重新开放免费参观 陈嘉庚纪念馆下月3揭牌
“第二届嘉庚语录书法比赛”是马来西亚陈嘉庚基金的常年比赛活动之一，欢迎有兴趣者参加。
马来西亚陈嘉庚纪念馆近期将随隆雪华堂大型整修工程完工，重新免费开放给公众参观，并定于5月3日（星期日）上午9时，为纪念馆举行简单而隆重的揭牌仪式。
陈嘉庚的传奇人生与其伟大的精神是世界珍贵的人文遗产，为弘扬其无私奉献的精神，马来西亚陈嘉庚基金这些年来致力将纪念馆发展成为教化育人、文化传承，以及促进跨族群与文明交流的平台。
该基金自去年10月开始配合隆雪华堂的整修工程改善纪念馆部分硬体设施，近期更为纪念馆设立招牌，以臻完备。
筹办系列活动
马来西亚陈嘉庚基金趁着纪念馆重新开馆，特别筹办了揭牌仪式、纪念馆先贤交辉系列常年特展、书法比赛等一系列活动。
活动当天邀请了中国驻马来西亚大使馆领事参赞龚春森担任纪念馆揭牌仪式的揭牌主宾，同时为当天举行的“第二届嘉庚语录书法比赛”主持开幕，共襄盛举，主办当局吁请各界人士踊跃出席参与盛会。
嘉庚语录书法赛24日截止报名
“第二届嘉庚语录书法比赛”是该基金的常年比赛活动之一，今年再次与马来西亚书艺协会与隆雪华堂妇女组合作协办，以期透过陈嘉庚的语录传颂“嘉庚精神”，并促进爱好书艺者之间的交流，发扬中华传统文化与书法艺术。
参赛组别分为公开组（不限年龄）、中学组及小学组。报名截止日期为4月24日，主办当局促请书法爱好人士立即行动，名额有限，以免向隅。
本届书法比赛的奖金丰厚，共发出50份总值1万2800的奖金。奖金分别有公开组特优奖为1000令吉，共2份、优秀奖为400令吉，共8份；中学组特优奖为400令吉，共4份、优秀奖为200令吉，共16份；小学组特优奖为300令吉，共4份、优秀奖为100令吉，共16份。
除了奖金，每位出席参赛者将获得奖状一张，以资鼓励。另特设“团体表现优异奖”给表现最佳的中、小学校团体，凡是通过团体报名的学校皆有资格入围竞选。
有意参赛者，请登录http://goo.gl/forms/BmLF0IGJ9E直接填写报名表格，或浏览面子书“马来西亚陈嘉庚基金”的专页点击链接。报名费为公开组每人10令吉，中、小学组每人2令吉。
欲知详情，请联系陈嘉庚文化中心行政处03-22764445、传真03-22764448或电邮至tkkcultural@gmail.com。
~南洋商报~
隆市长：让游客参与 无车早晨应列旅游配套
主持人挥旗后，市民骑上铁马浩浩荡荡出发。
吉隆坡市长拿督斯里阿末费沙指出，他将向旅游局推荐，把“吉隆坡无车绿色早晨”活动纳入我国旅游配套，让游客参与其中，进一步推动健康及充满活力的城市。
他说，根据报告，马来西亚是回教徒游客的首选旅游国家，占了80%，在众多回教国家脱颖而出。
“因此，通过无车绿色早晨的活动，我有信心游客可体验不一样的隆市，以促进我国旅游业。”
阿末费沙今日上午出席“吉隆坡无车绿色早晨”时，如是指出。
出席者包括隆市政厅总监拿督阿敏诺丁及副总监拿督马哈迪等。
阿末费沙也指出，市政厅也提供两辆皇家马车（Royal Carriage）予新婚夫妇，让新人们可坐上马车拍照留念，惟有意者需先登记。
逾千人捧场响应环保
“马车不仅可在无车绿色早晨活动上载送市民赏景，也让新婚夫妇拍照留念，其他详情将会陆续公布。”
据知，隆市政厅每月举办两次“吉隆坡无车绿色早晨”，今天获得上千人清早到场，出席者皆以脚踏车、跑步、溜滑板、滑轮及直排轮等方式齐齐推动既健康又环保的意识。
这项活动除吸引市民出席，也有不少外籍人士参与其中。
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此外，不少家庭也把握机会享受天伦之乐，其乐融融。
~南洋商报~
SPAD：5月15日涨德士长巴车资
涨！涨！涨，公共交车资调涨！陆路公共交通委员会（SPAD）宣佈德士与长巴车资调涨，长巴车资从目前每公里9.3仙涨至11.4仙，增加2.1仙，新车资从5月15日开始生效。
新德士车资起跳费不变，只是调整车程（distance）以及车时（Time）的收费。（图：星洲日报）
至於德士新车资收费，在巴生河流域以及新山，5公里的德士车程，车资调涨介於1令吉50仙至3令吉50仙，基於檳城德士运作成本更高，涨幅也会比巴生河流域及新山来的高。
陆路公共交通委员会主席丹斯里赛哈密指出，这是德士与长巴在6年来首次调涨车资。
他强调，当局调涨的德士车资主要是针对车程以及车时的收费，德士的起跳费（flagfall）维持不变。
另一方面，SPAD也批准马来亚铁道公司（KTM，经营火车、电动火车）以及国家基建公司（Prasarana）进行检討车资，並会在稍后由有关公司做出宣佈。
SPAD表示，在推行新德士车资，基於所有德士的计程表必须送往重新调整，之后也必须送往电脑验车中心检核批准后才能採用新收费，预料需时1至2个月才能完成所有调整，在德士计程表调整至新车资前，需採用现有车资收费。
另外，SPAD主席赛哈密指出，当局调整德士与长巴的营运成本上涨约33%，考虑到成本上涨、通货膨胀等，当局批准车资调整。至於KTM以及LRT等车资调整，將由有关公司，预料在今年內宣布。
（星洲网）
Fares increased for taxi, train and express bus services
Be prepared to pay more for your public transport. The increase in taxi fares takes immediate effect while train and express bus charges will be raised on May 1 and May 15 respectively.
Budget taxis in the Klang Valley and Johor Baru will charge 25 sen per 200m and 25 sen per 36 seconds although the flagfall will remain at RM3 for the first kilometre.
This is a sizable increase as each budget taxi will get RM1.25 per km (from RM0.87 per km, up by 44%) and 42.67 sen per minute (from 28 sen per minute, up by 49%).
For example, a budget taxi that is stuck in traffic for an hour will take in RM25 (RM30 for those in Penang) from time-based charges alone, up from RM16.80 previously. This is likely to make taxi drivers more willing to face congestions.
Express buses will charge 2.1 sen more (or 22.5%) per km, setting the new fare at 11.4 sen per km.
Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) chairman Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar said taxi and express bus operators were facing rising costs, adding that the last fare review for both was in 2009.
“We took into account the needs of the operators and the public (in coming up with these new fares),” he told reporters at SPAD headquarters here.
Teksi 1Malaysia (TEKS1M) cabs – consisting exclusively of the brown Proton Exora – are the only taxis to have the flagfall rate raised from RM3 to RM4.
The hike in taxi fares does not cover airport limos and executive taxis (typically blue in colour), and is limited to Peninsular Malaysia.
According to SPAD, taxi fares would be reviewed each year based on operating cost changes.
Although the increase in fares took immediate effect, taxis could only charge the new rates after the meter had been recalibrated.
SPAD chief executive Mohd Nur Ismal Mohd Kamal said it would take one to two months for all taxis to use this new setting.
“There’s a panel of service providers they can go to. We have asked them to increase (operating) capacitym,” he said.
SPAD said that senior citizens, the disabled and children below 12 years old would continue to enjoy the 25% discount on express bus fares.
On train fares, Syed Hamid said SPAD had given its approval to KTM Bhd and Prasarana Malaysia Bhd to set new rates covering LRT, KTM Komuter, KTM Intercity and KL Monorail.
According to SPAD, the Ampang and Kelana Jaya LRT Line fares have not been reviewed for the past 19 and 17 years respectively. Monorail, KTM Komuter and KTM Intercity fares have remained the same for 12, 12 and 25 years respectively.
Mohd Nur said the fares of stage buses would not be increased now or in the near future.
“This is because low-income earners rely on stage buses for transport, and they cannot afford to pay more,” he said.
He added that the Government would cover stage bus costs.
~News courtesy of New Straits Times~
新颖服务增旅游特点 乘老爷车畅游适耕庄
环保老爷车载送游客畅游适耕庄。
适耕庄推出6辆劳斯莱斯电动环保老爷车载送游客畅游区内旅游景点，为旅游业增添新卖点。
据悉，老爷车是利用电源发动引擎，无门设计的车辆让游客直接接触清新空气，经过稻田时犹如漫步稻田，格外写意。
这项具有环保概念的创新点子是由本地8名商家共同构思和推行，老爷车于本年2月杪正式启用。
掌管旅游事务的雪州行政议员黄洁冰日前到适耕庄州议员服务中心前广场主持2015旅游年和劳斯莱斯电动环保老爷车开幕仪式时说，老爷车由中国引入，呼吁游客到此体验老爷车的魅力。
成他县学习典范
她相信，老爷车绝对能让本地旅游业再创高峰，成为州内最夯的旅游景点。
“坐在无门的车辆上让我感到很特别，有不一样的快感。”
她说，适耕庄不断地在旅游业上推陈出新，是其他县属的学习典范，后者可安排到当地一游，从中学习适耕庄商家的营业手法，之后推出创新旅游配套，吸引更多游客。
另一方面，适耕庄区州议员黄瑞林说，除了怀旧复古的劳斯莱斯电动环保老爷车外，近来不少旅游周边行业在本地崛起，包括阿嬷的家。
“阿嬷的家在周六和周日会现场炭烧和制作糕饼，供游客观看。”
他期盼适耕庄可在2015年旅游年招来更多的游客，促进本地旅游发展。
活动当天也获来自南宁、桂林和广州的导游和旅游社代表参与。
汤经源：耗50万引进6劳斯莱斯
劳斯莱斯电动环保老爷车负责人汤经源说，老爷车计划共有8名合伙人，目前已引进6辆老爷车，耗资50万令吉。
“若计划获得游客的青睐，我们不排除继续引进老爷车及增加其他款式的旅游车。”
他说，合伙人是为了让游客体验新鲜感，决定作出这项投资，让老爷车带领大家遨游适耕庄，在老爷车上吹着微风，轻松畅游和观赏田野美景。
他补充，老爷车是由电源发动，行驶时不会排出废气和制造噪音，提倡环保。
他表示，每辆老爷车都有一名司机负责驾驶，可容纳10人，每趟车程将停留在人民碾米厂、阿嬷的家、壁画、南天宫及稻田，视游客所选择的的路线而定。
老爷车载送服务
时间：逢周六、日上午9时至晚上7时（学校公共假期照常营业）
购票处：阿嬷的家购买车票
车费：成人10令吉、孩童5令吉
~南洋商报~
Hot weather to ease by March end: Met dept
The hot and dry spell in many areas is in the final phase of the monsoon season which is expected to abate by the end of March, said Meteorological Department director-general Datuk Che Gayah Ismail.
“It is now the tail end of the northeast monsoon which causes many areas to receive less rain over an extended period, leading to the hot and dry weather,” she said when attending the 2015 message by Science, Technology and Innovation Minister, here today.
Che Gayah said the current weather condition had not reached the ‘hot wave’ level and was still categorised as normal with 30 per cent rainfall based on the long term average.
Asked if the temperature of the hot and dry weather was different from last year, she said there was not see much difference with the temperature varying over three degrees Celcius.
The temperature in Malaysia is currently between 33 and 35 degrees Celcius.
Che Gayah said the inter-monsoon season would start in April until mid-May, when states in the peninsula would experience wet weather with thunderstorm in the afternoon and evening.
She said heavy rain and thunderstorm were common before the southwest monsoon begins from June to September which is the dry and haze season.
Che Gayah said under its standard operating procedure (SOP), the department would only carry out cloud seeding when haze reached the level hazardous to human health.
“The department is always prepared to conduct cloud seeding with private flight companies to overcome the problem. At times, dam operators will also carry out cloud seeding to raise the level of water. If they seek our help, we will be prepared to assist,” she said.
Meteorological Department director-general Datuk Che Gayah Ismail says the hot weather is expected to cool down by the end of March.
~News courtesy of New Straits Times~
