BookXcess launches the first BookXcess out of Kuala Lumpur at Gurney Paragon Mall, Penang

BookXcess launches the first BookXcess out of Kuala Lumpur at Gurney Paragon Mall, Penang

BookXcess launches the first BookXcess out of Kuala Lumpur at Gurney Paragon Mall, Penang

Featuring the longest bookshelf in Malaysia at 70 metres in length and a two-storey bookshelf measuring 10 metres high, the BookXcess team brings you a uniquely diverse selection of   sought-after titles. Book lovers can expect a variety of books from art and design to literature, fiction, non-fiction, young adult, children’s books and many more hidden gems. Exclusively for BookXcess, parents of young ones will also find Little Hippo augmented reality (AR) books available at the store. AR books create an immersive, interactive reading experience. Children will be able to read, play and learn with these AR books as it uses cutting-edge AR technology to revolutionize reading for the next generation.

“One of the reasons there are so few avid readers in Malaysia is that books are very expensive. Books cost a lot in relation to the average person’s income and this is a barrier for many book lovers. As such, BookXcess’ goal is to make reading popular again; for books to become a household item that everyone can afford,” shared Andrew Yap, Founder of BookXcess Sdn. Bhd.

Taking up the entire 7th floor and part of the 8th floor, covering 26,000 sq. ft, BookXcess Gurney Paragon Mall features a children’s section which offers a breath-taking view of the ocean, providing inspiration for young readers to spark their curious minds. The bookstore also features comfortable reading spaces for customers to browse the sample books available. In addition, customers can also visit Café Wolf, BookXcess’ very own in-store café for refreshments or a quick bite.

According to Hunza Group Executive Director, Ms. Khor Tze Ming, “Shoppers nowadays enjoy getting lost in a cosy feeling of peace and quiet where books have their back amidst the crazy buzz of a busy mall. The establishment of BookXcess is a great complement to the mushrooming of international schools in Penang, which is in line with the state government’s vision in transforming our state into an international city with high-income economy that is knowledge-intensive.”

BookXcess Gurney Paragon Mall is also Red Readerhood’s first long-term initiative in Penang. Started in 2011, Red Readerhood gives back to communities by working together with local organisations to give books to those in need. Customers can purchase and donate a book at the Red Readerhood corner, and for every book a customer donates, BookXcess will match it with another book. The first four homes that will benefit from this initiative are House of Hope, The Salvation Army, St. Joseph’s Home and Hope Worldwide Penang.

 

Customers can also stay updated on the latest BookXcess news on:

 

About BookXcess

BookXcess has built a reputation for offering a wide selection of books – from bestselling novels, children’s books, cooking and architecture to literature, history, evergreen classics and décor – at hugely discounted prices. As a remainder bookstore, it offers a wide range of overprinted and unsold copies from publishers around the world. The company’s primary aim is to encourage the joy of reading by making books available at affordable prices.

BookXcess opened its first outlet in Amcorp Mall in 2007, and has retail outlets at the Starling, fahrenheit88, as well as gift stores called BookXcess XS in 1 Utama, SS15 Courtyard and Centro Mall, Klang. In May 2018, BookXcess also launched the nation’s biggest and only 24-hour bookstore at Tamarind Square. The company also offers online shopping at bookxcessonline.com to meet the needs of customers outside the Klang Valley.

About Gurney Paragon Mall

Located in Gurney Drive, Gurney Paragon Mall is the premier shopping mall in Penang Island, built around and inspired by the former St. Joseph’s Novitiate – converted into St. Jo’s, an area for stylish restaurants and cafes steeped in the architecture of Penang’s heritage. Spanning 700,000 sq. ft. NLA over nine floors, Gurney Paragon Mall offers a superb mix of fashion and lifestyle brands, sea breeze-fronting al-fresco dining areas as well as the first IMAX screen in Penang. It provides a memorable experience to all shoppers and pleasure seekers.

Gurney Paragon Mall was also certified as a national record holder of The Malaysia Book of Records with the achievement of “First Shopping Mall Integrated With A Heritage Building”. Other achievements include “Best Retail Development Malaysia (5 Star) – Asia Pacific Property Awards Development 2018-2019”, “Best Experiential Marketing” Silver Award 2017 & 2018 by Malaysia Shopping Malls Association (PPK)”, “FIABCI Malaysia Property Award 2015 (Retail Category)” and etc.

For media inquiries please contact:

Renuka Ramalingam

PR Manager, BookXcess Sdn. Bhd.

[email protected], +6017 5754450

A perfect blend of creativity, ingenuity and technology

A perfect blend of creativity, ingenuity and technology

Kuala Lumpur, 10 December 2018: A cross-faculty and trans-disciplinary effort among students and staff from Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) and the Asia Pacific Institute of Information Technology (APIIT) led to the production of the university’s concept car named – Invictus.

The Invictus was a working prototype designed and assembled by team Invictus to compete in the Proton DRB-Hicom Creative Car Challenge (PD3C) 2018 which was concluded on 8 December. The car emerged as the champion of the challenge and the team walked away with a cash prize of RM7,000. In addition, Khoo Wern Sheung, Year 3 student of the BA (Hons) Transport Design programme, who was part of the team also achieved the 3rd Prize at the Design Battle.

Prior to the final challenge, the team from APU was one of the 13 finalists at the PD3C pitching session held in March 2018. At the pitching session, the team proposed to use the Proton Preve as the base model of the Invictus’s concept design. They were then given a Proton Preve and were required to re-design and re-engineer the given car model with brand new ideas and concepts.

The inter-disciplinary and cross-faculty team Invictus bagged the 1st Place of the Creative Car Challenge and the 3rd Place of the Design Battle organized by Proton and DRB-Hicom.

Under the guidance of academic staff from the School of Media, Arts & Design (SoMAD) at APIIT, 20 students from the Product Design, Transport Design and Engineering disciplines worked on sketching, designing, modelling, assembling and styling the Invictus over 9 months.

Animation and Visual Effects students applied their skills and knowledge in creating the promotion video and designing the electronic display panels available within Invictus.

Personnel from the PD3C committee visited the team and were kept updated of the progress twice throughout the progression. The car development process was fully documented in the logbook as required by the organizers.

This was the first concept car assembled by APU & APIIT students, as they participated in the PD3C for the first time.

The car featured futuristic design elements that cater for urban living lifestyle, in line with APU’s nature of being a technology-savvy and innovative university. Some key features on the concept car include:

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) integrated headlamps
  • Integrated side view cameras to replace traditional wing mirrors
  • Smart Auto Door with Facial Recognition System
  • Fully digital Infotainment System
  • High-pressure front windshield to replace traditional wipers
  • Touch-screen and fully-interactive panel to replace traditional dashboard, speedometer, odometer and fault indicators
  • Front lower radar sensor to detect uneven objects or surfaces ahead

The Invictus is the first concept car designed by APU and APIIT students, based on the Proton Preve.

Khoo Wern Sheung, Year 3 student of the BA (Hons) Transport Design programme, also participated in the Design Battle that was held as part of the competition. His hand-sketched design of a compact car based on the theme given, ‘Fish’, emerged as the 3rd Prize Winner of the Battle.

Overwhelmed by their victory at the competition, Invictus team member, Lee Kian Chong, expressed his gratitude to the university lecturers and his team mates for the support.

“It’s been such a wonderful experience! There were times we felt frustrated but with great team work, we are proud of the final outcome. I am really proud to be part of the team. We manage to turn the impossible to possible,” said Lee.

Saifullizan Bin Abdul Wahab, academic staff of APIIT, recalled the team’s efforts and the strong passion demonstrated by the staff and students over the 9 months while working on the Invictus,

“The Invictus born out of teamwork among all staff and students, as well as the strong support by the management and our colleagues at APU and APIIT. Team Invictus had a challenging yet memorable 9 months; I am thankful to all students and staff who had worked on the Invictus tirelessly. Our hard work paid off!”

“The team worked with passion, perseverance and dedication to achieve a concept that is revolutionary. An awesome effort by students and staff from across different schools, working together as an integrated effort,”

commended Datuk Parmjit Singh, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of APIIT Education Group.

Designed with modern elements to cater for an urban lifestyle, the Invictus features a touch-screen and fully-interactive panel to replace traditional dashboard, speedometer, odometer and fault indicators.

About Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU)

The Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) is amongst Malaysia’s Premier Private Universities. APU offers a wide range of degree programmes in Technology that aim to nurture students into professionals and prepare them for challenging careers and roles in business and society globally. The multi-cultural student community comprises 12,000 students from over 120 countries. APU has earned an enviable reputation as an award-winning University through its achievements in winning a host of prestigious awards at national and international levels. It was announced as among the Highest Rated Universities in Malaysia, being rated at TIER 5 (EXCELLENT) under the SETARA 2011, 2013 and 2017 Ratings by the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) and Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA). Internationally, APU also achieved 5-Stars Ratings at the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) in four categories – Teaching, Employability, Facilities and Inclusiveness

For more information please visit APU website

Splendid learning experience with a touch of Russian Culture

Splendid learning experience with a touch of Russian Culture

Asia Pacific University’s International Relations Students Conduct Diplomatic Mission Visit to the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Malaysia

Despite their differences in nationalities and cultural backgrounds, 30 students from 15 nations under the BA (Hons) International Relations programme at Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) came together for an out-of-classroom learning trip to the Russian Centre for Science and Culture, under the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Malaysia.

The multicultural visiting group comprised students from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Kashmir, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Pakistan, Russia, Seychelles, Somali Land, Sri Lanka, United Arab Emirates and Zambia.

Alexander V. Antipov, First Secretary conducted a guest lecture for APU’s International Relations students on Russian foreign policies and the nation’s efforts in promoting Sustainable Development Goals.

Alexander V. Antipov, First Secretary and Maxim A. Salnikov, Second Secretary, Press-Attaché at the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Malaysia conducted a 45-minute guest lecture that exposed the students towards Russia’s foreign policy on preserving national security, as well as the roles of Russia in Sustainable Development Goals in promoting world peace and a secure global environment.

Questions related to Russia’s interest in foreign policies as well as issues in world politics were among the topics that were actively discussed amongst the students together with the officials from the Russian Embassy.

Rizwan Rafi Togoo, Final Year Student of the BA (Hons) International Relations programme, who appreciated the learning experience, expressed,

“The diplomats at the Embassy were highly interactive; they were helpful in answering to our queries, and it was a great experience as they encouraged us to try on the Russian attire during our visit too – this is a memorable moment that I may not have experienced if I did not participate in this visit!”

Apart from having the opportunity to interact with the Russian diplomats directly, Togoo was also one of the 30 students who had the first-hand experience trying on traditional Russian folk costumes and reading about ornate religious and cultural symbols during the visit.

During their visit, the students from different cultural backgrounds had the opportunity to try on traditional Russian folk costumes as well. (second from left: Alexander V. Antipov, First Secretary, second from right: and Maxim A. Salnikov, Second Secretary, Press-Attaché)

This visit was one of the 5 to 6 visits scheduled by APU’s School of Marketing and Media to encourage the development of International Relations students’ knowledge towards cultural environments and world affairs in the era of globalization.

“At all the visits organised for our students, we always stress on the importance of global cultural awareness – through interaction with diplomats and their peers with different ideologies, we are pleased to see their horizon of thinking being broadened and this gives them an edge as future international relations advocates,”

said Dr. Devinder Kaur, Head of School of Marketing and Media, APU.

Apart from traditional costumes, students who visited the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Malaysia also had the opportunities to admire Russian traditional art pieces, souvenirs and ornaments

New Zealand Education Fair in Petaling Jaya

New Zealand Education Fair in Petaling Jaya

Malaysia, 18 July 2018: The number of Malaysian students choosing to enroll in New Zealand’s world-class institutions continues to surge, according to the latest data from Education New Zealand (ENZ). There were over 2,000 Malaysian students in New Zealand at the end of 2017 and the latest figures from ENZ show that as of June this year, there has been a 21 per cent rise in the number of first-time student visas from Malaysia compared to the same period last year. New Zealand’s eight universities, all ranked within the top three per cent worldwide by the QS World University Rankings, have driven much of the recent growth with the sector enjoying a 33 per cent increase in first-time student visas for the first half of 2018, compared to the same period last year. The Malaysian students have also been attracted to the unique education system in New Zealand that provides a wide variety of well-designed courses and programs. Beyond the curriculum, international students studying at a certain level are entitled to work part-time during the semester and up to 40 hours per week during term breaks. John Laxon, ENZ’s Regional Director for South, South East Asia & Middle East, said that Malaysia is one of ENZ’s key markets in the region with a long history of co-operation between the two countries.

“It is extremely encouraging to see more Malaysian students choosing to study in New Zealand. Malaysian students and parents recognize that New Zealand not only offers a world-class education experience, but also global industry connections that truly future-proof students’ careers. From New Zealand’s innovative teaching approaches to internationally recognized qualifications, students can expect a bright future and career after graduating from a New Zealand institution.”

New Zealand has been recognized as having the world’s best education system by The Economist Intelligence Unit’s 2017 Educating for the Future Index. The Educating for the Future Index ranked New Zealand as the best education system overall, earning full marks for the curriculum framework for future skills, collaboration between education providers and industry, and cultural diversity and tolerance among other measures. Over the years, many initiatives have been launched to provide more opportunities for Malaysian students to study in New Zealand. This includes the FCertNZ Foundation Programme launched last year which allows for Malaysian students keen on pursuing their education in New Zealand to complete their foundation year at the KYS Business School in Melaka. They then complete the rest of their undergraduate degree at their university of choice in New Zealand. Other programmes like the New Zealand ASEAN Scholar Awards (NZAS) have also allowed Malaysian students to study in New Zealand and experience the diverse and innovative education system. Students and parents interested in learning about the world-class education opportunities in New Zealand are invited to visit the ENZ Fair in Petaling Jaya on Saturday, 4 August 2018. More information can be found here.

About Education New Zealand

Education New Zealand (ENZ) is New Zealand’s government agency for international education. ENZ works to grow awareness of New Zealand as a study destination and to support New Zealand education providers and businesses to take their services and products abroad.

For more information contact: Rachel Loo Email: [email protected] Mobile: +65 9362 9355 DID: +65 6239 4104

 

studyinnewzealand.com     enz.govt.nz

Polyglots

Polyglots

It baffles me that in this day and age, we still have Malaysians who are not able to communicate in Malay.

What I find more bizarre is the fact that there are Malaysians who only speak one language. No, I am not talking about some Pak Cik in Gua Musang, Ah Soh in Junjung, Akka in Sungai Siput or Inek in Kapit. I’m talking about Channel carrying, iPhone using, and Levi’s wearing youngsters, who dwell from the urban area. How is it possible in this day and age, you are still unable to converse in Bahasa Melayu and English?

On average, a child receives 11 years (discounting the school dropouts) of education and yet, in these 11 years, they still can’t converse in Malay and English, to make matters worst some can’t even read! I don’t know how many times I snapped at the kids who come to the cafe for not being able to pronounce simple words like “Freeze”, “Fizz”, and “Grilled”.

To be completely frank, I always encounter this problem with Malay and Chinese kids, very rarely with Indian kids (and by kids, I mean adolescent). There was once, a Chinese girl was pestering her friend to place the order for her because she said that she can’t speak Malay. I almost lost it and asked the girl in Mandarin “What have you been doing in school?”, which came as a shock to them because they didn’t expect me to be able to speak in Mandarin.

I am a by-product of a vernacular school – SRJK (C) Kuang Hwa, Kuantan; most of my childhood friends are Chinese, but I dare say that all of them are able to hold a conversation in Malay and English even before we became friends. One of them, Kerwin even used to call my house and give “Salam” and burst out laughing when I answer his “Salam” because I thought it was some other Malay person on the other end of the phone. He speaks impeccable Malay, even until today.

Another good friend of mine, Fei who also went to Chinese school, and speaks very good Malay, in fact, her Malay has Sabah accent. You can really hear her Sabah accent especially when she’s angry. May not only speaks Malay, she also speaks Kelantanese Malay, and she’s not even from Kelantan – she’s a born and bred Taman Tun girl. Susan (a Selangor born, Kedah bred Malayalee girl who “believes” that she’s actually of African French descent) will go all Aloq Staq on your butt if you ever cross her, not only she speaks perfect Malay, she’s also one of the best Gamelan players I know, and a damn good Malay Gendang player to boot.

But then, on the other hand, you have the English speaking group who thinks that the Malay language is just not quite up to their standard. These are the people who will come up with statements like “Oh, I didn’t expect that you have such beautiful culture/art/literature in Malay”, “Oh, that sounds lovely, but I don’t read or speak in Malay”. Mind you, these people were not born in Buckingham Palace, most likely they are from Lucky Garden Bangsar, or Section 2 PJ. They did not grow up having tea with the Duke of Edinburgh, they grew up drinking Teh Tarik from Mahbub and Cow’s Milk Bru Coffee from Sunraj. Even with non-crispy chicken rendang and nasi lemak diet, Bahasa Melayu is still not their cup of tea.

Then you have the Malay kids who ONLY speak Malay, but it’s not really Malay, because of the ridiculous way they speak and spell the words. If you look at their phone messages, you’ll see words like “aq” for Aku, “Korunkz” for Kau orang and few other examples that I can’t bring myself to type out. They don’t think that English or any other language for that matter is important. They don’t read, they don’t write, they don’t contribute to anything except for being obsessed with their hand flapping, seizure-like dance that they call Rave.

You also have the group of Malays who think that everyone should just speak Malay and Malay only because it is Bahasa Kebangsaan, and if you are unable to speak Malay, you should pack up your bags and move to wherever you ancestors come from. Little that they realise that the Malay language that we use now, beautiful as it is, is a language that went through evolution and adopted an influx of words from other culture that came in contact with the Malay civilisation, for example, the Indians, Chinese, Persians, Arabs and even Portuguese.

They also somehow have forgotten that the most famous arch-character in the Malay literature, Hang Tuah – The Ultimate Malay, is a polyglot. According to his Hikayat, Hang Tuah spoke at least 12 languages; Tamil, Mandarin, Siamese and Arabic being among it. Even the legendary and somewhat mystical Puteri Saadong and her adopted mother Che Siti Wan Kembang, through Ibnu Battuta’s travel log – we learned – that they were excellent horseback riders, masters in the art of silat and archery, and also polyglots who speaks Malay, Siamese, Persian, and Arabic, and on top of that they were drop dead beauties! Parameswara, Tun Perak, heck even the late Tunku Abdul Rahman were all polyglots.

So, what is the excuse of the modern-day Malays for not being polyglots?

Isn’t it sad that we’ve been calling ourselves Malaysian since 1963, but yet we still don’t have a good command of the Malay Language – even though it is the official language of the federation, a language that should be our unifier? Isn’t it sad that we’ve been calling ourselves Malaysian since 1963, yet we still can’t communicate in English, Mandarin, or Tamil properly, let alone speak in the languages of our Borneo siblings?

The irony of me writing about us speaking more Malay in English didn’t escape me, but I made a conscious decision to write this in English so that the Ultra-Malay camp doesn’t use this as yet another ammo for them to stir up some racial issue. Also, let’s face it, how many English speaking Malaysians really ever take the time to read through anything that is written in Malay.

There’s nothing wrong wanting to speak in your own mother tongue, but shouldn’t our first language be Bahasa Melayu? English, Mandarin, Tamil, Iban, Kadazan can all come second or third or fourth. No one is forcing us to abandon our mother tongue. Let’s take out the politics from this language issue and work towards a Malaysia that uses Bahasa Melayu as our first language. Plus, there’s a whole bunch of research that shows the benefits of being able to speak in multiple languages.

So, with all this new found spirit of patriotism, why don’t we all try and be better Malaysian, by learning Bahasa Melayu, and for those whose Bahasa Melayu is their first language, improve your English then try to learn Tamil or Mandarin or Iban or Malayalam or Kadazan or Telegu or Kenyah or Arabic. Let the new government sort out all the mess and the corruption left by the previous administration. We’ve done our part in changing the government, now let’s focus on ourselves and improve what we can. Let’s not just claim to be Malaysian if you don’t even have the will to learn Her language.

The great Nelson Mandela once said, “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.”

So, let us all try to be polyglots, let us be that group of people where everyone can speak everyone’s languages. Let us be a country that celebrates our differences but still answer to our Mother in one language. After all, we the people are the heart of this country, let’s make Her proud of us, shall we?

Aiyo kadavule, nak suruh belajar to speak multiple languages also very ma-fan ah?

HELP University is Now Offering Full Scholarship to the Top MCKL Student!

HELP University is Now Offering Full Scholarship to the Top MCKL Student!

HELP University is Now Offering Full Scholarship to the Top MCKL Student!

MCKL and HELP University recently signed a joint agreement in which HELP University will be offering bursaries and scholarships exclusively to MCKL students who have completed their pre-university studies and are planning to further their studies at HELP University in 2018.

This joint agreement includes one full scholarship for one MCKL student who achieved top grades in their A Level or AUSMAT.

Additionally, all MCKL students will automatically receive bursaries up to 30% off their tuition fees for the first academic year of studies.

Established since 1983, MCKL’s mission is to nurture a community where excellence in all its forms is celebrated; where individuals come alive to their God-given abilities and make a unique difference in the world. MCKL believes in the potential of all students to rise to their calling as stewards of God’s creation, and in nurturing them to their utmost potential.

MCKL offers pre-university programmes such as Cambridge A Level and Australian Matriculation, diploma programmes in Early Childhood Education and Social Work, the American Degree Transfer Program, and professional CAT and ACCA courses.

For more information on the courses and scholarships offered at MCKL,
please call 03-2274 1851 or visit the website.
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