KL hotel fuses privacy and communalism

Posted on April 9, 2013 

By Joy Lee
Photos by Brian Moh

A new hotel buzz: (from left) Teoh, lee and
Choong believe Grid 9 is unique enough to do
well in the market.

While hotels and hostels may be familiar accommodation options for the frequent traveller, a hybrid of the two is a new concept that has been introduced to the local hospitality scene by Kenny Choong and his partners Teoh Jun Jie and Jonathan Lee.

Choong said he was inspired to open Grid 9 during his travels in the US.

According to him, the concept of their hotel on Jalan Maharajalela, Kuala Lumpur, is fairly common in the US as American guests appreciate the privacy and luxury of a hotel room, but also like having a common area where they could hang out and socialise with other guests.

“We found that places like this are lacking here. We saw a gap in the market, went for it, and the rest is history,” said Choong.

Grid 9 opened its doors to the public roughly four weeks ago and Choong said things have been going well so far.

The hotel can accommodate a total of 120 guests at any one time. Grid 9’s occupancy rate over the weekends runs at 100% on average and about 50% to 60% on weekdays.

Choong also pointed out that they received positive reviews in their first three weeks.

Grid 9 is perhaps one of the few hotels in Malaysia with a focused target group as the concept and layout of the hotel appeals mainly to young adults aged 18 to 35 years old.

“This age group is our target market and generally everything is done to reach this group. It is a concept that caters to young travellers’ culture and lifestyle,” Choong said.

The common area is equipped with iPads, an LED TV, and WiFi for travellers to stay connected and is littered with Doof beanbags, a pool table and a collection of board games for guests to dive into and make friends along the way.

Cool hangout area: Grid 9 has a common area littered with doof bags where guests can socialise at ease.

Choong did marketing and consultancy work for Philip Morris and PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC) before embarking on his dream to start something on his own about one and a half years ago.

Armed with no experience in construction or hospitality, Choong decided to take on every part of the project on his own to learn things on the job.

Just opened:The new Grid 9 hotel.

This included overseeing renovation works, applying for licences and marketing the Grid 9 concept.

Having spent most of his working years in an office, switching over to the role of site manager was no easy task for Choong.

However, he insisted on being the main contractor for the project so that he could look into all the nitty gritty details of the renovation works and ensure that quality materials were used.

“I am new at this so I had to learn every process as much as I could so that we could replicate this elsewhere when we want to expand.

“Finding out simple things like knowing the diameter of pipes to use made a lot of difference,” he said.

But learning on the job was not always an enjoyable experience for Choong.

“It is hard to enjoy breathing in all the dust. Being at the site was certainly not easy at all.

“But I had a lot of help and support from relatives who were involved in the renovation and they were always there to advise me,” he said.

It took about six months to obtain all the necessary licences and renovation works took up to about a year.

Choong also decided to take on a new team to manage Grid 9 to give the business a fresh spin.

He thinks it is important that the management team is not made up of hospitality-industry stalwarts so that Grid 9 does not become stuck with the same hotel marketing conventions.

Lee, who also worked as a consultant in PWC, joined Choong about half a year ago.

Lee currently looks into Grid 9’s business development.

“It is a very different experience. Previously, we were well-dressed corporate people and we had to carry ourselves in a certain way.

“Now, we are addressing issues with contractors and suppliers and we have to be more stern,” Lee laughs.

Teoh, who previously worked in the food and beverage industry, came in to help with the operations of Grid 9.

All in, the cost of setting up Grid 9 was about RM2.3mil and Choong estimates that the hotel should take about two to four years to break even.

Although Grid 9 is new to the market, 28-year-old Choong is already thinking of bringing the concept to other tourist locations like Penang and Malacca. For now, he is hoping to open another hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

Choong believes that Grid 9 is unique enough to do well here.

“Grid 9 may be a passion for us, but at the end of the day, it is a business and we need to be profitable as a business.

“We have to adapt to the changes in the market and this is something we believe in.

“And we believe it will change the market as well,” he said.

From left to right: Grid 9’s gastropub will be opened in May to cater to guests’ hunger pangs; Individual pods are cleverly designed for privacy. Mattresses at Grid 9 are sponsored by Dunlopillo; Rooms at Grid 9 are brightly lit.

While people generally tend to view budget hotels as dodgy, Choong explained that Grid 9’s concept is no such thing.

In fact, Grid 9 has partnered with reputable businesses such as Dulux, Dunlopillo and Doof to enhance the Grid 9 experience.

“Our partners have been very patient with us and they have never thought of backing out.

“Our most recent partnership was with KL nightspot Zouk. We do hope to partner with more companies that have the same target audience,” he said.

Establishing a new concept and brand in the market can be quite a challenge, but fortunately Choong has found other players in the industry to be helpful and willing to share experiences and tips for survival.

One of key factor in building a brand, said Choong, is to deliver on promises.

“It is the only way to sustain the business.

“After all, we do not want to be a one-hit wonder,” he said.

But the hospitality industry is a competitive one and should Grid 9 prove to be a popular concept, Choong and his team could see new competition streaming in fast.

While Choong welcomes healthy competition, he noted that Grid 9 has a first-mover advantage and the brand should have a sizeable market share by the time the concept matures here.

http://www.starproperty.my/index.php/articles/living/kl-hotel-fuses-privacy-and-communalism/?utm_source=web&utm_medium=widget&utm_content=Living&utm_campaign=The%2BStar%2BOnline%2BProperty%2BWidget

EC appoints 17 NGOs as observers

EC appoints 17 NGOs as observers

 

KUALA LUMPUR, April 6 — The Election Commission (EC) has appointed 17 non-governmental organisations as observers in the 13th general election, said EC deputy chairman Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar. 

He said all the NGOs have appointed their volunteers, numbering about 1,000 people, who will be on duty at polling centres. 

“They comprise people from various backgrounds. They will be given special passes with specific numbers as their identity,” he said in the “Hello Malaysia” programme over Bernama TV yesterday. 

He said only volunteers from NGOs recognised by EC could access polling centres that have been identified but they have to adhere to regulations. 

Other NGOs however could only observe from outside the polling stations, he said. 

He hopes they would abide by the law and not create problems at polling centres. — Bernama

 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/litee/malaysia/article/ec-appoints-17-ngos-as-observers/

Not original Umno (ABU) was formed to bowled Umno

 Not original Umno (ABU) was formed to bowled Umno

(By: Masdar Wahid)

KUALA LUMPUR: Rembau branch chief Badrul Hisham Shaharin or better known as Chegubard today launched a movement known as the Original Non Umno (ABU).

People's Movement 'Original Non Umno (ABU)' Umno BN established to ensure fallen at the next General Election, said Chegubard acting as a coordinator.

This is because he, decades of BN UMNO rule, too much greed that caused the party.

"The BN UMNO rule, we are together contributing, due to our attitude as 'leave, do not mind and ignorant' in inculcating the brute force of government," he said at a press conference at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall today.

He cited the administration of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who is also Umno president when this often fickle minded decisions.

It includes Peaceful Assembly Act 2011 that kononnnya for Malaysia as the world's best, but actually more brutal than the previous law.

He said, ABU will continue the program from time to time to ensure that Malaysia is ruled by a party that offers a better administration.

Without specifically intended party where he invites people mengahadirkan in public gathering organized by the ABU on Dec. 15 in Markaz Tarbiyah PAS, Garden Melewar, Gombak.

"At the assembly, we will announce something significant to change the political situation in Malaysia because ABU movement will continue to exist as long as Umno exists in this country," he said, who is also Chairman of the Youth Solidarity Malaysia (SAMM).

ABU launch press conference was also held the same throughout the state in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak except for ABU activist barred from entering the two states.

"Umno's strange, they claim Sabah and Sarawak as fixed and always give a statement purportedly Umno state power is not threatened.

"If so, why ABU representatives in the state just to even prevented?" He asked.

Movement, he said, were still continuing in both states next week.

Among those joining the ABU currently includes students, workers, farmers, fishermen, various segments of the NGOs, opposition parties, professionals, artists, mat rempit, unemployed and oppressed communities under Umno administration over the years.

"Although we backed political party, we are to be free because the ultimate goal is the overthrow Umno is too much corruption in this country, it is enough for them," he said.

 http://www.keadilandaily.com/asal-bukan-umno-abu-ditubuh-untuk-tumbangkan-umno/

DAP clear Nga of ‘lounge-suit’ corruption accusations

DAP clear Nga of ‘lounge-suit’ corruption accusations

February 16, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 16 — The DAP disciplinary committee cleared Pantai Remis assemblyman Nga Kor Ming of any power abuse in the awarding of a lounge suit contract to his wife’s company, Bernama Online reported.
Committee chairman Tan Kok Wai said their investigations did not  find any evidence he coerced or influenced Ipoh City Hall (MBI) in his capacity as councillor to award the RM14,400 contract to Ethan & Elton — co-owned by Nga’s spouse Wong Seow Ching.
Tan said the committee felt the existence of a relationship between parties did not prove wrongdoing meriting an actionable complaint.
He told media their decision at the DAP headquarters here after a three hour meeting.
Three former MBI councillors who were also on the tender board, Frankie Wong and Simon Ng from DAP and PAS’s Khairuddin Abd Malik, told the committee that they were not aware Nga’s wife was involved with the company when they made their award decision.
Tan added that there were five other bidders along with Ethan and Elton.
The committee also rejected the “minit bebas” (independent minutes) presented to them, because the ex-Mentri Besar and six ex- state excos from the previous Pakatan Rakyat state government have confirmed to the disciplinary committee they have never proposed or discussed the lounge suit contract at their exco meetings.
The committee therefore was of the opinion that Nga (picture) neither did anything corrupt nor breached party discipline.
In the separate issue of a demonstration outside the Penang DAP state convention allegedly backed by Penang deputy chief minister II P. Ramasamy, Tan said the committee had not come to a decision, and that the matter will be discussed at the next meeting.
 http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/dap-clear-nga-of-lounge-suit-corruption-accusations

Stadium Collapse: Architect Doubts Capability Of Workers

Thursday, 21 February 2013 08:58

PUTRAJAYA: Architect Raja Datuk Kamarul Bahrin Shah Raja Ahmad, who designed the Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium in Kuala Terengganu, once again questioned the state government after another section of the roof fell through yesterday morning. 

Alluding to the contractors involved in the current project, he asked whether they are qualified enough since the incident happened while the stadium is currently undergoing re-construction work.

According to Bernama report, five workers were injured, three seriously, when steel structures supporting the roof of the stadium collapsed at 11.30am yesterday.

Raja Kamarul Bahrin wanted to know why it took so long to dismantle the remaining roof, as it would only be a matter time before history repeated itself.

"Were they qualified to dismantle the roof?" he asked when contacted by fz.com.

He stressed that dismantling of the remaining frame should have been carried out by the original Korean contractors who were responsible for the design, supply and the installation of the roof.

He added that the state government cannot blame anyone for today's incident as he had been warning them of such possibilities since the first incident four years ago.

On June 2, 2009, part of the roof collapsed at the stadium's grandstand a year after it opened for the Malaysia Games (Sukma) in 2008, but no one was hurt then while repair works started at the end of last year.

On today's incident, Terengganu deputy police chief Datuk Hamzah Mohd Jamil said workers were dismantling the old roof structure when the incident happened.

"About 137m or two thirds of the old structure collapsed when eight workers were carrying out work at the site," he said.

Meanwhile, Bernama also reported that one of the victims, Safian Abdul Manaf, 21, said the incident happened so fast that he could not do anything.

Safian said he was trying to shift a steel frame that was 137 meters long and 25 meters high when he saw the frame fall and pin him down.

He broke his right leg, injured his mouth and lost his teeth.

"It happened about an hour after I started work. I managed to see the frame falling but I couldn't do anything. It happened so fast. 

"When I fell, my face knocked against a wall (terrace) and I passed out. When I regained conscious I was in an ambulance," he said when met at the Sultanah Nur Zahirah
Hospital.

Apart from Safian, Mohd Nazirul Nizam Marzuki, 25, (right knee injury) and Mohd Saidi Ismail, 21, (back injury) were also admitted while Mohd Syukri Jusuh, 31, and Wan Mohd Fajrulazmi Wan Ahmad, 26, suffered minor injuries.



- Sean Augustin / fz.com
http://fz.com/content/stadium-architect-doubts-capability-workers

Cocaine in Vagina: Thai Woman Held At Penang Airport

Thursday, 21 February 2013 18:40

GEORGETOWN: It took the police almost three days to extract 80 cocaine-contained capsules, each as big as one’s thumb, from a woman who was detained at the Penang International Airport (PIA) last Wednesday after she swallowed the capsules. 

The large-sized woman, who is in her 20s and hails from Thailand, had also risked her life by concealing another cocaine package as big as a cucumber in her vagina, Harian Metro reported.

According to sources, police detained the woman around 5pm following a tip-off. The suspect was said to have flown in from Brazil.

“Upon her arrest, the woman was brought to Penang Hospital and police had to wait for almost three days to extract the 80 capsules she swallowed.

“We believe the woman must have been paid a hefty amount of money from drug syndicates, to the extent that she was willing to risk her life like that,” said a source.

The source said, initial investigation revealed that the drugs were worth almost RM300,000, and the suspect was said to have only consumed chocolates to satisfy her hunger throughout the long flight from Brazil.

“From the modus operandi, police believe that this syndicate is willing to go to various extreme lengths to smuggle drugs into this country,” the source added.

Meanwhile, Penang Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department chief, S. Batumalai confirmed the woman’s arrest when contacted.

“The suspect is currently remanded for another seven days to assist police investigation under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952,” he said.

Last November, another Thai woman was also detained at the PIA. Investigations revealed that she had tried to smuggle 40 cocaine capsules by swallowing them and also had a cucumber-sized cocaine package up her vagina.


http://www.malaysiandigest.com/news/36-local2/262062-cocaine-in-vagina-thai-woman-held-at-penang-airport.html


--mD

GE13 Voting Procedure 2012

PLEASE bring along your own pencil ERASER. It is VITAL that we get this information across to as many people as possible. The Voter Agent Training recently conducted at the PJ Civic Centre brought to the fore some very critical issues which every Voter ought to know. These are : 1. As soon as you enter the polling station, you will be ushered to Kerani 1, who will check your personal identity against your NRIC. He/she will then read out your name, NRIC number and the Siri/Bilangan number in accordance to the List provided by the Election Commission (SPR). 2. Once all that is verified, Kerani 1 will pass your NRIC to the next officer, Kerani 2. 3. Here, Kerani 2 will hand you a ‘Kertas Undi,’ which is identified by its Serial Number. As a Voter, please know your rights. You have the constitutional right under our Election Laws to NOT accept the ‘Kertas Undi’ that the officer assigns to you. You CAN and should ask for a different ‘Kertas Undi’ from a different book. To do that, just say to the officer, “Encik (or Cik), saya minta Kertas Undi dari buku lain atau dari bawah.” Translated, that is, “Sir (or Madam), I like to request a different ballot paper from a different book or from below.” This must be done so that the Voter CANNOT be identified via the SPR’s Master List. It will take just ONE voter to upset the whole sequence, which will eventually affect the SPR’s Master List for that voting centre. The aim of doing this is to SAFEGUARD every Voter’s identity. No one has the right to know how you want to vote. 4. Once your ‘Kertas Undi’ is issued to you, just stand there and do NOT leave immediately.Instead please CHECK BOTH SIDES of the ballot paper in order to ensure that there are NO pencil markings or Any other form of suspicious markings on it. If there are, REJECT the ballot paper issued to you and instead request for these markings to be either erased to your satisfaction or for you to be issued with a new ‘Kertas Undi.’ Also do NOT accept any loose-lying ‘Kertas Undi,’ which may have been strewn about because it was rejected by someone else earlier. ALWAYS ask for a fresh ballot paper from the book. An alternative, as suggested by certain other people via email, is to Bring along your own eraser so that when you see any pencil marks, you can rub them off completely yourself. 5. Kerani 2 will then hand the ‘Kertas Undi’ to the next officer, Kerani 3. Kerani 3 carries a seal, which will be used to stamp your ‘Kertas Undi.’ PLEASE watch carefully that the officer stamps your ballot paper FULLY and CLEARLY. After that, see that it is folded into two before the ballot paper is handed over to you. Incomplete stamp mark can and will render your ballot paper as spoiled vote. 6. You can now proceed to the voting booth. 7. At the booth, please ensure that the ballot paper has only your ONE marking of a single X. If for whatever reason, suspicious or otherwise, you overlooked some pencil marks of numbers or markings on the front or back of the ballot paper (ie other than your own mark), please ERASE those markings completely. REMEMBER, these markings can and will render your ballot spoiled – so be Extra Cautious. The most careful approach is to check your ‘Kertas Undi’ thoroughly before you accept it from the officer. REMEMBER to check it in front of the relevant officer so that if you have to reject it, he is right in front of you. 8. Do not be afraid or cower in fear when you have to express your objections because there are representatives from the various participating political parties who will be there to observe the whole voting process and they are there to assist you as and when you need. As mentioned earlier, It is this kind of information that GUILTY PARTY does not want others to know. They thrive on public ignorance so that they can do whatever they feel like brazenly. One way to stop them is to send this information to as many of your friends as possible so that everyone, on voting day, knows exactly what to do, knows his/her constitutional voting rights and is aware of Print this out and keep it safely. When Voting Day finally arrives, it will be handy for you to access and read again.