Malaysia Voluntourism Logo Competition

 

http://www.motac.gov.my/images/attachstore/voluntourism-logo/volutourism-logo-competition-2021-entry-form.pdf

http://www.motac.gov.my/images/attachstore/voluntourism-logo/volutourism-logo-competition-2021-idemnity-form.pdf

-MOTAC.

Tourism Malaysia Anjur Lawatan Kemas Kini Produk Ke Pantai Timur Semenanjung Malaysia

PUTRAJAYA, 1 JULAI 2019 – Seramai 18 orang pegawai Tourism Malaysia telah menyertai lawatan kemas kini produk ke negeri Kelantan dan Terengganu bermula hari ini sehingga 6 Julai bagi membantu mempromosikan produk terkini dan sedia ada yang terdapat di kedua-dua negeri tersebut.

Lawatan yang dianjurkan oleh Bahagian Komunikasi Korporat, Tourism Malaysia ini juga bertujuan mengukuhkan hubungan industri antara organisasi dengan para penggiat pelancongan di Pantai Timur.

Daerah-daerah yang akan dilawati di Kelantan ialah Kota Bharu, Pasir Mas, Kubang Kerian, Pasir Puteh dan Bachok, diikuti lawatan sehari ke negeri berjiran iaitu Terengganu.

Selama empat hari di Kelantan, para peserta akan didedahkan kepada pelbagai aktiviti dan pengalaman termasuklah mencuba makanan tradisional Kelantan seperti nasi kerabu, akok dan serunding, melawat galeri Trigona Stingless Bees di Min House Camp, menuai lokan secara tradisional dan berkunjung ke Wakaf Che Yeh.

Selain itu, mereka juga berpeluang untuk menikmati keindahan seni jalanan, menghayati perjuangan rakyat Palestin di Palestine Art Corner, berkunjung ke Pasar Siti Khadijah, galeri wau Pak Sapie, Kelantan Match Factory (kilang mancis tertua di Malaysia), Pintu Gerbang Kota Sultan Ismail Petra, Cik Minah Songket, Muzium Hobi, Galeri Wayang Kulit Melayu Tradisional Kelantan (Wayang Kulit Pak Dain), Masjid Ar-Rahman, melihat perahu tradisional di Pengkalan Anak Gajah, melihat seni ukiran kayu lama di ANR Akademi Nik Rashiddin, dan melawat ladang ternakan kuda di Zahhra Arabian Park.

Menyedari kepentingan untuk menjaga alam sekitar, para peserta bersama 80 sukarelawan yang terdiri daripada kakitangan Tok Aman Bali Beach Resort, Majlis Daerah Pasir Putih, pelajar-pelajar Kolej Politeknik Mara dan badan-badan bukan kerajaan akan mengadakan program Voluntourism - Pembersihan Pantai di Pantai Bisikan Bayu, Pasir Puteh pada 5 Julai.

Lawatan kemas kini produk ke Pantai Timur ini akan diakhiri dengan lawatan sehari ke Kuala Terengganu untuk melihat sendiri tarikan pelancongan terbaru iaitu jambatan angkat atau drawbridge di ibu negeri Terengganu itu.

-Tourism Malaysia.

Volunteer Application For 2014 Festivals In Sarawak Now Open

The Festivals project coordinators, Fiza (left), and Mona showing the volunteer form which are available for download from the festival’s website.

SARAWAK, Malaysia – The 17^th annual Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF), to be held in Kuching city as well as the 9^th annual Borneo Jazz and 2^nd annual Asia Music Festival, both to be held in Miri city, Sarawak is currently accepting applications for volunteers.

The 2014 RWMF will be held on June 20^th - 22^nd, while the Borneo Jazz 2014 and Asia Music Festival 2014 will be held on May 9^th – 10^th  and October 3^rd – 4^th respectively.

The Festivals are made possible year after year because of the hard work of over 200 volunteers yearly. Next year, all the three Festivals are looking for individuals or groups to help in the logistics, technical and operational aspects of the event management, event marketing and its operational plan. This volunteer program is designed to provide an overall understanding of the operational aspects of the festivals in order to ensure the success of the musical events organized by Sarawak Tourism Board.

Those interested to volunteer for these musical events in Malaysia may register respectively on RWMF website at www.rwmf.net, Borneo Jazz website www.jazzborneo and Asia Music Festival Website www.asiamusicfestival.net. This is only the application process where those interested in taking part are registered, while the successful applicants will later be notified via email or telephone.

The festival event management areas will require volunteer skills as liaison officer for performing artists, as well as schleppers for handling of the musical instruments among others. These volunteers are required to work during the workshop as well as concert and practice sessions. Volunteers for the event marketing management will participate in sales promotion, product development of festival tour packages, management information, media and public relations program as well as Media Centre operation. Event operation management areas will oversee the site readiness, vendor management, admission and gate operation, event secretariat, equipment and materials preparation and transportation.

The volunteer program has seen many repeated volunteers and it provides not only a learning platform but also a time to get together. Although ideal employee attributes will vary from role to role, all volunteers must be able to conduct themselves in line with the Festival’s core values, which is integrity and teamwork.

With more than 500 officials, media and performers making up the team at the Festivals, the volunteers are sure to meet new friends, sharing experience, learn the new skills, and most importantly gaining new experience in event management.

The festival organizer will provide T-shirts to be worn while on duty. The volunteers will be assigned to perform duties on shift, which covers day or night festival program. The volunteers maybe needed to run the selected management areas a few days before the festival starts in order to ensure festival readiness.

Closing date for Borneo Jazz and RWMF submission form is on 4^th April 2014, while Asia Music Festival submission form will close on 4^th September 2014.

Other information about the Festival such as the program, packages and many more will be updated on each websites from time-to-time.

-Sarawak Tourism Board. 

APE Malaysia: Volunteering in the wild

APE Malaysia volunteers 'ape' out on the hammock they made for the orang utan.

Instead of treating themselves to a cushy vacation, some choose the challenging but rewarding task of volunteer work.

When Mandy Lee Yu-Ming told people around her that she was going to sign up for a volunteer project, she got mixed responses of admiration and apprehension.

“Most thought it sounded really cool but they didn’t think they could do it because they didn’t want to get their hands dirty. They thought I was really brave to do it,” says Lee, a Taiwanese English teacher who signed up for a volunteer programme organised by APE Malaysia in September.

“The funny thing is, I didn’t feel that brave. This is the first time I’ve ever volunteered and even after studying the programme, it was difficult to picture the reality and I wasn’t sure what I was getting into,” she says.

Lee, 30, was looking for a volunteer programme that involved conservation and working with animals, and when she came across APE Malaysia online, she felt it was the perfect fit.

A tiger is challenged to get to his favourite food that is encased in a ‘meat ball’ made by volunteers.

Together with a small group of volunteers, Lee spent two weeks in a Malaysian zoo and another two weeks in Sabah at the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary.

The programme, called Orangutan Encounters, gives volunteers a “unique chance to work behind the scenes in a Malaysian zoo, then fly to exotic Borneo, home to wild orang utans, misty rainforests and colourful indigenous communities.”

They were involved in husbandry work such as cleaning cages and feeding, and enrichment work through providing enrichment activities for the orang utans and chimpanzees at Zoo Negara and Malacca Zoo.

While in Sabah, they carried out tree planting and maintenance, engaged with the village children through play and teaching English, and did community work for the benefit of the villagers who work as fishermen.

“While in Kuala Lumpur, we made a trip to the Malacca Zoo where I encountered the most challenging activity. Together with another volunteer, we had to lift a few massive tyres in the orang utan exhibit to hang a hammock for them,” Lee explains.

“We had to scoop out filthy and smelly water in the tyres, and push them up a steep hill. I am very petite compared to the other volunteers, so it wasn’t an easy task! But when we saw the orang utan using the hammock, it was so rewarding,” shares Lee.

Richard Craddock (right) using his carpentry skills to construct a puzzle as an enrichment tool for
orang utans and chimpanzees to figure out how to retrieve food items.

There were times when Lee had doubts about accomplishing the tasks but she kept thinking of the zookeepers and the facilitators who were doing the same work on a regular basis.

“I really cannot complain as I’m only here for a short while, and this is an amazing opportunity to help improve the animals’ living environment. Before this experience, I didn’t know what I was capable of, but now I know my level of endurance,” she says.

Not only did Lee learn about herself through volunteering, she also had a better understanding of animal behaviours and oil palm farming.

“I learnt that orang utans in captivity tend to vomit after they are fed, but those in the wild don’t seem to experience this problem. They also make a nest before they sleep. There was one orang utan that would finish her coconut juice and peel off the coconut husk to make a nest,” she says.

She also learnt of a website listing all the companies that adapted to sustainable palm oil production and says “it is better to purchase the products of these companies since they also contribute some of their profits to assist with rainforest rehabilitation.”

Mandy Lee helping local fishermen to make sustainable bubu (shrimp pots).

Volunteers who sign up know that it’s not a walk in the park, so apart from unsuspectingly donating her blood to a tiger leech during a jungle exploration in Sabah’s rainforest, Lee also injured her finger during a volunteering activity.

“I hurt my middle finger and covered it with a plaster. I didn’t think about it until Punky, an orang utan friend I made, kept staring and pointing to my wounded finger and made the action of kissing her finger while pointing to mine,” Lee recalls.

“It mirrored the same behaviour as what a caring person would do and it was the most touching moment for me. I wanted to cry,” she says.

Lee is happy that her first trip to Malaysia was through volunteering instead of just for a holiday, otherwise her interaction with Malaysians would be limited to those at shops and restaurants.

She says, “I would never have experienced mingling with Malaysians in a volunteering environment, made a few lovely local friends and seen how genuine Malaysians are.

“If I came as a tourist, I would be having my meals at restaurants but because I was living in a village in Sabah, I was lucky to be treated to home-cooked meals by the villagers. Food was tastier when I experienced eating with my hands!” she explains.

One of the massive tyres that Lee had to lift – with another volunteer – to hang a hammock for the orang utans in Malacca Zoo.

On her most fulfilling experience, Lee says, “Our group planted 80 saplings and did maintenance work on about 300 trees in the Kinabatangan plantation sites. We hope that they all grow well so that they can produce more fruits to feed the wildlife and provide more habitats for the birds and insects in the rainforest.

“This is my first visit to Malaysia and I am amazed by the sense of harmony the different ethnic groups share. People are so friendly, helpful and humble. Also, the food is extremely delicious and authentic,” she says.

“To those who have not experienced travel through volunteering, it would be great to experience it for yourself and see the beauty of the big picture of conservation work. Being a part of it is incredibly rewarding!” Lee says.

Adventure

Brits Richard James Craddock and his partner, Dr Rachael Louise Nowak, spent a month in Malaysia when they decided to take time out and see more of the world.

Craddock, 48, is a trained carpenter and self-employed site manager for the museum and conference industry and Nowak, 41, is a biologist who has been working in the pharmaceutical industry for over a decade.

They gave up their jobs to go travelling for 18 months as part of their round the world adventure.

While in Malaysia, they were not sipping pina coladas on the beach, but getting all sweaty through physical work as volunteers in a four-week programme.

Craddock and his partner, Dr Rachael Nowak, fell in love with Malaysia after signing up as volunteers with APE Malaysia.

“We heard about the APE Malaysia volunteer programme through a UK company called The Great Projects. Our interest was focused on orang utan conservation and the programme appealed to us because we would be able to help captive orang utans, see them in the wild and get involved in rebuilding habitats,” they explain.

“Harith of APE Malaysia was our guide, mentor, cultural ambassador, football critic and animal expert at Zoo Negara. He had the hardest job in terms of teaching us how to interact with the orang utans and looking after their welfare as well as ours!” says Nowak.

“What makes APE Malaysia organisers so special is their passion and commitment to improving orang utan welfare and making the experience as rewarding as possible for volunteers. It really opened our eyes and made us feel we were making a difference,” she adds.

They both say APE Malaysia’s briefing was so thorough that they knew what to expect but what they didn’t expect, according to Nowak, was “how easily it was for us to fall in love with the captive orang utans.”

“I remember seeing Richard feeding a Borneon orang utan at the very beginning and even though Richard was wearing a mask, I could see he had the biggest smile on his face and I knew from the start that we were doing the right thing,” says Nowak.

It was news to her that orang utans do not have facial expressions but she also learnt quickly that “enrichment is absolutely critical for these crafty and very endearing captive orang utans”

Craddock had expected the orang utans to have different personalities but he was quite surprised that they were so individualistic.

Utilising his carpentry skills in an enrichment project, Craddock and fellow volunteers made a puzzle for the orang utans and chimpanzees. They were challenged to push fruit – with a stick – through a maze in the puzzle, and then retrieve the fruit at the bottom.

“They are a lot more intelligent than people are led to believe and they quickly solved the enrichment puzzles,” he observes.

The volunteers also helped the zoo workers construct a new hammock for the orang utans to use in their enclosure and they were warned that it was unlikely the orang utans would use it immediately as it was something new.

“After letting the dominant female orang utan out, she went straight up to the hammock and climbed onto it. Although these animals have no facial expression, we could see in her eyes that she was so pleased. It brought a lump to our throats!” Craddock recalls.

At Zoo Negara, Craddock found out how rewarding it can be to clean orang utan enclosures which were very dirty and smelly.

“I think the zoo workers are really fortunate to be able to care for the animals; it must be so satisfying. Working in a zoo is a well-respected job and these jobs are very hard to come by in the United Kingdom,” he adds.

This is their first trip to Malaysia and Nowak points out that they were surprised by the heat and humidity, and how hot and sweaty they would get.

“While at Zoo Negara, we lived in very basic accommodation which we found enjoyable, especially when we tried to guess what animal was running on the roof!” says Nowak.

However, upon arrival in Sabah, they “were disappointed by the room which was quite posh. We became used to cold showers which were so refreshing after a hard day’s work.”

“We were amazed by the diversity of the Kinabatangan river area, and we were very fortunate to see many different animals and birds during our river trips to the work sites,” Nowak points out.

Craddock adds that this programme showed them the importance of tree planting and maintenance of the forest, which creates and sustains corridors and habitats for wildlife to live and pass through.

“We have not holidayed here before but through the volunteer programme, we fell in love with Malaysia and that will last a life-time. It is truly inspiring to see a country where different races can live well together,” Nowak says.

Nowak pointed out that they got to enjoy fantastic Malay, Indian and Chinese food. “Because it was so cheap, it’s almost a crime not to eat out. We ate very well, from the Zoo Negara canteen lunches to the wonderful home-stay food in Sabah.”

Through their experience, both Craddock and Nowak say “the time we spent here was life-changing. The buzz you get from this type of volunteering is addictive, just doing things for others is so rewarding and it gives you a very different perspective on life.”

“This volunteer programme was not a vacation and it was about working as hard as possible to make a difference for others and the environment. Our views of vacations have changed now and we are much more eager to look at volunteering and supporting locals through home-stays when we plan our future travels,” says Craddock, the only man in this group of mainly female volunteers.

“It might seem crazy to use your holiday to do volunteering work. Anyone can lie on a beach but everyone should try volunteering as it will be one of the best experiences you will have,” he says.

-thestar online.

www.apemalaysia.com

Voluntourism Malaysia Packages

-Tourism Malaysia.

Tourism Malaysia Launches Two New Holiday Packages At MATTA FAIR 2013

KUALA LUMPUR, 6 SEP 2013 – Tourism Malaysia has introduced two new travel packages to attract more tourists to Malaysia. YBhg Datuk Dr. Ong Hong Peng, Secretary General of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Malaysia, launched the MOTO GP 2013 and Voluntourism packages at the Tourism Malaysia Pavilion of MATTA Fair today. 

photo: PelanconganKini

The development of the MOTO GP 2013 package is a result of a smart partnership between Tourism Malaysia and Sepang International Circuit (SIC) in a bid to attract interest of local and international tourists to Malaysia during the international sporting event. 

Tourists can choose from the 4 day/3 night package priced from RM463 to RM1,163 per person or the 5 day/4 night package priced at RM550 up to RM1,483 per person. Both packages cover accommodation, breakfast, Main Grandstand tickets to MOTO GP, a bag and cap, and Kuala Lumpur city tours.

photo: PelanconganKini

Meanwhile, a total of 20 Voluntourism packages have been developed by seven local travel agencies offering tourists volunteering opportunities at turtle conservation, orang-utan rehabilitation and community centres and such.

Some 10,000 Voluntourism brochures have been distributed to the public while 4,000 copies have been provided to travel agents for promotion purposes.

Among the interesting Voluntourism packages are:

•    4 days/3 nights “Sea Turtle Adoption Programme, Sarawak”
(Price is from RM1,200 per person) 

•    6 days/5 nights - “Kiulu Valley Community Development Programme”
(Price is from RM1,800 per person)

•    7 days/6 nights – “Borneo Sun Bear Conservation Centre, Sepilok Environmental/Wildlife Conservation Centre Building Project”
(Price is from RM1,200 per person)

•    28 days/27 nights – “Borneo Native Programme, Penampang, Sabah”
(Price is from RM2,980)

Background on Voluntourism:

“Volunteer Tourism (Voluntourism)” means a vacation or holiday with elements of volunteering activities.

The Ministry of Tourism and Culture was given the responsibility to lead the development of voluntourism initiative, which is the seventh initiative under the National Blue Ocean Strategy. Among the objectives are to improve living standards of rural communities through tourism and volunteering activities. Meanwhile, Tourism Malaysia was tasked to develop and promote Voluntourism packages.
-Tourism Malaysia.