remarkable about the Russian demonstrations against electoral fraud is that most of the protestors were middle-class: urban, young and well-to-do Muscovites who theoretically should have benefitted most from Putin’s management.

They ought to have been, and indeed were, his political base.

However, after years of being lied to, frustrated or simply ignored, Russia’s bourgeoisie (now 20% of the population after the oil boom) are now emerging as the force that could bring Putin down.

Certification for Malaysian IT pros ?

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Government seeks BOFH control By Natalie Apostolou

A proposal to introduce a bill to force all IT workers in Malaysia to be certified and registered via a single industry body has sparked agitation in the tech sector.

If the proposed legislation, the Board of Computing Professionals Malaysia Bill 2011 (BCPM), is passed, Malaysia will be the first country with a law which requiring IT professionals to be registered with a board before being allowed to practice.

Under the draft bill any professional registering with the board would have to pass examinations, possess professional experience and pay registration fees.

Those against the law claim that the talent pool may shrink if such stipulations are introduced and fear that the board will have too much control over who can be registered, or certified for lucrative government tenders.

The tech community has released a “Common Voice of ICT Professionals” response to the government proposal, stating that the industry is “alarmed” and “caught most of us off-guard”.

“We have not found any information and substantiation that suggests or concludes that the formation of the Board of Computing Professionals is the right and only answer to amicably resolve all matters that the Government perceive to be issues relating to the ICT profession, if such issues indeed do exist in the first place.”

Also under the draft of the proposed bill, unregistered IT professionals will not be allowed to “practice, carry on business or take up employment which requires him to carry out or perform the services of a Registered Computing Professional”. They are also forbidden from gaining any fees, charges, remuneration or other form of consideration for any professional technology services rendered. ®



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MCA against listing IT pros under a regulatory body 

The Star 13/12/2011

MALACCA: MCA has voiced its objection against a proposed move by the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry to register IT practitioners in the country under a regulatory body known as the Board of Computing Professionals.

Party president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said it was strongly against the proposed exercise embarked by the ministry.

“We will be made a laughing stock in the global arena if we go ahead with the proposed body. Nowhere else is there such a regulatory body,” he said after attending Kota Melaka 1MCA Medical Foundation dinner here last night.

He said the ministry should first seek feedback from IT practitioners before coming up with such a plan.
“The board is unnecessary because a code of conduct or guideline is more suitable.

“Furthermore, the fact is undeniable that most of the pioneer members of the local IT Industry are not those from IT background. Yet, they were able to soar,” he said, adding that he had expressed MCA's opposition against the board to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

On another matter, Dr Chua called on Opposition leaders, especially those from PAS, to understand the religions practised by the Chinese community such as Buddhism and Taoism before making baseless comments.

He claimed that PAS leaders had made derogatory remarks during their ceramah, labelling the Chinese as “praying to Datuk Kong and Pai Kong and later may worship King Kong”.

“MCA is willing to provide classes to PAS leaders if they don't understand the tenets and teaching of other religions,” he said.

New Bill will restrict IT users, says Pua

KUALA LUMPUR: There is no need to impose bureaucratic control over the information technology (IT) in Malaysia, said DAP national publicity secretary Tony Pua.

He said the proposed Computer Professionals Bill (CPB) 2011 would restrict those using IT, despite assurances by the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry that there will not be any restrictions on computing services.

He added the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) Bill of Guarantees had promised “unrestricted employment of knowledge workers” and “no censorship of the Internet”.

“The information technology and computing industry has been operating without controversy, issues or impediment for the past decade.

“There is absolutely no bureaucratic requirement to restrict and control the industry, which will only bring adverse outcomes without any corresponding tangible benefit,” Pua said in a statement here yesterday.

IT professionals had raised a stink over the CPB 2011 since a copy of the Bill's draft was made available online on Thursday.

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New Solar-Powered Classroom Brings Science to Schools in Developing Countries

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ScienceDaily (Dec. 9, 2011) — An innovative project led by a chemistry academic at the University of Southampton is using solar generators to provide IT resources and 'hands-on' science for students in developing countries.

 The solar-powered classroom. (Credit: Image courtesy of University of Southampton) >

A major difficulty in teaching science subjects in developing countries, especially in rural schools, is that students are rarely able to get 'hands-on' experience of experiments. This could be partly due to a lack of equipment, chemicals and facilities but mainly because of a lack of electricity and running water.

Now, Professor Tony Rest, a visiting Chemistry academic at the University of Southampton, and Keith Wilkinson, formerly a teacher at the International School at Lusaka in Zambia, have devised a solar-powered solution based on a digital projector and low-cost solar energy panels so that students can gain access to IT and other modern teaching methods.

Professor Rest says: "The lack of electricity is a particularly serious matter for rural schools and this situation is unlikely to get better in the near to medium future. With drawbacks to petrol generators, due to difficulties in getting supplies and safety hazards, solar energy generators have become available at cost-effective prices and provide a sustainable answer as rural schools have an abundance of the basic energy source required to power them -- sunshine.



Most data/video projectors require 200-300 watt and cannot be economically sustained by solar power in rural villages. However, the advent of mini-projectors, which require about 50 watts of power, has revolutionised the situation and made battery powered projection feasible.

The solar energy generators, which consist of solar panels, batteries and inverters, can be linked to the projector for students to get practical classes via multimedia resources to show laboratory experiments and stress practical techniques.

Professor Rest adds: "These experiences can be extended to other science subjects from physics, biology and maths, to subjects involving practical elements, such as engineering, and to craft subjects, including plumbing, carpentry, and catering, where students need see how to acquire skills. By extending the breadth of subjects benefiting from the use of IT, the overall cost of using a solar energy generator is reduced. Another spin-off is that students in rural schools gain access to valuable IT skills."

The project has been developed by the 'Chemistry Aid' project, the Chemistry Video Consortium based at the University of Southampton, with support from the Royal Society of Chemistry, which has provided multimedia teaching resources.

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How To Leave An Unsatisfying Job And Pursue Your Dream Career?

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Cathy Scott, Contributor

 

How-to guides are regularly published about the process of pursuing new careers. I, however, don’t believe a guide can show you exactly how to do that. You have to first believe in yourself, and then take a risk. Otherwise, you will stay in a dead-end job afraid to step away from your comfort zone.

And for those executives able to hire others who are hoping to land that dream position, give them a chance. They’ll thank you later. I know that from first-hand ex
perience.

It was 1989 and I was a secretary for Pacific Bell. It was a steady, secure job with good benefits. I didn’t dislike it. But I didn’t feel I was making a significant contribution to society. It didn’t feel relevant.

I’ll never forget PacBell coworker Jutta Stern Stoffel (now, sadly, gone) saying to me one day as we powered out on our electric typewriters finishing paperwork for who knows what project management wanted. “In ten years,” Jutta said, “no one will care or remember the work we’re doing here.” It was because the job had become rote.

My true avocation was writing. As kids, my sister and two neighborhood friends – Cordelia Mendoza, Victoria Pynchon and Sharon Lawrence – formed a writers group, Sisters of the Pen.

It wasn’t until years later when I volunteered to help save a historic site from becoming a shopping center in San Diego’s Mission Beach that I began thinking seriously about a writing career. A handful of volunteers, including me, were regularly interviewed about our ongoing grassroots effort, including getting the measure on the ballot, and I was fascinated by reporting.

One day, when we were waiting for a politician to show up at a news conference, I asked a staffer with the Los Angeles Times how he came to be a reporter. He told me, “Go to Podunk, Iowa, cut your teeth on a small newspaper, then try and break into the dailies after that.” Then, he asked, “Do you have a degree?” I didn’t. I had gone to community college straight out of high school, but I quit after completing two years when I should have transferred to a four-year university. He told me, “You can’t be a reporter without a degree.”

About the time I’d spoken with him, PacBell offered to pay 100 percent of college tuition to employees if they majored in business. I took them up on it and, the same year my son began his first year of college, I enrolled in night classes before applying at and being accepted into a four-year university. A few years later, I finished my degree and took a buyout from Pacific Bell.

At the time, I looked at the women I worked with who were older than me and in the same clerical position. I knew that they too must have once had dreams. But somewhere along the way, they’d lost their passion. I did not want to lose mine. I wanted to be a journalist. I studied newspaper and magazine writing, dissecting and analyzing the sentences and article structure, and I bought used textbooks about how to turn facts and information into an article.



My late mother, Eileen Rose Busby, had continually told her five children we could do whatever we wanted in life. At 62 years old, she earned her bachelor’s degree, wrote about antiques for collector magazines and eventually wrote three books, all late in life. And the late Donald Pike, friends Vickie and Sharon’s father, showed us as kids that we could attain whatever we wanted in life; we just had to chase our dreams. He surprised us all when, without ever having attended law school, he studied for and passed the California Bar exam and became a lawyer (before law school was required) and eventually took a position on the bench as a judge — this from a man who was once a milkman and an insurance salesman.

As I left Pacific Bell more than 20 years ago, the words of Joseph Singh, the district manager who landed me the only buyout that year, stayed with me: “Don’t look back. Don’t be one of those former employees who come to visit once a week. Move on.”

I took his advice and never returned. I broke into the news business, writing for publications and gathering clips that landed me more story assignments and fulltime journalism gigs. It wasn’t always easy. I lived frugally, like a college student, for several years. But I was determined and driven by my passion to write.

My first break came, after freelancing for tiny publications, from the publishers of a community newspaper, the Beach & Bay Press. It didn’t pay well, but it was a reporting job, and I loved every second of it.

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After I won a top award from the San Diego Press Club, I was offered a job as business editor for the La Jolla Light newspaper, where, on assignment, I once interviewed Walter Cronkite. But I didn’t want to get stuck reporting and editing business stories. I stayed a year, and then moved on to the police beat at the Vista Press, a daily. While there, I was in the pool of reporters who covered then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s eight-hour visit to the Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base. I also was sent to Somalia to cover Operation Restore Hope and to Los Angeles for the Rodney King riots.

When the 50-year-old Vista Press folded, I returned to freelancing, this time for the San Diego Union-Tribune and the Associated Press, before landing a job at the Las Vegas Sun. I’d had an offer from a Tacoma, Washington, paper, but it didn’t start for two months. So, I took the job at the Sun. Three years later, rapper Tupac Shakur was shot, and my reporting parlayed into my first true crime book. After the Sun, I taught journalism and magazine writing at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Then, one Sunday afternoon, I went to PetsMart to buy cat food and came home with a puppy from Best Friends Animal Society. That was my introduction, in the year 2000, to the largest no-kill animal sanctuary and one of the largest animal welfare groups in the U.S. After volunteering for a year on weekends, I was hired to coordinate mobile adoption events, while still teaching at the university and freelance writing. Once Hurricane Katrina hit, I was invited to cover Best Friends’ animal rescue efforts on the ground in New Orleans and at a nearby Mississippi triage center. The result was articles for Best Friends Magazine and website as well as the book Pawprints of Katrina.

Many literary deals later, my eighth book, The Millionaire’s Wife, is set for release in March 2012. I feel lucky to be where I am today, but it was not without some breaks along the way, which is why I encourage higher-ups to give rookies the encouragement to move forward in their careers. For me, included in that mix of cheerleaders was a patient editor at the San Diego Business Journal who early in my career took a chance on me as he walked me through and helped me organize freelance feature stories.

Julie Hoisington and David Mannis had enough faith to give me my first fulltime reporting job, at the Beach & Bay Press. And Sally Buzbee with the Associated Press regularly gave me very cool assignments after I passed the AP’s editorial test (which I credit to taking a UCSD copyediting class). I’ve never forgotten Sally, who went on to become bureau chief of the AP’s Washington office, for giving a relatively new reporter an opportunity to be a contributor for the wire service’s San Diego bureau. And a generous Irene Jackson, a metro editor for the San Diego Union-Tribune, for more than a year regularly assigned me stories.

But not all of it was positive as I wrote for a variety of editors along my career path. Early on, an unhappy editor, Caron Golden, at the time with a regional magazine, left a huge impact. She not only gave me a talking-to, but she killed my story for not writing it the way she’d expected – a hard, but probably necessary, lesson I carry with me today.

A university teaching position made me a better editor and writer when UNLV’s Dr. David Henry offered me two classes after I applied for one (ultimately giving me four classes), and who waived the requirement for a master’s based on my years of reporting. Ironically, the very same textbook I had purchased years earlier to teach myself the business of writing was what the university gave me to use in the classroom.

The adjunct teaching position would last five years until Katrina and Best Friends drew me away.
The nonprofit, after Katrina hit the Gulf, enlisted me as a writer for Best Friends Magazine, a position that for me is much more than a career. Today, I write fulltime for Best Friends, about animals and the movement, and I cover crime in my spare time. I am where I want to be.

My advice, for those who want to leave an unsatisfying job, is don’t hesitate to pursue a new career, because it is there for the taking. That’s what my childhood friends’ father, Don Pike, and my mother, Eileen Rose Busby, taught me by example. Leaving a job with Pacific Bell to pursue a writing career is one of the best things I’ve ever done. I have never looked back, as Joe Singh so aptly advised this once-wanna-be writer all those years ago.

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Golf courses targeted for re-development - Too valuable for golf?

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Golf courses in the centre of development areas are now being targeted for re-development as property prices rocket through the roof.

Caddy Master By WONG SAI WAN

JUST a couple of decades ago, the crowning jewel for any Malaysian developer was to own a golf course and to use that sporting facility to enhance their property sales.



In the 1980s and 1990s, it was unthinkable for a housing developer not to try to have a golf project. Even if they do not have enough land for a full 18 holes, they would try for a nine-hole or at least a driving range.

But how things have changed with the Asian financial crisis of 1998. There were less than a handful of new golf courses built in the past 12 years. In fact, more golf courses have closed down in this period.

KGNS sits on prime land and has been in the news a lot of late.

Fast forward to this year and once again developers are eyeing the golf courses but in a totally different manner. Developers no longer want to build golf-related projects; instead they want to tear them down.

Word has it that, especially in the Klang Valley where the prices of property have gone up tremendously, developers are eyeing golf courses to be turned into property development projects.

An 18-hole golf course with a reasonably sized clubhouse will cover about 50ha and a land of that size in the Klang Valley or even just outside the greater Kuala Lumpur is worth hundreds of millions.

For developers such a large track of land will be worth billions in terms of property for sale especially if it is located near major highways or with railway access to Kuala Lumpur.

Many of such courses when developed between 15 and 20 years ago were located away from the city centre with some built on former estates – usually the lousiest piece of land that is hilly and with plenty of valleys and swampy soil.



Those days this kind of land was considered “rubbish” and too costly to rehabilitate to build good houses that would have fetched the top dollar.

But two decades on things have changed. The Klang Valley has grown and the Government has adopted the concept of the Greater Kuala Lumpur where they expect almost 10 million people will live in.

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This expanded Kuala Lumpur will stretch all the way from Sungai Buloh in the North all the way to Kajang/Semenyih in the south; Klang/Banting in the west to Bukit Tinggi in the east.

More than 40 golf courses are located within this very large area and every single one of them have suddenly become prime land and worth a lot of money. The landowners who previously thought they were sitting on a worthless piece of property now find that they have a gold mine.

From the likes of Rahman Putra Golf & Country Club to the now defunct Emville Golf & Country Club, these are now prime properties. Even the Kampung Kuantan Golf Club and Kundang Lakes Golf & Country Club which were the starting grounds for many golfers in the Klang Valley may not be safe from the hands of developers in a few years time.

Already, Kajang Hill Golf & Country Club has been sold to Dijaya Corporation Bhd for redevelopment for RM228mil into mixed development with an estimated gross development value (GDV) of RM2bil.

Dijaya, which owns Tropicana Golf & Country Club in Petaling Jaya, plans to develop the more than 80ha site that now sits the golf course and the clubhouse facilities into a new project called Tropicana Kajang.

The deal was struck in September and club members were then informed that they had less than a year left to play on its Par 72 championship course layout measuring 7,148 yards.

Kajang Hill was owned by the Japanese company Taiyo Resort (KL) Bhd. It was not the most exciting golf course but it had unique Japanese features set in tropical settings.

There is now a rush by golfers to play there before the course is closed down for good.

Word is abound about all sorts of other courses been targeted by land hungry developers. Among them is said to be the Kelab Golf Negara Subang which sits right smack beside of the Federal Highway in Petaling Jaya.

The present committee decided to not renew a Caveat the club had placed on the land thus allowing the Federal Land Commissioner to act on the land title.

Speculation is rife that there are some people eyeing the land of one of KGNS two 18 holes. There is no concrete proof but a hurriedly called EGM by the members has appointed a panel to look into the matter.

KGNS is reported to be sitting on land worth some RM5bil – a sum that some people deemed too valuable for golf.

This is what worries the golfing community that both courses on the outskirts as well as those within the city limits are being eyed for re-development.

This is made worse by the fact, many of the commercial club owners are only just too keen to sell or redevelop the land. It would seem that only a recession or the burst of the property bubble would prevent this from happening.

Till next month, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Dijaya in RM228mil land deal for Kajang Hill Golf Club land

I was a member of the Kajang Hill Golf Club and I received notice to terminate the membership from November 2011. However, they are paying back the monies that we paid to join. So, I was expecting some news on this. This was confirmed in today's papers. The owner, a Japanese Datuk is going to make a lot of money in this deal.

However, if you go to the vicinity of the area, the whole place is going to be developed very soon. The size of the whole area is huge with the other areas combined.

The prices of the properties here is also very high (by Kajang standards), mind you. So it's left to be seen how the place will eventually turn out.

Until the next time, cheers.

The Star, Tuesday September 6, 2011

Dijaya in RM228mil land deal

Purchase of freehold land from Taiyo to cater for increasing demand for property in Kajang
 

PETALING JAYA: Dijaya Corp Bhd has entered into a conditional sale and purchase agreement with Taiyo Resort (KL) Bhd to acquire five parcels of freehold land in Mukim Semenyih, Ulu Langat, Selangor, measuring approximately 80.33ha for RM228mil cash.

In a filing with Bursa Malaysia yesterday, Dijaya said the agreement with Taiyo Resort was entered by its wholly owned subsidiary, Tropicana City Service Suites Sdn Bhd (TCSS)

The parcels of land are currently held under the operations of Kajang Hill Golf Club, it added.

Dijaya said the land would be transformed into a mixed development consisting of landed houses, condominiums, apartments and shop offices with an expected gross development value of about RM2bil.

“The development, known as Tropicana Kajang, will be another future revenue generator for the group and shall contribute positively to its financial performance,” it said in a separate statement.

Dijaya said the freehold land had an upside potential in terms of capital appreciation because of the increasing demand for residential and commercial properties in Kajang, as seen in other developments such as Nadayu 92, Tiara Residence, Ramal Villa, Twin Palm and Jade Hills, just to name a few.

“With increasing population and expanding residential properties in and around Kajang, the proposed development of commercial properties will cater to the rising demand for office and retail spaces.

“Furthermore, the proposed Kajang-Sungai Buloh MY Rapid Transit project will enhance the investment potential of Kajang, presenting a greater opportunity to property investors,” it said.

Group chief executive officer Tan Sri Danny Tan Chee Sing said the group was continuously acquiring sizeable land-banks with good development potential in strategic locations.

“The land deal provides an opportunity for the group to introduce more development in Kajang with quality and prestige synonymous with our Tropicana brand,” he said.

Dijaya said the purchase price was arrived at on a willing-buyer, willing-seller basis after several considerations including the reasonably low land cost of RM26.36 per sq ft which will enable TCSS to price its proposed development competitively and with reasonable margins.

On the financing for the purchase, Dijaya said it would be funded through internally funds and/or bank borrowings.

“The exact mix of internally generated funds and bank borrowings will be determined by the management of the company at a later stage, after taking into consideration Dijaya Corp and its subsidiaries' gearing level, interest costs and internal cash requirements for its business operations,” it said.

The group's net gearing is expected to rise to 0.22 times post-land acquisition assuming about RM114mil, representing approximately 50% of the purchase price, is financed via borrowings. As at Dec 31, 2010, Dijaya was in a net cash position.

Sources:Kajang Town Blog

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BJCC Golf and Country Club News

Challenge yourselves !

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On The Beat By Wong Chun Wai

Young people who just whine at the demands of their employers or prefer to stay within the confines of Daddy’s home won’t go far.

THERE was a time when most youngsters could not wait to move out of their parents’ homes.

For those living outside the Klang Valley, moving to Kuala Lumpur meant the beginning of a new life, start of a career and, of course, being away from the watchful eyes of their parents.

The independence that came with it for young adults was just too irresistible. Living alone or sharing an apartment with friends offered better privacy than staying with the folks, even if it ate into their pay.

But many unmarried young Malaysian adults, especially among the urban middle class, are now opting to stay with their parents.

They have become a lot smarter. They get to keep their salaries while enjoying the comforts of a proper home and do not have to pay for the utility and household food bills. They also have the maid to take care of their demands, which include washing their cars.

No wonder our kids grumble when they are picked for National Service, which is really just like an outward bound training programme compared with the real McCoy in Singapore. There, they are dressed and treated like real soldiers.

Living such pampered lifestyles, where many seem to have their own cars even when they are still in college, these young adults’ outlook has also changed.

Employers have found that many job entrants snub a RM2,500 starting salary even when they have yet to prove themselves. Some already receive pocket money of about RM1,000 a month and fear losing their allowances from their parents once they start working. For these spoiled kids, it’s just bad mathematics.

Some, I have been told, receive pocket money of at least RM2,000 a month because they maintain a lifestyle that includes having regular sessions at Starbucks and clubs and, of course, raking up bills for the mobile phone and iPad.

So, the result is they can be choosy. This attitude is an issue faced by many employers these days.



We do not need an in-depth survey to know the condition of the job market. A managing director of a media company told me last week that a young applicant refused to accept her job offer because the office was located in Petaling Jaya.

“She said her home was in Cheras and having to wake up early to beat the traffic jam to PJ wasn’t appealing. So she just turned us down,” she said.

Good workers are hard to come by and it does not help that Malaysian employers are not quite prepared to offer competitive salaries, conscious of the fact that this would add to their costs.

Young staff bring in greater energy, freshness and a better outlook but these don’t necessarily come with more passion or loyalty. Young Malaysians today would probably have worked in at least six companies, maybe even more, within a short period.

The good ones know they would be talent scouted or they would simply leave for other jobs that offered better salaries and perks.

This writer has worked for The Star for 27 years, which probably makes me a Jurassic subject here. I have had only one employer and while it may seem strange to many young people, those of my generation would understand.

I travelled around campus on a motorcycle, which was regarded as a privilege then, and I used the same kap cai when I started work in Penang.

Getting my first car, which was the result of some serious saving, was a great achievement. And it was a second-hand car.

The biggest headache for employers today, however, is the inability of many job seekers to speak and write well in English. This is high on the list of minimum requirements.

Recruitment advertisements, whether in print or online, state clearly that English is an absolute essential, but many job seekers cannot pass this first hurdle.

“It has become a norm to hear applicants speaking in Bahasa Malaysia or Mandarin when they call up. You can tell that they cannot even carry out a simple conversation in English,’’ an employer tells me.

But as Malaysian companies look beyond the local market, which is really tiny in comparison to Indonesia, India, China or the Middle East, they would acknowledge that applicants who speak more than just English would be more marketable.

My non-Chinese friends are often annoyed when they read job advertisements specifying Mandarin-speaking candidates. I tell them many Malaysian Chinese from English-medium schools would share their feelings.

“Bananas” like me – yellow outside but white inside – would struggle like my non-Chinese brethren if we were in China because of our language handicap. The reality is that many companies need to do business in China, which has become the world’s most important market. And with Europe on the decline economically, China’s status has become even more powerful.

So there really is nothing discriminatory about those advertisements. A Malay who can speak and write Chinese would probably get the job. There are two Malay reporters in The Star with these skills and they are regarded as gems.

Dubai is also a strategic hub with many multi-national companies setting up their regional headquarters there. Surely, job seekers who speak Arabic would enjoy an advantage there.

The question is how ready are our young adults to learn new skills, including language and even social networking skills, to make them more marketable?

We won’t go far if we continue to whine at the demands of our employers or just prefer to stay within the confines of Daddy’s home.

Go out there and challenge yourselves.

Know yourself, your business

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 Avoid head-on collisions with cash-flushed competitors

ON YOUR OWN By TAN THIAM HOCK

ENTREPRENEURS are the most gung-ho people in the world. But not necessary the smartest. More often than not, this everything-also-can-do attitude lands the entrepreneur in trouble especially in new projects.

Without a realistic assessment of his own capabilities in funding, experience and competitive strength, he plunges into so-called virgin territory that existing competitors dominate.

I have been trading in food, confectionary, toiletries and cosmetics for 26 years and the two product categories that I will not compete in are chocolate malt drink and mass shampoo for ladies. Nestle through Milo controls more than 90% of the chocolate malt market and unless you have suicidal tendencies, you will be better off donating your launch budget to your favourite charity.

If you turn on your TV, you will find shampoo advertisements in every channel, every hour and every brand. Well, every brand refers to brands from Unilever and P&G and the two of them control more than 80% of the mass shampoo business.

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These are the only high margin high volume businesses that I will ask you to leave alone. Unless you have RM20mil to dump into TVCs in return for a 2% market share. And even then, your shampoo TVC will look the same as the others with long silicone hair swinging from side to side in slow motion being watched by slow-witted viewers already numb to new brands.

To be fair, new and small entrepreneurs have no access to market information, consumer research and competitive activities. Relying on their gut feeling and entrepreneurial spirit, they plunge into new businesses with gusto and optimism.

Unfortunately for every survivor, there are probably five casualties with battered pride, empty pockets and hungry families. What a waste of time, effort and financial resources.

Economist will tell you that competition breeds efficiency and inefficient players will be eliminated eventually. So before you invest into a new venture, do you consider yourself an efficient competitor? Do you know who your main competitors are? What is their competitive edge over you?

Competition comes in all shapes and sizes. Here are a few pointers about competitors that you should avoid and do what entrepreneurs do. Dream big, start small.



Avoid going head on with big cash-flush competitors especially when their petty cash is equivalent to your annual sales turnover. Concentrate instead on nibbling some market share. No point in waking the sleeping fat cat. There is enough fat in the business to keep everyone happy.

Avoid the herd mentality. By the time you hear the news, hundreds have gone into the business. Rubber gloves then, swiflets and kopitiams now. So stay out and let others enjoy the success. If they can.

Talking about herds, many politicians are angry because they were not offered loans that they do not have to pay back. Grave injustice indeed. I predict state feedlots will be the new trend. Opposition state government will also join in the cow and bull circus act. Opportunities of easy loans will be in abundance. Now everybody can breed.

Avoid big business. This is reserved for the well connected incumbents and GLC's. But keep your eyes open for any crumbs of opportunity that might just spill over from their inefficiencies. To the small entrepreneurs, crumbs is still better than nothing, right?

Or better still, for existing players, there will never be a better opportunity to cash out. GLC's are paying high premiums for non controlling stakes nowadays but offer is only open until cash runs out.
Avoid owning airlines and airports. Stiff competition for attention and support. Nobody trust nobody. But you. You will end up paying for every single service provided. But nobody will admit it.

But there's money in ancillary business for small entrepreneurs. Like printing protest stickers and placards. Or join the band of protestors online. RM10 for every tweet against price hike. And RM10 for any twit who is willing to believe that travelling by air will be cheaper in the next 10 years.

So where are the opportunities for small entrepreneurs? Plenty, if you know where to look for it. Just look at businesses that have been ignored by your competitors;

competitors like EPF, Khazanah, PNB, SEDCs, LTAT, Felda, Umno, MCA, MIC, politicians, politician's family, politician's cronies, politically-connected business tycoons, MNCs etc. Competitors with superior comparative advantage over you. Competitors who are allowed to sit on the dining table first and have their choice cuts before others.

But spare a thought for these competitors. There are just a limited number of seats at the table and come meal time, everyone is scrambling to get a seat. The first group gets the best cut, the second scrape the leftovers and the third gets to lick the plates and scream hell. Grave injustice indeed.

Now that competition is so intense at the dining table hosted by the government, some of these competitors have moved on to the private sector dining table. With superb strategies, bottomless funds and sheer political brute force, they have plonked themselves at the dining table and helped themselves to all the choice cuts of the economy.

The big entrepreneurs who refused to play the political game have cashed out and moved to greener pastures overseas. The small entrepreneurs will still be fighting among themselves for the leftovers. The economist is proven right again. Inefficient and weak competitors will perish.

Against my better judgement, I recommend that you stick to your original plan to open your dream 24-hour Kopitiam. It does not matter that there are already two mamak restaurants and three fast-food joints in your choice location.

At least, you get to put food on your own table, dignity in your heart and pride on your sleeve. You have fulfilled your dream to be an entrepreneur.

The writer is an entrepreneur who hopes to share his experience and insights with readers who want to take that giant leap into business but are not sure if they should. Email him at thtan@alliancecosmetics.com

IT folk upset over draft Bill

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Many say proposal will cripple industry

By JO TIMBUONG and GABEY GOH bytz@thestar.com.my

PETALING JAYA: Members of the Information Technology industry are up in arms over a proposed Bill that seeks to certify IT professionals, claiming it will cripple not help the industry.

Industry players said a draft of the Computing Professionals Bill 2011, released online on Thursday night, proposed that only registered IT professionals could create software or computer applications for government use.

The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (Mosti) drafted the Bill, with the aim of maintaining a registry of certified IT professionals in the country.

It is a bid to ensure that only qualified professionals can work in the sectors classified under the Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII).

The CNII covers, among others, banking and finance, cyber-security, the national defence industry, healthcare, emergency services, food and agriculture, and utilities.

The Bill will recognise two categories of IT talents certified IT practitioners who do not have formal qualifications, and certified IT professionals who have the full qualification.



But some industry players are arguing that the proposed Bill would in effect hinder innovation and development across the board because CNII was very broad in its scope.

Willie Chan, founder of business software maker xIMnet Malaysia, said anyone should be able to create software or applications, not just certified practitioners or professionals.

“If a doctor who writes code as a hobby comes up with a software that can benefit the health industry, shouldn't he be allowed to market it to the Government?” he asked.

“If this draft passes into law, it will hinder such cross-pollination of ideas.”

Chan holds a degree in English Literature. Under the drafted Bill, he would be listed as only an IT practitioner, and would not be able to market xIMnet Malaysia solutions to the Government or its agencies.

Daniel CerVentus, co-founder of an online resource portal and community for entrepreneurs Entrepreneurs.my, believes that if such a situation were to develop, it would aggravate the country's brain-drain problem.

Mosti said the Bill did not aim to regulate the entire computing profession and was only applied to those identified as working in CNII sectors.

It also said registration was not mandatory.

Mosti will be holding an open day at its Putrajaya premises from 9.30am to 5pm on Tuesday to collect feedback and suggestions.

A house built on smart ideas with earning power

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A house built on smart ideas

By WINNIE YEOH winnie@thestar.com.my Photos by WAN MOHIZAN WAN HUSSEIN 

WITH cool breeze blowing into his house which is also basking in ample natural light, retiree Tan Vait Leong does not need to switch on the lights or air conditioner during the day.

Even at noon, the 56-year-old’s bungalow at Puncak Bukit Mutiara in Pearl Hill is still cool, thanks to the environmentally-friendly and open concept design of the house.

“The planning of the design of the house started five years ago, while construction of the property took three years to complete.

“I would draw up the designs and concepts for the house while I was at airports or in planes, as I travelled frequently for work.

“I enjoyed the process, as it was also an outlet for me to destress,” said the former vice-president of a multinational company.

Having spent a substantial amount of time travelling, the father-of-four said it was only right that he designed his house ala-resort style so he would not “need to go for holidays anymore”.

One of the special features of the house is the photovoltaic (PV) solar panel fixed on the roof, which Tan had obtained through the National Suria 1000 programme to generate power from solar energy.

With that, his household is automatically enlisted under the newly launched feed-in-tariff (FiT) programme where Tenaga Nasional Bhd will buy back power generated from the PV solar panel.

Currently, the PV electricity subsidised about 20% of the household’s total electricity intake while Tan pays about RM700 monthly for his power bill.

“With the FiT, I might not have to fork out a single sen for my electricity bill,” he said yesterday.

A tour around the handsome house with a built-up area of 8,000sq ft shows there are five spacious rooms, four bathrooms, an infinity pool with a view overlooking the sea which is also connected to the living room and master bedroom, an indoor fish pond, a kitchen, a family room, a study room, a living room, an outdoor deck as well as a cosy playroom for Tan’s 10-year-old twin daughters.

Aptly named after Tan’s wife, Foo Sin Gein, 54, he said his home Gein Villa was constructed to blend into existing green environment where the big trees around are spared from the axe.

“I don’t spend money on landscaping. The trees shed leaves seasonally but it is part of the feature of the house. I don’t understand the reasons behind cutting down trees if people want to build houses on the hillside.

“Well there are occasions where our ‘special guests’ — monkeys, squirrels and bats will pay a visit but we don’t harm them as they are not aggressive, just playful,” he said.

There are no excessive furniture in the house, with only the walnut and cherry flooring along with salvaged chengal wood which Tan used to lay the staircase and kitchen tabletop.

“I also use the hollow bricks that were left over from the construction as display shelves,” he said.

“We water the plants with water from the fish pond, and we keep plants at the pool and the filter tub to absorb the nitrate.”

Retiree who still has earning power

By WINNIE YEOH winnie@thestar.com.my

GEORGE TOWN: While most people have to pay for their electricity, a 56-year-old retiree is looking forward to selling it to Tenaga Nasional Bhd.

And Tan Vait Leong (pic) simply can’t wait to be paid by the utility giant for the power generated from his photovoltaic (PV) solar panels fixed on the roof of his Tanjung Bungah home.

Believed to be among the first consumers in Penang to obtain the PV under the National Suria 1000 programme to generate power from solar energy, his household is automatically enlisted under the newly launched feed-in-tariff (FiT) scheme.

“This is a blessing in disguise. I have always been conscious about the environment and had incorporated recycling and green ideas into my daily life.

“With this, I might not have to fork out a single sen for my electricity bill,” he said excitedly at his double-storey bungalow at Puncak Bukit Mutiara in Pearl Hill.

The former mechanical engineer said the PV electrivity subsidised about 20% of electricity usage for his sprawling premises with a built-up area of 8,000sq ft (743.22sq m).

Currently, the father-of-four forks out about RM700 monthly for his power bill.

Tan also maintains an open concept for his five-room bungalow where good air circulation keeps the environment cool while ample natural light through glass panels brighten up the interior.

“The swimming pool is part of the house while the indoor fish pond keeps the home cool and is low maintenance too.

“I don’t need to switch on the lights or air-conditioners at all during the day while I do keep several floor fans on,” he added.

Launched last week, the FiT allows individuals or non-individuals to sell electricity generated from renewable energy sources back to power utility firms at a fixed premium price for a specific duration.

The four renewal energy sources that are eligible for FiT are biogas, biomass, small hydropower and solar photovoltaic.

Currently, the rate Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) pays to renewable power producers is 21 sen per kWh. 
Concurrently, the average domestic rate that consumers pay to TNB is 27.6 sen per kWh.

With FiT, consumers can install their own solar modules at home and earn a secondary income.

Under the Renewable Energy Act 2011, consumers who installed capacity up to and including 4 kWp (kilowatt peak) would be paid a FiT of RM1.23 per kWh.

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