India gets six more Malaysian visa centres

Six Malaysian Visa Facilitation Service (VFS) centres will open in India over the next two months, which will further facilitate Indian arrivals to the country. According to Tourism Malaysia’s director India, P Manoharan, VFS Global, which administers the two centres opened last year in Hyderabad and Mumbai, would manage the new centres in Cochin, Delhi, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Kolkata and Chandigarh. This brings the total number of VFS centres in India to eight. Tourism Malaysia’s director India, P Manoharan, said VFS Global, which administers the two centres opened last year in Hyderabad and Mumbai, would manage the new centres in Cochin, Delhi, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Kolkata and Chandigarh. This brings the total number of VFS centres in India to eight. Manoharan added that Tourism Malaysia would also continue to aggressively promote the country to metro and second-tier Indian cities such as Pune, Ahmedabad, Madurai, Tiruchirappalli and Cochin. The NTO will be focusing on experiential tours to Peninsular Malaysia’s east coast and Sabah and Sarawak. India was the fastest-growing market for Malaysia last year, with a 17.1 per cent growth in tourist arrivals over 2009. This year, Malaysia’s tourism ministry has set a target of 700,000 Indian visitors, an increase over last year’s 690,849. -TTG Asia.

Cuti-cuti 1Malaysia Travel Fair in Sarawak

Date: 8~10 April 2011

Venue: The Spring Shopping Mall, Kuching, Sarawak

Participants: 80 organisations - Travel Agencies, Homestay Operators, Hotels & Resorts, Government Agencies, Transportations & Airlines.

Organised by: Tourism Malaysia

Cooperation from:  Sarawak State Government, Sarawak Tourism Board, MAS, FireFly, CRAM and others.

F1: Teams brace for a hotter challenge in Sepang this weekend

SEPANG: Melbourne may stage the opening race of the season but the real battle lies ahead in the Malaysia F1 Grand Prix here this weekend. The teams and their star drivers found it easier to cope with the cooler temperatures in Australia but they will have to brace for a different type of challenge in Malaysia. The Sepang circuit has been acknowledged by the drivers as the hottest and certainly the most humid venue of the year with temperatures now touching 35°C.

Sepang International Circuit (SIC) chief executive officer Datuk Ahmad Razlan Razali, who was at the GP in Melbourne two weeks ago, is optimistic that the fans will get to see yet another exciting race in Sepang. “The cancellation of the first round in Bahrain was advantageous to us as it makes Sepang the first race on a permanent track. The Australian GP was held on a street track,” he said. “I believe Sepang will see the true potential of all the teams and their cars. It has traditionally been an entertaining race in Sepang with unpredictable weather.”

In 2009, the race was red-flagged after 31 laps due to torrential rain while a number of drivers were caught out by a downpour during qualifying last year. The possibility of seeing the Pirellis, back as tyre suppliers in F1 after a decade, debuting their intermediate and wet tyres is very strong in Sepang.

Reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel of the Red Bull Racing Team stamped his mark in Melbourne by dominating the qualifying session and taking a pole-to-flag victory. McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton was second while Lotus Renault’s Vitaly Petrov claimed his first-ever podium in third place.

-thestar online.

Malaysia International Shoe Festival 2011

The Malaysia International Shoe Festival (MISF) is being organised once again this year by the Ministry of Tourism from 7 to 10 April at Hall 2, Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC). Co-organised by the Malaysian Footwear Manufacturers Association (MFMA), this year’s event will see more than 166 booths featuring over 50 famous local footwear labels including Zang Toi, Larrie, Princess, Carlo Rino, Nose, Bill Keith, Paula Moda, Fiorucci, Vern’s and Dr. Cardin. Themed “Walking in Unity – Sole of the Nation”, MISF 2011 is expected to attract over 80,000 local and foreign visitors. The festival is aimed at reinforcing Malaysia’s position and reputation as a leading producer and world-class exporter of quality and innovative footwear, and to use this as another tourism product to attract more visitors to Malaysia. It is also to promote footwear manufacturing and to further improve the quality of local shoe design and craftsmanship. Tourism Ambassador and world renowned shoe designer, Professor Dato’ (Dr.) Jimmy Choo has been invited once again to showcase his special collection in MISF at a designated gallery (Sogno Gallery). The collection is only available at his gallery in London. Another highlight of MISF 2011 is the 30th International Footwear Conference (IFC) that will be held on 8 April at the Tun Hussein Onn Hall in PWTC. The conference will see the convergence of the major industry players who will share their insights and information on the latest shoe innovations, trends and developments. The conference is expected to attract 150 local and international participants from China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, USA, and Vietnam. Besides these programmes, visitors to this year’s MISF will get to witness the display of Malaysia’s biggest Baba-Nyonya chocolate shoe. Measuring 10 feet long, it will make its way into the Malaysia Book of Records as the biggest chocolate shoe ever created in the country. The festival will also once again present the “Shoe History Gallery” to provide an opportunity for visitors to understand the culture, history and artistic development of the shoes they wear. Other activities include a fashion show featuring Miss Malaysia/Universe 2011 Deborah Henry, Searching for the MISF Cinderella (to look for the person who can wear a specially designed 9-inch heels), and various competitions like Creative Shoe Painting, Best Window Dressing, Most Creative Young Designer, Mini Shoes Making, and many more. The Malaysia International Shoe Festival made its debut in April last year. It received overwhelming response, attracting over 45,000 visitors with sales reaching RM5 million during the 3-day event. For MISF 2011, there’ll be a TRADE Day for trade members on 7 April, from 10:30am to 6:30pm. The public can attend the festival from 8 to 10 April, from 10:30am to 8:30pm. Admission is free. -Tourism Malaysia.

An Indian summer for Malaysia

Two Malaysia-based inbound agents strong in the Indian market are predicting an increase in forward bookings for the upcoming peak summer season, from end-April to mid-June, compared to the same period last year. Red Apple Travel & Tours’ managing director, Arokia Das Anthony, is projecting a 30 per cent increase in advanced bookings, while Tina Travel & Agencies’ managing director, Adam Kamal, is anticipating a 15 per cent hike. Adam said the increase will be due to Indian travellers switching destinations from Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and China over fears of radiation exposure resulting from the ongoing nuclear crisis in Japan. Meanwhile, Arokia Das has noticed an increase in number of younger travellers from India, which he attributes to low-cost carrier (LCC) AirAsia launching budget services between the two countries. “They used to be in their 30s and above, now we’re seeing more travellers in their late 20s.” Arokia Das added that he was seeing increasing demand this year for tours combining traditional destinations, such as Kuala Lumpur and Malacca, with Sabah or Sarawak. -TTG Asia.

Team Lotus driver not leaving anything to chance in Malaysian GP

KUALA LUMPUR: Jarno Trulli is one of the fittest drivers for his age but he is not leaving anything to chance when it comes to the Petronas Malaysian Formula 1 Grand Prix this weekend. The 36-year-old Italian, who has ran and completed the Boston Marathon, has been getting his fitness up to the mark since his arrival here last week by joining the Le Tua cycling team on rides up Fraser’s Hill.

Trulli has a reason to be well prepared as possible as he is hoping to put Team Lotus on board the points standings for the first time since they entered F1 last season. And what better way for the Malaysian-backed team, powered by Renault engines this year, to pull it off than at the track in Sepang. Trulli, who finished 13th in the Australian GP two weeks ago, said that he was really fired up for the race this weekend.

“This is our home race and we want to do our best to make the fans proud of us,” said Trulli, who was at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur yesterday to attend a private function together with team-mate Heikki Kovalainen. “There will be a lot of support for us in the stands and having been here for a week, I’ve already seen that the level of support has gone up a lot since last year. So whatever happens, it will be a great weekend for us. “Our only target this year is to fight for points. We just need to put everything together and make the package work for us.”

Trulli, who won the 2004 Monaco GP for his only race win in F1 to date, added that he had been kept busy since his arrival here after the season-opening race in Melbourne. “I spent a couple of days up in the Malaysian hills training on my bike with a local pro team and it also gives me an outstanding preparation for what is always a tough weekend in the car,” he said. “Sepang is a very challenging track. It’s technical and it pushes the drivers and the cars very hard but we believe that the package we have can help us have a good weekend in Malaysia. I am really looking forward to seeing how the car responds in the heat.”

Team Lotus were robbed of a better outcome due to a power steering issue and problems with the radiator. But with new parts in place, Trulli is optimistic that they can challenge the midfield grid. “Despite the hard time in Melbourne, the final result was actually very positive as we had a good performance during the race,” he said.

-thestar online.

Mercedes GP Petronas hopes for better results in Malaysian GP

MALACCA: The Mercedes GP Petronas Formula One (F1) team hopes to steer better performances at the Petronas Malaysian Formula 1 Grand Prix at 'home' after a dismal show at the opening round in Melbourne, Australia. "I am really looking forward to the race this weekend because it is one of our home race. Although we had a disappointing race in Australia, we hope to recover and show the performance we had shown in our winter testing," said former world champion Michael Schumacher.

The Mercedes GP Petronas team was unable to finish their race at Albert Park in Melbourne due to a puncture and accidental damage. Schumacher and his team-mate Nico Rosberg were here Tuesday, visiting the Petronas Melaka Refinery Complex in Sungai Udang. The visit was in conjunction with Petronas' announcement that it would be supplying its total fluid solutions package fuel, engine oils, hydraulic, gear oil and transmission fluid for the team starting with the Malaysian F1 Grand Prix at the Sepang International Circuit on April 8-10. Rosberg meanwhile, said he hoped to repeat his 2010 achievement at the Sepang Circuit. "We have to work hard to put everything back on track. It is difficult to predict where we will be at the moment," said Rosberg.

At last year's championship, Rosberg gave local fans enough reasons to cheer when he finished third at the Sepang Circuit. Asked whether he was satisfied with his F1 machine, Rosberg said: "No, not yet. We are not where want to be." Besides having a closer look at the downstream activities of the refinery, both drivers joined 135 primary school children from Sekolah Kebangsaan Sungai Udang, Sekolah Kebangsaan Tangga Batu and Sekolah Kebangsaan Pantai Kundor, in a Petronas educational outreach programme.

- Bernama

A friend in need

Penang Tourist Centre Bhd donated RM25,000 to help earthquake and tsunami victims in Japan. Its chairman Datuk Syed Mohamad Aidid Syed Murtaza (pic right) said this was the first time that the centre had made such a contribution for disaster victims.

“We must do our part by supporting the people of Japan during their hour of need,” he said during a cheque presentation to Japanese Consul-General Tetsuro Kai (pic left) recently. He added that lots of Japanese tourists visit the country and they spend millions of yen annually.

-thestar online.

AirAsia X to fund heritage restoration in Christchurch

PETALING JAYA: AirAsia X has pledged to raise RM500,000 to help fund heritage restoration in earthquake-hit Christchurch as it celebrates its first flight into the city. The inaugural flight of the long-haul low fare affiliate of AirAsia arrived on Friday night and announced its intention to donate for restoration a percentage of each ticket purchased by passengers travelling to and from New Zealand. AirAsia X chief executive officer Azran Osman-Rani said the airline was targeting to raise RM500,000 and is expected to reach the amount within 12 months. “We thank our guests for all the support and hope this financial gesture will assist in some way to restore Christchurch’s heritage icons,” he said in a statement yesterday. Azran said the airline’s shareholders and management wished to contribute in some way to Christchurch’s recovery initiative. Christchurch’s Anglican Cathedral, which was damaged in the earthquake on Feb 22, is estimated to cost tens of millions to strengthen and reconstruct. Azran also said he believed every traveller arriving in Christchurch would be proud to have helped in some small way in its recovery. Christchurch mayor Bob Parker said he was pleased to have AirAsia X flying into the city and make the financial commitment to assist heritage restoration. “We are very much looking forward to working closely alongside the airline as a tourism partner and as a newly-arrived member of the Christchurch community,” he said. -thestar online.

Malaysian tour operator's first boutique resort finally a reality

Terrapuri Heritage Village in Penarik, Terengganu, will soft-open on June 1 with seven heritage villages. This will be the inaugural property of CEO Alex Lee, who is also the CEO of Ping Anchorage Travel & Tours. The boutique resort was initially scheduled to soft-open last August (TTG Asia e-Daily, July 12, 2010). According to Lee, the resort is already fully booked for June and almost full for July. Projected occupancy for this year is 75 per cent. He is targeting Asian and European FIT travellers and will work with agents overseas to promote the resort, which is about 45 minutes by speedboat from Redang Island's famous dive sites. Lee expects the resort venture to contribute at least 10 per cent of his overall business. Featuring restored palaces and aristocratic houses from the 19th century, there will be 19 villas in total when the resort is fully open in April 2012. They will offer views of the South China Sea or the Setiu Wetlands. Facilities include a restaurant, spa, gallery and a swimming pool. -TTG Asia. http://terrapuri.com/Terrapuri_Home.html

Sepang gains momentum after race in Bahrain is called off

"We want to be conservative. If we get a surge, we’ll be happy. The huge rush for tickets usually comes closer to the race"- DATUK RAZALAN RAZALI

With the Bahrain F1 cancelled, all eyes are now on the Petronas Malaysian F1 Grand Prix as the Sepang F1 circuit poses equal challenges, partly due to its similar design, scorching heat, sweeping corners and wide angles. Sepang will host the second round of this year’s F1 championship from April 8 to 10 after Australia’s street circuit race last weekend.

Though the most expensive tickets to the race — RM2,000 each — in the Diamond category are sold out, Sepang International Circuit (SIC) chief executive officer Datuk Razlan Razali is humble about the surge in ticket sales for the Sepang F1, following the cancellation of the Bahrain Grand Prix due to the country’s political turmoil. “We want to be conservative. If we get a surge, we’ll be happy. The huge rush for tickets usually comes closer to the race,” said Razlan.

In fact, the rush has already begun especially when news broke out that South Korean superstar Rain will be the closing act for the race on April 10. What’s more, the ‘2-in-1’ tickets are going cheap — as low as RM138 each for the race and Rain’s concert.

Closing act: South Korean pop star Rain will be performing at the end of the Malaysian F1 GP on April 10.

“We’re making F1 affordable to everyone in Malaysia,” Razlan said. “We want to capture the ordinary Joe (and Jane). Motor sports is not just for the high income group,” he added. At press time, 60% of the tickets have been snapped up — with 100,000 spectactors expected to converge on the Sepang race circuit. But Razlan is honest in saying that Sepang will lose its momentum this year due to the rescheduling in the F1 races.

“Bahrain used to be a good warm-up session for the drivers because it was the season opener. “So, when they came to Sepang, it was the real race. But now, Sepang will be the place for them to try out their new engines and tyres under extreme weather conditions.” “Australia, on the other hand, is a good preparation for them for the Singapore street circuit race.”

-thestar online.

Coulthard set to thrill fans in Jalan Bukit Bintang

APRIL promises to be a mouth-watering one for motor racing fans in Malaysia. Besides the annual Malaysian Grand Prix, which takes place from April 8 to 10 in Sepang, motor racing enthusiasts will also be able to take part in the first ever Red Bull Racing F1 running show car event in Malaysia, one weekend before the actual race day, right in the heart of the city.

Formula 1 legend and former Red Bull Racing driver David Coulthard will entertain the shopping crowd tomorrow by giving a demonstration of the awesome power of a Formula 1 car along the famous thoroughfare of Jalan Bukit Bintang against the unusual backdrop of megamalls like Pavillion, Starhill and Lot 10. The Red Bull Speed Street show car event will last about an hour.

Ready to roll: Coulthard will be at the wheel of the new Red Bull Racing car, the RB7, during the event.

The public can expect manoeuvres such as short sprints, burnouts, engine breaks and donuts, which one won’t get to see often in actual F1 races. The performance area will be along the stretch of Jalan Bukit Bintang, starting from The Westin hotel and Pavillion to the Jalan Sultan Ismail junction after Lot 10. This will mark the first time that Austrian energy drink company Red Bull is organising an F1 show car event in Malaysia and this exciting event marks the launch of the blue and silver Red Bull in Malaysia.

The blue and silver Red Bull was previously unavailable for sale in the country, but is now available in more than 70 clubs and restaurants around Kuala Lumpur, as well as most major supermarkets and convenience stores. The Austrian energy drink company, which is fast gaining in popularity amongst F1 aficionados — thanks to the double championship winning feat of Red Bull Racing in 2010. They are expecting over 50,000 spectators to line the estimated 500m stretch.

To ensure that the safety of the audience is not compromised, safety measures and precautions will be in place in accordance with Red Bull Racing’s safety standards. A series of pre-event activations can also be expected in the lead up to the event, which is part of the build up festivities to the Malaysian Grand Prix in the city. Red Bull is also working closely with Sepang International Circuit Sdn Bhd (SIC) and Pavillion Kuala Lumpur to organise the unique show car event, and the public will be able to get up close with the Red Bull Racing car from today outside Pavillion while it is being set up.

There will also be a rare Audi R8 LMS and a R8 Spyder on display, as well as Red Bull Racing and Puma motorsport merchandises on sale, while Sony Computer Entertainment will be setting up a gaming area featuring the Red Bull X2010 supercar in its PS3 game GT5, making the event a real motor racing extravaganza. Hannah Yong, SIC’s chief marketing officer said: “We are proud to be able to collaborate with Red Bull to bring such an exciting event to the people of Kuala Lumpur. “Hopefully, this will give more Malaysians an opportunity to experience F1 and will raise excitement levels for the Malaysia Grand Prix, which takes place a week later at Sepang.”

-thestar online.

Proton take marginal lead in the Asia-Pacific Rally

JOHOR BARU: It was a fruitful day for team Proton R3 in the first leg of the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) as drivers Chris Atkinson and Alister McRae made it a 1-3 finish yesterday. The APRC which began its first round with the Malaysian Rally on Thursday, saw Pertamina Cusco Racing driver Rifat Sungkar of Indonesia taking the lead after the Special Stage 1.

However, Atkinson and co-driver Stephane Prevot managed to put in a strong challenge yesterday to take a marginal lead of 1:40.4s. He clocked a total time of 2’6:29.4 after seven Special Stages at the Tai Tak plantation in Kota Tinggi yesterday. In second place was Gaurav Gill of Team MRF in 2’8:09.8 while McRae took the third spot in 2’15:56.7. Atkinson’s lead, however, came with a price. His Satria Neo S2000 suffered handbrake and radiator problems.

“The car had problems with overheating after the first stage yesterday (Thursday) and I lost my handbrake after the third stage today (yesterday). “It was not so bad but we were slower in the tight corners without the handbrake. Hopefully everything will be fixed for tomorrow,” said Atkinson. McRae’s car was also not spared from succumbing to overheating problems as he finished third. “It was a difficult day for us ... we suffered from overheating early today and I suspect the head gasket is burnt. “It’s very tough for me because I had to hold back from going all out. The second place is just too far for me to catch up and I hope to maintain the third spot for championship points,” said McRae.

Meanwhile, in the Malaysian Rally category, defending champion Mohd Rafiq Udhaya battled through a broken gearbox to take the lead. He is currently leading the pack after clocking 2’26:04.3. “We had a lot of problems after the Special Stage 3 ... the suspension gave some problem and then the gearbox was out. “We swapped the racing transmission with a standard one and we managed to get through the day,” said Rafiq.

-thestar online.

Lotus storm Putrajaya to kick off F1 countdown

PUTRAJAYA: The normally serene atmosphere in Putrajaya was broken by the high revving sounds of a Formula 1 car as Team Lotus kicked off the one-week countdown to Petronas Malaysia Grand Prix yesterday. It was the first time the demo was held in the administrative capital of the country and drivers Jarno Trulli and Heiki Kovalainen took turns to steer their Lotus T128 machine on the main street in front of Palace of Justice.

The show starts: A Team Lotus car roaring past spectators in Putrajaya yesterday.

And it is not just about hyping up the annual race taking place this weekend as the Malaysian-backed Team Lotus also chose to announce the expansion of the AirAsia Team Lotus Driver Development Programme. A joint initiative between AirAsia and Team Lotus aimed at discovering bright, young talents with the passion and drive to excel in motorsports, the programme will have seven recruits from all around the world instead of two the previous year.

The seven ranging from ages 12 to 19 are Formula BMW world series champion Alexander Rossi of United States, Daim Hishamuddin of Singapore, Tanart Sathienthirakul of Thailand, Matt Parry of United Kingdom, Max Klinkby-Silver of Denmark, Senna Iriawan of Indonesia and Malaysian Weiron Tan. Team Lotus chief executive officer Riad Asmat said they want to give young drivers from Asia and around the world the chance to develop their talents and to help them achieve their goals to become Formula 1 drivers.

“Through Team Lotus in Formula 1 and Team AirAsia in GP2, we have the perfect platforms to provide aspiring world champions with a clear route to the very top and with AirAsia as our key partner in the programme, we have a team of people to call on whose core philosophy is about making dreams come true. “The programme mirrors their Formula 1 counterparts with the same physical and mental training to ensure their race preparation is perfect. The rigours of driving a Formula 1 car are immense and the earlier a driver can learn the work ethics needed to succeed the more likely he will be successful when he goes in,” said Riad. Besides the live demo and the meet and greet sessions with Trulli and Kovalainen, the public had the opportunity to go on the kart and pocket bike rides. which were free for all.

-thestar online.

Three new hotels in KL offer wider options for stay

The Kuala Lumpur city centre is set to accommodate more tourists and visitors with the addition of three more hotels to its vibrant landscape. The InterContinental in Jalan Ampang was recently launched while the Pullman Kuala Lumpur Bangsar is expected to open its doors in November and the Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur in Jalan Pinang in 2012.

The InterContinental Hotels Group has taken over the former Hotel Nikko. The 473-room hotel is expected to undergo an 18-month refurbishment for its rooms, restaurants and facilities. “Our soon-to-be renovated guest rooms will offer great comfort enhanced by the soft colour palette and subtle shades to complement a perfect stay,” said general manager Adam McDonald during the launch.

Welcoming: The premier rooms in InterContinental Kuala Lumpur.

The Tatsu Japanese restaurant has already been closed for renovation and is expected to be completed and reopened for business at the end of June. “Our facilities have everything you would expect of an InterContinental like spacious meeting rooms and event facilities, business centre, gymnasium, pool, spa and all the other little touches that you expect of an iconic brand,” he said.

Meanwhile, the 513-room Pullman Bangsar would see half of its rooms operational for the soft opening in November this year. Marketing and communication director Harriet Hoong said the Pullman brand positioning is centred around Conviviality, Calm and Connectivity.

All here: The Pullman Kuala Lumpur Bangsar is equipped with 11 meeting rooms to cater to corporate guests.

“Pullman is the upscale hotel brand of Accor and is designed with the requirements of businesswomen and men in mind. We provide an extensive range of tailored services, access to the latest communications technologies while offering new approach to organising meetings, conferences and incentives,” she said. 

There will be an extensive selection of dining options and bars like B’s (an all-day restaurant), La Cucina (Mediterranean restaurant featuring an open kitchen concept), Le Petit Café, The Lounge (lobby lounge with a cigar lounge), Tempo (Pub and Bar), Poolside Bar, Chinese and Japanese restaurants. Located in the commercial and entertainment hub of Bangsar, the hotel is five minutes away from the Kerinchi LRT station and the Mid Valley Megamall.

Stylish: The premier rooms at the InterContinental Hotel in Kuala Lumpur has a glass panel dividing the room and bath area.

“Specifically designed with today’s business travellers in mind, the hotel is equipped with communications facilities like Wi-Fi access in all rooms and public area of the hotel. We also have 11 meeting rooms, a fitness centre, swimming pool, business centre, 24-hour room service and shuttle service for our guests,” she said. For the corporate guests, Pullman’s meeting rooms and two ballrooms can accommodate 10 to 2,000 people.

“It is suitable for hosting meetings, conferences, intimate dinners and gala dinners. Our Pullman event manager and IT Solutions manager are on hand to ensure the smooth running of each event from organising to guest technology issues,” she said. The Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur is located in Jalan Pinang, within the busy KLCC area and is still under construction. Meanwhile, sources also revealed that another new hotel which would have 300 rooms is expected to come up near a shopping centre in Cheras.

-thestar online.

Attracting eco-tourists

GEORGE TOWN: The new funicular trains at Penang Hill is expected to bring in 2.4 million tourists this year when it begins operations either late next month or early May. While those in the business community would want to cash in on Penang Hill since its a tourist destination, a hotel owner is hoping that the train ride would make people more environment conscious and appreciate the beauty of Penang Hill's flora and fauna.

Datuk Seri Lim Chong Keat, who owns Hotel Bellevue on the hill, said making money is not his only goal. He said he would like to promote Penang Hill and attract quality tourists, who would appreciate the hill's natural beauty and diversity. "The Penang Hill Corporation (PHC) should get its act together to promote Penang Hill," said Lim, a botanic researcher. "It would be good if tourists can appreciate the natural beauty of Penang Hill." Lim said Bellevue would be happy to do its part to promote tourism on the hill. The hotel also has a ginger garden and aviary. There's a large collection of gingers, palms and exotic birds. The newly upgraded funicular train service, which cost RM73 million, is said to be the fastest in Southeast Asia with a speed of 10m per second. The Federal Government handed over the operations of the train to PHC, a body under the Penang Development Corporation (PDC), recently. 

Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen said Penang Hill's tourism development was in line with her parks and gardens concept and that the two new coaches will boost business in the area. A 200m-long canopy walk, a 1.6km-long Educational Nature Trail and a four-storey visitor centre are part of Penang Hill's phase one redevelopment project which costs RM4.5 million. While the expected economic growth gives hawkers, traders, food court operators and others in the tourism business much to hope for, Penang Hill Residents' Association chairman M. Arunasalam hopes the community at the hill station can benefit from the proposed developments.  Arunasalam said Penang Hill needs better roads, street lighting and more public phones to overcome problems of poor mobile phone reception, among others. "Poor street lighting has always been a problem. It takes the authorities an unusually long time to repair non-functioning lights despite complaints being lodged daily," he said. "With all these big plans in the pipeline, we hope things will change for the better as far as public amenities are concerned to make Penang Hill a top tourist attraction." He said residents are hoping to enjoy better business opportunities at Penang Hill as most of them are traders. "The people have high hopes and want to capitalise on it as Penang Hill can bring in tourists dollars."We could have more landscape gardens and even night tours, so tourists can enjoy the spectacular view of the city after sunset," said Arunasalam, who has been a resident of Penang Hill for over 60 years.
-NST Online.

Aussie couple recreates fairy tale wedding in Penang

Paul Palisi (in black coat) with his daughter Sarah and her newly wedded husband Richard Correia. With them are guests at the wedding. — Picture by Asman Ibrahim

GEORGE TOWN: Nothing -- not even the fear of a potential risk of nuclear radiation in Asia following the recent Fukushima nuclear plant explosion -- was going to stop an Australian couple from recreating what is described as a "fairy tale" wedding that took place 56 years ago in the then Malaya. "We have heard so much about my grandparents' romantic, happy lives, and we want to marry by recreating that aspect of 'fairy tale'," the bride, Sarah Jane Palisi, told Streets. "And we hope that our wedding would always keep alive the spirit and the true meaning of love and happiness as set by my grandparents' fine example." "Yes," agreed her husband Richard Correia, an auto electrician. "It's idyllic."

Sarah Jane and Richard were married by Pastor Saras Dany of the City Harvest Church in the garden of Parkroyal at Batu Ferringhi on Monday. About 50 people, some from Australia and Britain, attended the wedding. It would have been easier for the wedding to take place in Sydney where the couple and most of their families and friends live. But to recreate the fairy tale spirit of their grandparents' wedding, it must begin in Penang. So, like Tom and Gail Lambert, who always consider Malaysia their second home, Sarah and Richard chose the "Pearl of the Orient" as the venue of their own marriage. 

The Lamberts are well known in Penang despite Tom's transfer by Caltex Oil to Sydney in 1962. However, so deep are their hearts and souls in Malaysia that they have visited Penang 23 times since they left the country. "We have many happy memories of our lives in Malaysia, particularly in Penang," explained Tom, now 78. "The people are so friendly and wonderful, the food is excellent, and the country as a whole is so colourful. We are always comfortable coming here. "That is why we came back every two years since my transfer to Sydney. Malaysia is, indeed, our second home." The Malaysian connection is also due to the fact that Gary, their eldest son, and their only daughter Tammy (mother of Sarah Jane) were born in Penang. Tom and Gail Lambert have four sons, one daughter, 14 grandchildren and two great grandchildren. 

The story of their fairy tale love began in 1955 when Tom, a handsome young man, spotted a shy girl, who was born in Penang, at a mass in the Assumption Church. He could not take his eyes off Gail and asked his friends to introduce him to her. Gail, on the other hand, was also interested in him -- a man who really inspired her. It was love at first sight, as Tom recalled. Somehow, the romance did not bloom quickly because Tom went away with his brother on a long tour of Europe. Gail was broken-hearted. But, on his return to Penang, Tom wasted no time in sweeping Gail off her feet and they tied the knot in what they described as a "fairy tale" wedding in 1957 in the same church where they first met. Now Sarah and Richard have added a new chapter to the Lambert family tradition of enduring love, loyalty and compassion.
-NST Online.

Industri pelancongan Kampung Melawi dirancakkan

BACHOK 31 Mac - Industri pelancongan di perkampungan nelayan pesisir pantai iaitu Kampung Melawi akan dirancakkan selepas Kerajaan Pusat meluluskan peruntukan RM13 juta bagi melebarkan jalan sepanjang 15 kilometer dari kampung itu sehingga ke sempadan Pasir Puteh di sini. Timbalan Menteri Kewangan, Datuk Dr. Awang Adek Hussin berkata, pelan reka bentuk dan pengambilan semula tanah penduduk yang terbabit bagi tujuan itu sudah selesai dilaksanakan.

"Kita akan berusaha agar pembinaannya dipercepatkan bagi merancakkan industri pelancongan di Bachok yang berpotensi untuk dimajukan serta berupaya memberi nilai tambah kepada penduduk sekitarnya," katanya selepas merasmikan mesyuarat agung Pertubuhan Peladang Kawasan (PPK) Kampung Kandis di sini baru-baru ini. Beliau yang juga Timbalan Pengerusi Badan Perhubungan UMNO Kelantan berkata, kelulusan itu dibuat memandangkan jalan sedia ada kira-kira 500 meter dari pantai itu agak sempit dan sukar dilalui oleh kenderaan berat terutama bas.

Katanya, apabila siap kelak, lebih 20 pengusaha calet di sepanjang pantai itu akan mendapat faedah manakala penduduk kampung berpeluang mendapat pekerjaan dan berniaga secara kecilan-kecilan. Awang Adek berkata, pembangunan itu sejajar dengan transformasi ekonomi yang dilancarkan oleh kerajaan untuk membangunkan ekonomi sesuatu tempat berasaskan persekitarannya. "Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK) dan Kolej Islam Sains dan Teknologi (KIST) yang terletak berhampiran juga merupakan produk yang bernilai tinggi bagi pembangunan industri berkenaan," katanya.

Selain itu beliau berkata, kawasan berkenaan bukan sahaja akan menarik minat pelancong dalam negara menerusi sambungan rangkaian Lebuh Raya Pantai Timur, tetapi ia juga akan memikat pelancong luar memandangkan kawasan itu terletak hanya kira-kira 10 kilometer dari Lapangan Terbang Pengkalan Chepa. Beliau yang juga Pengerusi Majlis Pembangunan Pertanian Parlimen Bachok berkata, Kerajaan Pusat juga meluluskan peruntukan RM30 juta untuk melebarkan sungai di Pangkalan Petah. Beliau berkata, pelabuhan nelayan dan pusat pendaratan ikan itu sudah siap dibina dan dapat memberi kemudahan kepada lebih 300 nelayan di kawasan itu untuk melabuhkan bot-bot mereka termasuk bot laut dalam.

-Utusan Online.