What is Malaysia to you? Express it to win it!

What is Malaysia to you? Express it to win it!

by | Aug 29, 2016 | Lifestyle

In conjunction with Merdeka month, 3ciety is organising a design contest.

 

All you need to do is:

  1. Head on to 3ciety.com
  2. Click on “Create” & pick a product of your choice
  3. Click on the “Customize it!” button and tell us What Is Malaysia To You?
  4. Get Creative!
  5. SHARE on Facebook, TAG a friend & hashtag #3cietyMkini before 16th September 2016
  6. THREE(3) winning designs will be featured on 3ciety’s website, 10% of your sales will be awarded to you!

 

Here is a short tutorial on how to use our tool to design your own product:

Feeling creative today?

What is Malaysia to you? Express it to win it!

3ciety.com

The Malaysian Dream, as described by young adults

The Malaysian Dream, as described by young adults

by | Aug 25, 2016 | Branded Content, Lifestyle

The Malaysian Dream,
As Described By Young Adults

From left to right: Chong, Anne, Ai Jia and Ruwan

Anne, Chong, Ruwan and Ai Jia are four friends who perfectly embody the Malaysian spirit. They’ve been friends since they were in school and plan to be for years to come. Though they all went to different universities and live very different lives now, they still make efforts to meet up weekly to spend some quality time together while reminiscing about the old times.
A location that is a favourite of theirs is the Bangsar Sports Complex.

The Bangsar Sports Complex

One day each week, usually during the weekends, Anne, Chong, Ruwan and Ai Jia, go to the complex and spend the day there trying to keep active.  

Days at the complex for them usually include a large array of sporting activities including badminton, tennis, futsal and swimming. The four of them had first met when they were on the track team together in school so it is no surprise that fitness is still a priority to them.


But perhaps the most beautiful thing about their friendship is how perfectly it embodies the Malaysian Dream.

What makes Malaysia Malaysia is its diversity and the ability of the people to live harmoniously despite the population being a Rojak of different races and religions.

Watching the four friends as they spend time together at the complex serves as the perfect visualisation of what we Malaysians dream of. Race has never been a barrier for them and they believe it never will.

“I feel like you shouldn’t have a barrier between people of different races,” says Ai Jia. “When you take down that barrier, you make more friends. You have more chances of finding people who click with you. Most of my close friends are people of different races. If I didn’t have friends of different races, I wouldn’t have as many close friends.”

“We don’t see each other as different races, but just as friends,” Chong adds.

They prove that cultural and ethnic differences do not matter nearly as much as the people themselves.

“I feel lucky to be in a country with so many different races. We always make sure to respect each other. That is the key to staying united. We can exchange cultures, ideas, food, stories…and best of all, we get holidays for every festival!” Anne exclaims.

“Every time it’s Chinese New Year, I’ll go to Chong’s house and get free Ang Pau. Hari Raya also I’ll be going to Anne’s house,” says Ruwan.

The Bangsar Sports Complex is to the four friends, what old homes or schools are to most people. We all have that one place we share with our best of friends that puts a smile on our face just thinking about it. Though it might seem like a dodgy, old sports centre to some, intense memories are felt as soon as the four of them walk in.

Their little tradition started when they were about seventeen when Ruwan’s father suggested they spend their weekends doing something other than lounging around at Starbucks. The friends agreed and so began what has now become a weekly ritual that will probably never be broken. They say that their weekly meetups bring with it a warm and fuzzy feeling that could never be replicated anywhere else.

The Swimming Pool

The Badminton Court

A typical day for them at the sports club usually involves a heated game of badminton. Though a doubles match might seem ideal, they prefer having one pair play singles while the other stands by the side to keep score. They laughed, when explaining that, most of the time, the pair standing by the side would cheer for the other and get so into the game that the score was almost always forgotten.

The Tennis Court

As much as things have changed for Anne, Chong, Ruwan and Ai Jia, spending time at the Bangsar Sports Complex never fails to make them realize that they are, in fact, not that different from who they were in school. Yes, they’ve grown up, matured, and started to focus on their careers, but one thing that will never change is how much they care about each other.

Inspired by #MySwatowLaneClub, a short film by AIA.
facebook.com/AIAMalaysia/videos/1303628416314434/

Olympic Torch sets Brazil on Fire

Olympic Torch sets Brazil on Fire

by | Aug 15, 2016 | Lifestyle

Olympic Torch sets Brazil on Fire

16

AUGUST, 2016

By Daniel Ibanez Lau

Torches were lit, fireworks have exploded and super-bacteria has infected elite athletes, marking the debut of the Rio Olympics.

Behind the glitz and the glamour that comes with hosting the Olympics, Brazil has had its fair share of contention. On day one, Brazilian President Michel Temer was greeted by boo’s as he spoke at the opening ceremony, and Russian athletes were jeered by fans amid massive doping allegations that threatened them with a blanket ban.

Brazil’s hosting of the Olympics has been marred with controversies ranging from its inefficient planning to government corruption, here are some of the problems they have had to juggle:

Ballooning costs

Back when Brazil first revealed its hosting bid, the initial projected cost was about $14.4b. Since then, Rio has struggled to develop the infrastructure necessary to accommodate the crowds that come with the Olympics while also sticking to a strict time frame, this includes accommodation, transportation, and various clean-up efforts to disinfect the polluted rivers and beaches of Rio. It’s no wonder the estimated costs to date has risen to $20b.

To give this number some context, Brazil only spent about $700million on the containment of the Zika virus.

And you thought KLIA 2 was bad.

Anti-Government Protests

While splurging on the Olympics, the Brazillian people have also had to deal with the worst recession in Brazilian history, to the dissatisfaction of the Brazillian people, who, months before the Olympics, took to the streets across the country to protest against their interim President and the lavish Olympic spending.

Some put attendees of these protests at over 1MILLION people! To put this into perspective, estimates on the number of attendees of the last Bersih protest ranged from 80,000 to 150,000.

Polluted Water

You’re shit out of luck if you’re an Olympic swimmer because an Associated Press report found that a grown man only needs to ingest three table-spoons of water to contract a virus.
Imagine how much water you accidentally swallow during a day at the beach. Now imagine if that water was contaminated with human sewage, rubbish, and the occasional corpse, that’s as most may come to feeling like an Olympic swimmer.

The Cops and Firemen are going on Strike

Due to the recession that the Brazilian government faced in the lead-up to the Olympics, conditions within the Brazilian security forces got so bad that they reportedly had to beg for pens, cleaning supplies and toilet paper!

Since then, conditions have improved, but safety is still a big talking point. So far, two members of the Australian Paralympic sailing squad were robbed at gunpoint, Portugal’s education minister was robbed at knifepoint, a stray bullet tore through the roof of the press room at the equestrian center and three Swedish tourists were briefly abducted by armed men after taking pictures near a dangerous favela.

Surprisingly, none of these factors have subtracted from the excitement for the Rio Olympics, and I for one, will be sitting eagerly on the edge of my seat in anticipation for Datuk Lee Chong Wei to walk onto the badminton court.

A Silent Killer in the Air

A Silent Killer in the Air

by | Aug 9, 2016 | Branded Content, Lifestyle

A Silent Killer in the Air

A Silent Killer in the Air

Do you know that indoor air pollution is among the world’s top five environmental health risks?

Estimates from the World Health Organization (WHO) and others suggest that between 30 and 150 times more people are killed due to indoor air pollution than global warming.

Premature death due to household air pollution

Percentage of premature deaths by pneumonia among children under 5 caused by house air pollution.

Annual premature deaths from non-communicable diseases

According to WHO:

  • Over 4 million people die prematurely from illness attributable to the household air pollution from cooking with solid fuels
  • More than 50% of premature deaths due to pneumonia among children under 5 are caused by the particulate matter inhaled from household air pollution.
  • 3.8 million premature deaths annually from non-communicable diseases including stroke, ischaemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer are attributed to exposure to household air pollution.

In its March 2014 report, WHO estimated that about 7 million people worldwide died as a result of air pollution exposure in 2012 alone. South-East Asia and the Western Pacific areas are the regions in which health is most affected by air pollution, with approximately 3.3 million deaths linked to indoor air pollution and 2.6 million to outdoor air pollution – scarily more deaths from polluted air indoors than outdoors!

It may come to a surprise to you that the concentrations of many pollutants indoors exceed those outdoors. Studies by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found levels of about a dozen common organic pollutants to be 2 to 5 times higher inside homes than outside, regardless of whether the homes were located in rural or highly industrial areas.

Concentrations of many contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are also consistently higher indoors than outdoors. An EPA study covering six communities in various parts of the US found indoor VOC levels up to 10 times higher than those outdoors, even in locations with significant outdoor air pollution sources, such as petrochemical plants.

Where does all the air pollution come from?

Pollutants that can affect air quality in a home fall into the two broad categories:

  • Particulate matter includes dust, smoke, pollen, animal dander (skin flakes from an animal’s hair or fur), tobacco smoke, particles generated from combustion appliances such as cooking stoves, and particles associated with microorganisms such as dust mites, moulds, bacteria, and viruses.
  • Gaseous pollutants come from combustion processes. Sources include gas cooking stoves, vehicle exhaust, and tobacco smoke. They also come from building materials, furnishings, and the use of products such as adhesives, paints, varnishes, cleaning products, and pesticides.

Ironically, the seemingly cleanest homes or offices may actually have the worst air quality due to the fastidious use of cleaning products and air fresheners that release harmful VOCs. Synthetic fragrances are the biggest culprits.

Various sources of harmful particulate matter

Research by a team from the University of Washington on 25 common fragranced consumer products —laundry products, personal care products, cleaning supplies and air fresheners, many of them top sellers in their categories— found 133 different VOCs emitted from the products, with an average of 17 VOCs per product. Of these 133 VOCs, 24 are classified as toxic or hazardous under US federal laws, and each product emitted at least one of these compounds. Among them are probable carcinogens (cancer causing) acetaldehydea, formaldehyde and methylene chloride.

Biological air pollutants are found to some degree in every home, school, and workplace. Sources include outdoor air; and human occupants who shed viruses and bacteria (e.g. influenza, measles, chicken pox); pets, dust mites and other pests (e.g. cockroaches) that shed allergens; toxins released by moulds and mildews; as well as indoor surfaces and water reservoirs where fungi and bacteria can grow.

Building dampness were determined to be associated with 30% to 50% increases in a variety of respiratory and asthma-related health outcomes. In Malaysia, where the average relative humidity is way above 80%, we have to take extra precautions to prevent these biological contaminants from spreading.

Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), also known as secondhand smoke, is another major source of indoor air pollution.

WHO estimates that tobacco kills around 6 million people each year — more than 5 million due to direct tobacco use and more than 600,000 are the result of non-smokers being exposed to ETS. ETS a dynamic complex mixture of more than 7,000 chemicals found in both vapour and particle phases, more than 70 of which are known to cause cancer in humans or animals, and many of which are strong irritants.

Despite the ban on indoor smoking in public places, we still see smoking in some worksites, many restaurants and other “hangout” places such as pubs and karaoke joints. Alas, you can ban smoking in your home and still be exposed to ETS. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there is no risk-free level of ETS exposure; even brief exposure can be harmful to health.

Just because the room seems well ventilated with hardly any smoky smell does not mean ETS is not silently killing you anyway. Research has led to the conclusion that total removal of ETS through general ventilation is not feasible.

In fact, one should not rely on odour to determine what is good or safe. Some things that smell, like vinegar, are harmless. Some odourless things—like radon and carbon monoxide— are very harmful. Sometimes, chemicals can cause you to feel sick before you notice any odour. Some people also experience “olfactory fatigue,” which is a deadening of the sense of smell. This can happen soon after the first odour sensation occurs, especially if it is a very strong odour.

Blueair Aware

Be Aware of Indoor Air

Bad indoor air quality kills. The new Blueair Aware is an air monitoring device designed to quickly detect hundreds of different types of airborne particles in your indoor environment, including everything from fine particulate matter (PM2.5) to VOCs. It also tracks room humidity and temperature. Monitor your indoor air quality in real-time, track the data, and get alerts on your smartphone with the Blueair Friend App.

This article is brought to you by

Can Malaysian government block Pokémon GO if they wanted to?

Can Malaysian government block Pokémon GO if they wanted to?

by | Aug 5, 2016 | Lifestyle

Can Malaysian government block Pokémon GO if they want to?

by Eshwaren M – 08/08/16

Pokemon Go is finally available in Malaysia, almost one month after the launch. Recent news reported that a Malaysian server is set to run soon, giving hope to the anticipating crowd. However, there are already multiple conservative efforts to make sure the long awaited mobile game will not be playable in Malaysia, ever.

I will try to keep this elementary without much technical jargons. Mobile applications are made by developers for different platforms. The two largest mobile platforms are Android and iOS. Once the app is ready to be consumed by users, developers will then upload it to online markets based on their platforms, in this case, Google Play for Android and App Store for iOS.

Google Play & App Store Blocks

Both of these app markets are regional, which means you will receive different contents based on where you are. This is generally determined by the developers themselves due to technical issues like server configurations (the reason for Pokemon Go’s delay in Malaysia) or payment methods, and localization issues like languages and targeted users. Apps like these will not appear in Google Play or App Store.

For both platforms, you may overcome this by changing the regional settings on your Google Play or App Store account. Setting everything to “United States” unblocks most apps, and still in English. Even now in Malaysia, you can download Pokemon Go using this method. For Android users, you may also simply download a copy of an APK file, and install on your device, making sure the file was downloaded from a trusted source and not contain malicious scripts that may harm your device.

ISP & Telco Blocks

The second blocking measure is through your Internet Service Provider (ISP). ISP’s can track which app is using its network, and terminate the particular connection. You may launch the app but not get any internet connection for it. This is the same way how your telco may give free streaming or mobile data for certain apps. 

Again, VPN comes to the rescue, and may alter the way data is transferred to your ISP. However, not all ISPs will block the app at the same time. A recent ban of Whatsapp in Brazil, was only for mobile ISP’s, and home connections were fine. Therefore, using a different ISP’s might help to overcome the block.

Regional blocked apps on Google Play.

It is quite common for websites to be blocked these days. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commissions have blocked hundreds of websites mostly ranging from adult to torrent sites. Website blocking is not a big issue since there are so many ways you can still gain access to these sites, using counter services like Virtual Private Network (VPN) and a different Domain Name Service (DNS). However mobile applications blocking is more complicated.

MCMC Website Blocks

Changing DNS gets rid of these kind of blocks.

Conclusion

VPN’s are now much easier to implement, but definitely requires some technical knowledge. Using such proxy without any information or troubleshooting information may cause more harm to your security and privacy. For Apple users, it gets worse. You don’t get Android’s power user options like rooting or installing APK files. Changing regional settings on your App Store is a painstaking process. Players might need to run a GPS hack if there are no Malaysian servers to simulate maps from other countries.

In conclusion, the ban is possible. It will atleast make the game not playable. Players will not experience the augmented reality and social parts of the game.

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Make a smart move by savings for future higher education with takaful protection

Make a smart move by savings for future higher education with takaful protection

by | Jul 29, 2016 | Branded Content, learn, Lifestyle

Bit by bit, saving small amounts today really makes a long-term difference in the future when comes the moment of truth. The philosophy is simple and practical. Make it a natural habit and you will end up saving a lot of money in the end. The emergence of many innovative saving instruments in this modern era makes saving money a more rewarding experience, regardless of when and how much you start off with. What you need is a systematic and effective financial planning. Prepare yourself into the future by investing your savings in a smart financial product that safeguards your future higher education fund and provides takaful protection at the same time. Your thoughtful planning assures the pleasure and comfort of the future that you deserve. So, start saving now!

Foster saving habit through smart financial planning

Arm yourself with a focused diligence to plan for your higher education fund in a smart way to earn you a more assured future. The introduction of Skim Simpanan Pendidikan Nasional (SSPN-i Plus) by Perbadanan Tabung Pendidikan Tinggi Nasional (PTPTN – or The National Higher Education Fund Corporation) is a brilliant way to start with, simply because it yields dynamic long-term cash returns plus takaful (syariah compliant) protection as a bonus. In other words, the product is all about a guaranteed higher education fund in the future plus the very important takaful coverage against unwanted eventualities. Thanks to the partnership between PTPTN and Hong Leong MSIG Takaful, this innovative product is now made affordable to all walks of life who truly care about the future of their higher education. On a noble note, the product aims to inculcate a disciplined saving habit among Malaysians. Just as the Malay saying goes, prepare the umbrella before it rains. What you save today grants you the much-needed confidence to march into the future. Although the future is full of endless uncertainties, your smart move today holds the key to peace of mind in the future.

SSPN-i Plus – Unique and special plus it’s guaranteed by government

The very special aspect of SSPN-i Plus lies in its uniqueness. It combines the benefits of saving alongside takaful protection in one simple and easy, yet powerful package! It is a financial planning product that better reflects the realities of today and the future, taking into consideration of the ever rising living costs, including education costs. For the ultimate peace of mind, the product is fully guaranteed by our government. This simply translates into a smart financial planning that allows you to finance your future education costs right from this moment on! It is clever and secure. With SSPN-i Plus, you take charge of your personal finance through a dedicated, purpose-built saving instrument that helps reduce the financial burden on your parents. Again, the key to securing the future of your higher education with added peace of mind is to prepare well in advance through a smart financial planning.

Saving as early as possible to avoid financial bottleneck in the future

On a noble note, the launch of SSPN-i Plus aims to instil the saving habit among our people. It aspires to transform the mindset of our society to embrace saving from as early as possible. The newly launched SSPN-i Plus draws inspiration from the highly successful Skim Simpanan Pendidikan Nasional (SSPN-i) introduced 12 years ago. SSPN-i Plus made its debut on 8 June 2015 and has since captured the hearts of many depositors for its capability of combining savings and takaful protection into one dynamic and comprehensive package at affordable prices. It is specifically designed to safeguard your higher education future without relying purely on education loan. In a nutshell, SSPN-i Plus enriches the minds of the younger generation with a practical financial planning of foreseeable results. After all, your long-term savings come in really handy when it matters most at the critical moment. SSPN-i Plus helps you avoid the embarrassing situation of having to deal with a financial emergency in the future.

its capability of combining savings and takaful protection into one dynamic and comprehensive package at affordable prices

The Wow! SSPN-i Plus Draw

For 2016/ 2017, PTPTN is stepping up its effort to champion the saving habit among Malaysians by spicing up the rewards system through the Wow! SSPN-i Plus Draw. This laudable initiative aims to foster saving culture among parents who are preparing their children for higher education. SSPN-i Plus is an ideal financial product for the younger generation aspiring to excel at higher education levels with added peace of mind as their education costs are technically taken care of. In other words, the innovative product will realise its full potential as depositors begin their higher education. Again, SSPN-i Plus is possibly one of your best choices to avoid a critical financial pitfall in the future.

Amazing prizes up for grabs in Quarterly and Annual Draws

The Wow! SSPN-i Plus Draw is now open to all interested individuals, offering RM1.5 million worth of fantastic prizes. Over 300 amazing prizes await the lucky depositors of SSPN-i Plus who open a new account or increase their deposits between 1 July 2016 and 30 June 2017. The Wow! SSPN-i Plus Draw consists of the Quarterly Draw (3 draws featuring a grand prize of a unit of Honda Jazz and 20 consolation prizes of RM2,000 each) and the Annual Draw (grand prize: 1 unit of Proton Perdana; second prize: 3 units of Toyota Vios; third prize: 5 units of Kawasaki motorcycles; and 250 consolation prizes: RM2,000 each). Overall, the Wow! SSPN-i Plus Draw promises greater rewards in a more enticing scheme.

Easy and convenient transactions via Ejen Online PTPTN

In line with the popularity of the internet where information and communication technology dominates the digital age, PTPTN has also introduced a very convenient channel to market SSPN-i Plus through Ejen Online PTPTN. The online marketing programme intends to facilitate certain transactions, including account opening, at the touch of a button anywhere and anytime without a visit to the PTPTN counters.

Great rewards await Ejen Online PTPTN

PTPTN has also introduced a special programme for its Ejen Online PTPTN. Rakan Niaga Affiliate and Ejen Pemasaran Online are entitled to a commission of 15% and 25% respectively under this programme. The scheme also allows Ejen Online PTPTN to begin their career with PTPTN without any capital investment. Furthermore, they get to enjoy flexible working hours along with regular training and guidance from PTPTN. The good news is that all of them do not involve any cash transactions. Other incentives include Anugerah Ejen Online PTPTN Terbaik for the top achievers who hit the marketing targets, together with international holiday packages and cash rewards up to RM4,000.