Rizq Camp better than boot camp

By: Nadira Azhar

“C’mon guys, you can do it! One more set!!” shouted Rizq, as he coaxes his participants to finish their last sets squats.

Rizq runs and manages his own body transformation camp called “Camp-Driven Boot Camp.”

Established for only 6 months, he has managed to pull in more than 20 participants to join his boot camp.

Unlike other boot camps, he leads this camp all by himself.

He gives personal coaching to each participant and does prep talk with them.

Soon after, everyone is pumped-up and ready for their hour-long training.

At dusk, his training begins.

He has brought networking to a whole different level.

Participants will bring in their friends the next week, and their friend’s friends the following week.

“I try and connect myself with all my trainees, even though it’s only for a minute or two. 

“They need the extra motivation.

“Not from their boss, nor their friend, not even their family. 

“I am their guide, their inspiration,” said Rizq.

“I hate using gym equipment. 

“It doesn't give me much space, compared to a recreational park where the boot camp is held – I have all the space I can ask for there,” he continued.

His training is an intensive one hour program of dynamic warm ups  body-weight exercises (calisthenics), cardio (for improving for heart health), circuit training, agility drills, balance drills, challenging games, mind-body challenges, and stretches.

Training is carried out early in the morning and in the evening.

“I have been a loyal trainee of Rizq even before Camp Driven.

“I can say that being in this program, especially with Rizq; it makes me realize the potential that I have with my body.

“I have spent 39 years of my life not knowing the precise art of training my body.

“Rizq is a miracle: he has transformed the way that I think, the way that I eat, and especially the way that I exercise my body!” says Intan, who has trained under Rizq for some time now.  

The program is designed to strengthen your entire body, improve your posture, help you stand tall, improve flexibility, help you sleep better, improve energy levels – and dramatically accelerate fat loss.

He also enjoys outdoor activities such as rock climbing.

At 26 years of age, and managing his Boot Camp, he still finds time to finish his undergraduate degree in Communications and Psychology at SEGi University.

“It is difficult to juggle these two.

“School is important for me, no matter how long I am in here, but it important for me to complete my degree.

“And at the same time, opening up my own company, and having to take responsibility of my clients in my program, I have to manage my time well.

“I have to be driven to handle both work and school!

“I cannot hang out with friends much like I used to. 

“However, it’s worth it! All of it!” he said.

Having a background as a body-building instructor, Rizq has a lot of experience working with clients and helping them becoming a better person.

With wide shoulders and strong muscles, he exercises every day in order to keep fit.

Rizq, manager and instructor of Camp Driven Boot Camp.

“If I don’t look good, people will not look up to me.

“I have to take all the instructions I give my trainees and apply it to myself.

“This is how my camp runs. 

“Follow my instructions, and you will get the result that you want!”he proclaimed.

“Come and be driven this 29^th January at Padang Kota, Kota Damansara.

“I will be having a boot camp session from 6pm to 7pm. Let’s get driven!” 

In the spirit of Brenda

By: Lee Chia Chee

Kiss Goodbye Walk Campaign for breast cancer

Chai Ker Lik set up Brenda Chiah’s Charity Fund on December 14, 2012 in memory of his beloved wife’s birthday on December 8.

He aims to help the underprivileged entangled with financial difficulty to fight cancer.

Adwin Choo, a former student of Chai says “Chai’s perseverance and determination to stay optimistic inspires me.

“It is hard to imagine that he is still grieving over Brenda’s death, except from the comments he posts on Facebook from time to time.”

Chai is mourning in front of Brenda's new home

Chai confesses “I am in constant sadness, depressed and miss her very much – even as a man, I shed tears because I miss her so.

“Luckily, I have Cookies with me.”

Cookie's first birthday at a pet restaurant

“Cookies is Brenda’s favorite pet.

“It accompanied her most of the time when I was away working.

“Now that Brenda is gone, I immerse myself in acting as well as spending my leisurely time interacting with Cookies,” he explained.

“Playing with Cookies eases my pain.

"Brenda is by my side when I'm playing with Cookies"

“Somehow, I can still feel Brenda is by my side.”

The late Brenda Chiah Boon Hoai, 32 was an actress.

She acted in local Chinese dramas My Kampong Days, The Beautiful Scents, Love is All Around, and Tribulations of Life.

An hour before Brenda became Mrs. Chai

Her lost battle with cancer has left her long time lover and new husband in search for a greater meaning in life.

Chai says that when Brenda started acting, she was constantly accused of being an ugly, undeveloped actress who did not deserve the opportunity to be an actress.

“She did not cry at these harsh criticism thrown at her instead did her very best to improve herself by taking up performing courses,” Chai recalled.

Brenda was diagnosed with cancer in June 2011.In spite of that, Chai insisted on tying the knot with her in January the following year.

However, Brenda passed away some eight months later from breast cancer relapse.

True love of Chai equals to Brenda Chiah Boon Hoai

Brenda’s best friend, Chris Tong in his reverie said “Chai and Brenda kept her condition a secret, they only shared their plight with those they were close to.”

The coupled met some 10 years ago and started going out while shooting an advertisement together.

Chai, himself an actor, picked up the title of Favorite Actor at the Malaysia Golden Awards in 2012.

Chai won Favorite Actor at 2012 Malaysia Golden Awards

“I look at it as Brenda has now left for a trip and I thank those who have expressed their concern for me.

“As I have promised her – I will move on, have a better life, and continue my acting career because these are things which Brenda admires in me,” Chai declares.

Chai feels that Brenda is flawless, perfect and that he was lucky to experience being married to her despite it being a short one.

His love for her from the start is evident “I want to hold her forever even if someone chops off my hands.”

"Will you marry me again in our next life, Brenda?"

“Throughout these eight years, we seldom argued – I would say that 99 percent of time I spent with her was all happy moments,” he adds while stroking Cookies.

“I will love Brenda forever.”

The starlet letter

By: Farah Nabilah

The lights shone downwards as she held the knife in her hand. 

Her gritted teeth and messy hair was the epitome of a psychotic woman.  

“CUT!” yells the director as the camera crew swarmed around her.

It’s the end of just another scene from her latest movie for the young and beautiful Izara Aishah.

At 21, the newcomer to the Malaysian entertainment industry has already played roles in 8TV dramas, 9 telemovies, 3 films and 1 sitcom in just 3 years.

"I cherish every moment in front of the camera with the lights shining on my face, being deep in character," Aishah said.

"It is my passion, and it is something you cannot fake. 

"You cannot just act without feeling the character because it won’t look natural on screen.

"Hence when people praise my acting as being so natural, I feel glad. It’s the best feeling anyone could ever imagine." she added.

As exciting as it is, it can also be overwhelming.

“It is hard work and there is a lot of pressure especially when everyone else is more experienced. 

"It took my seniors years before to get where I am today. 

"I am grateful to be what I am now, but there is still more to come," she says.

She began acting at the age of 14 in her school theater club.

She acted in a play called ‘Tok Rimau’ with the famous senior actress Fauziah Nawi. 

Since then, she fell in love with acting and performed at many  school events.

Her participation in Dewi Remaja, a reality TV show kick-started her acting career. 

At only 17 years of age,  Izara Aishah won second place in the competition and from then onward, she has been offered roles by numerous producers. 

She starred as Azlin in ‘Kasih Najihah’, her first TV drama. 

Her portrayal of the main character ‘Fiona’ in the drama series ‘Soffiya’ was her major debut in the entertainment industry. 

She played the character as a mean person so realistically that everyone hated her after watching the drama.

Izara’s success hasn't been without sacrifices.

"Sometimes I miss having my old life, those days when do what I want to do without worrying about what people think about me. 

"I also miss spending time with my family and friends," she recalled.

"But it was something I was dedicated to and it wasn't a chore to me. 

"Over time it just became part of my life."

She added, “ I've always wanted to prove myself to people who belittled me before. 

"They used to say that I am not talented and that I am after the fame so I am working hard to prove them wrong."

"My passion for acting keeps me going, even after a hard day," she said.

"I just think about how much I love it. 

"My dream is to be an international actress like Dato’ Michelle Yeoh. 

"Acting is very demanding, and you have to be a strong person to take criticism and hard work," she concluded.

Taking Yoga personally

By: Jan XiXian Tan

A young lass sitting in the lotus position, eyes closed, murmuring a protracted “Om”- this is what many people picture when they think of meditation.

“We’ve never learnt to manage our mind and thoughts (properly),” says Joanne, “but in yoga, this will be taught.”

Episodes of her yoga life glow at the age of 25.

Joanne, 25, Yoga Master

Initially, Joanne wanted to get pregnant and saw yoga as a way to maintain her physique.

After watching yoga practitioners at work, Joanne felt convinced that yoga would be of help to her.

After three years, Joanne dedicated herself to yoga professionally.

Now, Joanne is one of the judges in the Malaysian Yoga Society.

“It took me about 10 years to become a certified practitioner (even though) I used to be an athlete, actively involved in table tennis, squash and running,” she said.

Joanne opened her first yoga center in 2003, at Glenmarie Sport Club, which is located in the premises of a renowned public listed company. 

Joanne's Yoga students

“I was given the opportunity to work so closely with the sport club,” she added.

Joanne’s demeanor is full of grace and charm, triggers all yogis to come for the next class.

Joanne always goes the extra mile to rekindle the spirit of oneness in her students.  

She has a well-defined character which does not give a second thought about what she thinks is right.

“I’m able to learn everything that I can while I take failure and losses as experience,” she added.

Similarly, Joanne goes to great lengths to break down the barrier between her students through her greetings, making a selfless effort to forge an affinity between students and instructor whenever she met one.

No matter young or old, her students click naturally with her because of her politeness and ability to strike up a friendly conversation.

Joanne concluded: “If I’m still alive at the age of 80 and still able to move, I will continue to teach yoga.”

Ernest Zacharevic: The art maverick

By: Winford Tan

Ernest Zacharevic is the artist behind the mural art pieces on several walls in George Town, Penang.

His artwork is an inspiration to many aspiring artists and art enthusiasts.

The young talented Lithuanian street artist: Ernest Zacharevic

His work has become a major tourist attraction.

Ernest Zacharevic is a Lithuanian street artist currently living in George Town. 

He started his job as a mural artist after he graduated from Middlesex University, London, UK.

The mural art work that makes him famous located in George Town, Penang

He studied in National School of Arts in Lithuania and transferred to Vilnius Art Academy, also in Lithuania enrolled in the Graphic Arts and Print Making course. 

Upon graduating, he went travelling and took his art along with him.

"But mural art wasn’t in my list when I first started doing art pieces. 

"The first thing I tried was video graphic art. It’s something like shooting a film, but in an artistic way.

"It’s much more complicated compared to mural art as it requires a lot of time and energy in the editing part."

This artwork was sponsor by Toyota to create awareness of reversing vehicles in Brussels, Rue Le Page

"I did not plan anything, including winding up here in Penang. 

"My initial plan was to visit my friend for a weekend, and it turned into a week, then 2 weeks, and then a month and then a few months. 

"I have never left since."

"I have to travel around and sometimes I had to leave, but every single time I left Penang, my subconscious mind asks me to go back again."

"So, I would come back for a few months again before I leave this place the next time.

Another masterpiece located in Clan Jetty, Penang

"Even if I go home, like for a month, at some point I realize that I want to go back to Penang. 

"I just cannot leave this place", says Ernest.

He enjoyed his work art although he admits that it is tough.

According to Ernest, his parents once asked him a question that made him think: "What if your client does not pay you after you have done your work?"

He says it is always important to enjoy what you are doing because if you dislike what you are doing, you would not do a good job.

The motorcycle boy by Ernest Zacharevic

Many people do things which they do not really enjoy all for the sake of money or to make ends-meet. 

They, he says, are not truly living life.

"If we do not enjoy what we do now and currently, then when would it be?"

"Being an artist or any job related to art is a very difficult job as you might spend most of your time making art for free." said Ernerst.

Ernest's latest masterpiece is located at Art Square, Bangsar

"At the end of the day, there might be no one who appreciates what you’ve done and you may regret it in the future." he continued.

"Still, it is very important to choose a job that you enjoy because you might have the same routine every day throughout your working life," he added.

Memoirs of my father

By: Yana Ibrahim

Born on November 4,1960 in Kampung Lendu, Melaka, Ibrahim bin Haji Othman is a boy with high ambition and strong determination.

He will always stand by me

The late Haji Othman was a man with 3 wives and Ibrahim had to be independent just like his mother, Hajah Yot binti Salleh to survive. 

Lacking every necessity and going through hardship inspired him to become the best student and top scorer from primary school right up to tertiary level at Maktab Perguruan Malaya. 

This, besides his passion in art and music, has made him popular and a source of admiration among his friends.

There, he first met the love of his life, Roshayati binti Abd Rahim during her first year at the same institution who became an endearing mother of five after 26 years of marriage.

Business has always his channel to showcase his creative side. Thus, A.Rahim Advertising was established offering advertisement design services. 

Nevertheless, as the saying goes, “everything up there will find its way to come down here”, Ibrahim decided to shut it down four years ago due to financial losses.

Ibrahim faced it with a smile on his face but disappointment in his eyes; he then got up on his feet again by tried to open up a stationary and books supply business which lasted only five months due to a robbery.

Despite all of these, he stands remained patient and took it in his stride.

His experiences have made him a man of many trades, and a capable multi-tasker. 

At the age of 51, he is a loyal husband to a sick wife, an outstanding father to five children and has been a dedicated educator for 28 years. 

He always said, "laughter is the best remedy."

He received multiple awards  such as the Guru Cemerlang award by the Ministry of Education. 

He also holds the position of Guru Penolong Kanan(1),the second man after the Headmaster of Sekolah Kebangsaan Lubok China, Melaka.

He is the one who was there for me especially when I needed someone the most and I believe that he will always be.

He is my father, my hero.

Sweet whispers of Little Shakespeare

By: Daniel Yeap

The door slams shut. 

A pair of pattering footsteps is soon followed by a woman’s voice from the kitchen, “Gloson! Remember to put away your shoes. Why didn’t you tidy up your room as I told you to?”

The cheerful yet cheeky fifteen-year-old is just like any other teenager. 

He has to do his homework, clean his room, and gets the occasional reprimand from his parents. 

And yet, he stands out from his peers in many ways.

He is a poet, blogger, composer and budding filmmaker.

He is Gloson Teh, the young Malaysian who stole the hearts of the nation back in 2009.

At the tender age of 11, he published his first book – a collection of poems for kids which earned him a place in the Malaysia Book of Records as the youngest published poet in Malaysia. 

Gloson and his newly-published book

Being an avid reader, Gloson first tried his hand at poetry-writing after being inspired by the poems he read online.

“I spent some hours cracking my brain to write a 3-stanza poem, but after that it got a lot easier,” he says, recalling the time he started out writing poems. 

“I enjoy the process a lot and it is one of the things I enjoy in life.”

Poems are not his sole forte, however. 

In the same year other newspaper appearances highlighted his tech-savvy abilities, among them being one of the world’s younger blogger.

His blog posts about social media, technological news and blogging attract readers from all over the country as well as internationally. 

His photography blog is equally popular among internet users. 

Although he uses only a simple compact camera, you would be hard pressed to tell the difference between his pictures and those taken with a dedicated DSLR. 

Gloson at Tadika Sri Nobel

Now a little older, he moved into producing short films based on his poems. 

The videos are filmed and edited single-handedly by him. 

He is also behind the Youtube videos which showcase his younger brother, Rockson’s dancing talent.

“It's fun having a little guy who brings some hullabaloo when it gets too boring,” Gloson says of his little brother. 

Fights between the two are rare, according to the former. 

They share a close relationship with their mother, who is very supportive of her boys. 

Gloson describes his mother as “a person who works very hard to get the best for me, and makes sure I go in the right direction,” adding that she also gives him good advice.

Writing attractive blog posts and producing videos require a lot of thought and creativity, as this young lad can attest to. 

“I haven't been posting a lot of stuff because I'm busy with other priorities, ” he admits.

Having recently completely high school, these priorities include getting into college and charting his future. 

Gloson, 15, a poet, blogger, video-maker and also eloquent speaker!

Yes, he is going to college at only 15 years of age. 

In fact, his age is the very reason he is facing difficulties in starting college. 

“It's hard to get into college at this age as the colleges have problems accepting someone so young,” he explains in a matter-of-fact manner.

Despite all his glaring achievements and media attention, the child protégé has his feet firmly on the ground. 

“I am just a normal kid with a lot of passions,” he shrugs.

Magic Edison: A moment of illusion

By: Rachel Chew

“Success to me is when my ‘Signature’ changes to ‘Autograph’.”

Currently single, 21 year old Edison Lim Huang Xian is a professional magician who started performing magic in public at a young age of 16.

With great support and encouragement from his family, his popularity grew rapidly since he appeared on China Press and NTV7 as a guest performer in 2010.

“Performing at public events and on live television programs is totally different especially when it's recorded in HD,” he laughed when recalling his first performance on live.

“HD recordings are so crisp and clear that you cannot afford to make a single mistake.”

In the following years, he gained more exposure through media coverage from radio stations, television programs and local press after he became the champion of a talent competition.

Edison won the champion of UTAR Talent Night in year 2011

He was then honored to be invited to be a guest performer at one of the Asia’s largest event- the India Largest Science and Technology Festival on January 2013.

“This opportunity to perform at an international event is an exciting and thrilling experience for me,” he said.

Audiences in Mumbai were entertained by Edison's performance

Despite his current success, he became depressed after muddling up his tricks in his initial performances.

“Eventually I learn from my mistakes. I plan my performance routine in detail, predict every possible error and formulate backup plans for every trick I perform,” he said.

He says “the fundamental thing of a professional magician is that you are able to cover up and keep your audiences entertained at the end of the day.”

Edison performing his favorite rubber band trick

While many magicians aim to be the second David Copperfield, Edison has a different perspective.

“My idol is David Copperfield. He’s really amazing but I don’t aim to be the second David Copperfield,” he said.

Edison's Magic Snow

“I believe there’s a certain personality that every person has,” he explained.

“The way you look, the way you smile, the way you carry yourself, the way you demonstrate your style, the way you interact with your audience is the ‘you’.”

“And there will only be one ‘you’ in this world,” he said. 

“So, I’m going to be myself, Magic Edison. I hope people will like who I am.”

For more information and updates regarding Edison Lim upcoming events and performance,

LIKE him on Facebook

or

Visit his Official Website

SEGi Upper Iowa University revises grading system

By: Winford Tan

On the January 7th, 2013, the Director of Upper Iowa University (UIU) in Malaysia office, Mr. Kalai Poniah, announced the implementation of new grading system (as shown in the picture below), which takes effect from the Spring Semester 2013.

Comparison of new and old grading policy

The new policy will only affect those that are taking UIU courses for the first time in Spring 2013.

Those who have taken UIU courses before Spring 2013 will continue to be graded according to the previous grading policy.

Previously, grades were classified into five groups which were: A (90-100), B (80-89), C (70-79), D (60-69) and F (0-59), with the quality points range from 4.00, 3.00, 2.00, 1.00, and 0.00 respectively.

While the new grading policy categorizes marks into grade A+ (96-100), A- (90-95), B+ (86-89), B(83-85), B-(80-82), C+ (76-79), C(73-75), C-(70-72), D+(66-69), D(63-65), D-(60-62) and F(0-59), with the quality points range from 4.00, 3.67, 3.33, 3.00, 2.67, 2.33, 2.00, 1.67, 1.33, 1.00, 0.67 and 0.00 respectively.

The old grading policy for the American Degree Program (ADP) in SEGi University has been discussed and debated by students for the past few years.

Many students were unhappy with the old grading policy until the new policy was implemented.

According to Kalai, the change of the grading policy was mainly to mirror the grading system used in the main campus.

The reporter with Mr. Kalai

Feedback from students was another contributing factor.

“Students have been asking me why the grading policy of UIU is different with Sunway University, Taylors University, Help University and other institutions that offer ADP programs,” he says.

“Since other institutions have grade A+, A-, B+, B, and B- and so on but we have only A, B and C, they feel it is unfair to them.

“Hence, after receiving such feedback for a few years, this change finally happens in UIU,” Kalai says with a smile.

However, there are a handful of students who are not satisfied with the new grading system.

A 4th year marketing major student Chin Mei Wan, 24, says: “I personally prefer the old grading system as I think most of the students have become accustomed to it since the first year of the program.

“Therefore, I don’t think it is a good idea to implement this new grading system as it might affect us in a negative way.”

“For instance, in order to get an A, which is worth 4.00 quality points in the old policy, students have to achieve 90-100 marks throughout the course,” she says.

However, in order to get 4.00 quality points according to the new policy, students have to score an A+, which are 96-100 marks.

“That will be a problem to most of the students as it is like an impossible mission to get 96-100 in UIU (courses), I would say, ” she continues.

She goes on to explain that this will affect students’ CGPA score and don’t even have to think about to graduate with the honor of Magna Cum Laude (first-class honor that requires CGPA score 3.90 and above).

“Fortunately, it doesn’t affect me as we do not have to follow the new grading policy but I feel pathetic for the juniors,” she says. 

Meanwhile, a 4th year Psychology major student Simon Seah Wen Jin, 22, says: “The new grading policy is way better and fairer for the students as we get what we deserve in terms of quality points.

“This is a fairer way to calculate our quality point compared to the old policy.

“For example, if I get the marks ranged in B+ in the old policy, I will definitely get 3.00 quality points; while in the new policy, if I get the B+ in my exams, I could get 3.33 quality points, which is much higher than 3.00,” he says.

Marketing major student Dheepan Rajagopal, 24, held a neutral position regarding the change of grading policy.

“It doesn’t matter whether we have to follow the new policy or old policy - in order to acquire good grades, one needs to strive for the best all the time, "he states.

“If you always aim for the highest level, you will still graduate with a four-flat (first-class honor) no matter in which policy.”