I'm now starting to get questions from my fellow Indonesians friends about Iskandar. Good to see IRDA has stepped up PR & marketing activities of Iskandar in Indonesia, this should also drive increase in private investors into the area (& hopefully more Indonesian food in near future :).
Iskandar opens up opportunities for Indonesian investors
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios will grow the local film industry
Very interesting article about Pinewood Iskandar`s plan and future projection. We`d love to see some parts of next James Bond movie to be developed here :-)
Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios will grow the local film industry
Youtube video
Mom & Baby Expo 2013
If you are expecting like us or have young kids you may be interested in visiting the upcoming babyfair at Danga city mall. Enjoy!
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Singapore-KL high-speed rail link back on the drawing board | Bangkok Post: business
Everyone's probably heard of the SG-KL high speed rail link. I so cannot wait to hear more details on this. Let's just hope that the train will also have a stop in Iskandar region :)
Singapore-KL high-speed rail link back on the drawing board | Bangkok Post: business
Singapore-KL high-speed rail link back on the drawing board | Bangkok Post: business
Belated Happy New Year & Lunar New Year
Good evening everyone. It's been almost 2 months since my last post. I apologise for being M.I.A so much. I've returned to work (was on leave at the end of last year for renovation & travel) in January this year. We've moved back to our own house...YEAY after 4.5 months of intense internal renovation. Life has been very interesting now that we are expecting (currently going on 6 months + now). Apart from feeling exhausted pretty much every day, I am very grateful for all the blessing that we have. I'm also very grateful for the support that we've received from so many wonderful neighbours, THANK YOU to each one of you!!! We can't ask for any better neighborhood to be in and to have our first baby in.
I'm due at the end of May and I'll do my best to keep writing until then, after which I would probably take some time off from my blog to focus on our new family member :) for a little while, so please bear with me and thanks a lot for your continued readership and support.
In the meantime, I thought I'd share some pictures from our now 95% completed renovation (internal).
Here we go:
Revamped kitchen:
Study room extension:
Courtyard:
and blue for baby's room:
Ian built most of the timber doors and I'm super proud of his work, so thanks to the hubby for doing awesome job! Maybe I can request for him to write about making doors :)
We still have a little bit to do internally and we have not had chance to complete internal decor (paintings etc) but we're extremely extremely happy to be back home and we're very happy and proud with the outcome of this renovation. Kudos to our contractors! We're looking to start stage 3 which is external soon, hopefully in time for housewarming before our baby is due. So stay tuned for more renovation updates in the next coming months :)
Last but not least, I just want to say BIG thank you to Barry & Jackie who's been so kind to host us during our messy renovation. Thanks for being such lifesaver.
Have a good evening everyone,
Erika
Study room extension:
Courtyard:
and blue for baby's room:
Ian built most of the timber doors and I'm super proud of his work, so thanks to the hubby for doing awesome job! Maybe I can request for him to write about making doors :)
We still have a little bit to do internally and we have not had chance to complete internal decor (paintings etc) but we're extremely extremely happy to be back home and we're very happy and proud with the outcome of this renovation. Kudos to our contractors! We're looking to start stage 3 which is external soon, hopefully in time for housewarming before our baby is due. So stay tuned for more renovation updates in the next coming months :)
Last but not least, I just want to say BIG thank you to Barry & Jackie who's been so kind to host us during our messy renovation. Thanks for being such lifesaver.
Have a good evening everyone,
Erika
Monday, December 31, 2012
Engineering Series - Managing power spikes / tripped fuses
Hi Residents and owners,
Another in the engineering series for residents and owners living in East Ledang.
IMPETUS: A fact of living in Johor is power-outs and spikes in our electricity supply. I am sure all of us have experienced power outages in the last few years. Unfortunately there is little we can do for power outs. For those who travel arriving home after time away (even for a day) discovering the circuit breaker has tripped due to a power spike and finding that all that food in your fridge or freezer has gone off (not to mention if you keep fish and the pump has been off for some time). Power spikes are common (transient voltage issues) and can be managed to some extent. The circuit breaker by design trips (switches off the power) when earth leakage or power spike is detected for safety. This is a good thing. However if we are not around to turn the power back on, the food in the fridge may waste. We can't guarantee we will always been around to switch the power on.
THE FIX: Lucky the fix is a relatively easy one, perhaps a little expensive (depending how much food could be wasted). Hager makes a plug in device which sits aside the main circuit breaker which in effect resets itself after a power spike. It works like this:
1. A power spike is detected - shut power off. 2. After 10 min timer (delay period) - resets the circuit breaker (turns power back on without intervention) 3. The device will try to reset 3 times in 30 mins. If it detects an actual fault (anything other than a power spike), the power will remain off for safety. This means if the power trips due to a single spike, the power to the house will come back on without anyone needing to be there. The Device is around the 700 MYR to purchase and needs to be installed by an electrician (it is very easy installation - 10-15 mins) Hager Auto Reset MZ912 - there are different types depending on the load required.
WARNING: NOTE: If your electrical system is NOT equipped with Surge Protection Devices, protect equipment from transient as it can damage electrical items. This can be done at the distribution board or at the plug level. (another blog another time....)
Hager Auto Rests can be obtained from: Genuine Electric Sdn Bhd 126, Jln Ros Merah Dua/16 Taman Johor Jaya 81100 Johor Bahru, Johor Pic: Mr. Tan Lian Hua / Mr. Loh Chee Kan Email: genuine_electric@yahoo.com Tel: 07-352 5722 Fax: 07-352 5727 Syarikat Elektrik Combi (JB) Sdn Bhd 61 & 63, Jalan Ros Merah 2/3 Taman Johor Jaya 81100 Johor Bahru, Johor Pic: Mr. Lee Chee Boon Email: combijb@gmail.com Tel: 07-356 0208 Fax: 07-356 0209 C.T.E. Electric Sdn Bhd 33, Jalan Sri Bahagia 5 Taman Sri Bahagia, Tampoi 81200 Johor Bahru, Johor Pic: Madam Chay Ah Min Email: cte_electric@hotmail.com Tel: 07-236 5668 Fax: 07-236 5609 Actgen Industry Sdn Bhd 133, Jalan Seroja 39 Taman Johor Jaya 81100 Johor Bahru Pic: Mr. Tang Pee Tee Email: joyce_actgenjj@yahoo.com Tel: 07-357 3133 Fax: 07-357 3136 All the best, have a great NYE. See you again next year. Thanks.......Ian
IMPETUS: A fact of living in Johor is power-outs and spikes in our electricity supply. I am sure all of us have experienced power outages in the last few years. Unfortunately there is little we can do for power outs. For those who travel arriving home after time away (even for a day) discovering the circuit breaker has tripped due to a power spike and finding that all that food in your fridge or freezer has gone off (not to mention if you keep fish and the pump has been off for some time). Power spikes are common (transient voltage issues) and can be managed to some extent. The circuit breaker by design trips (switches off the power) when earth leakage or power spike is detected for safety. This is a good thing. However if we are not around to turn the power back on, the food in the fridge may waste. We can't guarantee we will always been around to switch the power on.
THE FIX: Lucky the fix is a relatively easy one, perhaps a little expensive (depending how much food could be wasted). Hager makes a plug in device which sits aside the main circuit breaker which in effect resets itself after a power spike. It works like this:
1. A power spike is detected - shut power off. 2. After 10 min timer (delay period) - resets the circuit breaker (turns power back on without intervention) 3. The device will try to reset 3 times in 30 mins. If it detects an actual fault (anything other than a power spike), the power will remain off for safety. This means if the power trips due to a single spike, the power to the house will come back on without anyone needing to be there. The Device is around the 700 MYR to purchase and needs to be installed by an electrician (it is very easy installation - 10-15 mins) Hager Auto Reset MZ912 - there are different types depending on the load required.
WARNING: NOTE: If your electrical system is NOT equipped with Surge Protection Devices, protect equipment from transient as it can damage electrical items. This can be done at the distribution board or at the plug level. (another blog another time....)
Hager Auto Rests can be obtained from: Genuine Electric Sdn Bhd 126, Jln Ros Merah Dua/16 Taman Johor Jaya 81100 Johor Bahru, Johor Pic: Mr. Tan Lian Hua / Mr. Loh Chee Kan Email: genuine_electric@yahoo.com Tel: 07-352 5722 Fax: 07-352 5727 Syarikat Elektrik Combi (JB) Sdn Bhd 61 & 63, Jalan Ros Merah 2/3 Taman Johor Jaya 81100 Johor Bahru, Johor Pic: Mr. Lee Chee Boon Email: combijb@gmail.com Tel: 07-356 0208 Fax: 07-356 0209 C.T.E. Electric Sdn Bhd 33, Jalan Sri Bahagia 5 Taman Sri Bahagia, Tampoi 81200 Johor Bahru, Johor Pic: Madam Chay Ah Min Email: cte_electric@hotmail.com Tel: 07-236 5668 Fax: 07-236 5609 Actgen Industry Sdn Bhd 133, Jalan Seroja 39 Taman Johor Jaya 81100 Johor Bahru Pic: Mr. Tang Pee Tee Email: joyce_actgenjj@yahoo.com Tel: 07-357 3133 Fax: 07-357 3136 All the best, have a great NYE. See you again next year. Thanks.......Ian
Friday, December 28, 2012
Engineering Series - Twin Villa Series I and III leaking landing walls
Greetings from Australia! I hope everyone had a great Christmas holiday and/or celebration. This is a special post, written by my husband and aims to share tips on preventative maintenance of properties. Hope you'll find this useful.
Hi Residents and owners,
This is the first of a series of posts which seek to address issues / defects and preventative maintenance for properties in East Ledang.
IMPETUS: As many homeowners have been facing, defects seem to be normal walk of life in buying properties here (in our case, East Ledang). Defects are the result of poor design, workmanship or inadequate defect repairs. In so many cases UEM maintenance team will simply 'paint over" providing only a cosmetic remedy,where the defect will only re-appear months later (subject to season) (tips for potential buyers, make sure you pay special attention to defects warranty and fix processes with UEM/your developer before you sign the purchase contract). Equally unqualified or experienced UEM employes are ill prepared to investigate let alone resolve the root cause of the defect. Hence we decided to resolve these outstanding issues in our building ourselves but also take the opportunity to apply preventative works which reduce potential risks and significantly extend regular maintenance schedules (e.g painting) DEFECT: Twin Villa Series I and III stair landing water moisture issue/s Water inclusion (where it is not supposed to be) can destroy the integrity of a structure and damage finishes. We have had issues with our stair landing wall showing signs of moisture. This often results in secondary efflorescence (salting bumpy surface on the wall and possible ponding or pooling of water in the stair landing area) See figure 1
After reviewing a number of possible causes for moisture in the concrete (esp. 2 years after the build), this issue had been tracked down to incorrect installation and/or sealing of the windows by UEM in the original build. The frame seal between the aluminum window and the wall framing has not been sealed correctly and in many cases is the source of the moisture (silicone on the glass will not remedy the issue)
THE FIX Fortunately the repair is both relatively cheap and easy. A few tubes of acrylic paintable multipurpose sealer (10-15 MYR), masking tape and Sika brand acrylic waterproofing compound (looks like thick paint) will do the trick. Masking tape is applied on the exterior aluminum window frame to protect the finish of the frame, also makes the whole repair process cleaner and easier.
After the masking tape is applied, run a bead of acrylic sealer in the joint between the frame and the concrete structure. Apply liberally as the excess will be wiped off with your finger and if need be a damp cloth. This creates a flexible seal which can manage shrinking and contraction as the building heats and cools. See figure 2
The next step prevents surrounding concrete 'leaching' moisture in behind the window. Apply by brush and roller a liberal coat of Sika Waterproofing compound around the sills and 300mm around the window, ensuring there are not holes, gaps and the compound covers the gap sealer you applied previously. This extends the waterproofing beyond the window area and in conjunction with the gap sealer ,creates a water tight seal all the way up to the window frame. For extra peace of mind, a membrane can be used on the base sill to increase durability of the seal against movement of the building. See figure 3 After a few days of drying, a good quality exterior paint can be applied (original exterior wall colour) to finish the job. Basic items are available from the local hardware store in Gelang Patah. Sika products can be obtained from Lin Hoo hardware in JB (Sika® RainTite®). Best of luck! Thanks for reading.... Ian Figure 1
Water inclusion from window sill. May not be as visible, moisture can leach without being seen.
Figure 2
Masked window frame (yellow tape) and gap sealer applied (white)
Figure 3
Waterproof compound applied (with fibre matting) on lower exterior sill
Figure 4
Waterproof cover surrounding the windows, ready for final colour coat.
This is the first of a series of posts which seek to address issues / defects and preventative maintenance for properties in East Ledang.
IMPETUS: As many homeowners have been facing, defects seem to be normal walk of life in buying properties here (in our case, East Ledang). Defects are the result of poor design, workmanship or inadequate defect repairs. In so many cases UEM maintenance team will simply 'paint over" providing only a cosmetic remedy,where the defect will only re-appear months later (subject to season) (tips for potential buyers, make sure you pay special attention to defects warranty and fix processes with UEM/your developer before you sign the purchase contract). Equally unqualified or experienced UEM employes are ill prepared to investigate let alone resolve the root cause of the defect. Hence we decided to resolve these outstanding issues in our building ourselves but also take the opportunity to apply preventative works which reduce potential risks and significantly extend regular maintenance schedules (e.g painting) DEFECT: Twin Villa Series I and III stair landing water moisture issue/s Water inclusion (where it is not supposed to be) can destroy the integrity of a structure and damage finishes. We have had issues with our stair landing wall showing signs of moisture. This often results in secondary efflorescence (salting bumpy surface on the wall and possible ponding or pooling of water in the stair landing area) See figure 1
After reviewing a number of possible causes for moisture in the concrete (esp. 2 years after the build), this issue had been tracked down to incorrect installation and/or sealing of the windows by UEM in the original build. The frame seal between the aluminum window and the wall framing has not been sealed correctly and in many cases is the source of the moisture (silicone on the glass will not remedy the issue)
THE FIX Fortunately the repair is both relatively cheap and easy. A few tubes of acrylic paintable multipurpose sealer (10-15 MYR), masking tape and Sika brand acrylic waterproofing compound (looks like thick paint) will do the trick. Masking tape is applied on the exterior aluminum window frame to protect the finish of the frame, also makes the whole repair process cleaner and easier.
After the masking tape is applied, run a bead of acrylic sealer in the joint between the frame and the concrete structure. Apply liberally as the excess will be wiped off with your finger and if need be a damp cloth. This creates a flexible seal which can manage shrinking and contraction as the building heats and cools. See figure 2
The next step prevents surrounding concrete 'leaching' moisture in behind the window. Apply by brush and roller a liberal coat of Sika Waterproofing compound around the sills and 300mm around the window, ensuring there are not holes, gaps and the compound covers the gap sealer you applied previously. This extends the waterproofing beyond the window area and in conjunction with the gap sealer ,creates a water tight seal all the way up to the window frame. For extra peace of mind, a membrane can be used on the base sill to increase durability of the seal against movement of the building. See figure 3 After a few days of drying, a good quality exterior paint can be applied (original exterior wall colour) to finish the job. Basic items are available from the local hardware store in Gelang Patah. Sika products can be obtained from Lin Hoo hardware in JB (Sika® RainTite®). Best of luck! Thanks for reading.... Ian Figure 1
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