SURIA KLCC BRINGS MENTAL HEALTH TO THE FOREFRONT IN MONTH-LONG AWARENESS CAMPAIGN

Mental health has always been an issue that’s in dire need of attention. This was true even long before COVID-19 struck Malaysia, and it continues to remain prevalent even as we recover in the endemic phase. One of the biggest obstacles to addressing mental health in this country is the stigma surrounding it.

Sadly, many older generations and many people around us poo-poohed any mention or any idea of any mental health problems… and sometimes they makes things worse by saying that these people suffering from mental health problems are just not grateful, or you should go pray etc…

Sadly and in reality, you are likely to get more sympathy with a broken bone or getting covid 19 then telling people you have mental health issues….

In conjunction with World Mental Health Month in October, Suria KLCC together with The Body Shop invites the public to be part of the change in de-stigmatising mental health problems in their month-long campaign. The campaign with the tagline #YouMatter starts today until 10 November 2022.

Suria KLCC will once again be joining hands with the Green Ribbon Group, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that champions a community approach to mental health. Also in collaboration for this year’s campaign is MIASA (Mental Illness Awareness & Support Association).

As a lead-up to the #YouMatter campaign, artworks by youth artists with lived experiences of mental illness were showcased at the Park Mall of Suria KLCC entrance area from 3 October until 8 October 2022. 

These works of passion from the National Art Gallery (via the Young Art Entrepreneurs programme) illustrate the artists’ personal struggles.

Safe Space @ Suria KLCC

Suria KLCC is the first and only mall in Malaysia to take a mental health awareness campaign to the next level via the creation of a safe space for the community. This space, dubbed the Safe Space @ Suria KLCC, is designed for people to gather and converse on the subject of mental health.

The Safe Space @ Suria KLCC last year was a hit as it drew many visitors. As mental issues do not discriminate, this year’s mental health awareness campaign promotes a more inclusive approach. #YouMatter shines a light on mental health issues afflicting the youth today and what the community can do to help support them.

The Safe Space @ Suria KLCC will be open for the duration of this campaign and can be found at Level 1, Ampang Mall. Open from 10am to 10pm daily, the space will serve as a venue for engaging activities such as workshops, talks and panel discussions by mental health professionals. Visitors can also get more information from a mental health volunteers stationed here.

“The last two years marked a turbulent and uncertain time for all. With the pandemic in the rear- view mirror, there’s no better time to reconnect and focus on recovery. Mental health awareness is a long-term CSR effort by the Suria KLCC Group and we are committed to keeping the dialogue open. We’ve engaged professionals and those with specialised expertise to help in curating the content and activities that will be held in this area.

“The Safe Space @ Suria KLCC is a welcoming space where the community can come together to share and learn. After all, a problem shared is a problem halved - we want people to leave the space feeling better and with more insight about themselves or others,” said Andrew Brien, Executive Director of Suria KLCC Sdn Bhd.

Expressing her elation to be working with Suria KLCC for a second year running, Green Ribbon Group Founder and President, YAM Tengku Puteri Raja Tengku Puteri Iman Afzan Al-Sultan Abdullah said, “Efforts like the Safe Space must continue to not only show our support for those with mental health problems, but to also highlight our ongoing commitment towards doing more for the cause. The focus on youth mental health this year is especially timely for the Green Ribbon Group. We are very fortunate to be able to pilot programmes in secondary schools and universities that focus on mental health literacy, self-management and peer support. This has always been a dream of mine - to reach out to our youth and empower them to prioritise their mental health.”

“MIASA was where I began my advocacy and outreach. It is fantastic that we are now partners alongside Suria KLCC and The Body Shop for the Safe Space. Mental health knows no boundaries. Together we can always do more,” she added.

Founder and President of MIASA, Anita Abu Bakar said, “Looking after each other should be everyone’s responsibility and not just the health sector alone. This is why we should strive to prioritise community-based mental health support - so that the burden of care can be shifted from being shouldered solely by our incredible frontliners to being shouldered by all of us. Through efforts like this, it is our sincere hope that the scale of our response to the issues surrounding community mental health can begin to match the scale of the challenge itself.

“This collaboration with the Safe Space sets an example of how collective effort can create a big impact and spur action in the community. MIASA is honoured to be part of this initiative and would like to welcome everyone, especially the youth, to enjoy this space.”

Managing Director of The Body Shop Malaysia, Datin Mina Cheah said, “"At The Body Shop, we believe that the voices of our youth matter and they should be seen and be heard. As we step into World Mental Health month, it is important to create awareness about mental health and well- being, especially for young people. Setting up this Safe Space alongside Suria KLCC, MIASA and Green Ribbon Group is our way of advocating for our youth through promoting and protecting the value of mental health. Young people with their youthful energy and ideals are the change the world needs today. Thus, overcoming stigma, building resilience and empowering their self- esteem is truly a community effort to ensure we help them reach their potential as the changemakers of today and tomorrow.”

In addition, Suria KLCC has pledged to support NGOs championing mental health through monetary support from the sales of the Suria Ribbon Pin during festive campaigns. So far, a fund of over RM20,000 has been raised and donated to mental health-related NGOs, such as Befrienders KL and the Malaysian Mental Health Association. This is an on-going initiative and the Suria Ribbon Pin can be purchased from the Concierge at RM10 per pin.

About the Green Ribbon Group

The Green Ribbon Group is passionate about contributing towards an empathetic, world-class community approach to mental health in Malaysia. It aims to empower stakeholders involved in raising mental health awareness through advocacy, fundraising and collaboration. It was set up by YAM Tengku Puteri Raja Tengku Puteri Iman Afzan Al-Sultan Abdullah and Puteri Nor Ariane Yasmin in January 2021 during YAM Tengku Puteri’s tenure as International Patron of World Mental Health Day 2020-2021. YAM Tengku Puteri began advocating for mental health issues three years ago. See more at www.greenribbongroup.com

About MIASA

Mental Illness Awareness & Support Association (MIASA)', or Persatuan Kesedaran dan Sokongan Penyakit Mental – is a Mental Health Advocacy and Peer Support NGO. It was founded by Puan Anita Abu Bakar, a person with lived experience in September 2017. MIASA strives to continuously develop, expand and strengthen community-based support services for peers and caregivers and advocate for their rights and dignity. Ultimately MIASA's goal is to reduce stigma, end discrimination, injustices and human rights abuses as well as violations. To-date, MIASA has 130 crisis team members, 1309 volunteers and 695 members across the nation and have helped more than 100,000 people from August 2020. Visit www.miasa.org.my

About The Body Shop

The Body Shop is a global brand and certified B Corp™️ founded by Anita Roddick in Brighton, England in 1976. Anita pioneered the philosophy that entrepreneurship can be a positive force in the world, which is still the brand’s driving force. The Body Shop strives to provide ethical and sustainable products with ingredients of natural origin for body care, skin care, hair care and makeup. Today there are more than 3,000 The Body Shop stores in over 70 countries. The Body Shop is part of Natura, Aesop and Avon in Natura &Co – a values-driven, global cosmetics group with the common goal of creating a positive economic, social and environmental impact.

About Suria KLCC Sdn Bhd

Suria KLCC Sdn Bhd is a joint venture company owned by KLCC Property Holdings Berhad (60%) and CBRE Global Investors (40%). It is a world class retail asset management group specialising in the development and operation of shopping malls in Malaysia. Its current portfolio includes Suria KLCC, Alamanda Shopping Centre and Mesra Mall. With more than 550 specialty outlets and over 2 million square feet of combined retail space, the company offers local and international retailers a doorway to some of the most discerning shoppers in Malaysia. Visit www.suriaklcc.com.my and www.facebook.com/SuriaKLCCMall for more details.

Timeless Goodness, Timeless Bonds with Ribena.....

In conjunction with the recently launched Timeless Goodness, Timeless Bonds campaign, Ribena introduces the #RibenaBondingPledge movement which encourages Malaysians to spend more treasured bonding moments with friends and family.

 

Life is filled with many unforgettable bonding moments, like the special closeness a daughter shares with her mum, or inside jokes shared with best friends – precious moments that give you a sense of comfort, much like the familiar, delicious taste of Ribena. Unfortunately, amidst the daily hustle and bustle of life, those special moments can sometimes be neglected.

 

It is for this reason that through this campaign, Ribena looks to remind Malaysians to actively cherish these special moments despite how busy life can get. With Ribena’s refreshing taste and natural goodness, it is the perfect catalyst for such a movement.

 

The campaign aims to generate a movement of embracing relationships and special moments with loved ones, with the #RibenaBondingPledge contest looking to reward Malaysians with attractive GrabPay credits and exclusive movie tickets to one of the most anticipated experiences around – GSC Aurum.

 

Lam Hui Min, Head of Marketing, Beverage at Suntory Beverage and Food Malaysia Sdn Bhd shared that Ribena hopes to encourage more people to actively create special, timeless moments with each other. “Be it, close friends, or family members, precious time spent together creating meaningful bonding moments can sometimes be sidelined in our current day lifestyles. As a brand that champions togetherness, Ribena emphasizes the importance of enhancing relationships through these carefully crafted engagements. We want to provide this campaign as an opportunity to help fellow Malaysians reclaim and refresh these connections with one another.”

 

The #RibenaBondingPledge begins on 6 October 2022 and will run until 5 November 2022, with 12 winners to be chosen each week until the end of the campaign. To participate, all you need to do is head to Ribena’s official Instagram. Next, refer to the steps below:

 

1. Share the pinned contest announcement post to your Instagram Story

2. Include a caption on how you pledge to create timeless moments with your loved ones

3. Tag 3 friends and @ribenamy

4. BONUS: include a photo of your best bonding moment to be in the running for the main prize!

 

At the end of each week, 3 winners will walk away with the main prize: two (2) tickets each to the much-coveted GSC Aurum Theatre (The Gardens Mall). Meanwhile, 9 lucky runners-up will each take home RM100 in GrabPay credits. It’s so simple, even your favorite influencers Naddy Sushi and Zahirah Macwilson will be joining in the fun with their own pledge!

 

But that’s not all! The first 2,000 participants to share their pledges with the relevant tags and hashtags will also receive RM30 worth of Ribena products for FREE.

 

The Timeless Goodness, Timeless Bonds campaign comes on the heels of Ribena’s special Bonding Moments exhibit, which is a collection of heart-warming photos and stories of unique bonding moments shared by everyday Malaysians.

 Furthermore, Ribena will also be hosting a live pledge wall, where Malaysians are welcome to stop by and participate with their pledges live. Simply bring along your loved ones and pledges to be displayed, participants are also encouraged to snap a photo with the pledge wall and post it up on the social channels using the hashtag #RibenaBondingPledge. The exhibit is available for all members of the public to view at GSC at the Starling from now until 12 October 2022.

 

With its delicious, refreshing taste, and ample vitamin C to meet your daily 100% requirements, Ribena is best consumed in a cold, icy glass – and it tastes even better when shared during precious, timeless bonding moments with your loved ones. Whether you’re sharing the 1l cordial in an icy jug with your family, or grabbing a quick Ribena cheerpack or PET bottle on the go with your best friend, Ribena comes in different formats to quench your thirst and cater to your every need in one go.

 

For more information about the Ribena Pledge movement and entry steps, log on to the official Ribena Facebook and Instagram platforms at @RibenaMalaysia.

Guardian Malaysia introduces new exclusive brands for 55th Anniversary Celebrations

Guardian Malaysia began with a modest 200 square feet of trading space inside the Weld Supermarket, and grew to become the leading pharmacy, health and beauty retail chain in the country and has been voted the number one Malaysian-grown retailing brand at the recent 2021 Putra Brand Awards.  

Today, Guardian with more than 520 stores all over the country, and a booming e-store and an app that is accessible 24/7 as part of their 55th Anniversary celebrations, introduced 24 new arrivals to their stores to their Guardian Gaya Squad members.  

Being one of the Guardian Gaya Squad members, I was most excited to check out and try out these new and exclusive brands which covered various product segments which include skincare, make-up, hair care, health and beauty.

Guardian will be offering fantastic promotions and offers from now until 30th October 2022. There will be 1,000 products that have a 55% discount on the 2nd item bought and many, many other promotional offers too!!! So don’t miss out on it!!!!

The Guardian Gaya Squad movement, an initiative by Guardian Malaysia to build relationship with customers through social media is now a key delivery channel for customers to access ideas and information for smart and healthy living.

In this way, our customers learn more about the brands that Guardian stocks….

It is really a win-win initiative for the customers who will get more in-depth info about the latest health and beauty brands in the market and the latest trends while the brand owners get brand exposure to raise the customer awareness…..

Guardian is proud of what they have achieved with this 55th Anniversary celebration and promises to continue to work harder because they are committed to help their customers afford a healthy and beautiful life – everyday…..

Head over your nearest Guardian Malaysia store and check it out!!!!

“SWEATING IT OUT” TOGETHER WITH THE FINALISTS OF MR WORLD MALAYSIA 2022

Yours truly was at the Star Fitness at AEON Big Wangsa Maju where I got to meet and work out with the finalists of Mr World Malaysia 2022 in an exercise session....

The search for Malaysia's most desirable man is organized by Universal Music Malaysia (UM) and Star Fitness is the official fitness center for Mr World Malaysia 2022.

This exercise session is one of the activities that have been designed in the organization of Mr World Malaysia 2022. 

Mr Syed Shaddad, Managing Director of Star Fitness said "As the official fitness center for the organization of Mr World Malaysia this year, all finalists will be given access to all Star Fitness clubs in Malaysia where these participants can undergo exercise training and prepare for the final round of the competition which will be held on 21 October at Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur.”

In addition, the main winner of Mr World Malaysia 2022 will receive a prize in the form of a Star Fitness membership and a personal training session from a Star Fitness trainer in preparation for participating at the prestigious Mr World 2022 expected to be held in United Kingdom.

The exercise session that took place today saw the finalists of Mr World Malaysia 2022 doing WAR, RIP and Interval Circuit Training exercises. 

WAR is a mixed martial arts workout that burns up to 500 calories per session. This high-energy, martial arts-inspired workout is a great way to de-stress while getting fit. 

Whereas RIP is a pre-choreographed strength training program that gives you the results you want.

We were quite lucky to be among the first to try the signature WAR and RIP classes that will be launched to other club members next month. The advantages of these two programs is said to be able to help improve stamina and muscle endurance...

The Mr World Malaysia 2022 competition aims to unearth new talent and diversify the talent portfolio under the auspices of Celebrity360, a UM talent management agency. To watch the final gala, ticket can be purchased at Ticket2U and vote for your favorite finalist at Pageant Vote where the winner of Mr Popular Vote will advance directly to Top 10.  

For more info, please visit www.starfitness.com.my.

AEON MALAYSIA LANCAR KOLEKSI BUSANA PENGANTIN SEDIA UNTUK DIPAKAI BUAT PERTAMA KALI

Dengan menyedari permintaan yang semakin meningkat dari pelanggan sempena musim perkahwinan ini, AEON CO. (M) BHD. (AEON) telahpun melancarkan koleksi busana pengantin yang bertemakan “Permaisuri Sehari”.

Majlis pelancaran yang berlangsung di AEON Mall Alpha Angle, Wangsa Maju menampilkan buat kali pertama koleksi seumpama ini dihasilkan. Di bawah label Puteri, bakal pengantin atau bridesmaid boleh mendapatkan busana pengantin RTW (Ready-to-Wear) dengan harga mampu-milik dan tersedia dalam pelbagai saiz. Pelanggan boleh mengunjungi lapan (8) AEON terpilih yang menawarkan koleksi busana pengantin ini iaitu di AEON Taman Maluri, Alpha Angle, Bandar Utama, MidValley, Shah Alam, Kota Bharu, Kuching dan Nilai.

Menurut Low Ngai Yuen, Ketua Pegawai Pemasaran dan Dagangan AEON Malaysia, “AEON memahami cabaran untuk merancang perbelanjaan perkahwinan jadi bila tibanya peluang untuk membantu mengurangkan stress, label PUTERI terus mengambil inisiatif untuk memperkenalkan koleksi busana yang mesra-bajet, moden dan dengan 15 pilihan yang boleh terus dipakai serta tersedia dalam semua saiz.”

Pelancaran koleksi bermula dengan pameran perkahwinan sejak 26 September lalu. Selain busana pengantin PUTERI AEON RTW (Ready-to-Wear), pameran perkahwinan “Permaisuri Sehari” turut disertai oleh Shashas Designer, Ghadeez KL, Ikhwan Designer, Nana Bridal dan Jess Wedding. 

Pameran ini membantu memperkenalkan pemilik busana pengantin tempatan dan membuka ruang kepada semua rakyat Malaysia, khususnya pelanggan AEON untuk mendapatkan pelbagai pakej perkahwinan dan busana pengantin.

Kesemua jenama lain yang turut hadir juga memperlihatkan koleksi busana mereka dalam satu pertunjukan fesyen yang turut diperagakan oleh Aini Sophie, pemenang Miss Malaysia Kebaya 2018/2019 dan Ikon Wanita Melayu 2019. 

Lebih menarik lagi, tarian tradisional Melayu, Cina dan India oleh Dirgahayu Seni dari Melaka juga dipertontonkan sebagai tradisi tempatan memeriahkan lagi majlis.

AEON Malaysia juga mengadakan Peraduan “Permaisuri Sehari”, sebuah kempen media sosial yang menjemput bakal pengantin untuk memenangi sepasang busana perkahwinan di samping menggalak kesedaran dan keterujaan terhadap koleksi baharu ini.

Melalui peraduan ini, tiga (3) pemenang iaitu; Nursyuhaidah Mohd Razib dari Keramat, Nurul Natasha Jamaludin dari Ampang dan Rosnazira Jamil dari Penang telah dipilih untuk memenangi busana pengantin dari PUTERI, berserta sesi persiapan mekap dan rambut atau hijab oleh jurudandan perkahwinan terkenal Shaari Amin, selain membawa pulang baucar tunai AEON bernilai RM500.

Peserta -peserta telahpun kongsikan video mereka berdurasi 60 saat dengan menyatakan impian “Permaisuri Sehari” mereka secara kreatif dan memuat naik video mereka pada “Reels” di akaun Instagram atau di akaun TikTok dengan menanda tag @aeonmalaysia berserta tanda pagar kempen….

“Kami pasti ramai yang mempunyai impian perkahwinan tersendiri dan melalui kempen ini, sedikit sebanyak kami dapat merealisasikan impian mereka”, jelas Low lagi.

Bakal pengantin dan pelanggan yang mahukan inspirasi dan mendapatkan busana perkahwinan boleh ke AEON Alpha Angle, atau AEON terpilih untuk melihat sendiri koleksi busana pengantin RTW AEON ini.

CAPTURING HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Master Community Developer, Sunway Property recently announced the winners of their photo contest which captures the “Health & Wellness” aspects of Sunway Serene lakeside development at Petaling Jaya.

The photo contest garnered close to 1,000 entries from photo enthusiasts from all walks of life, who flocked to the development to capture their best photographs depicting “Health and Wellness” amidst the lush natural surroundings.

The competition offered cash prizes totaling RM 10,000 to a total of 38 winners, with judges including Star Media Group Berhad Photo Editor and Photo Art Institution Photo Advisor.

Sunway Property Marketing and Sales General Manager Wendy Wang said, “Aligned with Sunway Property’s commitment in delivering wellness and sustainability to our communities, we hope that this photography competition helped bring to light the importance of creating unique moments of self-care and wellness amidst nature.”

“As the Master Community Developer, we place high importance on the overall health and well-being of our communities, and we are delighted that our urban renewal project benefits not just Sunway Serene’s homeowners, but also the public as well, who can now visit the park for various recreational activities,” she added. 

The Sunway Design and Development Architecture (SDDA) is  Sunway Property’s guiding philosophy for its signature projects. Two of the four pillars of SDDA, namely ‘Health and Wellness’ and ‘Sustainability’, play a key role in Sunway Serene’s design. 

From its 15-acre rehabilitated lake, to the dedicated jogging path winding through lush greenery, elements of Sunway Serene’s Signature of Lakefront Living magnetically draws photographers to immortalise its features.

Sunway Property had invested RM 10 million into rehabilitating the lake and park as part of its urban renewal project. Before the rehabilitation works, the site was a garbage-logged retention pond and a rundown carpark for a neighbouring industrial complex. 

To make the lake habitable once again for aquatic life, the developer conducted water improvement works and installed bandalong litter traps to capture pollutants in the lake. The Master Community Developer had also undertaken extensive works, including diverting the monsoon drain, constructing the culvert, clearing, desludging, and landscaping works, including planting 900 trees. 

One of the winners, Mohd Samsi, said that he spent an entire day in the development’s lush natural surroundings to take his perfect shot. 

“For me, my mission was to find the beauty of the biodiversity that Sunway Property had so carefully brought back to the area to communicate the importance of spending time in nature. I spent a whole day in the beautiful natural surroundings and I had the opportunity to take a picture of a stork hunting for fish in the 15-acre lake rich with aquatic life which I captured with my 500 mm lens. I am pleased that the judges selected my photo as one of the winning entries,” he said. 

Sunway Serene is Sunway Property’s latest award-winning development promoting lakeside living in the heart of Petaling Jaya, and merely a stone’s throw away from Sunway City Kuala Lumpur. The development comes with a comprehensive set of amenities, infrastructure and is accessible via major roads and highways. For more information on Sunway Serene, please call 017 964 0788 or log on https://www.sunwayserene.com/  

KITKAT IS BRINGING KITKAT LOVERS SOMETHING CITRUS & ZESTY!

I was definitely pleasantly surprised when I received this New KitKat® Dark with Southern Australian Orange Flavour bar that came in a wooden crate with fresh oranges….

It comes with a marbling effect that looks like tiger stripes with a unique blend of swirled rich dark chocolate and chocolate orange.  

Especially made in Australia with premium ingredients from the local regions famed for its produce, the blood orange used to create this delicious dark orange chocolate is grown in the South Australian Riverland and Sunraysia region…

The KitKat® Dark with Southern Australian Orange Flavour bar blends the unique local flavours of Australia with rich dark chocolate, resulting in a contrasting swirl of flavours – also visible on the bar itself for even more indulgence! 

Each of the bar’s 11 fingers will take your break to the next level of indulgence. The new variant has just the right balance of sweetness and bitterness, together KitKat®’s signature crispy wafer coated with rich and smooth dark chocolate and orange swirls….

Wrapped in a premium matte resealable packaging, the KitKat® Dark with Southern Australian Orange Flavour bar put a smile in one’s break as the ideal chocolate for sharing and connecting with friends, or even for the pure indulgence of a “me moment”.

The new KitKat® Bar Dark with Southern Australian Orange Flavour is available at leading retail stores across Malaysia as well as some preferred e-commerce sites. 

For more info, log on to www.facebook.com/KitKatMalaysia and www.instagram.com/KitKatMalaysia

Have a Break, have a KitKat®, and make every chocolate moment more indulgent with the all-new KitKat® Bar!

#KitKatMalaysia   

#IndulgeInKitKatBar

#HaveABreakHaveAKitKat