Latest News about Malaysia for Travelers -1

• Malaysians can visit and remain in Britain for up to six months
• Malaysian Govt Eases Requirements For MM2H
• Jimmy Choo floored by Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes
• Medical tourism to remain robust
• Malaysia agrees to 'twilight' race 5pm start
• Star Cruises closes UK representation office
• Retailer creates 1,200 new jobs
• Malaysia Takes Delivery Of First Submarine
• New rules could hit car dealers
• Airlines brace for another difficult year
• Asian Tourism Set For Rocky Ride In 2009
• LCCT in Labu part of Sime's Negri vision
• Obama Is Sworn In as the 44th President
• 2 Million People On The Mall As Inauguration Nears
• Malaysia's 2008 arrivals exceed target
• Air Asia New Baggage Policy
• Perak Tong Cave Temple, Perak, Closed Indefinitely
• Upgrading work at KL Sentral to begin soon
• Malaysia Voted Number 1 for 2008
• Sime Darby gets OK for Labu LCCT plan

Malaysians can visit and remain in Britain for up to six months

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has retained its visa-free status with Britain. This means that Malaysians can visit and remain in Britain without a visa for up to six months. The decision was announced in the House of Commons by British Home Secretary Jacqui Smith late yesterday (11.30pm Malaysian time). British High Commissioner Boyd McCleary briefed Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim on his government's decision yesterday.

"I am pleased with this result. It reflects the hard work that both we and the Malaysian Government have put into this issue over the last few months, "McCleary said. A senior Wisma Putra official, when contacted, said Malaysia welcomed the decision and the challenge would be to further reduce the number of Malaysians who overstayed or worked illegally in Britain. Malaysia was in a group of 11 non-European countries whose visa-exempt status was reviewed by Britain from mid-2008. Nationals from these countries were said to pose a risk of illegal immigration, crime and security, and all 11 countries were given a six-month mitigation period to significantly reduce the risks.

Britain had given Malaysia until December to prevent illegal immigration and improve passport security, crime and anti-terrorism measures and cooperate in deporting Malaysians who overstayed. Among the remedial measures taken by Malaysia was improved security at the KL International Airport to ensure that only genuine travellers flew into Britain, a move which was welcomed by the UK Border Agency, a shadow agency of the British Home Office.

Visa-free access for visitors for up to six months will also remain for Botswana, Brazil, Mauritius, Namibia and Trinidad and Tobago. The countries which failed Britain's visa-waiver test were Bolivia, Lesotho, South Africa, Swaziland and Venezuela.

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Malaysian Govt Eases Requirements For MM2H

SAPPORO (Japan) The Malaysian government is set to ease the requirement for participating in the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme to boost the country's property sales and the programme's participations. The proposed relaxation, among other things, includes abolishing the requirement to disclose the source of participants' income.

Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said that the proposed relaxation had been discussed at the Special Cabinet Committee on Tourism and submitted to the cabinet for consideration. Following that, she said, the cabinet requested the Tourism Ministry to find the mechanism for its implementation. "We received feedback that most of the participants feel insulted when they were asked to reveal their income. "We were informed that other countries do not practise such ruling," she told a news conference at Doshin Hall here. Earlier, Azalina delivered a speech to more than 1,000 people attending the Malaysia Longstay Seminar organised by the Tourism Malaysia in collaboration with Hokkaido Shimbun.

"Among matters that will be scrapped is the requirement to reveal the participants' source of income. It's a sensitive and personal matter," Azalina said. Azalina said from 2002 until 2008, there were 12,566 foreigners who had participated in the MM2H programme, with the Japanese ranking the second biggest with 921 participants. She said the strict immigration ruling would also be eased to allow participants and their spouses with special skills to work on part-time basis. "These are hindrances that discourage foreigners from participating in the programme," she said. She said changes would also be made to the requirements including permitting foreigners married to Malaysians to join the programme.

Currently, foreigners under that category were barred from the programme. Another change was the setting up of a one-stop centre to promote, process and to take charge of all matters pertaining to the MM2H programme, she said. "The ministry received complaints that agents abused their powers by charging participants high processing fees. Participants are exempted from paying the fees at the ministry's one-stop centre," she said.

Jimmy Choo floored by Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes

Tom CruiseLondon, Jan 30 (IANS) Well-known shoe designer Jimmy Choo's clientele includes US First Lady Michelle Obama, but he says his favourite is Hollywood couple Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. Choo said he was proud that Michelle Obama wore a pair of Jimmy Choo shoes to the inaugural ball earlier this month, but admitted, "Katie and Tom are my favourite customers as they will take the trouble to drop me a thank you note after visiting me to order a pair of shoes."

"I really appreciate that as they are so rich and famous, but yet remain humble and friendly," he said, reports telegraph.co.uk. Choo is now planning to open a network of shoe academies worldwide, with the first to open in Malaysia, his home country. "It has to be well-planned and reputable. Once it is established, the academy can be licensed all over the world on the Jimmy Choo label," Choo said during a visit to Malaysia.

Medical tourism to remain robust

MEDICAL tourism will remain robust and resilient despite the economic slowdown, says OSK Research. The majority of medical tourists to Malaysia seek curative medical treatment instead of aesthetic purposes, it said in its research note. "Based on this fact, we believe demand for medical tourism in Malaysia will remain resilient as patients with a medical condition will seek treatment regardless of whether there is a recession or not, although those considering treatment for aesthetic reasons may defer their decision," it said.

OSK Research said Malaysia could gain from the slowdown given the competitive advantage over the main competitors, namely Singapore and Thailand. Since Indonesians formed the biggest number of medical tourists to Singapore and Malaysia, the slowdown might result in some Indonesian patients seeking treatment in Malaysia than in Singapore due to the cheaper cost. "We believe Malaysia will always have a price advantage over Singapore unless Singaporean players adjust their pricing drastically, which we believe is highly unlikely, due to the higher labour and operating costs," it said.

Lower treatment costs in Malaysia will prompt more Malaysians and Singaporeans, who used to seek treatment in the republic, to turn to Malaysia, it said. Despite being a major player in medical tourism, Thailand's political turmoil has resulted in a significant drop in the number of tourists and medical tourist arrivals in the country, particularly after the shutdown of the two main airports in Bangkok last year, it said. "Our discussions with the major players in Bangkok indicate that they have not seen any sign of recovery in the sector as a large number of its foreign markets such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Australia are still warning their citizens against travelling to Thailand due to high political risk," OSK Research said. - Bernama

Malaysia agrees to 'twilight' race 5pm start

Jan.28 (GMM) Like Australia, fellow faraway formula one race host Malaysia will also stage a 'twilight' grand prix beginning in 2009, it has emerged. Instead of agreeing to install expensive floodlighting and run a Singapore-like night race, organisers of the Australian grand prix in melbourne last year negotiated to postpone the race start-time to 5pm beginning in 2009.

"Obviously, the later it is the better. I suppose it is easier getting up in Europe at 6am than 3am," a half-satisfied F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone said last year. Also to benefit European television viewers, it appears Malaysia has also agreed to the 'twilight' scheme, as the FIA on Tuesday confirmed the 5pm race start-time for both opening rounds of the 2009 championship. Ecclestone's Formula One Administration, meanwhile, confirmed that qualifying in Melbourne and Sepang will also take place at 5pm local time.

Star Cruises closes UK representation office

Star Cruises has closed its UK representation office with the loss of three staff. Michael Dupont, assistant vice president of sales for Europe, is among the three redunandancies. He has led the Star Cruises sales and marketing function in Europe for more than 12 years, driving the brand into new international markets, including the first Star Cruises ship to be based outside Australasia in summer 2006 when the cruise line offered Malta-based Mediterranean cruises. Prior to this, Dupont worked for Royal Caribbean.

Star Cruises says it will continue to offer its Singapore-based ship the SuperStar Virgo for sale through travel agents in the UK and Ireland. Information on rates, product and sales support will be offered from the cruise line's Asia-based offices. Star Cruises' parent company Malaysia-owned Genting Group owns half of Norwegian Cruise Line. Agents selling Star Cruises should redirect any queries to reservations@starcruises.com or for product support contact Joyce Toh on cctoh@starcruises.com, or for sales and marketing, Braydon Holland on bholland@starcruises.com.

Retailer creates 1,200 new jobs

KUALA LUMPUR: At a time when companies are shutting down and retrenching workers, Mydin Muhamed Holdings Bhd is hiring. Mydin is actively looking for 1,200 workers for its new hypermarkets in Malacca and Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, which are due to open in April and June.

It is in the mood for expansion because it believes that during an economic downturn, people will tend to shop at cheaper retail outlets. "We are creating employment, which will help the economy during these trying times," said managing director Datuk Ameer Ali Mydin. The Government should help the retail sector to open more outlets by getting banks to extend more financing, he added. Mydin has no intention of letting go staff, including its foreign workers as it believes it can ride out the economic crisis. It currently has 5,000 workers, 20% of whom are foreigners. "We should not just throw away our workers when we are facing trying times because they have families, too. Doing that would be very unethical," Ameer said.

Malaysia Takes Delivery Of First Submarine

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has taken delivery of its first submarine as part of a plan to establish a fleet of the vessels, according to the French company that built it. The Royal Malaysian Navy received the Scorpene submarine in the French port of Toulon and a second is scheduled for delivery in late 2009, French contractor DCNS said in a statement late Tuesday.

It said the sub had completed its final sea trials in December, including the successful firing of torpedoes and missiles. The sub's delivery again raised opposition claims that a RM540 million commission was paid to a close associate of deputy premier Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in brokering the deal. The deputy premier, who is slotted to take over as prime minister when Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi steps down in March, has denied any improper involvement in the deal when he was defence minister. But senior opposition leader Lim Kit Siang called on Malaysia's new anti-corruption commission to investigate the allegation. (AFP)

New rules could hit car dealers

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 24 - The controversial import-licensing system for luxury cars is undergoing a major shake-out that threatens to put several dozen car dealers out of business. The turmoil in the sector, which is worth several hundred million ringgit annually, is a result of new rules the government imposed this month to plug loopholes in the licensing system called Approved Permits, or APs.

The rules came about after a yet-to-be published government audit exposed serious irregularities. The audit looked into the business practices of a small clique of well-connected Malay businessmen who received their AP allocations each year. The audit revealed that a large number of the businessmen were hawking their import permits to mainly ethnic Chinese car dealers who dominate the country's luxury vehicle dealerships, documents reviewed by The Straits Times show. The government audit also revealed that many of the companies involved in the AP business were poorly managed, lacked adequate funding and in some extreme cases even forged government documents when importing luxury cars.

It was not clear whether action will be taken against them. To stem the abuses, the government has temporarily ceased the issue of new APs, ordered the AP companies to beef-up their financial position and banned the trading of these permits to car dealers. The last measure, industry executives say, could force many Chinese car dealerships out of business. Several Chinese-owned car dealers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that the new rules have disrupted imports and their purchases of APs from Malay businessmen are being questioned by the authorities. "Car sales are already down because of the economic crisis and the new rules only make doing this business tougher," said one owner of a luxury car dealership in Petaling Jaya. "We bear the financial risk in this business by importing the cars. But if we are also going to be investigated for using APs then there is no point staying in the trade," griped another car dealer in KL.

All cars not assembled in Malaysia must have an AP, which are issued for free by the government to a small band of Malay licensees. The models include limited editions of Mazdas and Toyotas, along with the Porsches and Ferraris. Typically, the APs are then sold to car distributors for prices ranging from RM10,000 to as much as RM40,000 each. These costs, including taxes imposed by the government, are then passed on to consumers who generally pay some of the highest prices for cars in the region. The AP system for imported vehicles began in the mid-1970s to encourage ethnic Malay businessmen to venture into car distribution, which was dominated by foreigners and ethnic Chinese.

When the government began national car production through Proton, the AP scheme was adapted to protect the domestic car market. The system later morphed into a symbiotic relationship between the Malay AP beneficiaries and Chinese motor dealers. Despite the glaring abuses to the scheme, the government is reluctant to scrap the policy which foreign car companies have long maintained is a trade barrier that violates the spirit of the Asean Free Trade Area. International Trade and Industry Tan Sri Minister Muhyiddin Yassin told reporters recently that the government, which had originally promised to scrap the AP system by next year, had decided to extend the licensing arrangement. He did not detail reasons for the extension, but industry executives say that it is because of the strong lobby from the policy's beneficiaries, who count among them powerful interests from Umno. - Straits Times

Airlines brace for another difficult year

KUALA LUMPUR - The Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) has released preliminary traffic figures for the full year 2008. AAPA member airlines carried 141.5 million international passengers in 2008, 1.8 percent fewer than the record levels achieved in 2007. Capacity growth for the year was 1.7 percent, whilst the average passenger load factor fell two percentage points to 75 percent.

"In what proved to be a particularly challenging year, airlines were battered by skyrocketing oil prices followed by rapidly weakening demand as the effects of the global economic downturn ricocheted around the world. AAPA passenger traffic held up reasonably well for the first nine months of the year, before growth tapered off. For the fourth quarter of 2008, AAPA international passenger numbers were down seven percent the previous year," Andrew Herdman, AAPA director general, said. "With no sign of any respite amidst the global economic downturn, Asia-Pacific airlines are braced for another extremely difficult year ahead".

Asian Tourism Set For Rocky Ride In 2009

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Across Asia -- hotels, airlines and tourism operators are bracing for another tough year as the financial crisis keeps long haul visitors at home, and regional travellers tighten purse-strings with shorter, budget trips. "There'll definitely be a drop in business, fewer tourists is a reality," said Laurence Lai, the owner of two photo galleries at Hong Kong tourist hotspots, including the Star Ferry pier, selling iconic images of the former British colony.

"I expect a 30 percent fall at least. I'm having to shift my strategies to confront this financial tsunami, but you just have to stand firm and face the winds," added Lai, who relies on tourists for half of his sales. Asia's blend of diverse cultures, geography, bargains and exoticism, with travel gems ranging from snowy Himalayan kingdoms to neon-lit capitals, crumbling Khmer ruins and powdery beaches -- have made it one of the world's fastest growing tourism regions in recent years, along with the Middle East. But since the downturn intensified last year, travel markets spanning Hong Kong, Thailand and India have suffered sharp contractions, at times worsened by political turmoil, with many projecting negative growth in 2009. Hong Kong, now one of Asia's top tourist hubs with 29.5 million visitors last year, is predicting visitor arrivals to dip 1.6 percent in 2009, though a steeper drop of 9.2 percent is forecast for non-Chinese visitors.

Singapore's tourist arrivals, meanwhile, fell 2 percent last year with more gloom expected, while Thailand and Malaysia both expect 9 percent drops in visitors this year.

The U.N.'s World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has described the Asia-Pacific region's performance in 2008 as having "deteriorated most rapidly," compared with the Americas, the Middle East, Europe and Africa, with tourism demand expected to be impacted further in the short to medium term. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has warned global airlines face their worst business crisis in 50 years with carriers facing possible collapse, revenues tumbling and hundreds of thousands of jobs at risk. IATA'S director-general said in December some 300,000-400,000 jobs were at risk among some 32 million or so people now employed around the world in air transport, travel and tourism sectors.

Despite the extremely fragile situation, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) expects Asia, which lured around 280 million international arrivals in 2008, to bounce back and enjoy 4-5 percent average growth over the next three years. "We are extremely cautious in our optimism, but we still believe it'll be above the line over the next couple of years," said John Koldowski, director of the Strategic Intelligence Centre for PATA. But Koldowski said more budget-conscious travellers cutting back on lengths of stay and spending, could spell worse-than-expected pain for tourism-reliant businesses such as retailers, catering and hotels. Hotel occupancy rates in the Asia Pacific region fell to 66.7 percent last November, versus 76.4 percent for the same period a year before, according to STR Global.

"While we're saying the (arrivals) numbers may still show some growth, we're very conscious of the fact that people are changing their habits and you can't expect the same amount of revenue out there," he added. The UNWTO says it expects the decline in trip duration and spending to be "more pronounced" than the fall in arrivals. James Standen, an American tourist is an example of this. Snapping shots of Hong Kong's cityscape with his wife on Victoria Peak, he said the tanking U.S. economy hadn't put them off their 10-day trip to Asia, but they delayed coming till after the New Year to save on airfares. "The economy hasn't really bitten us ... but it cost about half as much by coming later".

Political instability and shifting government policies have also exacerbated the strain on the tourism sector in countries such as Sri Lanka, India, Thailand and Macau. The weeklong siege of Bangkok's airports tarnished Thailand's reputation as a tourist haven, and caused around a million foreign visitors to cancel or go elsewhere. Thailand's Central Bank recently forecast tourist arrivals could fall 9 percent this year to 12.8 million, the worst year since 2005 after the tsunami disaster. In India, 179 people, including scores of tourists, were killed in November's Mumbai attacks, when gunmen targeted luxury hotels and other popular tourist spots in India's financial capital. The gloom has since spread to places such as Goa, one of the country's top tourist draws where visitor arrivals fell 25 percent during the peak season, according to officials.

"We did see a slowdown in foreign tourist arrivals because of the economic slowdown and later, because of the Mumbai attacks, "Ralph DeSousa, who heads the travel and tourism association of Goa, told Reuters by phone. "When you go on a holiday, you want to be relaxed, and all these factors don't allow you to be that," he added. In the gambling mecca of Macau, whose remarkable casino boom has helped triple its annual arrivals over six years to just over 30 million last year, sudden visa curbs on Chinese visitors by Beijing's communist leaders last year have dampened growth.

"In 2009, if we can have the same number of 2008, or a little decrease or a little increase. I think we have achieved good results", said Joao Manuel Costa Antunes, the director of Macau's Tourist Office told reporters. Additional reporting by Shilpa Jamkhandikar in Mumbai and Fion Li in Macau; Editing by Megan Goldin.

LCCT in Labu part of Sime's Negri vision

THE new low-cost carrier terminal (LCCT) in Labu, Negri Sembilan, is crucial to the development of Sime Darby Bhd's (4197) Negri Sembilan Vision City to attract investment and facilitate economic development, says a senior official. He said the new LCCT, which would cost RM1.6 billion in construction alone, will promote economic activity, particularly in the construction industry, and create jobs.

"It will also bring infrastructure improvements to the surrounding areas, attract more tourists and the development of ancillary facilities such as cargo facilities and hotels", he told reporters at a briefing in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday. The Negri Sembilan Vision City development is the second part of a bigger national development project called Central Vision Valley (CVV), which spans 415,000 acres. The first part is known as the Selangor Vision City. "Sime Darby is the master planner for the CVV due to the fact that we are the biggest landowner in this area. Of the total 415,000 acres in the CVV, 80,000 acres belong to Sime Darby", the official said. The group expects to complete the development of the two vision cities by 2025.

"Being a massive development (CVV), we need to attract regional investors. The primary target is the Asean region with a population of 600 million, and the secondary target is the Asian market with a four billion population. "That's why the LCCT is an integral catalyst to the overall development because we've got to bring in all these visitors from all over the region, "he said. Where the catalyst for the Selangor Vision City is the Guthrie Corridor Expressway, the official said, the new LCCT will be Negri Sembilan Vision City's. The Negri Sembilan Vision City, covering 13,000 acres, comprises six property components. They are the Nilai high-tech park, the 500-acre Bandar Gemilang - an affordable housing township, a healthcare and wellness city, an educity, a sports city, the KLIA East@Labu and a tourism and entertainment area, which will be anchored by a waterfront resort development.

"Eventually, we hope to have a direct access road from the KL International Airport (KLIA) main terminal building to the KLIA East@Labu, a distance that is slightly longer to the existing LCCT. We also hope to be able to extend the express rail link (ERL) from KL Sentral to KLIA East@Labu. And there is a possibility of creating another KTM Komuter stop at the Sepang Circuit and onwards to KLIA East@Labu, " the official said.* "However, all these proposals are still at the conceptual stage," he added.

Obama Is Sworn In as the 44th President

President Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th President of the United States during a ceremony at the Capitol by Chief Justice John Roberts. Barack Hussein Obama became the 44th president of the United States on Tuesday before a massive crowd reveling in a moment of historical significance, and called on Americans to confront together an economic crisis that he said was caused by "our collective failure to make hard choices". Mr. Obama spoke just after noon to a sea of cheering people, appearing to number well over a million, who packed the National Mall from the Capitol to the Washington Monument and beyond. Four hours later, at the end of the parade route, he left his car and strolled with his wife along Pennsylvania Avenue on the final steps of a long march to the White House, holding hands and waving to cheering crowds.

In his inaugural address, Mr. Obama acknowledged the change his presidency represented, describing himself in his inaugural address as a "man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant". But although the crowd and the podium around him were full of elated African Americans, Mr. Obama, the first black to become president, did not dwell on that in his speech. He spoke for about 20 minutes, after taking the oath of office on the same Bible used by Abraham Lincoln at his first inaugural in 1861, emphasizing his determination to unite Americans in confronting both the economic challenges facing him and the continuing fight against terrorism.

The problems, he warned, "are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met." Later, during a luncheon with members of Congress, Mr. Obama urged lawmakers to come together "with a sense of purpose and civility and urgency." "It doesn't mean we're going to agree on everything," he told the lawmakers, who are already at work on major parts of his agenda. "And I assure you our administration will make mistakes"

The festive luncheon ended on a subdued note after Senator Edward M. Kennedy, who has brain cancer, was stricken with convulsions. Hours later, the chairman of neurosurgery at the Washington Hospital Center said Mr. Kennedy, the 76-year-old Massachusetts Democrat, had suffered a seizure from "simple fatigue," but was awake and "feeling well" and would be released in the morning. With his wife, Michelle, holding the Bible, Mr. Obama, the 47-year-old son of a white mother from Kansas and a black father from Africa, was sworn in by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr.a few minutes after noon, a little later than planned, and spoke immediately afterward.

Because the ceremony ran slightly long, Mr. Obama did not recite the oath of office until just after noon, the moment when he officially became president. And there was an awkward moment during the swearing-in when Justice Roberts and Mr. Obama, who is famed for his elocution, mixed up their words slightly. In his inaugural address, Mr. Obama promised to take "bold and swift" action to restore the economy by creating jobs through public works projects, improving education, promoting alternative energy and relying on new technology.

"Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America," Mr. Obama said. Hours later, the White House chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, signed a memorandum sent to agencies and departments to stop all pending regulations until a legal and policy review could be conducted by the Obama administration. Turning to foreign affairs, the new president made note the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the "far-reaching network of violence and hatred" that seek to harm the country. He used strong language in pledging to confront terrorism, nuclear proliferation and other threats from abroad, saying to the nation's enemies, "you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you".

But he also signaled a clean break from some of the Bush administration's policies on national security. "As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals," he said, adding that the United States is "ready to lead once more." The poet Elizabeth Alexander, in a speech following the swearing in, paid tribute to the contributions of working Americans and slaves. "Sing the names of the dead who brought us here, who laid the train tracks, raised the bridges, picked the cotton and the lettuce, built brick by brick the glittering edifices they would then keep clean and work inside of," she said. Former President Bill Clinton, making his way through the Capitol after the ceremony, called the speech thoughtful, weighty and well-delivered.

"It's obviously historic because President Obama is the first African American president, but it's more than that," Mr. Clinton said. "This is a time when we're clearly making a new beginning. It's a country of repeated second chances and new beginnings." In his speech, Mr. Obama acknowledged that some are skeptical of his ability to fulfill the hope that many have in his ability to move the nation in a new direction.

"What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply," said Mr. Obama, who in his campaign emphasized a commitment to reduce partisanship. "The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified".

After the speech, Mr. Obama escorted Mr. Bush to the East Front of the Capitol, where a helicopter was waiting to take the former president and his wife to Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington for a return trip to Texas. After seeing Mr. Bush off, Mr. Obama went back inside the Capitol to sign nomination papers for his cabinet choices and to attend a traditional luncheon in Statuary Hall, the original chamber of the House of Representatives. After lunch, the Senate got back to business, and by unanimous consent confirmed the appointments of seven cabinet secretaries: Steven Chu, secretary of energy; Arne Duncan, secretary of education; Janet Napolitano, for homeland security, Peter Orszag as director of the Office of Management and Budget; Ken Salazar as secretary of the interior; Eric K. Shinseki as secretary of veterans affairs; and Tom Vilsack as secretary of agriculture.

At the same time, Senate Republicans delayed the confirmation of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton as secretary of state for at least a day because of concerns about potential conflicts of interest posed by possible foreign donors to her husband's foundation. It was after 3:30 before Mr. Obama made his way down Pennsylvania Avenue to view the parade through sidewalks still packed with people, some of whom had been there for eight hours. At the peak of the celebration, at least a million people - it was impossible to count - packed the National Mall from the West Front of the Capitol to beyond the Washington Monument, buttoning up against the freezing chill but projecting a palpable sense of hope. It was the largest inaugural crowd in decades, perhaps the largest ever; the throng and the anticipation began building even before the sun rose.

As the crowds gathered, Mr. Obama and his wife who attended a church earlier in the day had coffee with President Bush and his wife, Laura, and then rode with them to Capitol Hill for the swearing in. Even before the sun rose or the mercury rose to the freezing point, people had streamed from all directions to the West Front of the Capitol, making their way on foot and by mass transit, since traffic was barred from a wide area around the grounds and the National Mall for security and to prevent gridlock.

Given the historic nature of Mr. Obama's election, black Americans appeared to be much more prevalent in the gathering crowd than at inaugurals of the recent past. The Obamas left Blair House at 8:47 a.m. for the short drive in their new presidential Cadillac limousine to St. John's Episcopal Church, just a few blocks away, for a prayer service. Mr. Obama wore a dark suit and red tie. Shortly before 10 a.m., the Obamas arrived at the White House, accompanied by Vice President-elect Joseph R. Biden and his wife, Jill. The Obamas were met at the door by the Bushes. The two men shook hands and with their wives posed for a picture before going inside for a traditional coffee and a final few moments for the Bushes in the home they have occupied the past eight years.

Mr. Bush and Mr. Obama left the White House at 10:47 and, pausing only momentarily for photographers, entered the limousine that would take them to the Capitol. They arrived there 10 minutes later. Inside the Capitol, staffers were scurrying about putting the final touches on the Inaugural Luncheon in Statuary Hall. The corridor leading to the House chamber had been transformed into staging grounds for the caterers, with huge serving tins of beets and green vegetables. Outside the House chamber, were dozens of cases of Korbel Champagne.

The tables were set with large centerpieces of red roses. And a lectern, fashioned from a brass statue of a bald eagle, was positioned behind the dais. Decorators were making final adjustments to the lighting of "View of Yosemite Valley" an 1885 painting by Thomas Hill that was positioned directly behind President Obama's seat at the center of the dais. "He is going to be counting on the American people to come together," Colin Powell, the former military leader and secretary of state, said in an appearance on MSNBC on Tuesday morning. "We all have to do something to help the country move forward under the leadership of this new president".

As a black American who grew up in a segregated nation, Mr. Powell said the inauguration was looming as a powerful and emotional moment for African Americans. "You almost start tearing up," he said. Mr. Obama's assumption of the presidency caps a remarkable rise for a man first elected to national office in 2004, winning a Senate seat in a year when he also delivered the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in Boston. After a big Democratic field narrowed to just two, he defeated Senator Clinton of New York in a pitched presidential primary battle and then beat Senator John McCain of Arizona in a general election conducted against the backdrop of a national economic collapse.

Though Mr. Obama did not emphasize his African American heritage as a candidate, the symbolism was evident and was reinforced by the fact that the swearing in was taking place the day following the national holiday to mark the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King. He will take office less than a month before the bicentennial of the birth of Abraham Lincoln, another Illinoisan who took the office at a time of national turmoil and a man whom Mr. Obama clearly looks to as an inspiration for his own presidency.

"Today is about validation of the dream Dr. King enunciated 45 years ago on the steps on the Lincoln Memorial," said Representative James Clyburn of South Carolina, the No. 3 Democrat in the House and the highest ranking black congressman.

2 Million People On The Mall As Inauguration Nears

President-elect Barack Obama left a prayer service at St. John's Episcopal Church on Tuesday morning and headed to the Capitol where hundreds of thousands await Obama's inauguration. Tens of thousands of people had gathered on the National Mall by 7:15 a.m. Tuesday. The 9 a.m. service kicked off a day of events for the man who will soon become the nation's 44th president at noon ET.

As many as 2 million people are expected to crowd into the area between the Capitol, the White House and the Lincoln Memorial as Obama takes the oath of office. Some will be more than a mile from the swearing-in ceremony, watching on giant TV screens erected along the National Mall. Thousands arrived before daylight Tuesday in standing-room-only trains. They carried blankets and wore Obama scarves to ward off the wind chills of minus 15 degrees Fahrenheit.

Suburban Washington train stations were jammed. A four-story parking deck at the Springfield, Virginia, station was filled at 5 a.m. Trains rolling into the stop about 15 miles south of the Capitol had no room for the hundreds on the platform. But just being among the crowd is good enough for many. Gerrard Coles of Norwalk, Connecticut, had staked out a position in front of the church. "Everyone's down here - hopefully to catch a glimpse of Barack, just for a split second," he said. "I think this was a beautiful thing. It's something I always wanted to do. It's not every day that you get to be a part of history. Rather than just watch it on TV, you actually get to partake in it and you have a story to tell your kids".

A crowd gathered at a barricade near the church was letting children and shorter onlookers move to the front of the crowd so they could get a better view. Visitors wandered around the Mall on Monday night, snapping pictures and shooting video of the Capitol and monuments. The scene around Lafayette Square was almost chaotic, with cars turning around in the street as they were confronted with barriers to closed-off areas and clots of pedestrians crossing streets against the light. The visitors' excitement rubbed off on some of the jaded locals, one of whom said D.C. residents were "cynical of government."

"The energy on the streets is something I've never seen before," said Nancy Wigal, a 45-year-old technical writer who lives in the Mount Vernon Square area. "People are walking lighter, standing taller and are reaching out to one another. It feels like hope. It feels like shared happiness." The morning began at 4 a.m. for many as those without tickets made a land grab on the Mall, rushing to stake out positions for the ceremony. After Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden take their oaths of office on the western front of the Capitol, Obama will deliver his inaugural address, which Obama aides say will emphasize that America is entering a new era of responsibility.

In the approximately 20-minute speech, Obama will say America has been hurt by a "me-first" mentality that contributed to the current economic crisis, aides say, and he will call on individuals - as well as corporations and businesses - to take responsibility for their actions. After a formal farewell to President George W. Bush and lunch with congressional leaders, Obama will head up Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House, where he and his family will watch the inauguration parade from a reviewing stand. The parade begins at 3:45 p.m.

The new president and first lady will then close the night by attending 10 official inaugural balls. Officials say they really don't know how many will show up, but estimates range from 1 million to 2 million. Organizers have said about 280,000 people can fit into the secure zones around the Capitol and roughly 300,000 into the area around the parade. A mere 28,000 seats are available on Capitol grounds. Those with tickets to the inauguration will undergo tight screening, including passing through magnetometers, when they enter the seating area in front of the Capitol.

Spectators without tickets will be routed to the Mall, which for the first time will be open from end to end for an inauguration. Security there will be less stringent. Jeri Pickett of Rochester, New York, was one of the few who got a ticket. "I'd just like to see the inspiration of America," said Pickett, when asked what he was expecting from Inauguration Day. "There's so much warmth here now, and excitement - rejuvenation." Transportation officials say they will run subway trains on rush-hour schedules starting at 4 a.m. as well as extra buses. The area's rail system, Metro, expects more than 1 million riders.

Inauguration events have already drawn record crowds. A crowd attending an inauguration concert Sunday was estimated between 300,000 and 400,000 and stretched from the Lincoln Memorial all the way to the Washington Monument, which stands at the midpoint of the Mall. While Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan said Monday there was "no credible threat" to the inauguration events, a security cordon has been put in place around the city's core, turning much of downtown Washington into a pedestrian-only zone. In addition to Secret Service, the security effort will involve 8,000 police officers from the District of Columbia and other jurisdictions, 10,000 National Guard troops, about 1,000 FBI personnel, and hundreds of others from the Department of Homeland Security, the National Park Service and U.S. Capitol Police.

Another 20,000 members of the National Guard are ready to respond if there is an emergency, according to outgoing Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff.

Malaysia's 2008 arrivals exceed target
Breaking news, 16 Jan 2009

KUALA LUMPUR - More than 22 million tourists visited Malaysia in 2008, surpassing the 21.5 million target set by the government under the Ninth Malaysia Plan. This is an overall increase of five percent compared to 2007.

The month of December registered the highest number of tourists with arrivals of 2,058,684, a more than nine percent increase, year-on-year. The top ten tourist generating markets for December 2008 were Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei, Thailand, China (including Hong Kong & Macau), India, Australia, the Philippines, Japan and United Kingdom.

Air Asia New Baggage Policy
MySinchew 2009.01.13

KUALA LUMPUR: Low cost carrier AirAsia has implemented a new baggage policy effective today. Dubbed Supersize, AirAsia pasengers can now choose from three tiers of baggage sizes when purchasing tickets online. For domestic flights, customers can choose from Supersize Regular for up to 15kg of baggage and pay a nominal sum of RM5, Supersize Medium for up to 20kg at RM43 or Supersize Large for up to 25kg at RM80.

For international sectors, the charges are RM5, RM55 and RM105 for Supersize Regular, Supersize Medium and Supersize Large respectively, it said in a statement today. "With the implementation of Supersize, customers no longer have to pay the checked-in baggage handling fee of RM5 per piece of luggage. This means passengers who opt for Supersize Regular can check-in more than one piece of luggage but only pay RM5 as long as the total weight does not exceed 15kg," its regional head of commercial, Kathleen Tan said. She said a similar baggage policy had previously been implemented for AirAsia X flights with rate revisions for its Supersize implementation.

Tan also said from today, Supersize Regular for AirAsia X remained at the previous rate of RM20, while Supersize Medium and Supersize Large now cost RM55 and RM105 respectively. Meanwhile, the over-the-counter excess baggage fees remained at RM15 per kg for domestic flights and RM20 per kg for international sectors, she said.

"There is also no change to AirAsia X excess baggage charge of RM20 per kg on all its international sectors, except for London Stansted, where the charge is RM50 per kg", Tan added. (Bernama)

Perak Tong Cave Temple, Perak, Closed Indefinitely

MySinchew 2009.01.12
One Dead After Rock Fall At Buddhist Cave (UPDATED)

KUALA LUMPUR: A rock slide at a Buddhist temple built into a cave killed one person and trapped more than a dozen others for hours in central Malaysia, police said Monday (12 Jan). Two were injured. A group of tourists, including a Nepali and a Chinese national, were on a staircase to the peak of the limestone mountain when boulders came crashing down, destroying the path, local media reported.

Eighteen people trapped for three hours at the Perak Cave Temple were freed by rescuers after the rock fall Sunday (11 Jan), said Azisman Alias, a district police chief in Perak state. Azisman said a woman suffered light injuries, while one man was hospitalized with a fractured leg.

He said a temple security guard remained missing and rescue dogs detected what was believed to be his body crushed under boulders. The body could not immediately be freed. Search operations were continuing, said Azisman. Local media said Perak Chief Minister Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin ordered the popular cave temple closed indefinitely.

Tens of thousands of people visit the temple each year to see some 200 paintings and calligraphy adorning the cave walls. (AP)

Upgrading work at KL Sentral to begin soon
By PRIYA MENON

THE public can expect road diversions beginning from Feb 3 as upgrading work at KL Sentral begins. Jalan Stesen Sentral 3 is the main road affected due to construction work at Lot G, facing Jalan Tun Sambathan. The road is now being used by the Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) buses, the RapidKL buses and the coupon taxis. All mapped out: Nooraini with a diagram on Road Restriction and Diversion to KL Sentral and Jalan Tun Sambanthan at the press conference.

"The inner road, which caters to the buses, will remain open, while the outer road used by the taxis will be closed," said Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad (MRCB) project director Nooraini Mohamad Rashidi. The Semasa Sentral chief operating officer Roslan Shariff, said the inner and outer lanes now have 10 bays for RapidKL buses and 12 bays for LCCT buses. Semasa Sentral is the company managing KL Sentral.

"We are shifting five bays for the trunk route of RapidKL buses to Jalan Tun Sambanthan to allow taxis to use the inner road as well," he added. Nooraini also said traffic in Jalan Tun Sambathan was expected to increase. Pedestrians using the walkway connecting the Monorail station and KL Sentral have also been asked to use the new covered walkway that goes around Lot G. "The new walkway is located at the intersection of Jalan Stesen Sentral 3, Jalan Tun Sambathan and Jalan Tun Sambathan 4", Nooraini said.

She said they would be putting special tiles and railings for the blind to access the new pathway with ease as well. "We have briefed the Brickfields community as well and they seem receptive to the idea. We are concerned about the blind people who make up the majority of the community," she added. She said in order to help the commuters adapt to the changes, extra information counters and police beat bases would be opened for enquiries and complaints. Nooraini said MRCB is also looking into the possibility of making Jalan Tun Sambathan a one-way road and would submit the plans to the Kuala Lumpur City Hall to be reviewed.

Brickfields RT chairman S.K.K Naidu, however, believes that more can be done to improve the congestion in Jalan Tun Sambathan. "The road is already busy at present. In fact, we are the ones who moved the buses inside and now its being brought out again. This is going to worsen traffic congestion," he said. He said MRCB, the Kuala Lumpur City Hall and the Brickfields community should have an open discussion and draw out a new plan.

Naidu, however, said the changes should have been done after making Jalan Tun Sambathan a one-way street. Old: The pedestrian walkway that cuts across Lot G will be closed for construction work. The construction work for Lot G, which is now being used as a carpark and pedestrian walkway, is expected to be completed in 2015. The building plans include a retail mall, office towers and a new hotel to cater to the increasing number of commuters.

A covered pathway for monorail users will be extended all the way into the new building that will also be connected to KL Sentral. "This covered pathway will be air-conditioned and will serve the 65,000 people who are expected to use the station by 2030", she added. The car park will also include four basements with more than 3,200 parking bays.

REF: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/1/12/central/2986991&sec=central
For more information about KL Sentral, visit
http://www.malaysian-explorer.com/kl-sentral.html

Malaysia Voted Number 1 for 2008
Executive Travellers Cast Their Vote

Auckland, 12 January 2009: Malaysia has been voted the Best International Tourism Destination of 2008 by Global Traveler magazine readers. It was Malaysia's third straight win, having won the title for the past two years.

Global Traveler's annual survey received responses from more than 31,000 readers, most of whom were frequent premium travelers averaging 33 round-trip flights per year. Through the survey, they determined the best of business and leisure holiday products in 55 categories.

Shahrin Mokhtar, Director Malaysia Tourism Sydney, says that he is pleased that Malaysia once again has shone through as the favourite. "It is a well deserved accolade for a wonderful country that is rich in culture, sights and of course shopping and cuisine".

Mr Mokhtar adds that Malaysia is enjoying a growing awareness with not only North American travellers but also New Zealanders. "Malaysia is easily accessible from New Zealand with five direct flights a week to Kuala Lumpur and a very favourable exchange rate adding to the attraction".

Francis Gallagher, Publisher and CEO of Global Traveler, says that each year they receive more and more responses to the annual survey.

"This is a sign of our growth and our readers' desire to share their knowledge and experience. The winners truly are the best in the business - our readers know the best when they see it as they are on planes, in hotels and booking travel all the time.

"It is an honour to congratulate all the winners, particularly those who have dominated their categories for the last five years."

A celebratory cocktail reception to celebrate the winners will be held on 15 January 2009 at the Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles.

Global Traveler is a US-based business travel publication that caters mainly to executive travelers in North America who appreciate business and luxury travel. This is the 5th year that they have conducted the survey.

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Sime Darby gets OK for Labu LCCT plan
The Malaysian Insider Tuesday January 06 2009

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 5 - Sime Darby Bhd has got government approval to develop the proposed private low-cost carrier terminal (LCCT) project in Labu, Negri Sembilan.

In a statement to Bursa Malaysia today, the conglomerate said that the project was an integral part of its development plan for its Negeri Sembilan Vision City (NSVC).

NSVC is part of its Central Vision Valley (CVV) property development project spanning Selangor and Negeri Sembilan.

Sime Darby and budget airline AirAsia Bhd had proposed to jointly develop and operate the RM1.6 billion LCCT which will be known as KLIA-East@Labu.

The project will be privately funded. The RM1.6bil is an estimate of the cost of structures and the runway but did not include the 3,000-acre land where it would be constructed.

FEB 2009: NB: This is currently off again. Decision has been reversed pending another government review after much protest and controversies over the the viability of the two airports which will be so close together.