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