Malindo Air launches daily flight to Phnom Penh and code share flight to Chennai

Malindo Air will commence new flights to Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Chennai, India. (File pix)

KUALA LUMPUR: Malindo Air will commence new flights to Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Chennai, India.

It said the inaugural flight to Phnom Penh will commence from Aug 1 onwards, whereas the inaugural code share flight to South Indian metropolitan city will commence on July 24.

Malindo Air flight OD580 will depart daily from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) at 8am and arrive at Phnom Penh International Airport (PNH) at 8:55am. The return flight OD581 will depart on the same day from PNH at 9:45an and will arrive at KLIA at 12:35pm.

The daily flight to Chennai will OD9114 will depart daily from KLIA at 6:25am and arrive at Chennai International Airport (MAA) at 7:55am. The return flight OD9115 will depart on the same day from MAA at 8:55am and arrive at KLIA at 3:25p.m.

From Aug 30, a second frequency will be added, making it two daily flights from Kuala Lumpur to Chennai. OD9112 will depart daily from KLIA at 8:55pm and arrive at MAA at 10:20pm. The return flight OD9113 will depart on the same day from MAA at 11:10pm and arrive at KLIA the following day at 5:40a.m.

In conjunction with the announcement, Malindo Air is offering all-in return introductory fares to Phnom Penh for Economy Class starts from RM139 and Business Class starts from RM749. For Chennai the Economy Class starts from RM438 and Business Class starts from RM999.

The promotional fares include perks such as baggage allowance, in-flight entertainment and in-flight meals.

Chief Executive of Malindo Air, Chandran Rama Muthy said they are thrilled to announce the two new routes as part of their network.

“Both Phnom Penh and Chennai are rich in culture and both destinations have active travelers for trade and leisure.

“The addition of these routes supports our continuous effort in making KLIA a transit hub, by connecting passengers to visit Malaysia”,” he said.

Chandran said the airlines hopes to help boost the tourism in Malaysia and the cities that are connected through our network.

“Passengers from India, for example, can fly to Kuala Lumpur and further their journey to Indonesia, Australia or even Hong Kong or Taiwan.

“Our network grows rapidly, especially with our progressive code share strategies, which aim to provide better connectivity in the region,” added Chandran.

The CAPA 2016 Asia Pacific Regional Airline of the Year, airline operates over 800 flights weekly across a continuously growing network of about 45 routes in the region.

For updates on Malindo Air’s latest activities and promotions, please connect with us via Twitter (https://twitter.com/malindoair), Facebook (facebook.com/MalindoAirMalaysia) or Instagram (instagram.com/malindoair).

-nst online.

Langkawi To Host PATA Travel Mart 2018

LANGKAWI, June 30 (Bernama) -- Hardly a year of being admitted as a member of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), the Langkawi Development Authority (LADA) has been given the honour to host PATA Travel Mart 2018.

Lada chief executive officer Datuk Azizan Noordin said that the event would be an impetus to propel Langkawi to the next level of tourism development.

"Since we need to push Langkawi to the next level, we collaborated with Tourism Malaysia and the Tourism and Culture Ministry to bid for PATA Travel Mart 2018, and we got it, " he told Bernama.

He said the event was tentatively scheduled for three consecutive days from Sept 12, 2018 at the Mahsuri International Exhibition Centre (MIEC), the venue of the biennial Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) exhibition.

"We foresee that about 3,000 people will be coming to the Travel Mart, including exhibitors, buyers, media, government representatives, and from the PATA Secretariat, " he added.

Azizan said a number of forums would be held during the Travel Mart, featuring speakers from around the world, including Malaysia who would make presentations on Langkawi as a geopark destination, as well as other tourism attractions in the country.

He said as part of the preparations, LADA would send delegates to this year´s PATA Travel Mart in Macao on Sept 13-15.

"From Langkawi alone, 10 private companies will participate (at the Macao Travel Mart). They are going on their own expenses, but we're going to provide them the platform to carry out their promotions, " he said.

LADA also plans to organise the PATA ASEAN Inter-Chapter conference, scheduled end of July, which would involve 60 delegates from all ASEAN countries to forge better networking ahead of the PATA Travel Mart next year.

"I've seen that those who have hosted PATA events would eventually enjoy good (publicity and promotional) coverage internationally, getting support schemes to build up new products and financial support for specific tourism projects, " he added.

-Bernama.

Aloha! AirAsia X now flying to Hawaii

New route: Rafidah presenting a model AirAsia X plane to Dr Zulhasnan.
Looking on are (from left) Benyamin, McCartney and Szigeti.

HONOLULU: AirAsia X, Malaysia’s award-winning long-haul, low-cost carrier, has launched its inaugural flight from Kuala Lumpur to Hawaii via Osaka, Japan.

The departure lounge at KLIA2 where passengers boarded flight D7 001 was abuzz with excitement.

Gracing the launch at KLIA2 was AirAsia X chairman Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz who adorned passengers with floral garlands.

After the approximately six-hour flight to Osaka, the celebration continued with Rafidah and AirAsia X CEO Benyamin Ismail present at a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Kansai Airport.

In Honolulu, State of Hawaii Chief of Staff Mike McCartney, Malaysian ambassador to the United States Tan Sri Dr Zulhasnan Rafique, and Hawaiian Tourism Authority (HTA) president and CEO George D. Szigeti also attended a press conference.

AirAsia X Group CEO Datuk Kamarudin Meranun said when he founded AirAsia with partner Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, they dreamed of democratising air travel for everyone so flying would no longer be a luxury only a few could enjoy.

“The landmark route to Hawaii is a bold new chapter in that quest to help more people travel farther for less. But this is just the beginning, and soon our guests will be able to enjoy flights to even more destinations in the US as we continue to grow our international footprint,” he said.

HTA’s Szigeti said they were deeply honoured AirAsia X had chosen Honolulu as its initial destination to expand its service in the United States.

“We appreciate how this route strengthens our ties with the people and culture of Malaysia.

“AirAsia X customers in Kuala Lumpur and Osaka will enjoy the convenience of this direct service and how it connects them with the welcoming spirit of the Hawaiian culture, the spectacular natural beauty of our islands, and the diversity of Asia-Pacific influences that enriches the experience of being in Hawaii.”

Last week, AirAsia was named the World’s Best Low Cost Airline for the ninth consecutive year, while AirAsia X won the World’s Best Low Cost Airline Premium Cabin and Premium Seat awards for the fifth year in a row at the Skytrax World Airline Awards held at the Paris Air Show.

AirAsia X flies from Kuala Lumpur to Honolulu via Osaka four times a week.

To celebrate the inaugural flight, AirAsia X is offering a one-way fare from RM899 for a standard seat or RM2,999 for the award-winning Premium flatbed, from Kuala Lumpur to Honolulu. The promotional fares are available on airasia.com now through July 2, for travel between Oct 1 and Aug 28, 2018.

-thestar online.

Sabah's Borneo Ant House opens on July 1

Pix courtesy of Borneo Ant House.

KOTA KINABALU: The Borneo Ant House, Malaysia's first underground gallery, near Tuaran and some 35km from here, opens its doors to visitors on July 1.

Owned and managed by a local family from Sabah, it offers visitors a chance to learn more about ants, as well as Sabah and Sarawak's ethnic groups.

Borneo Ant House chief executive officer Sufiah Abd Rahim Lee, 59, said the name "Ant House" is taken from the concept of "living underground", like an ant.

"Ants live underground and since the theme park's main attractions are the underground galleries, we decided to name this place as such," said the retired teacher and mother of five.

The main attractions would be the three galleries - the first would be on sculptures of ants and some description of the insect, said Sufiah.

The second would be on the cultures of the Bajau, Dusun Lotud, Iban and Bidayuh people, and the last, on swords.

"The Bajau and Dusun Lotuds make up the majority of the population in Tuaran and the Iban and Bidayuh people are the largest ethnic groups of Sarawak," she said.

"This is why we chose to focus on these four ethnic groups," Sufiah said.

She added that the gallery on swords among other weapons were relevant as decades ago, the people of Borneo (Sabah and Sarawak) were known as headhunters.

"So we think this topic would be interesting for visitors to learn more about it," she said.

Sufiah also hoped that the underground gallery concept would appeal to the public, as it would be the first of its kind in Sabah.

There is a canopy walkway for those wanting to spend time relaxing with nature.

The entrance fee for Malaysian adults is RM18 per person and RM9 for the disabled, senior citizens aged 60 and above, as well as children aged seven and below.

Non-Malaysian visitors need to fork out double the price of each category.

Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun will launch the Borneo Ant House on Thursday.

-thestar online.

No word yet on Malaysia's tourism tax implementation date

The Malaysian trade is still in the dark over the implementation date of the tourism tax, as to date there is no official word from the Ministry of Tourism and Culture (MOTAC) and Royal Malaysian Customs Department (RMCD).

Shaharuddin M Saaid, executive director of Malaysian Association of Hotel Owners, told TTG Asia: “The hotel associations have made a stand not to do anything until we have something in black and white. We cannot be depending on news from the media. We need official documentation!”

Efforts by several hotels to reach out to the RMCD for registration forms were in vain, said Shaharuddin. They were following an earlier announcement on the RMCD website stating that the registration of accommodation premises would begin effective July 1, 2017. The notice is no longer online.

Moreover, Shaharuddin yesterday revealed that the joint memorandum sent early this month by the three major hotel associations in Malaysia has not been acknowledged by any of the recipients, namely the Ministry of Finance, RMCD and MOTAC.

Jason Ow Yeang, managing director of Columbia Leisure, said: “If the tourism tax is imposed before the next contracting period, starting April 1, 2018, we stand to lose between 25 to 40 per cent of our business.”

He added: “With profit margins so thin, we cannot afford to absorb the tourism tax which will be a minimum of RM100,000 every month, based on our volume of business.

“We understand that the government needs money for international promotions. But you cannot simply implement a new tax without studying the implications and the complications. We have spent so much to promote Malaysia, and the poor implementation of this new tax threatens to unravel our good efforts,” he lamented.

-TTG Asia.

Portuguese community aims to make Fiesta San Pedro a memorable one

Ready for a makeover: Fishing boats are placed on the roadside at the Portuguese Settlement in Ujong Pasir. They will be decorated for the San Pedro Festival.

MELAKA: Despite going through lean times, the Portuguese community is determined to make the annual Feast of St Peter, or Fiesta San Pedro, a memorable one this year.

The two-day celebration to honour the patron saint of fishermen starts today and the organisers anticipate that the Hari Raya break will help them draw a larger crowd.

“Normally, we get 2,000 to 3,000 people but as this year’s celebration coincides with the Raya holidays, we expect more than 5,000 visitors,” Portuguese Settlement Village Development and Security Committee chairman Richard Hendricks told The Star.

Fiesta San Pedro is a major event for the community, with traditional games, a stage show, band and cultural performances, and the lighting of candles to symbolise guidance for fishermen.

St Peter is the patron saint of fishermen, and fishing was once the main livelihood in the settlement.

Hendricks said about RM50,000 was needed to organise the event.

“We have a sponsor for the grand prize for our Best Fisherman competition and an annual allocation from Tourism Malaysia which is enough to organise the event,” he said.

Hendricks added that the committee members also raised funds by selling lucky draw tickets and advertisements in the souvenir book, as well as personal contributions.

He said the committee’s intention was to make sure the celebration adheres to the traditions of the Portuguese community and strengthens camaraderie among residents of the settlement.

The celebration is part of Tourism Malaysia’s calendar of events and a tourism product for the state.

-thestar online.

A Music Retrospective 2017 @ The Gardens Theatre, Mid Valley City, KL ( 7 & 8 July 2017 )

Enjoy a medley of music genres as The Gardens Theatre hosts a two-day musical event.

Unwind with some jazz, pop, R&B, or even rewind with some old-school Shanghai oldies with artistes such as Mia Palencia, Peter Ong, The Shanghai Sisters, Kael, Hunny Madu, Najwa Mahaiddin.

Expect some David Bowie, Prince, and George Michael artistes will also be paying tribute to the musical legends that left us in 2016.

-www.ticketcharge.com.my

5,000 kunjungi pembukaan MAPS

SEBAHAGIAN pengunjung pada hari pertama pembukaan

Movie Animation Park Studio (MAPS) di Ipoh, Perak, kelmarin. 

IPOH 27 Jun – Lebih 5,000 orang mengunjungi hari pertama pra­pembukaan taman tema animasi pertama di Asia, Movie Animation Park Studios (MAPS) di Meru di sini, semalam.

Ahli Lembaga Pengarah MAPS, Ramelle Ramli berkata, jumlah pengunjung yang ramai menunjukkan sambutan yang diterima amat baik walaupun ada beberapa kawasan tarikan belum dibuka kerana masih dalam proses ujian teknikal.

Menurut beliau, pihaknya men­­jangkakan mampu menerima sehingga 10,000 pengunjung se­tiap hari khususnya ketika cuti umum dan hujung minggu apabila dibuka sepenuhnya nanti.

“Pembukaan hari pertama MAPS kepada orang ramai yang bermula pukul 10 pagi hingga 10 malam turut berjalan lancar walaupun ada beberapa kawasan dan permainan yang masih belum beroperasi kerana masih da­lam peringkat ujian di peringkat teknikal,” katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian ketika membawa media meninjau hari pertama prapembukaan MAPS di sini semalam.

Menurut Ramelle, MAPS akan mengumumkan kepada orang ramai perkembangan tarikan yang masih belum dibuka dalam masa terdekat.

“Sehubungan itu, kami sangat mengalu-alukan sebarang maklum balas daripada pengunjung,” katanya.

Jelasnya, sempena Hari Raya Aidilfitri, MAPS turut membuat promosi istimewa diskaun harga tiket pada harga RM131 bagi dewasa dan RM104 untuk kanak-kanak sehingga 1 Julai ini berbanding harga asal iaitu RM144 bagi dewasa dan RM114 untuk kanak-kanak pada hari biasa.

“Pengunjung yang sudah mem­beli tiket secara dalam ta­lian sebelum ini boleh menebus tiket percuma bagi setiap pembelian satu tiket yang ditawarkan sehingga 1 Julai dan boleh ditebus untuk digunakan sah sehingga 30 September ini,” katanya.

Menurutnya, pembelian tiket pada harga diskaun itu berbaloi ditambah dengan pemberian tiket percuma bagi setiap pembelian tiket pada tempoh promosi.

“MAPS menawarkan 40 tarikan dan permainan yang boleh dicuba dan diterokai yang tidak terdapat dan ditawarkan di tempat lain,” katanya.

Taman tema itu dibina dengan kos RM520 juta.

Dalam pada itu, Ramelle juga berkata, MAPS dengan kerjasama Tourism Perak dan Tourism Malaysia sedang giat mempromosikan MAPS sehingga ke luar negara.

“Sekarang ini kita telah me­ngadakan promosi di beberapa negara termasuk China, India, Singapura, Thailand dan Indonesia”, katanya.

-utusan online.

Sarawak minister confident state may defer tourism tax

On Sunday, Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Openg had said the tourism tax

will not be implemented in the state on July 1 — Picture by Sulok Tawie

KUCHING, June 27 ― Sarawak Tourism Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah today expressed belief the prime minister will give the state dispensation to delay collecting a federal tourism tax next month.

He was responding to questions on the Sarawak chief minister's announcement last week that the state will not implement the tax on the same schedule as the rest of the country.

Karim today said Datuk Seri Najib Razak was wise and willing to listen to feedback from the leaders of Sabah and Sarawak that are under Barisan Nasional's rule.

“Najib is also the finance minister, and as such, he has the full power to determine when the  tourism tax implementation would be,” he told Malay Mail Online today.

“(Therefore), with or without applying for exemption, it is immaterial,” he added.

On Sunday, Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Openg had said the tourism tax will not be implemented in the state on July 1 and for as long as negotiation on its methodology between state and federal government was ongoing.

Today, Karim noted that the “minister” mentioned in the Tourism Tax Act was the finance minister, and not federal Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz.

He said this meant the introduction, timing and enforcement of the tax came entirely under Najib's purview rather than Nazri.

Malay Mail Online previously reported lawyers as saying that Sarawak must apply for exemption from the Finance Ministry if the state refuses to collect the tourism tax.

The federal tourism tax rates scheduled to take effect July 1 are between RM2.50 per room each night for unrated accommodation and RM20 per room each night for five-star hotels.

-themalaymailonline.

Barney's Greatest Hits Live In Malaysia @ Putrajaya International Convention Centre ( 8 ~ 9 July 2017 )

Hey Barney fans! It’s time to sing and dance with the purple dinosaur, Barney and his friends Baby Bop, BJ and Riff, in this high-energy song and dance live on stage. To celebrate Barney’s love and care over 25 years, a brand new musical with many of Barney’s popular and favorite songs all in one show. Kids, let’s raise up your hands, shake your body, move your feet and sing-along with Barney in this super-dee-duper musical show.

Barney leads the little audiences to the imaginative adventure tour. They go to the Musical Castle and meet the King; then they travel to outer space to visit the purple planet. Finally Barney, BJ, Baby Bop and Riff present the top hits and there will be plenty of fun for everyone!

Barney's Greatest Hits will start performing at Putrajaya International Convention Centre in Malaysia on July 7, 2017 until July 9, 2017

See you soon.

CANCELLATION OF FRIDAY'S SHOWS ANNOUNCEMENT

We are regret announce that due to unforeseen technical difficulties, our Friday's 5pm & 8pm shows have to be cancelled. Kindly be informed however that all tickets purchased for the said shows will be automatically upgraded to Sat/Sun show under a better seat category. Our Customer Service personnel will contact the respective customers soonest possible to arrange for the said upgrade or refund (if necessary). Whereas, All shows scheduled for Saturday and Sunday remains unchanged. We apologize for any inconvenience caused.

-AirAsia RedTix.