Sandakan’s many charms

The one question most people asked me when I returned from my familiarisation trip to Sandakan was, “How many orang utans did you see?” Granted, that was one of the highlights during the tour of Sabah’s second largest town. However, Sandakan has more to offer than just primates.

Located on the north-eastern coast of Borneo facing the Sulu Sea, Sandakan is home to the famous Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre, Kinabatangan River and Sandakan War Memorial Park. A few media members were taken on this trip organised by Firefly. From the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), it takes two hours and 40 minutes to reach Sandakan.

Popular cruise: The lower Kinabatangan area is a hotspot to bird-watch.

As of Aug 1, Firefly will launch a new route to Sandakan with two daily flights. With a population of about 500,000, comprising mostly indigenous people such as the Bajau, Orang Sungai, Bugis and Malay-Brunei, Sandakan used to be Sabah’s capital before World War II broke out.

“When the war ended, Sandakan was totally destroyed, partly from the Allied bombings. When the British North Borneo Company could not afford to rebuild the city, the capital was shifted to Jesselton, now known as Kota Kinabalu,” revealed Borneo Trails operations executive Jame Marajan. Borneo Trails offers guided city, adventure as well as tailor-made tour packages, conventions and hotel arrangements around Sabah.

After landing at Sandakan Airport, we piled up in a van and took a two-hour drive to Sukau — a small village with less than 600 inhabitants located in the southern part of Sandakan. We hopped on a five-minute boat ride at the Sukau jetty along the Kinabatangan River to head to the Proboscis Lodge Bukit Melapi where we stayed.

Chilling out: Resident orang utan Brit and her baby Charley at the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre.

Kinabatangan River

According to Jame, early contacts between the local and Chinese traders along the river, date back to as early as 631 AD. “The traders from China used to exchanged goods such as porcelain, jugs and spoons for forest products which included bird nests,” he added. The lower Kinabatangan area is home to at least 200 different species of birds including eight species of hornbills.

While partaking in the river cruise, you will notice ropes tied on the trees linking them on each side of the river. This is to allow the wild orang utans to cross the river to other parts of the jungle. “The Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary consists of a gazetted area of 26,000ha which is a habitat for the Borneo Pygmy elephants and orang utans,” added Jame.

For nature enthusiasts, you can opt for basic accommodation at the Borneo Nature Lodge, Proboscis Lodge Bukit Melapi, Sukau Rainforest Lodge, Kinabatangan Riverside Lodge and Sukau River Lodge. The two-hour river cruise also took us to one of the Kinabatangan tributaries — Menanggul River. We were told this was one of the best small tributaries in the lower Kinabatangan area to spot kingfishers, egrets and eagles as well as to embark on jungle trekking. Look up in the trees and if you are lucky, you will see the famous Proboscis monkey perched on one of the branches.

We were up at 6am the next day to go to the Kelelanap Oxbow Lake. The thick blanket of morning mist over the river provided a mysterious ambience as you trail further into the wilderness. About 20 oxbow lakes form part of the lower regions of the river. Created over time and separated from the main river by erosion, oxbow lakes are paradise for bird watchers and photographers. After breakfast, it was another boat ride back to Sukau followed by a 30-minute drive to Gomantong Caves.

Gomantong Caves

This is one of the renowned caves for bird nest harvesting in Borneo. It consists of two cave complexes — Black Cave (Simud Hitam) which produces the black swiftlet nests and White Cave (Simud Putih) for the white swiftlet nests. Bird nests from Gomantong can fetch a hefty price of between RM1,500 to RM2,500 per kg.

Harvesting season takes place three times a year from March/April, August/September and December. The harvesters have learnt a dangerous skill to collect the nests. They climb up rattan ladders with the assistance of ropes (minus harnesses) while others wait below to help steer the bamboo platform.

To get to the cave entrance, you will need to pass a wooden platform above the rainforest floor. This is an interesting walk as one may be able to spot various species of monkeys and other wild animals along the way. Imagine our surprise (and horror) when we came across a venomous Bamboo Pitviper lurking in the trees.

As you get closer to the cave, you will get the first whiff of the pungent ammonia — that is from the piles of guano deposited by resident cave bats. One piece of advice — bring a small torchlight, wear good hiking shoes (with proper traction), a hat and slather yourself with copious amount of insect repellent before entering. You will see there is a wooden walkway with hand railings which goes around the cave. Avoid touching the railing unless you want to get acquainted with the other cave dwellers — giant red cockroaches and centipedes.

Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre

A boardwalk leads you to a viewing gallery and feeding platform where the orang utans are fed milk and bananas twice a day at 10am and 3pm by rangers. The centre was set up in 1964 to rehabilitate orphaned baby orang utans. Set in the lush 4,300ha Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve, the centre attracts tourists and researchers alike, giving them the opportunity to watch orang utans up close in their natural habitat.

Briton Ann Birtwell who is a warden at the centre said it takes seven years for a baby orang utan to know the skills of the forest. “It is very emotional to see the tenderness the mother gives to the baby orang utan,” she said. The primate residents here are Brit, which is 18 years old and has a three-month old baby called Charley. Mimi is the dominant female here and has a seven-year-old son called Ronny. After breakfast the next day, we were taken on a city tour to visit some of the major attractions including the Sandakan Memorial Park.

One of the atrocities of World War II was the Sandakan Death Marches when Japanese soldiers decided to move about 2,400 prisoners of war 260km inland to the town of Ranau. The Australian and British prisoners who did not die en-route to Ranau were crammed into unsanitary huts where most either died of dysentery or killed by prison guards. The tour later covered Sandakan Central Market, Puu Jih Shih Buddhist Temple, Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary, Agnes Keith House, Buli Sim Sim Water Village, and the English Tea House and Restaurant.

For enquiries, call 089-213 799 or visit www.borneotrails.com

-thestar online/aida.

Sarawak scores major anaesthesiologists' convention

THE MALAYSIAN Society of Anaesthesiologists (MSA) has won the bid to host a major industry convention in Sarawak in 2013.

 

More than 1,000 specialists are expected to attend the 12th Asian & Oceanic Society of Regional Anaesthesia and Pain Medicine (Aosra) Congress, to be held at the Borneo Convention Centre in Kuching, from June 19-22.

 

Support provided by the Sarawak Convention Bureau (SCB) was critical to MSA’s efforts in securing the bid, especially in the face of competition from other national associations, including Thailand.

 

MSA President, Datin Dr V. Sivasakthi, said: “We are delighted to bring Aosra back to Malaysian shores after a period of nearly 20 years. It would not have been possible without the support of the SCB, which has been very proactive and supportive.”

 

The SCB had approached the MSA and persuaded it to bid for the congress prior to the 11th Aosra held in Bali in late May this year.

 

“The Bureau provided full support to us for the bidding process, including producing a promotional video. The only condition was that should our bid be successful, we hold the Congress in Sarawak, which was fine by us,” Dr Sivasakthi said.

 

A familiarisation trip to Sarawak, organised by SCB for MSA’s Aosra Committee, had convinced them of the state’s ability to host the congress.

 

“The Borneo Convention Centre is impressive,” Dr Sivasakthi said.

 

Reliance Sightseeing, involved with SCB as a partner in the bid, will be responsible for ground operations.

 

“We will actively publicise the 12th Aosra Congress at the next World Congress of Anaesthesiologists to be held in March 2012,” Dr Sivasakthi said.

-TTG Asia.

Archipelago Hotels and Resorts manages The Datai Langkawi

ARCHIPELAGO Hotels and Resorts (AHRSB) is managing The Datai Langkawi in Malaysia starting today.

 

Franz A. Zeller, AHRSB managing director, said: “We look forward to enhancing The Datai reputation further by creating truly memorable experiences for our guests. We are excited to grow our company through the management of luxury hotels and resorts around the world .”

 

The iconic Datai Langkawi is located in the northwest tip of Langkawi Island in Malaysia. Surrounded by rainforest and beach, the 18-hole championship Datai Bay Golf Course is also nearby.

-TTG Asia.

Lost World Tin Valley

http://www.sunway.com.my/lostworldoftambun/

KL - Kuala Selangor Expressway

The KL-Kuala Selangor Expressway (LATAR Expressway) linking Kuala Lumpur at Templer's Park in the district of Gombak with the township of Ijok in the district of Kuala Selangor on the West coast of the peninsula, was opened on Thursday 23 June 2011.

The 33 km dual carriageway expressway is the alternative link road to the present Jalan Sungai Buloh - Kuala Selangor (Federal Road 54). Now opened, LATAR Expressway provides for a faster, safer, smoother and non-congested drive that would take just a brief 18 minutes to accomplish from end-to-end.

Commuters will find easy access, convenience and connectivity to the many communities and townships along the LATAR Expressway.

The LATAR Expressway features four interchanges and three toll plazas on each side of the expressway. The four interchanges give faster and easy access into the existing Guthrie Corridor Expressway, PLUS North-South Expressway and the future West Coast Highway.

-LATAR.

www.latar.com.my

Marine Park Malaysia

The Marine Parks in Malaysia are of world class status and has drawn many tourists to the depth of the marine life. Malaysia's first protected marine park, the Terengganu Marine Park, located north of Kuala Terengganu is an archipelago that contains nine islands.

Permitted Activities
	Scuba Diving
	Snorkeling
	Underwater Photography
	Swimming
	Sailing or Kayaking
	Climbing and jungle tracking
Prohibited Activities
	Fishing or killing fish
	Usage of spear gun or sling fishing
	Collecting of sand or rubble
	Collect or capture any marine resources whether dead or alive
	Stepping on or breaking off the corals
	Anchoring on the reefs
	Polluting and littering
	Fish Feeding
	Building any structure in the water

- Department of Marine Parks Malaysia

http://www.dmpm.nre.gov.my/index.php

Sold out: Tickets for Malaysia-Singapore football match

KUALA LUMPUR: Tickets for the showdown between the Malaysian Tigers and Singaporean Lions have been snapped up. All 85,000 tickets were sold on Wednesday for the second leg of the Asian Zone World Cup second round qualifying match at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil to be held on Thursday.

Singapore has a 5-3 lead going into the game. The line for the tickets started at 7am. The counters opened at 9am but all the tickets were sold out by 11am. About 5,000 people were could not get tickets and the 60 policemen there helped disperse the disappointed crowd.

-thestar online.

International workshop on dugong begins in Sarawak

LAWAS (Sarawak): A three-day Southeast Asia regional workshop on the dugong, a protected species under the Sarawak Wildlife Protection Ordinance, commenced Wednesday with delegates from 11 countries deliberating on the latest efforts to protect the vulnerable marine mammal.

The workshop, organised by the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC), is funded by the United Nations Environment Programme and Convention on Migratory Species (UNEP/CMS) Office in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. SFC Protected Areas and Biodiversity Conservation general manager Wilfred Landong said the workshop provided an avenue for deliberating and sharing the research findings on dugong conservation projects undertaken in the Southeast Asia region.

Welcoming the participants, he said the event aimed at coming up with strategic recommendations on distribution of the dugong, their habitats and risks from fisheries in the region, while also establishing collaborations on conservation and research programmes with renowned institutions. "For Sarawak, it will be a good avenue to build our capacity and facility on dugong conservation and research," he noted.

Describing the workshop as a historical milestone in the implementation of dugong conservation work in Malaysia, Wilfred said Lawas was selected to host the workshop as its river mouth, Kuala Lawas, had been found to be a haven for dugongs in the state. "Kuala Lawas is the last frontier for dugong conservation in Sarawak," he said, adding that the workshop was the second such event since the first one in Abu Dhabi last year.

Leading dugong experts attending this workshop include UNEP/CMS dugong programme officer Dr Donna Kwan, James Cook University of Australia researcher Dr David Blair and UNEP/CMS technical advisor Dr Nicolas Pilcher. Sarawak Second Minister of Resource Planning and Management Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan would officially open the workshop Wednesday night. 

- Bernama

CBT trial involving Tourism DG, ex-Pempena COO begins

KUALA LUMPUR: The criminal breach of trust trial involving Tourism Malaysia director-general Datuk Mirza Mohammad Taiyab Beg Mirza Hadi Hassan Beg and former Pempena chief operating officer, Mohammad Rosly Md Selamat, began briefly this morning before it was adjourned to Thursday.

Judge Che Mohamad Zulkifly Jusoh made the decision following a request by lawyer Saseedharan Menon, representing Mirza, that the defence be allowed time to study the documents they obtained from the prosecution. Saseedharan told the court that the documents, including the minute of Pempena board meeting on Feb 22, 2007, were unclear and incomplete. "We cannot proceed with the trial today; we need time to study these documents," he said.

Earlier Pempena vice executive chairman, Akit Sebli, who is the prosecution's first witness, testified that Mohammad Rosly was tasked with implementing the "Malaysian Kitchen" project in Dubai to promote Malaysian food. "He visited the project site in Dubai at the end of 2006 and tabled a report to the Pempena board at a meeting chaired by Datuk Chor Chee Heung," he said under examination by Deputy Public Prosecutor Azlina Rasdi.

On Aug 16 last year Mirza, 54, and Mohammad Rosly, 57, pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here to committing CBT by approving payment amounting to RM888,000 to LCL Interior LCL Dubai throughManshreq Bank Dubai, for the Malaysian Kitchen project when in fact the terms for approval had not been met. They have been charged under Section 409 of the Penal Code and can be jailed up to 20 years, and fined and can also be whipped, if convicted. The duo allegedly committed the offence at Pempena's office at Menara Dato' Onn, Putra World Trade Centre here on Feb 27, 2007. 

- Bernama

Malaysians prefer China and South-East Asia

KUALA LUMPUR: South-East Asian countries and China continue to be the favourite holiday destinations for Malaysians. Close competition comes from European countries such as Spain and Italy with the strengthening of the ringgit, said Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) organising chairman John Tan. He urged consumers to come to the MATTA Fair 2011 from Aug 12-14 to grab good deals.

All set for fair: Tan (right) sharing a light moment with Mohd Noordin (left) and MATTA president Datuk Mohd Khalid Harun after the press conference in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

“The prices set by tour operators are competitive, so consumers can choose the most affordable one,” he said during a press conference on the KTM Intercity Programme at KL Sentral here yesterday. Tan said interest in Japan had also returned as there were no new reports of earthquakes or a tsunami in the region and the fear of radiation had abated.

He added that the association was targeting more than 90,000 visitors to the fair at Putra World Trade Centre. Total sales of RM100mil are expected during the three-day event.

“We encourage visitors from outside Kuala Lumpur to travel with Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) which is offering discounted fares,” said Tan. KTMB is offering a 25% discount to passengers from Aug 10-16 using its Intercity service to visit the fair. “We hope this discounted fare will also encourage Indonesian tourists to visit the fair and stay in Kuala Lumpur longer,” said KTM Intercity marketing manager Mohd Noordin Kimi.

He added that Batam was a transit hub for Indonesians to either choose Malaysia or Singapore as their holiday destination. “We have our tour operators in Batam to offer the discounted fare package,” he said. Mohd Noordin said discount coupons for KTM Intercity tickets would be available at the company's booth at the fair.

-thestar online.

Malaysia set to welcome Emirates Airline’s Airbus A380

Emirates Airline continues to expand its portfolio of Airbus A380 destinations, with Kuala Lumpur – the capital of Malaysia – set to welcome the superjumbo on December 1, 2011.

 

Senior vice president, commercial operations, Emirate Airlines – Far East and Australasia, Richard Jewsbury commented: “The UAE is a leading trade partner with Malaysia and over the last 15 years Emirates Airline has played its part as the bridge between these two countries. “Emirates Airline has always been committed to Malaysia and the launch of the A380 on the route follows strong and increasing demand, not just from business travellers, but leisure travellers as well, boosting Malaysian tourism.”

 

On the Dubai – Kuala Lumpur route, Emirates Airline’s flagship aircraft is set to operate as EK346 departing Dubai at 04:05 and arriving in Kuala Lumpur at 14:55 on the same day. The return flight EK347, is scheduled to depart Kuala Lumpur at 19:30 arriving in Dubai at 22:30.

 

The airline’s A380 service is set to arrive in Dubai at a convenient time in order to give passengers the options of onward connections to any of Emirates Airline’s expanding list of over 100 European, Middle Eastern, African or American destinations. Emirates Airline also offers a number stopover packages, designed to give passengers the opportunity to break their journey and relax in Dubai.

-TTG MENA.

The 1Malaysia Helicopter Tour 2011

In its effort to attract more high-yield tourists to Malaysia, the Ministry of Tourism is proud to introduce the 1Malaysia Helicopter Tour. YB Dato' Sri Dr. Ng Yen Yen, the Minister of Tourism, will launch the 1Malaysia Helicopter Tour 2011 at the Skypark Business Aviation Centre, Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport, on 26 July 2011.

Malaysia is blessed with natural wonders such as beaches, and islands, rivers and lakes, as well as ancient rainforests, and the helicopter tours is an exciting way to observe Malaysia's varied terrain, as well as provide an aerial perspective of Malaysia's skyscrapers and other man-made landmarks. The tours are available at major tourist destinations, namely in Kuala Lumpur, Langkawi and Sabah. Among the tours provided are the Mount Kinabalu Aerial Tour, which takes passenger(s) over the Crocker Range and the majestic Mount Kinabalu, one of the tallest peak in South East Asia. Meanwhile, the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park tour gives a bird's eye view of the marine park, comprising of Pulau Gaya, Pulau Sapi, Pulau Manukan, Pulau Mamutik and Pulau Sulug.

As for the aerial tours in Langkawi, visitors are treated to the views of the UNESCO Global Geopark, Gunung Machincang, Dayang Bunting Island, and other exciting attractions, while in Kuala Lumpur itself, passengers can be picked up from KLIA or Subang Airport in style, to be transported to Genting Highlands through a scenic aerial journey. The six travel agents offering these tour packages are Shajasa Travel & Tours Sdn. Bhd, Elite Luxury Vacations (M) Sdn. Bhd, Global International Travel & Tours Sdn. Bhd, Langkawi Helicopter Xtours, Amazing Borneo Tours & Events Sdn. Bhd and finally, Discover Borneo.

Some of these tour agencies will offer these helicopter tour packages at fixed or custom-made itineraries that are competitively priced, and in addition to that, tourists who go on these helicopter tours will also enjoy detailed commentaries on the attractions and landmarks during the tour.

-Tourism Malaysia.

A nostalgic journey by rail

Those with a penchant for history and antiquities will find a train ride on the North Borneo Railway, the oldest running steam train in Sabah and the big island of Borneo, just their cup of tea. Given a new lease of life under the collaboration between of the Sutera Harbour Resort and State Railway Department, the North Borneo Railway was re-launched on January 22, 2000 after the state capital received its city status.

Stylish: Passengers are greeted by well-dressed train stewards.

However, the service was temporarily disrupted due to reconstruction to the track by the State Railway Department. The partnership between the private sector and government intends to enhance the existing infrastructure and to promote Sabah as a tourist destination. The North Borneo Railway was established on August 1, 1914 to transport agriculture produce but railway system was nearly derailed due to the worldwide Great Depression and Japanese occupation subsequently.

Tourist draw: Some of the foreign tourists in the nostalgic British era of the steam locomotive, North Borneo Railway.

During the post-war period, the British North Borneo Company relinquished ownership of the North Borneo Railway to the British Colonial Office and took on the name Sabah State Railway Department following the formation of Malaysia in 1963. Due to technological advancements in locomotives with the construction of diesel and petrol-powered trains, the steam engines were replaced in 1971. Refurbished to recreate the nostalgic feel of the bygone era of British North Borneo, the train runs through a 38.5km track from the main Tanjung Aru station here to the southwestern district of Papar.

The British Vulcan steam engine locomotive that is still in service with the Sabah state railway is one of the few functional locomotives fueled by wood.

The North Borneo Railway features a British Vulcan steam locomotive, designed and built in England in 1954 as part of the last order before the factory converted to diesel and electric locomotive construction. It is the last of a fleet of locomotives that plied the tracks through Borneo since the last 1880s. The train has a capacity for 80 passengers accommodated in six colonial-period carriages that have been refurbished and restored to reflect the luxury of the era.

On the move: The steam locomotive, North Borneo Railway passing through Kawang.

Passengers on board the train will be able to take in the sights and sounds of the countryside, paddy fields, mangrove jungles and beaches as the train makes its way from Tanjung Aru and going through the towns of Putatan, Kinarut and Kawang before reaching Papar. The entire train ride takes approximately four hours with a typical ‘tiffin’ colonial lunch served on the return trip.

-thestar online.

http://www.suteraharbour.com/v3/

AirAsia HQ stays in Malaysia

PETALING JAYA: AirAsia Bhd headquarters will remain rooted in Malaysia though a representative office will be set up in Jakarta to drive the Asean integration agenda. “Nothing changes. AirAsia's head office is in Malaysia and our listing is on Bursa Malaysia,'' AirAsia group chief executive officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said in an SMS from London yesterday.

He said the office in Jakarta was “just a regional office to build relationships with the Asean Secretariat (which is also) located in Jakarta (and) to work towards a one Asean sky and aviation authority like Europe's joint aviation authority.''

Fernandes: ‘The Jakarta office is just to build relationships with the Asean Secretariat.’ - AP filepic

He added that Malaysian companies had to plan ahead for the Asean economic integration and the carrier just like other Malaysian companies was planning ahead (by setting up an office in Jakarta).

“The benefits to Malaysia of an Asean economic community is huge and Malaysian companies should be in the forefront of this,'' he said.

This affirmation follows “the wave of hysteria'' that was sparked after he made a statement in Tokyo on Friday that the carrier would establish “a regional office in Jakarta.''

Though he claims that “some press were just being mischievious'' in assuming his statement meant that the airline's head office would move from Malaysia to Jakarta. He and AirAsia X CEO Azran Osman-Raniwere seen furiously yesterday trying to put into perspective what was said in Tokyo.

The reports, some from Indonesia, had sparked a conversation on the social networks yesterday and many people jumped to give their views via Twitter, Facebook, with some bloggers blogging about it. The sentiment of readers were mixed some sad and hurt by the move, others felt it was a natural progression, while others joked about it. One tweet read “ ... AirAsia is moving to Botswana and rebrand as Air Africa'' while another asked “... how come (after the rebuttal was issued by Fernandes), you previously said that AirAsia HQ would be located in Indonesia?''

Separately AirAsia said “there are absolutely no plans, nor the inclination, to move the headquarters of this Malaysian-incorporated company out of the country. And our Malaysian-registered fleet of aircraft will continue to operate from the LCCT.''

The Malaysian flag carrier on Friday in Tokyo had inked a joint venture with Japan's largest airline, All Nippon Airways to set up AirAsia Japan and it was during this event Fernandes talked about the Jakarta office. AirAsia has joint ventures in Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines.

The AirAsia statement said “the office in Jakarta is to be called AirAsia Asean, an entity set up under the aegis of AirAsia. The main goal of AirAsia Asean is to broaden our branding as a “Truly Asean” airline and extend our outreach to various groups in the region in regards to aviation policies within Asean.'' It added that as it grew, it is imperative that it engaged with all parties interested in aviation and tourism throughout the region including governments, non-governmental organisations and the media in Asean to put forward its ideas regarding the growth of the tourism industry and aviation policies in this region that it called home.

“Indonesia's growth trajectory is set to increase its share of Asean's GDP in the years to come, and AirAsia is but merely moving ahead of the curve in locating AirAsia Asean in Jakarta to help increase our visibility and profile in the region's most-populated nation. “This is particularly relevant at this time with AirAsia Indonesia heading for a listing on the Indonesian stock exchange. We believe that having our Asean representative office in Jakarta will also help our group coordinate more effectively with the Indonesian authorities and interact more closely with the 240 million people in that archipelagic nation to better serve them in their increasing need for affordable and convenient air travel,'' the statement said.

It added that “we are of the firm conviction that AirAsia Asean's outreach efforts from Jakarta can eventually benefit not just the aviation and tourism industries in the region, but also help AirAsia boost the economies of all Asean countries with Malaysia, in particular, gaining substantially given the increasing connectivity established by AirAsia from our LCCT hub in Sepang”.

-thestar online.

Singapore sour over assam laksa

KUALA LUMPUR: Penang assam laksa's rise to the CNN top 10 ranking of most delicious food in the world has rankled foodies in the neighbouring country down south. The Straits Times reported that food consultant Violet Oon, 62, expressed surprise that its chilli crab was only ranked 35th instead. “One reason could be that we don't have many Singapore restaurants abroad, so not many people have tasted it,” said the Singaporean.

Number 7: A vendor in Penang preparing bowls of assam laksa in this file picture.

A CNN International food survey recently said the assam laksa was the seventh out of the its 50 most delicious food in the world. At number 35 was Singapore's famed chilli crab, while its chicken rice was at 45th spot. Thailand's massaman curry topped the list and was described as “king of all foods.”

Another commenter on the English daily website, known as Stomper crabby, questioned the ranking. “My foodie friends disagree with the list, and how can our famous chilli crab only come in at No. 35?” he questioned. A person who tweeted by the name of Mr Brown has also criticised CNN for badly reviewing Singapore's chilli crab. “Any site that does a World's 50 most delicious foods & puts Singapore Chili Crab at 35th has no right to review food,” he posted in his twitter account.

However, local chefs tipped their hat proudly to the heritage dish. Chef Florence Tan who praised the assam laksa's quality and texture, said it was “very good for those who want to lose weight” due to its rich use of fish stock, fish meat and asam gelugor (dried tamarind skin). However, she said she had never tasted any chicken rice that “blew her hat off” in Singapore.

Celebrity Chef Ismail Ahmad said he was “very, very proud” Malaysian food was recognised and commended Thailand on taking first place. “However, I would say chili crabs and chicken rice are 100% Malaysian,” he said, explaining that it was brought over when Malaysia and Singapore split in 1963. Penang food columnist Helen Ong said its famous char kuey teow was “just as good and unique”.

-thestar online.

Woo tourists from China, Oz and NZ, tour agents advised

Local tour and travel agencies should promote Malaysia more aggressively in countries such as China, Australia, and New Zealand since Europe and US are still experiencing an economic slowdown. “The Australian, China, and New Zealand currencies are now strong and their citizens are in a position to devote more on overseas travelling.

“Thus, we must promote the country harder to these markets. We will not be the only ones making such a move as other holiday destinations such as Thailand and Singapore are also working hard to attract visitors from these countries,” the Malaysian Association of Tours and Travel Agents (MATTA) president Datuk Mohd Khalid Harun said. In view of growing competition, the country’s travel trade members must be more competitive in terms of offering cost effective rates and quality services, Mohd Khalid said.

He spoke after the launch of the annual MATTA Fair 2011 at the Penang International Sports Arena (PISA) by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng. Khalid said over 100,000 visitors were expected at the three-day fair, which began yesterday compared to over 80,000 in 2010. “There are now 305 exhibitors, compared to 303 a year ago,” he said.

Lim said based on figures from the Malaysian Association of Hotels Penang chapter, the average occupancy rate for the first half of 2011 was at 62%, compared to 56% for the same corresponding period last year. Lim also said that Penang was recently voted online by Yahoo Travel as the ‘Eighth Must-Explore Island in the World.’ “This puts us alongside islands such as Bali, Bora-Bora, and Key West,” he said. The MATTA Fair 2011 opens daily from 10am until 9pm from now until Sunday, and the admission is RM2 for a single adult and free for children below the age of 12.

-thestar online.

More S.Koreans to visit Malaysia

SEOUL: The number of South Koreans visiting Malaysia this year is expected to rise to 300,000. The figure was 264,000 last year. Tourism Malaysia Korea director Mohd Amirul Rizal said the 20% increase was expected following closer ties resulting from the visits byYang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin on July 19 andPrime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in April.

More direct flights to and from the two countries, including Air Asia X flights which started last November, would also encourage more South Koreans to visit Malaysia, Mohd Amirul told Bernama yesterday. He said there were currently 35 flights from South Korea to Malaysia per week with 21 of the flights to Kuala Lumpur and 14 to Kota Kinabalu. He said most South Korean holidaymakers preferred Kota Kinabalu to Kuala Lumpur because of the closer distance and direct flights, as well as the beautiful beaches in Sabah.

“We are also actively promoting other places, such as Langkawi, Penang, Johor Baru and the east coast through the “Make It Malaysia” programme,” he added. Mohd Amirul said Malaysian destinations were also promoted at the Korea World Travel Fair and promotional tours in Busan, Deajon and Deaso. He said students were targeted at summer camps and golfers were encouraged to go on a golfing holiday in Malaysia. 

- Bernama

Malaysia most peaceful in S-E Asia

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has been ranked the most peaceful country in South-East Asia and the fourth safest in the Asia-Pacific behind New Zealand, Japan and Australia. It is also the 19th safest and peaceful out of 153 countries in the world.

The ranking by Global Peace Index (GPI) is the first time that Malaysia has been placed that high since 2007. It is also one of the six non-European nations making the top 20 list. The other five are Iceland, New Zealand, Japan, Qatar and Australia. The findings were published in the fifth edition of the survey by the Sydney-based Institute for Economics and Peace.

In 2007, Malaysia was ranked 37th. It fell to the 38th place in 2008 but improved in the next three years from 26th in 2009 to 22nd last year and moved up to 19th now. The index contains 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators, combining factors such as military expenditure, relations with neighbouring countries and the level of respect for human rights. These indicators were selected by an international panel of academicians, businessmen, philanthropists and members of peace organisations in the past one year.

“Malaysia's growing peacefulness reflected a rise in political stability and improving relations with neighbouring countries, notably Singapore and China,” it said. The top 10 placements were Iceland as the most peaceful country, followed by New Zealand, Japan, Denmark, Czech Republic, Austria, Finland, Canada, Norway and Slovenia. The survey said that war-torn Somalia dropped one spot to replace Iraq as the country ranked least at peace.

Political scientist Prof Dr Ahmad Atory Hussain said Malaysians should recognise such rankings as it was internationally conducted and respected. “We should strive for an even higher target now. Perhaps by 2020 we should be in the top 10,” he said.

 - Bernama