SPARK Foundation's Water Stewardship Project to Benefit Over 1,800 PJ residents

Water is a vital necessity for life. Every runner knows it. Get hydrated or you will never reach the finish line, especially on a hot and humid day. But how many of us are protecting and conserving our water sources? Last weekend, we had a chance to see some of the actions taken by a local community in PJ with the help of SPARK Foundation and local government agencies to work towards long-term sustainable water management.



As part of its ongoing water stewardship agenda, SPARK Foundation has committed to invest an additional RM2.5million over the next three years for the Phase 3 of its W.A.T.E.R (Working Actively Through Education and Rehabilitation) project. The Foundation aims to lead in water stewardship through collaboration with government agencies and local communities in strategic projects to protect water resources.

The W.A.T.E.R Project is a collaboration between SPARK Foundation and the Global Environment Centre - a non-profit organisation and government agencies which aim to raise awareness on the importance of river and water conservation through community-based programmes.

Key initiatives at project sites include rainwater harvesting, water thimble technology, wetland construction and reforestation.

To kickstart the Phase 3 of its project, SPARK Foundation in collaboration with Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) and Global Environment Centre built rainwater harvesting system at Block 1, Desa Mentari in Petaling Jaya, which is located within one of its project sites, Sungai Penchala.

The system is capable of harvesting an estimate of one million litres of rainwater annually and will benefit over 1,800 residents in the area by supplying additional water supply that is suitable for general use such as cleaning, landscaping and irrigation.



Renuka Indrarajah, SPARK Foundation Trustee said: “Water stewardship is about businesses taking strategic action to ensure water is managed sustainably as a shared, public resource. We believe that commitment towards water stewardship goes beyond being an efficient water user. Through SPARK Foundation we want to take lead in water stewardship by collaborating with like-minded partners, engagement and education of local communities as well as investments in strategic initiatives at Sungai Selangor, Sungai Penchala and Sungei Way.”

Over the past ten years, SPARK Foundation has invested more than RM8 million in Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the W.A.T.E.R project. Since the inception of W.A.T.E.R project in 2007, SPARK Foundation has adopted five rivers including Sungei Way and Sungai Penchala in Selangor, as well as Sungai Senam, Sungai Buntong and Sungai Kledang in Perak. The combined efforts have led to improved water quality, heightened awareness on the importance of river conservation as well as a mindset shift among communities along the targeted river basins.



Renuka added: “To date, more than 30,000 Malaysians have been engaged through our education programmes, including supporting of the River of Life Public Outreach Programme, Train the Trainers Programme and our Mobile River Care Unit. Through our project, we have established 12 active river care communities to sustain the cleanliness of the river that flows through their neighbourhood.”

“On behalf of SPARK Foundation, I would like to extend our gratitude to GEC, the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID), MBPJ, and Selangor Water Management Authority (LUAS) and the local communities for their continuous support for our water stewardship agenda.



Tuan Johary Bin Anuar, Deputy Mayor of MBPJ said: “Water conservation is a critical effort that must be managed effectively especially in a highly urbanised and fastgrowing city like Petaling Jaya. Protecting water resources is our collective responsibility and we are committed to supporting the organisations who empower local communities to take action. The initiative by SPARK Foundation, GEC along with multi-stakeholders is exemplary as it delivers measurable impact in an area that benefits all Malaysians. We strongly encourage other organisations to learn from SPARK Foundation and embrace holistic environmental improvement projects that are relevant to their businesses."



Dr K. Kalithasan, GEC River Care Coordinator also added that: “The W.A.T.E.R Project has been a success due to a smart partnership with government agencies and communities. With the renewed project direction, we will be able to introduce alternative water supply and strengthen awareness on water conservation to the general public.”



You too can be part of this green cause too by signing up as volunteers or become a partner via the SPARK Foundation’s website www.sparkfoundation.com.my

Watch the launch video on our IGTV HERE.

HOCO O2O Retail Concept Store Launch

Malaysian mobile phone accessories distributor Cosmos Online Sdn Bhd officially introduced “hoco.” and also their Hoco O2O Retail Concept Store at a press conference held at their flagship outlet in Low Yat Plaza, today.

“hoco.” is an international premium lifestyle accessories brand from Hong Kong Haoco (hoco.) Technology Co., Ltd, which is dedicated to the development of high-quality digital accessories. Established in 2009, the young company focuses on the development and production of digital products with simple design philosophies, to create exquisite digital lifestyle products.



Gracing the launch event was brand principal and Hong Kong Haoco (hoco.) Technology’s General Manager, Gavin Ou and Cosmos Online Sdn Bhd’s Chairman Choong Sang Joo, Joining them at the official ribbon cutting ceremony were Lotyat Plaza’s Marcom & A&P Manager, Raymond Foo and a representative from Malaysia Mobile Communication Association (PPTM).



Its products include accessories for Apple, Samsung, HTC, MEIZU and other major brands. ”hoco.” has also established an excellent reputation in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, North America, the Middle East, Europe and other regions across the globe, and has become a leading brand in the digital accessories market space.



“hoco.” is targeted at the mid to high-end market with a significant product range, and is user-friendly in design, fashionable and comes with excellent build quality. If you are looking for exquisite, “hoco.” makes it for you.



Other than phone accessories, we are quite impressed with the range of sports audio products offered by “hoco.”

Go check 'em out today.
















For more info, please visit https://www.facebook.com/hocomalaysia/ or http://www.hocomalaysia.com/estore/

Show Room:
Ug-46 Plaza LowYat, 7, Jalan Bintang, Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur

#RuntheworldwithMongChin on A+E NETWORKS®’ LIFETIME® ASIA

Kuala Lumpur, 17 July 2018 - A+E Networks’ LIFETIME Asia is set to air its brand new six-part, digital-first original production, WHO RUNS THE WORLD WITH MONG CHIN on 23 July 2018. Hosted by popular Singaporean social media influencer, Yeoh Mong Chin, the highly-anticipated series takes her on an epic adventure – six runs in six Southeast Asian countries over eight weeks: Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines and Vietnam. The series marks the latest partnership between A+E Networks’ LIFETIME Asia and Canon.

Relay for Life Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia’s Largest Cancer Event to Celebrate Caregivers

Kuala Lumpur, 29 June 2018 – the nation’s largest cancer celebratory and remembrance evening is back for its 12th year at Dataran Petaling Jaya.

Relay for Life (RFL) Kuala Lumpur, organised by the National Cancer Society of Malaysia, will celebrate the most important people in a cancer patient’s life: caregivers. Previously held for 16 hours, the duration of this year’s relay has been shortened to eight hours.

UNIQLO Announces Unique Partnership with Roger Federer as Global Brand Ambassador

Tokyo, Japan, and London, UK, 2 July 2018 - UNIQLO, the Japanese global apparel retailer, announces today a partnership with Roger Federer, the greatest tennis player of all-time and one of the world’s most influential and universally admired people, as its newest Global Brand Ambassador. The new partnership means that Mr. Federer will represent UNIQLO at all tennis tournaments throughout the year, starting with The Championships, Wimbledon 2018.

Commenting on the announcement, Tadashi Yanai, UNIQLO Founder and Chairman, President & CEO of Fast Retailing, said, “Mr. Federer is one of the greatest champions in history; my respect for him goes beyond sport. Our partnership will be about innovation on and off court. We share a goal of making positive change in the world, and I hope together we can bring the highest quality of life to the greatest number of people. UNIQLO will help Mr. Federer continue taking tennis to new places, while exploring innovations in a number of areas including technology and design with him.”

Mr. Federer said, “I am deeply committed to tennis and to winning championships. But like UNIQLO, I also have great love for life, culture and humanity. We share a strong passion to have a positive impact on the world around us and look forward to combining our creative endeavors.”

UNIQLO enters the partnership inspired by the past accomplishments of Mr. Federer and his previous partners. While respectful of new standards they set together, UNIQLO is not a sports company. UNIQLO describes itself as a life company that creates LifeWear, thoughtful everyday apparel with a practical sense of beauty, and constantly improved through craftsmanship and technology. With today’s announcement, LifeWear has a new champion.

Design
Roger Federer’s game wear for Wimbledon 2018 was designed at the UNIQLO Paris R&D Center, led by Artistic Director Christophe Lemaire. Instead of the classic polo shirt or crewneck style collar, UNIQLO reflected Roger Federer’s preference for a short stand-up collar to emphasize a more sophisticated look both on and off court. The design of the shirt and shorts is accented by a burgundy color line - incorporated at the edge of the sleeves and the front panel of the shirt, and down the sides of the shorts - to highlight the company's corporate color, especially at the launch of the partnership.

Highly Functional Dry EX Material Trusted by Top Athletes
Jointly developed by UNIQLO and Toray Industries, Dry EX features a special arched structure that dries faster than ordinary dry function material, preventing the steamy and sticky feeling due to perspiration and keeping a comfortable feel during play. The raised structure is well suited to the strenuous movements of tennis. Highly breathable mesh has been used in areas that accumulate sweat, helping to avoid overheating and allowing the athletes to be at their very best during competition.

The UNIQLO Global Brand Ambassador Program
UNIQLO partners with world-leading people to promote its brand and LifeWear globally. Reflecting core UNIQLO values, Global Brand Ambassadors embrace challenge in pursuit of the highest possible achievement. They are universally admired for their integrity and character, and for the optimism, respect and humility they demonstrate to all.

UNIQLO combines the expert professional insight of its Global Brand Ambassadors with its most advanced proprietary technologies, creating apparel that supports human performance at the highest level, while also bringing greater comfort and functionality to the everyday lives of its customers. In addition, UNIQLO works with its brand ambassadors to promote community engagement and development initiatives around the world.

In addition to Roger Federer, the UNIQLO Global Brand Ambassadors today are Kei Nishikori (Tennis), Shingo Kunieda and Gordon Reid MBE (Wheelchair Tennis) and Adam Scott (Golf).