Lowyat.NET: Latest topics by Michaelbyz23

[WTS] Canon EF50mm f1.2 L (RM2xxx)

Michaelbyz23 — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 17:38:49 +0800

Item(s): Canon EF50mm f1.2L

Package includes: lens, lens hood, B+W UV filter, lens cap (no box)

Price: RM2888 (negotiable, until let go)

Warranty: Nil

Dealing method: Delivery / COD

Location: Kuching

Contact method/details: PM / whatsapp
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Item(s) conditions: 9/10 tip top condition

Picture:

Reason for sale:
Quit photography, letting go most of my gears.

Air Borneo

Michaelbyz23 — Wed, 12 Feb 2025 18:51:37 +0800

Air Borneo is the name given to the historical acquisition of MASWing by Sarawak State today.

Are you excited to fly to Sarawak?

How much is your house?

Michaelbyz23 — Thu, 22 Aug 2024 09:00:14 +0800

Housing price is going up every year. While it's good to see price appreciation as homeowners, it is also getting more unaffordable by the years for homeseekers.

How much did you pay for your own stay house? Has the price gone up since?

Can the Ringgit Recover? CNA documentary

Michaelbyz23 — Tue, 07 May 2024 22:03:26 +0800

[YOUTUBE]9EPaocxnwHM[/YOUTUBE]

Dato LCW Touching interview

Michaelbyz23 — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 22:41:08 +0800

[youtube]fH3ChX3hi6g[/youtube]

Singaporean buying medication in Malaysia

Michaelbyz23 — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 21:44:10 +0800

[YOUTUBE]V1sWFzpuwwU[/YOUTUBE]

LYN BYD Owners' Club

Michaelbyz23 — Sun, 15 Oct 2023 22:16:48 +0800

Welcome to BYD Malaysia Owner's Club!

Feel free to share your BYD journey, photos, stories, experiences here!

Cuti Cuti Kuching Sarawak

Michaelbyz23 — Sat, 07 Oct 2023 13:14:51 +0800

[YOUTUBE]Qf17waDXC1Q[/YOUTUBE]

Recent launch of the Hydrogen Powered ART

Michaelbyz23 — Sun, 10 Sep 2023 10:54:48 +0800

[YOUTUBE]mGVwCcr3IGA[/YOUTUBE]

Xinhua Video

What are your thoughts on this?
Will it rejuvenate and transform the Kuching city landscape and transportation mode, while reducing traffic congestions in the city?

Sarawak can be ‘battery’ of Asean

Michaelbyz23 — Wed, 06 Sep 2023 23:00:26 +0800

[youtube]b871QZ1vtsA[/youtube]

KUCHING (Sept 6): Sarawak can play a central role in progressing regional energy transition by sharing its hydropower-based resources with regional neighbours via interconnections, said Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.

Abang Johari believes Sarawak can be the ‘battery’ of the Southeast Asia (Asean) region and interconnections are one of the ways for the region to achieve regional net zero and energy transition targets.

“Sarawak is in a prime central location in Southeast Asia, on Borneo’s northeast coast sharing our borders with Indonesian Kalimantan on the island of Borneo as well as Brunei and the Malaysian state of Sabah.”

The premier said this at the opening ceremony of the Sarawak Energy’s Sustainability and Renewable Energy Forum (Saref) 3.0 at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here.

As a first step towards realising the Borneo power grid, the state established its first interconnection with West Kalimantan in Indonesia in 2016, he added.

“Building upon this strong relationship established with our Indonesian neighbours, Sarawak Energy is progressing the Mentarang Induk Hydroelectric Project or Mihep in North Kalimantan via a joint venture company with our Indonesian partners.”

Other discussions and agreements about interconnections are also progressing well, with the signing of power exchange and interconnection agreement with Sabah in 2021 involving the initial export of 30 megawatt (MW) to 50MW of electricity over a 15-year period.

An agreement currently being negotiated is electricity export to Brunei, he said.

As for exporting electricity to Singapore, Abang Johari said the state government, together with its Singapore partners Sembcorp International and Singapore Power Group, has completed a comprehensive technical study and the commercial negotiations are in the advantage stage.

Among the plans is the laying of undersea power cables directly linking Sarawak to Singapore.

“Collectively, the projects are vital building blocks for the aforementioned Asean Power Grid and in pursuing them, I believe Sarawak can become the battery of Asean, helping to link power grids across the region,” said Abang Johari.

He lauded the federal government’s decision to lift the ban on cross-border trade in renewable energy in May this year.

Nonetheless, Abang Johari urged all member states of Asean to work closely together to realise the objectives of environmental sustainability in the face of global warming and climate crisis.

“Cooperation, communication and understanding are essential if we are to see collective success for Southeast Asia. As policymakers, we must do our part, providing the necessary political frameworks and programmes to facilitate public-private partnerships and encourage collective action,” he said.

The Borneo Post

Sarawak Metro ART Launched today

Michaelbyz23 — Wed, 06 Sep 2023 22:51:15 +0800

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First ART running on Green Hydrogen in the World launched by Premier of Sarawak today.

KUCHING (Sept 6): Sarawak has ordered 38 units of Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART) vehicles to transform the state’s public transportation system, said Premier Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.

He explained these ART vehicles will arrive from China upon the successful completion of the Kuching Isthmus engineering run and Proof-of-Concept (POC) exercise.

He however did not reveal the costs involved for the purchase of the 38 ART vehicles.

“This (the hydrogen-powered prototype ART vehicle) one has arrived and it will be followed by the rest when we complete the POC. Once it (POC) is done successfully, then the rest will be coming,” he told a press conference after the official launch of the engineering run and Stage 2 of the POC exercise for the prototype ART vehicle here today.

He and several members of the Sarawak cabinet including Deputy Premiers Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas and Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian, went on a test ride of the prototype ART vehicle together with other invited guests, along the engineering run route at the Kuching Isthmus

According to Abang Johari, the 38 ART vehicles will provide efficient coverage of the three ART lines in Kuching, namely the Red Line, Green Line and Blue Line.

To a question, he said the commercial run of the ART will begin by the end of the year of 2025

He revealed there will be a trial period before the commencement of the commercial run.

“But don’t complain during the trial. Some people already complained it is like a big bus. It is really a big bus, a combination hybrid of bus and train. But for me, as long as it can accommodate big volume of passengers, and it runs on schedule and affordable,” he said.

He also said the fare for the ART upon its commencement of service will be decided later and he pledged it will not be a burden to the public.

“Initially there will be special fare to encourage people to use public transport,” he said.

He also said the stations for the ART will be developed under the Sarawak model, and not necessarily follow the model already used in Kuala Lumpur (KL) public transportation model.

“We will not follow KL, we will have our own Sarawak model which is convenient to the public. There will be hydrogen feeder buses for those going to and exiting the station, which will ease traffic congestion and will be convenient for those coming from Samarahan going to Kuching.

“If follow KL, ‘susah’ (difficult). Do you remember KL used to have those mini buses,” he said.

He also said the ART system represents the investment put in by the Sarawak government in transforming the public transportation which will benefit the people in the long run.

He also believed this will enable the development of housing estates where public transport is convenient.

“It will be connecting Samarahan up to Kuching. The benefit is this – 1, it will be used by the public; 2, the low income people will be able to have a flexible and affordable mobility within Kuching; 3, it is also tourist friendly meaning they can go to a destination using ART such going from Kuching to Damai; and 4, the fare is going to be consistent and payment can be made through SPay Global which is convenient,” he said.

Describing the test ride today, he said it was comfortable despite there were many passengers on board the three carriages.

“There were many passengers but it was a test. So it was running quite well,” he said.

To a question, he said the ART tram can be extended from the normal three carriages to a maximum five per vehicle if there is demand.

He also said special compartments can be considered for those bringing livestock and plants, after he was asked on needs for passengers who wanted to bring back durians from Serian.

The Borneo Post

Yesterday RAINed, today Bulan landed

Michaelbyz23 — Sat, 05 Aug 2023 13:23:13 +0800

Happening weeks for Sarawak.

Sarawak Maju Makmur 60 Tahun Merdeka

Michaelbyz23 — Sun, 30 Jul 2023 08:02:27 +0800

Some photos from Perarakan Kapal Berhias in conjunction with Celebration of Sarawak's 60th Merdeka yesterday.

photo credit

Selamat Hari Sarawak Ke-60

Michaelbyz23 — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 21:07:58 +0800

Happy Sarawak Day 2023!
Celebrating the 60th year of Independence since 22nd July 1963.

Source Wiki:

Sarawak Independence Day (Malay: Hari Kemerdekaan Sarawak) or Sarawak Day (Malay: Hari Sarawak) is the official independence day celebrated on 22 July annually by Sarawak, celebrating the establishment of de facto self-government and independence on 22 July 1963.

The official Sarawak Independence Day public holiday was gazetted by the government of Sarawak in 2016 to raise awareness about Sarawak's past and contributions of its past leaders. Despite this official name, there are those who still avoided using this title, due to lack of awareness of its legality (it is, in fact, officially gazetted), while some still argue about its historical accuracy, citing British legislation did not provide for an official, full independence.
Nonetheless, there was indeed a degree of de facto independence in the form of self-government ahead of it taking part in the founding of a new federation in the form of Malaysia with other partners.

The idea of a Sarawakian holiday was mooted by the Sarawak state government and citizens since 2012, after public discontent about the public holiday Hari Merdeka being too Malaya-centric.
The day was officially named Sarawak Independence Day and declared as a public holiday for the first time in 2016.
Although there have been persistent attempts to falsify the historical record for political purposes, it is incontrovertible that Sarawak as a British crown colony achieved independence on 16 September 1963 as a member state of the Malaysian Federation under the Malaysia legislation passed by the sovereign United Kingdom and Malayan Parliaments in July 1963.

600sqft studio for long term rent or airbnb

Michaelbyz23 — Wed, 31 May 2023 21:42:31 +0800

Hi guys,

Any idea if a 600sq studio apartment is sufficient to be partitioned into a 2 rooms for rental / airbnb purpose?

Anyone have similar sized and floor plan studio partitioned into 2 rooms? Can share your floor plans and photos? Would like to get some inspiration and see if it is feasible to invest in 1.

Thanks sifu!

600sq ft studio renovation ideas?

Michaelbyz23 — Wed, 31 May 2023 21:41:15 +0800

Hi guys,

Any idea if a 600sq studio apartment is sufficient to be partitioned into a 2 rooms for rental or aibnb purpose?

Anyone have similar sized and floor plan studio partitioned into 2 rooms? Can share your floor plans and photos? Would like to get some inspiration and see if it is feasible to invest in 1.

Thanks sifu!

Double Storey Terrace Renovation Journey 2

Michaelbyz23 — Sat, 24 Dec 2022 23:47:24 +0800

This is a double storey intermediate terrace built in the 1980's at the southern fast booming side of Kuching, Sarawak. It is just a stone's throw away from Saradise, BDC commercial area, 2 primary schools, KPJ, Stampark Swimming Pool, and a many other amenities. The house is just a 10 minutes drive away from Kuching International Airport.
The house is in a rather run down condition, that comes with an extended kitchen and carporch.

Specs:
Landsize - 3.78points / 153.2sqm / 1650sqft
Built size - 1600sqft (2 floors)
5 rooms (3 upstairs, 2 downstairs)
2 bathrooms
Park up to 2 cars

Structurally sound and solid for the original house as the ground is solid. No major cracks on the floor and walls of the original house structure. Upstairs floor is made of solid wood, while the walls are brick walls.

Job scope:

1. Demolish and replace carporch roof
2. Demolish and replace kitchen and dining area roof and ceiling
3. Hack and replace kitchen tiles
4. Replace all electrical wirings, plug points, and lightings
5. Replace all plumbing piping and fixtures
6. Renovate 2 bathrooms
7. Install 2 new windows
8. Install window grills and drain covers
9. Painting
10. Install 3 airconds
11. Cleaning up

Duration of works: ~7 weeks
Total cost of renovation + loose furnitures: RM57k
Purpose: Rental Investment (Rented in 3 days upon advertising)

Previous project

Shell Malaysia Upstream HQ in Miri by Aug 2023

Michaelbyz23 — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 21:46:38 +0800

The city where Shell started in 1910.

The City where Shell Upstream Headquarters Malaysia will be relocated back 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞 from Kuala Lumpur by 2023 with few thousand’s employees.

Source: https://dayakdaily.com/shell-malaysia-upstr...H5U8qap9pPJ8AQA

[WTS] Canon GI-790 Printer Ink

Michaelbyz23 — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 21:13:47 +0800

Item(s): Canon GI-790 Printer Ink

Package includes: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow (Full set)

Price: RM90

Warranty: Nil

Dealing method: COD / Postage

Location: Kuching

Contact method/details: DM me
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Item(s) conditions: New Sealed box

Picture:

Reason for sale: Upgraded printer, extra stocks.

Do you invest in property?

Michaelbyz23 — Sun, 12 Jun 2022 15:40:29 +0800

Hi,

Do you invest in property?

In view of ever surging building material costs, labor costs, land costs, compliance costs, will you continue to invest in property in Malaysia? And why?

For those who don't, do you rent? Or do you own your own home?