2018年12月25日星期二
2018年12月22日星期六
KLIA exceeds quality of service
KLIA exceeds quality of service
KL International Airport (KLIA) exceeded the service quality targets in October set under the Malaysian Aviation Commission’s Airport Quality of Service (QoS) framework.
Malaysia Airports acting group chief executive officer, Raja Azmi Raja Nazuddin said meeting the QoS targets was a fraction of the many initiatives undertaken to improve guests’ experience.
“At the core, we want to transform the mindset of our people and imbue them with a first-world service culture,” he said in a statement.
Initiated in September 2018, QoS is a service performance measure meant to ensure consistent passenger comfort at the airport and improve airport user experience for stakeholders.
~News courtesy of The Star~
KL International Airport (KLIA) exceeded the service quality targets in October set under the Malaysian Aviation Commission’s Airport Quality of Service (QoS) framework.
Malaysia Airports acting group chief executive officer, Raja Azmi Raja Nazuddin said meeting the QoS targets was a fraction of the many initiatives undertaken to improve guests’ experience.
“At the core, we want to transform the mindset of our people and imbue them with a first-world service culture,” he said in a statement.
Initiated in September 2018, QoS is a service performance measure meant to ensure consistent passenger comfort at the airport and improve airport user experience for stakeholders.
~News courtesy of The Star~
2018年11月14日星期三
离境税征收机制未决 陆兆福：稍后公布
离境税征收机制未决 陆兆福：稍后公布
交通部长陆兆福表示，政府尚未决定征收离境税的机制。
“究竟会加入乘客服务费或者由关税局征收？我们将会稍后公布。”
他今天在亚航总部的数码机场控制中心主持推介礼后，受询及离境税的课题时，如是表示。
他说明，2令吉乘客服务费与20令吉或40令吉的离境税不同，前者由马来西亚机场控股有限公司征收作为营运用途，非政府征收；后者是由政府征收，以提高政府的收入，政府预计每年可征收数亿令吉。
他说，离境税并非首创税务，实际上在泰国与印尼等国家早已经征收离境税。
陆兆福也希望我国机场与航空公司可以合作，缩短飞机抵达与起飞的周转时间（turnaround time）。
他透露，昨日甫从曼谷公干返国的他在4时25分抵达吉隆坡机场，但在5时10分才领取行李，令他认为有改善的空间。
“我希望在我们从抵达到行李运输带时，就可以领取行李。这需要航空公司、机场公司及相关单位的配合。”
针对政府希望出售30％机场房地产投资信托基金股权筹资40亿令吉资金，陆兆福表示，政府尚未鉴定涉及的机场（参与该机制），政府会稍后宣布。
另一方面，亚航创办人丹斯里东尼费南德斯则表示无意参与收购30％机场房地产投资信托基金股权的计划。
他说，亚航作为航空公司将会聚焦在航空事业，兴建机场并非他们的工作。
不过，他表明愿意与机场公司合作降低成本，从而调低机票价格。
询及政府落实的离境税会否导致亚航调高机票价格或者会否吸纳部分的离境税，东尼费南道斯说，由于整个机制尚未明朗，且让他们了解整个税务架构后才发言，目前，一切言之过早。
~光华日报~
交通部长陆兆福表示，政府尚未决定征收离境税的机制。
“究竟会加入乘客服务费或者由关税局征收？我们将会稍后公布。”
他今天在亚航总部的数码机场控制中心主持推介礼后，受询及离境税的课题时，如是表示。
他说明，2令吉乘客服务费与20令吉或40令吉的离境税不同，前者由马来西亚机场控股有限公司征收作为营运用途，非政府征收；后者是由政府征收，以提高政府的收入，政府预计每年可征收数亿令吉。
他说，离境税并非首创税务，实际上在泰国与印尼等国家早已经征收离境税。
陆兆福也希望我国机场与航空公司可以合作，缩短飞机抵达与起飞的周转时间（turnaround time）。
他透露，昨日甫从曼谷公干返国的他在4时25分抵达吉隆坡机场，但在5时10分才领取行李，令他认为有改善的空间。
“我希望在我们从抵达到行李运输带时，就可以领取行李。这需要航空公司、机场公司及相关单位的配合。”
针对政府希望出售30％机场房地产投资信托基金股权筹资40亿令吉资金，陆兆福表示，政府尚未鉴定涉及的机场（参与该机制），政府会稍后宣布。
另一方面，亚航创办人丹斯里东尼费南德斯则表示无意参与收购30％机场房地产投资信托基金股权的计划。
他说，亚航作为航空公司将会聚焦在航空事业，兴建机场并非他们的工作。
不过，他表明愿意与机场公司合作降低成本，从而调低机票价格。
询及政府落实的离境税会否导致亚航调高机票价格或者会否吸纳部分的离境税，东尼费南道斯说，由于整个机制尚未明朗，且让他们了解整个税务架构后才发言，目前，一切言之过早。
~光华日报~
Infrastructure in Petaling Street to be upgraded: KL Mayor
Infrastructure in Petaling Street to be upgraded: KL Mayor
Kuala Lumpur Mayor, Datuk Nor Hisham Ahmad Dahlan said the roofs of the buildings along the street had never been changed since 18 years ago.
Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) will upgrade the infrastructure in Petaling Street next year, focusing on repairing the roofs and repainting old buildings in the area for the comfort of visitors and traders.
Kuala Lumpur Mayor, Datuk Nor Hisham Ahmad Dahlan said the roofs of the buildings along the street had never been changed since 18 years ago.
“The roof repair and building repainting project in Petaling Street will take about six months and will start next January.
“We have not made any decision about the allocation, but the cost will be shared with the Kuala Lumpur Hawkers and Small Traders Association,” he told reporters after visiting Petaling Street here today.
Also present were Bukit Bintang Member of Parliament, Fong Kui Lun and association chairman, Datuk Ang Say Tee.
Nor Hisham said DBKL would also work together with the association and police to curb the sale of stolen goods at the Jalan Sultan flea market.
“According to our plan, the flea market will be merged with Petaling Street to make it a bigger tourist attraction. But first we need to improve the flea market’s image,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ang hoped that the roof repairs along Petaling Street could be done as soon as possible as there had been several minor incidents of roof tiles falling down.
“The last time this happened was in September due to strong wind and heavy rain. Luckily, no one was injured,” he said.
Work to repair the roofs and repaint the buildings will be done in stages so as not to affect the livelihood of about 700 traders in Petaling Street.
~News courtesy of New Straits Times~
Kuala Lumpur Mayor, Datuk Nor Hisham Ahmad Dahlan said the roofs of the buildings along the street had never been changed since 18 years ago.
Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) will upgrade the infrastructure in Petaling Street next year, focusing on repairing the roofs and repainting old buildings in the area for the comfort of visitors and traders.
Kuala Lumpur Mayor, Datuk Nor Hisham Ahmad Dahlan said the roofs of the buildings along the street had never been changed since 18 years ago.
“The roof repair and building repainting project in Petaling Street will take about six months and will start next January.
“We have not made any decision about the allocation, but the cost will be shared with the Kuala Lumpur Hawkers and Small Traders Association,” he told reporters after visiting Petaling Street here today.
Also present were Bukit Bintang Member of Parliament, Fong Kui Lun and association chairman, Datuk Ang Say Tee.
Nor Hisham said DBKL would also work together with the association and police to curb the sale of stolen goods at the Jalan Sultan flea market.
“According to our plan, the flea market will be merged with Petaling Street to make it a bigger tourist attraction. But first we need to improve the flea market’s image,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ang hoped that the roof repairs along Petaling Street could be done as soon as possible as there had been several minor incidents of roof tiles falling down.
“The last time this happened was in September due to strong wind and heavy rain. Luckily, no one was injured,” he said.
Work to repair the roofs and repaint the buildings will be done in stages so as not to affect the livelihood of about 700 traders in Petaling Street.
~News courtesy of New Straits Times~
2018年11月13日星期二
Departure levy different from airport tax
Departure levy different from airport tax
The departure levy proposed in Budget 2019 is completely separate from the existing passenger service charge (PSC), said Transport Minister Anthony Loke.
Loke was responding to a question on the need to impose the levy which was set at RM20 to Asean countries and RM40 for non-Asean countries.
The PSC is not something collected by the government, that’s collected by Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) to run the operations of the airport, he said.
“The departure levy introduced by the government, is a form of tax for anyone travelling out of the country. That is completely by the government, not by the airlines, not by the airports,” he said during the launch of AirAsia Bhd’s first fully-digitalised ground handling services control centre at klia2.
The departure levy is needed to raise revenue and the government could collect a few hundred million ringgit annually, he said.
Loke pointed out other countries such as Thailand and Indonesia had similar taxes for outbound travellers.
The mechanism, he said, would be announced later as implementation only starts on June 1.
He added the ministry has not decided on the mechanism to offer the 30% stake in the proposed Airport REIT (real estate investment trust), which forms part of the Budget 2019 proposal.
Fernandes hopes the proposed REIT would not increase costs.
“Obviously we would like to see full privatisation, so new airport operators can come in, we may see different ways of running airports, and not just giving 30% to Malaysian Airports as a different form of funding,” Fernandes said.
What the low-cost carrier needed, he added, was an airport operator and airport which understood AirAsia’s model in reducing costs, which he said would in turn reduce the costs of flying for passengers, allowing the carrier to build Malaysia into a strong aviation hub.
Meanwhile the ground handling services control centre will allow AirAsia’s Ground Team Red (GTR) to track aircraft handling, with real-time information on passenger boarding, baggage reconciliation and ramp-loading compiled on a digital dashboard at the control centre.
Loke was given an overall briefing of the way the centre functioned to compile the different data and identify any soft spots in the aircraft’s turnaround process.
~News courtesy of The Star~
The departure levy proposed in Budget 2019 is completely separate from the existing passenger service charge (PSC), said Transport Minister Anthony Loke.
Loke was responding to a question on the need to impose the levy which was set at RM20 to Asean countries and RM40 for non-Asean countries.
The PSC is not something collected by the government, that’s collected by Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) to run the operations of the airport, he said.
“The departure levy introduced by the government, is a form of tax for anyone travelling out of the country. That is completely by the government, not by the airlines, not by the airports,” he said during the launch of AirAsia Bhd’s first fully-digitalised ground handling services control centre at klia2.
The departure levy is needed to raise revenue and the government could collect a few hundred million ringgit annually, he said.
Loke pointed out other countries such as Thailand and Indonesia had similar taxes for outbound travellers.
The mechanism, he said, would be announced later as implementation only starts on June 1.
He added the ministry has not decided on the mechanism to offer the 30% stake in the proposed Airport REIT (real estate investment trust), which forms part of the Budget 2019 proposal.
Fernandes hopes the proposed REIT would not increase costs.
“Obviously we would like to see full privatisation, so new airport operators can come in, we may see different ways of running airports, and not just giving 30% to Malaysian Airports as a different form of funding,” Fernandes said.
What the low-cost carrier needed, he added, was an airport operator and airport which understood AirAsia’s model in reducing costs, which he said would in turn reduce the costs of flying for passengers, allowing the carrier to build Malaysia into a strong aviation hub.
Meanwhile the ground handling services control centre will allow AirAsia’s Ground Team Red (GTR) to track aircraft handling, with real-time information on passenger boarding, baggage reconciliation and ramp-loading compiled on a digital dashboard at the control centre.
Loke was given an overall briefing of the way the centre functioned to compile the different data and identify any soft spots in the aircraft’s turnaround process.
~News courtesy of The Star~
2018年11月12日星期一
Laksa
Laksa is a spicy noodle soup popular in Peranakan cuisine. Laksa consists of rice noodles or rice vermicelli with chicken, prawn or fish, served in spicy soup based on either rich and spicy curry coconut milk or on sour asam (tamarind or gelugur). Laksa is found in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Southern Thailand.
The type of laksa is based upon the soup base employed in its recipe; either rich and savoury coconut milk, fresh and sour asam (tamarind, gelugur or kokum), or the combination of the two.
There are three basic types of laksa: curry laksa, asam laksa, and other variant that can be identified as either curry or asam laksa.
Curry laksa is a coconut milk curry soup with noodles, while asam laksa is a sour, most often tamarind-based, soup with noodles. Thick rice noodles also known as laksa noodles are most commonly used, although thin rice vermicelli (bee hoon or mee hoon) are also common, and some recipes might create their own rice noodle from scratch. Some variants might use other types of noodles; Johor laksa for example uses spaghetti, while a fusion recipe might use Japanese udon noodle.
Laksa lemak, also known as nyonya laksa (Malay: Laksa nyonya), is a type of laksa with a rich coconut gravy. Lemak is a culinary description in the Malay language which specifically refers to the presence of coconut milk which adds a distinctive richness to a dish. As the name implies, it is made with a rich, slightly sweet and strongly spiced coconut gravy. Laksa lemak is usually made with a fish-based gravy (with vegetarian food stalls omitting fish) and quite similar to Thai laksa (Malay: Laksa Thai), perhaps to the point that one could say they are one and the same.
Asam laksa is a sour, fish and tamarind-based soup. Penang Asam Laksa listed at number 26th on World's 50 most delicious foods compiled by CNN Go in 2011. Asam is the Malay word for any ingredients that makes a dish tastes sour (e.g. tamarind, gelugur or kokum). Laksa typically uses asam keping, known as kokum in the English speaking world, which is a type of dried slices of sour mangosteens.
The modern Malay spelling is asam, though the spelling assam is still frequently used.
The main ingredients for asam laksa include shredded fish, normally kembung (small mackerel of the Rastrelliger genus), and finely sliced vegetables including cucumber, onions, red chillies, pineapple, lettuce, common mint, daun kesum (Vietnamese mint or laksa mint), and pink bunga kantan (torch ginger). Asam laksa is normally served with either thick rice noodles or thin rice noodles (vermicelli). And topped off with petis udang or "hae ko" (蝦膏), a thick sweet prawn/shrimp paste.
Source: Wikipedia and Facebook
The type of laksa is based upon the soup base employed in its recipe; either rich and savoury coconut milk, fresh and sour asam (tamarind, gelugur or kokum), or the combination of the two.
There are three basic types of laksa: curry laksa, asam laksa, and other variant that can be identified as either curry or asam laksa.
Curry laksa is a coconut milk curry soup with noodles, while asam laksa is a sour, most often tamarind-based, soup with noodles. Thick rice noodles also known as laksa noodles are most commonly used, although thin rice vermicelli (bee hoon or mee hoon) are also common, and some recipes might create their own rice noodle from scratch. Some variants might use other types of noodles; Johor laksa for example uses spaghetti, while a fusion recipe might use Japanese udon noodle.
Laksa lemak, also known as nyonya laksa (Malay: Laksa nyonya), is a type of laksa with a rich coconut gravy. Lemak is a culinary description in the Malay language which specifically refers to the presence of coconut milk which adds a distinctive richness to a dish. As the name implies, it is made with a rich, slightly sweet and strongly spiced coconut gravy. Laksa lemak is usually made with a fish-based gravy (with vegetarian food stalls omitting fish) and quite similar to Thai laksa (Malay: Laksa Thai), perhaps to the point that one could say they are one and the same.
Asam laksa is a sour, fish and tamarind-based soup. Penang Asam Laksa listed at number 26th on World's 50 most delicious foods compiled by CNN Go in 2011. Asam is the Malay word for any ingredients that makes a dish tastes sour (e.g. tamarind, gelugur or kokum). Laksa typically uses asam keping, known as kokum in the English speaking world, which is a type of dried slices of sour mangosteens.
The modern Malay spelling is asam, though the spelling assam is still frequently used.
The main ingredients for asam laksa include shredded fish, normally kembung (small mackerel of the Rastrelliger genus), and finely sliced vegetables including cucumber, onions, red chillies, pineapple, lettuce, common mint, daun kesum (Vietnamese mint or laksa mint), and pink bunga kantan (torch ginger). Asam laksa is normally served with either thick rice noodles or thin rice noodles (vermicelli). And topped off with petis udang or "hae ko" (蝦膏), a thick sweet prawn/shrimp paste.
Source: Wikipedia and Facebook
2018年11月11日星期日
Prepare for stormy days ahead
Prepare for stormy days ahead, says weather department
Bring out your umbrellas and rubber boots because heavy rains are expected to lash out soon, bringing with it high chances of floodings.
Malaysian Meteorological Department director-general Alui Bahari said the north-east monsoon was expected to last until March and has already brought heavy rainfall to Kelantan and Terengganu.
Rain will make its way to Pahang and Johor before shifting to Sabah and Sarawak later in the season.
“These states are expected to experience four to six heavy rainfalls as in previous years,” he said.
“If heavy rainfall, high tides and strong winds occur, it could cause rivers to overflow,” he added.
The situation could be worsened by spring tides that take place during the new and full moons.
While the east coast is typically the worst hit by floods during the rainy season, west coast residents should also be on the alert.
Last year, Penang was also hit by major floods, where the state sought help from armed forces after winds and rain lashed out, causing landslides and falling trees.
However, Alui said he did not expect such rainfall over Penang and Kedah this season.
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Professor of Climatology and Oceanography Prof Dr Fredolin Tangang said the country was entering the monsoon period earlier compared to the average mid-November onset date.
However, he said this was within the “natural variability” of the monsoon period, which was affected by phenomena such as El Nino.
“Sea surface temperatures in the Eastern-Central Pacific Ocean are warmer than usual, indicating the progression of a weak El Nino by year end or early next year,” he said.
Due to this, he said, there was likely to be heavier rainfall in southern Peninsular Malaysia, which includes Johor and the Klang Valley.
He added there was a low possibility of extreme rainfall, which could lead to large-scale flooding as the Kelantan and Terengganu floods in December 2014.
According to his research, three phenomena should take place for such extreme weather to occur.
Firstly, he said there should be cold surges from the north and secondly, the Borneo vortex, a wind circulation system should be located close to Peninsular Malaysia.
“The Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) must also be active and its low pressure-centre must be located near West Sumatra,” he said.
The MJO is a phenomenon in which a low pressure system crosses eastward from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.
The people can monitor weather and flood situations through http://portalbencana.nadma.gov.my and www.met.gov.my or download relevant mobile applications such as myCuaca and myJPS.
~News courtesy of The Star~
Bring out your umbrellas and rubber boots because heavy rains are expected to lash out soon, bringing with it high chances of floodings.
Malaysian Meteorological Department director-general Alui Bahari said the north-east monsoon was expected to last until March and has already brought heavy rainfall to Kelantan and Terengganu.
Rain will make its way to Pahang and Johor before shifting to Sabah and Sarawak later in the season.
“These states are expected to experience four to six heavy rainfalls as in previous years,” he said.
“If heavy rainfall, high tides and strong winds occur, it could cause rivers to overflow,” he added.
The situation could be worsened by spring tides that take place during the new and full moons.
While the east coast is typically the worst hit by floods during the rainy season, west coast residents should also be on the alert.
Last year, Penang was also hit by major floods, where the state sought help from armed forces after winds and rain lashed out, causing landslides and falling trees.
However, Alui said he did not expect such rainfall over Penang and Kedah this season.
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Professor of Climatology and Oceanography Prof Dr Fredolin Tangang said the country was entering the monsoon period earlier compared to the average mid-November onset date.
However, he said this was within the “natural variability” of the monsoon period, which was affected by phenomena such as El Nino.
“Sea surface temperatures in the Eastern-Central Pacific Ocean are warmer than usual, indicating the progression of a weak El Nino by year end or early next year,” he said.
Due to this, he said, there was likely to be heavier rainfall in southern Peninsular Malaysia, which includes Johor and the Klang Valley.
He added there was a low possibility of extreme rainfall, which could lead to large-scale flooding as the Kelantan and Terengganu floods in December 2014.
According to his research, three phenomena should take place for such extreme weather to occur.
Firstly, he said there should be cold surges from the north and secondly, the Borneo vortex, a wind circulation system should be located close to Peninsular Malaysia.
“The Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) must also be active and its low pressure-centre must be located near West Sumatra,” he said.
The MJO is a phenomenon in which a low pressure system crosses eastward from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.
The people can monitor weather and flood situations through http://portalbencana.nadma.gov.my and www.met.gov.my or download relevant mobile applications such as myCuaca and myJPS.
~News courtesy of The Star~
2018年11月6日星期二
2018年11月3日星期六
明年6月起 离境国内外飞机乘客须缴税
明年6月起 离境国内外飞机乘客须缴税
明年6月1日起，政府将向所有乘搭飞机出国的本地与外国乘客征收离境税。
政府建议2019年6月1日起，向所有乘搭飞机出国的本地与外国乘客征收离境税。
财长林冠英说，离境税共分为2种，飞往东盟诸国的收费为20令吉，东盟以外的国家则收40令吉。他说，有关收费不比其他国家和地区征收的离境税来得高，例如香港15美元、日本10美元及泰国20美元。
～光华日报～
明年6月1日起，政府将向所有乘搭飞机出国的本地与外国乘客征收离境税。
政府建议2019年6月1日起，向所有乘搭飞机出国的本地与外国乘客征收离境税。
财长林冠英说，离境税共分为2种，飞往东盟诸国的收费为20令吉，东盟以外的国家则收40令吉。他说，有关收费不比其他国家和地区征收的离境税来得高，例如香港15美元、日本10美元及泰国20美元。
～光华日报～
Departure levy at airports
Travel, departure levy at airports
AVID traveller Shahida Sakeri will think twice about going overseas for her holiday next year when the departure levy on travellers leaving Malaysian airports is introduced on June 1.
The government has proposed a fee of RM20 per head for those departing for Asean countries and RM40 for other countries.
Shahida said since she was used to travelling solo, it might not affect her as badly as those travelling in a large group.
“For my aunts and uncles with many children, they will now have to bear the additional costs,” she said.
“I want to see more facilities for the disabled at our tourist attractions, such as increasing accessibility at museums and parks,” she added.
Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents president Datuk Tan Kok Liang, on the other hand, described the move as “disappointing”.
“It will not have any significant impact on domestic tourism as leisure travellers are on extreme budget constraints and very price sensitive.
“Domestic tourism can be improved by providing healthier tourism fundamentals, better tourism packages and capping on domestic airfares,” he said.
However, Tan welcomed the RM100mil grant for private companies to boost international tourist arrivals through marketing efforts, which he called a “good surprise”.
Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association president Uzaidi Udanis said the money collected from the departure levy could be used to promote inbound travel.
However, he also warned that the move might deter airlines from increasing connectivity from the country.
“If there is lower demand for outbound travel, airlines might not be interested in introducing new routes from the country,” said Uzaidi.
Malaysia Airlines in a statement said that any funds generated and channelled back to the development of the aviation industry in general would only be positive for the sector.
Budget 2019 also allocated RM20mil to the Malaysia Healthcare Tourism Council (MHTC) to promote the country’s medical tourism industry.
MHTC chief executive officer Sherene Azli said this would further propel Malaysia’s profile as a leading global destination for healthcare tourism.
“This will go a long way in bringing Malaysia’s healthcare tourism to new heights while making a significant positive economic impact on the nation,” she said.
~Courtesy of The Star~
AVID traveller Shahida Sakeri will think twice about going overseas for her holiday next year when the departure levy on travellers leaving Malaysian airports is introduced on June 1.
The government has proposed a fee of RM20 per head for those departing for Asean countries and RM40 for other countries.
Shahida said since she was used to travelling solo, it might not affect her as badly as those travelling in a large group.
“For my aunts and uncles with many children, they will now have to bear the additional costs,” she said.
“I want to see more facilities for the disabled at our tourist attractions, such as increasing accessibility at museums and parks,” she added.
Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents president Datuk Tan Kok Liang, on the other hand, described the move as “disappointing”.
“It will not have any significant impact on domestic tourism as leisure travellers are on extreme budget constraints and very price sensitive.
“Domestic tourism can be improved by providing healthier tourism fundamentals, better tourism packages and capping on domestic airfares,” he said.
However, Tan welcomed the RM100mil grant for private companies to boost international tourist arrivals through marketing efforts, which he called a “good surprise”.
Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association president Uzaidi Udanis said the money collected from the departure levy could be used to promote inbound travel.
However, he also warned that the move might deter airlines from increasing connectivity from the country.
“If there is lower demand for outbound travel, airlines might not be interested in introducing new routes from the country,” said Uzaidi.
Malaysia Airlines in a statement said that any funds generated and channelled back to the development of the aviation industry in general would only be positive for the sector.
Budget 2019 also allocated RM20mil to the Malaysia Healthcare Tourism Council (MHTC) to promote the country’s medical tourism industry.
MHTC chief executive officer Sherene Azli said this would further propel Malaysia’s profile as a leading global destination for healthcare tourism.
“This will go a long way in bringing Malaysia’s healthcare tourism to new heights while making a significant positive economic impact on the nation,” she said.
~Courtesy of The Star~
2018年11月1日星期四
Apam Balik
Apam balik (English: 'turnover pancake') or terang bulan (English: 'bright moon') or martabak manis (English: 'sweet martabak') common in Southeast Asia. It is usually sold at specialist roadside stalls throughout Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.
The pancake's batter is made from a mixture of flour, eggs, sugar, baking soda, coconut milk and water. The batter is cooked upon a thick round iron frying pan in plenty of palm margarine to avoid it sticking to the pan.
Then other ingredients are sprinkled as filling; the most common or traditional is crushed peanut granules with sugar and sweetcorn kernels (available from cans), but modern innovations such as chocolate sprinkles and cheddar cheese are also available. Then, the pancake is folded (hence the name: "turnover pancake") and cut into several pieces.
The texture of the apam balik can vary depending on the amount of batter and type of pan used, from one that is akin to a crispier form of crumpets to small thin light pancake shells that break when bitten (the latter is usually called apam balik nipis, 'thin apam balik').
The dish has been declared a heritage food by the Malaysian Department of National Heritage.
~wikipedia~
The pancake's batter is made from a mixture of flour, eggs, sugar, baking soda, coconut milk and water. The batter is cooked upon a thick round iron frying pan in plenty of palm margarine to avoid it sticking to the pan.
Then other ingredients are sprinkled as filling; the most common or traditional is crushed peanut granules with sugar and sweetcorn kernels (available from cans), but modern innovations such as chocolate sprinkles and cheddar cheese are also available. Then, the pancake is folded (hence the name: "turnover pancake") and cut into several pieces.
The texture of the apam balik can vary depending on the amount of batter and type of pan used, from one that is akin to a crispier form of crumpets to small thin light pancake shells that break when bitten (the latter is usually called apam balik nipis, 'thin apam balik').
The dish has been declared a heritage food by the Malaysian Department of National Heritage.
~wikipedia~
2018年10月29日星期一
卤面
卤面是来源于福建漳州、泉州、兴化及福州一带的面食，与打卤面或淋面相似，先煮好一锅浓稠的卤汤，在顾客点餐后才将黄面烫熟盛进碗内，铺上铺料，淋上卤汤再撒上香菜或油葱酥端上。随着早期福建籍的移民大量移民至马来半岛一带，目前在马来西亚与新加坡福建社区的面食可轻易找到这道面食。
早期是闽南人神诞时作为供馔供奉神明的一道面食。后来社会经济好转，开始在婚礼或其他喜庆中开始食用。在马来西亚的卤面随着煮面方式的不同而分为两派，在以槟城为主的北马地区及新加坡，当地的卤面是依循漳州及福州卤面的做法，先将黄面烫熟之后，在淋上预先做好的卤汤，其中卤汤是以虾汤为底，加入了黑酱油、五香粉等，使得汤汁呈现深褐色，搭配的配料以卤肉片、排骨、卤蛋、香菇、鸡脚等为主，吃的时候会拌入参巴辣椒酱及乌醋，一般贩售福建面（虾面）的店家都会同时贩卖这道面食。
在以吉隆坡为主的中马地区，当地的卤面的煮法与泉州及兴化地区的类似，即面条与汤汁同煮，最后才加入地瓜粉勾芡且打入蛋花。当地的卤面又因为汤汁颜色的深浅可分为黑白两派。
在雪兰莪州的乌鲁音（Ulu Yam）当地的卤面在烹煮的过程中，会在卤汁中加入酱油及乌醋，据说是上世纪20年代，在当地有人在新加坡吃了当地的漳州式卤面后，念念不忘，便依样画葫芦，自创了加入黑酱油及乌醋版本的卤面，有别于吉隆坡与雪兰莪一带的白色卤面，深受当地人欢迎，因此在乌鲁音许多店家也开始推出这道面食，成为当地的代表性美食。
在中马其他地区的卤面则出现在华人的大排档内，将蒜末及比目鱼粉爆香后，加入高汤、面条、蔬菜、猪肉片、海鲜等，加盖将面条焖至熟透，最后勾芡及打入蛋花，加上猪油渣，以浅色的汤汁与食客相见，吃时才依个人的口味，自行加入乌醋调味。
~维基百科~
早期是闽南人神诞时作为供馔供奉神明的一道面食。后来社会经济好转，开始在婚礼或其他喜庆中开始食用。在马来西亚的卤面随着煮面方式的不同而分为两派，在以槟城为主的北马地区及新加坡，当地的卤面是依循漳州及福州卤面的做法，先将黄面烫熟之后，在淋上预先做好的卤汤，其中卤汤是以虾汤为底，加入了黑酱油、五香粉等，使得汤汁呈现深褐色，搭配的配料以卤肉片、排骨、卤蛋、香菇、鸡脚等为主，吃的时候会拌入参巴辣椒酱及乌醋，一般贩售福建面（虾面）的店家都会同时贩卖这道面食。
在以吉隆坡为主的中马地区，当地的卤面的煮法与泉州及兴化地区的类似，即面条与汤汁同煮，最后才加入地瓜粉勾芡且打入蛋花。当地的卤面又因为汤汁颜色的深浅可分为黑白两派。
在雪兰莪州的乌鲁音（Ulu Yam）当地的卤面在烹煮的过程中，会在卤汁中加入酱油及乌醋，据说是上世纪20年代，在当地有人在新加坡吃了当地的漳州式卤面后，念念不忘，便依样画葫芦，自创了加入黑酱油及乌醋版本的卤面，有别于吉隆坡与雪兰莪一带的白色卤面，深受当地人欢迎，因此在乌鲁音许多店家也开始推出这道面食，成为当地的代表性美食。
在中马其他地区的卤面则出现在华人的大排档内，将蒜末及比目鱼粉爆香后，加入高汤、面条、蔬菜、猪肉片、海鲜等，加盖将面条焖至熟透，最后勾芡及打入蛋花，加上猪油渣，以浅色的汤汁与食客相见，吃时才依个人的口味，自行加入乌醋调味。
~维基百科~
Roti John
Roti john is an omelette sandwich founded by a Malay who lived in Singapore during the British colonial times before being widely popular throughout the Malay Peninsula in present-day Malaysia.
Roti is the Hindi, Urdu and Malay word for bread, and more generally for any bread-based or bread-like food, including sandwiches and pancakes. The origin of john in the name is allegedly due to the Western origin of the baguette and British colonial rule in British Malaya and Singapore island.
The ingredients include minced meat (chicken or mutton), onion, egg, tomato-chilli sauce and a baguette-type loaf.
~Wikipedia~
Roti is the Hindi, Urdu and Malay word for bread, and more generally for any bread-based or bread-like food, including sandwiches and pancakes. The origin of john in the name is allegedly due to the Western origin of the baguette and British colonial rule in British Malaya and Singapore island.
The ingredients include minced meat (chicken or mutton), onion, egg, tomato-chilli sauce and a baguette-type loaf.
~Wikipedia~
2018年10月12日星期五
餐饮业包括露天场合明年起禁烟
餐饮业包括露天场合明年起禁烟 违者罚1万或监2年
卫生部副部长李文材宣布，明年1月1日起，国内所有餐饮业包括露天经营者强制禁止烟民吸烟，违例者可被罚款1万令吉或监禁2年。
此外，他提醒业者，如果没有在经营的餐饮业设立禁止吸烟告示牌，也将被罚款2500令吉。
他说，政府此决定主要是让国民有健康的用餐环境。
李文材今日出席亚洲医学院为健康饮食研讨会开幕礼後，在记者会这麽表示。
~光华日报~
卫生部副部长李文材宣布，明年1月1日起，国内所有餐饮业包括露天经营者强制禁止烟民吸烟，违例者可被罚款1万令吉或监禁2年。
此外，他提醒业者，如果没有在经营的餐饮业设立禁止吸烟告示牌，也将被罚款2500令吉。
他说，政府此决定主要是让国民有健康的用餐环境。
李文材今日出席亚洲医学院为健康饮食研讨会开幕礼後，在记者会这麽表示。
~光华日报~
Ministry: Eateries nationwide to be smoke-free from next year
Ministry: Eateries nationwide to be smoke-free from next year
Smoking in all restaurants, coffee shops and hawker centres nationwide will be banned starting next year, even in open-air eateries.
Apart from the existing smoke-free zones in public places and government buildings, the new ruling under the Health Ministry will encompass all restaurants and eateries, including open-air hawker centres and street stalls, according to Deputy Health Minister Dr Lee Boon Chye.
Those caught smoking at prohibited areas will be fined up to RM10,000 or face two years’ jail.
Eateries found to allow their patrons to light up will be fined up to RM2,500.
“This time, all restaurants regardless whether they are an enclosed area, air-conditioned or open-air will need to comply with the ruling from next year,” he said after opening a conference at the Asian Institute of Medicine, Science and Technology yesterday.
Dr Lee said smokers or restaurant owners who violated the ruling would face action under the Control of Tobacco Product Regulations 2004 under the Food Act.
He added that the ruling was not only to encourage smokers to kick the habit, but also to protect non-smokers from the effects of secondhand smoke.
“We are ready to face objections from smokers and restaurant owners, but we will not compromise when it comes to looking after the health of the people.
“No doubt smokers will say they have the right to smoke, but non-smokers also have the right to enjoy their food without being harmed by cigarette smoke.
“Business operators and traders need not worry about getting fewer customers as we are confident that more non-smoking customers will eat at places without the presence of cigarette smoke,” said Dr Lee.
He also said imposing the ban on roadside and illegal eateries was still a challenge and that the ministry had yet to decide on the details.
~News courtesy of The Star~
Smoking in all restaurants, coffee shops and hawker centres nationwide will be banned starting next year, even in open-air eateries.
Apart from the existing smoke-free zones in public places and government buildings, the new ruling under the Health Ministry will encompass all restaurants and eateries, including open-air hawker centres and street stalls, according to Deputy Health Minister Dr Lee Boon Chye.
Those caught smoking at prohibited areas will be fined up to RM10,000 or face two years’ jail.
Eateries found to allow their patrons to light up will be fined up to RM2,500.
“This time, all restaurants regardless whether they are an enclosed area, air-conditioned or open-air will need to comply with the ruling from next year,” he said after opening a conference at the Asian Institute of Medicine, Science and Technology yesterday.
Dr Lee said smokers or restaurant owners who violated the ruling would face action under the Control of Tobacco Product Regulations 2004 under the Food Act.
He added that the ruling was not only to encourage smokers to kick the habit, but also to protect non-smokers from the effects of secondhand smoke.
“We are ready to face objections from smokers and restaurant owners, but we will not compromise when it comes to looking after the health of the people.
“No doubt smokers will say they have the right to smoke, but non-smokers also have the right to enjoy their food without being harmed by cigarette smoke.
“Business operators and traders need not worry about getting fewer customers as we are confident that more non-smoking customers will eat at places without the presence of cigarette smoke,” said Dr Lee.
He also said imposing the ban on roadside and illegal eateries was still a challenge and that the ministry had yet to decide on the details.
~News courtesy of The Star~
2018年10月11日星期四
AirAsia announces direct flights between KL and Tianjin from Dec 2
AirAsia announces direct flights between KL and Tianjin from Dec 2
AirAsia is expanding its footprint in China with an exclusive direct service between Kuala Lumpur and Tianjin, a coastal city in China.
Beginning Dec 2, the new route will connect more than 15 million people in Tianjin with South-East Asia and beyond.
AirAsia’s long haul affiliate, AirAsia X, will not only provide direct services between the two cities, but also stimulate regional demand through great value airfares, enabling more people to travel.
AirAsia will also beef up its direct route between Kuala Lumpur and Changsha, doubling the current number of seats on the popular route in response to demand, by operating its fleet of larger wide-body Airbus A330 aircraft commencing Oct 29.
He said this will significantly boost tourism, trade and economic growth while paving the way towards China’s Year of Tourism and Culture 2020, envisioned by the leaders of both Malaysia and China.
“Together with our existing routes into China, today’s announcement means we are further strengthening our foothold in Northern China and increasing our overall capacity to China - one of our fastest growing markets.
“We will continue to look for expansion opportunities that not only maintain AirAsia Group’s dominance as the largest foreign carrier to China by capacity, but also enable us to remain committed in our quest to making air travel affordable for everyone,” said Benyamin.
With the launch of Tianjin as its latest destination, AirAsia will fly to 20 cities in China with 550 weekly direct flights from hubs in Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines.
~News courtesy of The Star~
AirAsia is expanding its footprint in China with an exclusive direct service between Kuala Lumpur and Tianjin, a coastal city in China.
Beginning Dec 2, the new route will connect more than 15 million people in Tianjin with South-East Asia and beyond.
AirAsia’s long haul affiliate, AirAsia X, will not only provide direct services between the two cities, but also stimulate regional demand through great value airfares, enabling more people to travel.
AirAsia will also beef up its direct route between Kuala Lumpur and Changsha, doubling the current number of seats on the popular route in response to demand, by operating its fleet of larger wide-body Airbus A330 aircraft commencing Oct 29.
He said this will significantly boost tourism, trade and economic growth while paving the way towards China’s Year of Tourism and Culture 2020, envisioned by the leaders of both Malaysia and China.
“Together with our existing routes into China, today’s announcement means we are further strengthening our foothold in Northern China and increasing our overall capacity to China - one of our fastest growing markets.
“We will continue to look for expansion opportunities that not only maintain AirAsia Group’s dominance as the largest foreign carrier to China by capacity, but also enable us to remain committed in our quest to making air travel affordable for everyone,” said Benyamin.
With the launch of Tianjin as its latest destination, AirAsia will fly to 20 cities in China with 550 weekly direct flights from hubs in Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines.
~News courtesy of The Star~
2018年10月2日星期二
Mandarin-speaking officials start duty at KLIA/KLIA2
Mandarin-speaking officials start duty at KLIA/KLIA2 to woo China tourists
Ready to assist: A MAHB officer attending to enquiries from a couple from Hong Kong at KLIA2.
Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) has deployed Mandarin-speaking officials at the KL International Airport and KLIA2.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said two fluent and four basic Mandarin-speaking officials had been placed at strategic spots such as the satellite building, contact pier, immigration arrival and baggage reclaim areas, effective from yesterday.
The daily morning shift starts from 8am to 3pm with the late shift lasting till 10pm, which is the peak hours for arrival flights from China and Hong Kong.
Loke also said MAHB was also communicating with the Han Cultural Centre Malaysia, Inti College and Linton University College to recruit more part-timers to work as such officials in both KLIA and KLIA2.
He said other airport managements in the region were also spending a lot to woo the Chinese.
MAHB acting group CEO Raja Azmi Raja Nazuddin said besides the Mandarin-speaking personnel, a special guidebook in that language would also be published.
Malaysia and China have set 2020 as the Year of Culture and Tourism between the two countries to promote greater people-to-people contact and sustainable socio-economic growth.
China tourist arrivals in Malaysia is booming with a 10.2% growth rate over the past year.
It was revealed that there were 1.009 million tourists from China to Malaysia from January to April 2018, which was a 37.2% increase compared to the same period last year.
~News courtesy of The Star~
Ready to assist: A MAHB officer attending to enquiries from a couple from Hong Kong at KLIA2.
Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) has deployed Mandarin-speaking officials at the KL International Airport and KLIA2.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said two fluent and four basic Mandarin-speaking officials had been placed at strategic spots such as the satellite building, contact pier, immigration arrival and baggage reclaim areas, effective from yesterday.
The daily morning shift starts from 8am to 3pm with the late shift lasting till 10pm, which is the peak hours for arrival flights from China and Hong Kong.
Loke also said MAHB was also communicating with the Han Cultural Centre Malaysia, Inti College and Linton University College to recruit more part-timers to work as such officials in both KLIA and KLIA2.
He said other airport managements in the region were also spending a lot to woo the Chinese.
MAHB acting group CEO Raja Azmi Raja Nazuddin said besides the Mandarin-speaking personnel, a special guidebook in that language would also be published.
Malaysia and China have set 2020 as the Year of Culture and Tourism between the two countries to promote greater people-to-people contact and sustainable socio-economic growth.
China tourist arrivals in Malaysia is booming with a 10.2% growth rate over the past year.
It was revealed that there were 1.009 million tourists from China to Malaysia from January to April 2018, which was a 37.2% increase compared to the same period last year.
~News courtesy of The Star~
Malaysia eyes 30 million tourist arrivals by 2020
Malaysia eyes 30 million tourist arrivals by 2020
The Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry is targeting 30 million tourist arrivals by 2020.
Deputy Minister Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik said this would increase the contribution of tourism to the Gross Domestic Product from 14.9 per cent last year, when there were 26.1 million tourist arrivals, to 15.1 per cent.
He said the increase in tourist arrivals proved that tourism promotions had been successful.
“We are now asking for a bigger budget for tourism promotion because it is key to the sustainability of the tourism industry,” he told reporters after flagging off the 2018 Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride Penang, here, today.
He said there was a need to go all out to promote the country’s tourism industry as there was stiff competition from neighbouring countries.
He urged tourism organisations to use the tagline, Malaysia Truly Asia, in their promotions as it had proved to be effective in wooing tourists.
Bakhtiar said the ministry was working with the Education Ministry to introduce staggered school holiday breaks according to states to distribute the domestic tourist load.
~News courtesy of New Straits Times~
The Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry is targeting 30 million tourist arrivals by 2020.
Deputy Minister Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik said this would increase the contribution of tourism to the Gross Domestic Product from 14.9 per cent last year, when there were 26.1 million tourist arrivals, to 15.1 per cent.
He said the increase in tourist arrivals proved that tourism promotions had been successful.
“We are now asking for a bigger budget for tourism promotion because it is key to the sustainability of the tourism industry,” he told reporters after flagging off the 2018 Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride Penang, here, today.
He said there was a need to go all out to promote the country’s tourism industry as there was stiff competition from neighbouring countries.
He urged tourism organisations to use the tagline, Malaysia Truly Asia, in their promotions as it had proved to be effective in wooing tourists.
Bakhtiar said the ministry was working with the Education Ministry to introduce staggered school holiday breaks according to states to distribute the domestic tourist load.
~News courtesy of New Straits Times~
2018年9月30日星期日
Ministry cautions public on 12 dangerous water recreation areas
Ministry cautions public on 12 dangerous water recreation areas
The Housing and Local Government Ministry has advised the people to exercise caution when carrying out any activities at 12 water recreation areas nationwide which are considered dangerous and prone to tragedies.
Its deputy minister Datuk Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah Raja Ahmad said the 12 areas were five rivers, one lake/mine/dam, three waterfalls and three beaches.
The rivers are Sungai (Sg) Kampung (Kg) Batu Payung, Tawau, Sabah; Sg SJKC Kg Timah, Sg Ciling and Sg Gasi in Selangor; and Sg Kg Sabak, Kelantan.
“Semenyih Dam, Selangor; Sg Sendat Waterfall (Selangor), Lata Berembun Waterfall and Chamang Waterfall in Pahang. The beaches include Nipah and Muara Tok Bali (Kelantan) and Teluk Bahang, Penang,” he said.
He told reporters after launching the Water Activity Safety Awareness Campaign organised by the Water Activity Safety Council (MKAA) in Pulau Warisan here today.
According to the statistics, Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah said Selangor recorded the highest number of water-related deaths namely 44, followed by Sarawak (34) and Perak (22). - Bernama
The Housing and Local Government Ministry has advised the people to exercise caution when carrying out any activities at 12 water recreation areas nationwide which are considered dangerous and prone to tragedies.
Its deputy minister Datuk Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah Raja Ahmad said the 12 areas were five rivers, one lake/mine/dam, three waterfalls and three beaches.
The rivers are Sungai (Sg) Kampung (Kg) Batu Payung, Tawau, Sabah; Sg SJKC Kg Timah, Sg Ciling and Sg Gasi in Selangor; and Sg Kg Sabak, Kelantan.
“Semenyih Dam, Selangor; Sg Sendat Waterfall (Selangor), Lata Berembun Waterfall and Chamang Waterfall in Pahang. The beaches include Nipah and Muara Tok Bali (Kelantan) and Teluk Bahang, Penang,” he said.
He told reporters after launching the Water Activity Safety Awareness Campaign organised by the Water Activity Safety Council (MKAA) in Pulau Warisan here today.
According to the statistics, Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah said Selangor recorded the highest number of water-related deaths namely 44, followed by Sarawak (34) and Perak (22). - Bernama
2018年9月24日星期一
2018年9月19日星期三
2018年9月18日星期二
Asam Pedas
Asam Pedas
Asam Pedas (Indonesian and Malaysian Malay: Asam Pedas, Minangkabau: Asam Padeh, English: Sour and Spicy) is a Minangkabau and Malay sour and spicy fish stew dish. It is popular in Indonesia and Malaysia.
The spicy and sour fish dish is known widely in Sumatra and Malay Peninsula. It is part of the culinary heritage of both Minangkabau and Malay traditions, thus its exact origin is unclear. The Minang asam padeh can be easily found throughout Padang restaurants in Indonesia and Malaysia.
It has become a typical cuisine of Malays from Jambi, Riau, Riau Islands, Malacca, and as far north in Aceh. The spice mixture and the fish used might be slightly different according to the area.
~wikipedia~
Asam Pedas (Indonesian and Malaysian Malay: Asam Pedas, Minangkabau: Asam Padeh, English: Sour and Spicy) is a Minangkabau and Malay sour and spicy fish stew dish. It is popular in Indonesia and Malaysia.
The spicy and sour fish dish is known widely in Sumatra and Malay Peninsula. It is part of the culinary heritage of both Minangkabau and Malay traditions, thus its exact origin is unclear. The Minang asam padeh can be easily found throughout Padang restaurants in Indonesia and Malaysia.
It has become a typical cuisine of Malays from Jambi, Riau, Riau Islands, Malacca, and as far north in Aceh. The spice mixture and the fish used might be slightly different according to the area.
~wikipedia~
2018年9月16日星期日
Tourism contributes 14.9% to Malaysia's economy
Tourism contributes 14.9% to Malaysia's economy
The tourism industry continued its significant contribution to the country’s economic growth with a share of 14.9 per cent last year as compared to 10.4 per cent in 2005.
In a statement, chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the figure showed an upward trend since 2005 and was growing rapidly with an average annual growth rate of 11.2 per cent over the past twelve years.
“The direct contribution of the tourism industry to the nation’s gross domestic product last year recorded 6.1 per cent with a value of RM82.6 billion compared to RM76.6 billion in 2016,” he said.
He said foreign tourist arrivals dropped to 25.9 million last year from 26.8 million in 2016.
The number of domestic visitors increased from 189.3 million in 2016 to 205.4 million in 2017, he said adding that Selangor was the most visited state by number of tourists.
According to Mohd Uzir, shopping remained as the largest component of tourism product with a value of RM26.8 in 2017, followed by accommodation and transportation which recorded RM20.7 billion and RM15 billion respectively.
He said as for total employees involved in the tourism sector, the number also increased to 3.4 million in 2017 from 1.5 million in 2005.
Mohd Uzir said retail trade continued to be the largest contributor to the national economy with a share of 44.8 per cent and posted a double digit growth of 12.4 per cent in 2017 as compared to 10.5 per cent in the previous year.
He said this was followed by food and beverage serving service with 16.3 per cent and accommodation with 12.8 per cent.
- Bernama
The tourism industry continued its significant contribution to the country’s economic growth with a share of 14.9 per cent last year as compared to 10.4 per cent in 2005.
In a statement, chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the figure showed an upward trend since 2005 and was growing rapidly with an average annual growth rate of 11.2 per cent over the past twelve years.
“The direct contribution of the tourism industry to the nation’s gross domestic product last year recorded 6.1 per cent with a value of RM82.6 billion compared to RM76.6 billion in 2016,” he said.
He said foreign tourist arrivals dropped to 25.9 million last year from 26.8 million in 2016.
The number of domestic visitors increased from 189.3 million in 2016 to 205.4 million in 2017, he said adding that Selangor was the most visited state by number of tourists.
According to Mohd Uzir, shopping remained as the largest component of tourism product with a value of RM26.8 in 2017, followed by accommodation and transportation which recorded RM20.7 billion and RM15 billion respectively.
He said as for total employees involved in the tourism sector, the number also increased to 3.4 million in 2017 from 1.5 million in 2005.
Mohd Uzir said retail trade continued to be the largest contributor to the national economy with a share of 44.8 per cent and posted a double digit growth of 12.4 per cent in 2017 as compared to 10.5 per cent in the previous year.
He said this was followed by food and beverage serving service with 16.3 per cent and accommodation with 12.8 per cent.
- Bernama
2018年9月15日星期六
2018年9月14日星期五
2018年9月8日星期六
2018年9月6日星期四
新隆高铁项目延后两年
马国支付1500万元延期费用 新隆高铁项目延后两年
我国基础建设统筹部长兼交通部长许文远（前排左）和马来西亚经济事务部长阿兹敏（前排右）签署协议，将新隆高铁计划延后两年。多名新马领导人也在场见证签署仪式，他们包括通讯及新闻部兼文化、社区及青年部高级政务部长沈颖（后排左起）、外交部长维文医生、副总理兼国家安全统筹部长张志贤、马国首相马哈迪、副首相旺阿兹莎、马国外交部长赛富丁和交通部长陆兆福。（梁伟康摄）
马来西亚若在2020年5月底的最后期限内仍不重新启动高铁工程，将被视为毁约终止计划，必须偿还新加坡至今所蒙受的损失。
新加坡和马来西亚签署协议暂停新隆高铁项目，马来西亚为此必须支付1500万新元的延期费用。若在2020年5月底的最后期限内仍不重新启动高铁工程，马来西亚将被视为毁约终止计划，必须偿还新加坡至今所蒙受的损失。
基础建设统筹部长兼交通部长许文远昨天在马国布城首相署同马来西亚经济事务部长阿兹敏签署高铁双边协定的补充条款，同意将高铁工程延至两年后进行。这意味着原定明年动工挖掘、2026年底投入运作的新隆高铁会延至最迟2031年1月1日才能启用 。
两国分别设立的高铁公司也取消了进行中的高铁资产管理者（AssetsCo）国际招标。此前表示有意竞标新隆高铁的包括中国、日本和欧洲等铁路财团。
基础建设统筹部长兼交通部长许文远指出，新加坡为履行双边协定兴建高铁服务至今已展开部分工程，有的承包商合约有终止条款，有的如重新铺设电缆和水管等服务一旦开始就必须做完。这些是暂停高铁计划无法回收的成本，双方仔细研究各项花费后，定下了1500万元的延期费用。按协议，马来西亚必须在明年1月底之前支付这笔费用。
两国2016年12月签署新隆高铁双边协定，打造新加坡直通吉隆坡的高铁服务。希盟政府今年5月上台后，以减少国家债务为由先是表示取消新隆高铁计划，后来则要求延后工程。
延至2031年1月通车
阿兹敏昨天在联合记者会上透露，马方原本要求推迟至三四年后，新加坡则表示愿意考虑延后一年，双方官员在过去数周频密往返两地磋商，最终达成协议，延展两年。
对此许文远指出，项目动工每延后一年，启用时间就会推迟数年。
他说：“高铁计划推迟两年至2020年，启用日期则得延迟四年到2031年1月。我们当初研究这项计划的可行性时，成本是考虑因素之一，计划成本多高、收益如何、是否行得通，这些都必须进行财务预估，计划延后得越久，预估就会变得越不准确，从新加坡角度来看，延期必须有个限度。”
许文远说，若2020年5月期限后确定终止新隆高铁，马国必须偿还更高数额的赔偿金。他指出，这方面的赔偿也是双方研究新加坡各方面成本后定下，但两国并不愿公开这笔赔偿金额。
许文远较早前在国会表示，截至今年6月底，我国已为高铁项目投入至少2亿5600万新元，其中包括征用裕廊乡村俱乐部等地段兴建高铁。
联合声明指出，马来西亚和新加坡在计划暂停期间将“以削减成本为目标”，继续探讨高铁计划下来的最佳发展方案。
在记者会上，许文远也说，新加坡与吉隆坡相隔近400公里，在交通专家眼中是适合兴建高铁服务的距离，许多国人也期待新隆高铁的启用。“但我们也理解马来西亚要暂停兴建高铁的原因，因此尽管高铁双边协定没有关于暂停计划的条款，但秉持双边合作的精神，新加坡认真考虑了马来西亚的请求，经过几轮讨论后达成了这个公平的安排。”
~联合早报~
我国基础建设统筹部长兼交通部长许文远（前排左）和马来西亚经济事务部长阿兹敏（前排右）签署协议，将新隆高铁计划延后两年。多名新马领导人也在场见证签署仪式，他们包括通讯及新闻部兼文化、社区及青年部高级政务部长沈颖（后排左起）、外交部长维文医生、副总理兼国家安全统筹部长张志贤、马国首相马哈迪、副首相旺阿兹莎、马国外交部长赛富丁和交通部长陆兆福。（梁伟康摄）
马来西亚若在2020年5月底的最后期限内仍不重新启动高铁工程，将被视为毁约终止计划，必须偿还新加坡至今所蒙受的损失。
新加坡和马来西亚签署协议暂停新隆高铁项目，马来西亚为此必须支付1500万新元的延期费用。若在2020年5月底的最后期限内仍不重新启动高铁工程，马来西亚将被视为毁约终止计划，必须偿还新加坡至今所蒙受的损失。
基础建设统筹部长兼交通部长许文远昨天在马国布城首相署同马来西亚经济事务部长阿兹敏签署高铁双边协定的补充条款，同意将高铁工程延至两年后进行。这意味着原定明年动工挖掘、2026年底投入运作的新隆高铁会延至最迟2031年1月1日才能启用 。
两国分别设立的高铁公司也取消了进行中的高铁资产管理者（AssetsCo）国际招标。此前表示有意竞标新隆高铁的包括中国、日本和欧洲等铁路财团。
基础建设统筹部长兼交通部长许文远指出，新加坡为履行双边协定兴建高铁服务至今已展开部分工程，有的承包商合约有终止条款，有的如重新铺设电缆和水管等服务一旦开始就必须做完。这些是暂停高铁计划无法回收的成本，双方仔细研究各项花费后，定下了1500万元的延期费用。按协议，马来西亚必须在明年1月底之前支付这笔费用。
两国2016年12月签署新隆高铁双边协定，打造新加坡直通吉隆坡的高铁服务。希盟政府今年5月上台后，以减少国家债务为由先是表示取消新隆高铁计划，后来则要求延后工程。
延至2031年1月通车
阿兹敏昨天在联合记者会上透露，马方原本要求推迟至三四年后，新加坡则表示愿意考虑延后一年，双方官员在过去数周频密往返两地磋商，最终达成协议，延展两年。
对此许文远指出，项目动工每延后一年，启用时间就会推迟数年。
他说：“高铁计划推迟两年至2020年，启用日期则得延迟四年到2031年1月。我们当初研究这项计划的可行性时，成本是考虑因素之一，计划成本多高、收益如何、是否行得通，这些都必须进行财务预估，计划延后得越久，预估就会变得越不准确，从新加坡角度来看，延期必须有个限度。”
许文远说，若2020年5月期限后确定终止新隆高铁，马国必须偿还更高数额的赔偿金。他指出，这方面的赔偿也是双方研究新加坡各方面成本后定下，但两国并不愿公开这笔赔偿金额。
许文远较早前在国会表示，截至今年6月底，我国已为高铁项目投入至少2亿5600万新元，其中包括征用裕廊乡村俱乐部等地段兴建高铁。
联合声明指出，马来西亚和新加坡在计划暂停期间将“以削减成本为目标”，继续探讨高铁计划下来的最佳发展方案。
在记者会上，许文远也说，新加坡与吉隆坡相隔近400公里，在交通专家眼中是适合兴建高铁服务的距离，许多国人也期待新隆高铁的启用。“但我们也理解马来西亚要暂停兴建高铁的原因，因此尽管高铁双边协定没有关于暂停计划的条款，但秉持双边合作的精神，新加坡认真考虑了马来西亚的请求，经过几轮讨论后达成了这个公平的安排。”
~联合早报~
2018年9月3日星期一
Agreed to defer HSR project
Malaysia, Singapore have agreed to defer HSR project, confirms Azmin
Singapore has accepted Malaysia’s view on deferring the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail mega project, says Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali.
Azmin said the outcome was agreed upon in a meeting with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Both countries, said Azmin, agreed to defer the project.
“The HSR project benefits both countries, enabling better connectivity and could generate long-term economic growth. However, given the current economic situation (of Malaysia), it is impossible for us to continue with the project and after a series of discussions, Singapore has agreed to accept the Malaysian government’s view to defer the project to a certain period. We are confident that by then, Malaysia’s economy will improve.
“Lee was happy that both countries had agreed to defer the project and there is no compensation needed to pay during this deferral period. It must be paid if at the end of the deferral period, we (Malaysia) decide to cancel the project,” said Azmin.
Azmin said this when met at the sidelines after the opening of the second meeting of the first term of the14th Selangor state legislative assembly by Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah.
The event was also graced by Tengku Permaisuri Selangor Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin and Raja Muda Selangor Tengku Amir Shah.
Azmin, who is also Bukit Antarabangsa state assemblyman, however, stopped short of elaborating on how long the deferral would be.
He assured that “a reasonable period” had been agreed upon by both parties and that an agreement would be sealed in Kuala Lumpur in the near future.
Though deferred, Azmin added that discussions will continue to see how the cost of the project can be reduced through the use of new technology or other aspects.
He said Malaysia wants to continue with the project once the deferral period ends as the services will be economically beneficial to both countries and its people.
“We want to discuss ways to lower the cost and one of the steps we will focus on is the international service first. There are two components to the HSR, one is the international service route from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur and another is domestic service, which has seven stations along the way.
“We will focus on international service only as it gives a good economic impact to both Malaysia and Singapore,” said Azmin.
Business weekly The Edge had prevously reported that Malaysia and Singapore had reached a compromise over the implementation of the HSR.
The deferral, claimed the report, will be in effect until May 31, 2020.
The report also said Malaysia would be spared a RM500 million penalty the two-year deferral.
According to the report, the original agreement to build the HSR, signed in 2016, did not contain provisions for a postponement.
Pakatan Harapan, after taking over the government after the May 9 general election, had said the project could cost up to RM110 billion.
~News courtesy of New Straits Times~
Singapore has accepted Malaysia’s view on deferring the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail mega project, says Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali.
Azmin said the outcome was agreed upon in a meeting with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Both countries, said Azmin, agreed to defer the project.
“The HSR project benefits both countries, enabling better connectivity and could generate long-term economic growth. However, given the current economic situation (of Malaysia), it is impossible for us to continue with the project and after a series of discussions, Singapore has agreed to accept the Malaysian government’s view to defer the project to a certain period. We are confident that by then, Malaysia’s economy will improve.
“Lee was happy that both countries had agreed to defer the project and there is no compensation needed to pay during this deferral period. It must be paid if at the end of the deferral period, we (Malaysia) decide to cancel the project,” said Azmin.
Azmin said this when met at the sidelines after the opening of the second meeting of the first term of the14th Selangor state legislative assembly by Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah.
The event was also graced by Tengku Permaisuri Selangor Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin and Raja Muda Selangor Tengku Amir Shah.
Azmin, who is also Bukit Antarabangsa state assemblyman, however, stopped short of elaborating on how long the deferral would be.
He assured that “a reasonable period” had been agreed upon by both parties and that an agreement would be sealed in Kuala Lumpur in the near future.
Though deferred, Azmin added that discussions will continue to see how the cost of the project can be reduced through the use of new technology or other aspects.
He said Malaysia wants to continue with the project once the deferral period ends as the services will be economically beneficial to both countries and its people.
“We want to discuss ways to lower the cost and one of the steps we will focus on is the international service first. There are two components to the HSR, one is the international service route from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur and another is domestic service, which has seven stations along the way.
“We will focus on international service only as it gives a good economic impact to both Malaysia and Singapore,” said Azmin.
Business weekly The Edge had prevously reported that Malaysia and Singapore had reached a compromise over the implementation of the HSR.
The deferral, claimed the report, will be in effect until May 31, 2020.
The report also said Malaysia would be spared a RM500 million penalty the two-year deferral.
According to the report, the original agreement to build the HSR, signed in 2016, did not contain provisions for a postponement.
Pakatan Harapan, after taking over the government after the May 9 general election, had said the project could cost up to RM110 billion.
~News courtesy of New Straits Times~
Enjoy your satay, there’s no tax for it at food outlets
Enjoy your satay, there’s no tax for it at food outlets
IPOH: There will be no Sales and Service Tax on satay sold in food outlets, says Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng.
He said the SST on the popular Malaysian food was imposed during the processing stage for the purpose of packaging and sales.
“It is the sales that get the SST, not at the outlets,” he told reporters after a briefing on the SST at a hotel here yesterday.
Lim was replying to a question on whether the SST would be imposed on chicken or beef satay sold in food outlets, as it was among the items listed as taxable under “preparation of meat”.
He said failure to do so would mean that they could not charge the SST and would have to use their own funds to pay the tax to the government.
His call was echoed by Customs Department director-general Datuk Seri T. Subromaniam, who said friendly visits by the department found that there were still food providers who had not updated their systems.
“We advised them to update their systems so that the 6% service tax could be charged,” he said.
In Shah Alam, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Jamil Salleh said the real impact of the SST on the prices of general goods was expected to be fully felt in the second week of its implementation.
This is because goods sold during the first week after the end of the tax holiday are actually tax-free.
Noting that traders had bought the goods during the tax holiday period, he said the tax-free stocks should be sold at prices minus the SST.
“However, some traders might want to take advantage of the situation but we are ready for that.
“We have mobilised 1,000 enforcement personnel to check against profiteering.
“Legal action will be taken against profiteers, and I want them to be severely punished to deter others from doing the same,” he said after visiting a juice-producing factory yesterday.
The Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act provides a fine of up to RM100,000 or a three-year imprisonment upon conviction.
~News courtesy of The Star~
IPOH: There will be no Sales and Service Tax on satay sold in food outlets, says Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng.
He said the SST on the popular Malaysian food was imposed during the processing stage for the purpose of packaging and sales.
“It is the sales that get the SST, not at the outlets,” he told reporters after a briefing on the SST at a hotel here yesterday.
Lim was replying to a question on whether the SST would be imposed on chicken or beef satay sold in food outlets, as it was among the items listed as taxable under “preparation of meat”.
He said failure to do so would mean that they could not charge the SST and would have to use their own funds to pay the tax to the government.
His call was echoed by Customs Department director-general Datuk Seri T. Subromaniam, who said friendly visits by the department found that there were still food providers who had not updated their systems.
“We advised them to update their systems so that the 6% service tax could be charged,” he said.
In Shah Alam, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Jamil Salleh said the real impact of the SST on the prices of general goods was expected to be fully felt in the second week of its implementation.
This is because goods sold during the first week after the end of the tax holiday are actually tax-free.
Noting that traders had bought the goods during the tax holiday period, he said the tax-free stocks should be sold at prices minus the SST.
“However, some traders might want to take advantage of the situation but we are ready for that.
“We have mobilised 1,000 enforcement personnel to check against profiteering.
“Legal action will be taken against profiteers, and I want them to be severely punished to deter others from doing the same,” he said after visiting a juice-producing factory yesterday.
The Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act provides a fine of up to RM100,000 or a three-year imprisonment upon conviction.
~News courtesy of The Star~
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