MAS - INHART Bekerjasama Bangunkan Produk Halal

MAS - Malaysia Airlines System
INHART -International Institute for Halal Research and Training



Syarikat Penerbangan Kebangsaan, Malaysia Airlines (MAS), telah menandatangani memorandum persefahaman dengan Institut Latihan dan Penyelidikan Halal Antarabangsa (INHART) bagi membangunkan produk dan jenama halal.

INHART merupakan pusat khusus untuk industry halal yang ditubuhkan oleh Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia (UIAM).

Menerusi perjanjian itu, MAS akan menerima para pelajar dari INHART sebagai pelatih di operasi penyediaan makanan halal MAS, sementara INHART akan membantu dalam latihan halal dan menyediakan keselamatan, perundingan dan latihan pematuhan syariah kepada MAS.

Sumber : Utusan Malaysia, 27 Nov 2013

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) signed a memorandum of understanding with the International Institute for Halal Research and Training (INHART), a special centre dedicated to Halal industry established by International Islamic University Malaysia. Through the understanding, MAS will accept students from INHART for internship at its Halal catering operations while INHART will assist in providing safety and Halal training, consultancy and Shariah compliance training to MAS.

This collaboration is one of Malaysia Airlines’ initiatives to formulate, implement and continuously update Malaysia Airlines halal standards.

INHART will be developing relevant training modules for MAS beneficiaries and will conduct training programs in order to ensure compliance to halal requirements by the national carrier’s caterers. Malaysia Airlines currently has two modules of halal training in place. With this collaboration the module will be worked at further to enhance the offerings.

Malaysia Airlines values this contribution by INHART as it is constantly trying to improvise the Halal standard on board it’s flights. 15 caterers engaged by Malaysia Airlines operate from a 100% halal kitchen and another 29 caterers are currently operating from a partially halal kitchen. In all partial kitchens the production of food is totally separated between halal and non-halal product hence providing Malaysia Airlines with a completely halal plate each time. This is also supported by the constant quality assurance audit conducted by our experienced team from the In Flight Operation QA, Safety & Halal unit under Service & Quality Assurance Department.

Malaysia Airlines, Director of Customer Services, Dato’ Mohd Salleh Ahmad Tabrani said, “We hope that with this collaboration there shall be a platform to strengthen existing cooperation and implement activities that are of mutual interests and benefits both MAS and INHART-IIUM. At Malaysia Airlines, we look at this as an opportunity to further enhance the travel experience of our Muslim passengers. Muslim passengers make up a large percentage of our customers and we want to continuously work towards making travel comfortable for them”.

Both Malaysia Airlines and INHART believe that this understanding will bring about the enhancement of the MAS Halal Manual & Standard Operating Procedure whilst providing the students of INHART a valuable practical experience.

Source : www.http://malaysiatravelnews.com/malaysia-airlines-collaborates-with-inhart-to-strengthen-halal-standards/

Kerajaan pertimbang cadangan naik taraf pemandu teksi sebagai pemandu pelancong

KUALA LUMPUR: Kementerian Pelancongan dan Kebudayaan bersedia untuk menimbang cadangan menaik taraf pemandu teksi di ibu negara sebagai pemandu pelancong.

Menterinya Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz berkata mereka akan diiktiraf menerusi kursus intensif yang dianjurkan kementerian bagi meningkatkan imej negara di mata pelancong asing.      
Beliau berkata langkah itu dilihat dapat membantu kerajaan mengatasi masalah yang sering timbul ekoran sikap sesetengah pemandu teksi yang memberi layanan buruk kepada pelancong asing.

"Mungkin kita boleh buat (jadikan pemandu pelancong) kepada mereka yang berminat, (adakan) kursus intensif dan keluarkan kad yang menunjukkan pemandu teksi ini adalah pemandu pelancong terlatih dan diiktiraf," katanya ketika menggulung Rang Undang-Undang Perbekalan 2014 peringkat jawatankuasa di Dewan Rakyat di sini hari ini.

Beliau berkata sebelum ini, kerajaan melancarkan program Duta Teksi di sekitar Lembah Klang dengan kerjasama Suruhanjaya Pengangkutan Awam Darat pada Mac 2012 bagi menangani isu aduan negatif terhadap pemandu teksi.

"Hasil daripada program itu, sebanyak 4,000 pemandu teksi di sekitar Lembah Klang dilatih mengenai aspek layanan baik kepada pelancong, produk, peraturan yang perlu dipatuhi, pemanduan berhemat dan sebanyak 40 siri kursus telah diadakan kepada mereka," kata Mohamed Nazri.

Beliau berkata program sedemikian akan dilaksanakan secara berterusan bagi memastikan pemandu teksi dapat dilatih secara profesional.
Mengenai pelancongan kapal persiaran, Mohamed Nazri berkata kementerian akan menaik taraf pelabuhan di Pulau Pinang dan bekerjasama dengan pelabuhan di Singapura bagi menggalakkan kemasukan pelancong menerusi industri itu.

"Kalau kita naikkan taraf terminal, banyakkan lorong kastam dan imigresen di Pulau Pinang ia akan lebih mendatangkan manfaat kepada kita. Turun sahaja dari kapal, mereka akan ke George Town yang banyak tempat pelancongan, hentian seterusnya mereka boleh ke Phuket, Thailand pula," katanya.

Beliau juga akan ke Singapura tahun depan untuk melawat negara itu bagi membincangkan mengenai industri pelancongan dan pelabuhan kerana Singapura menyumbang hampir 50 peratus pelancong ke negara ini.
 

 

Sumber : BERNAMA

Sumber gambar : Utusan Online

Prince Harry & Journey of 208 mile journey of South Pole Antartica

PRINCE Harry and his fellow Walking With The Wounded expedition competitors are finally able to travel to the starting line of their South Pole trek after blizzard conditions left them snowed in at base camp. 

But with the weather conditions vastly improved, the prince and his 12 colleagues have arrived at the first stage of their 208-mile journey.


A Kensington Palace spokesman said : "Prince Harry and half of the Walking With The Wounded teams have left Novo today for their second base camp at 87 degrees south.
"The rest of the teams will leave Novo tomorrow to join them, where they will all spend a few days acclimatising to the altitude and colder temperatures.

Harry will race with a team of injured British servicemen and women against groups from the US and the Commonwealth in an expedition organised by the charity Walking With The Wounded.

In total, 12 injured service personnel who have overcome life-changing injuries are taking part. They have tackled challenging training programmes to prepare themselves for the conditions in Antarctica.
Speaking to Sky News, Harry said: "Every single person who takes part in this challenge is extraordinary.
"The fact these guys have made it to this point is extraordinary and I count myself incredibly lucky to be part of it.'

Trekking around 15km to 20km a day, the teams will endure temperatures as low as minus 45C and 50mph winds as they pull their 70kg sleds, known as pulks, towards the southernmost point on the globe.
Harry took part in some of a Walking With The Wounded expedition to the North Pole in 2011.

"The race to the South Pole is still due to start around 30th November."
Speaking in his first interview from Antarctica, yesterday, Prince Harry said his brother Prince William would be jealous of his adventure, because it would mean getting away from "a screaming child."

Harry is braving temperatures as low as -58 F to raise money for Walking With the Wounded, but ABC News reported that the prince and his team (who are racing against two other teams captained by actors Dominic West and Alexander Skarsgard) were prevented from starting their trek by snow storms.


The race is expected to take 21 days, and each day the teams will spend 12 hours skiing with 10-minute rest breaks every two hours.

Source :
www.express.co.uk
www.people.com

Singapore Airlines stops world's longest flight

Picture: AAP Image/Dean Lewins Source: Supplied

THE world's longest non-stop commercial flight ended without fanfare Monday after Singapore Airlines (SIA) flew its last nearly 19-hour service from New York.

Flight SQ 21 landed early Monday in Changi Airport, bringing an end to a nine-year run. A direct service to Los Angeles has also been cancelled as part of a fleet renewal.
"Food and refreshments were served to customers at the airport gate hold rooms in Singapore and Newark. Customers were also presented with commemorative gift sets and certificates," an SIA spokesman added.

Analysts said the rise in fuel prices since 2004, when the 15,335-kilometre service was launched to cater to business travellers, made it economically unsustainable.
The cancellation of the service was first announced a year ago. Five Airbus A340-500s used by SIA for the service to New York - through neighbouring Newark - are being swapped for Airbus A380 superjumbos, a larger but more fuel-efficient model that is not designed for such distances.
The 100-seat, all business-class service to New York was pricey but passengers flew in comfort and saved hours of travel time by not having to make stopovers.
A Singapore travel agency said the last list price for the New York direct service was Sg$14,000 (AUD$12,220).

"Ultra long-range routes have proven to be uneconomical, making it unlikely there will be a return of flights over 17 hours, which can only be flown by the niche A340-500 or (Boeing) 777-200LR," the Sydney-based Centre for Aviation said in a commentary in September.
Following the withdrawal of the two direct US services by SIA, three routes will share the distinction of being the longest in terms of duration - Dubai-Houston, Dubai-Los Angeles and Johannesburg-Atlanta - at 16 hours and 20 minutes, the centre said.
In terms of distance, a Qantas flight from Sydney to Dallas will be the longest, but tailwinds enable it to be completed in 15 hours and 20 minutes, it added.

Singapore Airlines announced it will end its non-stop flight between Singapore and Newark last year.
In a statement in October 2012 announcing the shift in its US services, SIA said it was disappointed that it was cancelling the direct flights to Los Angeles and New York but remained committed to the US market.

It now serves New York with a stop in Frankfurt.
A spokesman for Airbus said it was in negotiations "with a number of potential new operators" for the five A340-500 aircraft previously flown by SIA.

Qantas to have the world's longest flight route

Source : www.news.com.au

Digital billboard tells viewers flight info of incoming planes

Want to know where that British Airways flight is coming from? A digital billboard now tells you. — AFP picLONDON, Nov 26 — British Airways has created what they call a first in the British advertising industry with a new digital billboard that aims to give drivers a bad case of wanderlust.

 

 

Debuted on a billboard along a busy road in Chiswick, a suburb that lies between London and Heathrow airport, the interactive ad directs drivers’ gaze skyward as a child points to an overhead plane and the screen shows its flight information.

“Look, it’s flight BA475 from Barcelona,” it may read.

According to marketing website The Drum, the ad uses surveillance technology that tracks the aircraft to provide live flight information. The strategy by ad agency Ogilvy 12th Floor is an attempt to remind customers “how magical flying can be” by using the waddling image of a small child, says The Drum. The digital billboard is also headed to Piccadilly Circus. — AFP-Relaxnews

Source : Malay Mail Online

 

-

Top Jobs in Malaysia Then and Now (Nov 2013)

For those that want to pursue high paying jobs, Salary Explorer provided a list of the top paying jobs in Malaysia. The ranking is based on the average yearly salaries.

1. Pilot (Airlines/ Aviation/ Aerospace/ Defense) RM420,000
2. Strategy Director (Business Planning) RM360,000
3. Senior Accountant (Accounting and Finance) RM360,000
4. Materials Engineer (Engineering) RM336,000
5. Government Affairs Director (Government and Defence) RM324,000
6. Regional Director (Executive and Management) RM318,667
7. Chief Operating Officer (Executive and Management) RM302,800
8. Financial Director (Accounting and Finance) RM300,000
9. Regional Manager (Banking) RM294,000
10. Development Manager (I.T.) RM293,900

The list is mainly populated by high ranking executives and this can take years to reach once you enter the workforce, especially if you’ve just graduated from college. Even pilots who are just starting in their careers do not earn such high salaries. The RM35,000 cited by Salary Explorer is probably the salary of Captains that fly commercial planes and have probably been flying for more than five years.
The Sun also did a feature on the 10 popular graduate careers in Malaysia two years ago. Included in the list were:

• Network Engineers
• Sales Executives/ Marketing Executives
• Accountants
• Electrical Engineer/ Electronics Engineer
• HR Executive
• Software Engineer
• IT Consultants
• Telecommunication Engineers
• Corporate Bankers
• Petroleum Engineers

What is noticeably missing in the Sun’s list are pilots. Aside from the obvious reason that not everyone can be a pilot and that there are not a lot of jobs for pilots as compared to the much broader field of accounting, would-be pilots will have to spend anywhere from RM100,000 to RM200,000 to become a commercial pilot. Not a lot of people can afford to get the right training to become one. The list shows that a lot of people chose to become engineers in Malaysia, but if you look again at Salary Explorer’s list, you will see that their potential to earn is not that high, given how material engineers are the only ones in the engineering field who were able to get into the top 10 in terms of salary.

Comparing Salaries in Malaysia to the U.S.

Pilots and other executives get paid a lot in Malaysia but is this the same case with other countries? If we look at the top paying jobs in the U.S. from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics in 2010 that was published in 2012, we get a different picture. Here’s the top 10 paid jobs in the U.S. according to BLS data.

1. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons – $166,400 per year (RM529,734)
2. Physicians and Surgeons – $166,400 per year (RM529,734)
3. Orthodontists – $166,400 per year (RM529,734)
4. Chief Executives – $165,080 per year (RM525,532)
5. Dentists, All Other Specialists – $ 161,020 per year (RM512,607)
6. Dentists, General – $141,040 per year (RM449,000)
7. Judges, Magistrate Judges and Magistrates – $119,270 per year (RM379,457)
8. Architectural and Engineering Managers – $119,260 per year (RM379,664)
9. Prosthodontists – $118,400 per year (RM376,926)
10. Podiatrists – $118,030 per year (RM375,748)

Pilots are not even featured in the top 20 ranks for median salaries in the U.S. for that time period. What is clear from the data is that healthcare professionals, like doctors and dentists, are some of the highest paid professionals in the U.S., and that gives us a completely different picture from what we see in Malaysia where executives in a wide array of industries receive the highest pay. Healthcare in general has seen a privatisation in recent years in the U.S. which “Obamacare” is trying to reverse, (to a degree).

Source : www.businesstoday.net.my November 2013

Malaysia Heritage Walk : Central Market -Special Photo Exhibiton

From Nov 25, 2013 to Dec 8, 2013, Annexe Gallery of Central Market Annexe, there is a special photo exhibition present a stunning showcase of Central Market's glorious past and present. See how Central Market was transform from a wet market to a centre for culture, heritage, art and craft.

Central Market Kuala Lumpur celebrates its 125th anniversary.

Central Market KL, a popular location for incentive events was recently awarded a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence 2013.

The accolade, which honours hospitality excellence, is given only to establishments that have consistently achieved outstanding traveller reviews worldwide on the TripAdvisor website. Only the top-performing 10% listed on the website receive this prestigious award. To qualify for a Certificate of Excellence, businesses must maintain an overall rating of four or higher, five being the highest, for at least 12 months. Additional criteria include the number of reviews received in the same period.

Address :
Central Market Annexe, Lot 2.03, M Floor, Jalan Hang Kasturi, | Be Tourist Information & Service Centre, Kuala Lumpur 50050, Malaysia

In TripAdvisors, Central Market is ranked #1 of 106 attractions in Kuala Lumpur.

Photo source : The Star
Info source : The Star, Nov 25, 2013 & MyCEB website

Mediviron UOA targets Vietnam tourists

Dr Chen Tai Ho, Aesthetic Physician and Owner of Mediviron UOA Clinic inked partnership with Mr George Adams, Marketing Representative of Du lịch & Làm đẹp, witnessed by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in Malaysia, His Excellency Professor Nguyen Hong Thao

Mediviron UOA Clinic will be collaborating with George Adams of Du lich & Làm đẹp, a partnership of Nip and Tuck Solutions Company of Australia, to allow those seeking aesthetic treatments from Vietnam to have their procedure done at the former’s practice, in addition to enjoying a truly Malaysian holiday.

The partnership is set to bring in its first batch of aesthetic tourist starting early next year, in time for Visit Malaysia Year 2014. Vietnam is one of Malaysia’s top 15 tourist generating markets, with about 211,000 Vietnamese tourists visited Malaysia in 2012, thus the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two is timely.

“This  collaboration  marks  another  milestone  for  the  clinic  to  constantly  look  out  for  innovative ways to make aesthetic treatments accessible in the safest and highest quality of standard. We are also looking forward and anticipate to the opening of a new premier clinic next year as part of our business expansion plan,” says Dr Chen Tai Ho, Aesthetic Physician and Owner of Mediviron UOA Clinic, who is also one of the 40 accredited aesthetic doctors in Malaysia.

The exclusive partnership between Mediviron UOA Clinic and Du lịch & Làm đẹp was signed by Dr Chen  Tai  Ho,  Aesthetic  Physician  and  Owner  of  Mediviron  UOA  Clinic  and  George  Adams, Marketing  Representative  of  Du  lịch  &  Làm  đẹp.  The event was witnessed by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in Malaysia, His Excellency Professor Nguyen Hong Thao.

Privilege card for tourists

GEORGE TOWN: The Gurney Paragon Mall Tourist Privilege Card was recently launched to give tourists the opportunity to enjoy even more discounts and special deals at the mall.

Launched by the state's Tourism Development committee chairman Danny Law Heng Kiang, the programme currently has about 100 participating outlets.

Hunza Properties Bhd executive director Khor Siang Gin said this effort signified the mall's commitment towards promoting Penang as a key destination.

"Through this programme, tourists can benefit directly from the participating tenants," he said.

Law said: "I am pleased that Gurney Paragon has taken on this initiative to contribute to the tourism industry. We believe that a successful international tourist city depends on introducing new and exciting products, events and giving visitors an unforgettable experience."

In a press conference, Hunza Properties executive director Lily Tan said the programme was opened to all foreign tourists, as long as they showed their passports.

"Registration is free, and the card is renewable daily. So far, we have already given out 800 cards, and we hope to give out at least 1,000 cards each month. By Melissa Darlyne Chow

Khor Siang Gin (left) and Danny Law Heng Kiang showing the Tourist Privilege Card launched by Gurney Paragon Mall. Pic by Michael Ong

Source : New Straits Times, 25 Nov 2013

Villa Nabila Jadi Tumpuan, Vila 'puaka' bakal jadi tarikan pelancong?

Sebut tentang tarikan pelancong untuk tempat-tempat yang dikatakan 'berhantu', teringat saya kenangan semasa masuk Edinburgh Dungeon. Salah satu tarikan terbaik di Edinburgh yang lebih kepada pameran bercampur theater yang dilakonkan.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1U8aZFu1Ivw

Terbaru tiba-tiba Villa Nabila jadi sebutan gara-gara seorang budak yang kononnya hilang semasa jalan berkumpulan ke Villa Nabila.

David Teo juga dikatakan merancang untuk membuat filem Villa Nabila.

FAKTA : Villa Nabila

• Terletak di Jalan Skudai, berhadapan Teluk Danga / Danga Bay
• Terbahagi kepada 2 lot masing-masing seluas 0.297 dan 0.407 hektar
• Lot pertama menempatkan sebuat banglo setingkat
• Lot kedua menempatkan banglo tiga tingkat, kira-kira 15 meter daripada kediaman pertama.
• Dua bangunan tersebut tidak berpenghuni sejak lebih 30 tahun lalu.

Enam versi cerita berkaitan Villa Nabila

• Seorang gadis bernama Nabila yang kematian ibu bapanya, dibunuh orang gaji dan kemudian mayatnya disimen di dalam banglo berkenaan.
• Villa terbabit dirompak sekumpulan penjenayah kejam yang membunuh pemiliknya dan ahli keluarga yang lain termasuk anak perempuannya yang bernama Nabila.
• Villa terbabit dirompak sebelum penjenayah merogol anak pemilik villa, Nabila manakala mayatnya ditanam di sebalik dinding banglo terbabit.
• Pemilik banglo itu mengalami gangguan mental sebelum mengamuk dan menembak mati semua penghuni kediaman berkenaan termasuk anak perempuannya, Nabila.
• Villa dikenali sebagai Christine Palace milik seorang ahli perniagaan Eropah yang dibunuh pembunuh upahan yang diupak oleh adik beradiknya kerana merebut harta awal 1920-an.
• Villa tidak berpenghuni sejak lebih 30 tahun.

Sumber : Berita Harian, 21 Nov 2013

AirAsia X to fly to Nagoya from March

All smiles: Azran (second from right) launching the Kuala Lumpur–Nagoya route. Looking on are governor of Aichi prefecture Hideaki Ohmura (third from left) and Central Japan International Airport president and chief executive officer Hiroshi Kawakami.

 

 

KUALA LUMPUR: AirAsia X will be flying to Nagoya early next year after its successful operations to Tokyo and Osaka in Japan.

The low-cost carrier would commence flights to Chubu Centrair International Airport from Kuala Lumpur beginning March 17, it said in a press statement yesterday.
In conjunction with the launch, it is offering all-in one-way deals from as low as RM199 on economy class and RM699 on premium category to Nagoya, located just 50 minutes from Osaka and one hour and 40 minutes from Tokyo via train.

Bookings are available online from today to Nov 24, for travel between March 17 and Aug 5.
There would be four flights weekly into Nagoya, the statement said.
AirAsia X currently operates daily flights to Tokyo (Haneda) and four flights weekly to Osaka (Kansai) from Kuala Lumpur.

Nagoya is the birth place of the Toyota car and the three samurai warriors who unified Japan in the 16th century. It is also home to one of the most venerable shrines in Japan – the Atsuta Shrine – and the restored Nagoya castle that was burnt during World War II.

AirAsia X chief executive officer Azran Osm­an-Rani said the carrier had flown half a million passengers to and from Japan, adding that the Land of the Rising Sun contributed over 14% of its total revenue in the first half of the year.

“Guests will also be able to fly to a host of destinations from Kuala Lumpur using AirAsia’s Fly-Thru service, which allows guests to connect between two different flights via the Kuala Lumpur Low Cost Carrier Terminal without having to check in twice,” he said.

Fly-Thru routes available from Nagoya are Adelaide, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney in Australia; Bali, Bandung, Jakarta, Medan and Surabaya in Indonesia; Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, Langkawi and Penang in Malaysia; Bangkok and Phuket in Thailand; Taipei in Taiwan; Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam; Kochi in India and Singapore.

Source : The Star Online, 19 Nov 2013

[ALERT] Semporna kidnap: Taiwan issues travel alert on eastern Sabah

TAIPEI: Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued an "orange" travel alert for the eastern coast of Sabah after a Taiwanese man was shot dead and his wife abducted on a resort island there.
The ministry urged the public to avoid travelling to the area unless necessary, the Focus Taiwan website reported.

Under the ministry's four-colour-coded travel advisory system, the "orange" alert is the second highest level.
The 57-year-old Hsu Li-min was shot dead Friday by gunmen while the whereabouts of 58-year-old Chang An-wei was still unclear after she was abducted.
The motive for the shooting and abduction was unclear.
Officials of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Malaysia arrived in Sabah Friday evening to help with the investigations.

Source : The Star Online, 16 Nov 2013

UNWTO calls for support to the Philippines -Haiyan Typhoon

UNWTO is deeply saddened by the devastating impact of typhoon Haiyan which hit an important part of the Visayas region in the Philippines. On behalf of the international tourism community, UNWTO conveys its heartfelt sympathy to the families of the victims and to the Government of the Philippines.

“Our thoughts at this difficult moment are with the families and friends of the victims and all those suffering in this tragic moment” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai. “UNWTO is confident that despite this tragic occurrence, the tourism sector in the Philippines will continue to strive and make a key contribution to the development of the country”, he added.

UNWTO has transmitted the Organization’s readiness to support the Philippines in any tourism-related recovery programme to be designed for the affected areas and is calling on the tourism industry and tourists to support the Philippines by donating their contributions to the on-going relief efforts of the various UN agencies operating on the ground.

“We call upon all tourism companies, associations and tourists from all around the world to contribute to the UN efforts being deployed to support the Philippines and show the solidarity of the sector with the people of the Philippines in this difficult moment”, Mr Rifai added.

Source : UNWTO

AirAsia co-founders to take more control of budget carrier to cut costs

The logo of Malaysia's low-cost airline AirAsia Berhad is pictured on a structure as its staff undergo training at its academy in Sepang outside Kuala Lumpur September 13, 2013.

CREDIT: REUTERS/BAZUKI MUHAMMAD

 

 

 

 

(Reuters) - The co-founders of Malaysia's AirAsia Bhd (AIRA.KL) said on Wednesday they will take more control of running Asia's largest budget carrier by passenger volume and push on with cutting costs that have been a drag on profit.

Tony Fernandes and Kamarudin Meranun, who started up AirAsia in 1993, had shifted their base to Indonesia and set up a regional office to focus on spearheading the company's expansion in Southeast Asia and further afield.

They will mow move the regional office and merge its functions with Kuala Lumpur-listed AirAsia's head office to "simplify operations" in a company where net profit has tumbled 62 percent in the second quarter ended June.

"Kamarudin and I will be more involved in the operations of AirAsia Bhd as we continue our growth in the region and we will continue to focus on reducing costs," Fernandes said in a company statement.

"AirAsia has been on a cost-reduction drive, which has seen good success in the third quarter and will continue in the fourth quarter," he added.

AirAsia will report third quarter earnings on the week of Nov 18.

NEW ROLES

Fernandes will be re-designated as AirAsia Group CEO and will be tasked with driving brand value, cutting costs and driving efficiencies of AirAsia and its affiliates in Thailand,Indonesia, Philippines and soon to be India.

Kamarudin will take on the role as executive chairman and engage with the government and aviation regulators in Malaysia, the company said in the statement.

This includes working with Malaysia Airports Bhd (MAHB.KL), which has been tasked with setting up a new terminal for low-cost airlines that has been delayed four times since work began in 2010 and costs have risen to 4 billion ringgit ($1.26 billion) from 3.1 billion ringgit.

Set to be the world's largest terminal for budget carriers, Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA2) plans to serve 45 million passengers a year.

"Low-cost always wins and one of the most important parts of my new role will be to reduce costs at airports and to emphasize to the government that any cost increases will be detrimental to the Malaysian economy," Kamarudin said.

Current AirAsia CEO Aireen Omar will report to Kamarudin on regulatory and stakeholder management and to Fernandes on operational performance matters, the statement said.

AirAsia shares ended up 0.4 percent, outperforming the broader market .KLSE that slipped 0.2 percent.

($1 = 3.1740 Malaysian ringgit)

(Reporting by Niluksi Koswanage; editing by David Evans)

Source : Reuters

Malaysians are avid travellers

by chester chin

A trained guide conducting a briefing on the history of Penang in English to locals and tourists. – Filepic

 

A recent survey conducted by MasterCard revealed some Malaysians’ preferences and habits when it comes to travelling.

MALAYSIANS have an insatiable thirst for travelling and strong statistics proved just that. According to the MasterCard Consumer Purchasing Priorities survey which was released recently, leisure travel remains a steady sector in the local market.

This is evident through the thriving travel behaviour showcased by fellow Malaysians. More than nine in 10 of the participants surveyed were found to have undertaken domestic travel while two-thirds opted for an international holiday destination in the past year.

“This is an exciting time for travel in Malaysia with consumers showing keen interest and looking to spend leisure time both domestically and internationally,” said Safdar Khan, MasterCard Worldwide’s country head for Malaysia and Brunei.

The outlook for future travels among Malaysians shows a positive trend. Nearly half of those surveyed expressed great interest to travel more, with 47% intending to travel more to international destinations while 50% wish to do so within domestic destinations.

The findings here will no doubt lead to a positive economic growth for the country, which marks Visit Malaysia Year 2014.

“On a local level, this will enhance interest in tourism offerings and help boost tourism spend, ultimately contributing to the country’s economic vitality,” Safdar said.

“With the increased demand, the travel sector is set for further dynamic growth and to be a key focus area,” he added.

Among the top three local destinations that Malaysians plan to visit in the next three months are Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, followed by Malacca and George Town, Penang.

The capital state of Sabah is a growing resort destination thanks to its close proximity to lush rainforests as well as enchanting tropical islands. And for the more adventurous at heart, Mount Kinabalu – the highest peak in the Malay Archipelago – is a hiking heaven thanks to its rich flora and fauna.

As for Malacca and Penang, both states have exuberant cultural and historical trails that are perfect for family getaways. They’re also well-known as a local food mecca.
On the other hand, regional destinations are popular among Malaysian overseas travellers, with the top three choices being Singapore, followed by Australia and Japan.

Apart from that, the survey also revealed some pretty interesting highlights about Malaysian travel preferences and habits.

For instance, online platforms come first when sourcing for the best travel deals. A majority of Malaysians prefer to look up for information on airline websites first. Next are online travel guides and travel agents.

Malaysians can’t get enough of shopping and they’re even doing it at airports. Over nine in 10 of those surveyed indulge in the activity in between travel, splurging on edible items, books, magazines, cosmetics and fragrances.

When it comes to travelling expenditure, though, transport and accommodation take up the biggest chunk of Malaysians’ holiday budget. For overseas travel, in particular, the preferred mode of payment is via credit card. In terms of transportation, budget carriers are the preferred choice.

And when Malaysians get to their holiday destination, rest and relaxation as well as shopping rank as the most popular activities.

The MasterCard Consumer Purchasing Priorities survey is released twice a year and provides valuable insights into consumer outlook on spending priorities in the categories of travel, dining and entertainment, education, money management and luxury shopping.

Source: The Star 28th Oct 2013

Huge opportunities for British retailers

Mirza and Collingridge exchanging tokens of appreciation at the launch of the seminar.

            

THE growth of the retail industry in recent years, in terms of tourist expenditure in Malaysia, has prompted Tourism Malaysia to encourage British retailers to set up their businesses here.
In collaboration with United Kingdom Trade and Investment (UKTI), Tourism Malaysia hosted a seminar at the Petroleum Club, Petronas Tower Two yesterday to talk about business opportunities in Malaysia for retailers.
Tourism Malaysia director-general Datuk Mirza Mohammad Taiyab officially launched the full-day seminar.

Also present to moderate one of the panel discussions was UKTI director Tony Collingridge.
“Last year, Malaysia’s retail industry grew by 5.5% with RM87.8bil in sales turnover, with tourist expenditure amounting to RM19bil of this total,” said Mirza in his speech.
“With Visit Malaysia Year 2014 fast approaching, this is a great window of opportunity to welcome more British businesses to establish themselves in the Malaysian retail industry.”

Mirza said statistics showed that shopping is a lucrative sector of Malaysia’s tourism industry, holding the second biggest share of tourist expenditure after accommodation.
The RM19bil spent by tourists on shopping last year is a growth of 5.7% from 2011, constituting about 30.7% of all tourist receipts amounting to RM60.6bil.

“Our target is to attract 36 million tourists and RM168bil worth of receipts by the year 2020, and this can be a huge market for brands who base their operations in Malaysia,” Mirza added.
Shopping Malaysia Secretariat head Ramzi Abu Yazid, who was one of the speakers at the seminar, said there was an influx of tourists to the Asia Pacific region in recent years, particularly from mainland China.

Ramzi also said an international survey had placed three Malaysian shopping complexes — 1Utama, Mid Valley Megamall and Sunway Pyramid – among the top ten largest shopping complexes in the world, measured by gross leasable area.

He said an article by CNN Travel in September 2013, had ranked Kuala Lumpur as the fourth best shopping city in the world after New York, Tokyo and London.

He said the article partially attributes this to the three major sales seasons in Malaysia — the 1Malaysia GP Sale in March, the 1Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival in July and August, and the 1Malaysia Year-End Sale in November and December.

The seminar was attended by both British retail industry members and local retailers, who said the seminar provided an excellent opportunity for networking.

Source: The Star 13th Nov 2013

RM5.5bil spent during Mega Sale Carnival 2013

Shopping malls in Malaysia saw higher visitor numbers during the 1Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival 2013.- Photo source : The Star

The number of transactions by MasterCard cardholders, both locals and foreign, reached 19 million, amounting to RM5.5bil of spending during the recently concluded 1Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival (1MMSC) 2013.
 

Over the same period last year, there has been an increase in transactions to 19.4 million compared to the previous year’s number of 18.9 million. Total spending also saw an increase to RM5.5bil from RM5.4 bil previously, demonstrating Malaysia’s growing popularity as an international tourist destination.

Malaysian MasterCard cardholder transactions remained high, with transactions alone reaching 18 million , contributing towards total spending of about RM5bil.

“The continuous participation of both overseas and local MasterCard cardholders in the 1Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival holds a positive indication for Malaysia. We are pleased to know that Malaysia is still growing in stature as a popular tourist destination for shopping and is inclining with The Tourism and Culture Ministry and Tourism Malaysia towards increasing national and international events to boost tourist arrivals. MasterCard will continue to collaborate with Tourism Malaysia to explore new ways in creating new programs that will benefit both foreign and local MasterCard cardholders. With the continuous support demonstrated for 1MMSC, we hope to provide more exciting privileges to our loyal MasterCard cardholders in the coming years,” said Safdar Khan, country head, Malaysia and Brunei, MasterCard Worldwide.

As MasterCard was the official card of 1MMSC for the 13th year running, MasterCard cardholders were also rewarded with daily mall redemptions from more than 10 participating malls nationwide, various vouchers and a grand holiday getaway throughout the 1MMSC period.
The three grand prize winners each received a weeklong vacation for two at three different luxury resorts and hotels throughout Malaysia, valued at more than RM70,000. Similarly, nine weekly winners each received a two-night trip to Langkawi for two adults.

Source : The Star 13 November 2013

Malaysia's Best Travel Blog 2013

I would share some of the the Best Travel Blog in Malaysia. Saya berangan-angan menang satu award.. haha..

 

Best Tourism Cultural Blog

www.masmz.blogspot.com

Masnona Binti Abdul Aziz

Best Tourism Entertainment Blog

www.malaysianreggaecommunity.blogspot.com
Mohd Fauzi Bin Ahmad

 

Best Tourism Lifestyle Blog

www.emilayusof.com
Nor Emila Binti Mohd Yusof

Best Tourism Shopping Blog
www.placesandfoods.com
Ng Chun Keat, Wilson

 

Best Tourism Photography / Art Blog

www.blueewoke09.blogspot.com
Nazirah Bt. Mat Ali

Best Tourism Travel Blog

www.wretch.cc/blog/squallczk new blog : www.squallcuisine.com -
Squall Chin Ze Kheng

Best Tourism Destination Blog
www.biqque.blogspot.com
Marina Binti Ibrahim 

 

Best Tourism Fashion Blog
www.fidajacob.blogspot.com
Noor Rafidah Jacob

 

 

Best Tourism Healthcare Blog

www.medicaltourismselangor.com
David Hogan Shaidali Jr. 

 

Best Tourism Micro Blogger of the Year

www.lilyrianitravelholic.blogspot.com
Globetrotter. Addiction of a Travelholic 

 

Best Social Media Tourism Blog of the Year

www.seduniatravel.com/blog
Sedunia Travel Services

 

Best Fabulous Foof 1Malaysia Blog

www.johorkaki.blogspot.sg
Tony Johor Kaki

Best Eco Tourism Blog

www.janggeltrekking2.blogspot.com
Mohd Shahrin Mudzarap @ Mansor

Best Expat MM2H Blog

www.docgelo.com
Dr. Angelo Nino M.Santos

 

Best Homestay Blog

www.terataihomestay.blogspot.com
Ong Eng Boon

 

Best Tourism Blog of the Year

www.kakiberangan.blogspot.com
Mohd Helmi Md Yusof

  

Rujukan : Malaysia International Tourism Bloggers Conference & Awards 2013 http://mitbca.com/winner.php