Hard Rock Penang: Forthcoming Events

Of the many F&B outlets in Penang the Hard Rock Hotel and it's various bars and eateries rank amongst my favourites.  Good food, good beer, good prices and pleasant staff.  All you need for a great night out.

NYLON PINK

Hard Rock is also locally renowned for hosting some very happening events and the next few weeks will see a couple more in their hectic calendar, events that I am particularly looking forward to.

The first of these events happens on 6 October and features Nylon Pink, a California based all-Asian female rock band that are currently on a Hard Rock special tour and most recently (in fact, right up until 30 September) were playing at Hard Rock, Macau, China.  Nylon Pink will be playing between the 3rd and 6th of October (inclusive) and I plan to slip up to the Hard Rock Cafe on the 3rd to get some early shots of the band in action.  Nylon Pink also have their own Official You Tube Channel.


The Full Schedule for Nylon Pink is as follows:

Weds 3rd October 10.30pm – 11.30pm: Hard Rock Cafe Penang

11.30pm – midnight (Meet The Fans photo session)

Thurs 4th October 10.30pm – 11.30pm: Hard Rock Cafe Penang

11.30pm – midnight (Meet The Fans photo session)

           

Fri 5th October 9.45pm – 10.45pm: Hard Rock Facebook 100K Pool Party

10.45pm – 11.15pm (Meet The Fans photo session)

           

Sat 6th October 9.15pm – 9.45pm & 10.00pm – 10.30pm      

Pinktober Breast Cancer Awareness Charity Lingerie Fashion Show

I am particularly interested in the event of the 6th though as it will also feature a lingerie fashion show laid on by the Academy owned by my friend, and Asia's top super-model, Amber Chia.  Doubtless Kelvin (also of the Penang based, and ACA Penang affiliated, Iconic Model Management) and Nelson from the Academy will be going flat out to ensure the show is a success, as the Academy's events always are.  Details of the PINKTOBER event and how to book tickets can be found here.  It is a breast cancer charity event, so all in a very good cause, and tickets are currently RM 50 each, including one drink.  A very good deal indeed.

Following the above, the Hard Rock will also be hosting Miss Hard Rock SE Asia on Sunday 17th November from around 8pm and information about this event can be found here.  I think this will also be an event not to miss!

Finally, the Facebook Events listing page for the Hard Rock can be found here.

See you there!!!

House / Apartment Purchase: LHDN number online

Without going in to all the whys and wherefores, anyone buying or selling a property in Malaysia will be required to take out an income tax (LHDN) number.  This is primarily as a safeguard to ensure that your tax details are registered so that any Capital Gains Tax due is paid buy sellers.

It is possible to take out an LHDN number by going to a LHDN office, which in Georgetown is on the corner of Beach Street and Light Street.  It is however very easy to do it online, either from home or from your lawyers office.

To apply online you go to the LHDN website and:

1) Click ezHASIL at the top

2) From the drop down menu select 'e-Daftar'

3) From that page select the top left tab 'Daftar Pembayar Cukai Individu'.

4) Complete the form (Google Translate can help with the form fields as it's all in BM but is easy).

5) Select Submit and it will provide an e-voucher with your application reference.

6) You then go back to the e-Daftar page and select 'Muat Naik Dokumen Syarikat' to mail (in our case, mostly) a scan of your passport and MM2H visa page.

You can also check back on the e-Daftar page and click 'Semak Status Syarikat' to check your application's status.  After a week or so your LHDN number will arrive by email.  Very straight forward and very easy.

House / Apartment Purchase - Associated Costs

So, after a very long break in posting, largely brought about because of being busy getting ready to move out of rented accommodation (at last) and move into my permanent home, normal service will now be resumed!  Apologies to those followers for whom the content fizzled out for a few months and thanks to those that have stuck with it.  To those, and to new readers alike, I hope that previous and subsequent posts will continue to to provide useful information about Penang (and MM2H) and indeed give some insight into some of the highlights of Penang life.

To kick things off I thought it might be useful to provide a rough guide to the costs that are associated with house / apartment purchase (at today's rates) which will of course need to be factored in to your overall costs.  All prices are in RM:

       60  Land Searches (x2 @ RM 30 ea)
       30  CTOS Searches (x2 @ RM 15 ea)
       30  Bankruptcy Searches (x2 @ RM 15 ea)
       40  Stamp Duty (for Sales and Purchase Agreement)
       10  Adjudication
     150 Cheques (written by lawyer)
       50 Mileage 
  1,000 Registration Fee
10,000 State Consent Fee (up until recently this was RM 1,000 but rose at the same time as property purchase threshold limits changed for Penang Island).

12,370 Sub Total

The above costs cover the general admin fees due and will likely be the same for all purchases.   The Registration Fee is also subject to change.

On top of these costs you will have to add the cost of your lawyer fees which are likely to be around RM 6,000 and the Stamp Duty Fee for transfer of title (Strata).  At the time of writing this is worked out on the following basis:

1% on the first RM 100k of the property cost
2% on the next RM 400k
3% on the next RM 1.5m
4% thereafter

As can be seen, these costs can rack-up quickly.  So, for example, on a 750k property you'd pay RM 16,500 in Stamp Duty.  So, adding all of the above together:

12,370  Admin Costs
  6,000  Legal Costs (approx.)
16,500  Stamp Duty

34,870  Total

Finally, when you own a condo here, over the course of the year, in addition to regular utility bills, you will incur a number of other charges for:

Service / Maintenance
Sinking Fund
Fire Insurance
Quit Rent
Assessment
Water (sewerage services)

These charges will vary depending on the property and I may well cover these in due course with an updated article about the 'domestic' costs that people need to cater for.  I mention the charges here simply because at the time of completing on a purchase your lawyer will advise you of any additional sums that may be payable by you by way of 'apportionment', essentially paying back the vendor for any such charges they have paid in advance but calculated only from the date you become the owner of the property.  Many of these charges are collected only once or twice a year so you could find yourself having to reimburse 3-5 months depending on where your purchase date sits in the billing cycle and the cost could be anything between a few hundred to a few thousand RM.

The Sinking Fund and Maintenance charges also deserve a special mention.  Depending on how these are handled by the condo management, over time owners will generally build up a sum which is held in credit against your property.  This credit is passed on to the incoming owner and if not used, will also be passed on to any subsequent owner.  As such you may well also need to reimburse the vendor for any credit that may be held by the management in respect of your apartment.

Hopefully the above will provide a rough idea for people interested in what other costs they may need to take into account when buying a property.  I'd stress that the above is an indication of prices at today's rates and clearly you would need to check with your lawyer as to both THEIR precise rates and the whether or not any of the state fees have risen.

Finally, one thing worth bearing in mind is that if buying a new property from a developer they will often bear the cost of the admin and legal fees but you should also be aware that, as far as I know, stamp duty will become payable when you come to sell the property, at or before which time you will need to apply for strata title.

Hennessy Artistry: KWC, Kuala Lumpur (8 Sept)

Many readers will be aware that I was recently invited to shoot at the Hennessy Artistry event at Straits Quay, Penang in June of this year, and what a spectacular event it was!  Now hot on the heels of this event comes a further opportunity for people to party with Hennessy.  This time H-Artistry returns to the heart of Kuala Lumpur for the second instalment of 2012’s Global Art of Mixing Trilogy!  The upcoming H-Artistry party is set to take place on Level 15 at KWC (2, Jalan Gelugor, Kuala Lumpur) and promises an eclectic mix and a phenomenal super-clubbing experience on 8 September 2012.  'Pick of Penang' is delighted to have been invited to attend this event by Hennessy but unfortunately conflicting appointments will prevent attendance at this one :-(   Next time for sure!!!

As H-Artistry zeros in on Kuala Lumpur’s latest wholesale fashion hub, around 3,000 party goers will be treated to a mix of world-class music and the trademark H-Artistry atmosphere. Hennessy promises that both seasoned H-Artistry enthusiasts and new initiates alike will be blown away by a revamped Hennessy 'Art of Mixing Zone' featuring the Hennessy 360 Cam, as well as other interactive party elements, making it one of the premier party experiences this September. 

After posing for a seamless, 360 degree panoramic video at the Hennessy 360 Cam, party goers can enjoy their favourite Hennessy V.S.O.P. long drinks at the Hennessy Mixing Bars, where Hennessy Apple, Hennessy Berry, Hennessy Ginger and Hennessy Soda. As ever the gorgeous H-Artistry ambassadors stationed at the bar will be on hand to assist and serve party-goers and demonstrate the ease of mixing a wide range of traditional and innovative  long drinks. 

This instalment of H-Artistry will be headlined by international vocal powerhouse and EDM (electronic dance music) siren Eva Simons, Jakarta’s cult-status DJ Angger Dimas, as well as Kuala Lumpur’s fast-rising electronic dance nu-breeds B.A.T.E. (Brain And The Eye). The night will charge on till the end with the hard-hitting, hipster-worshipped duo Mr.Nasty & GuruGuru (a.k.a. Bass Agents).

Party goers can expect fist-pumping performances and collaborations laced with powerful vocal lashings from Eva Simons. The songstress is best known for her recent collaboration with Afrojack in the track “Take Over Control”, which has become a dance crossover anthem on dance floors around the world. More to come on the artists who will be performing at this event over the next few days.

To keep up with the news surrounding this event, and for the opportunity to obtain tickets (which are sure to be highly sought after), readers should regularly check out the H-Artistry site.  

Please Note: H-Artistry is open to those above 18 years of age and non-Muslims only. 

English Book Fair: Penang Times Square (29 Aug - 2 Sept)

Apologies for the lack of posts lately but I have been extremely busy.  Normal service, as they say, will be resumed shortly.

In the meantime I have been sent some information on the above event which will be happening in Penang at Times Square from 29th August to 2nd September.  Might be a good chance to pick up a good book at a hefty discount (between 50 - 90%).  Worth a look maybe.

Soju Room 'Joins the Pact' with Mika Hakkinnen

Bundled in to this weekend's events, which will highlight with the Johnnie Walker Black Circuit VIP Race Party at Penang Turf Club later today, was an event at Soju Room (now one of Penang's top night clubs) to encourage people to 'Join the Pact', a Johnnie Walker initiative to promote the important issue of not drinking (alcohol) and driving.

The event is nationwide in Malaysia as is being spearheaded by former 'Formula 1' champion Mika Hakkinnen.  Pick of Penang was at the event and a very small selection of images can be found here.

Johnnie Walker Black Circuit VIP Race Party

The time for this much anticipated event is nearly upon us.  Looking forward to shooting this event on Saturday 4 August at Penang Turf Club, more so because I will be with my good friend, KL based celebrity, Leng Yein.

In addition, former Formula One Champion Mika Haakinnen will be at Soju Room on Friday 3rd August publicising the Johnnie Walker 'Join the Pact' (don't drink and drive campaign).  I was invited to a press conference for this in KL on Thursday 2 August but prior commitments made it impossible to attend.

It will be a busy and enjoyable weekend!!!!

Faster Internet Surfing / Page Loading

At times the internet can be painfully slow, even if you are on the (alleged) faster packages.  What I do find speeds things up somewhat is making sure you have the best DNS servers listed in your network settings to make sure you are using the fastest possible.  DNS servers are basically what the computer uses to translate web page names and such like into an IP address that it can connect to.  For those interested it is explained quite well here.

But which DNS servers are the best?  Fact is it varies by location.  However, there is an application called Nambench which can run on Mac and Windows machines and, once installed, you merely run it and it will conduct a variety of tests, opening the results in a regular browser window telling you the top 3 DNS servers to use under your network settings.  In my case the top one, 'Google Public 2' (8.8.4.4), was shown has being 770% faster than the default ISP DNS server selected through the router  O0

The ap, along with instructions, can be found at the link above.  This is not Penang specific of course and can help anywhere but it's sure useful here for visitors and residents in light of slow internet speeds sometimes experienced.

UK Driving Licence Conversion - Part 2 (Collection)

I previously posted some guidance on how to apply for a Malaysian driving licence as a UK licence holder.  That post can be found here.

Recently my approval letter arrived from JPJ Putrajaya after about a 4 week wait.  There are two parts to the letter, the approval letter and a checklist.  It was all in Bahasa Malay but the checklist directs you to take:

1) Serut Kelulusan ini (Approval Checklist).
2) Borang JPJL1 yang lekap (Form JPJ L1 - I completed this at JPJ - only needs name, address, passport number and signature).

3) Lesen memandu asal dan salinannya  (Original driving licence and copy - did all my copies at JPJ for RM 1 the lot).

4) Kad pengenalan / pasport asal dan salinnannya (iKad / Passport and copy - see above re copies).

5) Satu (1) keping gambar warna berukuran (1 passport photo; 25mm x 32 mm). 

The photo size required surprised me as most are around 40mm x 50mm so I took one of those.  One thing I will stress is that the photo MUST have a light blue background (luckily mine was as it seems the normal format for government agencies and I'd got some done before for other reasons). As it happens the size of the pic on your licence is 25mm x 32mm and they merely scaled my photo down.  I dare say photo shops in Malaysia can do them the right size and most will automatically use the light blue background if you tell them it's for visa and/or driving licence use.  If you don't have the 25mm x 32mm size, just take a regular passport photo BUT be sure of that blue background.

6) Bayaran Pemerosesan sebanyak RM 20; dan (RM 20 processing fee)

7) Bayaran Sebanyak RM30 setahun bagi Lesen Memandu (RM 30 per year of driving licence issued - 5 year in my case)

So, yesterday I drove to JPJ Butterworth to pick up the licence.  Took all of 10 minutes once there.  Thankfully desks 1 and 2 (that issue converted licences) seem very quiet.  Staff are also very helpful.  Copying documents, if you don't have them done already, isvery easy there, there is a photostat machine right outside the block that charges just 20 sen per copy.

So, all done. Not too hard at the end of the day IF you know what you are doing.  One thing that has caused some confusion, and continues to do so and some forums, is the whether as a UK licence holder you need to obtain an embassy letter or certificate to convert your licence.   I stress that UK applicants DO NOT require a letter from their embassy or any other certificates to convert a UK driving licence. If you get this response you just need to get to speak to a JPJ officer who knows the correct procedures.  At Butterworth it's the officer in charge of Desks 1 and 2 (Driving Licence issue) in Block B.  At Putrajaya it should be less of a problem.

The total cost was RM 195 for a 5 year licence and I noticed on the receipt there was a charge of RM 25 for something, maybe a resized passport photo, or maybe some form of admin fee.

Another issue that has cropped up in discussion on forums is people asking why anyone bothers to apply for a local licence.  Many say that they merely drive on their national licence.  To me this is just odd.  You can't drive legally in most other countries for protracted periods without having a national licence so I'm not sure what convinces people that Malaysia is any different!

In any event, while getting my licence issued I asked the senior JPJ officer I spoke to two specific questions:

1) Is it legal / possible for foreign nationals to drive indefinitely on their 'home' (or another country's) licence? Answer "No".

2) How long can you drive for before you must apply for a Malaysian licence.  Answer "3 months".

I would have liked to push for the act and section in Malaysian law covering this but the guy was quite busy. But there you have it. I'm glad I got a local licence.

Johnnie Walker Black Circuit Lounge VIP Race Party

Penang has a number of top quality events throughout the year. One such event is the Johnnie Walker Black Circuit VIP Race Party.  This year the event will be held on 4th August in Penang and is without doubt at the moment it's the most talked about event amongst the clubbing and party crowd.

As with most big branded events invitation is strictly by invite only.  For chances to win tickets to what I am sure will be an outstanding night in Penang's calendar visit the Black Circuit Lounge VIP Pass page.

Night Club: Soju Room - Penang Times Square, Georgetown

Apologies for the lack of posts recently but suffice to say I have been absolutely inundated with photo shoots just lately.  One of the recent shoots was at Soju Room, Penang's hottest new night-spot in Penang Times Square. The shot to the left is of 'The Twins', a recent double act guest DJ team from Australia.




Soju Room is a welcome addition to Penang's night-life and features top DJs, live bands, singers and dancers performing nightly.  The club will, I'm sure, be a great success and I'll be posting a full pictorial review in due course.  Until then, more pictures can be found here.

Happy 4th of July

To all my readers from the USA - a very Happy 4th of July to you!!!!