Friday, November 23, 2007

Association:Offer new air route

Friday November 23, 2007

A LANGKAWI-ALOR STAR air route should be introduced to give visitors a better transportation option in view of Visit Kedah Year next year, according to Matta's Kedah chapter.

Its vice chairman A. Gunasagaran said AirAsia or Firefly could service the untapped air route.

“I hope the authorities will look into this option,” he said in response to a recent announcement that the return ferry fare would be increased by RM10 (for Langkawi-Kuala Kedah route) and RM6 (for Langkawi-Kuala Perlis route) effective Dec 1.

The return ticket will cost RM46 for Kuala Kedah-Langkawi route (from RM36 currently) and RM36 for Kuala Perlis-Langkawi route (from RM30).

Gunasagaran said AirAsia and Firefly could offer cheaper fares during promotions.

“If we have other transport options between the island and mainland, it will break the ferry operators’ monopoly,” he said.

Gunasagaran said tourism players were disappointed with the increase in ferry fare, as it would adversely affect domestic tourist arrivals in the long run.

He said it would be better for the Kedah or Perlis government to run the ferry services.

Source: The Star

AirAsia Keen To Operate From Subang Airport

November 22, 2007 19:18 PM

SEPANG, Nov 22 (Bernama) -- AirAsia Bhd is keen to operate from the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport at Subang, a move that it says will enhance business and make the airport more competitive regionally.

AirAsia chief executive officer Datuk Tony Fernandes said today the company will do the necessary to help develop Subang airport.

It will be a good idea for the government to allow AirAsia to operate from Subang Airport, he told reporters after the company's annual general meeting here.

AirAsia had, among others, suggested that it too be allowed to operate from Subang just like community airline FireFly, a subsidiary of Malaysia Airlines (MAS).

Yesterday, Air Asia X chairman Datuk Seri Kalimullah Hassan was reported as saying that Malaysia needs a larger low-cost carrier terminal (LCCT) soon to accommodate the increasing passenger volume if it wants to become the regional hub for low-cost travel.

Fernandes said the Subang airport operations, apart from attracting more foreign investors to locate their businesses in Malaysia due to easier access to the Federal Capital, will also make it easier for foreigners to come here for medical, education and tourism reasons.

"Let's make Kuala Lumpur a relevant hub. If we are good and become a strong aviation player, there are so many aspects we can cater for, especially in the medical, tourism and education industries," he added.

"It is a fantastic cause-and-effect business. If we have our own airport close to town, it will attract more foreign investors and more visitors to Malaysia."

Fernandes also said that if AirAsia is allowed to operate from Subang Airport, the LCCT at Sepang can be converted into a cargo terminal.

Source: BERNAMA

Malaysia's Tourism Revenue Expected To Hit RM44.5 Billion This Year

November 22, 2007 17:40 PM

Minister of Tourism Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor (centre) at a press conference to announce the month-long sale which will be launched on Dec 1. Pix: Syed Muhammad Zahid

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 22 (Bernama) -- The tourist ringgit is expected to ring Malaysia's coffers to the tune of RM44.5 billion this year.

The figure, said Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, was based on the targeted 20.1 million tourist arrivals in the country.

He said it constituted an increase of RM8.3 billion compared with last year when the tourism revenue totalled RM36.2 billion.

"I'm confident of the total tourism revenue target, based on what tourists spent on shopping alone for the first six months of the year.

"Between January and June, tourists spent RM6.8 billion in tourist ringgit compared with RM3.6 billion for the same period last year, indicating an 86.3 per cent increase.

"I hope the Malaysia Year End Sale 2007 (M-YES) will help promote the country as a shopping haven," he told a news conference today to announce the month-long sale which will be launched on Dec 1.

The highlights of the sale include "It's a Girl Thing Shopping Fair" and a "Journey Through Time" watch and jewellery exhibition.

Tengku Adnan said: "We are looking at the various shopping trends of tourists to boost the sale.

"For example, tourists from India buy lots of electronic items while those from other countries spend on jewellery."

Singling out The Gardens and Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, the two newest shopping malls in the city, he said they could enhance a unique shopping experience for tourists.

He also said that a "Best Decorated Mall" contest with the theme "Christmas Magic" would be held on Dec 5-26 to encourage participating malls in the Klang Valley to create the best possible festive shopping ambience.

"We hope the shopping malls will put on a good show to lure more customers as we are working with the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry to encourage funding for window dressing, among others," he added.

On extending the "late night sales" past midnight for selected malls nationwide during the M-YES event, Tengku Adnan said it would depend on the response of shoppers.

Source: BERNAMA

Debate over Kelantan tourism promotion

Thursday November 22, 2007

TOURISM promotion was the focal point of yesterday's debate, with questions raised over whether efforts to lure tourists to Kelantan had been fruitful.

State Tourism Committee chairman Datuk Anuar Tan Abdullah (PAS-Kota Lama) accused state tourism action council chairman Ab Aziz Derashid (BN-Kuala Balah) of looking down on the state by making remarks to the media that insulted the committee.

Aziz, he added, told the media that he (Anuar) had carried out tourism promotion in a poor country like Morocco which was not true.

“The promotion was carried out in Dubai (UAE) and United Kingdom,” Anuar told the House.

He added that the state government had taken steps to double activities to attract more tourists to visit Kelantan.

Such activities were carried out through the tourism information centre (TIC) in conjunction with the Visit Malaysia 2007.

The committee also allocated funds to enhance cultural shows at Gelanggang Seni and organise events that involved other countries such as kite-flying and cock fighting competitions.

He said tourist arrivals had increased and as of August this year, a total 4.2 million people visited the state, including 1.2 million foreign tourists. For the entire 2006, there were 3.146 million tourists.

Earlier, Aziz hit out at Anuar, claiming he was not well-trained in tourism and advised him to heed advice and constructive criticism from others.

Aziz said the tourism action council was targeting 5.1 million visitors next year, adding that Kelantan had the potential to do better than Malacca if the state got her act together.

Source: The Star

Group to improve tourism products

A TOURISM product audit sub-committee has been formed to improve and upgrade existing tourism products.

State Tourism Development and Environment committee chairman Teng Chang Yeow said the sub-committee members were tasked to do research and formulate strategies.

“The aim is to identify areas with potential that could be further developed or upgraded.

“Focus will be on district level products on the island as well as the mainland,” he said.

Teng said this to a written question submitted by Datuk Arif Shah Omar Shah (BN-Seberang Jaya) on measures taken to improve tourism products.

Among the researchers is Universiti Teknologi Malaysia lecturer Prof Dr Amran Hamzah.

Appointed by Tourism Malaysia, Dr Amran’s role is to study tourism products on the island and Seberang Prai.

Teng said Universiti Sains Malaysia was engaged to study bumiputra participation in the tourism sector.

“We will also utilise the Socio-Economic & Environmental Research Institute (SERI) to collect data on tourist arrivals,” he said.

Based on the findings, the state could implement more effective strategies to make Penang a premier tourist destination, he added.

Source: The Star

AirAsia not raising its fuel surcharge

SEPANG: AirAsia will not raise its fuel surcharge despite the rise in world crude oil prices, which topped US$99 (RM333) a barrel yesterday.

“No, not at the moment. One must build a sustainable business, at whatever the cost of oil is,” AirAsia Bhd founder and group chief executive officer Datuk Tony Fernandes told reporters at the AirAsia Academy here yesterday after two signing ceremonies.

He added that heavier planes required more fuel, “but it’s not fair to put a fuel surcharge on someone who’s not carrying a bag, as opposed to someone who’s carrying six bags.”

“We like to investigate different ways of doing different things,” he said.

Earlier, AirAsia signed an agreement with Aviation Australia to have its existing technicians trained in aircraft maintenance, fulfilling the requirements by the European Aviation Safety Agency.

AirAsia X, the group's long-haul budget carrier, also signed a five-year agreement with Tourism Queensland to promote Gold Coast, Australia.

AirAsia X chief executive officer Azran Osman Rani said that currently there were four flights a week to Gold Coast. Its first flight there was on Nov 2.

“We plan to increase it to a flight a day, as more aircraft become available,” Azran said.

Also present at the event was Australian Tourism, Regional Development and Industry Minister Desley Boyle, Tourism Queensland chairman Don Morris, and Aviation Australia chief executive officer Paul Bredereck.

Source: The Star

Thursday, November 22, 2007

PNB Ready To Help Sabah With Homestay Tourism Product

Thursday 22 November 2007

KOTA KINABALU, Nov 22 (Bernama) -- Perbadanan Nasional Bhd (PNB) is ready to help Sabah Economic Development Corporation (Sedco) establish a homestay tourism product as a franchise business in the state.

Chairman of PNB Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad said homestay programme had the potential of becoming a franchise business considering Sabah's powerful and attractive tourism pull.

"Homestay is a good programme and we are ready to work with Secdo to develop it as a franchise business."

Under the concept of a homestay programme, tourists get to stay and enjoy their visits in traditional homes and among people who have opened up their homes to the tourists.

"If tourists are given the assurance that a homestay has quality especially in terms of hygiene, convenient accommodation and food, I feel that the concept can be developed and we can work with Sedco to make it a success," Shahrir told reporters after the launch of a seminar here today on the franchise business by Sabah's Minister of Industry Datuk Dr Ewon Ebin.

He said PNB was also ready to help Sabah government market its herbal products through franchising via its newly introduced "Forest Secret" outlets.

"We will repack the herbal products found in Sabah before marketing them through our Forest Secret outlets," he said.

Source: BERNAMA

VKY targets foreign tourists

Wednesday 21 November

At the Kedah State Assembly

SEVERAL tourism promotion programmes have been carried out in foreign countries to attract tourists for Visit Kedah Year (VKY) 2008.

State Tourism, Youth and Sports Committee chairman Datuk Othman Aziz told the House that the state had allocated RM3mil for the promotional activities.

He said 18 tourism projects, costing RM69.8mil, were listed under the Ninth Malaysia Plan, of which only one at Sungai Merbok had taken off while the others were now open for tenders.
Replying Datuk Abdul Razak Hashim (BN – Guar Chempedak), he said the state had also allocated RM13mil to renovate facilities at Gunung Jerai.

He said construction work at the resort atop Gunung Jerai had started since March.

“All activities at the resort area on the mountain have been postponed until April next year when the construction work is expected to be completed,” he said.

Othman said there were more than 8,700 hotel rooms available to accommodate tourists next year, of which 7,500 were in Langkawi and 1,200 in Alor Star and Sungai Petani.

He said that the state Economic Planning Unit had also sorted out homestay facilities in Kedah to woo tourists.

Othman also said the two resorts at Pedu Lake, which were closed due to financial problems last year, would re-open early next year.

Source: The Star

No rise in AirAsia fuel surcharge for now

SEPANG: AirAsia will not raise its fuel surcharge despite the rise in world crude oil prices, which topped US$99 (RM335) a barrel Wednesday.

“No, not at the moment. One must build a sustainable business, at whatever the cost of oil is,” AirAsia Bhd founder and group chief executive officer Datuk Tony Fernandes told reporters at the AirAsia Academy after two signing ceremonies.

He added that heavier planes required more fuel, “but it’s not fair to put a fuel surcharge on someone who’s not carrying a bag, as opposed to someone who’s carrying six bags.
“We like to investigate different ways of doing different things,” he said.

Earlier, AirAsia signed an agreement with Aviation Australia to have its existing technicians trained in aircraft maintenance, fulfilling the requirements by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

AirAsia X, the group's long-haul budget carrier, also signed a five-year agreement with Tourism Queensland to promote Gold Coast, Australia.

AirAsia X chief executive officer Azran Osman Rani said currently there were four flights a week to Gold Coast. Its first flight there was on Nov 2.

“We plan to increase it to a flight a day, as more aircraft become available,” Azran said.
Also present at the event was Australian Tourism, Regional Development and Industry Minister Desley Boyle, Tourism Queensland chairman Don Morris, and Aviation Australia chief executive officer Paul Bredereck.

Source: The Star

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Malaysia to form own eco-tourism association soon

MOnday 29 October 2007

MERANG: Malaysia will soon have an eco-tourism association.

Participants at Sunday's Asia-Pacific Ecotourism Conference have decided to apply for an association to be formed as soon as possible.

With eco-tourism becoming increasingly popular, tour operators feel there was a need for an association to ensure that the country benefits from the growth.

Malaysia is the only country in the region that does not have such an association despite being blessed with many natural wonders.

Discovery Mice Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Lee Choon Loong, a tour operator, said an association would be able to protect the resources which were being promoted by the country.

"We have lots of promotions on eco-sites but there is no non-governmental organisation (NGO) to oversee its sustainability.

"And this could lead to the destruction of our resources and gives a bad impression of the country,” he told the New Straits Times.

Lee said although the government had included eco-tourism in the Ninth Malaysian Plan, an association would ensure its effective implementation.

The two-day conference, which ended yesterday, saw the participation of government and academic bodies, industry players and NGOs.

In supporting the decision to have an eco-tourism association in Malaysia, the International Ecotourism Society (TIES) chairperson Kelly Bricker said such associations had made a positive impact around the world.

Citing Fiji as an example, she said the eco-tourism association worked well with the country’s tourism marketing arm and had successfully put Fiji on the eco-tourism map.

"It created awareness and brought conservationists, indursty players as well as the government together to discuss nature-based and community-based tourism.”

Launched in 1990, TIES is the largest and oldest ecotourism organisation in the world with members in more than 90 countries.

Apart from generating and disseminating information on eco-tourism, it also provides guildelines, training and research.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) deputy president Datuk Mohd Khalid Harun said the forming of a national association has MATTA's full support.

"It's a great idea. The eco-tourism association can act as a platform for eco-tourism players and enthusiasts to channel their ideas, voice out issues and share their experience and expertise in the field," he said.

Mohd Khalid said it can also be a venue for stake holders, especially the government, and NGOs to review existing laws and policies related to eco-tourism.

Source: New Straits Times

Monday, August 13, 2007

Tourism industry in north set to boom

Sunday 12 August 2007

GEORGE TOWN: The tourism industry in the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER) is set to boom over the next few years, with Penang and Langkawi jointly taking the lead.

Both islands can expect 27.8 million tourist arrivals with a five per cent increase on a year-on-year basis by 2012, generating total tourist receipts of RM55.6 billion.

According to the NCER Socio-economic Blueprint 2007-2025 prepared by Sime Darby Bhd, Penang and Langkawi will be established as premier tourist destinations.

Both islands intend to differentiate themselves by offering six-star services supported by premium attractions such as art galleries, yatching, boutique shops and entertainment.

It states that key tourism assets of both islands will be enhanced to attract higher-yielding tourists, thereby increasing per capita tourist spending.

One of the key areas both islands will focus on is the active and continuous promotion of medical tourism.

Penang is already at the forefront of the country’s health tourism industry.

The strategy now is to expand it to Langkawi, which is able to provide complementary medicine, traditional therapies and spa treatments.

The global market for traditional therapies is estimated at US$69 billion (RM240 billion).
State Tourism Development Committee chairman Teng Chang Yeow said Penang will work together with Langkawi and the other three states in the NCER — Perlis, Kedah and Perak — to develop the tourism industry.

"As a state with vast experience, we will certainly share our expertise and market know-how with the others.

"We cannot be seen as moving on our own unlike the past. We will pool all our resources together to ensure a win-win situation for all."

He added that Penang also needed a transformation to stay ahead in the industry.

He said the coming in of Sime Darby would serve as a catalyst to propel the tourism industry to greater heights.

Teng added that Penang will work closely with Langkawi to further promote medical tourism, seeing as how the state has over seven years experience in the field.

"We will provide our assistance to Langkawi.

" I am sure they will serve as new grounds for investment."

Source: New Straits Times

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

AirAsia To Save 15-20 Pct Fuel Cost By Conducting MRO In M'sia

May 22, 2007 21:51 PM

KUALA LUMPUR, May 22 (Bernama) -- AirAsia Bhd will save between 15 percent and 20 percent when it diverts its maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services back to Malaysia from Singapore, its chief executive officer, Datuk Tony Fernandes said Tuesday.

"Maintenance makes up about 25 percent of AirAsia's operating cost," he told reporters after the signing of a deal here today between AirAsia Bhd and the MRO provider, Sepang Aircraft Engineering Sdn Bhd.

"Our airplanes now just need to be towed to SAE as opposed to flying them to Singapore. That is a huge saving already," he added.

He said SAE, which aims to open for business this October 1, stands to potentially clinch US$40 million from AirAsia as its anchor client.

Meanwhile, SAE chief executive officer Syed Budriz Putra said the company was also looking at luring regional budget airlines, especially those from India.

"This is because they (Indian budget airlines), like Kingfisher and Indigo also use the A320 planes just like AirAsia and we can capitalise on that," he said.

"But we are able to do narrow body as well," he said, adding that the RM80 million MRO facility has two wide-bodied hangar on an eight-acre site.

Syed Budriz also said that the company expects to set up another two wide-bodied hangar on an adjacent eight-acre land by end of next year.

-- BERNAMA

AirAsia To Divert MRO Services To M'sia

May 22, 2007 22:00 PM

KUALA LUMPUR, May 22 (Bernama) -- AirAsia Bhd expects to see a cost saving of between 15 and 20 percent, especially for fuel, when it diverts its maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services back into Malaysian shores from Singapore, said chief executive officer Datuk Tony Fernandes.

"Maintenance makes up about 25 percent of our operating cost, of which half of it is from the MRO alone," he told reporters after the signing ceremony between AirAsia Bhd and MRO provider, Sepang Aircraft Engineering Sdn Bhd (SAE) here Tuesday.

He said the planes now just need to be towed to SAE as opposed to flying them to Singapore.
"That is a huge savings already," he said.

He said SAE, which aimed to open for business on Oct 1, could potentially clinch US$40 million (US$1=RM3.38) from AirAsia as its anchor client.

Meanwhile, SAE chief executive officer Syed Budriz Putra said the company was also looking at attracting regional budget airlines, especially those from India.

"This is because they (Indian budget airlines), like Kingfisher and Indigo also use the A320 planes just like AirAsia and we can capitalise on that," he said.

-- BERNAMA

FAX To Float AirAsia X In Three Years

May 22, 2007

KUALA LUMPUR, May 22 (Bernama) -- Fly Asian Express aims to list its long-haul budget airline, AirAsia X in the next three years, its chairman Datuk Kamarudin Meranun said Tuesday.

The move, he said, was to allow private equity investors to realise their investment in the company and three years was enough to allow AirAsia X to beef up operations and establish its brand name.

"We are happy and adequately capitalised with many investors interested in us," he told reporters after the signing ceremony between MRO provider, Sepang Aircraft Engineering Sdn Bhd and AirAsia Bhd here.

Meanwhile, FAX director Datuk Tony Fernandes said the company was looking at options, including a possible reverse take over.

He also denied earlier reports that the company was in talks with ECM Libra for the takeover.
Fernandes owns 10 percent of FAX, while other shareholders are Kamarudin (50 percent) and AirAsia's former chief financial officer Raja Mohd Azmi Raja Razali (40 percent).

-- BERNAMA

Thursday, May 10, 2007

MAS Rolls Out Interline eTicketing With SIA

May 09, 2007 20:19 PM

KUALA LUMPUR, May 9 (Bernama) -- In its pursuit to be electronic ticketing (eTicketing) capable by September this year, Malaysia Airlines (MAS) has completed the rollout of interline eTicketing with its first partner, Singapore Airlines (SIA).

This cutover represented another stage of MAS' RM400 million Passenger Services System rollout to upgrade all information technology (IT) infrastructure to facilitate the airline's move to the International Air Transport Association (IATA)'s standard eTicketing.

This will enable SIA's ticket offices to issue eTickets to all the destinations it services to passengers of both airlines, MAS and SIA said in a joint statement, here Wednesday.
The next phase will cover ticketing by MAS' agents in Malaysia and Singapore, as well as SIA's agents worldwide, the two airlines said.

Subsequently, this initiative will cover all distribution channels of both airlines, they added.
With the rollout of interline eTicketing between both airlines, plans are also underway to implement eTicketing for the shuttle service arrangements on the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore-Kuala Lumpur route, MAS and SIA said.

The partnership was formalised yesterday by MAS commercial director Datuk Rashid Khan and SIA executive vice president of marketing and the regions, Huang Cheng Eng.

"We are delighted with completion of this interline eTicketing, which sets us firmly on track to be eTicketing capable by Sept 21," Rashid said.

"We will now move to implement this with over 200 airlines worldwide," he said.

-- BERNAMA

Saturday, February 17, 2007

Kenya wants Malaysians to visit country

Friday February 16, 2007

KUALA LUMPUR: Kenya wants Malaysians to enjoy its safaris, beaches and lakes, and a memorandum of understanding between both countries can pave the way for more visits.

Malaysia and Kenya hope to sign such an agreement to promote tourism in both countries.

Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said the matter would be brought to the attention of the Cabinet for approval soon.

He said the ministry and Kenya’s Tourism and Wildlife Ministry would sign the agreement to further strengthen bilateral ties if approval is given.

“Currently, due to connectivity problems, few people from Malaysia and Kenya chose the other country as a tourist destination.

“I hope, if the (memorandum of understanding) is realised, our Kenyan counterparts will promote Visit Malaysia 2007 extensively,” he told reporters at his office in Putra World Trade Centre here yesterday.

Earlier, Kenyan Tourism and Wildlife Minister Morris Dzoro, who led a delegation from Kenya, paid a courtesy call on Tengku Adnan.

Tengku Adnan said Dzoro was also interested in investment opportunities between the two countries, and encouraged more investors from Malaysia to be involved in the construction, infrastructure development and tourism fields.

Source: The Star

Thursday, February 8, 2007

Ferrari convoy stops over in KL

07 Feb 2007

KUALA LUMPUR, WED:

A fleet of Ferraris caught people’s attention when they made a pit stop at Damansara Shell Sentral Kiosk to refuel with Shell V Power Racing yesterday.

The convoy from Singapore came in conjunction with Ferrari’s 60th anniversary and also to mark the launch of Shell V Power Racing, which has the same technology used by Ferraris in Formula One.

Ferrari Club Singapore’s social director Franck Manichon was excited to join the convoy and experience driving his Ferrari in Malaysia.

“It is unforgettable and I will not miss the opportunity to do it again,” he added.
The convoy started in Abu Dhabi on Jan 28 and will be touring 44 countries across five continent and will end on June 2007 in Maranello, Italy, home of Ferrari .

Source: NST

Wednesday, February 7, 2007

MAS Extends Golden Holiday Fair To Feb 12

February 05, 2007 22:30 PM

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 5 (Bernama) -- The Malaysia Airlines Travel Fair 2007 which commenced last Wednesday has been extended until Feb 12 following the overwhelming response from its customers.

MAS' Commercial Director Datuk Rashid Khan said the extension was to cater to those who have not had much time to plan their journeys.

Malaysia Airlines' offers for this year's Travel Fair involved five million seats covering 59 international destinations such as London, Sydney, Melbourne, Tokyo, Shanghai, Perth, Auckland, Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Beijing.

Domestic packages that created great interest amongst the customers were Langkawi, Pulau Redang and Pulau Perhentian.

Tickets are available at the airline's ticketing offices and appointed agents in Malaysia and ASEAN countries and at its 24 hour Call Centre at 1-300-88-3000.

Those booking any regular priced hotels worldwide through www.malaysiaairlines.com from Jan 31 until Feb 11 will enjoy a five percent rebate.

SOurce: BERNAMA

MAS fair on till Monday

06 Feb 2007

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysia Airlines Travel Fair 2007 has been extended until Monday.

Overwhelming response from customers was a key factor cited by MAS in extending the deadline of the fair.

"A number of customers have shown interest in the fair but did not have much time to plan their journeys," MAS commercial director Datuk Rashid Khan said.

MAS offered five million seats covering 59 international destinations and also 49 packages to these cities.

The national carrier is also offering 59 domestic packages valid until Sept 30. The fair which started on Jan 31, raked in RM1 million worth of sales in the first hour alone.

Source: NST

KK’s seventh year as a city

Tuesday February 6, 2007

By RUBEN SARIO

Fireworks lighted the skies on Feb 1 as Kota Kinabalu folk celebrated the seventh anniversary of the state capital’s city status.

The 15-minute pyrotechnic display brought cheers and applause from the 10,000 crowd that included Sabah Yang DiPertua Negri Tun Ahamadshah Abdullah and Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman.

The event and festivities were held at the seaside Promenade Boulevard.

Imposing: The 1 Borneo Hypermall float taking part in the parade.

The evening’s programme got underway with a parade of colourfully lighted floats from various departments including Sabah Railways, Yayasan Sabah, City Hall and various shopping centres.

Among the highlights of the evening were performances by international cultural troupes from Australia, South Africa, Indonesia, the Philippines, South Korea and China as well as a group from the Kuching North City Hall.

The entertainment continued with the Punjabi Bhangra cultural folk dance troupe from Kuala Lumpur and this was followed by performances by local artistes including singers Rohayu Baharudin and Mohd Firdauz Abd Halim.


From overseas: Indonesian dancers performing a traditional dance.

Also making an appearance was guitar virtuoso Roger Wang, Atama, Anthony Chong, Melanie Abd Rani, Abu Bakar Ellah, Joanne Henley Rampas and Peter Dicky Lee.

The evening was capped by a march-past bearing the Kota Kinabalu City flag which was then raised and this was followed by a fireworks display.

Other events held as part of the City Day festivities included a batik exhibition at the Centre Point shopping centre.

Source: The Star

Women VIPs among 200 at floral arrangement event

Tuesday February 6, 2007

By ESTHER CHANDRAN
Photo by DARRAN TAN

FLOWERS and the fairer sex - there always seems to be a magnetic charm between them, as was seen at the recent flower arrangement workshop at Taman Warisan Pertanian, Putrajaya.

The VIPs attending the Landscape and Horticulture Arrangement, Floral Arrangement and Potpourri workshop launch, who included guest-of-honour Datin Seri Anggraini Sentiyaki, wife of the Tourism Minister, were lured by the colourful sight of chrysanthemums, anthuriums, orchids and carnations as they participated in the workshop by Eva Soo from Trans Floral Sdn Bhd.

Joining Anggraini were Tourism Ministry Puspanita branch chairman Patimah Zohro Hasan, Tourism Malaysia Puspanita chairman Datin Zarina Banu Mumtaz Ahmad and Tourism Malaysia deputy director general Datin Dalilah Ahmad as they learnt to fashion carnations into a hand bouquet.

Soo also taught participants how to style flowers for coffee-table and dining-table arrangement


Getting creative: Anggraini tries her hand at flower arrangement while Abdul Rahim looks on.
The two-day workshop held in conjunction with the Flora Fest 2007 and launched by Anggraini saw the participation of 200 people, including Puspanita members.

Anggraini said workshops are ideal for promoting various ways to use flowers in the home.

“I congratulate the Tourism Ministry's Puspanita for organising the workshop in adding variety to Flora Fest,” said Anggraini who is its patron.

The team from Universiti Putra Malaysia with Associate Professor Dr Mustafa Kamal Mohd Sharif, Shureen Faris Abd Shukor, Abdul Rahim Mohd Rashid and Abdul Karim Mansor conducted the Landscape and Horticulture Arrangement workshop while Greeneco's Abdul Razak Samad showed ways of identifying the right flowers to make your own potpourri at home.

Fees charged were for tools and items as well as breakfast, lunch and tea.

Source: The Star

Master craftsmen from China show off skills in traditional artforms

Tuesday February 6, 2007

By JAYAGANDI JAYARAJ
Photos by SAMUEL ONG


Snuff style: Some of the unique designs painted on the snuff bottles.
BANGSAR Shopping Centre (BSC) brings a touch of heritage and authenticity to its Chinese New Year promotion this year with a bazaar featuring master craftsmen from China.

Located at the East Wing concourse, the bazaar, themed “Spring Festival at BSC”, sees 12 specialty vendors offering unique traditional crafts and festive delicacies.

“The craftsmen, from mainland China, are non-commercial and original.

“We want to make it a fun and educational bazaar for both local and foreign visitors to the mall,” said acting complex manager Benjamin Leong.

One stall showcases snuff bottle paintings where charming snuff bottles in various sizes and designs are displayed.

Some of the bottles take months to complete, depending on design and size.

Zhang Lei normally drafts out her design on a piece of paper before starting to paint inside a bottle.

Flora and fauna motifs are much easier compared to creating figures and faces as it takes more patience and detail,” said Zhang Lei, who has been painting since she was 11.

Another artist to look out for is Zhang Cao Nian with his beautiful Chinese silk embroidery works.

His work can be a mistaken for expensive oil on canvas pieces given the sharpness and intricately detailed motifs created with dyed silk filaments on a silk canvas.

The subjects vary from oriental designs like dragons, tigers, lions and butterflies to more Western motifs.


The Chinese paper-cutting booth offers hand-cut designs using scissors or knives. These cutouts, also bearing modern and traditional designs, can be used for decorative purposes.
Other vendors include Chinese knotting, tea products, accessories and more.

The bazaar will be up until Feb 16 and is open from 10am to 10pm.

Source: The Star

CNY display of acrobatic talents

Tuesday February 6, 2007

Photo by KAMARUL ARIFFIN

Balancing act: Some of the troupe members balancing on each other during the launch.
CATCH a display of skill and determination at Sungei Wang Plaza's Chinese New Year celebrations with acrobatic performances by the China Guang Dong New Star Art Troupe.

The troupe, which will be performing at the mall until Feb 11, will enthral visitors with its complete mastery of balance and control.

Acrobats aged between 16 and 22 will exhibit their talents in hand acrobatics, balancing on mouth and hand, ladder and bamboo acrobatics, group martial arts and more.

There will also be special hoola hoop workshop open to all shoppers on Feb 3,4, 10 and 11 at the concourse level at 5pm.

“It's a good show to bring in more tourists especially at a location like this,” said Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Donald Lim during the launch of the Chinese New Year promotions.

The launch was celebrated with 26 senior citizens from Rumah Charis Home for the Aged, Puchong.

They were given goodie bags and ang pows.

Theme “Garden of Lunar Magic,” the mall has transformed its main entrance and concourse level into a garden full of blossoms for the Chinese New Year season.

A crafted traditional gazebo with lotus-filled ponds decorates the main entrance.

Surrounding the ponds are gardens of chrysanthemums, peonies and grass.

Other attractions are a Chinese arts and crafts exhibition and Ang Pow packet redemption for every purchase of RM50 and above at any outlet in the mall except Parkson Grand and Giant Supermarket.

There will also be lion and dragon dances for the public.

Source: The Star

MAS extends travel fair by six days

Tuesday February 6, 2007

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysia Airlines Travel Fair has been extended for another six days to give travellers more time to plan their holidays.

The annual fair, which began on Jan 31, was to end today but has been extended until Monday.

MAS commercial director Datuk Rashid Khan said: “The response has been overwhelming. A significant number of people have shown interest in our offers but have not had much time to plan their journeys, hence the extension to cater to these customers.”

For this fair, five million seats covering 59 international destinations are up for grabs. There are 49 packages to various foreign cities and 55 domestic packages.

Rashid said in a press statement that MAS would continue to offer the special airfares through all their distribution channels, including their website at www.malaysiaairlines.com, ticketing offices and appointed travel agents locally and in Asean countries.

Customers can also contact its 24-hour call centre at 1-300-88-3000.

The 10 most sought-after international destinations this year are London, Sydney, Melbourne, Tokyo, Shanghai, Perth, Auckland, Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Beijing, according to the statement.

Source: The Star

Thursday, February 1, 2007

Asia-Pacific airlines post 4.7pc growth in passenger traffic

February 1 2007


AIR travel in the Asia-Pacific region grew 4.7 per cent in 2006 from a year ago and is likely to remain “positive” this year, with strong regional economic growth to underpin demand, an industry group said yesterday.

An easing of global oil prices last year has brought relief to airlines but their profit margins remain under pressure, said the Kuala Lumpur-based Association of Asia Pacific Airlines.


The association said its 17 -member airlines flew a record 134 million passengers last year, compared to 128 million in 2005.


Freight traffic expanded at a faster rate of 5.2 per cent in 2006, reflecting robust regional and international trade flows, it said.


“The outlook for 2007 remains positive, with strong regional economic growth underpinning travel demand,” association director-general Andrew Herdman said in a statement.


Despite lower oil prices, “airline profit margins remain under pressure and point to the need for continuous improvements in productivity and operating efficiency,” the statement said.


The AAPA represents Air New Zealand, All Nippon Airways, Asiana Airlines, Cathay Pacific Airways, China Airlines, Dragonair, EVA Air, Garuda Indonesia, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Malaysia Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Qantas Airways, Royal Brunei Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways International and Vietnam Airlines. — AP

Source: Businesss Times

Fly for price of bus ticket!

01 Feb 2007

KUALA LUMPUR: Almost a million more passengers thronged the arrival and departure halls of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport last year than in 2005.

About 24.1 million passengers went through the KLIA and the Low Cost Carrier Terminal that it launched in March last year.

That’s a four per cent increase over the 23.2 million passengers it saw in 2005, according to a preliminary report by Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad.

The LCCT alone saw 4.6 million passengers, about half of its capacity of 10 million.

"We never thought budget flying would become so big," said MAHB corporate communications general manager Norliza Kamaruddin.

"Low airfares spread like wildfire among travellers. Those who thought they would never be able to fly discovered that they could," she said.

So would a price war bring more flyers?

"Ten years ago, the majority of Malaysians travelled by bus, car or trains, those who had a little bit more money could fly with Malaysia Airlines," Norliza said.

"Now everyone can fly for the same price that they pay for a bus ticket. It all depends on how much you want to pay," she added.

That no-frill airlines are still the main draw is plain. MAHB is planning to expand the terminal’s capacity to 15 million passengers.

Source: NST

Travellers the winners in price war

01 Feb 2007
Lee Shi-Ian, June Ramli and Norazlin Mohd Nor

KUALA LUMPUR: Slurping on a McDonalds’ ice cream, Ahmad Zaki Abdul Rahman grinned as he guided his family towards a check-in counter.

"This is our first time on an airplane," he said.

The medical attendant, his wife and two young children had paid RM135 in total to fly to Kota Baru for the long weekend.

"The cost of travel for my family is almost the same as driving or taking the bus, only less hassle and stress," he said.

Ahmad and his family are just some of the thousands who will take to the skies this year, thanks to budget airline AirAsia.

With cheap fares and free promotional flights, the no-frills airline has had this segment of the market to itself since Datuk Tony Fernandes took over in 2001.

On Monday, national carrier Malaysia Airlines struck back, unveiling unprecedented discounts of up to 70 per cent for international destinations, and four-night holiday packages to London for RM3,096.

It is charging just RM9 for some one-way tickets to local stops such as Kuantan and Langkawi.

The promotion is part of the MAS Travel Fair which began yesterday, and continues until Feb 6.

"Yes, this is the lowest we have ever gone," MAS commercial director Datuk Abdul Rashid Khan said yesterday.

"We have the freedom to set prices. There was no such thing in the past because our prices were regulated by the government."

AirAsia apparently was not about to let MAS push these promotional fares without a challenge, however, and on the same day, began offering "super low fares".

One-way tickets to Penang, Terengganu and Kota Baru, for example, are available for under RM1, fuel surcharge and other taxes not included.

A seat on a flight to Phuket, Thailand, starts at RM19.99 and to Chang Mai from RM59.99.

Its promotion, tagged "the craziest sale in town", ends the day after MAS plans to end its travel fair.

This brewing price war is "music to the ears of all travellers", said a research analyst at a local stockbroking firm.

"I think more kampung folk, who’ve never been on a plane and seen the world, would benefit from the price war," he said.

AirAsia has taken pains to avoid calling this a price war, and so has MAS.

AirAsia senior corporate communications executive Janet Leow said the two airlines were aiming for different types of travellers.

"Our objective is to go for passengers who want a cheap, fast and easy flight to their destination without the services such as meals and drinks," she said.

"Those who want such services normally fly with MAS."

MAS’ Abdul Rashid said: "To put it in perspective, we face competition from more than 300 airlines, everyday, worldwide.

"This is not a price war."

The national carrier, long criticised for its heavy losses, is confident that it will be able to compete for more travellers as it attempts to return to profit this year.

"We cannot control the competition but we plan to shake it up. We are upbeat that we will be able to sell our domestic fares like hot cakes as we are a five-star airline with full service," he added.

His confidence stems from how the travel fair has performed so far.

"In the first hour, online ticket sales for domestic routes reached RM1 million," he said.

And he is betting MAS’ Australian and European routes will sell like hot cakes.

Source: NST

Thousands welcome chariot at Batu Caves

01 Feb 2007
Ranjeetha Pakiam and Marilyn Gerard

KUALA LUMPUR: After a 13-hour journey through the city centre, the chariot carrying the Hindu deity Lord Muruga arrived at the Sri Subramaniam Swamy Temple in Batu Caves.

Thousands stood at the entrance of the temple to welcome the chariot, which marked the beginning of the Thaipusam festival.

The chariot left the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Jalan Tun H.S. Lee at 12.30am yesterday in a grand procession which stopped at several temples along the way to Batu Caves in Gombak.

At 1.30pm, the chariot arrived and was greeted with chants of vel, vel from the excited crowd.

Despite the blazing afternoon sun, thousands of eager devotees jostled for a spot to get close to the chariot and receive the blessings from the priests.

A few people had already begun carrying the kavadis and paal kodum (milk pots) to avoid the huge crowds expected in the evening.

Among the crowd were tourists who had come to witness the largest Hindu festival in Malaysia.

Many were awed by the golden statue of Lord Muruga which stood 42.7 metres at the foot of the hill.

Most of them climbed up the 272 steps leading to the temple inside the magnificent limestone caves.

About 1.5 million visitors are expected to visit the Thaipusam festival this year.

Source: NST

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Putrajaya set to glow with street parades, fireworks

24 Jan 2007
Deborah Loh
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PUTRAJAYA: Putrajaya will celebrate its sixth year as a federal territory with parades on Jan 31 from 9pm until midnight.

Although the main celebration for Federal Territory Day will be held in Kuala Lumpur on Feb 1, Putrajaya is not about to be left out.

Celebrations on the eve of Federal Territory Day will be held at Dataran Putrajaya in Precinct 3, on the Perdana Avenue in front of the Palace of Justice building.

The public should come early to get prime positions along the road to enjoy march past performances and dance formations by various uniformed bodies, cultural shows by all races, including the Chinese lion dance, acrobatic stunts performed on motorcycles by a special unit from the army and a fireworks show.

Putrajaya Corporation president Tan Sri Samsudin Osman said the activities were part of "breathing life and soul" into the country’s most carefully planned city, which has magnificent buildings housing federal government offices, and an estimated residential population of over 50,000. The total working population is around 100,000.

"The event is not just for Putrajaya residents but we want to attract people from Bangi, Dengkil and surrounding areas," Samsudin said at a briefing on the event yesterday.

The Flora Fest 2007, which is being held in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year, will also be a run-up to the Federal Territory Day celebrations.

The Floral Parade will be held on Saturday along the Perdana Avenue where floats by all the states will be paraded before the Yang di-Pertuan Agong who is expected to attend.

The floats will display the theme "Colours of Harmony" in celebration of Malaysia’s multi-racial society.

The floats will be kept on display for two more days until Jan 29 in special air-conditioned tents for public viewing.

The tents are located along Perdana Avenue in the open parking lot next to the Entrepreneur and Co-operative Development Ministry.

The town is also celebrating with a fishing competition at Putrajaya Lake at Precinct 1 on Feb 3 at 8am.

There are only 1,800 places for this competition, which is held twice a year, as fishing at the lake is otherwise prohibited.

For information about the fishing competition, call 03-8887-7102 and for the night street parade on Jan 31, call 03-8887-7416/7202.

Source: +http://www.nst.com.my

Friday, January 19, 2007

Public happy with one-hour processing of passport renewals

Friday January 19, 2007

KUALA LUMPUR: The public have expressed satisfaction with the Immigration Department's capability to renew passports within one hour.

A check at the Pusat Bandar Damansara Immigration branch yesterday showed that some applicants even received their passports in less than an hour.

Sahaimah Mohamad, 34, said she was happy with the speedy processing of passport renewals there.

It’s easy: Mohd Khamde showing Loo how to use a passport renewal kiosk at the Immigration branch office in Pusat Bandar Damansara, Kuala Lumpur, yesterday.

“I was one of those who came early this morning and I was surprised to receive my passport after just 10 minutes,” she said.

Another applicant, Caroline Anne Xavier, 34, said the officers manning the counters at the branch were courteous and efficient.

“I was very happy to get my passport in about an hour. Also, there were not many in the queue when I handed in my application,” she added.

Loo Yen Nee, 28, was glad she could finally apply for an international passport without much hassle.

“Within five minutes of taking my queue number, it was my turn to submit my application,” she added.

The Pusat Bandar Damansara Immigration branch processed 103 applications for passport renewals by 11am yesterday. However, only 10 applicants had stayed back to collect their passports.

The director of the branch, Mohd Khamde Khuzaini, urged the public to approach his officers if they had any problem with their passport applications.

“We will attend to any problem immediately. I also urge people to give us suggestions on how we can further improve our service,” he added.

Source: The Star

AirAsia offering more flights out of KK and Kuching

Friday January 19, 2007

KUALA LUMPUR: Budget airline AirAsia will fly to Macau daily from Kota Kinabalu next month.

At the same time, it will also fly four times weekly from the Sabah capital and Kuching to Penang.

AirAsia executive vice-president (commercial) Kathleen Tan said the flights to Macau from Feb 6 were an expansion of the Kota Kinabalu hub’s international connectivity and a response to market demands.

“Our low fares are expected to attract traffic from not just Macau but also from southern China,” she said, adding that visitors from Sabah and Sarawak could now take direct flights to Macau.

“We added our third frequency to Macau early last month from our Kuala Lumpur hub due to exceptionally-high demand for the route.

“We are confident that our new flights from Kota Kinabalu will be another winner,” she said.

The flights to Penang will be on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, with the first flights from both Kota Kinabalu and Kuching on Feb 7.

Tan said: “The rapid expansion of flights connecting Sabah and Sarawak to the peninsula will help boost tourism and stimulate economic growth.

“The current market has increased demand for the two hubs to connect to Penang,” she said.

The introductory fares for the Kuching-Penang flight will start from RM19.99 while the Kota Kinabalu-Penang flight will cost at least RM29.99. Tickets from Kota Kinabalu to Macau will start from RM49.99.

Source: The Star

Malaysia to open consulates in Mumbai and Frankfurt

Friday January 19, 2007

BY SIM LEOI LEOI

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia will be opening two consulate offices in Mumbai, India and Frankfurt, Germany.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said the offices were for Malaysia to take advantage of the economic opportunities offered by both these big industrial cities.

"Mumbai is the Bollywood entertainment capital while Frankfurt is a giant industrial centre. Besides economic opportunities, we also want to boost the number of tourists from both the two cities.

"The Frankfurt office will be operational by next Tuesday while Mumbai's will open in February," he told reporters after launching the books "Useful Tips for the Diplomat's Wife" and the "Manual of Palace Protocol and Etiquette" at his office here on Friday.

On the flood situation in Johor, Syed Hamid said the Government was now focused on alleviating the immediate woes of the victims in coping with their losses.

"The flood situation has been very traumatic for some of them. The state has never experienced floods to such extent. We will need to do some re-thinking about the flood mitigation measures.

"I am very concerned about the post-flood situation. In Kota Tinggi, some people have not been able to operate their businesses for over a month now. Restarting their life will not be that easy," said Syed Hamid, who is also the Kota Tinggi MP.

On the books, he said he hoped that they would help diplomats' wives cope better with their lives when living abroad.

"This is because in the field of diplomacy, the wives or spouses of diplomats actually play a very important role as their actions may make or break their own country's image," he said.

Source: The Star

Fare bonanza

Friday January 19, 2007

By WONG SAI WAN

KUALA LUMPUR: The five million tickets Malaysia Airlines is offering at its travel fair in two weeks' time will see discounts of up to 70%.

Air tickets purchased at the Malaysia Airlines Travel Fair (MATF) will also allow a longer travelling time period compared with offers in previous years. Travellers will now have nine months to do so as the offer will be valid from Feb 24 to Sept 30.

Last year, the cheap tickets had to be used within four months.

According to industry sources, MAS is keeping its price list secret until the last minute to prevent competitors from “stealing its thunder”.

“A good indication of what the fares will be like is to look at the International Supersavers that it is offering on its website. You can be assured the MATF fares will match those on the Internet, if not even cheaper,” said a source.

At present, the cheapest fare for a trip to Hong Kong on the MAS website is RM700 while the lowest price offered for a Kuala Lumpur to Shanghai flight is RM850.

The MATF will be held from Jan 31 to Feb 6 and is a 'virtual fair' as tickets can be bought at all travel agents registered with MAS.

Bookings and purchases can also be made through the airline's website, www.malaysiaairlines.com, or by calling the airline's 24-hour call centre at the toll-free number 1 300 88 3000 in Malaysia.

The MATF, which is into its fourth year, is part of MAS' turnaround strategy to increase revenue during the low season.

Malaysia Airlines commercial director Datuk Rashid Khan said the promotion fares would be in line with the national carrier's new fare structure, which was launched on Monday.

“We urge our customers to take advantage of this opportunity and plan their travels with us well in advance,” he said, adding that the deals were not available for certain dates that were super peak travelling periods.

In the 16 fare classes under the new MAS fare structure, travellers who planned their trips early would be assured of cheaper tickets.

For the MATF last year, MAS offered discounts of up to 70% on European routes and 75% for some Asean destinations.

It is also learnt that the national carrier would again impose the same conditions as last year, where it allowed one-way airfare for passengers to make their return journey from another city but made it expensive for those who wanted to change travelling dates.

MAS is expected to reveal the number of seats to be made available for popular destinations for MATF at a press conference on Jan 22.

Source: The Star

Thursday, January 18, 2007

Malaysian F1 Grand Prix To Be A Permanent Feature

January 17, 2007 00:25 AM

PERMANENT FEATURE… Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (centre) officiating the 2007 F1 Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix. Looking on are Petronas Chairman Tan Sri Mohd Hassan Merican (left) and Sepang International Circuit (SIC) Chairman Datuk Mokhzani Tun Dr Mahathir. Pix: Azman Firdaus

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 17 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi Tuesday night said that the government would ensure that the Malaysian F1 Grand Prix remains a permanent feature in the country's sports calendar.

He said the Grand Prix had been a key event for the government in enhancing the country's international image and in promoting Malaysia as a leading international tourist destination.

"I am confident that Malaysia's participation in Formula One will continue to grow even further. One of the targets for the Sepang International Circuit when it was established nine years ago in 1998 was for it to be an official test circuit for all things F1.

"Hence, after nine years of ongoing effort, I am happy to note that the Sepang F1 Circuit has now been included as one of the official test circuits for 2007," said Abdullah at the official launch of the 2007 F1 Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix here.

The Prime Minister called upon the race promoter, Sepang International Circuit Sdn Bhd, to continue their good work to ensure that Malaysia remained a permanent test circuit in the F1 calendar.

He said that the selection of the Sepang F1 Circuit as an official test track was a prestigious recognition of the track facilities as well as the solid capabilities of the people involved in the administration and operation of the circuit.

Abdullah noted that as the Malaysian Grand Prix was amongst the key thrusts of the 2007 Visit Malaysia Year programme, the government would further extend its involvement in the F1 world championship.

He said that the event also attracted an average of 40,000 international fans besides tens of thousands of local supporters.

"Some six hundred million more view it live via television broadcasts. Effectively that makes the Malaysian Grand Prix the largest single event to showcase Malaysia to international audiences and to attract foreign tourists," Abdullah said.

He also called upon the organizers of sports tourism-related events to perform at their peak when promoting and executing their respective programmes for VMY 2007.

The Prime Minister said that Malaysia's ability to stage an F1 event had far reaching significance in the overall nation building process and which allowed Malaysia to draw closer in its aspiration of becoming a developed country by 2020.

"This is because the F1 has, in its own way, helped to draw Malaysians closer towards advanced technologies and applications, which are showcased by all the teams participating in this annual event," he said.

He said that the exposure to an F1 team was one of the most precise, exacting and demanding job available anywhere in the world.

He added that through local F1 events, many Malaysians had been given the opportunity to work as part of engineering, maintenance and service crews of participating teams.

"I believe that the F1 has helped developed confidence and competitiveness for those Malaysians fortunate enough to have been given the chance to participate directly or indirectly in the sports," he added.

Source: BERNAMA

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

VISIT MALAYSIA YEAR 2007 PROGRAMME - NATIONAL CULTURE AND ARTS DEPARTMENT

KUALA LUMPUR CHILDREN’S THEATRE FESTIVAL
Date : 17 – 21 March 2007
Location : Kuala Lumpur
Contact : 03-26127 647 / 655

Kuala Lumpur Children’s Theatre Festival will present theatre performances especially for children, teenagers and even for adults. This festival will also showcase other performances including puppet shows, wayang kulit or shadow plays, story-telling and musical performances. Workshops will also be conducted to give the opportunities for participants to increase their knowledge on children’s theatre. This festival will also include several outreach programmes to reach a larger audience.

MALAYSIAN GASING FESTIVAL
Date : 21 – 24 April 2007
Location : Pahang
Contact : 03-26127 644 / 655

Gasing or spinning top is a traditional folk game amongst Malaysians. There are many kinds of gasing including Uri, Leper and Pangkah. Gasing player must be highly skilled and well versed in many rules of the game that varies according to the type of the gasing. Malaysian Gasing Festival will present Malaysian Open Gasing Tournament involving various states in Malaysia and Invitation Gasing Performance involving gasing players from Europe, Japan and Korea.

GENDANG FESTIVAL
Date : 1 – 5 May 2007
Location : Kelantan
Contact : 03-26127 653 / 655
Gendang or commonly known as drum, is a universal musical instrument that is embraced by various societies around the world. Malaysia is no exception and is well known for a rich and varied range of drums. This musical heritage is not foreign to Malaysia and is the pride and joy of many ethnic groups here and is an indispensable part of many cultural celebrations. Gendang Festival aspires to become the medium that will sow the seed of harmony amongst the international community through the medley of beats and rhythms.

SILAT FESTIVAL
Date : 13 – 16 June 2007
Location : Kuala Lumpur
Contact : 03-26127 646 / 655

Silat Festival is the cultural battlefield for many silat (martial art) practitioners in Malaysia. This festival will include National Silat Competition that will involve the various states in Malaysia and will also see the Invitation Silat Competition involving overseas competitors, including those from United States, Europe and Asia. This festival will display the richness and the beautiful physical aspects of the silat art form, emphasizing many silat philosophies such as customs (adat), decorum, discipline and sensitivity and agility of the mind.

KUALA LUMPUR MUSIC FESTIVAL
Date : 1 – 5 July 2007
Location : Kuala Lumpur
Contact : 03-26127 645 / 655

This festival intends to turn Malaysia into a hub for the development of international music and fuelling the development of the Malaysian musical genre to international level through quality works by local musicians. This festival will showcase various events including Young Musical Talent of Malaysia Competition, symposiums, sales and exhibitions, workshops and demonstrations, fringe performances, a series of performances by both Malaysian an international musicians culminating in a Gala Concert.

KUALA LUMPUR FESTIVAL
Date : 1 – 31 July 2007
Location : Klang Valley
Contact : 03-26127 651 / 655
Kuala Lumpur Festival will parade the beautiful and varied cultural elements, art forms and traditional heritage of many ethnic groups in Malaysia for the whole world to see. This festival is part of the effort to turn Kuala Lumpur into an international hub for the arts. The festival will exhibit the overwhelmingly varied cultures through cultural performances, exhibitions and demonstrations, sales and bazaars, guided tours, film shows and competitions. These activities will comprise the areas of arts, culture and heritage such as performing arts, visual art, heritage, traditional games, language and literature
and also food
.

MALAYSIAN DANCE FESTIVAL
Date : 21 – 25 July 2007
Location : Kuala Lumpur
Contact : 03-26127 / 656 / 655

Malaysian Dance Festival will unfold many talents and expert choreographers and dance groups from all over Malaysia. Participants will present traditional dances of the country’s various ethnic groups, showcasing the rich and unique heritage of these cultures. The festival will focus on three (3) forms of performances: Inter-State Dance Competition, Contemporary Dance including Ballet/Jazz and Performances by Young Talents. The combined efforts of these performances will use the Malaysian
Dance Festival
as a base to exhibit traditional dances, bright young talents in all other dance genre. This dance festival will be complemented with sales and exhibitions, master class sessions, video performances and day performances.

NATIONAL YOUTH ASLI STAR COMPETITION
Date : 28 July 2007
Location : Kuala Lumpur
Contact : 03-26127 645 / 655

National Youth Asli Star Competition is a yearly programme that has been in existence since 1996. It aims at expanding the reach of Malay Asli songs amongst the younger generation. This programme is held in the form of a competition and is especially for youths between the ages of 15 – 25. It is held at the state level to choose a representative that will compete at the national level. Contestants will compete in two category: Male Youth and Female Youth.

MALAYSIAN FOLK ARTS FESTIVAL
Date : 18 – 25 August 2007
Location : Kuala Lumpur
Contact : 03-26127 660 / 654 / 655

Malaysian Folk Arts Festival will include a series of performances that will showcase the varied art forms representing many areas and communities in Malaysia. All performances will be held in Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia and the centre of the international art scene. The differences that exists has never been a limitation but has always been the catalyst that spurs the intimate and harmonious relationship amongst many cultures here, forming a neatly woven fabric that is the rich and beautiful people of Malaysia.

For further information, please contact:
NATIONAL CULTURE AND ARTS DEPARTMENT
Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage Malaysia (KeKKWa)
18th & 19th Floor, TH Perdana Tower,
1001 Jalan Sultan Ismail,
50694 KUALA LUMPUR
TELEPHONE : 03-2612 7600
FAX : 03-2697 5606
E-MAIL : kebudayaan@heritage.gov.my
WEBSITE : www.heritage.gov.my

Monday, January 15, 2007

Midnight closing for some shopping centres

Sunday January 14, 2007

PETALING JAYA: Selected shopping complexes may be allowed to operate until midnight in conjunction with Visit Malaysia 2007.

Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Donald Lim said the move was to attract more tourists, especially Middle Eastern visitors to literally “shop until they drop.”

He said the extension of hours had been discussed with several local councils and also the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry.

“The shopping industry is one of the major contributors to the country's tourism revenue, accounting for at least 20% of takings,” he said during The Summit Subang USJ 9th Anniversary Celebration here yesterday.

“Last year's tourism revenue was estimated at RM37bil, and it is expected to increase this year with a projection of 20 million tourist arrivals,” he added.

Lim said any move to extend the shopping hours would, however, be market driven, rather than be made compulsory.

“We're not rushing into any decision yet as the pros and cons of such a move are still unclear.”
He urged industry players to provide more opportunities for local Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) to display their products instead of just carrying foreign brands in shopping complexes.

Source: The Star - Nation

Special deals for F1 fans

Saturday January 13, 2007

FORMULA ONE fans can now purchase tickets for the 2007 Formula One Petronas Grand Prix with a 5% discount as well as limited edition F1 gifts at Tower Records Suria KLCC.

A special early bird counter has been set up to help secure a full house for the race in Sepang in April.

The first 2000 tickets purchased will get the discount as well as limited edition F1 kits that contain a special edition lanyard and a pair of earplugs.

According to Sepang International Circuit (SIC) representative Azlan Akil, the company has sold 500 Citrine tickets worth RM 500 at RM 99 and another 1000 tickets priced at RM 199 online and are now selling the third batch of Citrine tickets at RM 299.

“In promoting Formula One among the young, SIC is offering a 50% discount for students for the covered Hillstand C2”, he added.


Promotional counter: The counter set up for fans at Tower Records KLCC.

The Hillstand tickets, which are sold at RM 150 for three-day entry from April 6 to 8, will host a luxury giant screen apart from covered open areas to allow fans to enjoy the 56- lap race.

“We have also introduced a special GP Package that will provide different seats for three different packages for each of the three days”, said Azlan.

SIC will also kick off its road shows in March starting with Johor Bahru, followed by Penang and the Klang Valley apart from an international campaign targeting South East Asian countries to secure 120,000 spectators.

The promotion ends on Jan 31.

Source: The Star

External Links
Sepang GP - http://www.malaysiangp.com.my.

Sunday, January 14, 2007

Cargo aircraft crash-lands, airport runway forced to close for six hours

Sunday January 14, 2007

KUCHING: A cargo aircraft from Kuala Lumpur crash-landed at Kuching International Airport here early yesterday, causing the airport runway to be closed for six hours.

The Boeing 737-200 aircraft belonging to Gading Sari Aviation Services Sdn Bhd was trying to land at 5.52am when it skidded and spun 180 degrees before coming to rest on a grassy area off the runway.

Its wheels and right engine came off during the crash-landing and the fuselage was badly damaged. Several taxiway and runway lights were also destroyed.

The four crew members on board the plane were unharmed in the incident.

The aircraft was operating as a mail courier for Pos Malaysia Bhd and had left Subang airport at 4am.

Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Douglas Uggah said the plane skidded to a stop about 1,500m from the start of the runway.

“It was about 80m from the centre of the taxiway and 87.5m from the centre of the runway. Its position was affecting incoming and outgoing flights, so airport authorities had to close the runway to allow the aircraft to be towed away and debris to be cleared,” he told reporters at the airport.

The closure delayed 16 Malaysia Airlines and 14 AirAsia flights, affecting some 2,200 passengers.

“We apologise to all passengers,” Uggah said, adding that the airport was re-opened at noon.
According to Uggah, debris including engine parts, tyres and broken pieces of lights had been strewn across the runway.

“Luckily, the runway surface was not damaged.”

The Department of Civil Aviation will investigate the cause of the incident.

In Petaling Jaya, Pos Malaysia chief operating officer Mohd Zarif Hashim said Pos Malaysia uses one aircraft to send mail from Kuala Lumpur to Sabah and Sarawak on Monday and two from Tuesday to Saturday.

Pos Malaysia Bhd and Gading Sari Aviation Services are now rushing to get approval from the authorities which would allow an aircraft to be brought in from Indonesia as a stop-gap measure.

“There will be minimal disruptions in mail services to Sabah and Sarawak,” said Mohd Zarif.
He said if efforts to get the replacement plane fail, Pos Malaysia would give priority to its Poslaju service on its single flight.

Source: The Star - Nation

Saturday, January 13, 2007

FAX considering regional flights from Miri

Friday January 12, 2007

MIRI: Malaysia's third national airline Fly Asian Xpress (FAX) is mulling over plans to operate regional flights from Miri to neighbouring countries.

In the pipeline are flights from Miri to cities and towns in Kalimantan to "test" the Indonesian market, said FAX CEO Raja Mohd Azmi Razali.

FAX, recently licensed by the Government to operate international long-haul flights using the Air Asia X brand, has its headquarters in this oil capital of Sarawak.

Raja Azmi said Friday FAX wanted Miri as the base for regional operations to countries in the east Asean zone if it was commercially-viable.

"We will operate our international flights from Kuala Lumpur first before we start similar overseas long-haul flights from Kuching and Kota Kinabalu.

"These two cities in Sarawak and Sabah would serve as the bases for our international operations from east Malaysia, while Miri may be used as the base for regional flights.

"We may start with flights from Kuching and Kinabalu to cities in China, and then from Miri to Kalimantan. If the response is good, we will fly to more countries from east Malaysia," he said.

Raja Azmi was asked to comment on the feasibility of using these three cities to operate international direct flights now that Air Asia X had been given the greenlight to go international from July.

"Our foremost concern now is to establish the links between Kuala Lumpur and the international destinations we want to fly to.

"Once we have established this, then we can think of operating similar flights to overseas from east Malaysia," he explained.

FAX operates the rural air service in east Malaysia, serving some 700,000 people, many of whom are from remote places.

Source: The Star

External Links:
Fly Asian Xpress (FAX) - http://www.flyasianxpress.com

Russian tourist drowns off Sabah

Friday January 12, 2007

KOTA KINABALU: A Russian tourist drowned while swimming at Karambunai near here Friday.

The man, Boris Puchkov, 59, had gone for a swim at about 10am and after a while, a lifeguard at a nearby resort noticed him struggling in the water.

The lifeguard rushed into the water, pulled Puchkov to the shore and administered first aid.

Puchkov was rushed to the Sabah Medical Centre and arrived there at about 11.10am. He was pronounced dead 30 minutes later. The body was later sent to the Queen Elizabeth hospital here for a post mortem.

Kota Kinabalu district police chief Asst Comm Ku Chin Wah confirmed the incident.

The incident comes just four days after a boat carrying 11 people, including seven tourists, capsized in rough seas near Sandakan, leaving one local dead.

Source: The Star

Friday, January 12, 2007

Ong says lion and dragon dance should be used to attract tourists

Friday January 12, 2007

ALOR STAR: The ability of our world-class lion and dragon dance teams should be exploited in the effort to attract more tourists, MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting said.

He said the country was home to some of the world's most skillful teams, which have won at least 19 world titles.

“Our teams have mastered superb techniques and acrobatic skills to keep spectators in awe. They are world class,'' he said when opening the International Lion Dance Invitation Championship at Sultan Abdul Halim Stadium here on Friday.

The event, supported by the Tourism Ministry, was organised by the Kuala Kedah MCA in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2007.

The event attracted 14 teams from seven countries.

Teams from Singapore and Thailand had to pull out due to injuries.

Ong said lion dance was part of Chinese culture, adding that the event could attract tourists from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan,” he said.

Event chief judge Lew Sai Fet said 25 judges from all the participating countries assessed the performers.

“The three Malaysian teams participating in the world championship are the top three winners of the national championship held on Thursday,” he said.

The national champion was Boon Seng King Lion and Dragon Dance Association from Johor.

The first and second national runners-up were Johor-based Kor Chor and SJK ( C) Yick Nan from Sabah.

Source: The Star

Keywords: Malaysia, Tourism Malaysia, Malaysia Tourism, Visit Malaysia Year 2007, VMY 2007, VMY'07, VMY2007

Big savings for travellers who plan well ahead

Friday January 12, 2007

BY WONG SAI WAN

KUALA LUMPUR: Good news for travellers. From Monday, MAS will implement its new fare structure, which will also see cheaper air ticket prices.

In keeping with the global trend, MAS as a full service airline will be taking on its local low-cost rival AirAsia by expanding its classes of fare from eight to 16.

A return economy air ticket to London during the low season could be as cheap as RM2,640 under the new structure while the present fare is RM3,685 (see graphic). For Hong Kong, a V class fare during low season will only cost RM1,270 compared to RM1,370.

The fare differential between the different buckets is about 10%.

These fares are over and above the Internet fares which the national carrier introduced last year.

Industry sources who had been briefed about the new fares said the trick to getting the cheaper fares was to plan trips early.

“Not all the fares will be cheaper than the one in the old structure. The new system is called fare buckets and each basket is drawn up according to restrictions,” one source said.

“The highest class is the Y fare which will almost be free of any restriction. This means that a passenger can change the travelling date with minimal charges.

“The lowest class is V and it will almost be impossible for travellers to make any changes and even if they can, the charges will be prohibitive.”

Other sources said the new structure to be managed by the new RM200mil computer would even enable passengers to book their tickets 340 days in advance.

However, they stressed that booking for cheap fares is not time-based; rather, it will be on a first-come-first-served basis.


“The system will be intelligent. If there is a lot of demand, then the system will reduce the number of cheaper fares but if there are a lot of seats available, then the number of cheaper ones will be increased,” said a source familiar with the computer system.

He said that unlike low-cost carriers, the MAS new structure would allow the number of cheap tickets to fluctuate.

He estimates that on a low demand flight during an off-peak season, the number of low-priced seats could go up by as much as 40% of the passenger load.

When contacted, MAS head of Media Relations Tan Wai Fong confirmed that the new fare structure would be introduced in the local market on Jan15.

“It will be introduced globally four days later,” she added.

Source: The Star

Keywords: Malaysia Airlines (MAS)

External Links:
Malaysia Airlines - http://www.malaysiaairlines.com

1,900 Tourism Policemen Needed

December 28, 2006 18:37 PM

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 28 (Bernama) -- The Royal Malaysian Police needs 1,900 tourism policemen to be stationed at 99 locations favoured by tourists throughout the country.

Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Datuk Mohd Najib Abdul Aziz, said the need arose because of the Visit Malaysia Year 2007 when more policemen would be required to provide protection for foreign tourists.

"We currently have 266 tourism policemen throughout the country but the number is insufficient," he told reporters after a visit by Deputy Information Minister Datuk Donald Lim Siang Chai to Bukit Aman here.

Lim met Najib for one hour to inform him of the need to place tourism policemen at specific places.

Najib said the number of tourism policemen would be added according to the need of the time.

He said the police force had applied to the Public Service Department to increase the number of tourism police personnel.

Source: BERNAMA

Keywords: Kuala Lumpur, Royal Malaysian Police, Visit Malaysia Year 2007

Terminal 2 At KKIA To Be Fully Operational On Jan 1

December 28, 2006 18:57 PM

KOTA KINABALU, Dec 28 (Bernama) -- The new Terminal 2 building of the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA), which will be fully operational by Jan 1 2007, is capable of handling the anticipated increase in passengers from next year.

Malaysia Airports Berhad Senior General Manager of Operations Datuk Azmi Murad said 1.6 million to 1.8 million passengers were expected to use the low-cost carrier terminal next year, up from the one million this year.

"The terminal is capable of handling up to 2.5 million passengers a year," he told reporters after visiting the terminal with members of the press today.

He said the new terminal, which cost RM60 million, was built to accommodate the needs of the growing low-cost carrier, AirAsia, besides providing better facilities to ensure passenger comfort.

It has 26 check-in counters for domestic and international flights and six parking bays for B737 and A320 aircraft as well as seven luggage Xray machines, a VIP room and 13 immigration counters.

Source: BERNAMA

Keywords: KOTA KINABALU, Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA), Malaysia Airports Berhad (MAB), AirAsia, low-cost carrier

RM36 Mln Upgrade For Bayan Lepas Airport

January 01, 2007 19:21 PM

PENANG, Jan 1 (Bernama) -- Malaysia Airport Sdn Bhd will spend about RM36 million to upgrade the Bayan Lepas International Airport including the construction of another aircraft parking bay and 32 check-in counters.

The project was expected to be fully completed by December next year, the airport's senior manager, Abdul Wahab Mohd Yusof, told reporters Monday.

He said RM26 million had been allocated for the construction of the aircraft parking bay and the repair of the existing 15 parking bays while another RM10 million was for a new building housing the new check-in counters.

The works would not adversely affect services at the airport, he said.

He said the work to build the new building was expected to start in April and scheduled for completion by year-end.

Abdul Wahab said the upgrading project was planned in 2004 but its implementation had been delayed due to various technical problems including in the building design.

"The additional check-in counters are in tandem with the increase of airline passengers. We have been experiencing congestion during peak hours, namely at 5am and between 4pm and 7pm," he said. The airport currently has 32 check-in counters.

Last year, it handled 3.1 million passengers and the number was expected to increase by 10 per cent during Visit Malaysia Year 2007, he said.

He said the airport presently received 14 passenger and 11 cargo airlines.

This year, it expected to get another Indonesian airline to land at the airport, he said.

Source: BERNAMA

KTM Introduces New Year Commuter Tickets

December 28, 2006 23:27 PM

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 28 (Bernama) -- Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTM) will introduce special tickets for its commuter service from Jan 1 until the end of the Visit Malaysia Year campaign in December 2007.

The ticket, called KTM Komuter Tourist Ticket, can be used to go to any destination on its network in one day, KTM said in a statement.

The tickets are priced at RM12 for adults and RM6 for senior citizens and children aged four to 12 years (RM6). Children below four years can travel free.

Meanwhile, in conjunction with the New Year eve celebrations, the commuter services will be extended until 2.30 am on Jan 1 with a service every 20 minutes.

Source: BERNAMA

Keywords:
Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTM), Visit Malaysia Year 2007, KTM Komuter, Commuter, New Year

External Links:
- Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad - http://www.ktmb.com.my

State Governments Line Up Events For VMY'07

January 01, 2007 18:09 PM

PENANG, Jan 1 (Bernama) -- The new year, Monday also marked the start of the Visit Malaysia Year 2007 (VMY'07).

The VMY'07, which is expected to draw 20.1 million tourists and enrich the national coffer by RM44.5 billion through foreign exchange earnings, will be officially launched at Taman Tasik Titiwangsa in Kuala Lumpur on Jan 6.

"At least 240 (national level) tourism events will be held across Malaysia in conjunction with the VMY'07," Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said in an interview at the KL International Airport (KLIA), where he was busy welcoming tourists into the country.

In Penang, Tourism Committee Chairman Cheang Chee Gooi said the Penang government will hold more than 50 events, including four international tourism events, throughout this year.

The four international events are the Penang Bridge Run to be held in June, International Dragon Boat Festival (June), International Music Fest (June) and International Lantern Festival (September).

Cheang was speaking to reporters after welcoming 560 tourists from Singapore, Bangkok and China at Penang's Bayan Lepas International Airport.

Tomorrow, some 400 tourists from Germany are expected to arrive by luxury cruise liner "Star Cruise" at Swettenham Pier and 180 more are also expected to arrive at KTM Butterworth station by E&O Express train from Bangkok.

In KEDAH, Chairman of Tourism, Arts and Culture Committee Datuk Fong Chok Gin said the tourism associations in the State will work hand in hand with similar bodies in Thailand to promote the VMY'07 in Thailand.

"The VMY'07 promotion in Thailand is showing positive result," he told reporters after welcoming tourists at Bukit Kayu Hitam in Kedah, Monday.

He said at least 800 tourists from Thailand are expected to arrive in Kedah daily through Bukit Kayu Hitam entry point.

Thousands more will come by boat through Satun and by air from Bangkok starting from Jan 6.

He said at least 2.8 million tourists are expected to visit Kedah throughout the year, where 70 percent of them will be heading to the tourist island of Langkawi. In TERENGGANU, deputy chairman of Industrial Development and Tourism committee Datuk Mohd Nasir Ibrahim Fikri said at least 2.8 million tourists are expected to visit the state this year compared to 2.3 million last year.

He said the state has lined-up various tourism programmes including 14 major events throughout the year.

Speaking to reporters at Sultan Mahmud Airport here, Mohd Nasir said the Terengganu government has spent RM10 million to promote VMY'07 and to upgrade tourism infrastructure.

He said various major events have been lined up throughout the year including the Terengganu Carnival in February, Bulan Citra Rasa (from June 1-3), Sultan Cup Terengganu Endurance Challenge (from Nov 10-11), Terengganu Monsoon Cup in Dec; and Terengganu International Rainforest Challenge (from Dec 1-10).

In KELANTAN, some 500 tourists from Thailand arrived at the main entry point of Rantau Panjang today. They were led by Narathiwat Governor Karan Supkitvilekkarn and his deputy Nipon Nrapitakkun.

They were welcomed by Tourism Ministry Secretary-General Datuk Dr Victor Wee.

In PERLIS, the state government is targeting at least 550,000 tourists to visit the state this year.

The state has lined up at least 13 national level tourism events and 31 state level tourism programmes throughout the year.

Perlis Tourism Action Council director Ahmad Bakri Ali said the state is seeking approval from the Federal Government to allow tourists from Thailand to use the Facilities Letter (FL) to enter Perlis.

"The FL will facilitate a hassle free travel for tourists from Thailand to visit Perlis," he said.

Source: BERNAMA

Keyword: Malaysia, Tourism Malaysia, Malaysia Tourism, Visit Malaysia Year 2007, VMY'07, VMY 2007, Taman Tasik Titiwangsa, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, KL International Airport, KLIA, Tourism Minister, Malaysia Airport, Tourism Committee, Penang, Penang Bridge Run, International Dragon Boat Festival, International Music Fest, International Lantern Festival, Bayan Lepas International Airport, Star Cruise, Butterworth, E&O Express train, KEDAH, Tourism, Arts and Culture, Bukit Kayu Hitam, Langkawi, Terengganu, Sultan Mahmud Airport, Terengganu Carnival, Bulan Citra Rasa, Sultan Cup Terengganu Endurance Challenge, Terengganu Monsoon Cup, Terengganu International Rainforest Challenge, Kelantan, Rantau Panjang, Tourism Ministry, Perlis, Perlis Tourism Action Council,