Durians

A Durian TreeDurian Fruits On The Branches

Durian Flowers

The Malaysia durian is definately the best durian in the world. Any of the tour guides who can give good commentary about durian is for sure to amaze the tourists about the durian. This is because all the while the tourists will know more about Thailand durian than the Malaysia durian.

Difference Between Malaysia Durian And Thailand Durian

1. Size : The Thailand durian is definately much bigger than the Malaysia durian.
2. Availability : The Thailand durians can be exported because the Thai durian can be plucked before they are riped. The Malaysia durian can never be plucked because once the Malaysia durian is plucked, it will never ripe.
3. Flesh: The Thai durian usually looked drier than the Malaysia durian. Because the Malaysia durian is ripe on top of the tree, hence the Malaysia durian is much more jucier. When you eat the Thai durian, you will find that it is very fleshy but the Malaysia durian is thinner. However, the flavour is totally different.
4. Aroma : Once the Thailand durian is eaten, one will know that it has very mild flavour. The Malaysia durian aroma is so much more stronger. Hence, the Malaysian usually commented that when eating Thailand durian, its like eating the potatoes. Malaysia durian also gives some bitter taste to it. But very unfortunate that because most tourists tasted the Thailand durian, so they prefer the sweet taste durian.

How To Choose Durian?

1. Shake the fruit gently. When shaking the fruit, you will feel the internal fruit will move. This shows that the durian is just ripe. If it is not ripe, it will stick to the skin of the fruit. If it is too ripe, it will be too juicy that it will stick to the skin as well. So the best durian is those which you can feel that the internal fruit is moving when you give it a gentle shake.
2. Look at the 3 circles on the stem of the durian fruit. The first circle which is the inner most represents the seed of the durian. So, of course the smaller the circle the smaller the seed is. The distance between the second and the inner most circle should be large because this represents the thick flesh of the durian. The outer most circle should be closer to the second circle because this represent the thickness of the durian skin.
3. Smell. By smelling and practising it regularly, one will be expert in choosing a good durian.

Please remember that the Malaysians appreciate the durian just like any Chinese appreciates Chinese tea or the French appreciates the red wine. Hence, sometimes a small durian could fetch the price of RM100 per fruit. So, eating durian is a matter of appreciation the aroma just like tea or wine.

When eating durian, always use the hand to eat the durian. Some tourists are afraid to use the hand to eat because they are afraid that the aroma will stick on to the hand. There are 3 traditional techniques where one can choose to wash away the aroma on the hand. The first method is let the water flow through the thorny skin. Then use the water which flow through was the hand. The second method is to rub your fingers through the middle part of the skin and the third part is by holding on to a seed of the durian and wash hand. Any one of these method will definately was away the smell on the hand.

When eating durian, a lot of people do not eat much because it is believed that it will produced heat to the body. So, most of the people will eat mangosteen or herbal tea to cool the body. Actually, the traditional method that the Malaysians do to reduce the body heat after eating durian is by using the skin of the durian to contain pipe water. Then drink the water.

The price of the durian will depend on the species of the durian. So, the normal price of the durian is about RM10 per kilo, the average is about RM20 per kilo and the best is usually above RM30 per kilo.

Because of the uniqueness of the Malaysia durian, I will always tell the tourists if you never eat durian in Malaysia, I will presume that you have never visited Malaysia. It is definately a MUST for tourists to try out the Malaysia durian when they are here.

Bon Appetite...

Holland Tourists' China Visa Problem

On the 11th Aug 2009, I took a Guang Dong group from China. The group consists of 25 adults and 8 children. Among the the tourists, there are 2 tour members from Holland.

Their itinerary is that I pick them up from KLIA ( Kuala Lumpur International Airport ) and immediately transfer them to put up a night at Melaka. Then early in the morning we will tour the Melaka city tour. After the city tour, we will head for Singapore.

So, I have to send the tourists to Singapore for a night. This means that after sending off the group, I will have to spend a night at Johor Bahru with my driver. The next day then only we will receive the group again at 2pm from the Gelang Patah immigration point.

After picking them up, the group will directly go to Genting Highlands. Usually we will reach Genting Highlands very late at about 9pm as it is a very long journey from the check in point to Genting Highlands. I will be able to finish work by 11pm.

The next day again, early in the morning we will check out from the hotel and head towards Kuala Lumpur for the city tour.

The above mentioned itinerary is a new itinerary for the China Guang Dong group. This is again one of the most economic tour group for the tourists and that’s why this kind of itinerary is getting more popular.

So, when I am taking this group, the two tour members from Holland ( a father and his daughter ) came to tell me about the visa problem. The father told me that his daughter’s China visa has expired and asked me if it is possible to arrange the visa for his daughter.

It was a hectic tour and I told him it is not possible to arrange for the visa. So, after gone through the tour, we were heading to airport.

I told the receptionist that there are 2 foreigners from Holland in the China group. She checked the China visa for both the tourists. She found out that the visa expiry date for the daughter.

She told me according to the IATA regulations, it is not possible to arrange the embarkation card for the daughter. She said that if she issue the embarkation card to the tourist who does not have the China visa, the Holland tourist will not be able to go into China. Hence, she will be sent back again to Malaysia and the Malaysia airline will be penalize for her mistake. And for this mistake, she will receive a warning letter.

So, I told the father about this matter and they decided to buy the flight ticket to Hong Kong. While we were at the MAS office to purchase the ticket, the lady also did not want to issue the flight ticket to the Holland tourists. According to the MAS sales person, the Holland tourists must have an onward flight ticket, then only she can issue the Hong Kong flight ticket. So, finally the Holland tourist has no choice but to buy the return ticket for her daughter as well in order for his daughter to go into China from Hong Kong.

So, my point here is that this is a very great lesson for tour guides and a very good experience for me as well. It is very important that tour guides should know about the IATA regulations as well. So, the next time when your tourists do not have visa for the destination country, make sure that you know the procedure about it.

The Aborigines of Malaysia : The Orang Asli

THE road to Cameron Highlands is lined with thatched huts along the way. Those who aren’t aware that there are Orang Asli villages on the sides of the cliff, are puzzled by these normally empty huts. Sometimes, these huts are manned by people selling their produce. Cameron Highlands and its surrounding towns in Pahang are home to the largest community of “orang kita” in Malaysia. This is also the focus of the Tourism Ministry’s recent launch of its new programme – the Orang Asli Tourism Package.

To The Village

One of the many participants of this new tourism package is Strawberry Park Resort in Cameron Highlands. In fact, the resort has been organising tours to Orang Asli settlements for a while now.

Its day trip is perfect for those who want to have an idea of life in an Orang Asli village but for those with a little more time to spare, there are package options of up to four days to Taman Negara and Felda Residence Tekam.

As time is of the essence, we pick the Strawberry Park Resort package. We set out, in a 4-wheel drive, for the Pos Terisu settlement in the early morning.

The journey, over both smooth gravel roads and narrow dirt paths, is quite pleasurable, thanks to the crisp, cool air on our cheeks as we move into the valleys where the village is.

As there’s no telco coverage in the area, not having to worry about phones ringing allows us to sit back and enjoy the scenery, from the huge green leaves of cabbage farms to the multi-coloured flowers along the edge of the road as well as the towering mountain half enveloped in the morning mist.

Excited Reception

The trip also lets us to appreciate the small things in life, like the laughter of children that can be heard all the time in the village.

Our arrival in the jeep is announced by a lone child’s excited shout. Then, like ants drawn to sugar, other children magically appear from nowhere and soon, there’s a crowd around the vehicle.

They are followed by adults who emerge from their two-storey wooden houses, dressed in bright colours that cheer up the otherwise rustic-looking houses. Those seated under a tent, busy fanning charcoal pits, also pause momentarily to see what the fuss is before resuming the task at hand – getting two fires ready to cook a meal.

Touching Scenes

I’ve gathered quite a few fans in Pos Terisu... a group of small kids trail behind me as I move from one point to the other but always, they warily keep at arm’s length.

However, they lap up the attention from our group, happily posing for pictures – sometimes laughing, sometimes serious and sometimes seated on top of a huge cement water tunnel.

These are scenes that will tug at even the heart of the grouchy Grinch but, seeing as how my heart is not made of stone like his, I melt over and over again at the sight of the kids having fun, kicking at pools of water, running around in the rain, pulling each other down into the mud. You tend to get the bigger picture when surrounded by innocence like this, I think.

The Semai of Pos Terisu has prepared quite a feast for us. Not only do we get to taste the delicious charcoal-cooked food but we also get to watch them preparing the meal.

Big On Bamboo

While waiting for the meal to cook, we are treated to tapioca wrapped in banana leaves and baked. It is so delicious.

With the food comes entertainment. We watch the Orang Asli perform the sewang dance to the tune of chenten instruments, accompanied by a singer.

The chenten comprises two pieces of bamboo that are knocked against a piece of hard wood, in sequence. It starts with the piece in the player’s right hand that’s slightly shorter than the piece in the left hand. The rule of thumb is that the right hand moves twice for every move made by the left hand and the knocking rhythm is accompanied by singing.

Bamboo is very important to the community as it is used, not only as a musical instrument but also for cooking. For our lunch, rice, chicken and fish are prepared in bamboo tubes.

To prepare the rice, the grains are wrapped in dark green, thick “daun ler”. These packets are then stuffed into bamboo tubes that are placed on the fire. Meat is simply stuffed straight into the tubes. Cooked this way, the meat acquires a lovely smokey aroma.

The Simple Life

It’s amazing how something so simple and straightforward can provide food for thought, even many days later. The total experience of eating the piping hot meal in such rustic surroundings touches me so deeply that when the time comes for us to leave, I do so with a heavy heart.

Till today, more than anything else, I can still hear the laughter of the kids as they jostle to get their photos taken, time and time again.

Another thing I dearly miss is the clean, crisp air, especially in view of the current haze hanging over the city.

More than anything though, I find it hard to leave the spirit of togetherness that exists in the community, the sight of children being children without a care in the world and the feeling of simply being and not being inundated by unnecessary things and needs.

Royal Support

Now you too have a chance to immerse yourself in the culture and daily life of the Orang Asli, not just in Pahang but also in other States.

At the launch of the Orang Asli Tourism Package last month, the Tengku Mahkota of Pahang, Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, welcomed such a product and expressed pride about the number of Orang Asli in the State.He advised the community not to mimic the rest of the world but rather, to take pride in its own traditions and to maintain its practices.

He also expressed hope that the programme will benefit everyone involved, especially tourists who, after seeing how the Orang Asli lived, can get tips on taking better care of their health.

Accompanied by his consort Tengku Puan Pahang, Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah Sultan Iskandar, he later visited the various Orang Asli booths with displays of handicrafts.

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My Comments:

As a tour guide, we should know every race culture and lifestyle. The orang asli is definately one of the Malaysia unique attraction but very unfortunately our government did very little to promote about them.

In my experience of tour guiding, I have never come across any travel agents took the trouble to include the orang asli village as a tourist spot to let the tourists understand more about the orang asli.

I should suggest that when tour guides took tour groups to the National museum, don't forget to go to Orang Asli exhibition hall to understand more about them. There is a display of some utensils and daily items used by the orang asli.

Chinese Marriage

Keeping traditional wedding alive

Modern one-stop wedding shops serve to keep old Chinese customs alive.

RED is regarded an auspicious colour for weddings but you’d be hardpressed to find Chinese couples dressed in the traditional red kwa (Chinese wedding attire) these days.

Many young Chinese couples have done away with old customs such as distributing pre-wedding gifts like ka lui pang (wedding biscuits) and the roasted suckling pig. At the wedding reception, many of the guests may be dressed in elegant little black dresses. The venue will more likely be a five-star hotel or even a garden party rather than a crowded and noisy Chinese restaurant.
At most, just to please the old folks, a tea ceremony would be held. In fact, much of the wedding paraphernalia and practices are passed down the generations, and along the way, much of the significance of why they exist in the first place, are forgotten.

Old custom: A traditional Chinese wedding requires a lot of effort and planning.

If you want to follow the old ways, a traditional Chinese wedding begins weeks before the actual day, from the meeting of the in-laws to the exchange of customary gifts, as well as the rituals to be followed leading up to the eve and on the wedding day, along with all the accessories that must be bought in preparation for the wedding.

It takes a lot of effort and planning, which may explain why some couples choose to do away with old customs. For those who want to adhere to tradition, there are shops like those along Petaling Street or Jalan Ipoh in Kuala Lumpur, for example, which stock up on Chinese wedding products. Unfortunately, not many of the shop operators are able to explain why such items are necessary.

It can also be an exhausting affair, traipsing from shop to shop to find the appropriate items. Some shops, however, have evolved with the times, becoming one-stop centres that provide wedding planning services, along with all the colourful red paraphernalia, in comfortable air-conditioned settings.

Winnie Wong showing life-size wooden red clogs and miniature clogs which are symbolic gifts during a Chinese wedding.

One such outlet is Cadeau Souvenirs located at The Atria Shopping Centre in Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Opened last December, the shop offers knick-knacks such as red paper cuttings, ang pows, keychain clogs, pillows and bedsheets, ceramic wedding dolls, gift baskets, and even incense paper and jossticks for ancestral worship.

What’s more encouraging is that proprietor Winnie Wong, an ex-wedding planner, is thoroughly familiar with Chinese customs and can explain the significance of the individual items. This way, you can decide for yourself what’s necessary and what should be relegated to the backwaters of history.

On the day of this interview, a Chinese woman walked in, desperate for Wong’s advice.
“My son is getting married to a Malay girl tomorrow and I need to buy prayer items to thank the house gods,” she confided in Wong. She left a satisfied customer as she got what she wanted, relieved that her last minute shopping was done.

A blushing bride arriving in a sedan chair. Such wedding dolls are favoured as a decorative item for the bridal chamber.

Two hours later, two women arrived with a little boy in tow.

“I’m accompanying my prospective daughter-in-law who is making early wedding plans because her parents are in Sarikei (Sarawak),” explained housewife Chan Yoke Pau, 57.
Music teacher Annie Wong, 28, had planned to get married during the school holidays but Chinese restaurants are fully booked up to this October. Hence, she set a date for next January.
The women enquired about tea sets and other necessary items including the red doorway cloth.
Chan admitted that she had forgotten what was required for a wedding. She wanted to keep the rites simple but was keen about observing certain rites.

A pair of ‘symbolic’ poultry to replace the live chicken usually given in a Chinese wedding.

“My mother-in-law broke a tea cup from a new tea set without my knowledge. To avoid any inauspicious implications, she replaced it with an entirely new tea set before the wedding. Later, I found parts of a broken tea cup under my bed,” recalled an amused Chan.

Wong explained that most wedding items should be provided by the bride since she gets a dowry. The tea set (char kwai) is a wedding must-have.

“It signifies that the bride is bringing luck into the groom’s household. Customarily, the tea ceremony is held to pay respects to the elders and has a connotation of water or sui which the Chinese take to mean luck,” she says.

Next comes a pair of bowls (yee sik woon in Cantonese) complete with spoons and chopsticks. This symbolises “a good livelihood” for the groom. Bowls with peony flowers, mandarin ducks or dragon and phoenix are popular choices. Annie also asked about gifts for the groom and was told to buy the red doorway banner, dragon-phoenix candles and 36 fruits.

“As your in-laws are outstation, it would be better to get the fruits in Sarawak closer to the day. Buy any seasonal fruits except the pear as the Chinese homonyn for pear, lei, is associated with divorce (lei fun),” advises Wong.

“For the roast pig and a pair of live chickens, you can substitute these with ang pow packets for the bride’s family so that they can buy these gifts themselves rather than lug them on the plane.”

Wong sells special ang pow packets with Chinese characters to denote what the token money is for, such as roast pig, poultry, wine and other gifts.

Wherever possible, she tries to convince young couples to uphold traditions.

During traditional Chinese weddings, the table lamp for the bridal chamber is also deemed compulsory. In the past, a kerosene lamp was used and it had to be kept continuously lit for three days and three nights. The flame is kept alive in the wish that this year is the wedding feast (hei chow) and next year, would be the full moon celebration (moon yit chow). The household is also kept brightly lit to activate the flow of qi (energy) for auspiciousness.

These days, however, modern couples can buy electrical table lamps for the bridal room to avoid possibly causing a fire.

Red wooden clogs were also very much a part of Chinese wedding paraphernalia as they were accompanied with the phrase poh poh koh sing (Cantonese, which translates loosely as “may every step be accompanied by prosperity”). Nowadays, these are represented in the form of keychain clogs or even fridge magnets, which are no more than clever marketing ploys to implore the young to observe old customs. Some miniature clogs even come with zodiac signs of the newlyweds. Some traditional Chinese parents insist on giving the Offspring Bucket (chee sin toong in Cantonese which comprises basin, mug, spitoon, tea tray and baby’s bathtub) as it symbolises blessing the couple with children.

From : The Star 29th July 2009

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MY POINT OF VIEW:

In my own opinion, it is very important as a tour guide in Malaysia, we should know the various racial marriage ceremony as Malaysia is a multi racial country. We should be able to give good commentary on the various stages of the marriage ceremony held for each race. Guests will be surprised on how knowledgeable we are.

In my experience as a trainer and also examiner, I usually encounter the tour guide or exam candidate is only well verse on his/her own race wedding ceremony. It is my hope that the tour guide will do more research on this topic.

My suggestion is that if we are invited for a wedding dinner or ceremonial, make an effort to attend on the various race wedding ceremony. I am sure when you are there, you will have a good participation and understanding of the whole wedding ceremony.

“My sister refused the Offspring Bucket during her marriage. Now in her 40s, she is still childless,” related a housewife in her 50s.
Other practices include sprinkling dried fruits and nuts on the bridal bed to bless the happy couple with many children and grandchildren.
The modern variation offers small pouches of prepacked fruits and nuts for this purpose, saving you the trouble of going to the dried foodstuff or sundry shop. Even live chickens (tai loh kai) can be substituted with a pair of fake ones!
In the past, a pair of chickens would be placed under the bridal bed. Then, every effort is being made to scare the chickens out. If the rooster comes out from under the bed, then a male offspring is predicted for the married couple. So far, no one can verify the accuracy of this prediction and plastic chickens won’t be much help in this department!
Traditionalists may insist on a “hairdressing ceremony” (seong tao), regarded as “a rite of passage” prior to the nuptial. This is usually carried out at midnight on the eve of the wedding by a woman (who has a living spouse) who has a happy family to denote auspiciousness.
Items for the ceremony include a ruler, a bunch of red threads and a mirror (plus a handkerchief for the bride’s side). The woman who combs the bride or bridegroom’s hair can also be his or her own mother (or any elder), if she fits the bill.
If the groom-to-be observes a hairdressing ceremony on the wedding day (after midnight), the bride-to-be must also perform this rite. If he chooses not to have this ceremony, the couple will drop this ceremony entirely.
The ritual marks the passing of a child into adulthood and is regarded as a must as it is symbolic of “offering prayers to Heaven, Earth and Mankind to ask for blessings for a lasting marriage.” Even so, such prayers are no guarantee that the marriage will last.
Many age old customs are no longer em-ployed in today’s modern Chinese weddings and Wong’s enterprise is one way to keep these practices alive. Even though many of the products offered in one-stop shops like hers seem like marketing gimmicks more than anything else, at least it’s one avenue where the next generation can incorporate old world customs into modern weddings.

From : The Star 29th July 2009

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Wedding taboos
By MAJORIE CHIEW
IN Western society, June weddings are popular. The practice was believed to be influenced by the Romans who favoured weddings on that month. Apparently, the month of June was dedicated to the observance of Juno, the Roman goddess of marriage.
Traditional Chinese on the other hand, don’t like holding weddings on the sixth lunar month because they believe that such weddings will not last. An old Chinese adage says that such marriage equates to “a half-year marriage” (poon nin chai in Cantonese).
Two other taboo months are the seventh lunar month (the Ghost Month) and the fourth lunar month (Qing Ming). Weddings are avoided during these inauspicious months owing to the belief of spirits roaming the earth.
During a wedding, the Chinese also have many superstitions and taboo practices.
According to Winnie Wong, proprietor of Cadeau Souvenirs, guests are not allowed to use hand fans on a hot day. It is taboo because it signifies the separation of the couple.
After the wedding banquet, it is taboo to say the words “see you again” to the newly-weds, as this would imply a second marriage.
On the wedding day, the bride is prohibited from wearing a dress with pockets as some Chinese deem it as “siphoning out the wealth luck from the bride’s home”.
When a wedding car passes another wedding car, it is said that both the new couple’s bliss can be eliminated. To save the situation, the tai kum chea (bridal chaperone) must promptly announce: “Nothing is taboo.”
When the bride enters the bridegroom’s house, she must not step on the threshold but walk across it. The bride should not to step on the bridegroom’s shoe as it signifies humiliating him.
Within the first four months after the wedding, the newly-weds are not allowed to attend any weddings and funerals. These days, the wedding couple is not supposed to attending such functions one month before and one month after their nuptial to avoid courting bad luck.

When Is The Best Time To Visit Malaysia???

Throughout my profession, I have been asked by tourists when is the BEST time to visit Malaysia...so here I would like to share with you with my own opinion when should be the best time to visit Malaysia.

First of all, before visiting Malaysia, one has to know what are the reasons or motives of visiting Malaysia. This is because the tourists can have various reasons for visiting Malaysia.

For those eco tourists enthusiasts, please be well aware that it is not suitable to visit Malaysia during the monsoon season. Malaysia's monsoon season is usually from November till February.

Even though Malaysia is well known for its wetness, but the monsoon season is the wettest of all. It rains so heavily that usually the north east of Malaysia ( Terengganu and Kelantan ) is flooded.

For those who are interested to go for diving, please be well aware that those islands at the north east of Malaysia, namely Pulau Redang, Pulau Perhentian, Pulau Kapas, Pulau Lang Tengah, etc. are closed due to the monsoon season.

Other than the monsoon season, any time is the best time to visit Malaysia.

But please don't misunderstand that during the monsoon season is not suitable to visit other parts of Malaysia. As I have mentioned, it depends on the reasons for you to visit Malaysia. If you are visitting Malaysia for the sake of enjoying Malaysia, then of course ANY TIME IS BEST TIME TO VISIT MALAYSIA.

But then, for the shopaholics and fruit connoisseurs, the best time to visit Malaysia is always during the month of July and August.

For the shopaholics, the annual Malaysia mega sales is held during this time. All shopping complexes throughout the country will organise crazy sales during this time of the year. Unbelievable prices for clothings, electronical products, etc can be bought.

As for the fruit lovers, it is the Malaysia fruit season of the year. Every where you go in Malaysia, you will bound into fruit stalls selling variety of local fruits. One of the best durian species, Mau San Wang ( in Mandarin, and if translated in English it means King cat of the hill ) is at its cheapest price during this time of the year. During the normal season, this durian price can fetch up to RM42.00 per kilo. But during the fruit season, its usually at RM18.00 per kilo. One can even buy mangosteen at RM10 for 3 kilograms.

As for divers, those who go for diving at the north east Malaysia reported that the whales and dolphins can be seen during this time of the year. Last month ( June ), when we went for our company trip to Langkawi, we saw a school of dolphins swimming around. This is indeed an unforgettable experience!!!

Tour Guide's Job Satisfaction And Achievements

As a tour guide, have you ever wonder what is your utmost job satisfaction?

When I posted some questions to my fellow tour guides, these are few of the reasons given by them.
1) When seeing that the tourists are happy.
2) The tourists are safe.
3) The tourists have a full knowledge of our country.
4) Spent every single cents they have in Malaysia.

But when I posted this question to the tourists, they will most likely said when I see that they are happy, I will be happy with my job.

After recieving a group of tourists, I will always inform them that it is my responsible and very important to see that they are happy coming into Malaysia and till the very last day of their departure, I will assure that they will be happily going back with great memory of Malaysia.

As a tour guide, we are not like any artists. Whenever an artist finished off his art, he can see it and appreciate it. So, as a tour guide what is our job achievements and satisfactions?

The job title for a tour guide will stick to the person for the whole life. There is no such thing as promotion of title.

The income of a tour guide has been stagnant for almost 10years. A tour guide's fee in Malaysia is only RM150 per day. But at times, we have to work more than 12hours a day.

So, what is the job satisfaction and achievements of a tour guide?

Recently, I recieved 2 emails from my tourists. The comments that they gave to me is of course my job satisfaction. One of the mail is the link as listed:

And here is a copy and pasted email from one of the tourists: http://www.randomthoughtz.com/2009/06/malaysia/

Dear Mr. Chua: I reteurned to Delhi on 21st June after a nice tour of Malayasia and Singapore. I am thankful to you for all your help and excellent guidance given to us during our trip. I was very pleased to notice how proud you are to be a citizen of Malayasia. I was very impreessed with your knowledge of Malayasian socail life, history and culture. Our visit to Malayasia, because of you help was the highlight of our tour. Because of the time spent with you I would like to visit Malayasia again. In case you happen to come to Delhi, please let me know. My Mobile No. is 9810502044. I live very close to New Del;hi Airport. I am planning a 4 week trip starting August 24 to Europe mainly to UK and Spain. Mr. and Mrs Lal join me to convey their thankfulness to you as well. With regards. B P Singh

As for me, whenever I recieved great gratitudes like this is my real achievements and accomplishments.

Towards the end of the tour, you as the tour guide will automatically know that you have done well with your job because from the facial expression of the tourists tells it all.

And of course, certain tourist like Mr. Singh will certainly give us some tokens as appreciation for our job well done...

Cost of Drink Driving Tourists To Other Places

Cost of drink driving tourists to other places

By K.P.WARAN

One of the main draws of Malaysia is its great food and beverage sector. But the country stands to lose tourists to neighbouring rivals if it does not relook the price structure, especially for alcoholic beverages.

MALAYSIA’S culinary attractions have long been a hot topic of discussion among locals and foreigners alike.

Ask Malaysians what they miss most when they are overseas and they will most likely reply “the food”. Ask foreigners what they enjoy most when they visit and they’ll also probably say: “the food”.

Statistics from Tourism Malaysia show that last year, tourists spent a whopping RM8.77bil on food and beverage, the third highest tourism sector to rake in the ringgit after accommodation and shopping. The F&B sector last year saw a 5.2% growth on the RM8.34bil spent in 2007, thanks largely to the culinary accomplishments of both local and foreign chefs.

Tourism Minister Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen recently announced that a total of 20 million tourists are targeted to arrive this year, down from 22 million last year. One of her strategies to raise tourism revenue is to make them stay longer and spend more money here, including on food and beverage.

With the slowdown of the global economy and with the expected decrease in overseas visitors, the need to focus on tourists who are willing to spend more money in the country cannot be underscored.

Newly-appointed Tourism Malaysia chairman Datuk Dr Victor Wee Eng Lye is quick to admit that fine dining – involving both local cuisines and international fare – has a lot of potential for growth and the sector has always been one of the priority promotion areas. The former secretary-general of the ministry said activities involving promotion of the food and beverages sector has focused on the diversity of food available in Malaysia with its unique blend of ingredients, spices and tastes brought about by the “melting pot” of different ethnic groups in the country.

“While we aspire to be a major shopping hub, this programme runs hand-in-hand with the promotion of making dining and spa facilities premier attractions for tourists,” he said in an interview.

Wee admitted that one of the major complaints from food outlet operators is that while the price of food is reasonable and competitive in the region, the high prices of alcoholic beverages tend to be a put-off, since fine dining in the Western world is often accompanied by wine, whisky, beer and stout.

“Unfortunately, wine and beer have become a victim of the so-called sin tax here. It is important to see beyond this issue and look at the implications of higher taxes and look at ways to be competitive, especially when our neighbours have much to offer under this category,” he said.

Wee said during budget dialogues and proposals and recommendations submitted to the Treasury prior to a new budget, the issue of not raising taxes for alcoholic beverages is often stressed.

He said that apart from supporting events such as the Malaysian International Gourmet Festival, road shows involving celebrity chefs and food festivals hosted by hotels here, efforts to promote Malaysian food overseas in Britain, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, Macao, Singapore and China were continuous, with the aim of bringing awareness of Malaysian cuisine and luring tourists here.

Deloitte Consulting Southeast Asia Sdn Bhd, which carried out a study in July last year called the “Economic and Social Impact Assessment for the beer industry in Malaysia” indicated that the excise duty on beer is the highest in Asia and second highest in the world after Norway.

The report also said beer consumption has been on a downward trend over the last 17 years, with consumers switching to drinks that are cheaper and of higher alcohol content.

The report added that surveys carried out in Malaysia among tourists showed that almost 50% of European tourists and at least one third of Asian tourists view beer and stout prices as expensive and concluded that it would be to the mutual interest of the Government and industry to maintain the current level of excise duty on beer and stout.

Guinness Anchor Berhad (GAB) managing director Charles Ireland said that while Malaysia offers exciting tourism products, lovely beaches, nature at its best, warm people and great dining experiences which are about the best in Asia, the high tax on alcoholic beverages has an effect on potential tourists.

He noted that between 1991 and 2006, excise duties on beer and stout have increased by a total of 169%, resulting in a 14% decline of the market.

“Those who have visited the region will come to realise that they can get more reasonably priced food and entertainment elsewhere and they also sub-consciously feel that Malaysia is not interested in Westerners who enjoy a beer after a hot day of sightseeing.”

“The taxes on alcoholic beverages here are so high that Malaysia is about five years ahead of other countries in the region. My suggestion is either we maintain current tax levels until the countries catch up with us or the authorities seriously consider restructuring the tax regime as has been done by some South-East Asian nations,” Ireland said.

Malaysian Association of Hotels vice president Ivo R. Nekvapil also believes that lower taxation on alcoholic beverages would help the F&B sector to be a drawcard for foreign tourists.He said that in order to offer competitive prices for tourists, fine dining outlets and hotels should also re-look their price structure since some of them charge three or four times what is charged by normal restaurants.

He added that in the hotel industry, 60% of the revenue is generated from accommodation, 40% comes from F&B and in some hotels the ratio is 50:50.

“Good food, good service and reasonable pricing can bring more tourists and locals into these eateries and this is crucial in these times of economic slowdown where people are tightening their belts,” he said.

> K.P. Waran, a former journalist, is now a training consultant.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------As a tour guide, I strongly oppose this opinion that the expensive alcoholic drink is chasing away other tourists to our neighbour country.

Yeah, certainly when the tourists found out that the alcoholic beverages is just as expensive as in Singapore, they accept it. Furthermore, after explaining to them that Malaysia is a Muslim country, they will definitely accept it.

In fact, just like tobacco, everyone knows that Singapore has one of the strictest law against tobacco. In Malaysia, due to our local regulations, the tourists are also not allowed to smoke in a lot of places. Do they complain about this or turn away from us? Certainly not at all. In fact, some of them really admire us and even told me that after visiting Singapore and Malaysia, they quit smoking. We are actually helping the tourists from all these sins!

The tourists come to Malaysia for other reasons : Our shopping paradise, diversity in culture and traditions, our greenery, etc.

There are so many reasons as to why the tourists come to our country. So, the pricey alcoholic beverage is definitely a very minor issue.

As for food, Malaysia is definitely a food paradise due to its multi ethnic background.

But then again it depends on the profile of the tourists. The Asian tourists, generally do not accept other food easily. For example, most of the Indian tourists are vegetarian. The Arabs will even bring their cooking utensils to cook their own meals in the hotel rooms.

Of course, if you ever ask any Malaysians, they will happily boast off what are the good food there in their hometown or where they are staying.

Shopping : Where is Cheaper? Singapore or Malaysia ?

When ever I am on tour, the tourists surely will ask me this big question : When shopping, which country is cheaper... Singapore or Malaysia ? What do you think?

Very unfortunately for the China tourists, because they will always go to Singapore first then only to Malaysia. So, most of the time, they will spend most of their money in Singapore. The Singapore tour guides will of course influence the China tourists to shop in Singapore. The poor China tourists ended up buying the wrong things which by right those items are cheaper and better quality in Malaysia.

Most of the China tourists are being influenced by the international famed Singapore as the shopping paradise. It is very unfortunate that some of them till this very day still do not know much about Malaysia.

As for the Indian tourists, they will ask the same question as well. But they are lucky because in their itinerary, they will usually arrive Malaysia first then only to Singapore.

The Indonesia tourists for sure know that it is definately cheaper to shop in Malaysia as they are our neighbour.

Now, the big question is why shop in Malaysia and why it is so much cheaper to shop in Malaysia? These are the following factors why it is cheaper to shop in Malaysia.

1) Depreciation of Malaysia Ringgit : During the 1997 financial crisis, the Malaysia currency, ringgit ( RM ) has depreciated terribly. Before the finacial crisis, 1 USD = RM2.50. After the financial crisis, the ringgit has depreciated to 1 USD = RM3.50. So, because of the ringgit depreciation of course it is definately cheaper to shop in Malaysia.

2) Duty Free : The Malaysian government took the advantage of the depreciated Ringgit and turn Malaysia a shopping paradise of South East Asia. The Malaysia government announced that there are about 30 items which are duty free for example : electronic products, jewelry, watches, cosmetic products, leather goods, etc.

3) Shopping Carnival : Due to the depreciated Ringgit, the Malaysia government also organised two shopping carnival in a year. The first shopping carnival is from the month of July to beginning of September. The second shopping carnival is from November till December.

4) Lowest Cost of Living : It has been reported in the newspaper that living cost in Kuala Lumpur has been the lowest compared to big cities in the world. Due to low rental cost, food and man power, the manufacturing cost will definately be much cheaper.

5) Production of Raw Materials : Malaysia has been the world's main manufacturer for a lot of raw materials like the palm oil, rubber, chocolate, tin, etc.

So, these are the main reasons why it is cheaper to shop in Malaysia. And as a proof, below is an article from the local newspaper, The Star.

Sources : The Star 13th Dec 2008.

JOHOR BAHARU: Singaporeans, despite facing some tough economic conditions back home, are still the big spenders in Malaysia.

Figures gleaned from the 2008 Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival statistics showed that Singaporeans spent the most with a whopping RM64.7mil in credit card transactions.

Indonesians are next with RM42.9mil and that is why Tourism Malaysia is confident that the Malaysia Savings Sale 2008, which began on Nov 29 and ends on Jan 4, will enjoy the same success, if not better.

Speaking at the Johor launch of the Malaysia Saving Sales 2008 at the Plaza Pelangi on Friday night, Datuk Idros Mohd, the chief executive officer of Pempena Sdn Bhd, the Shopping Malaysia arm of the Tourism Ministry, said that Singapore was still the country's No 1 market.

"There is no denying that we depend a lot on Singaporeans as far as tourist arrival figures are concerned. In fact, last year we welcomed an estimated 10.5 million Singaporeans. "In a way, the Malaysia Savings Sale 2008 is targetted primarily at the Singapore market and Johor Baru being the closest to the republic is our main focus."People say that during these tough economic climate, shopping is the last thing on their minds. But I see it as a blessing in disguise for Malaysian retailers. "Times are tough and consumers are more careful with their money. That's why it's so attractive for Singaporeans to make their short hop-over to Johor Baharu to shop because of the favourable exchange rate," he said.

The opening of the new Customs and Immigration Complex scheduled for Tuesday also means that Singaporeans will enjoy a smoother drive into the city, Idros added.

The Malaysia Savings Sale 2008 was first launched by Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said at the Pavillion in Kuala Lumpur on Nov 29 and since then it had launches in Langkawi, Miri, Kota Kinabalu, Penang and now Johor Baru. - Bernama

Importance of Being Able To Speak Various Language

Since the month of May,2009, it has been very very low season for most China market tour guides. Previously, on average there will be about 30 groups coming into Malaysia via Singapore. But these days there are only about 5 China groups per day.

I was told that the China government started to impose strict regulations to all the travel agents in China. If there is any complaint from the chinese tourists, then the China travel agent will be black listed.

As for the China tour leaders, they are also strictly controlled as well. They have to deposit RMB40,000 and to ensure that there will be no complaints towards them. Or else their deposit will be forfeited.

Due to this reason, the China travel agents are very reluctant to market their tours to South East Asia.

Of course there are other reasons like the recession and also the H1N1 that made the China tourists reluctant to travel overseas as well.

I am one of the lucky tour guides for I am able to speak fluent English and Malay. As such, I am able to take the Indian and also the Indonesia tourists. I was told some of the China market tour guides can only lead a group a month.

As for last month, I lead a China group, an Indian group and also two Indonesia groups.

So, it is very important that as a tour guide, we must be able to speak various languages in order to survive.

Being able to lead various countries tourists is also an added advantage because I am able to know the habits, culture, likes and dislikes of the tourists.

Fake Ren Min Bi Notes Now In The Region

Thursday January 15, 2009

Sources : The Star

Fake renminbi notes now in the region

COUNTERFEIT renminbi currency notes have been found circulating in South-East Asia countries and Hong Kong, reported Sin Chew Daily.

The Central Bank of China had started investigation into the counterfeit notes and was expected to disclose its findings this week, it said.

The fake notes of 100 renminbi denomination were first found in Guangdong.

Subsequently, the fake notes with serial number of HD90 were found in Shanghai, Hunan, Guangxi and Szechuan.

Guangzhou police had also started investigation into the fake notes.

A local money changer was quoted as saying he would not exchange fake notes with customers.
He added that the fake notes originated from China, but it was not a serious matter in Malaysia.

___________________________________________________________________

From the STAR report, it is nothing to be surprised for there could be anything fake in China. So, one of the most difficult tasks faced by tourists guides is to have the trust in them.

Whenever I am on tour, I will need to always brain polish the China tourists that not all countries are like China where there are too many fake items in China.

I always tell them please do not bring their mentality and habits of China to our country Malaysia.

Just recently, the group which I took, I carelessly recieved a piece of fake twenty renminbi note. It seems that there are just too many fake renminbi in China and whenever we tour guides accept these notes, we have to be extra careful.

Rain Tree

Rain Tree

The Rain Tree, sometimes referred to as the Monkey Pod, is a native of tropical America. It is a much valued shade tree that has been in cultivation in most countries of the tropics since the 19th centrury. It is recorded that the rain tree was brought to Singapore in 1876.

The tree grows up to 25 m tall with widespread umbrella-shaped crown. The bark is fissured and chocolate colored whilst the trunk is slightly crooked. The leaves are 20-30 cm long, compound with 3-6 pairs of side stalks; 6-8 pairs of leaflets arise on each side stalk, which are small, (3x2 cm) and almost rhombic in shape.

The spreading branches and trunk usually support the growth of a wide epiphytes or parasites. This is possibly because the shallow grooved bark provides a suitable environment for the growth of the epiphytes roots.
It is not exactly sure how the rain tree derives its name. The leaflets usually close about one hour from sunset and open again at sunrise. The leaflets also go to sleep when the sky is overcast due to approaching rain. Its Malay name is Pokok Hujan-hujan or Pokok Pukul Lima. ( The Five O’clock Tree )

The rain tree is deciduous and once a year, it sheds its leaves. The tree bears numerous tiny pink flowers which are grouped together into small heads giving a fluffy appearance. These sweet scented flowers are, however, not conspicuous.

After the flowers fade away, fruits are formed. The fruit is long and straight, 15-25x1.5 cm, with many seeds which are separated by partitions; the seed measuring 1.5 cm long and is brown in color. The fruits contain a sticky, sweet but smelly pulp and are eaten by children in the West Indies. It is said that cattle eat these fruits readily. The Rain Tree is now a common sight as a roadside shade tree throughout the country. Cross cuts of the tree are used as table tops due to the excellent growth rings they display. The wood from the tree is light and soft and is little value.

The rain tree can easily found in most of the residential area and the most prominent ones are in the garden near the Mahkota Parade, Melaka and also the main entrance of the Botanical Garden, Penang.