旅游部推出英文版指南‧“Jom Singgah”带你玩透透

旅游部推出英文版指南‧“Jom Singgah”带你玩透透

为吸引更多新加坡及泰国旅客前来我国自驾游，旅游部与南北大道公司联手推出英文版的“Jom Singgah””旅游指南手册，除了讲解南北大道16个R&R休息站特色及美食外，手册中也將介绍西马多个旅游景点。



玛丝艾米雅蒂（左四）与眾嘉宾一同推介英文版“Jom Singgah”旅游指南手册。（图：星洲日报）

旅游及文化部副部长玛丝艾米雅蒂今早受邀在南北大道振林山往北的休息站，为英文版“Jom Singgah”旅游指南手册主持推介礼。 她致词时表示，今年1月至6月共有640万名新加坡旅客前来我国，其中79.7%通过陆路入境，而新加坡旅客也是使用南北大道旅游的最大组別外国旅客。

休息站独具特色

“如果他们从新加坡前往檳城，一路上就会使用南北大道多个R&R休息站，而每一州的R&R休息站都独具特色，可成为另一个推广我国旅游的平台。”

玛丝艾米雅蒂表示，今年6月17日推出的“一个马来西亚旅游近在咫尺”（Cuti-Cuti 1 Malaysia Dekat Je），就是为了推广国內旅游。

她说，国內旅游人数从2013年的5千440万人次增加至2014年的6千零70万人次，增长率达11.6%；国內旅游的收益，也从2013年的356亿令吉增加至2014年的414亿令吉，增长率为16.3%。

“今年我们设下6千370万名国內旅客及434亿7千万令吉收益的目標，因此有必要大力推广国內旅游。”

当天出席者包括：旅游及文化部副秘书长拿督拉西迪、旅游促进局副总监锺玉霞、柔州旅游执行委员会拿督財尼、新加坡驻新山领事潘宣强及南北大道公司首席营运员莫哈末弗艾。

莫哈末弗艾在新闻发布会上表示，该公司共印刷了5万本英文版“Jom Singgah”，分派至南北大道16个R&R休息站，民眾也可上网：Jomsinggah.plus.com.my或从该公司官方推出的“PLUS Mobile Apps”应用程式下载电子版手册。

询及吗什休息站苍蝇为患一事，莫哈末弗艾坦承此事，並指源头是附近一带的养鸡场引来苍蝇，而该公司將继续向地方政府反映。

（星洲日报‧大柔佛）

KL records 20% drop in foreign tourist arrivals

KL records 20% drop in foreign tourist arrivals

Foreign tourist arrivals to Kuala Lumpur has dropped by 20% this year compared to 2014, due to a decrease in regional tourism.

KL Tourism Board general manager Noraza Yusof said 11 million foreign tourists visited the capital last year.

"Based on the information we have at this point in time, an estimated 8.8 million have visited the city in 2015," she said during the launch of the Kuala Lumpur Tourism Bureau (KLTB).

Noraza attributed the drop to the global economic scenario besides other reasons.

"Alongside the regional factor, there are other reasons beyond our scope which we are attempting to identify," she said.

The KLTB marks the revamping of Kuala Lumpur City Hall's (DBKL) Tourism Unit.

In his address, mayor Datuk Mhd. Amin Nordin Abd Aziz explained KLTB's four main functions.

"It will focus on developing tourism products and infrastructure across the board, to bring together the public and private sectors in promoting the city, to support government bodies in enforcing regulations that govern tourism players, and lastly for dedicated marketing and promotion for KL's tourism," he said.

Mhd Amin expressed his confidence in KLTB's conducive environment for cooperation and collaboration, which would enable sustainable long-term tourism growth.

The bureau, launched at a cost of RM16 million, is located at Lot 11, Jalan Tangsi, here.

It was built in 1903 and formerly owned by tin mining tycoon Loke Chow Kit.

After being burnt to shambles, Lot 11 was subsequently refurbished with its original facade intact.

~News courtesy of The Sun~

Happy Deepavali

Northbound buses to operate from Bandar Tasik Selatan

Northbound buses to operate from Bandar Tasik Selatan terminal effective Nov 1

Effective Nov 1, northern corridor express buses involving buses to Perak, Penang, Kedah and Perlis will no longer operate from Pudu Sentral but Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS) at Bandar Tasik Selatan.

The Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) in a statement Tuesday said as many as 545 of the 635 northbound express buses operating at Pudu Sentral would be moving to TBS.

"The decision to move from Pudu to TBS was made after discussions with Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), the Urban Development Authority (UDA) and the bus operators concerned.

"Apart from offering better security, ease and comfort, the relocation to TBS will be able to curb the rampant touting activities at Pudu Sentral.

"TBS is equipped with electronic information display boards and various mode of transport in one location, such as the LRT, KTM Commuter, KLIA Transit and taxi services," it stated.

Meanwhile, Pudu Sentral will continue to be used as a terminal for short-distance buses and stage buses, including buses from Pudu Sentral plying to Tanjung Malim, KLIA 1, KLIA 2, and Seremban.

~News courtesy of Bernama~

Haze will not last till March 2016

Haze will not last till March 2016

The haze affecting the country currently will not last till March 2016, as claimed by certain parties.

"The current haze situation is caused by typhoon Champi and Typhoon Koppu, east of the Philippines, and when these typhoons hit landfall, the winds will change and the haze situation will improve after Oct 26," said Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Madius Tangau in a statement today.

Madius said the coming northeast monsoon season from November will see a change in wind direction and will no longer carry over haze from Indonesia to Malaysia, despite the Indonesian forest fires expected to last until March.

Meanwhile, rainfall is expected to decrease nationwide due to typhoon Koppu, thus making the haze situation even worse.

According to the Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) weather outlook, typhoon Koppu is currently 1,187km north-east of Kudat, Sabah. It will eventually head north-west towards Taiwan.

In addition, typhoon Champi located 2,942km north-east of Kudat is slowly heading north.

The presence of both typhoons has affected the wind patterns across the country as a result, especially rainfall due to the moderate south-westerly winds.

Separately, the Department of Environment recorded 3,534 cases of open burning detected nationwide, from the start of the year to Oct 19.

As of 6pm today, a total of 27 areas recorded unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings, with Port Klang with the highest at 179, followed by Shah Alam at 164, and Kuala Selangor at 139.

~News courtesy of The Sun~

Cheaper TEKS1M by year-end

Cheaper TEKS1M by year-end, says SPAD

Teksi 1Malaysia (TEKS1M) fare rates will be reduced by year-end to encourage more people to use the service.

Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) chairman Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar said today the commission is finalising a study to make the gold-brown taxis more popular.

It is also considering a new sedan-type car for TEKS1M other than the MPV-type vehicles," he said.

"We will standardise the fare rates between TEKS1M and budget taxis. Hopefully, we can announce it in a month or two," he told theSun.

Syed Hamid said when TEKS1M was introduced two years ago, SPAD had envisioned that it would lift the image of the taxi industry by providing better ride comfort and better quality drivers.

However, many cabbies were not keen to migrate to TEKS1M due to the vehicles' higher cost while the public preferred to use the cheaper budget taxis.

For Klang Valley and Johor Baru, the current flagfall rate for TEKS1M is RM4 with 30 sen for every 200m, while the budget taxi rate is 25 sen for every 200m with the flagfall fare set at RM3.

It also includes time-based charge of 30 sen for every 36 seconds for TEKS1M while the budget taxi is 25 sen for every 36 seconds.

Based on the current fare rate, for a 10km ride (based on distance rate), TEKS1M ‎would clock RM17.50 while budget taxi would cost RM14.25.

~News courtesy of The Sun~

New cash-free card system for KL

New cash-free card system makes visiting KL a breeze

Tourists to the capital will soon find it much easier with the launch of the KL PASS card system, enabling seamless access to the various tourist spots around KL.

Speaking at the launch, mayor Datuk Mohd Amin Nordin said the system, produced and managed by Meridian Tourist Access Sdn Bhd, was aimed at making it easier for tourists visiting certain attractions.

“From the KL Tourism Master Plan’s research, some attractions record high daily visitors while others suffer from low numbers. This is partly due to the limited packages to motivate tourists and the absence of sufficient awareness to the diversities KL has to offer,” he said.

Amin expressed his confidence in KL PASS’s potential to reflect the capital’s position as one of the world’s top ten shopping destinations.

“Given the international recognition, it is vital to ensure continued growth, development and maintain standards of excellence in enhancing tourists’ experiences,” he said.

Meridian Tourist Access managing director Farouk Nurish said the project’s system cost RM1.2 million to set up, with another RM1 million expected to be spent.

“We conservatively estimate about 20,000 cards will be sold in the first year alone,” he said.

Farouk described the KL PASS as a cash-free solution for tourists to enjoy not just attractions but also retail and F&B outlets, with public transportation soon to come.

It is estimated between 2011 and 2014 some 38 million international tourists have travelled to Malaysia.

The KL PASS is available for purchase online at www.klpass.com and various sales outlets in the city and at KLIA.

~News courtesy of The Sun~