Archive for November 2011

The Peak Dinner – Sutera Harbour, Kota Kinabalu

Beneath The Wind

In The Peak’s first ever outstation dinner series in Sabah’s magical land of mountains and seas, guests were welcomed by the warmth and hospitality of its co-host, Datuk Susan Wong and her friends, and charmed by the delightful setting of Sutera Harbour Resort. It proved to be an evening that realised the most important of Peak Events, that of a gathering of likeminded individuals who appreciated that the finer things in life and of new-found friendships and precious moments that long endure.

Awarding The Best

This year’s Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of The Year 2011 celebrates its 10th anniversary in Malaysia. The event was highlighted by a pre-forum entitled ‘Decoding the DNA of an Entrepreneur’ with former winners of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of The Year in attendance.

1. Rauf Rashid and Philip Rao.
2. Datin Seri Cheryl Tan and Dato’ Seri Stanley Thai.
3. Datuk Dr Rebecca Fatima Sta Maria and Rajan Moses.
4. Goh Peng Ooi and Terence Tan.
5. Tan Sri Liew Kee Sin, Winnie Loo and Dato’ AK Nathan.
6. Patricia Neo, Charlene Yap and Cheong Chia Chieh.
7. Ong Chee Wai, Dato’ Jaspal Singh and Dato’ Dr Joe Singh.
8. Jason Yuen, Zahirudin Rahim, Ali Noordin and Azwan Baharuddin.

Green Land

Few places beat Sabah, the Land Below the Wind, for the eco-loving traveller. With its wealth of natural offerings that range from mountains to seas, jungle and wildlife, Diana Khoo checks out the top things to do while in Kota Kinabalu.

What: The car rounds a headland and, suddenly, I see it: Gunung Kinabalu. I’ve heard that the mountain may choose to hide itself, as it often does, amidst swathes of clouds. But, today, we are fortunate to get stunning views of South-East Asia’s highest peak – craggy and forbidding, and with a palpable mystical air. Kinabalu is, without doubt, the icon for the state of Sabah in Malaysian Borneo. Its silhouette forms part of the state flag and many people travel from all corners of the world to summit it or simply bask in its shadow within the magnificent Kinabalu Park.

Past And Present Penang

With the burnish of time, memories of colonial Penang are composed of days spent in languor, watching the sea tickle the shores and palm fronds swaying in the wind. The Peak takes a walk on the island to discover that olden-day charm recreated in the present day.

Ever since Penang was awarded its UNESCO World Heritage Site status, jointly with the historical town of Malacca, heritage chic has become all the rage, particularly in the hospitality sphere. Recently, the Hong Kong-based Aman Group of Hotels was also mentioned in the news as the one who would manage the redeveloped Crag Hotel, built in 1929 atop Penang Hill. Amancrag Resort, rebranded from Crag Hotel, will join a line of sophisticated accommodations, each of which features unique facets of this former British port city. Here are some highlights that hark back to the romantic yesteryear, albeit with that modern twist of amenities, comfort and, in some cases, fine cuisine.

A Tete-À -Tete Over Tea

A tenth-generation member of the legendary tea family, Stephen Twining takes pleasure in each of his 15 cups a day. The cheery Englishman is hardly the fuddy-duddy one would expect as he shares a slice of his life, emblematic cup of tea in hand.

You must be asked this a lot, but how do you take your tea?
I enjoy different teas in different ways but never, ever with sugar. So much skill and effort goes into creating each tea bag and it is all wasted the minute sugar touches the drink. Sugar goes through a refinement process and, when you mix it with something as delicately natural as a cup of tea, the harsh taste of that process comes through.

Dining On-Demand

At Indulgence Restaurant & Living, the dishes Chef Julie Song prepares include several adventurous creations from her repertoire. Start with delicately seared foie gras and Turkish figs dripped in a hibiscus and yoghurt reduction. Scallop slices and a zesty roselle salsa impart an inventive counterpoint. Next, the cavatelli and arugula with Rafe tomatoes are splashed with olive oil, Chef Song’s culinary trademark.

For mains, a generously portioned slice of King George Whiting sandwiches a creamy bisque mousse and heirloom carrot filling. Chef Song sources her ingredients mostly from Australia including the Aurora Tasmanian lamb, served with a memorable truffle infusion, Dutch peas and a Kipfler potato confit. Dessert comes in the artful form of a chocolate ‘bird’s nest’, combining crispy and soft, indulgent textures, made all the more tempting with its designer presentation.

Perfect Timing

Smooth crooner Julio Iglesias returns to Malaysia to thrill the largest gathering of fans ever in an open-air concert in the shopping district of Jalan Bukit Bintang on December 1. His concert takes place under the auspices of Starhill Gallery as it relaunches a newly refurbished retail experience in the upper reaches of luxury.

Julio Iglesias is happy. Over the phone, he laughs heartily at some of his risqué comments, saying he would be bringing ‘even sexier back-up singers’ this year, compared with the ones who left a very positive impression on audiences at his show last year. He also pitched an offer for an evening with his singers, all said in jest, of course.

Ain't No Mountain High Enough

In the life of Datuk Susan Wong – Managing Director of property developer Mega Sunwise and President of the Sabah Housing and Real Estate Developers Association – trials and tribulations are just steps in her ascent to the top. Her lofty standing today in the Sabahan society owes as much to her unyielding grit as it does to her humility in seeking solutions. In an exclusive interview in the heart of Kota Kinabalu, she tells Kenneth Tan the story of how a 22-year-old fresh graduate rose to become one of Sabah’s foremost property magnates.

In the great debate about leadership, the contention has always been about whether leaders are born or made. The life and times of Datuk Susan Wong have been both of the above. In 1978, as a wide-eyed 22-year-old, fresh from receiving her degree in Economics and Business Administration from Canada’s University of Toronto, Wong was thrust into the life of a property developer by virtue of circumstances.

Bringing Down Borders

Maxis earned its reputation for creativity and reliability in its consistent provision of advanced communication solutions and extends these values to its many corporate responsibility initiatives. CEO Sandip Das shares how the company is developing sustainable solutions to ease accessibility for and elevate the living standards of the less fortunate.

If the world is your oyster, chances are that a large section of its gleaming shell is constructed of a sturdy web of networks afforded by seamless communication. Handshakes securing deals are done virtually while jet-setting corporate figures can handle business at home from the slopes of the Alps or the beaches of Barbados. The need to be physically present is slowly diminishing as technology collapses distances and turns the world into an efficient global village.