Malacca Tourism Association

2012-03-09T16:40:00.000+08:00

Story from: The Malaysian life blog.

Malacca's Baboon House

Holland Street used to have plenty of abandoned, old and dilapidated houses. When Song Luo Zhe, 30, and his friends stepped into the old house at No. 89 Holland Street two years ago, he was amazed by the beauty of the house and decided to rent it without any specific reasons.

He did not expect himself to successfully rent the building, as there were two other people vying for it.

Spending four months to clean up

Song said he spent almost four months just to clean up and fix the house, and then tried to sell some handicrafts and souvenirs there. Soon afterward he started a small restaurant at the dining room.

He suffered from poor business during the first year of operation, however he was not dejected as he never had very high expectations for his business in the first place. All that he wanted was to preserve the beauty of the old house.

Attracting foreign media

The situation somewhat improved this year, and a few media companies approached him for interviews, including AirAsia Magazine, MAS Magazine, the Japanese news agency, Japanese tour book etc. These interviews have successfully turned The Baboon House into a famous spot at Holland Street.

Song has finally decided on a clear direction for him and the old house.

Besides restoring the house, Song has also learned rattan weaving, cooking as well as drawing over the past two years.

Giant ivy lurking in the house

He has realised his dream of living in an old house, and has named this house "The Baboon House" as he loves the nature like baboons. Besides, he is also impressed by the baboon's strong personalities and playful characters.

He has preserved the giant ivy and green plants inside the house.

All by himself

Song is probably the only person who has renovated a double-storey shophouse over a hundred feet long all by himself without any assistance. Today, he is still going on with his perpetual renovation works and has found a lot of joy doing it.

He started his restaurant without knowing very well how to cook. However, he has put in a lot of effort to learn cooking and has finally been able to work his kitchen efficiently handling four stoves at the same time.

The hamburgers created by him, the Nanyang coffee that has been well received by customers and the luxurious dining ambience have drawn the attention of local and foreign magazines alike.

Low profile

Song admitted that he was an individualistic man, very low profile and self-demanding and these characters have been clearly portrayed in his paintings.

Growing up at Jonker Street, he graduated with an industrial engineering degree from England and used to work as an engineer overseas. He has also worked at his father’s T-shirt factory before.

Song has a shown a strong interest in drawing ever since he was young. He said he used to spend hours drawing when working in Kuala Lumpur. He has never had the intention of selling his paintings which are on display at his shop today except two which have been sold to an Australian and a KL buyer respectively.

Source: SinChew

Anugerah Bintang Popular Berita Harian at Dataran Pahlawan On 10 & 11 March 2012

2012-03-06T11:10:00.001+08:00

The hot and once a year Malay Music Award Event – Anugerah Bintang Popular Berita Harian is back in Melaka!

Dataran Pahlawan has been selected as the venue to host this prestigious events, this coming 10 & 11 March at West Concourse.

Come see these countless famous stars and watch them live in the mall. Jaclyn Victor, pop queen Ziana Zain, Faizal Tahir, and Awie are among the top few to make you go ga ga!

See you there! J

Further information, please feel free to contact Ms. Shieh Lyi at 012-356 1139 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 012-356 1139 end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 012-356 1139 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 012-356 1139 end_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Members Update:

2012-03-02T14:12:00.001+08:00

To: All MTA Members

Re: MTA Familiarization Tour to Sri Lanka (5 days/ 4 Nights) from 27th March 2012 to 31^st March 2012

We are organizing MTA Familiarization Tour to Sri Lanka (5 days/ 4 Nights) from 27th March 2012 to 31^stMarch 2012 and will attend Sri Lanka Expo 2012 for exhibition on 28 March 2012 .We would like to open to our members to join this trip with the itinerary and the application form & Sri Lanka Expo 2012- Buyer Application Form as attached for your attention.

Members who are interested to participate, will need to attend Sri Lanka Expo 2012 for exhibition on 28 March 2012 and required to forward back to us the Sri Lanka Expo 2012- Buyer Application Form by email atmtamkz@hotmail.com or fax at 06-2818408 by soonest possible or 2 March 2012 .

The total cost of this trip for each member will be at RM2,228.00 for twin sharing room basis andRM2,772.00 for single room basis and to forward your photostat passport and payment made to Persatuan Pelancongan Negeri Melaka (MBB 504085117726).

Please contact Miss Cheong at 06-2848234 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 06-2848234 end_of_the_skype_highlighting or Mr. Bharat at H/P No: 012-2231199 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 012-2231199 end_of_the_skype_highlighting / tel. No: 06-2861888 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 06-2861888 end_of_the_skype_highlighting or email :kipptrend@gmail.com if you need more information.

Thank you.
Regards,

Bharat Kantilal Ajmera, DSM,BKT,PBB

Co-ordinator for Familiarization Tour To Sri Lanka

Persatuan Pelancongan Negeri Melaka

199A, Taman Melaka Raya 75000 Melaka

Tel: 06-2848234 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 06-2848234 end_of_the_skype_highlighting Fax: 06-2818408

email:mtamkz@hotmail.com

Itinerary

27th March 2012- Arrival at Colombo and check into hotel

28^th March 2012- Breakfast at hotel

Attend Expo 2012

Lunch at expo site

events / buyer /seller meetings

Dinner TBA

29th March 2012- Local City tour

Free and easy ( shopping )

30^th March 2012 - Check out

Travel to Galle ( 2 hrs from Colombo )

Lunch hosted by Rhunu Tourism Association ( RTA )

Local visit

Dinner and MOU signing wt RTA ( in the presence of HE Hon Governor ,

Southern province )

31st March 2012 - check out

Sight seeing

Depart for Kuala Lumpur

Please take note : Rooms and ground transportation for first 2 days will be hosted by EDB, Sri Lanka ( Only for delegates through our arrangements)

For additional nites : Rates range about USD 170 per room nite

For ground arrangements where applicable Estimated USD 70 per pax ( subject to no of pax )

____________________________________________________________________

Persatuan Pelancongan Negeri Melaka
199A, Taman Melaka Raya 75000 Melaka
Tel: 06-2848234 Fax: 06-2818408
email:mtamkz@hotmail.com

APPLICATION FORM

Name of Applicant: Mobile No.:

Email address: Designation:

Name of company: Tel: Fax:

Company Stamp:

Please fill-in as follow: -

No	Name (As passport)	I/C No.	Passport No.

2012-02-07T11:14:00.003+08:00

Evil, be gone By ANDREW SIA star2@thestar.com.my

A deity ‘instructs’ a Chinese temple’s devotees to build a boat and load evil spirits on it. Why?

IF predictions for the year of the Black Water Dragon are to be believed, we may have to brace ourselves for calamaties such as earthquakes and tsunamis. In light of this, the grand Wangkang (Royal Barge) festival which will take place in Malacca tomorrow could not be more timely.

This time-honoured Chinese festival will see a majestic wooden barge sweep on board all the bad luck and evil spirits from the city’s historic streets before the boat is dragged to the seafront and burnt off ... into the great beyond.

The ceremonial sedan chair that will carry the Tee Ong Yah deity during the Wangkang procession.

The name Wangkang itself is a unique Peranakan or Baba-Nyonya mix of Chinese and Malay words – wang (emperor or royal) and kang (short fortongkang or barge).

“The year is said to be beset by calamities. Moreover, this is a leap lunar year with a double fourth month, which is considered less auspicious,” explains Lai Poon Ken, 59, the festival’s organising chairman.

“By sending away all evil forces, we believe this ceremony will benefit Malacca and the whole country as well. We were told by our temple’s deity, Tee Ong Yah, that we should hold it this year,” adds this chartered accountant and businessman who once worked in England.

A deity directly giving instructions to its devotees? This is not the only revelation about the Wangkang event. Another surprise is that many of the organisers are English-educated Chinese Malaysians.

Before getting into that, more on the festival tomorrow, which is Chap Goh Meh, the 15th day of Chinese New Year. This may be the best time to visit this heritage city, as a piece of history comes alive in all its glory. To get an idea of its historical pedigree, the Wangkang of 1933 had an estimated 100,000 people of all races coming in steamer ships, trains, cars and bullock carts to witness the procession in Malacca. As noted in the (Singapore) Straits Times then, every available bed in town was taken and hundreds slept in the open, while all Chinese houses were decorated with red lanterns/cloths.

The festival was held to alleviate the effects of the Great Depression of the 1930s, and whether by coincidence or otherwise, there was a subsequent rise in rubber prices.

Huge crowds were in Malacca to witness the Wangkang festival of 1919.

Rich history

According to the late Dr Tan Seng Tee, as recorded in the Malacca Guardian newspaper (Nov 26, 1933), Wangkangs have been organised during troubled times such as in 1905 (the Russian-Japanese war and the Chinese boycott of American goods) and 1919 (when a global flu epidemic broke out after World War I).

Dr Tan took part in the rituals himself in 1905 and remembered how the costumes were decorated with gold and diamonds, and cost from 500 to 10,000 Straits dollars – princely sums in those days.

In Malacca, the festival was first held, as far as Dr Tan could trace, in 1846, and then took place every five or eight years. It was stopped in 1880 but revived in 1891 during an outbreak of virulent cholera. After Dr Tan’s time, the festival was dormant for 68 years before it was revived in 2001 during the height of the SARS epidemic which jeopardised tourism in Malacca.

According to Dr Soo Khin Wah from the Department of Chinese Studies, Universiti Malaya, the Wangkang customs were brought to Malacca by Hokkien migrants who were fleeing persecution during the Qing or Manchu Dynasty (1644 to 1911)in China. In the Chiang Chew and Chuan Chew districts of Fujian province, China, five deities or Ong Yahs with the surnames Choo, Hoon, Tee, Lee and Pek (in order of seniority) were worshipped.

When the Hokkiens brought their deities to Malacca, the locals came to regard them as their patron saints.

“In dire times when pestilences or other calamities threatened, they invoked the help of the Ong Yahs,” Soo explains. The fact that the deities have surnames indicates that they were once human.

“The term Ong Yah can also mean the Emperor’s district representative,” explains Lai. “Sometimes people will scold: Lu si Ong Yah meh? It’s like saying: Are you a Little Napoleon?”

One legendary origin of the Ong Yahs, as recounted by Dr Tan in theMalacca Guardian, has it that during the Ming Dynasty (1368 to 1644), the emperor wanted to test the powers of a Taoist high priest. And so, as 360 scholars were playing music in his palace, the priest sprinkled some rice and salt on the floor and struck it with his magic sword, severing all the scholars’ heads.

That very night, the indignant souls appeared before the emperor and demanded their lives back from him. Following the intervention of the Heavenly Jade Emperor, the earthly ruler canonised the restless souls as Ong Yahs, declaring that wherever they went, they would be worshipped. And, as fable has it, five of the 360 went to the two aforementioned districts of Fujian province where they became deities.

Paranormal

After sifting through the myths, what is real to the devotees in Malacca are the deities’ (supposed) supernatural powers. The Wangkang organising committee is based at the Yong Chuan Tian temple in Bandar Hilir (now known as Jalan Parameswara) which houses Tee Ong Yah. This is the third of the five deities, but he is considered to be the leader who sits in the middle.

The temple’s official name means “the court of perfect bravery” but the feats of the deity are such that the place is more commonly known in Malacca as Ong Yah Kong, or simply, Ong Yah’s temple.

Three times a week, people come to consult the deity about their problems. And how does the deity answer? An Astro documentary on the temple shows a strange force seemingly “possessing” a small sacred chair (which is held by two people) and moving it all over a special table with a rubberised surface.

The chair’s movements mimic the strokes of Chinese characters which are promptly deciphered by a dou tau (table chief). At times, the chair hits the table so violently that the assistants’ hands are injured. Ah, so the rubber makes sense.

“We’ve replaced a few broken chairs,” says Lai.

Soh Boon Chye, 40, the tua ching or temple’s chief of ceremonial rites, explains: “Those holding the chairs do not go into a trance; the deity moves the chair and the holders just follow the force.”

The spiritual army protecting the Royal Barge in its shipyard are represented by these horses which are ‘fed’ with live grass.

And so, this is how the deity directed the temple committee to organise the Wangkang.

Lai relates: “Ong Yah told us not just the date for the festival but everything else too, like when to start work, how big the boat should be, and where to set up the shipyard.”

When the deity is not busy “writing”, he will be directing his healing energy – via gentle movements of the chair – to the temple’s supplicants.

Dr Soo from Universiti Malaya says that Tee Ong Yah, a deity distinguished by his distinct black face, has been remarkably successful in curing people, thus making the temple increasingly popular among worshippers.

Surprisingly, the spirit-inspired chair was a lost tradition at the temple until Soh was contacted by some people from Brunei out of the blue.

“There is a temple there with the same Ong Yah who told the Brunei devotees to come to the Malacca temple to look for someone with my surname,” recalls this sales manager.

When they met, Soh was told that he had been “chosen” to revive the Ong Yah’s ancient customs.

“Some people may think we are putting on an act. When I went to Brunei in 2001, I also had doubts. When I first held the chair, it didn’t move at all for an hour. Instead, some kind of force caused my head, arms and legs to move uncontrollably until I was sweating all over and almost had cramps. Later, when the force moved the chair, I tried to stop my hands from following it, but couldn’t.”

The gilted entrance of the main hall of the Yong Chuan Tian temple.

Blessings and taboos

As I was taken around Malacca by the committee members to the other deities’ temples, I came to realise how history was so near, yet so far, for the average visitor. Of the five Ong Yahs, two of them (with the surnames Hoon and Lee) have temples at Malacca’s central artery of Jonker Walk, yet all the tourist action is at the pasar malam selling cheap handicrafts from Bali and Thailand.

In this sense, the celebration of the Wangkang is a reaffirmation that there is much more depth to Malacca’s heritage than just food and shopping.

The Royal Barge itself is 6m long with a 7.6m high mast. Made of merbau timber and five-layered plywood, it took three months to build at a cost of RM80,000.

“The man who led the team was a mosaic layer with no experience in building boats,” says Lai. “He could do it, thanks to inspiration from the Ong Yah.”

Every step was instructed by the deity. For instance, between 7am and 9am on the 14th day of the 8th lunar month of the last Rabbit Year, they were to begin construction with the erection of a koh teng (high lamp) on a 15.8m high bamboo pole, and install the koon chong and ngoh hong, the generals and armies guarding the Wangkang shipyard, which lies behind the main Ong Yah temple.

On the 23rd day of the 11th lunar month, a ritual sampan was used to collect water from the legendary Hang Li Po well at the Poh San Teng temple next to Bukit Cina.

“The water was put in a pail; half of it was for devotees to drink while the other half was placed on the boat,” says Soh.

On the same day, a gold nail was fixed to the boat by two unmarried devotees born in the year of the Dragon and the Tiger. In a nod to modernity, Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam officially launched the festival website (www.yongchuantian.com) on Dec 11 last year.

On Chap Goh Meh tomorrow, teams of devotees will put their hands on a special 108-foot (32.9m) long rope and pull the boat (on a wheeled platform) all over the city. “Everybody can help out to share in the merits,” notes Soh.

The plans for the procession seem more like a majestic flotilla, as the Royal Barge will be accompanied by five smaller boats, as well as cultural troupes such as dragon and lion dancers, stilt walkers, aChingay group (which will carry huge flags acrobatically) and over 100 musicians from various temples.

The five Ong Yahs will be the focus of attention, as they are carried around in elaborate sedan chairs by devotees. The black-faced statue of Tee Ong Yah from the Yong Chuan Tian temple, will be joined by the eldest of the five deities, the Choo Ong Yah from the Kandang Temple (on the outskirts of town) and three more Ong Yahs from other temples.

“The procession will start at 7.30am from our temple and go around town the whole day, stopping at 15 key junctions,” explains Lai. “We will perform ceremonies where all evil spirits and influences will be ordered to get on the boat, upon the command of the san junn hau lin or the spiritual warriors of heaven, earth and sea.”

Under the force: Soh Boon Chye (left), chief of ceremonial rites, and Chua Sek Tiong demonstrating how the Tee Ong Yah deity communicates by causing a sacred chair to move and form Chinese characters.

In the Wangkangs of 1933 and earlier, the boat was accompanied through town by a barefooted crew called the Chai Lian, who would sing a sacred song while making paddling motions with ornamental oars. However, this tradition could not be revived.

“We know the words of the song,” says Lai. “But we are not sure of the tune and the exact rites. Nobody dares to try it out for fear of getting it wrong.”

Instead, five Taoist high priests from Muar will be leading the cleansing rites. They will also be accompanied by mediums, some of whom may have their cheeks or tongues pierced with metal rods, in a manner similar to the rites of Thaipusam (which falls the very next day on Feb 7).

Daniel Ang, 42, a Baba businessman whose ancestors were actively involved in the festival, recalls a traditional pantang (taboo).

“If anyone were to mock or make fun of the boat as it goes through the streets, he may become mute. I was brought up to respect the Wangkang. It’s a very sacred event and we should not play the fool with it.”

The climax will see the boat – and its load of evils – being hauled to the sea at Pulau Melaka where it will be set alight and perish in a huge bonfire.

Lai advises: “When the boat is burning, people are advised to go away and not look back.”

Whatever our beliefs may be, turning our backs on bad luck and evil must surely be the right thing to do in 2012.

Happy New Year 2012 & Happy Chinese New Year

2012-01-10T13:58:00.000+08:00

PROSPERITY REIGNS THIS LUNAR NEW YEAR: 30 Dec 2011 – 5 Feb 2012

Spring into the New Year with enticing performances as we usher in the Year of the Dragon.

Begin a year of good fortune with gifts and win attractive prizes as you shop at Mahkota Parade.

Our Main Highlights:

· 3^rd Annual Lion Dance on Stilts Championship

· Prosperity Grove: Fund raising drive for Seck Kia Eenh Temple Cancer Fund

· Abundant Rewards with HONG BAO redemption & Prosperity Treasures Draw

· CNY Eve & 15 Days of Lion and Dragon Dance Performances to usher you into the New Year

· As well as Chinese New Year Performances, Artists Appearances & Spreading of fortune by the God of Prosperity!

Age-old practices and skills thrive in Malacca. Suzanna Pillay speaks to three individuals who have made commercial ventures out of keeping their heritage alive

2012-01-06T13:43:00.001+08:00

EVERYONE knows Malacca as a state rich in heritage and culture.

It is one of the few places in Malaysia where traditional practices, cookery and skills handed down from one generation to the next are thriving as business enterprises.

Jone Theseira, Grace Tan and Alice Teh are some of the new generation of Malacca natives who not only keep their heritage alive but have also commercialised it.

-Blue dumplings and cendol

At East & West Rendevouz in Jonker Street, Tan’s nyonya dumplings keep the crowds coming back for more.

Tan, who learnt to make these dumplings from her grandmother, makes the delicacy by the hundreds daily.

Her dumplings are delicious mushroom-, meat- and wintermelon filling, encased in a half-white and striking-blue glutinous rice mixture.

The bright blue colouring for the dumpling comes from the bunga telang, or butterfly pea flower, as Tan believes in using only natural ingredients.

“The dumplings are popular with Singaporeans who flock to Malacca during the weekends to buy them,” she adds.

Aside from dumplings, she also sells pineapple tarts and a durian cendol that has become a hit with the crowd.

“Everything has the right balance of gula melaka, coconut milk and cendol, and with a dollop of durian to top it off, who could ask for more?” asks a regular customer.

-A devil of a curry

Most people would balk at the idea of single-handedly preparing Portuguese Curry Dable (Devil Curry) for 1,200 people, but not Theseira.

A dab hand at cooking, Theseira recently had the task of preparing the Portuguese dish for the recent 500th anniversary celebrations at the Portuguese Settlement in Ujong Pasir. The event marked the arrival of the Portuguese at the former Straits Settlement colony.

Theseira, who was born in the Portuguese Settlement, and still calls it home, runs a catering company and a restaurant specialising in Portuguese-style home cooking.

So what makes a good Portuguese curry dable?

“A Portuguese curry dable does not have belacan or jintan manis, and should be red in colour. Today, people put too many ingredients in the curry paste,” she says.

Cooking Portuguese food is close to her heart. Her father used to run a Portuguese restaurant in the settlement and she learnt the art of Portuguese cooking from observing her parents over the years.

Theseira now runs the J&J Corner at Medan Selera Portuguese, a restaurant that has been around for over 30 years.

Jone is working on a cookbook on Portuguese cuisine such as dry curry sekuk, curry semur, Portugese baked fish and ambilek, which have stood the test of time.

The book, she says, will be a balance of savoury, sweet and baked goods.

-Nyonya kebaya

Teh, the owner of Nirvana Collections in busy Jonker Street, keeps her cultural heritage alive not through food, but fashion.

She makes nyonya kebaya at her shop and Singaporeans can’t get enough of her designs.

Her creations range in price with the more complicated custom-made kebaya requiring special lace work fetching higher prices.

She says this is because the custom-made embroidered lacework is done by hand and can take between two and three months to finish.

Teh learnt the skill from her mother when she was just a schoolgirl.

“I remember learning to cut out the embroidered lace panels by hand when I was in Standard Six. My mother taught me all my sewing skills.”

University Tourism Club To Promote Malaysia To Student Visitors

2012-01-06T13:15:00.000+08:00

January 06, 2012 12:38 PM

University Tourism Club To Promote Malaysia To Student Visitors

MELAKA, Jan 6 (Bernama) --

The Tourism Ministry and Multimedia University (MMU) are collaborating to set up the first university tourism club in the country to disseminate information on tourism to student visitors from abroad, Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen said here.

She said Multimedia University was selected for its strategic location in the Historical City of Melaka, a world heritage site.

"The club will be able to disseminate information on the uniqueness of tourism in Malaysia and Melaka, particularly to student visitors from Russia and the Middle East," she told reporters after launching a Chinese New Year carnival at the MMU Square Thursday night.

Dr Ng said the ministry would provide an initial grant of RM10,000 to the university to disseminate knowledge on tourism through seminars and such.

The ministry would also assist the club to train selected students of the university to become tour guides experienced in the history of Melaka, she said.

"The students can earn an income through this activity while helping to promote tourism in the state," she added.

MMU president Prof Datuk Dr Muhamad Rasat Muhamad said the combination of tourism and creative media involving multimedia is an interesting field to venture into and will provide greater employment opportunities to the students of the university.

He said MMU had initiated a project to document the various historical buildings in the state and country in the multimedia format.

-- BERNAMA

2012-01-04T06:46:00.008+08:00

Happy New Year 2012

They say an optimist stays up to see the New Year in.As a pessimist,I’ll just stay up to make sure the Old Year leaves.

Happy New Year all!

In 2012, how About a little Shame?

2012-01-03T12:48:00.001+08:00

The other day I was asked what one single thing could do the most to save our world and lives we live in nowadays. What one idea or tool might help us create a more just society?

My answer was "shame."

Shame isn't always a wasted or negative emotion. On the contrary, it can perform an important and socially useful function. Shame enforces our moral values even when legal and political institutions are too broken or corrupt to do so. Our society must learn to develop a "moral economics," and morality should often be enforced through shame by society.

We live in a society where it's no longer considered shameful for husbands and wife's to play around.

For sons & daughters to cheat and lie to parents, for corporate and companies to cheat and lie to their workers; for government to enrich only their own.

The world is awash with laundered dirty money through drugs, crime and we the people close our eyes to the negative aspects of our society's members and sometimes we ourselves revel with them, all in the name of instant gratification and enjoyment; of course under cover of anonymity.

Our middle class kind of cynicism is so accepted, so ingrained in fact, that even the more liberal amongst us find it less tolerating more frightening. We live in a society where it's not shameful to let cheats and liars go unpunished while asking everyone else to pay the cost of their illegal enrichment.

Nowadays, we allow ourselves, our politicians, & our esteemed leaders not to be ashamed of themselves when confronted with their faults and crimes! It is always some else's worry.

Incredible.

Perhaps no single change to our culture could do more to improve our lives than the rediscovery of the shame we used to attach to vile, greedy, selfish, and corrupt behavior amongst the men and women of today. This trait starts from us, our families to our immediate surroundings

Consider how far we've fallen:

Not long ago a person would have been ashamed to appear in public if they had shattered the trust and kind intentions of their loved ones, family and friends by either cheating innocent people, doing morally corruptible activities or plain and simple being caught doing wrong in the eyes of society.

Not long ago a politician who accepted and was sucked into the corrupting power of money and control immediately paid a steep price.

Not long ago leaders, men and women of large were ashamed to openly advocate the making of money and power to be supreme to ethics, loyalty and kindness. Not so nowadays, and in fact the opposite holds true to us and our leaders today.

Now it is almost glamorous to be caught with their hands in the pie. Newspaper and magazines pay the shameless millions to be the first to report on their infidelities and crimes!

We the consumers expect all the titillating stories without any moral guidance to be read with our morning coffee to tsk , tsk, over.

In 2012, it's time for shame to make a comeback.

Jewel in the Park (Indian restaurant)

2011-12-16T11:37:00.004+08:00

G6 & F6, BB Bazaar, Bukit Beruang, Melaka Bukit Beruang, 75450, Melaka
Tel : 032310902
Opening Hours :	Weekdays : 11.30am -11pm Weekend : 8.30am - 10pm Tuesday : Close

“Amazing Experience in New Restaurant”

Food is great .... My personal fav is the cheese naan with butter chicken masala n aloo jeera... Service is good.. good ambience.. Good rates from price,service 'n food.

Corn Flour Chapati with lentil curry

Assorted Vegetables Fried/ Fresh / Flowery

Jewel in The Park is a North & South Indian cuisine restaurant. specializing in Tandoori Chicken, Veg & Non-Veg Briyanis. Located in Bukit Beruang,melaka.

Restoran ole Rasa

2011-12-16T10:36:00.000+08:00

Warisan Resipi Tradisi

JUSTIFIKASI

Restoran Ole Rasa telah beroperasi sejak tahun 1997. Dengan hanya mempunyai sebuah cawangan, Restoran Ole Rasa berjaya meletakkan namanya sebaris dengan restoran-restoran lain yang terkemuka di negeri Melaka. Terletak di pusat bandar Melaka Bandaraya Bersejarah Restoran Ole Rasa sering menjadi tumpuan umum dalam destinasi makan-makan di negeri Melaka.

Pengalaman hampir 10 tahun dalam industri makanan Melayu telah mematangkan sistem pengurusan Restoran Ole Rasa hingga telah dicalonkan untuk kategori Sub-Sektor Pelancongan Makan-makan Restoran Melayu Terbaik Negeri Melaka. Pencalonan ini adalah satu pengiktirafan yang tertinggi yang pernah dicapai oleh Restoran Ole Rasa.

Restoran Ole Rasa dibuka pada setiap Isnin hingga Sabtu dari jam 8.00 pagi hingga 6.00 petang.

SFESIFIKASI

Sememangnya makanan Melayu mempunyai potensi yang tinggi untuk diketengahkan ke peringkat antarabangsa, keaslian resipi tradisi yang di warisi selama beberapa generasi telah melahirkan suatu citarasa yang begitu spektakel.

Teknik, Warna, Rasa, Bau dan Hiasan adalah elemen yang paling penting dalam menentukan nilai kualiti sesuatu makanan dan dengan berbekalkan kesemua elemen ini serta ditambahkan lagi dengan warisan resipi turun temurun telah melahirkan Restoran Ole Rasa. Dengan mengetengahkan lebih dari 100 jenis masakan makanan Melayu termasyur yang pelbagai dari serata negeri di Malaysia telah menjadikan Restoran Ole Rasa antara pelopor makanan Melayu di Negeri Melaka.

Bukan hanya tertumpu kepada masakan lauk-pauk Melayu malahan Restoran Ole Rasa turut menyajikan pelbagai jenis kuih-muih Melayu tradisi dengan keaslian citarasanya yang terjamin, turut dihidangkan juga puluhan jenis pencuci mulut yang semestinya menjanjikan kepuasan dan kenikmatan optima kepada para pelanggan.

Restoran Ole Rasa turut menyediakan perkhidmatan katering untuk pelbagai acara, majlis dan perayaan seperti jamuan korporat, jamuan Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Hari Raya Aidiladha, Tahun Baru Cina, Sambutan Deepavali, majlis pertunangan dan perkahwinan.

Terdapat beberapa pakej yang menarik dengan harga yang berpatutan ditawarkan kepada para pelanggan yang menginginkan keselesaan dan kemudahan dalam sesebuah acara, majlis atau pun perayaan. Tawaran yang hebat dan menarik ini bakal menyediakan pelbagai hidangan mengikut citarasa pelanggan, antaranya menu barat, timur tengah, masakan cina, india dan masakan Melayu khususnya. Restoran Ole Rasa juga memberikan sesi percubaan merasa makanan (food testing) untuk beberapa kumpulan kecil kepada bakal pelanggannya.

Keupayaan dan kebolehan Restoran Ole Rasa dalam menyediakan perkhidmatan katering adalah berdasarkan profesionalisme dan etika kerja yang teratur di bawah sistem pengurusan yang sistematik. Kepuasan dan kepercayaan pelanggan adalah objektif utama yang lahir dalam organisasi Restoran Ole Rasa.

SAJIAN MELAYU
Asam Pedas Ayam/Daging/Ikan
Rendang Ayam/Daging
Kari Ayam/Daging/Ikan
Masak Lemak Ketam/ Siput Sedut/ Pucuk Ubi/Paku Pakis/Nangka
Masak Lemak Cili Padi Ayam/Daging/Ikan
Masak Pindang
Ayam/ Daging Masak Merah
Ayam/ Daging/Ikan Masak Tiga Rasa
Udang Sambal Petai
Sambal Goreng Ikan Bilis/Tempe/Kerang
Kerabu Mangga/Udang/Sotong
Ikan Bakar
Pais Ikan
Kuah Kacang
Sup Ayam/Daging/Ikan
Pelbagai Jenis Ikan Goreng
Telur Masin/Dadar/Mata Kerbau
Pelbagai Jenis Ulam-ulaman
Paceri Nenas/Mangga/Terung
Acar Buah
Kerang Rebus
Sambal Belacan
Cencaluk
Tempoyak
Ikan Masin
Hati/Mempedal Ayam/Daging/Goreng/Sambal
Nasi Lemak
Lontong
Laksa
Nasi /Mee/Bihun Goreng
Nasi Ayam
Roti Canai/ Murtabak/Telur
Bubur Nasi
Mee Kari/Rebus
Mee/Bihun Sup
Mee/Bihun Soto
Rori Jala
Bubur Kacang Hijau/Pulut Hitam/Cha-cha/Trigu/Barli/Som-som
Tapai Pulut
Cendol Pulut
Pengat Pisang/Durian
Pelbagai Jenis Kuih-muih

PAKEJ KATERING MENU BARAT/ TIMUR TENGAH/ MASAKAN CINA DAN INDIA BERGANTUNG KEPADA PERMINTAAN PELANGGAN, BERIKUT ANTARA MENU POPULAR:
Nasi Minyak/ Briyani
Ayam/ Daging Masak Kurma
Ayam Tandori
Dalca Ayam/Daging
Kebab Ayam/Daging
Papadom
Laddu
Acar Buah/Timun
Pelbagai Jenis Sayuran Dengan Biji Sawi
Ikan Masak Stim
Ikan Masak Shezchuan
Ayam Goreng Kong Pow
Ayam/ Daging Black Pepper
Baby Cabbage With Oyster Sauce
Mix Vegetables
Salad Sayur dan Buah
Ikan Masam Manis
Tauhu With Sesame Oil
Yong Tau Foo
Tauchu Masak Udang
Tauhu With Soo Hoon, Ginger & Shrimp Paste
Asparagus With Oyster Sauce
Spaghetti With Meat Ball
Fried Macaroni With Chicken or Meat
French Fries
Sausage & Nuggets
Beef Steak
Chicken Chop
Lamb Steak

KATERING TERDAHULU

Jamuan Korporat Mahkota Medical Centre Melaka
Jamuan Korporat OCBC, Jalan Hang Jebat Melaka
Jamuan Korporat Maybank, Melaka Raya Branch
Jamuan Korporat Bursa Saham Kuala Lumpur (BSKL)
Jamuan Korporat Hospital Ampang Puteri Kuala Lumpur
Jamuan Korporat Syarikat Petronas, Cawangan Jalan Semabok Melaka
Jamuan Korporat Abdul Company, Jonker Street Melaka
Grand Asian Chess Chalangge University of Malaya Kuala Lumpur
Japanese Occupation In East Asia Workshop University of Malaya Kuala Lumpur
Jamuan Hari Raya YB. Datuk Seri Affendy Norwawi
Jamuan Hari Raya YTM Tengku Maimunah Aminah Sultan Ahmad Shah
Jamuan Akhir Tahun Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Seri Tanjong Melaka
Jamuan-jamuan Perkahwinan

HUBUNGI KAMI

Restoran Ole Rasa amat mengalu-alukan kedatangan anda dengan tangan yang terbuka. Kepuasan anda adalah komitmen kami.

No. 264, Jalan Melaka Raya 3,
Taman Melaka Raya,
75000 Melaka.
016-6298340 (En. Ismail Hj. T. Abu Bakar)
013-3057853 (En. Sulaiman Hj. T. Abu Bakar)
Email: olerasa@yahoo.com

New Straits Times OnLine report:

2011-12-15T13:44:00.000+08:00

One million waste bins to be given away

14 December 2011 |MELAKA: One million rubbish bins valued at RM120 million are to be given away free to all residential and business premises in Melaka, Negeri Sembilan and Johor to facilitate the handling of solid waste.

Southern Waste Management (SWM) Environment Sdn Bhd general manager Adnan Ibrahim said residential premises would be supplied with a 120-litre capacity wheelie bin and business premises with a 240-litre wheelie bin in stages over three years.

Owners or occupants of the premises have to fill a form which will be distributed a week before they can collect the bins at a location and time to be announced by SWM, he said, adding that they have to bring along their identification card and a utility bill.

"The primary objective for the distribution of the bins is to raise awareness and educate the people on the proper way of disposing waste through the use of suitable, uniform, durable and environment-friendly bins," he told a news conference in Cheng here.

Adnan said all the bins bear a code number according to the location, and the particulars of the owners or occupants of the premises would be recorded in the SWM database to avoid exchange of the bins and to locate them easily should they go missing.

He said SWM would deliver the bins free of charge to owners or occupants of premises who are old or physically challenged. -- BERNAMA

Mahkota Hospital Campaign

2011-12-12T13:39:00.001+08:00

From 12^th December – 16^th December 2011, the Marketing Department of Mahkota Hospital is organising a Information on Haemorrhoid Camp.

For this camp, we will be offering FREE consultation + FREE proctoscopy test to the first 50 who registers with us.

So if you, your family members or friends have problem on piles that require more information, take this opportunity to see our doctor today.

To register or further inquiries, please do not hesitate to contact Ms Juliana at 016-656 8042 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 016-656 8042 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
or 06-285 2800

MAHKOTA MEDICAL CENTRE Sdn. Bhd. (200619-H)

"Your Health, Our Passion"

TEL +606 285 2999 DID +606 285 2912 HP +6016 665 3323 FAX +606 281 0560

WEB www.mahkotamedical.com

Health Screening Centre www.mahkotahsc.com

Follow us on Facebook & Twitter

2011-12-12T12:19:00.000+08:00

Greetings from Hatten Group!

It’s the time to be merry this Christmas and the Management is proud to present “Tiny Blue Christmas”, bringing in blue cuddles to flood over Dataran Pahlawan Melaka Megamall and Hatten Square! What are those blue cuddles that we are talking about? It’s definitely THE SMURFS!

Among the major highlights for ‘Tiny Blue Christmas’ is the SMURFS mascot appearance, which is happening on 17 & 24 December. To add more joy to this Christmas, shopper can stand a chance to enjoy a 4D3N cruise to Phuket when they participate in the ‘Hunt For Gargamel Contest’ and ‘Count the Tiny Blue Cuddles Contest’ which starts 1 Dec – 25 Dec 2011.

The Management would like to take this opportunity to wish all the MTA members Merry Christmas and a wonder New Year 2012!

Further information on ‘Tiny Blue Christmas’ can be found at Dataran Pahlawan Melaka Megamall and Hatten Square Facebook Fan page or alternatively, to contact the Advertising & Promotions Department at 06-282 1828 .

p/s : enclosed herewith are the event posters for Tiny Blue Christmas

Thank you and hope you have a great time shopping in Dataran Pahlawan!

Hatten Square Epic Smurfs sessions

2011-12-12T12:17:00.002+08:00

Dataran Pahlawan Christmas Promo

2011-12-12T12:16:00.000+08:00

A nice write up from Job Street Malaysia

2011-12-08T17:27:00.000+08:00

Branding plays a huge role in our consumer-based society. The perception you have of companies and the products you purchase tie directly back to how you perceive the brand. Many people only associate branding with large organizations - those that sell goods to consumers or clients.

Branding, however, plays a critical role in how you, as an individual, are perceived, especially at work. Whether you are aware of it or not, you have a personal brand - and like a business, you should continually assess, manage, and fine-tune it.

Branding is important for anyone looking to advance in their career or seeking a job. To this end, defining your brand begins with one core element - how you want to be perceived by the outside world.

Everything from what you wear, how you present yourself, to your knowledge and your network will define you as a brand. And you do have control over your brand image.

You may not be aware of it, but you are in fact defining and selling yourself as a brand on daily basis, especially on the job. Presenting yourself in a positive light with your managers, working towards a promotion, or simply interacting with colleagues, are all ways in which you showcase yourself as a brand. And if you are on an interview, personal branding comes into play here as well.

Personal branding begins with defining your brand. How do you want others to perceive you? Start with"how you present yourself". First impressions count and they are usually made by what you wear. Just like packaging may subconsciously lead you to like one brand over the other, how you dress says a lot about you as a brand. It’s always important to maintain your own style, but you should also dress appropriately for your workplace. And if you want career advancement or are seeking a specific job, dress for that role.

Be mindful of the impression you make. If you aspire to advance in your career, define this as part of your personal branding. Dress accordingly. Maintain a positive attitude. Look to colleagues or other associates who have traits that you would like to align with your own brand, and follow their lead.

Translate your personal brand to your resume, and online profiles from LinkedIn to Facebook. Keep the information consistent throughout all your networks and always up to date. As a general rule, asses continually look at these materials and asses how they are being presented.

Build your network. The old adage, "it’s not what you know but who you know," goes a long way in personal branding. If you are interested in advancing your career, or looking to pursue a job in a new field, connect with influencers in your industry. Attend events and get to know people. If you have an area of expertise, establish yourself as an expert by offering up your insights on blogs, online posts, or if pertinent to your job, articles and published reports. The same holds true for job seekers. Network with prospective employers and promote your brand.

Put your personality in your personal brand.

If you have a sense of humor, showcase it.

Maintain a positive attitude.

And most importantly, be real and always present yourself in the best of light – on and off the job. Remember, you are the brand.

Year End Festive getaway in Melaka

2011-11-30T09:03:00.001+08:00

2011-11-29T14:56:00.004+08:00

RM100 million for Indian small traders next year

Posted on November 29, 2011, Tuesday

MELAKA:

The government has allocated RM100 million for Indian small traders under the Economic Transformation Plan (ETP), beginning next year.

MIC deputy president Datuk Seri Dr S Subramaniam said the allocation was announced under the 2012 Budget to increase the income and improve the economy of the Indian community.

“This involves the Retail Shop Transformation Programme (Tukar) whereby, Indians have a chance to expand their businesses and improve shortcomings through a modernising process.

“Financial aid, support and guidance will also be given so that a more modern business operation can be practised, especially by the Indian community,” he said at a news conference after the launch of Tukar at Taman Sri Duyong 2, here yesterday.

Dr Subramaniam said the government had also provided RM40 million to transform 500 business premises under the same programme this year, of which 47 were pursued by Indians. — Bernama

Melaka WonderLand Theme Park School Holiday 2011 Activities

2011-11-25T09:47:00.004+08:00

The idea of creating a hallmark that would add to the attractions and uniqueness of Melaka was the very reasons why Melaka Wonderland Theme Park & Resort was developed.

Melaka Wonderland Theme Park & Resort is the region’s newest water theme park and resort located in Ayer Keroh Melaka, one of Malaysia’s most popular destinations. Melaka Wonderland is the latest tourist attraction for both local and overseas tourist. It is a complete water park experience for everyone - families, kids, teens and thrill seekers alike. From high-speed water slides to tranquil greenery, the Melaka Wonderland Theme Park & Resort would excite any visitor.

This unique water theme park features 16 attractions, namely Tornado Chaser (1st in Malaysia), Lazy cum Crazy river, 1 Big Wave pool, Adventure Island and is surrounded by 360 hectares of natural recreational forest. Melaka Wonderland’s exclusive attractions promise unlimited fun, taking every visitor on a thrilling ride and breathtaking view of a natural forest.

Please Click on Picture to Enlarge

Melaka kad

2011-10-31T09:29:00.005+08:00

Melaka perkenal MelakaKAD di destinasi pelancongan

04/11/2011 5:30pm

MELAKA 4 Nov. –

Melaka hari ini memperkenalkan MelakaKAD yang membolehkan penduduk dan pelancong membuat pembayaran menerusi kad elektronik di lokasi pelancongan sekitar Ayer Keroh dan Bandar Hilir.

Ketua Menteri Melaka Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam berkata, bagi pelancong yang menggunakan kemudahan itu, mereka akan menikmati perkhidmatan kelas pertama.

"MelakaKAD " boleh didapati dengan membayar wang cagaran minimum RM10 dengan menunjukkan MyKad atau pasport di Pusat Penerangan Pelancongan Menara Taming Sari, Taming River Cruise dan Melaka Planetarium.

"Had maksimum ialah RM2,000 dan jika ada baki pengguna boleh memulangkan kad untuk mendapat wang baki tunai,” katanya pada sidang media selepas pelancaran MelakaKAD, di sini.

Katanya kad itu juga boleh ditambah nilai serta diterima untuk pembayaran lebih 130 jenis bil yang menggunakan MEPCASH menerusi laman web PosOnline di www.posonline.com.my.

Katanya, Melaka merupakan negeri pertama memperkenalkan perkhidmatan itu, dan MelakaKAD menggunakan teknologi cip pintar.

Pihaknya mensasarkan sebanyak 3,000 keping MelakaKAD akan dikeluarkan sehingga hujung tahun ini.

"Manakala pada tahun 2012 sebanyak 30,000 keping MelakaKad akan diagihkan dan tahun 2013 sebanyak 100,000 keping,” katanya.

Beliau berkata penggunaan MelakaKAD ini akan dikembangkan ke sektor pengangkutan dan juga pembayaran tempat letak kereta dan serta di pusat membeli-belah seluruh Melaka.

- Bernama

***************************************

Cm appeals to hotel operators to implement heritage charge

The Melaka government is appealing to all hotel operators in the state to comply with the gazetting of the five percent heritage charge imposed on tourists spending the night in the historical state effective last Sept 1.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said the charge imposed would be borne by the tourists and not the hotel operators.

"I appeal to them to give an opportunity to the state government by imposing the charge because I know there are some hotels that are not imposing the charge," he said when approached by reporters, here Wednesday.

He said this when asked to comment on the report that three hotel associations in the state would not impose the heritage charge because it gave a negative impact as a whole to the Melaka tourism sector, besides being burdensome.

The three associations, namely the Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH), Malaysian Budget Hotels Association (MBHA), and the Malaysian Association of Hotel Owners (MAHO) claimed that the implementation of the charge was unreasonable.

"A charge of RM5 out of RM100 for each room is not a big burden because we know that the tourists spend RM40 each to enjoy barbecued fish and RM10 to climb the Taming Sari Tower...there is no problem for them to pay for this," he said.

Mohd Ali said no action would be taken against hotels which refused to impose the charge at the moment and the local authorities would be asked to hold negotiations with them on the matter.

He said the move by the state government to impose the heritage charge was not to burden the tourists but to meet the cost of infrastructure facilities to provide more comfort to them.

The heritage charge is imposed on tourists staying at hotels and chalets in Melaka which has a total of 11,067 rooms from the 193 premises.

-Bernama

2011-10-29T17:51:00.000+08:00

The New Steel Silk Road

-- Posted Friday, 28 October 2011 | | Source: GoldSeek.com

By Richard (Rick) Mills

Ahead of the Herd

As a general rule the most successful man in life is the man who has the best information

The Silk Routes, collectively known as the "Silk Road", refer to a 7000 mile network of interlinking trade routes that were used for three millennia. They connected China, India, Tibet, the Persian Empire, the Mediterranean countries and parts of North and East Africa.

The Maritime Silk Road was a network of shipping lines from the Red Sea to East Africa, India, China, and Southeast Asia. The network consisted of ship routes in two general directions: the East China Sea routes and the South China Sea routes.

The East China Sea routes connected the Chinese mainland to the Northeast Asian regions of the Liaodong Peninsula, the Korean Peninsula, and the Japanese Isles. The South China Sea route heads down, then up, through the Malacca Straits into the Bay of Bengal, opening up China to the coasts of the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf and the African continent.

These shipping lanes are still in use.

A Southern Silk Road

Willem Buiter and Ebrahim Rahbari, Citigroup Inc. economists, predict growing trade links between emerging markets will increase worldwide trade in goods and services from $37 trillion in 2010 to $149 trillion in 2030. They also estimate that China will overtake the U.S., within four years, to become the world’s largest trader.

“It is the start of a new cycle. China has companies that are willing to invest, they have products that are good enough, and they are backed by abundant liquidity in the country’s financial system.” Ben Simpfendorfer, author The New Silk Road

Today trade is flowing on a "Southern Silk Road" connecting Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America:

Trade between China and South Asia is still growing
China's trade with Africa is expected to double by 2015
Africa's top trading partners, in terms of bilateral trade volume, are China and India
Over 50 per cent of India's trade is now with other Asian countries while only 32 per cent is with the United States and Europe
China's trade with Arab countries is growing by 30 percent annually and India’s is expected to grow even quicker
China's trade with Latin America is growing twice as fast as U.S. trade with the region and India’s trade within the region has increased 10 fold in a decade

Trade between developing nations is forecast to be larger than trade among developed nations by 2015 - HSBC is calling for a ten-fold increase in developing nations intra-trade over the next four decades.
“Thick borders discourage capital inflows, keep people trapped in rural poverty and leave economies persistently underperforming. Only if they can connect with each will emerging nations be able to turbo-charge their economic futures.” Stephen King, HSBC’s London-based chief economist, author of Losing Control: The Emerging Threats to Western Prosperity
The MSCI Emerging Markets Index has risen 102 percent since January 2009, that’s compared to the 41 percent gain in the MSCI World (MXWO) Index of 24 developed markets.
The New Steel Silk Road
The real point of modernizing railways, and the major reason for China’s global push for High Speed Rail, is the increased movement of cargo - a shift in passenger traffic to the new high speed routes frees up space on the older, now congested legacy lines for increased freight shipping.

Shippers can switch to cheaper rail transport instead of using trucks for long haul of heavy bulky cargos. According to the World Bank, because of this shift and the construction of additional freight lines, the tonnage hauled by China’s rail system increased, in 2010, by an amount equal to the entire freight carried by the combined rail systems of Britain, France, Germany and Poland.

China's total investment in high speed rail was first reported to be about US$300 billion - the Chinese planned a 12,000km high speed passenger network supplemented by 20,000km of mixed traffic lines capable of 200-250kph.

Recent reports indicate that over US$600 billion will be spent on rail construction during the 2011-2015 Five Year Plan. By 2020 there would be at least 16,000 km of passenger dedicated high speed rail. The total rail network by 2020 would be 120,000 km - 80% of it electrified.

China has plans to construct its high speed rail line through Asia and Eastern Europe in order to connect to the existing infrastructure in the European Union (EU). Additional rail lines are planned into South East Asia as well as Russia – this will likely be the largest infrastructure project in history.

The project will include three major high speed lines:

UK/Europe to Beijing (8,100 km) and then extend south to Singapore
A second line will connect into Vietnam, Thailand, Burma and Malaysia
The third line will connect Germany to Russia, cross Siberia and then back into China

Financing and planning for this monumental project is being provided by China – who is already in negotiations with 17 countries to develop the project. In return the partnering nation will provide natural resources to China.

"We will use government money and bank loans, but the railways may also raise financing from the private sector and also from the host countries. We would actually prefer the other countries to pay in natural resources rather than make their own capital investment." Wang Mengshu, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a senior consultant on China's domestic high-speed rail project

The exact route of the three lines has yet to be decided, but construction for the South East Asian line had already begun in the Chinese southern province of Yunnan and Burma is about to begin building its link. China offered to bankroll the Burmese line in exchange for the country's rich reserves of lithium, a metal widely used in batteries.

Russia

Russian Railways, the state rail monopoly, plans to build a €15bn high speed railway line between Moscow and St Petersburg that will eventually reach at least ten Russian cities in the European part of the country.

China sees Russia as a land bridge to Europe and has urged the country to extend its planned HSR network further east to connect the two countries.

Russia and China have announced plans to build a new trans-Siberian link.

Russia wants to build a $65 billion railway from Siberia to North America. This line would extend the proposed Chinese-Russian rail line across 3/4 of the Northern Hemisphere.

Tibet, Iran, Pakistan and India

China has already built a line linking Tibet to the rest of China - it crosses 550km of continuous permafrost and experiences extreme temperatures swings.

Iran, Pakistan, and India are each negotiating with China to build domestic rail lines that would link into the overall transcontinental system. Iran's Press TV reported that the two countries had signed a $13bn contract for China Railways to build 5,000km of track in Iran.

Vinay Mittal, the Chairman of the Indian Railway Board, told Indian media that high-speed trains were feasible and necessary for India, especially for freight corridors.
Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said if India is looking at a GDP growth rate of 5 per cent, the present rail infrastructure is fine, but if it wants to grow by 9 per cent, it needs the high-speed rail networks.
Turkey

The Turkish State Railways started building high-speed rail lines in 2003 and

are targeting a 1500 km network of high-speed lines by 2013 and a 4000 km network by the year 2023.

The Marmaray project is a rail transport network around Istanbul and the world's deepest immersed railway tunnel under the Bosphorus strait.

Marmaray is an important junction as it will act as the connector between subway and railway lines in the European and Asian parts of Turkey.

South-East Asia

China is laying tracks to mainland South-East Asia. It has recently signed agreements to build new lines in Laos and Thailand, while it extends its network from Kunming to the China-Laos border.

These lines are meant to be ready by 2015.

Laying lines into Myanmar would add an Indian Ocean port - a railway into Myanmar would give China access to the Indian Ocean and allow it to bring oil supplies up into its southwest without going through a vulnerable choke point in the narrow Straits of Malacca.

Greater Mekong Sub-region

Trains already run between China and Vietnam, which has a north-south railway. This existing linkage opens up a circuitous eastern route into South-East Asia, via Cambodia and Thailand.

By 2014, once this route is operating, it would carry almost 7m tonnes of cargo among Greater Mekong countries, rising to 26m tonnes by 2025.

Latin America

China is proposing to build a new, and dry alternative to rival the almost century old Panama canal – a 220km railway.

The rail link would connect the northern Atlantic coast of Colombia with its Pacific coast. The plan also includes a proposal to build a new city south of Cartagena to assemble Chinese exports.

This is just one of several transportation projects the Chinese and Colombians are looking at. The most advanced is a 791 km railway and expansion of the Pacific port of Buenaventura.

If the US ratifies the negotiated free trade agreement with Colombia the country would become an important access point for exports to the U.S. market.

Last year China National Petroleum Corp. struck deals with Venezuela’s national oil company (PDVSA) to develop the Orinoco Belt oil field and to explore for oil in southern Venezuela. The output will need to be transported to Pacific ports for shipment to Asian markets using Colombia’s proposed rail lines.

China has already started building a railway in Venezuela and recently signed a deal with Argentina to construct another.

Africa

“All across Africa, new tracks are being laid, highways built, ports deepened, commercial contracts signed—all on an unprecedented scale, and led by China, whose appetite for commodities seems insatiable. Do China’s grand designs promise the transformation, at last, of a star-crossed continent?” Howard W. French

The National Railways of Zimbabwe has begun replacing 144 km of permanent way with rail secured from China.

Botswana is looking for an infusion of Chinese money for its proposed Trans-Kgalagadi railway linking Botswana with Namibia.

The rail line between Angola’s southern port of Namibe and the frontier provinces of Huila, Namibe and Kuando-Mubango has been almost completely rebuilt with Chinese help.

The Caminhos de Ferro de Benguela (CFB) rail line is also being rebuilt with help from the Chinese. Its over 1300km long and crosses Angola from west to east joining up with the rail network in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is being rebuilt with Chinese help.

The 1900km Tanzania-Zambia Railway, linking half of Africa - from Cape to Cairo - was built and funded by the Chinese. The Chinese government recently cancelled 50 per cent of the unpaid loan and gave a new loan of $39.9 m to the Tanzania and Zambia Railways Authority.

Fixed Asset Investments

China’s economic development to date has been largely driven by fixed asset investments (FAI). Fixed assets include items such as land and buildings, motor vehicles, and plant and machinery - meaning China's annual growth has been fueled by energy-intensive heavy industry and infrastructure construction, not yet by consumer demand.

"Especially in the U.S., consumer spending is essential: It drives about 70 percent of economic activity — more than for most European nations and well above the rates in developing countries such as China." Martin Crutsinger Associated Press

China's fixed-asset investments rose 25 percent year-on-year to hit 18.06 trillion Yuan (2.83 trillion U.S. dollars) during the first eight months of 2011.

China is able to invest so much into FAI because, in addition to the inflow of foreign direct investment (FDI is a measure of foreign ownership of productive assets, such as factories, mines and land) its citizens have a very high savings rate as a percentage of income. Because of controls on how and where they can invest that money, Chinese savers have little choice but to invest at home.

As trade along the Steel Silk Road builds and intensifies Chinese savings will increasingly be used for infrastructure investment in foreign lands, not the buying of US Treasuries. Deep-sea ports, rail lines, airports, roads, bridges and power generation will be the investments of choice.

"Rail lines not only function as the circulatory system for a national and global economy, but are the backbone for internal development. The rail lines proposed are not simple railroad lines, no matter how they might appear on a map, but are designed to be "infrastructure corridors." The New Federalist, Newspaper, 1995

Conclusion

"From a western perspective, it’s tempting to believe that either the eurozone debt crisis or the US slowdown is the greatest show on earth. That temptation should be resisted. The greatest show on earth is happening elsewhere: the creation of a southern Silk Road, a network of new “South-South” trading routes connecting Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America." Stephen King, Time to put the Southern Silk Road on the Map,

ft.com

There’s been a shift in global trade taking place with developing countries increasingly interacting with each other instead of their old trading partners, the developed nations.

Given the fact that Eurasia, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa comprise most of the world's population will The New Steel Silk Road be the building block for a truly developed global economy? It’s something that’s definitely on my radar screen. Is it on yours?

If not, maybe it should be.

Richard (Rick) Mills
rick@aheadoftheherd.com
www.aheadoftheherd.com

If you're interested in learning more about the junior resource sector, bio-tech and technology sectors please come and visit us at www.aheadoftheherd.com

Site membership and our AOTH newsletter are free. No credit card or personal information is asked for.

***

Richard is host of Aheadoftheherd.com and invests in the junior resource sector. His articles have been published on over 300 websites, including: Wall Street Journal, SafeHaven, Market Oracle, USAToday, National Post, Stockhouse, Lewrockwell, Uranium Miner, Casey Research, 24hgold, Vancouver Sun, SilverBearCafe, Infomine, Huffington Post, Mineweb, 321Gold, Kitco, Gold-Eagle, The Gold/Energy Reports, Calgary Herald, Resource Investor, Mining.com, Forbes, FNArena, Uraniumseek, and Financial Sense.

***

Legal Notice / Disclaimer

This document is not and should not be construed as an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to purchase or subscribe for any investment. Richard Mills has based this document on information obtained from sources he believes to be reliable but which has not been independently verified; Richard Mills makes no guarantee, representation or warranty and accepts no responsibility or liability as to its accuracy or completeness. Expressions of opinion are those of Richard Mills only and are subject to change without notice. Richard Mills assumes no warranty, liability or guarantee for the current relevance, correctness or completeness of any information provided within this Report and will not be held liable for the consequence of reliance upon any opinion or statement contained herein or any omission. Furthermore, I, Richard Mills, assume no liability for any direct or indirect loss or damage or, in particular, for lost profit, which you may incur as a result of the use and existence of the information provided within this Report.

-- Posted Friday, 28 October 2011

2011-10-21T11:15:00.000+08:00

Ng Yin Shin

Message flagged

Friday, 21 October 2011, 11:00

Message Body

Dear all,

We would appreciate if you would kindly help spread the word around

Pantai Hospital Ayer Keroh will be organising a health talk on cancer entitled “All You Ever Wanted to Know About the Big C but was Afraid to Ask!” on 22 October 2011 (Saturday) from 1.30pm to 3.30pm.

The talk will be conducted by Dr. Daniel Wong Wai Yan, Consultant Oncologist & Radiotherapist at Conference Room (PHAK's Office), Level 3 Melaka Mall.

All registered nurses will be entitled to claim 1 CPD point for this forum.

Admission is free and light refreshments will be served. For enquiries, please contact PHAK Information Counter at 06-231 9999 ext. 2415.

Thank you and best regards.

Pantai Hospital Ayer Keroh

Ng Yin Shin

Marketing Officer

Tel No: 606-232 1782 / 232 0072

Fax No: 606-231 9155

To: Malacca TA Members

2011-10-21T10:56:00.000+08:00

To: Malacca TA Members

Dear Sir/Madam,

Re : KURSUS CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR FRONTILINERS

At Auditorium Pejabat Kementerian Pelancongan Negeri Melaka

on 1November 2011 (Tuesday) (8.00am – 4.00 pm)

Please be informed that Malacca Tourism Association with the co-operation of Pejabat Kementerian Pelancongan Malaysia Negeri Melaka is organising the seminar as follows :-

Programme : CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR FRONTILINERS

Date : 1 November 2011 (Tuesday)

Time : 8.00 am - 4.00pm

Venue : Auditorium Pejabat Kementerian Pelancongan

Negeri Melaka

Charges : FOC

Details as per attached Registration Form for your attention and further action.

As seats are limited, those are interested kindly please fax/email the duly completed Registration Form to Secretariat office: Fax : 06-2833315/ 2818408 email :mtamkz@hotmail.com latest by 27 October 2011 as this is a first come first serve basis.Please do not hesitate to contact Miss Cheong at 017-6813901 if you have any enquiry.

We hope that members will give your utmost support and co-operation.

Thank you

Warmest Regards,

Madelina Kuah, BCM,BKT,PJK

President

Persatuan Pelancongan Negeri Melaka

(Malacca Tourism Association)

199A, Taman Melaka Raya

75000 Melaka

Tel:06-2848234

Fax:06-2833315/ 2818408

Email: mtamkz@hotmail.com

Melaka Art Festival 2011

2011-10-14T17:31:00.002+08:00

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

26 january 2010

MALACCA:

The overwhelming response to the state’s pilot Art and Performance Festival (MAP Fest) has the organisers already planning one for this year.

The three-day festival organised by E-plus Entertainment Productions was one of the major events to round out 2009.

Many of the festival-goers made the trip from Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and various other states in Malaysia to catch the site-specific performances, art installations and 15/15 film festival featuring short films from international directors.

STREET ART: Brendan O’Connor performing to an audience.

The programmes, all of which were free, were listed in huge prints at strategic spots.

The site-specific performances that took place at seven locations around the historical hill of St Paul were the highlight.

Site-specific performance is a repertoire inspired by the site where the artist performs.

MESMERISING: Indonesian performer Agung Gunawan inspiring the audience.

Colourful banners decorating the old city square and hillside helped create a more festive atmosphere.

Crowds cheered, danced along to music and watched the artistic performances with rapt attention and often left hungry for more.

A downpour on one of the evenings failed to stop the dance artists who assimilated the weather into their performance.

One of the most interesting art installations was a tree covered with the thoughts, wishes, fears and deepest secrets of hundreds of people written on coconut leaves.

The writings, in a multitude of languages, have been archived to be used for a future sound installation.

ENTHRALLING: A view of the St Paul’s Church ruins during the event at night.

The key events, Budak Melaka and Eulogy For the Living, transformed the ruins St Paul’s Church into a magical experience with integrated dance, music, performance art and video images like a living fresco on the walls and ceiling. Even nature provided a full moon as the celestial lantern.

Meanwhile, the 15/15 film festival was screened at an open space. It provided filmmakers, including budding talents, a chance to tell their stories.

For the festival-goers, history was living through the arts in poetic languages that moved them.

The organisers are now in search of sponsorships for a fuller version of the MAP Fest this year, at which they plan to also hold a workshop on making short films.

FESTIVAL THEME FRONT PAGE
From the 15th to the 21st Century, we find an ongoing quest for meaning. In the passing of cultures and waves of history, the passage of commerce and art… What is unique to our time, what is contemporary, and how do all these things go hand in hand, clasped in the fold of time?
Old ruins and heritage sites are a part of our own lived history. They give us a sense of continuity with the old ways of trade and commerce, while giving us pause to reflect on modern times. Through performance, artists respond to these sites in ways that directly affect the audience – memories drawn out of the walls, and out of the body.
An overall theme for the Festival is the notion of a living eulogy, inspired by the little wooden tablets in the Cheng Hoon Teng temple, attached with photos commemorating loved ones who have passed on. The finale performance, Eulogy for the Living is a kind of devotional work for making our way in the world, an internal journey into the memory of body and soul. Here we transform and reconnect a deeper part of ourselves, within the fleeting transience of contemporary life. We the living both preserve the past and allow things to pass – we eulogise ourselves in each moment. Life goes on…
TEAM:
Festival Producer : Andrew Ching
Creative Director: Tony Yap
Co-Creative Director: Michael Hornblow
Artist Liaison: Janette Hoe

OVERVIEW MAP CONCEPT:

A Place of Cultural fusion – Past, Present and Future – Mapping the City… with its stories, through selected sites for audiences all over Melaka. A place for artists to experiment and present short Innovative Performances in all Artistic mediums, to encourage the life of the arts in Malaysia, Asia and Internationally.

The Arts are necessary to propel the new. MAP seeks to promote Melaka to the world as a Creative Hub for innovative arts – where heritage is respected and artistic and cultural fusion is encouraged. Not just as entertainment but through a vibrant development of community involvement that integrates – and maps – the arts within the life of Melaka.

MELAKA is fast developing commercially and there is a need to combine this with cultural and creative paths through a balance of spiritual and artistic maturity. Innovative focus and international collaborations will expose the community to a potentially vibrant new direction in the development of Melaka’s future within the Global MAP. Traditional Arts will be showcased alongside contemporary expressions with innovative uses of new technology.

World-class festival with International performances and arts practices that focus on Experimentation & Innovation.
Music, Dance, Visual Arts, Performance Art and Multimedia
Celebrating the wealth of Multiculturalism (Melaka’s Heritage)
Inclusive of the present & future, not just the past
Community focused
Preservation of Ruins (Photographic documentation)

2011-10-07T20:22:00.000+08:00

Re : KURSUS POWERFUL FIRST IMPRESSION &

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION at

Auditorium Pejabat Kementerian

Pelancongan Negeri Melaka on 11October 2011

Warmest greeting from MBHA - Melaka Chapter.

Please be informed that MBHA Melaka Chapter with the co-operation of Pejabat Kementerian Pelancongan Malaysia Negeri Melaka is organising a seminar as follows :-

Programme : KURSUS POWERFUL FIRST IMPRESSION &

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

Date : 11 October 2011 (Tuesday)

Time : 8.00 am - 6.0pm

Venue : Auditorium Pejabat Kementerian Pelancongan

Negeri Melaka

Charges : FOC

Please find enclosed is the Registration Form for your further action.

As seats are limited, those whom are interested kindly please fax/email the duly completed Registration Form to Secretariat, Fax : 06-2821333/email :mbhamelaka@gmail.com latest by 9 October 2011 as this is a first come first serve basis.

We hope that members will give your utmost support.

Thanks and Warmest Regards,

Hjh Hendon Hj Puteh

Chairwoman MBHA Melaka Chapter

2011-10-04T16:51:00.000+08:00

To all involved:

Bravo !

Our annual MTA / Corporate companies walkathonTreasure Hunt has been a resounding success!.

The many past and future events such as these treasure hunt above, done by MTA in collaborative effort with our corporate supporters, every time concludes with happy faces and satisfied participants all around.

Congratulations on creating a wonderful time for all participants to the steering committee co- headed by Pn Madelina Kuah,Mr.Simon Buanaventura and Menara Taming Sari CEO -E.Nazary.

With 29 teams confirmed and an excess of prizes and gift hampers available, the Treasure Hunt proved to be very promising and exciting venture for all the participants involved.

2011-10-02T10:23:00.011+08:00

Saturday, October 1, 2011

A repost from my February 2011 updates

Give your thoughts below,dear readers, if you agree / disagree that the Financial Collapse
contagion happening in the WEST is beginning to be felt here in Melaka through imported Inflation
(higher consumer prices) and irrational business fears ( harder to get bank loans,lower investments
and opportunities).

Malacca teens dropping out of school to help their families

The Star/Asia News Network
Sunday, Oct 02, 2011

MALACCA - A number of teenagers in Alor Gajah and Jasin have dropped out of school to take up
menial jobs in poultry farms to support their families which have fallen on hard times.

Some of them are as young as 14 years old and they work from morning to late evening.

State Education, Youth and Sports Committee chairman Datuk Gan Tian Loo said preliminary
findings of a task force, established by the Malacca Government to investigate the employment
of underage people, revealed that family financial constraints was the main factor that forced
these teenagers to work.

"They were forced to work to help ease their families' money problems. But this is considered
child labour, so we have to quickly embark on steps to tackle the problem," he said yesterday.

Gan said vulnerable families in rural areas were unaware of legislation that prohibited children
from being employed.

The authorities, he said, were concerned about the welfare of such children.

He said the task force had made several recommendations such as discouraging them from
working and luring them back to school, besides providing aid to the families to ease their financial
burden.

Skills training would also be provided to these teenagers, he said, adding that their families would
also be exposed to micro-financing programmes.

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The Big Questions in 2011?

The Biggest Threats In 2011

It will soon be the shortest, darkest day of the year, and the economic mood
is also pretty black.Everybody is fretting about the eurozone, inflation, sovereign debt,
bond bubbles, trade war tensions, a China slowdown and whether their Amazon wishlist
orders will make it through the snow for Christmas.

There is a world of worry out there, which are the biggest threats to your portfolio?

Inflation

The Bank of England abandoned its 2% inflation target yonks ago, and the consumer price
index (CPI (Berlin: CEJ.BE - news) ) has now hit 3.3%. Even this is a fiddle, because inflation is
actually 4.7%, according to the old retail price index (RPI). VAT rises in January, while food and
energy are getting pricier by the day.

The Bank of England is in a bind. If it doesn't raise base rates soon, it will lose all credibility. If it does raise
rates, companies and consumers will crash and burn.

Inflation is an even bigger problem in China, Brazil and other emerging markets, and reckless money
printing in the US won't help.

Risk level: 7/10.

How to play it: Abandon bonds, embrace commodities, food producers, oil companies and anybody
with pricing power.

The eurozone

As I wrote recently, This Sucker This Going Down. Fellow Fool Owain Bennallack is more confident,
claiming Death Will Not Part The Eurozone. But even if the single currency lives on, or rather limps on,
2011 will be a traumatic year.Italy and Spain have to roll over debt worth hundreds of millions of euros
while juggling with credit warnings in front of a sceptical German audience. Expect markets to panic
every time the eurozone circus rattles into town.

Risk level: 8/10.

How to play it: Gold. Emerging market companies and currencies. Buying good-quality European companies
on the dips.

Sovereign debt

Briton's net debt is 56.3% of GDP, but coalition government attempts to cut spending have already sparked
riots in the streets.The US has ignored its $13 trillion debts and dished out tax cuts to the wealthy,
while those countries that have embraced austerity, such as Ireland (Berlin: IIK.BE - news) ,
find it only makes things worse.

Debt servicing costs are rising, populations are ageing, the bond markets are running scared and
the only question is which country will be first to default, ahem, restructure. Hang onto your AAA ratings,
it's going to be a bumpy ride.

Risk level: 9/10.

How to play it: Gold. Youthful, debt-free emerging markets. Norwegian krone.

Emerging markets

The recovery has been built slowly, BRIC (news) by BRIC, but what if one of them comes tumbling down?

Chinese inflation is at a 25-month high at 4.4%, while an apartment in Beijing now costs 22 times average
earnings. QE2 is sailing full steam ahead into BRIC stock markets, ramping up asset bubbles and forcing
central bankers to raise rates.

Here's the most worrying signal of all: as we speak, every single IFA in the country is putting their clients
into emerging markets funds.

Risk level: 6/10.

How to play it: Gold (again). Commodities (COMMODITIES.SN - news) -- if you can buy on the dips,
and lock in for the long term.

Dollar debauchment

The world is having reservations about the global reserve currency, as the US Federal Reserve prints
the dollar into debauchery.

Stoking inflation to monetise the deficit may be the only way the US can ever tackle its debts, but it's a
dangerous game. Especially since everybody is trying to debauch their own currencies at exactly the
same time.

Risk level: 7/10.

How to play it: Gold. Commodities. Emerging markets and currencies.

Bond bubble

Bonds were supposed to represent a flight to safety, not route one to risk. As the US displays all the
fiscal restraint of Elton John at a flowery headwear auction, yields on 10-year US Treasuries have
rocketed from 2.4% to 3.2%.
If inflation takes off as well, bonds will look even less appealing. And none of this will help corporate bonds.

Risk level: 7/10.

How to play it: Diversification. Equities.

Consumer meltdown

Unemployment has hit 2.5 million and rising. Despite almost two years of rock bottom base rates,
consumers have scarcely made a dent in their £1.45 trillion of personal debt. House prices are set to fall,
and repossessions rise. VAT is going up, so is energy. And that's just in the UK.

The unemployment rate in the US is up to 17%, according to some measures, and house prices continue
to fall. You don't want to be young and looking for work in Spain, or other afflicted Eurozone countries.

Rising unemployment is generally bad news for shares, the only consolation is that it keeps a lid on
inflationary wage pressures.

Risk level: 5/10.

How to play it: Shun consumer discretionary spending, just look how nightclub operator Luminar has
been hit by rising unemployment rates. But people still have to eat.And that's not all.................

Rising oil prices, Korean dictators, over-priced equities... what else is out there?

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From: http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/The-Biggest-Threats-In-2011-foolcouk-1953727361.html