Japanese entrepreneur finds her niche in real estate

Having lived in Malaysia for almost 15 years, Mariko Konno has always considered Malaysia her home and has gone out of her way to promote it whether through work or play.

Konno has been here since 1988 and studied at the Japanese international school in Kuala Lumpur and went on to study management and international business at Monash University. “I have lived here for so long, I sometimes get confused about my identity. I spent many years struggling to find out where I belong but I think having dual citizenship can be pretty rewarding,” she said.

Relaxed: Konno flipping through a book in her home.

She said her dual culture experience had even helped her in her work.

As the managing director of Stasia Capital Malaysia, the beautiful 30-year-old has an interesting job that allows her to put Malaysia on the foreign market.

Her company acts as the bridge between Japanese property investors and local real estate agents and developers to sell properties that are still under construction.

For most people, dabbling in property can be tiresome and a tad bit boring but for Konno, it is an exciting venture that she has always been interested in.

“I did so many things before coming here, I took so many detours and struggled a lot.

“However, I have always wanted to do interior design or real estate so I guess I never stopped looking,” she said.

According to Konno, who has been in the line for a year now, Malaysia is a country that is perfect for the Japanese. She said after last year’s great earthquake and tsunami, the Japanese people realised the need to invest their money overseas but many find Singapore’s property prices too expensive while other Asian countries to be under-developed. Moreover, they love the fact that Malaysia is multicultural and the Japanese can easily blend in.

The Malaysia My Second Home programme also allows foreigners easy access to the country. Konno’s company is busy with about 100 clients coming in every month and that leaves her with little personal time.

She travels a lot and during a trip to Sri Lanka she discovered the same peace and tranquility she had found in Malaysia. However, she saw that many Sri Lankans had been left in dire need of assistance after the ravages of civil war and decided to help out wherever she could. She has joined the K. Sri Dhamma-nanda Foundation in efforts to raise funds for orphaned children in Sri Lanka.

“Now that the war is over, I believe great things will happen there and I want to be a part of it. I think if I want to help the country, I should start at the grassroots level,” said Konno, who recently organised her first charity dinner. According to her, Malaysians are generous and she found it easy to find kind souls to donate to her cause.

Apart from her involvement with the foundation, she also helps feed the homeless in Pudu every Sunday. She has been carrying out the good deed for half a year now. “I have never been homeless but I have been in a place where it is dark and nothing seems to be happening. “You will feel like the least blessed person in the world.

“I have been blessed with so many people around me and I would like to make people feel better and give them the opportunity,” she said. When asked if she would consider living in Malaysia, she said she might move to Sri Lanka some day but she would definitely have a place here so that she could always come back.

-thestar online.

Single counter for immigration clearance, check-in for elite passengers

PUTRAJAYA: KLIA will become the world’s first airport to provide immigration clearance and check-in services through a single counter. It will be exclusive to Malaysia Airlines’ First Class and Enrich Platinum passengers and is expected to kick off in July.

The initiative is in line with KLIA’s efforts to strengthen its position as one of the top airports in the world in terms of Immigration service. KLIA’s service was acknowledged in the Skytrax World Airport Awards 2011 for Best Airport Immigration Service. It was the second consecutive win for the airport.

“These passengers will be escorted from the check-in counter by MAS personnel through a special route to the departure area and will be given VVIP treatment,” said KLIA Immigration director Mohd Zulfikar Ahmad. He said the service was also provided for arrivals of Malaysia Airlines’ First Class and Enrich Platinum passengers at the airport, with passengers escorted to special counters for Immigration checks.

“Passengers boarding the new A380 aircraft in July will be the first to enjoy this new service,” he said. MAS will be the world’s eighth airline to use the “super jumbo” Airbus A380, the world’s largest jetliner with 494 seats.

There are currently 46 immigration counters at the departure hall and another 48 at the arrival hall. Mohd Zulfikar said one counter from both the arrival and departure halls would be converted into special counters for the new service.

“On average, every passenger at the Premier Lane for departure and arrival waits for about 10 minutes for immigration checks during peak hours. “With this dedicated new lane, the waiting time will be an average of two minutes,” he said, adding that the airlines would also be looking at extending the service to Business Class passengers.

-thestar online.

Medical tourism hits record 30% growth per year

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's medical tourism industry has hit record levels with a more than 30% growth recorded every year for the past few years.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said revenue collected from medical tourism and the number of medical travellers have grown for more than 30% for the past three years. “Last year alone we received about RM511.2mil from foreign patients compared to RM378.9mil in 2010.

“This is indeed wonderful news for the country and it is also very heartening to know that many foreigners have acknowledged the quality of our healthcare industry and put their trust in our healthcare providers,” he said at the launch of the Beverly-Wilshire Medical Centre and Beverly-Wilshire Dental Specialist Centre here. Liow said that previously the demand for cosmetic, aesthetic and cosmetic dental services had not been adequately met by local healthcare providers. This has resulted in many who seek such treatment overseas.

“Some have even gone to seek cosmetic surgery at unlicensed centres overseas, which have resulted in unsatisfactory, dangerous and even life-threatening complications,” he added. Liow also encouraged private healthcare providers to constantly strive to become quality healthcare providers by attaining internationally recognised accreditation, especially from the Malaysian society for Quality in Health (MSQH) and Joint Commission International (JCI).

The Beverly-Wilshire Medical Centre and Dental Specialist Centre, which began operations in January, focuses on aesthetic, cosmetic surgery and healthy aging as well as dental services.
-thestar online.

Johor tourist arrivals to increase after Legoland opens

NUSAJAYA: The opening of the Legoland Theme Park in September and the Desaru tourism development in three years will bring in more than five million tourists to the state from the current 3.8 million.
State Tourism and Domestic Trade Committee chairman Hoo Seong Chang said that with the new attractions, he was confident that Johor would overtake Penang in the tourism industry. “Johor is now on par with Malacca, Sabah and Sarawak in terms of tourist arrivals but is still behind Kuala Lumpur (12 million), Pahang (eight million) and Penang (five million),” he said at a press conference after chairing a tourism committee meeting at Kota Iskandar on Tuesday.


He added that in the first quarter of the year, Johor received 6.193 million day trippers compared to 3.981 million in 2011. “Singaporeans are still the highest number of day trippers followed by mainland Chinese and Indonesians,” he said. Hoo also said that Johor received 3.785 million tourists who stayed in the state last year, compared to 3.618 million in 2010.


On another matter, Hoo said the deadline for the Johor Tourism Awards had been extended to June this year from December last year. “We have received an overwhelming response for the competition, which offers 27 awards in nine categories. The presentation ceremony will be held in September,” he added.
-thestar online.
http://www.legoland.com.my/

Top tourism industry players urged to boost skills

PUTRAJAYA: Tourism Ministry officers and industry players have been urged to increase their skills and knowledge to be able to serve the billion-ringgit industry better. Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen said tourism frontliners should adopt an attitude of lifelong learning to continuously improve their careers.

“The Tourism Ministry in Malaysia is a people's ministry. “Our officers must embrace this concept for us to be mesra rakyat (people-friendly) as well as skilled and informed,” Dr Ng said after presenting excellent service awards to 114 ministry officers here yesterday. Earlier in her speech, Dr Ng said the ministry recorded RM4.85bil in tourist receipts monthly throughout the whole of last year.

The event was also attended by ministry top-guns, including deputy minister Datuk Dr James Dawos Mamit, secretary-general Datuk Dr Ong Hong Peng and Tourism Malaysia board of directors chairman Datuk Dr Victor Wee. “We are a profit-making ministry because we work hard. “Greater profits means the rakyat gets to enjoy subsidies (on essential goods),” said Dr Ng.
-thestar online.

AirAsia charts path from regional to global airline network

Low-cost brand AirAsia is morphing into a global player by connecting its shorthaul and longhaul networks, and entering into joint ventures to establish multiple hubs in key cities.

Giving the conference’s opening keynote yesterday on the changing travel landscape, AirAsia X CEO, Azran Osman Rani, said: “Traditionally LCCs said we’re just these simple regional networks; we fly people from point to point…With AirAsia X, we found there were tremendous advantages in linking up the longhaul to the shorthaul model.”

He added that a huge percentage of Australian passengers flying AirAsia X into Kuala Lumpur were taking connecting flights on AirAsia to nearby destinations such as Bangkok, and even farther north to China, South Korea and Japan.

“An LCC that doesn’t have a longhaul component will suddenly find itself at a significant disadvantage. For example, in South-east Asia, how does a standalone LCC compare to an AirAsia network which is not only capturing the market within South-east Asia but able to tap markets from Australia, North Asia and the Middle East who are also flying within the South-east Asia network.”

Closely related is AirAsia’s strategy of adopting a multi-hub model in cities across Asia, with its longhaul arm acting as a feeder. Azran said this would involve “using joint ventures as a way of bringing in partners and dealing with a lot of the regulatory issues on foreign ownership”.

-TTG Asia.
http://www.airasia.com/

Larger and more dazzling display at Colours of 1Malaysia this year

KUALA LUMPUR: Visitors to the Colours of 1Malaysia festival this year can expect a larger and even more dazzling display than previous shows.

Seven floats and 7,000 dancers will parade past Dataran Merdeka, not unlike the carnival celebrations in Rio de Janeiro, said Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen. She added that the annual tourism festival, which would be held on May 19, is expected to draw 100,000 visitors.

“This is the 14th year we are celebrating this festival and it is the biggest carnival in the Malaysian tourism calendar to showcase a variety of tourism products, from eco-tourism, homestay, shopping, food to contemporary art and sports,” she said at a press conference to announce the event. Dr Ng added that there would be many other side shows including band performances and a fireworks display.

“We will be inviting 280 members of the media from 23 countries including Sri Lanka, the Middle East, Turkey and Russia. We are inviting them because we wish to expand into like Russia and Sri Lanka. “In our experience, they are quite impressed with Malaysia, and they are an important tool to promote the brand of Malaysia Truly Asia,” she said, adding that the show would also be televised in other countries. She also said the ministry would bring writers and bloggers from several overseas countries on a familiarisation trip.

-thestar online.

What's on @ Penang Hill - May 2012

-Penang Hill Corporation.
http://www.penanghill.gov.my/

International tourism revenue shoots past US$1 trillion

Last year, international tourism receipts exceeded US$1 trillion for the first time, reaching an estimated US$1.03 trillion, up from US$928 billion in 2010, according to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer.

In real terms (adjusted for exchange rate fluctuations and inflation), international tourism receipts grew by 3.8 per cent, while international tourist arrivals increased by 4.6 per cent to 982 million. By region, the Americas (+5.7 per cent) recorded the largest jump in receipts in 2011, followed by Europe (+5.2 per cent), Asia and the Pacific (+4.3 per cent) and Africa (+2.2 per cent). The Middle East was the only region posting negative growth (-14%).

Europe holds the largest share of international tourism receipts in absolute numbers (45 per cent share), reaching US$ 463 billion in 2011, followed by Asia and the Pacific (US$289 billion), and the Americas (US$199 billion). The Middle East earned US$ 6 billion and Africa, US$33 billion.

Among source markets generating strong demand in 2011, it was the BRIC countries that stood out. China’s expenditure on international tourism increased by US$18 billion to US$73 billion, the Russian Federation increased by US$6 billion to US$32 billion, Brazil by US$5 billion to US$21 billion and India by US$3 billion to US$14 billion. Of the advanced economy source markets, Germany, Australia, Norway, Belgium and Canada reported the biggest absolute growth.

Both advanced and emerging economy destinations benefited from the growth in arrivals and receipts last year. Destinations where international tourism receipts grew by US$5 billion or more in absolute terms include the US (increasing by US$13 bn to US$116 bn), Spain (by US$7 bn to US$60 bn), France (by US$7 bn to US$54 bn), Thailand (by US$6 bn to US$26 bn) and Hong Kong (by US$5 bn to US$27 bn).

Furthermore, significant increases on lower base value destinations were reported by Singapore, the Russian Federation, Sweden, India, South Korea and Turkey.

-TTG Asia.

Heritage hotels in the heart of Penang

Two well-known Penang-based companies — Public Packages Holdings Bhd (PPH) and Gan Chai Leng Sdn Bhd — are undertaking the development of three heritage hotel projects with an approximate development cost of around RM75mil at George Town’s central banking district, which will further boost the reputation of inner George Town’s World Heritage Site (WHS) status.

The plans for the three hotels have been submitted to the local authorities for approval. PPH is undertaking the RM50mil development of the two hotel projects located at Church Street Ghaut, off Beach Street, which is popularly known as the central banking district.

Building blocks: The site of the two hotel projects that PPH plans to undertake at Church Street Ghaut.

The third hotel, a RM25mil heritage hotel project by Gan Chai Leng Sdn Bhd, is located at Victoria Street, off Beach Street. PPH hotel project manager Tony Koay says the advantage of carrying out infill development work for heritage hotel projects was that one could maximise the interior of the buildings to suit the needs of modern business usage.

“A problem with restoring a heritage building for hotel usage is that the interior of such heritage buildings restricts the utilisation of space. “We are doing two five-storey boutique hotels, of which one has a total built-up area of 9,451 sq metre (128,000sq ft), 120 rooms, a business centre, and meeting rooms, and 47 car park bays, while the other has a total built-up area of 2,517sq m (26,900sq ft) and 39 rooms, “The architectural style for both hotels follows the design of late 19th and early 20th century port offices and warehouse buildings in George Town.

Restoration work: An artist’s impression of the PPH hotel project at Church Street Ghaut.

“We are targeting the upmarket tourists,” Tony says. The cost per sq ft to develop a heritage hotel from scratch is about RM1,000 per sq ft, which is inclusive of finishings, says Tony.

The cost to restore a heritage building is around RM300 to RM400 per sq ft, depending on the quality of finishing use. Both hotels, scheduled for operations in 2016, are located on a 0.6ha (1.5acre) land, which were previously occupied by godowns in the 19th and early 20th century.

The architectural style for both hotels follows the design of late 19th and early 20th century port offices and warehouse buildings in George Town. We are targeting the upmarket tourists. - TONY KOAY

PPH director Tommy Koay says the group invested in the projects because it saw the potential of heritage hotels in the central banking district after George Town received the WHS in 2008.

“We bought the 0.6ha land 15 years ago and have been waiting for the opportunity to start the right business.

“Last year we spent about RM97,000 to restore a 2,000sq ft heritage building located on the 0.6ha site for use as a vegetarian restaurant, which is now operating as Quay Cafe.

“As the business has received overwhelming response, we decided to proceed with the plan to develop two heritage hotels,” he says.

PPH is a main-board listed company specialising in manufacturing packaging products.

Meanwhile, Arkitek ZAA Sdn Bhd managing director Teoh Min Khean said the five-storey heritage hotel by Gan Chai Leng Sdn Bhd was an infill development project, which would be designed after late 19th and early 20th century colonial institutional buildings. “The five-storey hotel, which has a built-up area of 4,300sq metre, will have 80 rooms and 148 car park bays.

“The project was in line with Unesco’s heritage guidelines. “The architectural theme of both projects complements the other heritage buildings in inner George Town.

Inviting: The exterior view of Yeng Keng Hotel at Chulia Street.

“Both projects should help revitalise the tourism belt of inner George Town,” Teoh says. Gan Chai Leng is one of Penang’s pioneering developers who developed the famous Chai Leng Park in Seberang Prai in the 1950s.

Another heritage boutique hotel-cum-commercial development project at the central banking district that is scheduled for opening in 2013 is the RM285mil Rice Miller Hotel & Residences, now undergoing development at Weld Quay, the heart of the banking district. The project, a partial infill development and restoration project, comprises a 48-suite hotel, retail space with 17,000 sq ft of lettable area, two five-storey office blocks, and 99 units of city residences.

One of the well-known heritage hotels in George Town that inspired other heritage hotel restoration projects is the Yeng Keng Hotel at Chulia Street, owned by Datuk Ong Gim Huat of Hoo Kim Properties Sdn Bhd.

Splish splash: The pool view of Yeng Keng Hotel at Chulia Street.

Ong spent about RM5mil to restore the 150-year old heritage building into a 20-room heritage boutique hotel in 2009. The hotel, which started operations in 2010, enjoyed an occupancy rate of about 70% in 2011.

“The renovation of the Penang International Airport, scheduled for completion in September 2012, should help to boost tourist arrivals in Penang and our hotel occupancy rate for this year,” Ong says.

One of the latest restoration heritage hotel projects that opened for business late last year is the Chong Tian Hotel at Rope Walk Road off the famous Campbell Street in inner George Town. Local entrepreneur Seah Kok Heng says he spent RM3mil in 2008 to acquire three derelict, triple-storey shophouses located at Rope Walk Road. “I invested about RM10mil to restore the heritage properties and furnish them with antique furniture and porcelains from Tang and Qing dynasties.

“At today’s market value, the hotel with the antiques should be worth around RM20mil. “Since opening, our monthly occupancy rate is around 50% to 60%. Most of our customers come from Europe, China and Singapore,” he says.

-thestar online.

Best Western makes Malacca debut

Best Western International (BWI) has opened Best Western Wana Riverside Hotel in Malacca, as part of ongoing expansion efforts in Malaysia.

“We hope to be able to help cater for a new wave of business and leisure tourists attracted to this historical city,” said Glenn de Souza, BWI vice president International Operations – Asia & the Middle East.

Located on the banks of the Melaka River, the 170-key Best Western Wana Riverside offers a mix of superior, deluxe, grand deluxe, studio and executive rooms, ranging in size from 29 – 40m². The hotel also features meeting facilities for up to 400 persons, a sports bar, and a riverside café. BWI is scheduled to operate 15 properties in Malaysia by 1Q2015, offering more than 1,700 rooms across nine cities.

-TTG Asia.

Tourism Ministry to focus on social media

KUALA LUMPUR: The Tourism Ministry will place increased emphasis on social media to promote Malaysia's tourist attractions. This move was an important step as the traditional methods of advertising and promoting the country's tourist sites were no longer effective, said minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen.

She said the ministry would review its tourism promotional strategies by increasing its focus on social media to promote tourism activities. “Australia is spending A$150mil (RM465mil) for three years.

People who come to Malaysia must leave with sweet memories of hospitality, safety and good shopping experience. - Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen

“The Philippines spends US$7.2mil (RM22mil) and Thailand is spending 40% of its tourism budget on social media.

“In comparison, Malaysia has only spent RM1.8mil on six Facebook campaigns over a year,” she said after opening the inaugural Malaysia International Tourism Bloggers Conference and Awards here yesterday.

She said a survey in Britain by Travelsat, an international survey group that monitors tourists' experience, showed that 40% of people would travel based on recommendations from friends and relatives.

“People who come to Malaysia must leave with sweet memories of hospitality, safety and a good shopping experience. Bloggers can play a vital role in highlighting Malaysia's tourist attractions,” she added.

The conference featured experiences from 18 travel bloggers. Travel writer Shane Dallas of Australia, who blogs at The Travel Camel, said travel bloggers should write responsibly and be respectful of their host countries and hosts. “There is no need to rant about things that do not go well during your travels. Sometimes, things do not go as planned and there is no need to spoil your trip and someone else's experience,” said Dallas, who has visited 72 countries.

Malaysian travel writer David Hogan Jr said a travel blogger should always look at things from a positive angle. “Relate your travel experiences and information and produce something that people would want to read. “If there is anything unsatisfactory, inform the hotel or tour operator so that they can make the necessary changes. If they do not, you can write a review at Trip Advisor (a travel information website),” said David, who blogs at blog.malaysia-asia.my.

-thestar online.

Ng: Cabbies must be well-informed

KUALA LUMPUR: The Tourism Ministry stressed that it has no intention of allowing taxi drivers to become tour guides, at least not without going through the right procedures and training.

Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen was previously reported as saying – when launching the taxi tourism service programme in Raub, Pahang, on April 29 – that cabbies could double up as tourist guides. Under the programme, tourists can choose a day trip package to various tourist spots by taxi for a single charge.

Upon clarifying the matter yesterday, Dr Ng stated that what she actually meant was for the taxi drivers to be “well-informed”. “As part of the ‘Think tourism, Act Tourism’ campaign, taxi drivers should be the frontliners in the tourism industry. “They should ensure that they are equipped with basic information to share with tourists as well as understand their role in promoting tourism,” she said, adding that it would be sad if a taxi driver responds with “I don’t know” to every question a tourist asks.

“According to the Tourism Industry Act 1992, licensed tourist guides should undergo proper training, and taxi drivers are no exception,” Dr Ng said at the launching ceremony of more than 2,000 taxis and 10 buses as “ambassadors” for the Malaysia International Tourism Exchange 2012 (MITE 2012) at the Malaysian Tourism Centre (Matic).

MITE is organised by My Events International and supported by the ministry together with the Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau (MyCeb). With 25 participating countries, more than 600,000 visitors are expected to visit the carnival-like convention at Malaysia Agro-Exposition Park Serdang from May 31 to June 3. For details, visit www.mite.com.my.

-thestar online.

World Islamic Tourism Mart (WITM) 2012

Date	:	May 31 - Jun 2, 2012
Time	:	10.00 am - 6.00 pm
Venue	:	Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) & SERI PACIFIC HOTEL Kuala Lumpur
Organiser	:	MATTA
Email	:	info.witm@matta.org.my , sabihah@matta.org.my , shaidah@matta.org.my
Website	:	http://witm.matta.org.my

WITM is a 3-Day event organized by MATTA to be held from May 31 - June 2 2012 and will comprise of a Conference, Business to Business (B2B) networking session and a Consumer Exhibition (B2C). Theme of WITM is "Islamic Tourism - Leading the Way."

ABOUT THE EVENT

WITM 2012 is a ground breaking event for MATTA and the tourism industry to promote to the regional & international market. WITM 2012 is an ideal avenue for travel and tourism industry buyers and sellers to network, transact business, source for new markets as well as enhance existing market. It is also an avenue to reach out to the consumers in the exhibition and to gain invaluable industry knowledge from the conference. 

WITM FOCUS

WITM 2012 is a niche event organized to promote Islamic Tourism in Malaysia, Asia as well as globally. WITM 2012's focus will be different from other trade shows and fairs in that the emphasis will be on Hajj & Umrah as well as to explore new destinations and products under Islamic Tourism.

-MATTA.

Khairuddin’s Estoril Moto3™ result sets new Malaysian record

Monday, 7 May 2012

AirAsia-SIC-Ajo Team´s KTM-rider Zulfahmi Khairuddin set yet another record for Malaysian motorcycle racing by taking his career-best finish of fourth at the Grande Prémio de Portugal Circuito Estoril.

After qualifying in fifth, Khairuddin was involved in a frantic battle throughout to push his way into fourth. In the final laps, the Malaysian had made his way into third, yet lost out to RW Racing GP’s Luis Salom after a small mistake into the first turn. His result however, is a fantastic feat not only for himself, but also his AirAsia-SIC-Ajo team, who had shown tremendous promise throughout pre-season testing. This is the highest position any Malaysian rider has finished in any of the MotoGP™ world championship categories.

Khairuddin comments: "Of course that mistake bugs me but I can´t do anything but continue the good work. I have a good feeling with the bike, which is developing all the time. I am just heading forward with full power."

Team director Aki Ajo was extremely proud with the youngster’s showing: "Just remarkable performance. Ok, the first podium was so close but everything will come on time. I am sure that Fahmi will have many podium places in future."

Dato’ Razlan, CEO of the Sepang International Circuit, one of Khairuddin’s title sponsors, could also not hide his enthusiasm: "Extremely ecstatic with Fahmi’s fourth place fighting for the final podium position. Amazing race! We are all proud of him. The podium will come."

-motogp.com

www.motogp.com

Debenhams to open flagship store in Starhill

British department store chain Debenhams will open its brand new flagship store at Starhill Gallery at 10am on May 19. At over 37,000 sq ft, the store is the largest Debenhams in the country and offers a host of new designer ranges as well as an eagerly anticipated fine furnishings and home accessory department.

The exclusive designer ranges that will be completely new to Malaysia include Jeff Banks for men and Ted Baker for kids. Following its great success in the UK, shoppers will also, for the first time, be able to snap up “Edition”, featuring the very best from Britain’s up-and-coming designers.

The store will be officially opened the night before with a fashion show incorporating the most popular Debenhams designer ranges such as Jasper Conran, Henry Holland, John Rocha, Matthew Williamson and The Principles range by Ben de Lisi. The highlight of the evening will be the showcase of the latest line by Julien MacDonald, who is flying in to Kuala Lumpur from the UK, especially to assist in the grand opening of the store.

MacDonald has been designing ranges under the exclusive “Designers at Debenhams” label since 2003 and his ever popular “Star by Julien Macdonald” and the more recently introduced “Diamond by Julien Macdonald” lines are amongst the best selling collections in Debenhams stores worldwide. With an emphasis on glitz and glamour, his unique style and eye for detail are appreciated by all women looking for statement party dresses and cutting edge fashion. Having been at the head of the famous Givenchy fashion house and a winner at the highly respected British Fashion Week awards, his extensive portfolio and body of work place him firmly amongst the top of Britain’s leading designers.

In conjunction with the formal opening of the Starhill Gallery store, the first 150 customers on May 19 and 20 will receive a free Debenhams eco bag and a specially designed Union Jack themed travel umbrella with a minimum spending of RM250. Debenhams has a legacy dating back to 1785. Over the past 15 years, the Debenhams brand and concept have been successfully introduced into over 25 countries around the world and there are now 69 international stores from Iran to Ireland and Malta to Malaysia.

This growing international success coupled with 170 stores in Britain, makes Debenhams an instantly recognisable global brand name. Here, Debenhams has been delighting families with its great British fashion at Malaysian prices for over four years at the Curve in Mutiara Damansara. The new Starhill Gallery store aims to build on the popularity of the brand in Malaysia by offering even more high quality design.

-thestar online.

Serviced suites rated five-star

Parkroyal Serviced Suites Kuala Lumpur, an iconic property nestled in the heart of the Golden Triangle, was recently certified as five-star in ratings by the Tourism Ministry for the Hotel Apartments category.

This certification recognises that the serviced suites not only meets, but exceeds the requirements for the five-star rating in its category. Designed to satisfy the needs of extended-stay travellers, the 287 studio suites feature one and two-bedroom suites and an executive suite that are designed contemporarily with the comfort of natural lighting and open spaces in mind.

Equipped with spacious living areas and state-of-the-art home entertainment systems that invites guests to relax and unwind at the end of the day, each of the suites also offers a well-equipped kitchenette. For the convenience of guests, a self-service launderette is also available, making the suites a home away from home.

For business executives, the Business Centre provides secretarial services and meeting rooms, while for relaxation, the fully-equipped fitness centre is the place to recharge. A the rooftop pool offers panoramic views of the city skyline. Staying true to Parkroyal’s concept of local connection, the property offers a new unique feature — the Resident Lounge — which is set to bring a new level of experience to guests by providing familiarity, connectivity and a sense of belonging to residents as they can interact, socialise and network with one another.

Safety standards at the serviced suites are strictly adhered to, with 24-hours security, CCTV surveillance throughout the building, key-card access in all elevators, and restricted access into the property from 11pm to 6am. With all the comforts of home, and the best of business and pleasure, combined with hospitality, Parkroyal’s Serviced Suites is well-positioned as a five-star establishment in Kuala Lumpur.

-thestar online.

Keep an eye out for cyclists, motorists told

RAUB: Motorists and heavy vehicle drivers should keep a lookout for cyclists so as not to endanger the two-wheelers, Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen said.

She said cyclists were exposed to great risks on the road and needed “cooperation” from other road-users. “The ministry is promoting cycling and the response has been good so far. “However, the safety aspect cannot be taken lightly,’’ Dr Ng said after riding with 300 others in the “Cuti-Cuti 1Malaysia Sunday bike ride@Raub” event here yesterday.

Holding on: Dr Ng ‘trapped’ in heavy traffic flow during her bicycle ride in the ‘Cuti-Cuti 1Malaysia Sunday bike ride@Raub’ yesterday.

The cyclists, who included Raub OCPD Supt Wan Sham- suddin Wan Osman, schoolchildren, government officers, NGO and club officials, rode a distance of 15km. The programme is an extention of the 1Malaysia cycling holiday campaign launched here on April 1.

Dr Ng, who presented 10 bicycles to Supt Wan Shamsuddin for patrolling purposes, said the weekend was a good period to enjoy an outing on two wheels. She said a cycling event from Fraser’s Hill to Raub was being planned to promote the leisure activity.

-thestar online.