Damai, tenang di Gunung Pulai

SUASANA santai di sekitar kawasan peranginan Gunung Pulai.

KULAI 28 Sept. - Kedinginan air jeram yang mengalir di kaki Gunung Pulai setinggi 654 meter terasa nyaman sekali.

Deruan air yang mengalir ke hilir kaki gunung disulami bunyi unggas berterbangan membuatkan hati menjadi begitu tenang.

Pengalaman mengunjungi Hutan Lipur Gunung Pulai, di sini baru-baru ini ternyata menggamit pe­ra­saan terutamanya bagi mereka yang ingin lari daripada kesibukan kota.

Terletak kira-kira 30 ki­lometer (km) dari Bandar raya Johor Bahru dan hanya 10 km dari susur keluar Plaza Tol Kulai, pengunjung akan melalui Kampung Sri Gunung Pulai yang menjadi ‘pintu masuk’ ke hutan lipur berkenaan.

Selain keindahan alam sekitar dan airnya yang jernih, hutan lipur ini menjadi tarikan bagi mereka yang gemarkan aktiviti sukan lasak terutamanya jungle tracking dan mendaki gunung.

Bagi mereka yang ingin bersantai pada cuti hujung minggu, ia adalah destinasi yang tidak memerlukan perbelanjaan besar untuk bersama-sama seisi keluarga.

Sudah puas melakukan akti­viti di dalam hutan lipur, pengunjung boleh mengelilingi Kampung Sri Gunung Pulai bagi merasai suasana desa.

Sama ada menaiki kenderaan sendiri atau berjalan kaki dan berbasikal, jangan lupa singgah bagi melihat perusahaan kecil sederhana (PKS) yang diusahakan penduduk kampung antaranya cendawan dan kerepek pisang.

Sekiranya cuaca panas terik, empangan dibina di hilir jeram pastinya akan menyejukkan su­hu badan bagi yang ingin berendam.

Andai ada yang ingin merasai suasana bermalam di kampung, pengunjung boleh menginap di chalet dan inap desa yang terdapat di kampung tersebut.

Janganlah malu untuk me­nyapa penduduk kampung yang ramah kerana sekiranya memerlukan sebarang bantuan, pasti­nya mereka akan memberikan pertolongan dengan seikhlas hati.

Apa yang pasti, pengalaman dan hospitaliti yang akan dirasai pengunjung yang pernah datang ke sini pastinya tidak akan dilupakan sampai bila-bila.

Bagi pengunjung yang ingin bermalam di Gunung Pulai, D’ Cabin Chalet Gunung Pulai yang diusahakan Koperasi Sri Sekawan Kulaijaya Berhad dan beroperasi sejak awal tahun lalu pastinya menjanjikan kelainan.

Pengurus koperasi, Mohd. Razi Razak berkata, chalet tersebut dibina dua tahun lalu selepas mendapat per­untukan RM1.3 juta menerusi Program Desa Les­tari daripada Kementerian Kemajuan Luar Bandar dan Wilayah.

“Terdapat 20 chalet termasuk sebuah berstatus VIP yang dilengkapi dengan kemudahan asas seperti katil, bilik air dan pendingin hawa.

“Chalet tersebut terletak di beberapa lo­kasi berbeza di atas tanah penduduk yang juga ah­li koperasi seperti di tepi sungai, kebun dan dusun buah-buahan.

“Bagi pakej ini tiga hari dua malam, pelanggan akan merasai pengalaman berbasikal mengeli­lingi kampung, mengadakan BBQ dan lawatan ke ladang nanas, madu kelulut dan industri kecil sederhana (IKS) cen­dawan.

“Bagi pakej dua hari satu malam pula tidak disediakan aktiviti lawatan ke­rana waktu yang terhad. Namun mereka masih boleh me­lakukan aktiviti lain seperti jungle 
tracking mahupun berjalan ka­ki ke kawasan air terjun yang hanya mengambil masa 10 minit” kata­nya kepada Utu­san Malaysia, baru-baru ini.

Menurut Mohd. Razi, sambutan yang diterima setakat ini amat menggalakkan bukan sahaja daripada pengunjung dan pelancong luar, malah daripada agensi kerajaan dan swasta serta sekolah.

Justeru, pihaknya turut menyediakan 20 buah khemah ke­rana turut menjadi pilihan bagi penganjuran kem motivasi dan bina semangat.

Pengunjung yang ingin me­nginap di calet ini boleh menghubungi 016-7748083 dan 017-769 9476.

-utusan online.

Mitsui Outlet Park KLIA <-> Sepang International Circuit... Free Shuttle Bus Service ( 29 September ~ 1 October 2017 )

http://www.mitsuioutletparkklia.com.my/schedule2.pdf

- www.mitsuioutletparkklia.com.my

F1 Malaysia - Direct Bus Service To Sepang International Circuit ( 29 September ~1 October 2017 )

- www.myrapid.com.my

The Major League Championed by Celcom @ Iskandar Johor ( 20 ~ 22 October 2017 )

The Major League Championed By Celcom is a highly anticipated epic international Esports tournament, centred on the Dota 2 game platform, featuring renowned teams from Malaysia as well as China, Indonesia, Philippines, Mongolia and Kyrgyzstan, battling out to win their share of the alluring RM 300,000 prize pool. This event will run over the course of three days from October 20 to 22, 2017 and it will be held in EduCity Indoor Stadium, Iskandar Puteri.

- www.ticketcharge.com.my

Malaysia No.1 destinasi utama pengembara Muslim

KUALA LUMPUR 26 Sept. - Untuk tujuh tahun berturut-turut, Malaysia mengungguli kedudukan pertama destinasi utama bagi pengembara Muslim, berdasarkan Indeks Pengembaraan Muslim Sedunia (GMTI) 2017, Mastercard dan CrescentRating.

Timbalan Menteri Pelancongan dan Kebudayaan, Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin berkata, tahun lalu, Malaysia mengalu-alukan kedatangan lebih 5.5 juta pelancong Muslim.

“Orang Muslim seluruh dunia terus bertambah dan menjadi lebih berkemampuan, maka mereka menjadi kelompok pasaran yang boleh disasarkan.

“Untuk itu, kerajaan telah berusaha dengan bersungguh-dungguh untuk memaju dan menambah baik pasaran pelancongan Muslim di negara ini sehingga Malaysia sekali lagi menduduki tempat pertama destinasi disukai pengembara Muslim,” ujarnya pada Majlis Makan Malam dan Perbincangan Bisnes Malaysia-Jordan Dalam Sektor Pelancongan malam tadi.

Teks ucapan beliau telah dibacakan oleh Timbalan Ketua Setiausaha (Pengurusan), Kementerian Pelancongan dan Kebudayaan, Datuk Yean Yoke Heng. Turut hadir, Duta Jordan ke Malaysia, Thamer Adwan.

Menurut Mas Ermieyati, pada suku pertama tahun ini, perbelanjaan membeli-belah pelancong mencatat jumlah pendapatan sebanyak RM5.4 bilion daripada keseluruhan pendapatan pelancongan berjumlah RM18 bilion.

Ini katanya, satu peningkatan sebanyak 6.3 peratus berbanding tempoh yang sama pada tahun lalu, sekali gus mencerminkan kedudukan baik Malaysia sebagai destinasi membeli-belah dunia.

“Membeli-belah jelas menjadi penyumbang utama hasil pelancongan, yang menyumbang sebanyak RM26.03 bilion atau 31.7 peratus daripada hasil keseluruhan berjumlah RM82.01 bilion pada 2016.

“Pendapatan daripada aktiviti membeli-belah pelancong pada 2016 itu juga satu peningkatan sebanyak 20.3 peratus berbanding pada 2015,” tambahnya.

Sementara itu, Adwan dalam ucapan alu-aluannya berkata, Jordan sedang giat melabur dalam sektor pertanian, termasuk pembinaan hotel mewah, pusat spa, resort percutian, prasarana perubatan pelancongan dan pembesaran Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Permaisuri Alia (QAIA).

“Sehubungan itu, saya mengalu-alukan pelabur-pelabur Malaysia untuk datang ke Jordan dan melihat serta meneroka sendiri peluang pelaburan yang terbuka dalam sektor pelancongan kami,” tambahnya.

-utusan online.

MyExpo to bolster business tourism in Malaysia, generate RM500mil revenue

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said MyExpo will help make Putrajaya a city that truly caters for both business and leisure, not only for local residents but also for the host of other nationals who are expected to live and work in the city. (pix by AHMAD IRHAM MOHD NOOR)

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Exposition and Convention Centre (MyExpo) is set to be another catalytic project to boost business tourism in the country, which could surpass the sector forecast of RM3.9 billion to Gross National Income by 2020.

The country sees the importance of exhibition centres in generating business tourism growth but MyExpo has more to offer as it is expected to create more than 16,700 jobs estimated in 2020 for the sector.

MyExpo, together with Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC), will be the largest exhibition centre in Southeast Asia. It is expected to garner a total annual revenue of RM500 million.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said MyExpo will help make Putrajaya a city that truly caters for both business and leisure, not only for local residents but also for the host of other nationals who are expected to live and work in the city.

“The Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Events (MICE) sector is a rapidly growing part of the global tourism industry. In Malaysia we are taking this segment very seriously, which is why we established the Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau, or MyCEB, under the Ministry of Tourism and Culture in 2009,” Najib said in his speech at the ground breaking ceremony of MyExpo First Phase here.

“By 2020, business tourism is forecast to contribute RM3.9 billion to Gross National Income and generate 16,700 jobs. I am sure that MyExpo will enhance those figures still further,” he added.

In 2016, the Malaysian MICE industry attracted 111,298 delegates to 153 events and generated RM1.035 billion in revenue.

Citing International Congress and Convention Association, Najib said Kuala Lumpur is ranked eighth in the Asia Pacific and 28th globally as a convention centre city while among countries, Malaysia was ranked seventh in the region and 30th in the world.

The convention centre, to be managed by Convention & Exhibition (Putrajaya), is equipped with unique designs such as a column-free hall of up to 126,000 square feet with a height of 15 feet and collapsible walls. It has the capacity to accommodate 60,000 people at a time.

MyExpo, located adjacent to PICC, is part of MyExpo City that will cover four million square feet to includ mall, parks, service apartments and both a four star and a five star hotels.

MyExpo City, which will be developed by Putrajaya Leisures and Services Group Sdn Bhd (Pulse Group), has two phases of development.

Phase 1A will consist of a five-storey exhibition hall, 23-storey building while Phase 1B will feature a five-star hotel.

Phase 1C will comprise a boutique mall, an indoor theme park and service apartments.

-nst online.

Konsert Panggung 50 Anniversari ( 30 September 2017 )

The "Panggung 50 Anniversari" concert is geared to excite and bring the sweet nostalgia of Panggung Anniversari's glory days into the hearts of music fans of all ages.

Combining "evergreen" favourites by stars of the 70s with the hottest new artists of the current generation, the audience can look forward to witnessing and experiencing for themselves Malaysia's unique musical journey through time.

Organized by Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL) and DiverseCity - the KL International Arts Festival, the entire performance will be supported and specially accompanied by DBKL's Orchestra and Dance group.
- https://diversecity.my/index.php

Nights Of Fright 5 @ Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia ( 7 ~ 31 October 2017 )

This October get ready to FEEL THE FEAR at Nights of Fright 5 (NOF5) as Sunway Lagoon unleashes the most outrageous, eerie, hair-raising, fear-infused attractions and experiences. Navigate yourself through chills and thrills of:

• 8 Haunted Houses
• 5 Scare Zones
• 11 Thrill Rides
• 4 Show Stages

-www.ticketcharge.com.my

New race-themed VR ride zooming into Legoland Malaysia

Legoland Malaysia Resort will be the first of three Legoland parks worldwide to have its Project X roller coaster transformed into a virtual reality ride simulating a race scenario later this year.

Following the launch in Malaysia, The Great LEGO Race will be rolled out in Legoland Florida Resort in 2018 and Germany’s Legoland Deutschland Resort, UK parent company Merlin Entertainments Group announced.

Developed under the supervision of Merlin Magic Making, The Great LEGO Race will pit riders, wearing VR headsets, in a race against wild brick-built contraptions driven by Trendsetter, Pharaoh, Surfer Girl, Wizard and Pirate Captain, including a rocket-powered surfboard and a stylish scooter fuelled by espresso.

The adventure begins as guests approach the ride’s new entry portal to sounds of roaring engines. Nearby, the coaster’s queue will resemble a pre-race space where pit crews for each of the five LEGO racers are preparing for the competition, plus interactive, hands-on elements to entertain waiting riders.

-TTG Asia.
https://www.legoland.com.my

Hype Motorsports Hotel - Malaysia MotoGP Package

·        Address: Lot 31582 Putra Nilai, 71880 Mukim Labu, Negeri Sembilan.

·        Contact No.: +606 794 8899
·        Whatsapp No.: +6012 379 6056
-Hype Motorsports Hotels.

Avillion Bukit Tinggi dibuka menjelang 2020

Pengarah Urusan Pembangunan Unik Tanglir Hospitality, Datuk Ang Hock Chai (kiri); Pengarah Urusan Tanglir Hospitality, Choo Yoke Cheong (dua dari kiri), Samsudin Hitam (dua dari kanan) dan Pengarah Urusan Kumpulan Hotel Avillion, See Ah Sing (kanan) bersalaman selepas pertukaran dokumen di Petaling Jaya, hari ini.

PETALING JAYA 20 Sept. - Avillion Hotel Group Sdn. Bhd. hari ini mencapai persefahaman dengan Tanglir Hospitality Sdn. Bhd. untuk membuka dan menguruskan resort baharu di Bukit Tinggi yang merupakan destinasi popular pelancong di negara ini.

Pengerusinya, Tan Sri Samsudin Hitam berkata, perjanjian itu menyaksikan Kumpulan Avillion Hotel menguruskan prapembukaan dan operasi Avillion Bukit Tinggi menjelang 2020.

“Avillion yakin tambahan aset hartanah ini berpotensi menarik pengunjung dalam dan luar negara. Lokasi Bukit Tinggi berdekatan dengan taman tema baharu yang akan dibuka dua tahun lagi.

“Kawasan ini dijangka menjadi destinasi tumpuan pelancong. Kumpulan Avillion Hotel teruja untuk menjadi sebahagian daripada perkembangan pelancongan di Bukit Tinggi,” katanya dalam satu kenyataan selepas majlis tersebut.

-utusan online.

Labuan City Charms The Chinese At CAEXPO In Nanning

Ministry of International Trade and Industry Y.B Dato' Seri Ong Ka Chuan (2nd from left) was flanked by (from left) Assistant Director Department of Tourism, Culture & Arts, Labuan Corporation Madam Zunaidah Hamzah, Deputy Director of Tourism Malaysia Guangzhou

Mr. Mohd Azwan Mohd Alwi, Vice Chairman of Members of Chinese People Political

Consultative Conference in Guangxi Mr. Liu Zheng Dong, Consul General of Malaysia

to Nanning and H.E. Bong Yik Jui.

NANNING, CHINA, 20 September 2017 – Labuan has been identified as one of the potential tourist attractions to woo more Chinese tourists to Malaysia and efforts are being made to promote the island to this market, especially as an island and beach holiday destination.

One of the efforts to promote Labuan is through the participation of Tourism Malaysia and Labuan Corporation in the China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO).

The Ministry of International Trade and Industry Y.B. Dato' Seri Ong Ka Chuan recently launched the Malaysia Pavilion – Labuan City of Charm on 11 September at CAEXPO in Nanning, 3.30 pm local time.

The occasion was also graced by the Vice Chairman of Members of Chinese People Political Consultative Conference in Guangxi Mr. Liu Zheng Dong, the Consul General of Malaysia to Nanning H.E. Bong Yik Jui, the Deputy Director of Tourism Malaysia Guangzhou Mr. Mohd Azwan Mohd Alwi, and Assistant Director Department of Tourism, Culture & Arts, Labuan Corporation Madam Zunaidah Hamzah.

During the launching, guests were given the opportunity to experience the best of Labuan and Malaysia. They were served samples of Malaysia’s Bird’s Nest dish and Teh Tarik, while being entertained with traditional music by performers brought in by Labuan Corporation. Guests were also treated to a live Teh Tarik demonstration by a chef from Rasa Sayang Qinzhou (Malaysia Restaurant). They were also given a briefing of Labuan’s famous tourist attractions such as its duty free shopping, fresh seafood, islands and beaches and historic sites.

The Malaysia Pavilion featured a total of six organisations namely Tourism Malaysia, Labuan Corporation, two tour operators which were MyTrips Tours & Travel and Shang Pin Tour, and also Rasa Sayang Restaurant Qinzhou and Kuantan Qinzhou Bird Nest Sdn Bhd to promote Malaysia as a tourist destination to the Chinese market here.

Previous joint promotions done between Tourism Malaysia and China tour operators to promote Labuan had produced the Brunei-Labuan-Sabah package, which was a timely venture to promote twin-country destination in conjunction with the 50^th anniversary of the establishment of ASEAN.

Between January and May 2017, a total of 905,326 Chinese tourists visited Malaysia, an increase of 7.8% compared to the same period last year.

Organized by the People’s Government of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and annually held in Nanning, the 14th CAEXPO was held at Nanning International Convention & Exhibition Center from 11 until 15 September 2017. 

The trade and commodity section was participated by Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) and its agencies. To promote the country’s tourism industry, meanwhile, Tourism Malaysia and Labuan Corporation partnered to feature Labuan as the “City of Charm.”

-Tourism Malaysia.

RM60 million needed to operate Malaysia's largest marine park for first five years

WWF-Malaysia chief executive officer Datuk Dr Dionysius S.K. Sharma (3rd from right) and Sabah Parks director Dr Jamili Nais signed the MoU, witnessed by State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun. Pic by NSTP/MALAI ROSMAH TUAH

KOTA KINABALU: A total of RM60 million is needed to operate the Tun Mustapha Park (TMP), Malaysia’s largest marine park, for its first five years (2017-2021).

WWF-Malaysia, announcing this during a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing with Sabah Parks today, will assist the latter in developing a financial plan which could cover income generation or fundraising strategies, as well as sustainable financing.

The 10-year agreement solidifies the existing cooperation between the non-governmental organisation (NGO) and the conservation-based government body in taking care of the 898,762-hectare TMP.

The TMP, gazetted last year, spans three districts (Kudat, Kota Marudu and Pitas).

WWF-Malaysia chief executive officer Datuk Dr Dionysius S.K. Sharma and Sabah Parks director Dr Jamili Nais signed the MoU, witnessed by State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun.

Dionysius said WWF-Malaysia is committed to co-funding the TMP management and operation office, the TMP regulations development, sustainable financing mechanism and conservation, led by the state government.

“TMP is a global symbol of how we can collectively commit to protecting the environment while local communities continue to live in a sustainable manner.

“People must understand that the gazetting measure is just the first step in a long journey.

“Right now, there are over 80,000 coastal and island folk living in the area. We don’t know how many there will be in the future but the goal is for them to have better life in a sustainable manner,” he said.

WWF-Malaysia Marine Programme’s People and Biodiversity manager Monique Sumampouw said that 85 per cent of locals surveyed indicated that the gazetting measure had a positive impact.

She said the MoU will focus on the protection and restoration of coral reefs, sea grass and mangroves as well as key species like sea turtles, dugong, sharks and commercially-valuable fish.

Meanwhile, Masidi said the gazetting of such parks require political will. Its impact, she said, may not be seen in the short term but will benefit the people in the future.

“I would like to give an example where a few days ago, a massive cleanup was conducted at the Kudat coastline, where many plastic bottles were collected. Surprisingly, some of the bottles came from other parts of the world, even as far as Saudi Arabia.

“So do not think that what we do in TMP only benefits only Kudat and Sabah; it affects people all over the world.

“We should not opt for shortcuts and short-term benefits but make decisions that allow people to prosper, generation after generation.

“I hope that leaders, wherever they are, will do more of what is right instead of what is popular. I hope what we did will encourage others to follow suit,” said the minister.

He also stressed on the importance of being realistic when it comes to gazetting more marine parks.

“I believe the shortest time frame for the next one (to be gazetted) is maybe ten years. I am saying this to keep expectations within limits. There is a lot of work to be done and there are various technicalities involved,” he said.

Masidi had earlier this month said that the government had identified Mantanani Island off Kota Belud and its surrounding areas as the next potential marine park.

-nst online.