Southeast Asian Service Leadership Network

If you would like to spend a fantastic 2 weeks, learning from those who are very calibre, do consider joining Southeast Asian Service Leadership Network (SEALNet). The deadline is coming very soon. Heard that Malaysia deadline might be postponed till 3rd April, but do apply now!

The organizing committee is also looking for anyone (especially those who are familiar with Kuala Selangor) to help out with logistic etc. Last year, Nicholas Pang, Gianne and Pui Yee did a great job in Kota Kinabalu!

Another area the organizing committee is looking at would be to get sponsorship to sustain the cost of the event. If anyone can donate/sponsor to them, do let me know. Will link you with them.

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Application deadline for Project Malaysia is THIS FRIDAY (March 27th, 11:59 PM PST [March 28th, 2:59 PM M'sia/SG])!!

Apply now!Application deadline for all other projects is next Friday, April 3rd

CONNECT to a worldwide network of service leaders

Join the Southeast Asian Service Leadership Network (SEALNet) for 2 weeks as we tackle issues in 7 nations through 8 summer projects!

Cambodia: Reviving traditional arts (August 10 - August 25)
Cambodia: Advocating volunteerism (August 16 - August 28)
Indonesia: Water sanitation (July 1 - July 14)
Laos: Social entrepreneurship for English education (August 23 - September 3)
Malaysia: Environmental awareness (May 30 - June 13)
Philippines: Health education (August 23 - September 6)
Thailand: Active education (August 23 - September 6)
Vietnam: Waste management (August 23 - September 5)

*Project descriptions can be found at: here .

Team members will spend the two weeks mentoring local high school students, teaching leadership lessons, working to address an issue that affects the community, and contributing to helping our local partner organizations.

Apply today! Go to: here

Application Deadlines
*March 27, 2009 for Project Malaysia
*April 3, 2009 for all other projects

SEALNet is an international non-profit organization that was founded at Stanford University in 2004. Our mission is to promote a spirit for service in Southeast Asia and to create a cross-cultural network between students and professionals interested in Southeast Asian developmental issues. Our goal is to empower students to create positive change both by participating in service leadership projects and by inspiring other students to become leaders in their own communities. To date, we have completed a total of 15 projects in 6 different countries!

Check out our video library: here.
For more information, go to here or email recruit@sealnetonline.org.
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Would encourage any of my blog readers to share with me any event that you come across. As long as the event/activity/initiative is education/charity/youth oriented and is not-for-profit, I would be more than happy to post it to share

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P&G ASEAN Business Challenge Launch - MMU, UM, Monash

P&G ASEAN Business Challenge will be launched at 3 Campuses in Malaysia on 18th Feb, 23rd Feb and 10th Mar at MMU, Universiti Malaya and Monash!!!

You'll get to find out:
1. What the P&G ASEAN Business Challenge is all about.
2. How to Apply and what is the process
3. Sit for the compulsory Reasoning Test
4. Learn the different career options in P&G
5. Hear from P&G Managers who are ex-MMU students

The launch are respectively for MMU, UM and Monash students only. For other students, do check out at P&G Business Challenge .

P&G ASEAN Business Challenge allows you to live through a real-live business challenges & case studies. You will not just propose but also EXECUTE YOUR IDEAS in real world. We will take you across nation boundaries where you will compete & work with your ASEAN peers. Now that's a real Challenge!

Prove you have what it takes to be P&G leaders and work for regional level responsibilities through P&G ASEAN Business Challenge.

Visit P&G Business Challenge to find out more!

The 3 launch details are:-

Event: @ MMU Cyberjaya - P&G ASEAN Business Challenge Launch and P&G Career Talk
"p/s: you could get full-time job or internship offer right away from this Challenge!"
What: Business Meeting
Host: P&G ASEAN Business Challenge
Start Time: Wednesday, February 18 at 11:30am
End Time: Wednesday, February 18 at 1:30pm
Where: FOM Theatre (FOMXR0001).
Facebook Page: Here

Event: @ University Malaya - P&G ASEAN Business Challenge Launch & P&G Career Talk
"p/s: you could get full-time job or internship offer right away from this Challenge!"
What: Business Meeting
Host: P&G ASEAN Business Challenge
Start Time: Monday, February 23 at 12:00pm
End Time: Monday, February 23 at 2:00pm
Where: Exact Hall to be confirmed @ University Malaya Campus
Facebook Page: Here

Event: @ Monash Malaysia - P&G ASEAN Business Challenge Launch and P&G Career Talk
"p/s: you could get full-time job or internship offer right away from this Challenge!"
What: Business Meeting
Host: P&G ASEAN Business Challenge
Start Time: Tuesday, March 10 at 12:00pm
End Time: Tuesday, March 10 at 2:00pm
Where: Auditorium 2, Monash Malaysia Campus
Facebook Page: Here



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Chen Chow's Other Posts
Subscribe to Chen Chow's blog

Would encourage any of my blog readers to share with me any event that you come across. As long as the event/activity/initiative is education/charity/youth oriented and is not-for-profit, I would be more than happy to post it to share

Feel free to quote any post within my blog, as long as you link it back here. Sharing is always a good virtue. :)

At LCCT - Onwards to Philippines

Currently blogging at LCC-T in KL.

Am very excited for my first overseas assignment, since I joined JobStreet.com . Would be visiting Philippines for the next 4 days! It is my first trip there! =)

Would get the chance to attend JobStreet.com Philippines Career Congress for School Administrators . It would be exciting!

Besides that, this is also my first experience taking Air Asia.com , despite my many years of admiration of Datuk Tony Fernandes and his staff. This is the first time for me to experience it! As of now, have been pretty happy with the services provided by them!

Besides going to meet my JobStreet.com colleagues in Philippines, I am going to get the chance to catch up with Krysty, from CSP5! It has been 4 years since CSP and would definitely cherish the opportunities to meet her there. Thanks, Krysty for coming out to meet up on 31st July.

Just got an email from my former civic tutor (essentially form teacher) at Raffles Junior College, Dr. Ho Weng Kin. Great to hear that Dr. Ho is now back working at Raffles JC! Would definitely looking forward to meet up with Dr. Ho one day.

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Click here to read more of Chen Chow's posts

Would encourage any of my blog readers to share with me any event that you come across. As long as the event/activity/initiative is education/charity/youth oriented and is not-for-profit, I would be more than happy to post it to share!

Charity Dinner at Opus, U and Cava restaurants on Jalan Bangkung

Thanks to Lee Henn for forwarding this.

If any of you have a charitable heart, this could be something for you to consider!

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Dear Friends

On 3rd May, Cyclone Nargis devastated Myanmar’s Irrawaddy delta, killing an estimated 100,000 people. On 12th May, tragedy struck again, this time an earthquake in rural Sichuan province in China, leaving an estimated 15,000 people dead. These tragedies have also left countless others homeless, without food and clean water, proper sanitation and exposed to disease. It is these people, that we need to help.

Opus, U and Cava restaurants on Jalan Bangkung have decided to come together to organize a charity food fest in aid of the people affected by the tragedy in Myanmar and China. I hope you can join us to in this effort.

Details as follows:

Venue: Opus, U and Cava at Jalan Bangkung
(see www.opusbistro.com.my for map)

Date and Time: Sunday 25th May, 6pm-10pm

Ticket Price: By minimum donation of RM100 per ticket
Tickets can be purchased on the day
at Opus/U/Cava, but please RSVP with us for
catering purposes.

100% of ticket sales will go to Mercy Malaysia
and other International Aid Agencies.

Ticket entitles you to a buffet dinner and
fruit punch at Opus, U and Cava.

Contact Person: Peter Yew : 012 298 5838
For further information Edward Soo: 016 280 3321

Thank you for caring. Together, lets make this world a better place.

We look forward to seeing you at Opus/U/Cava on Sunday, 25th May.

Please help us pass this email on to your friends and family.


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Click here to read more of Chen Chow's posts

Would encourage any of my blog readers to share with me any event that you come across. As long as the event/activity/initiative is education/charity/youth oriented and is not-for-profit, I would be more than happy to post it to share!

World Vision Responds: Myanmar Cyclone

This is another article on World Vision about Myanmar Cyclone.

 

Hope that my blog readers would be more than willing to show your sincere heart to help the needy ones!

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Dear World Vision Donor/Sponsor,

Cyclone Nargis has wreaked major devastation on the Irrawaddy Delta region and Yangon city of Myanmar.
According to state news reports more than 22,000 people were killed and over 1 million have lost their homes. The cyclone is the deadliest natural disaster to hit Myanmar in recent history. The government has declared a state of emergency in five provinces, and has invited World Vision to assist in relief efforts.

World Vision is distributing relief items and has sent assessment teams to the worst hit areas.
For updates, please visit http://www.wvasiapacific.org/

To contribute towards relief efforts undertaken by World Vision, please click here.
To those who have responded, we thank you for your contributions.

Note: World Vision Malaysia's project in Myanmar was not affected as it is situated in the northern region.

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亲爱的捐款者/助养人，

您或许已经听闻有关热带风暴"纳尔吉斯" 严重破坏缅甸的伊洛瓦底三角洲及首都仰光的新闻。

根据缅甸官方媒体报导，这场风灾夺走了22,000人的性命，造成逾一百万人流离失所。这场热带风暴是缅甸历史上最严重的天灾。缅甸军政府已宣布5个受重创的省份进入紧急状态，并邀请世界宣明会协助展开紧急救援工作。

目前世界宣明会已开始分派救援物资，也委派了考察团队到最严重的灾区进行调查。
欲知最新情报，请浏览http://www.wvasiapacific.org/

任何有心捐款支持世界宣明会在当地进行救援工作的善心人士,请击此处。谢谢。
我们非常感谢所有热心捐献者的回应。

备注：由于位置偏北，马来西亚世界宣明会在缅甸的社区发展计划并没有受到这次风暴的影响。

 

Help Needed for Myanmar Cyclone

Thanks to Sally who is helping out World Vision in the fund raising and aid for Myanmar Cyclone!

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Notes from Sally: World Vision has worked for years in Burma before the cyclone hit and they were one of the first non-profits invited by the Myanmar government to enter the country and provide aid. World Vision teams are already in Burma and are distributing aid at the moment. World Vision is well posed to respond to this crisis and I hope you will help them help the victims of the cyclone!

 

MYANMAR CYCLONE: WV RESPONDS

Cyclone Nargis has killed at least 22,000 and rendered tens of thousands homeless.

World Vision has been working in Myanmar for the past 40 years and has begun a rapid response to the affected.

For updates, please visit: http://www.wvasiapacific.org/

For those who would like to contribute towards relief efforts undertaken by World Vision, please make your cheque/postal order out to "World Vision Malaysia Berhad". Kindly write "Myanmar Cyclone" at the back of the cheque. Thank you.

To contribute towards relief efforts undertaken by World Vision, please click here. Thank you.

World Vision Malaysia's web address: www.worldvision.com.my

 

SEALNet Summer Projects 2008

Hope to see more of my blog readers would participate in this. Do help to spread the words around!

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Passionate about a cause?
Want to make a difference in Southeast Asia?
Want to meet other college students who share the same vision?
Want to learn how to become a better service leader?

JOIN SEALNet!
WANTED: TEAM MEMBERS FOR SEALNet Summer Projects

PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS (project dates, locations, goals) http://www.sealnetonline.org/projects


APPLICATION DEADLINES
Apr. 7, 2008 for Project Malaysia
Apr. 14, 2008 for all other projects
SUBMIT AT http://www.sealnetonline.org/forms/2008_projects_application

Who We Are
The Southeast Asian Service Leadership Network (SEALNet) was founded at Stanford University in 2004. Our mission is to create a cross-cultural network between students and professionals interested in Southeast Asian developmental issues. Our goal is to empower students to create positive change both by participating in service leadership projects and by inspiring other students to become leaders in their own communities.
FIND OUT MORE!
Video from past projects http://sealnetonline.org/about_us/media_center/video_center

Questions? Email sealnetrecruit@gmail.com




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Click here to read more of Chen Chow's posts

Would encourage any of my blog readers to share with me any event that you come across. As long as the event/activity/initiative is education/charity/youth oriented and is not-for-profit, I would be more than happy to post it to share!

Maybank Purchases PT Bank Internasional Indonesia

March 26 (Bloomberg) -- Malayan Banking Bhd., Malaysia's biggest bank, offered $2.7 billion for PT Bank Internasional Indonesia to become the largest foreign financial services company in the Southeast Asian nation.

Maybank beat Bank of China Ltd. to buy a 56 percent stake held by a group led by Singapore sovereign wealth fund Temasek Holdings Pte for $1.5 billion, 23 percent more than yesterday's closing price. Maybank will also offer $1.2 billion for the rest of the stock, it said in a statement today.

The offer values Bank Internasional at 4.7 times book value, about double the average valuation among Indonesia's publicly traded banks, data compiled by Bloomberg show. A takeover would give Maybank 230 branches in the world's fourth-most populous country, a market it said is ``under-penetrated.''

``It's a bit pricey,'' said Li Hsia Wong, an analyst at Affin Securities Sdn. in Kuala Lumpur. ``To really have stronger growth they need to look outside Malaysia. The Malaysian market is quite saturated.''

Bank Internasional, Indonesia's sixth-largest bank, surged 12 percent to 465 rupiah at the 4 p.m. close in Jakarta, the biggest gain in four years. The stock has risen 63 percent this year, compared with an 11 percent drop in the benchmark index.

Maybank said it's offering 510 rupiah a share for Bank Internasional, and won't raise the bid price.

`Good Buy'

Maybank shares were suspended on the Kuala Lumpur stock exchange before the announcement. The stock closed at 8.95 ringgit yesterday, down 2.7 percent this year.

``For anyone that doesn't have exposure to the Indonesian banking sector, this would be a good buy,'' said Winston Sual, director of PT Panin Sekuritas, which manages $272 million at its fund management division.

Temasek and its partners won a bid for a 51 percent stake in Bank Internasional in 2003. The bank was the third that Indonesia sold that year to fund a budget deficit and as part of state asset sales following the 1997 Asian financial crisis.

The sale of Bank Internasional will allow Temasek and its partners to profit from an investment that has soared about fivefold since they first paid 1.99 trillion rupiah ($216 million) for the stake in Bank Internasional.

Declining Profit

The shares didn't reflect the bank's declining profit. Net income fell 65 percent from 2005 to 2007 after Bank Internasional bought a 43 percent stake in PT Wahana Ottomitra Multiartha, a motorcycle financier. Wahana posted a 241.4 billion rupiah loss in 2007, Bloomberg data shows.

Maybank ``are seeing that the fundamentals of the bank are better than the market perceives,'' said Felix Sindhunata, head of equity research at Jakarta-based PT Mega Capital Indonesia, which manages about $163 million.

Temasek owns 75 percent of a joint venture that holds about 56 percent of Bank Internasional. Kookmin Bank, South Korea's largest, owns the remaining 25 percent. Kookmin Bank fell 1.4 percent in Seoul trading today.

Bank Internasional, formerly part of the Sinar Mas Group, owned by Eka Tjipta Widjaja's family, received a 11.3 trillion rupiah government bailout in June 1999 in the aftermath of the regional crisis.

Overseas Push

Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd. and State Bank of India have made acquisitions in Indonesia in the past two years, gaining a foothold in an economy that grew 6.3 percent in 2007. Temasek said in a statement it remains ``optimistic'' about Indonesia's long-term prospects.

Indonesia has 5.5 bank branches per 100,000 people, compared with 6.7 in India and 6.5 in Malaysia, according to data from the countries' central banks.

``The Indonesian banking sector remains under-penetrated with excellent long-term growth potential,'' Maybank Acting Chief Executive Officer Aminuddin Md Desa said in today's statement. ``This acquisition effectively enables Maybank to leapfrog into the Indonesian banking market.''

Maybank, based in Kuala Lumpur, is expanding overseas as economic growth slows at home and competition increases from foreign lenders such as Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd. The Malaysian bank said in February 2007 it would seek to buy into an overseas lender in one to two years to help boost profit.

Profit Contribution

Maybank said it expects to close the Bank Internasional transaction in six months, said that the acquisition will boost profit starting in the third year. The bank expects the share of revenue from overseas markets to increase to 30 percent within two years from 19 percent now, Aminuddin said.

Temasek, set up more than three decades ago to hold the city's state-owned assets, is selling its stake to meet Indonesia's central bank rules that limit investors to ownership of one bank. It also owns part of PT Bank Danamon Indonesia.

Credit Suisse Group and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. are advising Temasek.

To contact the reporters on this story: Angus Whitley in Kuala Lumpur at awhitley1@bloomberg.net; Berni Moestafa in Jakarta at bmoestafa@bloomberg.net.


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Click here to read more of Chen Chow's posts

Would encourage any of my blog readers to share with me any event that you come across. As long as the event/activity/initiative is education/charity/youth oriented and is not-for-profit, I would be more than happy to post it to share!

Southeast Asian Service Leadership Network (SEALNet)

Thanks to Gianne for highlighting to me of Southeast Asian Service Leadership Network (SEALNet) . Gianne participated in SEALNet project in Vietnam last year, after knowing about the project through ReCom.org

There will be a project for the first time in Malaysia, and it would be held from 26th of May 2008 to 9th of June 2008 in Sabah.

Would like to call upon anyone who is willing to sponsor the event, to come forward. I would be able to link you to the respective person involved.



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Click here to read more of Chen Chow's posts

THE International Association of Traffic and Safety Sciences (IATSS) Forum

Thanks to a link from one of my blog readers.

The full article is here at NST

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THE International Association of Traffic and Safety Sciences (IATSS) Forum is a great programme where participants get to meet and live with people from other ASEAN countries as well as the Japanese.

The programme runs every year and is fully sponsored - Honda Corporation pays for airfare, board, lodging and a daily allowance.

It is open to Malaysian citizens below 35 years of age, with at least two years of working experience, sufficient English skills and cultural adaptability to live and study abroad.

The 45th IATSS Forum will be held from April to June while the 46th IATSS Forum will be held from September to November for 57 days.

Applications for both forums must reach the Malaysian National Committee office by April 30.

For more information, write to The Chairman, IATSS Forum Malaysian National Committee, P.O. Box 1221, No. 16, Lorong Maarof, 59000 Kuala Lumpur, e-mail iastssmy@yahoo.com or visit the IATSS Forum Alumni Malaysia web site at www.geocities.com/iatssmy or the main IATSS Forum Japan web site at www.iatssforum.jp.

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Click here to read more of Chen Chow's posts

AirAsia Inaugural Flight to Singapore!!!

Finally, after a long wait of 6 years, Datuk Tony Fernandes finally had his dream come alive.

This morning, he boarded his last flight on Singapore Airlines (SIA). He happily showcased his boarding pass and said that he would be keeping it for souvenir, as tomorrow, 1st February 2008, Air Asia would be flying its inaugural flight to Singapore!!! Hurray!!!

Finally, Air Asia is able to fly to every single ASEAN countries from Malaysia. And Singapore is the last one for Air Asia to touch in. That's just plain interesting.

Anyway, with 2 flights a day, I am sure it would be full. Air Asia can fly 12 flights a day to Macao, yet for Singapore, we are having only 2 flights a day. :)

Lets hope that Air Asia would get more landing rights soon!

Apparently, Datuk Tony Fernandes would be making an announcement for Air Asia tomorrow at 9am at LCCT. I got an invite from Air Asia via facebook, but guess I couldn't make it. :(

ASEANpreneurs Youth Leaders Exchange Programme 2008

The ASEANpreneurs Youth Leaders Exchange Programme 2008 is a week-long programme that brings together university students from the 10 ASEAN member countries to interact with one another, and together with the host country’s top leaders, entrepreneurs, and trainers. Participants will get an opportunity to attend relevant and meaningful lectures, workshops, panel discussions, dialogue sessions as well as enjoy visits to governmental agencies, start-up companies as well as historical and cultural attractions in the host country.

Interested participants are to apply online at Aseanpreneurs.org Selection will be done by the ASEANpreneurs Core Committee and 2 places will be assigned for each member country.

This year, it would be on 11th to 17th May 2008 in Singapore, hosted by NUS Entrepreneurship Society, with the theme "Redifining Entrepreneurship".

Suharto Passed Away

Finally, Suharto succumbed to illnesses and passed away this afternoon. This would be a sad news for Indonesia, as well as the rest of world community.

Suharto has been instrumental in ending the Konfrantasi, and also building the relationship between Malaysia and Indonesia. Suharto was President of Indonesia from 1966 to 1998.

Condolences to everyone in Indonesia.

A strong delegation from Malaysia, led by Deputy Prime Minister, YAB Dato' Seri Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak and Former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir would be attending the funeral in Indonesia.