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