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For the second year running, the Alice Smith School is proud to award four bright and deserving post SPM Malaysian students’ full scholarships amounting to more than half a million ringgit, enabling them to pursue their A-level studies.

The scholarships commenced in January 2012 and will run until July 2013. It is anticipated that scholars will complete their A-levels in five school terms. The full scholarship will cover tuition fees, building levy and enrolment fee including all textbooks and materials, external examination fees and curriculum-based trips.

During the scholarship reception, the scholars and their family were all smiles as the Principal of the Secondary Campus, Roger Schultz warmly welcomed them.“We are in awe by your level of self-motivation, determination and outstanding ability to achieve the goals you aspire to. Equally impressive was your sense of self awareness and maturity, indicated by your understanding of what this scholarship could mean for you and for others. I believe that you will all have a rewarding and successful time here at the school,” said Roger Schultz.

Scholar Sharmaine Quake who was the Head Prefect of S.M.K Convent, Jalan Peel said, “I dream to further my studies abroad, preferably in the UK and will persist until I achieve my goals. This scholarship means a lot to me.”

Sharmaine is passionate in helping the community. She wishes to pursue either psychology or pathology for her higher education. She’s extremely grateful to the school for offering her this scholarship and would one day wish to make her own contribution to society.

An outspoken person with high ambitions, Narmadha Kali Vanan aspires to be a doctor. “My dad’s perseverance and determination serves as an inspiration for me. It will be a great transition for me from a local school; however, I can’t wait to experience the diverse opportunities available.”

A high achiever academically, scholar Lai Yongqun also looks forward to starting at the school. “I am confident in acclimatising to the environment and am excited to experience the different cultures and traditions. The scholarship will also allow me to obtain a quality British learning experience which will be a key step as I am keen to pursue a Quantity Surveyors programme in a British university.”

This article appeared in the FEB 2012 issue of The Expat magazine
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FRANCES WILKS EXPLORES GEORGE TOWN IN THE COMPANY OF TAN TWAN ENG, AUTHOR OF “THE GIFT OF RAIN”

Tan Twan Eng has a new book coming out this month: The Garden of Evening Mists. It’s his first full-length publication since being long-listed for the Man Booker prize for his debut novel The Gift of Rain in 2007. In Penang for the George Town Literary Festival in late November, he only modestly mentions it. Perhaps this self-effacing trait comes from his Chinese heritage or perhaps it’s simply the natural stance of an introverted writer who writes the books that he himself wants to read.

Twan Eng’s second book also has a Japanese theme, or should I say, develops The Gift of Rain’s theme of the complexities of relationships between people who are native to Malaysia and their Japanese sensei. A sensei is a master, a teacher, and the ‘hero’ of Rain, Philip had a convoluted relationship with his sensei, Endo-san, which leads in the end to an impossible choice. The Garden of Evening Mists, set in the Cameron Highlands of 1951, is the story of a woman who has had to do what it took to survive one of the Japanese occupation’s brutal prison camps. After enduring this terrible experience, and yet scarred by it, she goes to ask the creator of the only Japanese garden in Malaya to make one for her in KL. Himself a refugee, and so also culturally dislocated but in a different way, he refuses at first but finally allows her to study the art of Japanese gardening with him. Against the backdrop of the Emergency in Malaya many mysteries and perhaps healings unravel in unexpected ways.

When I first speak to Twan Eng I had hoped for a method of translating the streets of George Town into the actual locations of The Gift of Rain. But his approach is far more diffuse. It’s the sense of place tempered by the imagination of history that he writes about. He researches through meticulous reading and also by listening to the stories of old people. He loves time shifts in a book – “so much nicer to write.” And he loves editing, the playing with language, and fine tuning of phrases until they sing. I meet him in an anonymous global coffee chain overlooking the now muddy, marshy shoreline of Gurney Drive, which we can both remember was once a golden sandy beach. As he gazes towards the new development of Straits Quay, which he tactfully says is “very Singapore”. I ask him where he would like to go in George Town.After a pause, he replies, “The Khoo Kongsi”. I wonder why. “It’s beautiful and I haven’t seen it in a while,” is the enigmatic answer. It’s also very clean, a romanticized yet antiseptic interpretation of the past.

The old Khoo Kongsi clan house, which I remember in the 1960’s as a sprawling living place full of scraps, dogs and cooking smells, is now an immaculate museum. With its gilding smartly re-done

it’s the epitome of glossy heritage. We enjoy its gilded halls in fully tourist mode and then take a stroll down Armenian Street. Twan-Eng gently challenges my romantic notions of the past when I spy a man with a typewriter sitting on the pavement and say that it reminds me of the old letter writers who used to ply their trade as recently as twenty years ago in George Town. “Perhaps it’s good that people are literate, and so don’t have to rely on others to write their letters,” he suggests. Before we go for a mango lassi in the tiny café of Amelie he wants to find his father’s old house in Armenian Street. He can just remember it from the 70’s but is disappointed that it looks so ordinary, so unreconstructed.

There’s just time to dodge into a secondhand bookshop where he scans to volumes with an experienced eye before we say good bye. I was left with the impression of a dedicated professional writer – private,thoughtful but with a hidden warmth. A true sensei of his craft.

This article appeared in the FEB 2012 issue of The Expat magazine
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It is easy to see why this welcoming American diner is named after the iconic and very cool singer McKinley ‘Muddy’ Morganfield. With the subtle décor, the comfortable wooden benches and tables, the vintage jukebox nestled in the corner, a well-stocked bar and plates appearing piled high from the kitchen, Morganfield’s is a cool place to chill and fill up on wholesome American meals.

I simply couldn’t stop by the self-proclaimed “home of the sticky bones” without trying these Danish-reared pork ribs for myself, and a platter of Ribs on Ribs provided myself and my fellow diners with a glimpse of just why so many people stream into Morganfield’s for ribs. “They are slow-cooked for two and a half hours in hickory smoke before being grilled,” explained Ryan Poh, Director of Marketing. “We want them to be crispy on the outside but tender inside.” Mission accomplished. The huge plate of smoked peppercorn spare ribs disappeared in a trice: there is no doubt that rib-fiends would go wild for this place.

That said, I had my reservations that the rest of the extensive menu – seafood, poultry, salads, sandwiches and burgers – could not compete with the extraordinary pork ribs, but the plates that arrived as we were wiping our hands on our rib “aprons” were to prove me wrong. The beer-battered fish fillets served with chips and tartar sauce were a fish ‘n chip lovers delight, while the unusual tequila-spiked chicken provided a whopping portion of tender chicken.

Those who can’t face the American-sized portions of the meaty mains can opt for one of the appetizers or a salad and the set lunch menu was drawing in the crowds as diners can pay just RM16.90 for a main course, a soup or salad and a drink.

And let us not gloss over the drinks. The wine, beer and cocktail list is good, while the non-alcoholic drinkers will relish the great choice of chilled and blended coolers including a delicious Cucumber, Apple and Mint Spritz or the moreish milkshakes.

If you can squeeze in some pudding, the bread pudding with bourbon sauce and ice cream was comfort food at its spongy best.

Fact File :
Morganfield’s
C4.03.00, Level 4
Pavilion KL
168 Bukit Bintang
55100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +603.2141 3192
Business Hours: 11am-late, Mon-Sun
For more restaurant reviews visit: www.DineMalaysia.com

This article was written by Sarah Rees (sarah@theexpatgroup.com)
This article appeared in the FEB 2012 issue of The Expat magazine
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THE MEAT EXPERTS (TME) at Hartamas Shopping Centre aims to provide a place to appreciate fine cuts of meat with little nibbles at cheese and freshly baked bread. At TME, you can shop for imported products, while sampling said products. One thing for sure: The Meat Experts are serious about meat. Posters of prime cuts and consumer guides adorn the fridges and bare brick walls of this establishment. Variety and quality are assured.

David, the owner of TME, tells us that he stocks not just any bangers and meats from overseas, but award-winning ones! A Turner and Son, voted best British banger recently by Bpex is available there, as well as Blackthorn (TME is the only place in Malaysia where it’s available). Johnsonville is very popular in the U.S. and is stocked here too. I spot a few novelty items among the piles of meat like the gourmet spicy pork burger, perfect for those experimenting with their cooking at home, and there’s even organic ground pork. The traditional English hog’s pudding is another surprise find and the range of cheese would delight any expat longing for quality dairy goods.

We chose two types of pork bangers, one flavoured with garlic, the other with black pepper. Both were extremely delicious, especially with a dollop of mustard. We were also treated to a variety of cold cuts such as Italian salami, Spanish chorizoa and parma ham also from Italy. .is was coupled with some incredibly soft Italian cheese that went quite well with the meat. We also got to try some warm focaccia bread – the array of par-baked breads will definitely be swept up along with the exquisite meats. David tells us that the breads need only be thrown in the oven for about 10 minutes before being served and voila: fresh warm bread.

The highlight of our meal, a huge serving of pork knuckles, served with sweet chili sauce can be easily shared among two people. What seemed like an endless mound of crisp and tender pork, roasted to meaty goodness will go down well with a beer or two. .e reasonably priced beer and wine list is notable; Paulaner draft, Naturtrub & Dunkel beer is available as well as wines from Australia, California Germany and more. We also tried the interesting Aglio Olio with our crispy roast pork – a dish that was a delight on the senses with soft pieces of pork mingling with the garlicky spicy pasta, slick with olive oil.

The Meat Experts have recently started the all-new catering service, for parties that want to serve unique options, opting out of the typical meehoon-curry puff routine. Breakfast and dessert options also available here, but don’t leave their store without some good ol’ fashioned quality meat and imported cheeses.

Fact File :
The Meat Experts
G15&G16, Hartamas Shopping Center
No.60, Jalan Sri Hartamas,
Sri Hartamas 50480 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03.6205 2577
E-mail: themeatexperts@gmail.com
www.themeatexperts.com
Opening Hours: (Daily) 10am – 10pm
For more restaurant reviews visit: www.DineMalaysia.com

This article was written by Milan Sadhwani (milan@theexpatgroup.com)
This article appeared in the FEB 2012 issue of The Expat magazine
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WHATEVER CORNER of this world we European expats decide to call home, we cannot hide from the fact that financially most of our homelands are in chaos. The questions are, apart from cancelling our newspapers and refusing to watch television which dedicates a large percentage of their coverage to scaring the life out of us, how can we ignore it and what, if anything, can we do to insulate ourselves from the inevitable “fallout” from austerity measures and cash strapped governments scrambling to raise bailout funds any way they can?

Unfortunately Europeans may find change is inevitable, as unlike our American counterparts who have been burdened for years with worldwide taxation on all income wherever they reside, most of us Europeans have enjoyed huge tax benefits by leaving our home shores behind. However, the estimated 30 million of us expats are in fact soft targets to raise billions of extra revenue with one swipe of a Brussels pen.

Take the British system for example: not only do British expats enjoy a zero UK tax rate when living abroad on any tax free overseas income and capital gains, they also have the facility to transfer their UK paid pensions, which the government subsidizes during payments with tax relief, to an offshore QROPS and receive all income on retirement tax free along with other benefits. This alone would raise billions in revenue if proposed legislation goes through.

As from 6 April, 2012, HMRC is proposing that anyone with a QROPS should not benefit from tax relief that is not available to residents. “It puts the onus on the finance centres’ own legislature to change their tax regulations to encompass QROPS. This means that well run jurisdictions such as Guernsey will have to decide between a 0 to 20% tax rate for everyone,” explains Gavin Pluck, European Director at Guardian Wealth Management.

There has long been murmuring about bringing tax systems into line with our American counterparts and making it law to file annual returns back home, and interestingly enough if passed it would make a massive dent in the monies needed to stabilize Europe. The EU directive brought in a few years ago means that the banking systems know where we are, and how much we have got, so it wouldn’t be difficult to implement and even more worrying they could justify it. So the question is: Can we do any anything at all to protect ourselves outside of undergoing plastic surgery, giving up our passports and becoming citizens of Belize?

There is no easy answer for Europeans but if anything can be done the answers will come from the UK offshore islands of Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man who have always tried to protect expat assets from taxation by using their jurisdictions. Although now they have to report by law all assets held to our tax resident countries, they will fiercely resist retrospective legislation as they could become obsolete if there are no benefits to investing in offshore centers. This means that if you believe the worse is coming, looking at structuring yourself offshore before legislation kicks in should be investigated. The one thing that is for sure, and that all economists agree on, is that these times we are in are not just a blip on the chart. This is with us for years to come and will affect us all financially in one way or another.

Written by John Marks, The ExPat Investment Club.

This article appeared in the FEB 2012 issue of The Expat magazine
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A LIFESTYLE-FOCUSED and upscale mall located in Subang, Empire Shopping Gallery (also known as ESG), is a shopper’s paradise that encompasses five levels and 180 retail outlets. It features a refreshing blend of local and international F&B outlets as well as an amazingly wide range of retail stores including fashion, children’s specialty, home, and edutainment outlets.

ESG is owned by Couture Homes Sdn Bhd and is part of a freehold Empire Subang commercial development that includes the Empire SoHo, Empire Tower and a boutique Empire Hotel. Empire SoHo offers 210 home offices, while the Empire Tower is a 12-storey office block. Empire Hotel offers stylish getaway options for business and leisure travelers.

With a great list of celebrated brand names and popular outlets, ESG is a new contemporary lifestyle destination that’s designed to appeal to all ages. .e mall’s junior anchor tenants include the only Tangs outside of Kuala Lumpur’s Golden Triangle, the first Fitness First Platinum gym that features a lap pool, Jaya Grocer’s new concept outlet with a gourmet dine-in area, the all-time favourite Popular Bookstore and the latest flagship store from Toys “R” Us. Also in located in ESG are Aino

Living, which offers high quality dining sets and decorative items at affordable prices and Kizsports & Gym, a one stop total child development centre.

ESG’s strategic location attracts those living in Subang Jaya, Ara Damansara, Bukit Jelutong, Damansara, Shah Alam, Puchong, Klang and Petaling Jaya. But there are those shoppers who travel all the way from Kuala Lumpur just to check out the latest buzz in Subang Jaya.

THE BUZZ AT ESG
Dig in: From choices in exotic cuisines to local favourites, dining is a class apart at ESG. Here, one enjoys an extensive list of notable eateries that include La Bodega, Madam Kwan’s, Belanga, Rakuzen, Serai @ Empire, Italiannies, Chili’s, Din Tai Fung, Sao Nam, Pasta Zanmai, The Loaf, Whisk and Ole-Ole Bali.

Dress up: ESG carries international fashion brands for clothes and accessories such as Coach, Ed Hardy, Guess, Warehouse, Dorothy Perkins, La Senza, Levi’s, Skechers, Evita Peroni, Pedro, Timberland and Florsheim, along with well-loved local brands like .omas Chan, Poya, Mitra by Bhaju, Muse by Alvin Tay, Ms. Read and Dude & Duchess. Shop, play, get fit: Special junior anchor tenants here — Jaya Grocer, Tangs, Toys ‘R’ Us, Popular, Aino Living, Kizsports & Gym, and Fitness First Platinum – complement and enhance the lifestyle of modern, vibrant family-oriented consumers.

A haven for children: On the First Floor, ESG showcases a variety of fashion brands for children, such as Guess Kids, Poney, My Lil Ones, Pumpkin Patch, Chateau de Sable, Kidz World, Lovely Lace Baby, Cotton Club, Wonder Tots and Adam Kids.

Empire Shopping Gallery also brings in the latest in the edutainment field to stimulate young minds through play. Fun educational programmes and creative classes are offered at My Favorite Art House, Plaster Fun House, Bake Me Wonders, Dance Space, Beethoven Music World, and Morris Allen English.

It’s all about chemistry and convenience at Empire Shopping Gallery whether it’s in shopping, eating, playing, learning, or just relaxing.

For more information, please check out Empire Shopping Gallery’s official website at www.esg.com.my

This article appeared in the FEB 2012 issue of The Expat magazine
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Lydia Teh is as Malaysian as nasi lemak, char kuay teow and roti canai. Like all Malaysians, she can eat six meals a day but refrains from doing for the sake of her waistline. Born and raised in Klang, Selangor, she still lives in this royal town which is known for its bah-kut-teh: herbal stewed pork washed down with Chinese tea. She has written six books including the best-selling Honk! If You’re Malaysian and Fun for Kids in Malaysia. She manages an English language centre, writes a newspaper column and dreams of literary world domination. She can be contacted via www.lydiateh.com.

The sweetest name on earth is our own, isn’t it? When we hear our name, our ears perk up. Dale Carnegie, the author of How to Win Friends and Influence People strongly advocates using people’s names in conversations to make the other party feel good.

However, this is not always possible for one reason or another, especially in Malaysia. Consider these situations and how to get around the dilemma without sounding arrogant, rude or clueless.

When you’re shopping and need assistance from the sales promoter, this is how you would address a young woman at the counter: Leng Lui. If she was wearing a bulldog expression before you greet her, see her immediate transformation into a smiling vixen. Leng Lui is Cantonese for “pretty girl” and you will surely lift her like a helium balloon with that greeting. Guaranteed she will wait on you hand and foot. Of course, if she looks like one of Cinderella’s stepsisters, calling her Leng Lui would be overdoing it.

The male equivalent of Leng Lui is Leng Chai. I have seen with my own eyes how these words work like magic. I was at an electrical appliance warehouse sale looking for a good bargain. The camera counter had a thick belt of visitors around it. My feeble attempts at getting the attention of the sales promoter fell on deaf ears because the young man was being Leng Chai-ed left, right and centre by a savvy woman. Though the promoter looked better than William Hung, he was no Brad Pitt either.

I could’ve called him “boss” but that would have been a lie. He’s a wage-earner, that’s why he was manning the counter.

If the setting was at a shop, the man behind the counter could be the boss himself. When dealing with small-time businessmen, it’s preferable to call them “boss” or “towkay” which is Chinese for “proprietor”.

Boss or towkay is also a very safe way to greet someone whose name you’ve forgotten. Let’s say you bump into an acquaintance or a business associate whose name you have forgotten. “Hi, boss! How are you? Long time,no see…”can save you from embarrassment, especially if he remembers your name.

If the person you meet is an older friend or a relative, “aunty” and “uncle” are safe bets. But you’d better be sure that the aunty and uncle are a good decade older than you or you might end up getting an icy response that will freeze you with its animosity.

Some men have an interesting albeit uncouth manner of greeting male friends. “You barsket. Where have you been hiding? Haven’t seen you since the last World Cup.” Now “barsket” shouldn’t be confused with the shopping basket. Barsket is Manglish for “bastard” and should never be used on burly strangers or you might end up with your teeth knocked out from your gums.

“Datuk” is an honorific bestowed by Malaysian royalty. Once a person is bestowed a Datukship, his individuality vanishes like a soap bubble. Overnight he becomes a nameless person. Relatives, friends and business associates will call him “Datuk”, period. He will only be addressed by his name if he’s in the company of another Datuk.

“Datuk” may be used as a salutation for ordinary people too but it is usually reserved for respected members of society such as the CEOs of large corporations or a VIP who hasn’t been bestowed with a Datukship, yet. If you meet a senior executive, especially one who wears a glossy batik shirt at official functions, it is acceptable to address him as Datuk. But use Datuk judiciously as we don’t want Malaysia to be overrun with Datuks.

In our society, we’re not used to being “Sired” or “Ma’ammed” unless we’re in fine establishments such as five-star hotels or high-class boutiques. Occasionally, you might find this form of address where you least expect it. In my case, I found it at the rojak and cendol stall near my mother’s house. The husband and wife team preface and end each sentence with a sir, ma’am, please, excuse me or thank you.

“One rojak and one cendol, ma’am? Take a seat please.” When she serves the food, she says, “Excuse me, ma’ am. Thank you” as she gently puts down the plate so as not to splash the rojak sauce on your clothes.

When you’re at food courts or coffee shops with several stalls, you can’t yell “waiter!”or “captain!”as you would in a restaurant. Instead you call the vendors by the food they serve. Hence, the fried koay teow man is “koay teow,” the popiah seller becomes “popiah” and the grilled fish hawker is “ikan bakar.”

With all due respect to Mr. Carnegie, can you see now that we don’t need to know people’s names in order to make them feel good? Now go win some friends and influence some people.

This article appeared in the FEB 2012 issue of The Expat magazine
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Welcome to another year.

Sadly for many people the outlook is not that good. Apart from the usual problems in third world countries, many of the world’s developed nations are facing a bleak economic outlook affecting large numbers of their citizens. So far people in Malaysia are not suffering that much and the outlook for this part of the world is not that dire. In fact, there has been a surge of foreign investment in Southeast Asia as major corporations seek new markets for their products and services.

We will continue to keep you updated on all things that make Malaysia a great place to live. We are expecting even more subscribers this year as more people choose to come and live in Malaysia.

I occasionally have to remind our readers that it is our policy to cover the more positive aspects of living in Malaysia. As a magazine run by expats, we stay away from commenting on controversial issues or the political scene. As with every country, there are always things to complain about and they have not yet invented the country where the citizens are all blissfully happy.

We do periodically write critical articles where we feel it is relevant to the expat community. Among other things we have shared our views on the Malaysia My Second Home programme and why we think it has not reached its potential, we have criticised the Malaysian taxi system and published articles listing the things expats do not like about Malaysia.

Generally, though, we like to write about the things which expats like about Malaysia. Our surveys continue to show that expats in Malaysia find the positive factors far outweigh the negative. A very high number of expats look for ways to extend their stay in Malaysia in preference to returning to their own counties. We believe Malaysia has the highest expat property ownership of any country in Asia.

The major initiatives currently being undertaken under the Economic and Government Transformation Programmes are certainly very impressive and bode well for the future. To my mind, one of the smartest moves was to create The Performance Management and Delivery Unit (PEMANDU) which oversees the implementation of the various initiatives of the Transformation Programme and is tasked with measuring progress. PEMANDU comprises many people brought in from the private sector who are results-oriented and display a very high level of enthusiasm and commitment which we have rarely seen before. During the last year, I have met many people working for some of the new entities or teams charged with getting the results. Almost without exception they have impressed me.

It is certainly a marked change from other Government departments where we often share expats’ frustrations at not being able to get clear answers to our questions.

It is also becoming increasingly evident that the views of the expat community are not only of interest but help shape future policy. We are regularly approached to give input on future Government plans. Fortunately, we get a steady flow of information from the expat community on many levels, not just our regular expat events, but also the many expats who write to us or use our various help desks and of course the many surveys we have done over the last ten years.

We have a number of surveys lined up for this year and we hope to get an even larger number of expats participating. In order to do this, you must ensure we have your e-mail address. If you are not getting our monthly E-Newsletter then we don’t have it. If you want to participate, just e-mail us your address and we will add it to our database. It should be noted that we never release your contact details to third parties. We occasionally send out e-mails on behalf of our clients to help defray the cost of keeping the database current, however these are limited in number and we control the mailing.

Wishing you all an excellent 2012 and, to our Chinese readers, Happy Chinese New Year!

This article was written by J. Andrew Davison (andyd@theexpatgroup.com)
This article appeared in the JAN 2012 issue of The Expat magazine
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In recognition of the Malaysian Government’s plans to attract more foreigners to Malaysia and liberalise the rules on visas and work permits, we are introducing this news section to keep resident and prospective expats updated on news affecting them working or living here.

RESIDENTS PASSES ISSUED EXCEEDS 300
TalentCorp, which introduced the Residence Pass in April this year, has announced that over 300 expats have been issued the pass since it was launched. TalentCorp is specifically encouraging more skilled expats to move here, overseas Malaysians to return and improve the development of home-grown skills.

The Residence Pass is only available for expats who are currently working in Malaysia and making over RM144,000 a year. There are certain other criteria that have to be met so only a small number of expats working here would qualify. Once issued the holder can stay in Malaysia for ten years and change jobs without applying for a new visa.

Expats can find out more at www.expats.com.my/rp/

HSBC SURVEY BEST PLACE FOR EXPATS TO LIVE
Every year HSBC conducts an annual survey among thousands of expats around the world to determine the best places to live. The 2011 survey revealed that Thailand is ranked the best among resident expats followed by Singapore. Malaysia came 7th in the world which is still fairly respectable.

For those that want to find out more, you can go to HSBC’s website (www.expatexplorer.hsbc.com).These surveys are always subject to individual interpretation because of the methodology used. All questions receive equal weighting so the overall result may be unfairly balanced.

What is impressive is that the website allows you to select specific criteria and see how that impacts the final global ranking. For example, if you only select the criteria covering accommodation, holidays, healthcare and making friends then Malaysia comes out first.

SURVEY RANKS MALAYSIA 10TH IN THE WORLD FOR FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT
A global survey by A T Kearney ranks the world’s top countries for foreign direct investment (FDI). The ranking is based on input from the world’s leading corporations operating in 27 countries. Over half the companies reported that their FDI budgets have returned to the pre-crises levels. Around one fifth said they did not expect their FDI budgets to return to those levels until 2014 or later. This is being interpreted as signs of an economic recovery.

There has been a shift in investment focus towards developing countries, not just for their lower operating costs but also to target their rapidly growing and increasingly affluent consumers.

China, India and Brazil took the top three places. Several Southeast Asian countries saw their ranking increase with Indonesia rising to 9th place from 20th, Singapore going from 24th to 7th and Malaysia rising from 21st place to 10th.

Malaysia has enjoyed a rapid increase in Foreign Direct Investment with FDI rising to US$9 billion in 2010 from US$1.8 billion in 2009. When the final numbers are released for 2011, this is expected to show further growth.

SMALL DROP IN MALAYSIA’S CORRUPTION RANKINGS
Transparency International’s (TI) latest annual Corruption Perception Index showed that Malaysia’s ranking had fallen this year which was bad news for those charged with improving the position. Malaysia’s score dropped just 0.1 point, from 4.4 to 4.3 out of 10.0. However it was the wrong direction as the Government had set themselves a target of 4.9. Further analysis gave some indications of why the score had dropped. Grand Corruption – abuse of power by politicians and senior civil servants – appears to be the area where the survey respondents were least satisfied progress is being made.

On the positive side the number of respondents who stated they had paid a bribe in the last 12 months had fallen dramatically from 9% last year to just 1.2% this year. In addition, an encouraging 50% said they were satisfied with the Government’s efforts to address corruption.

These results indicate that progress is being made at addressing corruption at lower levels however there is more work to be done to change the reality or perceptions of corruption at the higher levels of Government.

MM2H CHANGES TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON?
We have been advised that there will be some changes to the rules governing eligibility for the Malaysia My Second Home programme. As these have not been finalised, we cannot announce anything yet. However, it seems likely the qualifying income for single applicants will be lowered and the requirement to show liquid assets will be eased. While this is not exactly the changes which we (and many MM2Hers) were hoping for it will make the programme a bit more attractive.

Since the programme was launched 10 years ago, approved applications only number 17,000. Many of the approved applicants have not even moved to Malaysia so they have generated little direct benefit to the country. Although a few of our suggestions to improve the programme have been adopted over the last few years, most of the changes that we believe would have produced the greatest growth in applications have not been approved.

Check www.MM2H.com for the latest information and updates.

This article appeared in the JAN 2012 issue of The Expat magazine
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Even though he wrote this column, the views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of William Citrin, the Editor of The Expat. Email him at editor@theexpatgroup.com with your views.

WILLIAM CITRIN WHINES AND WONDERS ABOUT THE PUZZLING LACK OF TISSUE IN MALAYSIA

Not long ago a good friend of mine was visiting from the US and I took him for a lil’ makanan at an upscale local restaurant in one of Mall-Asia’s malls. The place was hopping with humanity, every table full and the air thick with the deafening din of diners clinking and chomping and chatting.

My friend – seeking a distinctively Malaysian culinary and gastrointestinal experience – had ordered a bowl of that infernal asam laksa and it sat steaming and stinking in front of him. He found himself in dire need of some tissue (to clean up the mess of ingestion and, most likely, digestion) but a piece of tissue was nowhere to be found. Regardless he continued eating and summarily spilled a spoonful of soup on his shirt.

Following standard American small-town roadside diner etiquette, my friend then meekly smiled and tried in vain to make eye contact with the waiters, who were whizzing madly about like epileptic fireflies. Realizing this strategy wasn’t gonna fly, he waved his hand wildly in the air and let out a seismic yelp for help. The waitress zipped over to our table.

“Sorry to trouble you miss, but is there any way I could have a napkin?”

The waitress stared at him with bewildering blankness, as if he had just posed a question in Urdu (actually, she may have been able to understand Urdu for all I know). He repeated the same question using “serviette” instead of “napkin” and received the same silence in reply.

Finally I, ever the gracious host, interceded and rescued him. “Tissue!” I barked and she scatted off, only to reappear moments later and present, with grand flourish on a porcelain plate, one tiny cocktail napkin – about as useful against the onslaught of that angry red laksa as a baby sand bucket in the face of a tsunami. Armed with only that pathetic paper shield and a spoon, my friend bravely proceeded to do battle with his soup.

Sometimes it seems as if we are in the midst of a war (against messy substances, I guess) and they are rationing out tissues sparingly here in Malaysia.

I fail to understand why tissue is such a precious commodity in Malaysia, a land with an apparent abundance of paper-bearing trees. I have heard of a “paperless office”, but never of paperless restaurants or paperless toilets until I came here.

Tissues are as scarce as tigers; you really have to make the effort to hunt them down and many times you can’t find them at all.

One time at a mamak restaurant I asked for a “tissue”, only to be brought a roti tissue – a sugary paper thin crepe shaped like a giant dunce cap. I ate it, and then pleaded (not with words but by rubbing my hands together in the Malaysian “tissue” gesture) for paper relief. I come from a land where tissue – like life, liberty, and the pursuit of anyone who disses your mama with a semi-automatic weapon – is an inalienable right. Tissue practically rains down from the sky in the US; it is everywhere, overflowing from sleek dispensers on every table and in every toilet. When I was young we used to wrap it around ourselves and become mummies, throw rolls of it into our neighbor’s trees or shreds of it in the air to simulate snow, make flowers and airplanes and dolls and balls out of it.

But in Malaysia you could be naked and bleeding on the street and if you are lucky some bloke might be benevolent enough to lean down and offer you one of his precious paper squares.

The only time I have actually been offered tissue is in the loos of lavish shopping malls, where the attendants stand creepily behind me as I do my business and wash my hands, and then shove generous handfuls of tissue at me – in hopes of getting me to hand over some paper (money) of my own.

If I could afford it, I would hire my own personal tissue bearer, to shadow me and hold my personal stash, to roll out the white carpet for me wherever I go and protect me from stainful substances – the curry, sweat and tears that may befall me on my messy journey through life in the tropics.

But, alas, I am all alone – and I don’t even have a tissue to dry my eyes.

Tissue, I miss you. Wherefore art thou, tissue?

This article was written by William Citrin (editor@theexpatgroup.com)
This article appeared in the JAN 2012 issue of The Expat magazine
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