Kedah establishes tourism board to lead international promotions

The Kedah state government is setting up a state tourism board to spearhead domestic and international promotional activities, and the search for a suitable candidate to head it is on now.

“Kedah is rich in history, culture and nature. We have a lot of products, but nobody knows about it,” said Mohd Rawi Abdul Hamid, executive councillor and State Tourism Council chairman, Kedah.

He shared that the leader for the new tourism board is likely to be selected within a month or two, and will ideally come with tourism industry knowledge, but from the private sector.

Pishol Ishak, immediate past chairman, Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents Kedah Chapter, said: “It is high time Kedah set up a state tourism board so we are on a par with domestic and regional destinations in attracting tourists. Industry players will be able to work with the board to meet common objectives and goals.”

Anthony Wong, group managing director of Asian Overland Services Tours & Travel, said the board should also look at promoting Langkawi as it falls under the state of Kedah.

He said: “Langkawi has to be integrated into the tourism plans for the state. The board will also have to do a product audit to know what is there, what products have to be further upgraded and exposed more.” 

-TTG Asia.

Konsert Hayat... 45 Tahun Seniman Ramli Sarip @ Istana Budaya Kuala Lumpur ( 17~19 Oktober 2014 )

Penerbit	:	Rasamusic Sdn Bhd
Tempat	:	Panggung Sari, Istana Budaya
Jenis	:	Muzik
Tarikh	:	17-19 Oktober 2014
Masa	:	8.30 malam
Harga Tiket	:	RM83, RM133, RM203, RM263, RM323, RM383, RM443
Tiket Online	:	www.iLassotickets.com
Hotline	:	+603-4147 8600

-www.istanabudaya.gov.my

Shila Amzah Love Live In Malaysia ( 13 September 2014 )

Malaysia renowned artist, Shila Amzah, is going to launch her very first live in second half of 2014. No doubt, Shila is currently one of the best voices found in Asia; her unique voice has brought her to another level especially in her achievement in China. The theme of her live is about “LOVE”;Shila believes its will create a harmony and peaceful world. She said love is able to turn enemies into friends, she wishes to use her love songs to conquer the hearts of everyone. Love is able to gather us together even we are from different parts of the world. She wishes that her long songs were able to convey the love stories and be grateful to all the people who love her.

Shila is the up and coming star in Asia. In 2007, she has took part in 8TV’s “One in a Million” second season and won herself 1st runner up. On the following year, she became the champion in “Asia New Singer Competition”, is a singing competition established by Shanghai Cultural Development Foundation in Shanghai, China, featuring younger and relatively unestablished contestants from many Asian countries.

At the later stage, Malaysia famous music producer, Mr Ong Peng Chu has discover the talent of Shila and encourage her to enter the world largest Chinese market, China. In 2012, with the encouragement from her manager Mr. Ong, she decide to join Asian Wave, a Chinese reality singing talent show held in Shanghai by Dragon TV. On 20 September 2012, Shila became the champion inAsian Wave. Shila Amzah had the most online votes among all the contestants, and her winning song is "Zheng Fu (征服)" by Na Ying.

In 2014, Shila Amzah an invitation to “I’m A Singer” (season two). She has finally begun her journey, and been taking on one big, sweeping ballad after another such as Guan Zhe’s Xiang Ni De Ye, Jay Chou’s Zui Chang De Dian Ying and Beyonce’s Listen to rave reviews. And each time she takes the stage, her gait, her piercing eyes, her dramatic gestures speak of the eagerness of a woman who’s knee-deep in the trenches in war – a musical one. Through I’m A Singer 2, besides her remarkable live performance, and yet shehas talents in languages. Being a non-Chinese singer, she just used 4 days to learn a new Chinese song, don’t you think is amazing. Besides, I’m A Singer 2 competition also helping her to have a large base of China and Hong Kong fans.

Exclusive bought to you by Mega Ultimate Sdn Bhd and Shila Amzah Entertainment Berhad, Shila Amzah Live in Malaysia will be held at Mega Star Arena on 13th September 2014 (Saturday). The official ticket launch will be held on 28th June 2014. The tickets price category as follow: VIP – RM268, PS1 – RM138 & PS2 – RM98 (All ticket prices exclude RM3 ticketing agent administration fee)

Shila Amzah Live in Malaysia 2014 is jointly organize by Mega Ultimate Sdn Bhd and Shila Amzah Entertainment Berhad, Mega Star Arena is the Official Concert Venue，My FM & Era FM as Official Radio Station, Paradigm Mall as Official Mall, Premiere Hotel as Official Hotel, Airasia as Official Airline，Alexandre Christieas Official Watch, Special Thank ESS。

Website / Contact Hotline : 603 - 8775 4666 (Working Days 9am-5pm), or visit http://redtix.airasia.com/ or Mega Ultimate hotline: 03-91077223 (Working Days 9am-5pm), or visit www.facebook.com/megaultimate

Get your tickets from:

1. Online at www.AirAsiaRedtix.com
2. Rock Corner outlets:	The Gardens (TEL: 03 - 2201 4893)
	KLCC (TEL: 03 - 2181 5560)
	Subang Parade (TEL: 03 - 5613 1139)
	The Curve (TEL: 03 - 7733 1139)
3. Victoria Music outlets:	Sg Wang(TEL: 03 - 2148 7208)
	Amcorp (TEL: 03 - 7956 0592)
	Tropicana (TEL: 03 - 7722 2955)
4. Artist Gallery:	Gurney Plaza, Penang
	Queensbay Mall, Penang
5. KL Life Centre	TEL: 03 - 2162 2570
6. Tune Store	Low Yat Plaza

-AirAsiaRedTix.

Nazri Touts Malaysia's Unique Culture In Turkey

ISTANBUL, Sept 6 (Bernama) -- Promoting Malaysia among the Turkish public, Malaysia's Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz says the Southeast Asian nation was a unique treasure trove of culture and experiences which delight travellers from all over the world.

He noted that Malaysia, a cauldron of multiracial co-existence, had always featured on the world map as one of the key destinations in terms of diverse ethnic and cultural experiences.

"Our Malaysia Truly Asia brand is well-recognised and much appreciated worldwide for us to emerge as one of the most visited tourist destinations. "It's crucial testament that our colourful culture is a powerful brand for our nation," he said when opening the Malaysia Cultural Week here Saturday.

Mohamed Nazri said a large part of the Malaysian tourism sector was driven by its well-preserved cultural and natural heritage. With the theme, 'Culture of 1Malaysia', the Malaysia Cultural Week was launched against the backdrop of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Malaysia and Turkey.

According to Mohamed Nazri, there had been a significant increase in the number of arrivals of Turkish visitors to Malaysia, from 9,909 in 2012 to 12,755 last year. Until May this year, a total of 7,802 Turkish tourists had visited Malaysia, an increase of 62 per cent as compared to 4,837 in the same period last year.

Present at the event were Turkish Deputy Culture and Tourism Minister Abdurrahman Arici, Malaysian Ambassador to Turkey Amran Mohamed Zin, Malaysian Tourism and Culture Ministry deputy secretary-general (culture) Datuk Abdul Ghaffar A. Tambi and Tourism Malaysia deputy director-general (promotions) Datuk Azizan Noordin.

The Malaysia Cultural Week aims to promote Malaysia and introduce Malaysian culture to the international community, in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2014. It features 17 booths open from 10am to 6pm, from Sept 5 to 7.

Among the activities organised are Malaysian cultural performances, craft demonstration and sales, art exhibits and painting demonstrations and displays of fashion and textiles.

Mohamed Nazri also took the opportunity to promote the 'Malaysia Year of Festivals' (MyFEST) 2015 with the theme, 'Endless Celebrations'. The event will showcase the unique facets of Malaysia through its multi-ethnic festivals, culture, traditional heritage, lively city vibes, tantalising delicacies and more.
-bernama.

Regatta Continues Promoting Sarawak As One Of World's Tourist Destination

KUCHING, 6 Sept (Bernama) -- The Sarawak Regatta will continue to become a major event to promote the state as one of the world's tourist destination, Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem said.

He said the annual regatta, which was first introduced in 1872 during the Rajah Brooke era, would continue to be held to preserve and promote the uniqueness of the Sarawak's culture.

"It will surely become major attraction for tourists in Sarawak, especially for those who are looking for the preserved culture and uniqueness while enjoying the phenomenal views of the Sarawak River," he said when opening the Sarawak Regatta 2014 at the Kuching Waterfront here today.

Adenan said all the state's uniqueness, specialties and diversified culture and heritage showcased during the regatta were able to increase the number of tourist arrivals to Kuching each year, besides turning the state's capital as the meeting point for the locals. "It also helps promote the cultures of the various ethnicities in Sarawak, hence strengthening the spirit of unity, tolerance and goodwill among the people," he said.

Meanwhile, State Housing and Tourism Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg said the regatta was now the second biggest attraction for Sarawak after that of the Rainforest World Music Festival.

He said the fact that the regatta was introduced over 100 years ago made it unique and rich in historic value. "The main attraction will be the race for the coveted 'King of the River' title tomorrow," he said.

He said, on the sidelines, there would also be an exhibition of handicrafts, food and traditional performance to introduce and promote the various ethnicities in Sarawak to the visitors.

The regatta, which began today, saw the participation of 20 local and foreign teams, namely the Dragon Hunters of Newscastle from Australia, Canadian Dragons of Canada, Hong Kong Freedom of Hong Kong, University of Macau, Brunei Darussalam, Ministry of National Development of Singapore, Polytechnic of Singapore, Filipino Dragons from Philippine, De La Salle University Dragon Boat Team from Philippine, Bugsay Boracay from Philippine, Nonthaburi Municipality of Thailand, Chinese Taipei and PODSI from Indonesia.

The six Malaysian teams were Sabah Tanjung Papat from Sandakan, Pink Challengers from Putrajaya, Penang Municipal Park Rowing Club of Penang, JB Speed of Kedah, Federation of Kuching and Samarahan Divisions Chinese Associations and North Kuching City Hall.

Also held today was the Brooke Swim competition, which saw former national swimmer Teo Ah Hwa emerged as the champion, while defending champion Ho Chai Hee took second place and Azahari Azman, third.

Over 10,000 people flocked the Kuching Waterfront since 8 am today to watch the opening of the regatta.
-bernama.

Organise trips sans breaking the bank at MATTA Fair

Big crowd: Visitors checking out the deals offered during the MATTA Fair September 2014 at PWTC.

KUALA LUMPUR: Kindergarten owner Mohd Roshaini Mat Rasid was all prepped for a holiday getaway with his staff and students. Even though organising a group holiday could be a daunting task, he believed that he could do it without incurring a hefty price tag.

“This is the second time I am organising such a trip. The first was to Cameron Highlands last year. “This year, I hope to take them to Langkawi but I don’t want to fork out too much money, so I am scouting for a good deal,” he said after browsing through one deal offered at the MATTA Fair September 2014.

Mohd Roshaini, who came with his wife Fazarina Abu Zarin, 31, said this was their first time at the fair and they were excited at the possibility of finding the right deal.

The three-day MATTA Fair began yesterday at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), featuring 1,171 booths by tourism industry players offering exciting holiday deals. MATTA Fair organisers are hoping for a bigger crowd this time, targeting 100,000 visitors for the three-day fair compared to the usual average of 90,000 visitors in previous events.

“International destinations are well-received, but a lot of work has been done to promote domestic tourism. We have dedicated one hall towards promoting domestic tourism, which has been aptly named Malaysia Hall,” said MATTA Fair September 2014 organising chairman Rocky Kho.

The fair runs until tomorrow from 10am to 9pm at PWTC. For information, log on to www.matta.org.my.

-thestar online.

SIC announces Muhammad Hafiza Rofa as wildcard for 2014 Shell Advance Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix

PETALING JAYA, 4 September 2014 – Kuala Terengganu-born Muhammad Hafiza Rofa, Malaysia’s up and coming sensation in world motorcycle racing, has been named as a wildcard entry for this year’s Shell Advance Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix to be held at the Sepang Circuit from 24-26 October. 

The 18-year-old, currently competing in his debut Spanish CEV Repsol championship season with the SIC-Ajo Team, will line up on the grid along with four other Malaysians. Leading the Malaysian cast will be Zulfahmi Khairuddin and Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah, who both rocked the Sepang Circuit to its core in 2012 when they finished on the podium.

The two other riders who will feature in the penultimate round are Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman and Amirul Hafiq Azmi, in the Moto2 and Moto3 categories respectively. 

The Shell Advance Motorcycle Grand Prix has rapidly evolved into a major event that is eagerly awaited by thousands of Malaysians and millions of fans from all around the world. Each year, more and more local and foreign fans have made their way to Sepang to catch the action. 

Even more encouraging is the rising number of youngsters from various backgrounds who are being attracted to the sport. This is a direct result of the success of the Malaysian riders on the global stage. 

Sepang International Circuit (SIC) CEO Datuk Razlan Razali revealed Hafiza’s participation in the Moto3 category during the launch of the Shell Advance Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix 2014 held in Sunway today. Also present was Datuk Dr Ong Hong Peng, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia. 

“We are delighted to announce Hafiza as the wildcard for this year’s Shell Advance Malaysian Motorcyle Grand Prix. He is a young and exciting talent and will benefit immensely by racing amongst the best in the world,” Datuk Razlan said. 

“Our Malaysian riders have proven that they are capable of matching the world’s best riders in the past. They have done so well that Malaysian youngsters are now turning to them as role models and heroes instead of the foreign riders. We hope when they compete in front of a massive home crowd next month, they will be inspired to deliver strong performances. ”  

Last year, over 120,000 fans thronged the Sepang Circuit over the three days. This year, with five Malaysian heroes in action alongside the likes of Marc Marquez, who has now won 11 out of 12 races, and many other world-class riders, SIC is expecting 90,000 spectators to pack the stands in Sepang on race day. Hafizh’s recent outstanding performance in Silverstone, where he finished eighth, will also fire up interest amongst the local fans to attend the race. 

A strong united show of support from Malaysian fans from all walks of life will be a positive development following recent adversities faced by the nation.  

Sales have been strong and tickets for the popular Grandstand F have already sold out. “We would like to advise fans to get their tickets early to avoid disappointment,” Datuk Razlan commented.

Meanwhile, off the track, the Mega Motor Carnival has attracted up to 80 trade and vending operators ranging from auto paraphernalia and accessories to clothing. Bike manufacturers will also be displaying their latest products and machines. Fans should not miss the opportunity to catch first-hand the latest on offer in the world of motoring.

Also of interest to local racing fans is the news that they will be able to catch Malaysia’s future stars in action in the supporting race. Round 5 and 6 of the Malaysian Super Series (Bikes) will show a line-up of strong contestants on track. While seven of our brightest talents will be competing in the Shell Advance Asia Talent Cup, racing against leading South East Asian and Asian youngsters, including several Japanese riders.

The seven young riders are Shafiq Rasol (18 years), Shafiq Ezzariq (15 years), Fakhrusy Rostam (18 years), Nazrul Bahauddin (14 years), Ibrahim Norrodin (14 years), Adam Norrodin (16 years) and Helmi Azman (15 years). In Sepang, the Shell Advance Asia Talent Cup will be contested over two rounds – Race 8 and Race 9. If they continue to progress positively, these seven riders will one day represent the country in the Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix.

“These riders are being developed by DORNA and SIC to someday take over from the current batch of competitors. Given the right exposure, these boys will go very far,” Datuk Razlan said.

Meanwhile, SIC, in the run-up to the race next month, has initiated a series of exciting activities in Malaysia and the region. In addition to their advertising campaign through the print, electronic and social media, several on-ground activities have also been organised. This includes the popular SIC Zoomers which has groups of bikers visiting popular spots to promote the race, a contest, bike convoys led by Datuk Razlan himself, viewing parties and several others, including special ticket prices open to those who make purchases at the venue.

In the city centre, fans will be entertained by pre-events leading up to the race. In the line-up are a planned special demo run with top MotoGP riders, a track session for biking enthusiasts with the legendary Mick Doohan and many more. Not to be missed is also an exclusive all-female session for the lady bikers out there.

During race week, fans will get to experience the pit lane walk, autograph sessions, the ever popular shopping experience at the Mega MotoCarnival, stunt shows and plenty more. 

The South East Asian Motorcycle Business Forum, which was very well received in the past, will also be held on the sidelines of the Malaysian GP once again this year. 

“This year’s Malaysian GP has all the hallmarks of yet another sensational race. As the penultimate round, there will be much at stake for the riders, some of whom will be battling for the remaining points to secure their positions in the championship. For the Malaysian boys, they will want to give their best in front of their fans. In short, it’s going to be a showdown in Sepang,”said Datuk Razlan.
-www.sepangcircuit.com

Malaysia Poised To Be Destination Of Choice Among Turkish Travellers - Mohamed Nazri

photo: MOTAC website

ISTANBUL, Sept 4 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is poised to be a destination of choice among Turkish travellers as the country offers affordable and attractive packages during holidays, said Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz.

He noted that Malaysia had already received 12,775 Turkish tourists last year, and following the opening of the Malaysian Tourism Office in Istanbul the same year, the number of visitors from Jan to May this year increased 62 per cent.

"With our favorable exchange rate, you will also find that Malaysia is a value-for-money destination. Our hotel rates, food and beverages, and other holiday lifestyle choices are among the lowest in price but highest in quality.

"I would even dare to say that in Malaysia, luxury is highly affordable," he said in his welcoming speech during a hi-tea session with Turkish tour operators and media at the Clarion Hotel and Suite here Thursday.

Mohamed Nazri is currently in Turkey in conjunction with the opening of the Malaysia Cultural Week tomorrow, an event aimed to promote Malaysia and to further introduce Malaysian culture to the international community.

During his speech, Mohamed Nazri also acknowledged that the Visit Malaysia Year 2014 campaign has targeted around 28 million visitors with 13,000 from Turkey.

"Accessibility between our two countries has also shown great improvement with 36 weekly flights servicing the Istanbul-Kuala Lumpur route, both through direct and indirect flights on Turkish Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Emirates Airlines and Qatar Airways. "With our presence here, we hope to see more direct flights from here which will give more options in terms of air accessibility for people of both countries," he added.
-bernama.

Malaysia Airlines Offers Irresistible Bargains at MATTA Fair

Subang, 4 September 2014 – Once again, the MATTA Fair is back from 5 till 7 September 2014 at Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC).  During the three day affair, customers will be spoilt for choice with various Economy and Business Class offerings to Malaysia Airlines and oneworld destinations.

In conjunction with this, Malaysia Airlines is working with 57 of its appointed travel agents to offer great travel packages. In addition, there will be all-inclusive return fares available on its website, www.malaysiaairlines.com from now till 13 September to various international destinations. These fares start from RM300 to Singapore, RM350 to Bangkok, RM400 to Jakarta, Yangon or Phnom Penh, RM500 to Saigon or Denpasar, RM950 to Perth, RM1500 to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide or Brisbane and RM2900 to Auckland.

Also on offer, are other Malaysia Airlines’ destinations including London from RM2800, Paris or Amsterdam from RM2700, Taipei from RM800, Tokyo from RM1700, Incheon from RM1200, Hong Kong from RM750 and Guangzhou from RM1000.

Holidaymakers can also travel to Kochi from RM800, Chennai from RM1000, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Dhaka or Kathmandu from RM1100 or Dubai from only RM2000.

Meanwhile, all-inclusive return fares to domestic destinations start from RM120 within Peninsula Malaysia or intra Sabah, Sarawak and RM260 for crossing routes between Peninsula Malaysia and Sabah, Sarawak.

oneworld fares start from RM2272 to the United States (including Boston, Chicago, New York or Honolulu), RM3199 to Europe (Milan, Budapest, Rome, Vienna, Madrid or Manchester), RM 2299 to Japan, RM2899 to Australia, RM2500 to Russia.

The mentioned fares are for travel on Economy Class.

For luxury and comfort, travellers can purchase their Business class tickets with all-in return fares from RM11000 to London, RM10500 to Paris, RM5990 to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or Adelaide, RM 2060 to Taipei, RM5330 to Tokyo, RM4560 to Incheon and RM2800 to Hong Kong.

Other destinations on Business Class include Delhi from RM2100, Bombay from RM2200, Chennai, Bangalore or Hyderabad from RM2900, Bangkok from RM1260, Jakarta from RM1030, Phuket from RM900, Manila from RM1890, Saigon from RM1400, Medan from RM840 and Dubai from RM5740.

For ground packages, Malaysia Airlines’ travel arm, Golden Holidays, will be offering travel packages from RM980 to Siem Reap, RM1060 to Bangkok, RM1470 to Bali and RM2150 to Yangon.

Apart from that, Golden Holidays is also offering packages to local destinations including Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, Langkawi, Penang and Johor Bharu from RM860.  These packages comprise of a return Economy Class air ticket on Malaysia Airlines, airport transfer, three nights’ hotel accommodation with daily breakfast on twin share basis and half day city tour.

The travel period for the MATTA fair destinations start from 7 September 2014 and ends on 30 June 2015, while Golden Holidays’ packages travel validity start on the same day and ends on 31 March 2015.

Malaysia Airlines’ Regional Senior Vice President Malaysia, Dato’ Muzammil Mohamad said, “The MATTA Fair provides a good platform for us to foster ties with our key partners to develop tourism resources for better travel options.

“The top destinations we foresee to be much sought after are London, Paris, Sydney, Melbourne, Hong Kong and Bangkok”.

“We urge our customers to take advantage of this opportunity and plan their travel with us in advance,” added Dato’ Muzammil.

“We are offering travellers to purchase now and travel later with a nine month travel window from 7 September 2014 to 30 June 2015”.

Travellers can also earn Enrich Miles when they fly with Malaysia Airlines, oneworld member airlines as well as Enrich partner airlines on their purchased MATTA fair tickets.

Enrich, Malaysia Airlines’ frequent flyer programme, rewards passengers with exclusive benefits and privileges, including Enrich vouchers for excess baggage payment.

Travellers are encouraged to sign up as an Enrich member via Malaysia Airlines website atwww.enrich.malaysiaairlines.com to earn 1000 Enrich Miles or download MHmobile to earn 2000 Enrich Miles.

While Malaysia Airlines will not be present physically at the PWTC for this MATTA fair,   customers can still purchase Malaysia Airlines fares and packages through the airline’s participating travel agents.  Alternatively, customers can purchase tickets directly through Malaysia Airlines’ ticketing office, call centre at 1-300-88-3000 or via www.malaysiaairlines.com.  Those wishing to purchase travel packages can log on to http://holiday.malaysiaairlines.com/

-www.malaysiaairlines.com

Organisers eye world record during Hello Kitty 40th bash

Johor Tourism Department director Dr Badrul Hisham Kassim and the Hello Kitty mascot unveiling the Hello Kitty 40th Anniversary invitation card at the Sanrio Hello Kitty Town in Nusajaya.

NUSAJAYA: Some 3,000 diehard fans of Hello Kitty are expected to converge at the Sanrio Hello Kitty Town in Puteri Harbour Indoor Family Theme Park here on Nov 1 in an attempt to set a world record for the largest Hello Kitty fans gathering.

Sanrio Hello Kitty Town general manager Fahruddin Najumudeen said fans were expected to come from different countries in the region to celebrate the character’s 40th anniversary, which falls in November.

“We hope to receive the support from fans and successfully set a world record on Hello Kitty’s 40th anniversary,” he told a press conference here yesterday.

Fahruddin said various activities had been planned in conjunction with the three-day carnival starting from Oct 31, including a street fiesta, music festival and fashion design competition.

“It will be a fun experience for fans who will be able to enjoy Hello Kitty convention exclusives and grab limited edition merchandise.

“Street shows, magicians and performers will be on the streets and there will be plenty of things to do for the whole family like the minute-to-win-it games and food bazaar,” he said.

Fahruddin said the celebration also offered opportunities for emerging young Malaysian designers to showcase their talent, as a fashion design competition would be organised and winners would walk away with RM5,000 cash prize.

“The designers will be mentored to create a two-piece Hello Kitty inspired collection. Top 10 designers will be chosen to compete on the grand stage at the Hello Kitty Friends Catwalk Finale Set, also scheduled to take place on her birthday.

“Besides that, fans can also watch live performances by popular local J-Rock (Japanese Rock) band Flying Pan and Malaysian pop punk band BunkFace during the Hello Kitty Friends Rock music festival,” he added.

In conjunction with the celebrations, Fahruddin said fans could purchase a special Hello Kitty 40th Anniversary Package where they buy three tickets and get one free at RM165 at the upcoming Matta Fair in Kuala Lumpur next month.

-thestar online.

Rising Local Tennis Stars Awarded Three Singles Qualifying Wild Cards

The Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur 2014 organisers IMG, together with the Lawn Tennis Association of Malaysia (LTAM), have unveiled the three local tennis stars who will feature as wild cards in the US$1,022,255 ATP 250 tournament held from September 20 – 28, 2014 at the Putra Stadium in Bukit Jalil.  

Syed Mohd Agil Syed Naguib, Mohd Assri Merzuki and Mohd Ashaari Zainal Abidin have all been given the green light to play in the singles qualifying event while Mohd Agil received the additional honour of partnering ‘the half kampung kid’ Nick Kyrgios in the doubles main draw as a wild card pairing.  

All three players also featured in last year’s Malaysian Open, with 25-year-old Ashaari’s surprise victory in the first round of qualifying carrying the distinction of being the first time a Malaysian defeated a foreign opponent in the tournament.  

Although unranked on the ATP World Tour, Ashaari comes into the tournament as Malaysia’s number one after consistent performances on the local National Circuit this year, most recently emerging Leg 4 singles champion last month with a plucky 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 comeback victory over Ariez Elyaas Deen Heesham in the finals. 

Both Mohd Agil and Assri Merzuki have won points in Futures tournaments on the ATP World Tour in the last year and boast official worldwide rankings.  

The 19-year-old Merzuki got his first ATP point in February 2013 and has not looked back. He has played in seven Futures tournaments since his last Malaysian Open outing and a number of confident displays has seen his ATP world singles ranking move up 558 spots to No. 1346. 

Mohd Agil’s first ever ATP World Tour point came on home turf just this year, after he defeated Thai world No. 792 ranked Kittipong Wachiramanowong in the Malaysian F1 Futures in March.  The 20-year-old is currently ranked No. 1742. 

After five outings, this is the first time that Malaysia will have two ATP World Tour ranked players participating in the tournament and reflects the positive impact the Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur has had on nurturing local talent since its inception.  

"On behalf of the Lawn Tennis Association of Malaysia, we are delighted that our local players will once again have opportunities to measure their improvement against the world's best at ATP 250 level, in a tournament which has one of the strongest 250 fields of the year. I am sure Syed Agil feels excited and proud to be playing with the "Half Kampung Kid" Nick Kyrgios in the doubles main draw,” said Tan Sri Datuk Abdul Razak Latiff, President of LTAM. 

“With excitement building towards what feels like a very special edition of the 

tournament, worthy of Visit Malaysia Year 2014, I am sure that the Malaysian players who have had their wild-cards confirmed today by the Lawn Tennis Association of Malaysia, are as charged and excited as the fans will be to see so many big name players in action in a few weeks’ time,” said Tournament Director Nick Freyer of IMG.  

Mohd Agil put on a good show in last year’s wild card doubles partnership with India’s Yuki Bhambri, and will hope to do even better this year with 19-year-old Australian sensation Nick Kyrgios, who has a Malaysian mother and is certain to be a favourite amongst locals from the get-go.  

“Agil won the second leg of the BMW National Circuit in February and picked up his first ATP point in March, so it has been a good year for him. Watching him partner up with the in-form Kyrgios, who also has some roots in Malaysia, will be a great treat for local fans,” said National Tennis Academy Head Coach Deen Heshaam Abdullah.  

The world No. 60 Kyrgios, who enjoyed a career high of No.58 in early August, made waves on the tour this year with a scintillating Wimbledon run, which included a victory over the then world No. 1, Rafael Nadal.  

Kyrgios will play his first singles match on Monday or Tuesday and, together with his mother Norlaila, he will also take time to “give back” to the local community by hosting what the Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur is calling a “Town Hall Type Gathering” at the Putra Stadium.  

Slated for Wednesday Sep 24 from 7pm – 7.30pm, Norlaila (known to all as Nil) and Nick will meet with Malaysian mothers, fathers and their children, and answer their questions in a function open to all spectators. 

Along with Wimbledon quarterfinalist Kyrgios, four players who have been in the top ten this year are set to feature in the Malaysian Open – world No. 7 Milos Raonic, No. 11 Juan Martin Del Potro,  No. 12 Kei Nishikori and No. 13 Ernests Gulbis.  Del Potro is set to make his much anticipated return to the Tour in Malaysia after recovering from wrist surgery. 

Tournament organisers have announced out of the tournament’s four marquee players, two will play their first match on Wednesday and two on Thursday, offering fans a wonderful chance to catch top tennis players in action on days with very affordable ticket prices. 

The tournament is proud to welcome back its suite of official sponsors. In addition to the distinguished support of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Malaysia and Tourism Malaysia as well as the Ministry of Youth & Sports, the event is proud to have prestigious commercial sponsors that include Rado, CNN International, the DoubleTree by Hilton Kuala Lumpur, Wilson, the Albukhary Foundation, Astro, the ATP World Tour’s Premier Partner Corona, as well as welcome on board KPJ Healthcare Berhad, making its first foray into sponsorship of professional tennis.  Other supplier level sponsors include House Restaurant, Cream & Fudge, Pizza Hut, 100Plus, KFC and KiekLover.KL. 

Tickets prices remain very reasonable and range from RM 10 to RM 160.  There will be free admission between Saturday, September 20 and Tuesday, September 23. Tickets can be purchased now on-line via the tournament website http://www.malaysianopentennis.com/2014/tickets.php, at TicketCharge outlets or through the ticket hotline at TicketCharge Ph: 603-92228811 

   

For more information on the tournament, visit www.MalaysianOpenTennis.com or  https://www.facebook.com/MalaysianOpen.KualaLumpur  or 

https://twitter.com/KLopentennis.  

-www.MalaysianOpenTennis.com

SuperStar Aquarius adds Puerto Princesa for Sabah season

Star Cruises is introducing sailings to Puerto Princesa, Palawan for the first time and will begin calling there with the SuperStar Aquarius during its upcoming Sabah homeport season.

The 13-storey vessel will be operating out of Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, Malaysia between November 8, 2014 and March 1, 2015.

For this period, SuperStar Aquarius is offering itineraries including a one-night high seas cruise, a two-night high seas cruise and 4D3N cruises to Puerto Princesa City.

Located in the mid-section of Palawan Island, the Philippines, the destination is home to natural and heritage attractions such as the UNESCO World Heritage site, the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park with its 8.2km underground river.

Visitors can also pay a visit to some of the indigenous tribes living on the island, explore the rainforest jungle on the Maoyon River Cruise, snorkel or relax on any of Honda Bay’s islets, or get an education in wildlife at the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Centre. 

-TTG Asia.