RIP: TAN SRI ERIC CHIA

Many of you would remember this gentleman, Tan Sri Eric Chia Eng Hock, the former Managing Director of Perwaja Steel Sdn. Bhd. who was charged for Criminal Breech Trial (CBT).

The late Chia was acquitted and discharged last June by the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court of committing criminal breach of trust involving some RM76.4 million without his defence being called.

He had been accused of misappropriating the RM76.4 million from Perwaja Rolling Mill and Development Sdn Bhd in his capacity as its managing director on Feb 19, 1994.

Chia faced an alternative charge of dishonestly disposing of Perwaja’s fund by entering into an agreement with NKK Corporation of Japan and authorising the RM76.4 million to be paid into the account of Frilsham Enterprise Inc in Hong Kong without the approval of its board of directors.

The court decided that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against Chia. The prosecution had since filed an appeal.

Former Perwaja Steel Sdn Bhd managing director Tan Sri Eric Chia Eng Hock died at his private room at the Park Avenue Hotel in Sungai Petani in Penang.

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In a seperate conversation while working overnight with my colleague, he shared with me the generosity of the late Tan Sri Eric Chia. His wealth didn't stopped him from giving especially my colleague was a waiter back then in a 5-star hotel where the late Tan Sri used to dine.

Whenever he asked for the bill, he will ask "Berapa orang?" means "How many?" and my colleague or any of his colleagues in the restaurant will say "7 orang" or 7 people. With his generosity, he will pay the bill and each of them will gain RM 100 each as a tip from this gentleman.

One could hardly thought how generous he was when it comes to tipping and it is not a usual norm being practised in Malaysia. However, it still happens but not all over the place in Malaysia.

This sharing is a true story and it is not being made up.

Timothy Tiah: My "Super Hero"

Speaking of not my average hero, I can't seem to think of any. I am amused of how many superheroes I used to admire when I was then a kid. Tapping the keyboard at this hour during my graveyard shift in the hotel only makes me wanting to be on my heavenly bed and my lovely pillows.

I simply can't think of who the "not your average super hero" is but let me show you what I have:

Name: Mr. Timothy Tiah
Occupation: Co-Founder of Nuffnang
Age: xx years old
Marital Status: Single & Available (maybe Not Available, ask him when you see him)

Well, why is he not an average super hero is because he is the backbone of Nuffnang. Without him, no free tickets for the movie and without him, no such thing as Nuffnang. Without him, a lot of things is not a reality.

Sorry, I have panda eyes right now in the midst of working in the hotel and typing quietly behind my managers. Don't tell them, I used the wi-fi without them knowing it. The rest I leave it to you, Mr. Timothy Tiah to decide my destiny to watch the movie or not. You better make sure I do get it. Lets go for another meal together with the gang. Maybe elsewhere this time. You know what I meant. **belly dances?** <> hahaha...

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Nuffnang Exclusive Private Screening - Hancock

Well, if you would like to get hold of these tickets and be among the first people to watch it though its not on a Premier day but it is still at an early date, make a date with the Nuffnang. The details can be found at the website itself.

St. Regis Kuala Lumpur

With less than six months ago when St. Regis in Singapore debuts, here comes the news on 12th June 2008 whereby St. Regis Kuala Lumpur was announced its debut in Malaysia in 2014. Indeed it was a blessing to Malaysia as well as myself, being in the hospitality industry.

St. Regis under the flagship of Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide Inc will debut in KL Sentral, one of the new Central Business Districts in the world.

THE St Regis brand is set to make its debut in Kuala Lumpur in 2014 following the signing of an agreement between its parent Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide and ONE IFC.

Owned by ONE IFC, the St Regis Kuala Lumpur will be built at the Kuala Lumpur Sentral Precinct (KL Sentral). It will have 200 guest rooms and 200 whole-ownership St Regis branded residences.

ONE IFC is a joint venture controlled by former stockbroker Chua Ma Yu, who holds a 60 per cent stake through CMY Capital. Government-linked Malaysian Resources Corporation (MRCB) holds 30 per cent and Jitra Perkasa - an investment holding company owned by foreign and local investors - the remaining 10 per cent.

At the signing ceremony yesterday, ONE IFC chief executive Carmen Chua - Mr Chua’s daughter - said that it is too early to talk about costs or sales.

But the six-star St Regis Hotel will add to the increasing attraction of KL Sentral, which is already popular with businesses because of its proximity to the KL Express Rail and Light Rail Transit hubs.

Many property players see the area as Kuala Lumpur’s next central business district.

MRCB owns most of the land there and has said that the total built-up area will be 20 million square feet by 2015 when the various parcels are developed. The total gross development value (GDV) is estimated at RM8.3 billion (S$3.49 billion). About RM2.8 billion has been completed and another RM5 billion is in progress. St Regis is CMY Capital’s second project. It is also building One KL, opposite the Petronas Twin Towers. The 94-unit apartment block which comes with its own individual pools plus a larger common pool has been sold off the plan, mainly to Mr Chua’s business associates and friends.

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill has been engaged as architect for the St Regis project. Given that the firm’s portfolio includes buildings such as New York’s Freedom Tower and UAE’s Burj Dubai, the St Regis KL is expected to be the new benchmark.

Ms Chua said that construction will start in 2010 and completion is expected in 2014. ONE IFC has received approval for 1.4 million sq ft of development space on the 0.89-hectare site. Besides the hotel and residences, there are intentions to develop office space on the plot.

KL Sentral land prices have been appreciating as various developments have come up. For example, Singapore’s CapitaLand is teaming up with MRCB to build high-end residential apartments there. And the number of office workers in the area is expected to double to 50,000 in seven years.

ONE IFC acquired the St Regis plot from MRCB for an average price of RM1,400 psf last year. Ms Chua is confident that by 2015, KL Sentral real estate prices will mirror those around the Petronas Twin Towers area.

St Regis Kuala Lumpur ‘represents one of the largest private sector-driven initiatives, which will complement the government’s efforts in stimulating continuous economic growth’, she said. According to her, the St Regis will mean more jobs for Malaysians, as 95 per cent of the staff will be Malaysians.

Starwood’s Asia-Pacific president Miguel Ko said that St Regis Singapore was launched five months ago and ‘St Regis KL fits nicely in our expansion plans for South-east Asia’.

By God's grace, I look forward to work in St. Regis Kuala Lumpur in 2014. The "rumours" in which I heard since 6 months ago on the debut of St. Regis in KL Sentral came true when President Mr. Miguel Ko visited Malaysia days ago.

AIRBUS A380, SINGAPORE AIRLINES

Who do you see in the picture above? Who doesn't recognize the ladies clad in the kebaya uniform - it has to be Singapore Airlines air-stewardess. Asia's leading airline, Singapore Airlines has won many hearts throughout the entire globe and certainly will be. Of course my post is not on the ladies in the Singapore Airlines solely but also the excitement in which I am about to feel very soon.

In the air: A Singapore Airlines A380 (AFP: Singapore Airlines)

The first airline in the world in which flies the Airbus A380 is none other than Singapore Airlines. The Airbus A380 first arrived in Changi International Airport in November 2005 and took off the inaugural flight to Sydney on 25 October 2007. March 18, 2008 marked another milestone of Singapore Airlines when they took off the Airbus A380 into London and most recently on 20th May 2008, it landed in Tokyo, Japan.

Sinagpore Airlines A380 has 399 economy class seats

My excitement to be one of the first few among my families and friends to fly Airbus A380 will be this coming 9th July 2008 when I will depart for the flight to Sydney (Kingsford Smith International Airport) via Singapore route. Certainly I am eager although this is not my first time boarding an aeroplane.

Singapore Airline's private cabin class will replace first class on the A380. The price of a suite is estimated to be about $A12,564 on the Singapore-Sydney route

Business Class dining on Singapore Airlines A380

A conference suite on board the Singapore Airlines A380

The good news is that I'm leaving in 25 days time. I will leave you guys to mesmerize on this post. Cheers . . .