BERITA SUNWAY | SEP—DEC 2018 | 1

B E R I T A

ISSUE 63 | SEP - DEC 2018KDNPP 5365/10/2012 (031031)

WONDER WOMEN OF SUNWAY

Mums in the Sun share their unique dual identities

CHAMPIONING ZERO WASTE IN

MALAYSIAZero Waste Malaysia

founder Aurora Tin shares the goal

and benefits of zero waste

DEFYING STEREOTYPESWorkers in jobs typically associated with the opposite sex speak on gender equality

CONNECTING THE DOTS FOR WORLD-CLASS

STARTUPSSunway iLabs played host to the inaugural

Startup World Cup Malaysia

LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR SUSTAINABILITYSunway’s NeuPave ― the environmentally-friendly flooring solution for weather-induced problems

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ON THE COVER Wonder Women of

Sunway 8 Mum’s in the Sun

share their unique dual identities

ISSUE 63 | SEP—DEC 2018CONTENTS FROM THE SENIOR MANAGEMENT’S DESK

ADVISORSYBhg Tan Sri Datuk Seri Razman M. HashimJane Poh

EDITORIAL BOARDYap Shi Hanyapsh@sunway.com.mySarah Chew Suan Meisarahcsm@sunway.com.myLim May Kwoonlimmk@sunway.com.myAnis Shakirah Mohd Musliminanissmm@sunway.com.my

PUBLISHERSunway Group BrandMarketing & Communications

REGISTERED ADDRESSSunway Management Sdn BhdLevel 16, Menara SunwayJalan Lagoon TimurBandar Sunway47500 Selangor Darul EhsanMalaysiaTel: +603 5639 8889URL: www.sunway.com.my

BERITA SUNWAY IS ATRI-ANNUAL PUBLICATION.The views and opinions expressed or implied in Berita Sunway are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Sunway Group. Unsolicited transparencies and articles are sent at owner’s risk and the Publisher accepts no liability for loss or damage.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ©Copyright 2017by Sunway Group Brand Marketing & Communications.

Should you wish to be on our mailing list, contact us at:

Sunway Group Brand Marketing & CommunicationsLevel 18 Menara SunwayJalan Lagoon Timur, Bandar Sunway47500 Selangor Darul Ehsan, MalaysiaTel: +603 5639 8793/8059

Send us your feedback at groupbrandmarketing@sunway.com.my

Design by ADASIA (M) SDN BHD

Printed on environmentally-friendly paper.

Information is correct at the time of printing.

FROM THE SENIOR MANAGEMENT’S DESK

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT (ICYMI) Connecting the Dots for World-class Startups4 Sunway iLabs played host

to the inaugural Startup World Cup Malaysia

Rewriting the Future of Malaysia5 Sunway-Oxbridge Essay

Competition attracts 70% more entries this year

Spreading Raya Cheer All Around6 Sunway Group blesses the

poor and marginalised with its biggest Raya Cheer celebration yet

AWARDSAchievement Unlocked 10 Sunway’s

recognitions in Q4 2018

FEATURESSDG 5 Gender Equality: Voices of Sunway 11 Sunway Group female

employees share their take on gender equality

Championing Zero Waste in Malaysia12 Zero Waste Malaysia

founder Aurora Tin shares the goal and benefits of zero waste

Laying the Groundwork for Sustainability14 Sunway’s NeuPave ― the

environmentally-friendly flooring solution for weather-induced problems

Defying Stereotypes15 Workers in jobs typically

associated with the opposite sex speak on gender equality

As a working mother, I am no stranger to societal expectations placed on

women to stay at home to care for their families, even at the expense of sacrificing their careers. Without proper support for working mothers at the office, companies will risk losing promising female staff, as well as failing to attract new employees who seek work life balance.

Therefore, it is essential for every company to have talent retention and incentive programmes to ensure women are empowered

with equal opportunities at the workplace to succeed in both work and life. In fact, women account for only 15.2% of directors within the Malaysian corporate sector, ranking among the lowest in the world in terms of female labour force participation.

I am proud to be a part of Sunway Group because as one of Malaysia’s largest conglomerates, we have the power to actively influence and contribute towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, specifically SDG 5: Gender Equality. Sunway has taken great strides in introducing an inclusive

work environment for both women and men alike, trying our best to contribute to our nation’s advancement in gender equality. We achieved the Workplace Gender Equality Award in 2016 for the Workplace Flexibility and Support category.

Since then, Sunway has continued to chart progress for gender equality across all business units. We have developed the Executive Development Programme and Cross Company Mentoring and Industry Exchange Programmes, which helped increase the representation of women in

Sunway’s Management team from 36% in 2015 to 39% in 2017. We also recognise that male employees deserve paternity leave, as both parents should be given time off work to bond with their newborns and respective partners during this important milestone in family life.

In this issue of Berita Sunway, we will be highlighting SDG 5: Gender Equality as we continue to strive towards achieving diversity in the workplace and shaping a society that embraces gender equality. Let’s get the conversation going and walk the talk.

We may live in the 21st century, a time where technological advancement and globalisation have empowered the human race to achieve amazing feats and defy limits once considered impossible. At the same time, there is also much to be done to improve diversity and inclusion in the workplace, including gender diversity — a focus of this month’s issue of Berita Sunway.

SARENA CHEAHManaging Director of Property Development Division, Malaysia/Singapore

FROM THE TOP: GENDER EQUALITY

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Drawing on the imagination of the young, the recent Sunway-Oxbridge

Essay Competition attracted more than 3,763 entries from 388 secondary schools nationwide, compared to last year’s 2,205 entries.

The competition was organised by the Sunway Group, the Oxford and Cambridge Society Malaysia (Oxbridge), The Jeffrey Cheah Foundation, Sunway University and Monash University Malaysia, with the support of the Ministry of Education and Sunway PALS.

A total of 13,740 entries were received over the

past five years since the inception of the competition in 2014. SMK Infant Jesus Convent (M) Johor had the most number of entries with 552 entry submissions.

This year, students were tasked to share their vision for Malaysia in 2050 as well as their respective roles in fulfilling that vision.

With the encouragement of her English teacher and parents, Soh Zoh Lynn of SMK Bandar Damansara joined the competition and clinched first prize in Category A (Form 1 to Form 3), winning RM5,000 prize money and a Sunway bursary worth up to RM26,000.

Soh, a school debater, credited her habit of reading newspapers and her debating experience for her win. Hilman Irfan of Kolej Melayu Kuala Kangsar took home second prize in the same category.

As there was no first prize awarded in Category B (Form 4 and Form 5), Sujendra Kumar A/L Nadarahan of SMK USJ 12 won second prize, followed by joint third prize winners Aaron Azree Bin Kamarul Azman of Maktab Rendah Sains Mara in Kuala Kubu Bharu, and Jonathan Loh Kah Hoong of SMK USJ 12.Sunway Group Deputy Chairman YBhg Tan Sri Razman M. Hashim said the competition was one of Sunway Group’s

platforms to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 4, which is to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning for all.

ICYMI

CONNECTING THE DOTS FOR WORLD-CLASS STARTUPS

With a userbase of over 6,000 from more than

50 countries, Runcloud.io emerged as winner of the Startup World Cup Malaysia 2018.

Organised by Fenox Venture Capital in partnership with Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDeC), Malaysia Digital Hub and Sunway iLabs, the event was held in Sunway iLabs with the aim of connecting local startups to resources

in Silicon Valley.

The Malaysian edition is part of the Startup World Cup 2018, a global conference and pitch competition, carrying a US$1 million in investment prize money, that brings together top startups, venture capitalists, entrepreneurs and global tech CEOs.

Founded by Arif Tukiman, Amir Fazwan and Ahamad Fikrizaman in 2012, Runcloud.io aims to simplify the arduous process of setting up, managing and

monitoring cloud servers.

The team won flight tickets and the opportunity to attend workshops, a networking party, and represent Malaysia at the Grand Finale of the Startup World Cup in Silicon Valley in May this year.

Among the judges on the panel included Sun Sea Capital Venture Principal Chua Seng Teong, Leonie Hill Capital Head of Investments (technology media and telecom sector) Thoo Wee Meng, MDEC Head of Funding Ecosystem

Balasubramaniam, Jirnexu Founder and Director Hann Liew; Captii Ventures’ CEO SaiKit Ng, Sunway iLabs Director Matt van Leeuwen, and SEA Regional Manager of Fenox Venture Capital Retno Dewati.

“Connecting Malaysian startups to the vast resources of Silicon Valley and other global markets is one of the key goals of Sunway iLabs, as we believe it will bring substantial value to entrepreneurs,” said van Leeuwen.

NURTURING YOUNG MINDS FOR THE NATION

Sunway-Oxbridge Essay Competition attracts 70% more entries this year

‘‘ ‘‘Education is a fundamental human right and at the heart for progress for Malaysia. Sustainable prosperity for the nation depends on skilled and educated workers. Education can help conquer poverty, climate change and help us achieve long-lasting progress in decades to come. With partnership, leadership and wise investments in education, we can transform individual lives, national economies and our world.

YBHG TAN SRI RAZMAN M. HASHIMSunway Group Deputy Chairman

Sunway iLabs recently played host to the inaugural Startup World Cup Malaysia

BERITA SUNWAY | SEP—DEC 2018 | 5

‘‘ ‘‘ICYMI

In the spirit of giving, Sunway Group launched its #sunwayforgood Raya Cheer 2018 project ahead of Hari Raya this year.

The month-long community outreach was the largest Hari Raya initiative yet for Sunway, which touched the lives of 4,500 underserved individuals in 'B40' groups across 13 locations in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Penang.

Given the extensive reach of Raya Cheer this year, Sunway teamed up with external partners such as Malaysian Red Crescent, Selangor Youth (SAY) Community, Lembaga Zakat Selangor, Merck, the Penang State Exco and five masjid committees in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Penang.

Since 2001, Sunway has impacted over 100,000 lives by celebrating the

festive seasons of Hari Raya, Chinese New Year and Deepavali with underserved communities.

This is in line with the company’s commitment to achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals of ending hunger and poverty, as well as reducing inequalities.

The Raya Cheer 2018 celebrations kicked off with Sunway volunteers distributing 4,000 containers of bubur lambuk to communities around Masjid Al Husna in Bandar Sunway, Surau Rabiul Awal in Sentul, Surau Al-Majib in Cheras, Masjid Seberang Jaya in Seberang Jaya, and Masjid Kapitan Keling in George Town, Penang.

Sustainable development can only happen when we all can come together to accomplish these goals. Central to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is the need to promote inclusive societies, and our Raya Cheer campaign is our attempt to do just that.

SPREADING RAYA CHEER ALL AROUND

Sunway Group blesses the poor and marginalised with its biggest Raya Cheer celebration yet

Forty families identified in seven villages received groceries for their Hari Raya celebration preparations, worth RM 10,000 in total. The villages were Kampung Kundang, Tmn Mutiara, Kg Tanjung Sepat and Kg Tanjung Layang in Kuala Langat, and Kg Baru Lanjut, Salak Tinggi and Desa Salak Gemilang 1 in Sepang.

For more details about Sunway’s commitment to the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, check out www.sunwayforgood.com

TAN SRI DATUK SERI RAZMAN HASHIMSunway Group Deputy Chairman

In June, Sunway hosted 270 children from eight orphanages for a fun-filled Hari Raya-themed day. Receiving clothes and duit raya amounting to a total of RM67,500, the children spent quality time with Sunway volunteers during a shopping trip for baju raya at Sunway Pyramid, and doing activities together. The fun day out also included making notebooks, bags and balloons with Sunway’s partner NGO, Golden Opportunities for the Learning Disabled (GOLD), and a cupcake decorating session by Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa.

The children were treated to a special iftar meal with Her Royal Highness, the Queen of Selangor, DYMM Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin binti Abdul Rahman.

The eight orphanages handpicked by SAY Community and Lembaga Zakat Selangor were Pertubuhan Kebajikan Ehsan Ash-Shakur, Rumah Kebajikan Anak Yatim Al-Munirah, Rumah Amal Baitul, Persatuan Rumah Anak Yatim Damai Kuang,

Rahoma Darul Fakir, Rumah Kasih Harmoni, Pertubuhan Amal Rumah Anak Yatim

dan Hidayah Al-Hijrah, and Rumah Amal Al-Firdaus.

BERITA SUNWAY | SEP—DEC 2018 | 76 | BERITA SUNWAY | SEP—DEC 2018

*B40 refers to the bottom 40% of households with a monthly income of RM3,900 or less.

ON THE COVER

Being a working mother has always been a life goal for Chan, who wanted

to build a successful career and start a family when she joined Sunway Medical Centre a decade ago.

“I’m a more all-rounded person and equipped mother when I’m working full-time. More importantly, I can become a positive role model for my two daughters aged 5 and 9. From a young age, they can see that women can tackle it all,”she says.

She sums up her challenges as a working mother in two words –“always rushing.”

“You can’t be in control of time during emergencies – I find myself rushing to pick up my children after a late meeting at work, or having to call in late to work because one child suddenly throws up. There’s also less timefor my personal interests as any free time is either spent with family or to catch up on work,”she explains.

Juggling motherhood and her career is stressful, but

having a good support system helps lighten the load, says Chan.

“As working mothers in Asia, we bear the responsibilities of building our careers, raising our children and caring for our aging parents. I am grateful that I have very supportive parents who are still keen to take care of my children when my husband and I are at work,”she says.

But being a hospital staff at Sunway Medical Centre has its perks, such as easy access to top healthcare professionals and good

medical coverage for the family.

“Sunway Medical Centre’s breastfeeding initiatives such as their support groups and hotline were helpful in preparing and aiding me when I was fully breastfeeding my child. My workplace also has breastfeeding rooms which employees can use,” she says.

Lastly, don’t strive to be a ‘supermum’ – just be your child’s mother,”she says.

Azmi has never imagined a life without a job – she’s

been working since she was a teenager. The mother of four says she works not just to support her family financially, but also because she enjoys it.

As a working mother, Azmi says she feels the pressure to be “the right kind of mother” who is on top of things and keeps the family organised, in addition to meeting job demands.

There are also feelings of guilt and stress for having to divide her attention between work and family, she adds.

“The key is to focus on a plan, get organised and find the right balance between profession and parenthood. Rather than dwell on how you’re not with your child, think about how your role in the company is benefitting the family – perhaps you can afford to pay for certain educational opportunities for your children or afford to give them a better quality of life,” she says.

Working in Sunway for the past 12 years has helped Azmi’s journey as a working mother in many ways.

“My manager is very understanding and we always chat about the challenges we face, how we can resolve them and how to align company goals with work-life balance,” she says.

Sunway’s facilities such as a dedicated lactation room for expressing breast milk, and the company offering flexible working hours for mothers, is also much appreciated.

“I can arrange my time around picking up my children from school and nursery. Besides having a medical card for my spouse and children, cashless visits at panel clinics or the hospital is very helpful, given the

rising cost of medical care,” says Azmi.

Besides medical benefits, Azmi also enjoys staff discounts in education and makes use of the Kelab Sukan Sunway facilities to de-stress through exercise. “I can’t be an effective mother or employee if my mind is tired, so I must manage my energy well and take time to relax too,” she says.

“For working mothers, I feel it’s not about striving for a perfect balancing act but rather integrating all aspects of life so you can bring your whole self to everything you do,” she says.

SHANIZ CHANSenior Manager of Corporate Communications,

Sunway Medical Centre

ANA NOFITA AZMISenior Property ExecutiveSunway Property & Facilities Management

TAKING THE WHOLEHEARTED APPROACH TO LIFE

TEH MYSARA ZULKIFLISenior Executive, Jeffrey Cheah Foundation

GIVING HER BEST

A ROLE MODEL FOR HER DAUGHTERS

For Teh, being a working mother makes her a better mother. “I have

tasted both worlds [of being a working mother and stay-at-home mother] and I think I work better when I have to multitask as a mother and an employee. You learn to adjust and anticipate challenges – this makes you become a better mom,” says Teh who joined Sunway in October last year.

As a working mother, Teh worries about her child’s wellbeing whenever she is away from him. “Then

there’s juggling between work and house chores, meeting deadlines and the guilt of not being there for my son when he needs me,” she says.

To cope with the demands, Teh usually makes plans ahead of time – planning family meals a day before, and ironing the clothes on Sunday night for the following week.

“Work is part and parcel of life. As a mother, you give your best every day to make the best of any circumstance. It may not turn out as what you have

planned but at the end of the day, you know you have given your best,” she says.

Teh considers herself blessed to have understanding colleagues at work, especially at times when she has to focus on her child due to sickness or regarding school arrangements. While it has not been a bed of roses as a working mother, she says she will not have it any other way.

“People expect us to be perfect mothers

and quick to scrutinise when we are unable to meet our children’s best interests. A little empathy will go a long way. Society needs to start recognising that women also play a major part in contributing to a greater nation. What we need to excel professionally is to be given a fair chance to prove our capabilities and the assurance that employers care for our wellbeing,” she says.

Whether at home or at work, there is always unfinished business – especially for a working mother who switches intermittently between her role of caring for her family and advancing her career. Berita Sunway speaks to three working mothers in Sunway Group on their unique dual identities.

WONDER WOMEN OF SUNWAY

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AWARDS FEATURES

4. Sunway Property won two awards at The Star Property Awards 2018, bringing home the All-Star Awards – Top Ranked Developers of the Year, and the Five Elements Award for Sunway Iskandar.

7. Sunway Velocity Mall was awarded the 2018 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence – a testament to its quality and consistency as reviewed by TripAdvisor travellers over the last 12 months.

1. The Sunway Le Cordon Bleu Institute of Culinary Arts

was accorded the Award of Excellence for the second time at the World Gourmet Summit

2018, with pastry chef instructor Florian Guillemenot clinching the title of the Best Regional

Pastry Chef.

2. Sunway Medical Centre (SunMed) received three honours at the Global Health and Travel Awards 2018 – Medical Tourism Hospital of the Year in Asia Pacific, Oncology Service Provider of the Year in Asia Pacific and Neurology Service Provider of the Year in Asia Pacific – cementing its status as one of the top hospitals in the region.

SunMed was also named Healthcare CSR Company of the Year 2018 by Frost & Sullivan at the 14th annual Malaysia Excellence Awards, in recognition of the hospital’s health campaigns such as ‘Let’s Take 5’ and the ongoing ‘Let’s ACE (Attack Cancer Effectively)’.

5. Recognising its focus on innovative green goods, Sunway Paving Solutions was bestowed the Honour Award – Landscape Green Products Award under the ‘Landscape Supplier or Manufacturer’ category at the Malaysia Landscape Architecture Awards 2018.

6. Sunway Berhad was named as one of the Top 10 Developers by the BCI Asia Awards 2018. The win was based on the highest value of projects under construction during the year, weighted by the extent of its sustainability efforts.

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3. Sunway Property & Facilities Management took home the Gold Award for Menara Sunway in the ‘Non-Strata Office Development of More than 10 Years’ category at EdgeProp Malaysia’s Best Managed Property Awards 2018.

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Goal No. 5 of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals is to achieve gender equality and to empower all women and girls.

But how does this aspiration translate into real life in Malaysia?

GENDER EQUALITY OFVOICES SUNWAY:

BERITA SUNWAY | SEP—DEC 2018 | 11

Both parents play an equally important role in child-raising and even in managing a household.

Cultural factors are a big part of the impediment towards gender equality, more so in Asia where there are gender stereotypes of men being the breadwinners and women as caregivers.

A woman’s career is as important as a man’s because women have much to contribute with their different skill set.

Organisations need to implement practices that advocate gender equality, such as promoting gender-neutral career paths, ensuring performance reviews are not prejudiced against working mothers and making gender equality a practice in talent recruitment.

SHANIZ CHANSenior Manager of Corporate CommunicationsSunway Medical Centre

I know a handful of female employees who would cringe at the thought of being identified as feminine – including myself. I have often encountered female lecturers who convince themselves to go barefaced although they are experts when it comes to make-up. We swap our decent, bright dresses for powerful grey suit trousers, subconsciously attempting to imitate our male counterparts. In our quest to be seen as strong, independent women, we subtly

conjure a stereotype for femininity.

Gender equality is embracing the fact that women should be respected for openly being their true selves – feminine or not. During lectures, instead of telling our girls to speak up and downplay their beauty, perhaps we should reconcile the fact that femininity is both a privilege and a gift.

ANGELICIA ANTHONY THANELecturer, Sunway Foundation Programme

ACCOLADES FOR ALLBeing a female employee in Sunway College is as good as being a male. I speak from experience, as all teaching faculty members are treated equally in allocations of privileges and opportunities. I am proud to say that we are part of a community that celebrates equality with no evidence of gender bias.

DR. SALLY ANNE MALAR S. PARAMANATHAUSMAT lecturer, Sunway College

I remember chatting with my lecturer about my future career goals and my desired position in the hospitality industry in the next 10 years. She told me it was impossible. After a while, my lecturer said, “It is because you are female.”

She went on to explain that most leaders in the industry were male due to their more rational nature – implying that men do a better job in separating their personal and professional life, allowing them to perform and lead better than women who are deemed more

emotional.

While I do not disagree entirely with her viewpoint, I am not inclined to agree with it either. I believe this does not apply to everyone, as all of us are born with different personalities. Everyone deserves a chance to prove that they are the right fit for any job position, whether male or female.

LIONG JIA ENInternLearning & Development Department Sunway Group

‘‘ ‘‘

FEATURES

12 | BERITA SUNWAY | MAY—AUG 2018

CHAMPIONING ZERO WASTE

IN MALAYSIA

Small steps go a long way when it comes to living the zero waste lifestyle

Zero waste products consist of items that promote the 5R philosophy of “Refuse, Reuse, Reduce, Recycle and Rot.” This ranges from 100% compostable items – bamboo toothbrushes with bristles made of horsehair, loofah sponges, silk dental floss and wooden cotton buds – to products that encourage reuse instead of single-use – glass or stainless steel straws, tiffin carriers, cloth sanitary pads, menstrual cups, beeswax food wrappers and glass jars, to name a few.

While zero waste is still at a nascent stage in Malaysia, there are now more stores selling food in bulk quantities without plastic packaging and zero waste items to help people get started in their zero waste journeys, says Tin. ZWM has developed Asia’s first zero waste map, which lists more than 400 businesses and organisations that provide zero waste products and services in Malaysia.

“The biggest barrier to this movement is how to spread the word in the fastest, most effective way. We believe that with the growth of the community, our voices as consumers and citizens will be heard by corporations and the government, and changes will take place,” she says.

ZERO WASTE IS FOR EVERYONE

She says the biggest misconception about a zero waste lifestyle is that it is a “lifestyle for the rich.”

People think that zero waste equates to buying fancy eco products at a higher price, when in fact, a zero waste lifestyle can save people money. Saying no to free water bottles doesn’t cost a single cent; neither does reusing things nor refusing single-use products. Building a compost bin out of an old pail or bucket does not cost one anything.

Majority of the ZWM members are women, indicating that women play a key role in advancing the adoption of zero waste lifestyles in Malaysia.

“There are also more women entrepreneurs running online businesses plying zero waste products,” says Tin.

In terms of personal hygiene, Tin says women who switch to menstrual cups or reusable cotton sanitary pads can save up to 15,000 disposable pads in their lifetime.

“The price for these two products range from RM100 to RM300. As these products have a lifespan of up to 10 years compared to disposable pads, these zero waste products can save a woman thousands of ringgit,” she says. Since she embarked on zero waste living, Tin’s household expenses have dropped by 40%.

“Zero waste is inclusive because no matter your age, income level, religion, location or background, you can always find a way to reduce your waste – one step at a time,” she says.

Citing the ‘Tak Nak Straw’ campaign as an example, Tin says, refusing a drinking straw may seem a like a small inconsequential action to many, but the impact is great. “One straw a day means 365 straws per year. Imagine if 30 million Malaysians said no to straws – what a huge impact it would make! It does not cost you money or time to say ‘no’ to a straw, and by doing so, you have removed one piece of trash from your life,” she says.

TAKING THE FIRST STEP

Tin believes the most challenging part of adopting a zero waste lifestyle is deciding to start the journey.

“Zero waste lifestyle is a journey to find better alternatives, and the good news is, we have almost all the alternatives we need in Malaysia to replace our trash. Malaysia is the paradise for the zero waste lifestyle – we still have traditional markets that supply food without packaging and Malaysians are easygoing and helpful to accommodate our zero waste requests,” says Tin.

One of the best ways to reduce waste is to avoid accumulating unnecessary items and to simplify one’s life.

“Instead of collecting stuff, it is more meaningful to collect memories. Instead of spending your weekend shopping for fast fashion clothes, we can spend our time learning new skills from DIY workshops, or travelling with friends and family. The money we spend on these activities creates higher value in terms of economic or personal growth. I can foresee that in the near future, our economy will be driven by services – skills, knowledge and experiences – and not material stuff,” she says.

BERITA SUNWAY | MAY—AUG 2018 | 13

Malaysians produce about 38,000 tonnes of waste per

day – most of which ends up in landfills. Mindful of the negative impact of trash towards the environment, Aurora Tin, founder of the non-profit organisation Zero Waste Malaysia (ZWM), decided to embark on a zero waste lifestyle in 2016 to reduce her trash.

In a span of two and a half years, the 30-year-old and her husband have reduced their household waste from 1.4 tonnes to less than 100g – small enough to fit into a 500ml jar.

“A zero waste lifestyle is about sending nothing to the landfill. We try our best to reduce our daily waste by applying the 5R principle to decision making – Refuse, Reuse, Reduce, Recycle and Rot,” explains Tin, who learnt about the concept through her job as an environmental journalist for a local Chinese newspaper.

ZERO WASTE: WHEN LESS IS MORE

Put simply, zero waste is a goal to reduce what we need, to reuse or recycle what we can, and to compost what we cannot – in a bid to remove waste from

being sent to the landfill or incinerator, in turn, limiting the greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.

The goal of zero waste is to move from a linear economy – where resources are consumed and then disposed of at the end of its lifecycle – to a circular economy, where resources can be recycled fully back into the system.

Tin credits Bea Johnson, who is internationally regarded as the pioneer of the zero waste lifestyle, as her inspiration for founding Zero Waste Malaysia in 2016.

Published in 2013, Johnson’s book, ‘Zero Waste Home’, documents how she and her family have lived trash-free since 2008.

Starting out as a Facebook group, ZWM is currently a registered non-profit organisation that serves as an online educational and resource platform for the community who are passionate about zero waste living in Malaysia.

With over 18,000 members, ZWM conducts zero waste events such as campaigns, talks, workshops and ‘zero waste markets’ which sell zero waste products, to raise awareness about zero waste living.

With its warm and humid equatorial climate,

Malaysia is prone to flash floods due to heavy rainfall. Malaysian road conditions also suffer from the wet weather, such as sunken roads, surface water runoff, potholes and ponding - the unwanted pooling of water on a flat surface. These safety hazards affect the everyday mobility and lives of Malaysians.

A product that addresses these issues is Sunway Paving Solutions’ NeuPave – an interlocking concrete paver that is uniquely designed with the environment in mind.

The first of its kind in the country, NeuPave is a water-permeable paver, allowing water to seep through the material to the soil underneath. With its porous nature, NeuPave pavers reduce the likelihood of flooding and ponding. NeuPave also promote groundwater recharge and reinforce the soil, which helps prevent erosion. Clients can choose from varying filtration levels, thickness, colours, shape profiles and finishes of NeuPave depending on

their usage.Using NeuPave also benefits property developers, as it provides 17 points under the Green Building Index (GBI). Developed by The Malaysian Institute of Architects and the Association of Consulting Engineers Malaysia, GBI is an environmental rating system for evaluating the environmental design and performance of Malaysian buildings — a higher number of accumulated points result in a higher environmental rating for the building.

Among the projects that feature NeuPave pavements include Kuala Lumpur Hospital, and residential developments Elmina

Garden and Canary Garden.Developed by Sunway Paving Solutions’ in-house research and development team over the course of three and a half years, NeuPave is manufactured in China and Malaysia.

The product is a reflection of Sunway’s commitment towards promoting environmental sustainability and achieving the 12th United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Sunway Paving Solutions was recently recognised for its green products, winning the Honour Award – Landscape Green Products Award under the ‘Landscape Supplier or Manufacturer’ category at the Malaysia Landscape Architecture Awards 2018.

How does it feel like to be part of the minority at the workplace? Berita Sunway talks to employees who work in jobs typically associated with the opposite sex to find out whether gender equality exists in the workplace.

Working with mostly male colleagues has never

intimidated Saimah Abdul Jalil, who was a policewoman before joining Sunway Control as a security officer in 2007.

"I had absolutely no fears or concerns when joining the control unit because everyone here has a mutual respect for one another,” she says. “This makes it very easy to integrate within the force, despite it being dominated by mostly men."

Women officers are better suited to handle cases involving female suspects

and victims, as it may be deemed inappropriate for male officers to interrogate or pat down the suspects, Saimah explains, adding that this is why the Sunway Group management stations female officers at Sunway University, Monash University Malaysia, Sun-U Residence, Sunway Monash Residence, Sunway Hotels and Sunway Malls.

“Equal representation is important because both genders can bring their own unique skills to complement their jobs. Women security officers use a gentle, more

caring approach towards suspects and victims to get required information. Men have a decisive approach to handling cases, as to complete a technical task,” she says.

At her workplace, Saimah observes that while there are more men holding managerial positions, she has not experienced any discrimination as a female employee, as her supervisors regard subordinates with an equal standing and treat women with respect. “When I first

started working in 2007, there were only about 20 other women patrolling in the whole of Sunway City. Now I see an almost equal amount of male and female officers in every station. Maybe there should be initiatives to help female officers rise up to more managerial positions, like a training programme or test requirement to precede a promotion to a higher position,” she says.

SAIMAH ABDUL JALILSecurity Officer, Sunway Control

MUTUAL RESPECT EMPOWERS WOMEN

DEFYING STEREOTYPES

FEATURES

14 | BERITA SUNWAY | MAY—AUG 2018

Specially designed for the tropical climate, Sunway’s NeuPave is the environmentally-friendly pavement solution for weather-induced problems.

LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR SUSTAINABILITY

BERITA SUNWAY | MAY—AUG 2018 | 15

Undeterred by the stereotype that nursing is a female profession,

Muhamad Alfateh Bin Yusoff joined Sunway Medical Centre as a wound care nurse this year, motivated by his desire to help others through his job.

He describes the nursing profession as, “universal as love itself.” “Nursing is associated with loving,

tender care and this is often pictured as a woman’s job – I beg to disagree. Anyone can carry out a nursing job so long as they have the passion and love to do it,” he says.

At his workplace, Alfateh says his supervisors and colleagues do not treat him differently from his female colleagues. However, gender discrimination comes in the form

of patients’ personal preferences – older female patients who prefer women nurses to attend to them, he says.

“A patient’s refusal does not mean a nurse is incompetent or not good enough to manage the patient. Some patients are

choosier and will refuse male nurses, so we have to prove our worth. Personally, I work on gaining the trust of not just the female nurses but the patients too. Then only can we work together without any discrimination,” says Alfateh.

The plus point in having men in the nursing profession is that being physically stronger, they are able to manage heavy lifting and help their teammates, says Alfateh, adding that male patients can be attended to by male nurses too.

MUHAMAD ALFATEH BIN YUSOFFWound Care Nurse, Diabetic Care Centre

GAINING THE TRUST OF ALL

HKL* Sunway Monash University*1 2

GREEN BUILDING INDEX POINTS FOR NEUPAVE

• Stormwatermanagement (up to 3 points)

• RecycledMaterialContent (1 point)

• RegionalMaterials (1 point)

• Rainwater Harvesting (up to 4 points)

• WaterRecycling (up to 2 points)

• WaterEfficientLandscaping (up to 2 points)

* Points allocation are subject to engineer'sspecificationsontheoverall permeability system.

16 | BERITA SUNWAY | SEP—DEC 2018