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Tourism Malaysia

New Year Resolutions Part 2

December 31, 2011 at 4:00 pm

It is the last day of 2011! If you have no plans, make your way to ENCORP Strand! As stated in yesterday’s post, the Malaysia.com team posed a series of questions related to New Year, especially the ever famous New Year Resolutions, to Julie Woon and Megan Tan, the two lovely emcees for Mystical Eve 2011. They went out and sought some answers from your average Malaysians. The following is the last five questions we posed and the respective answers by the interviewees.

Adam Zain was kind enough to tell us what he thinks about New Year resolutions


Interviewees

JF: Judith Flora, Orchan
DL: Dennis Lau
R: Roshan
AO: Andy Ong
SY: Su Yi
AZ: Adam Zain
JA: Jern Ai
BL: Barbara Lam
SC: Su Ci
LT: Lyn Tan

Jern Ai

What are your New Year’s resolutions for 2012?
JF: To be able to complete my Masters course and get married.
DL: To be able to realise my long time goal of an upcoming concert / showcase, to continue making more good music, music videos and movies. But most of all, I would like to pray for world peace!
R: To be honest… I do not understand the concept. WHY should anyone wait till end of the eyar to change their ways? If you do not like something about yourself… then do something about it IMMEDIATELY!
AO: I have not made any at the moment.
SY: Probably to have a better management of my finance :p
AZ: I feel like a party pooper for saying this but I’ve reached the stage of not bothering with resolutions. Self-improvement and goals should be set at anytime of the year and at any frequency. Plus I am not smart enough to come up with original resolutions.
JA: To be more up for going out with friends at night even if I have to work the next day… and save up to furnish my new apartment!
BL: I will stop replying to funny jokes that I hear by saying LOL!
SC: Same as every year – to be a royal princess legally! CLEARLY, New Year’s resolutions are meant to be broken. Hahaha…
LT: Work on continuous improvement in all aspects of my life

What is your idea of a perfect New Year’s countdown party?
JF: A party that is filled with performances such as singing and dancing to lighten up the joy of the coming New Year
DL: Bubblebath with Champagne
R: Being able to spend it with my mom and my family members, as it is my mom’s birthday, so we normally have a party for her.
AO: Being with the people I love and making great memories!
SY: Spending it with the people that I care and the company that I enjoy
AZ: Chilled out with the closest people in my life and avoiding the crowds.
JA: To be surrounded with family and friends at a fun yet low-key gathering.. lots of yummy food, dancing, music and laughter. Maybe even Twister or Taboo!!
BL: Fireworks, free flow and great friends around!
SC: A secret-no-cameras-allowed-type-of-lingerie-party? :p
LT: Being with loved ones. Have endless funny conversations and do all things fun all night long. No matter where you may be, it’s the company that matters the world.

One of our willing interviewees, Barbara Lam


Are New Year’s celebrations too hyped up?

JF: They are, since this is only done once in a year.
DL: Yes, actually I feel that’s the same with birthdays. I am not so hyped up about it unless I am involved musically with it.
R: YES… without a shadow of a doubt. But I guess for some people it is a big deal!
AO: Nope. There is a lot of people that want to reflect and celebrate the end of the year, and it is also a great change agent for those looking at making changes in their lives.
SY: Yes!!
AZ: Yes they are. It’s the same thing everywhere! I feel the need to gather an unnecessarily large group of people into a club and do our own countdown an hour before it’s even New Year’s eve just to troll with other people’s party plans.
JA: Depends on where you go to. Sometimes places jack up the price of things and label it “New Year’s eve food/drink/venue decorations” or something like that. But if it is done right, it can be amazing!
BL: Yes
SC: Not really… it is always good to welcome a brand new year with brand new hopes and dreams. A New Year always makes me feel like I get a second time around to do things right.
LT: Nope, I mean it is the NEW YEAR. It is another chance for all of us to get it right. So yeah… hyping it up is just about as perfect as it can be.

Su Ci

What do you hate about New Year parties?
JF: When people get drunk and they cannot recognise what is going on and instead cause commotions.
DL: Usually, it is the traffic after the new year parties that turns me off.
R: The ending… it is sad that parties have to come to an end… sigh!!
AO: The crowd and the traffic
SY: Crowd control and road traffic
AZ:It is the trail of traffic they create hours before New Year’s eve. People lose their minds sometimes and just leave their cars wherever they can find a spot just to catch a performance / fireworks.
JA: That my best friends cannot share it with me because they are busy with their own families. I have yet to have a New Year’s eve party that everyone I love is in the same room.
BL: Traffic jams
The day after. (the mess to clean, the whole ‘what happened last night?’ reaction when you wake up, the hangover!! yelch!)
LT: Mad traffic lockdown. Oh and the major whirlwind of a mess that it made. I feel bad for the people who have to clean up after the parties.

Lyn Tan

What do you love about New Year parties?
JF: I love the fireworks that is put on every year.
DL: The wishes blessings that we share and receive from strangers around us.
R: The fact that it is the start to a new year and another 365 days of living my life to the fullest!!
AO: Just being with the people that I love and making great memories
SY: People watching… I like observing how other people dress.
AZ: As long as you are with the right company, New Year eve parties (or any party for that matter) is going to be pretty good.
JA: Haha watching aunties and uncles try to groove to BEP’s Boom Boom Pow or Kesha’s Tik Tok (it’s like a train wreck… so awful but you cannot look away!). That and getting all dolled up to party-hearty! Perfect time to showcase that new dress you have been keeping for such an occasion.
BL: The next day is a public holiday!
SC: Washing away past years’ regrets and mistakes and moving forward with a new hope for change. Maybe for the first day then you will realize it’s any day like always.. hahahah!!
LT: Fireworks! And I love how on this significant annual event, everybody would just let their hair down and be joyful. It is like every man’s birthday!

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Tourism Malaysia

New Year Resolutions Part 1

December 30, 2011 at 2:00 pm

As we bid goodbye to 2011, the Malaysia.com team enlisted the help of Julie Woon and Megan Tan, the two lovely emcees for Mystical Eve 2011, to pose some New Year related questions, especially about the ever famous New Year Resolutions. They gamely took the challenge and asked some typical Malaysians. The following is the first five questions we posed and the respective answers by the interviewees.

Julie Woon with Judith Flora. It’s wedding bells hopefully for Judith next year!

Interviewees
JF: Judith Flora, Orchan
DL: Dennis Lau
R: Roshan
AO: Andy Ong
SY: Su Yi
AZ: Adam Zain
JA: Jern Ai
BL: Barbara Lam
SC: Su Ci
LT: Lyn Tan

Dennis Lau shares his thoughts on New Years. He’ll be performing at ENCORP Strand this New Year’s Eve


Do you bother to celebrate New Year’s eve?

JF: I do as I always give thanks to God for having led me through a journey of twelve months where most people are not able to make it.
DL: Actually, I do bother to celebrate as I feel it is always good to be able to celebrate it with your special someone
R: My mum was born on the 31st December, so we do have a party for her. But it is usually a party for close friends and relatives.
AO: Yes I do!
SY: Not as gung-ho as I used to be
AZ: Depends on the definition of celebrating. I very much prefer a more intimate get together of close friends at any one of our places to chill and have a good time.
JA: I haven’t celebrated for the past 3 years as I have been in Melbourne. Everyone goes back to spend time with THEIR families over Christmas and New Years. But if I was back in KL, yeah… I would totally celebrate New Year’s eve!
BL: Yes
SC: Not really the big grand type of celebration but something small and cosy with people that matter most is enough.
LT: Absofreakin’lutely! Anybody would love to embrace a new beginning. Fittest time for festal cheer!

Where will you be this New Year’s eve?
JF: This year I will be in Malaysia at The Strand in Kota Damansara to celebrate New Year with my friends
DL: I would be performing at 2 shows; one is in The Strand at Kota Damansara for a New Year’s Eve countdown show and then I will rush over to headline a White Party NYE show @ Cyberview Lodge.
R: I will be at home with my mum and my family members!
AO: Most probably I will be at a friend’s bar.
SY: No solid plans at the moment
AZ: Probably working with the 8TV Quickie guys.
JA: In Melbourne. Having a super low-key (as in stay home and watch movies) New Year’s eve. Although after answering all these questions, it’s REALLY making me feel like I Should go out and party!
BL: No real plans at the moment
SC: Not too sure just yet. Heard there’s a plan for a secret-no-cameras-allowed-type-of-lingerie-party in the making though… :p
LT: Hmm.. nothing is set in stone just yet. Probably a get together at a friend’s crib or a pool party.

Radio celebrity Roshan posing with Julie

What is your most funniest New Year resolution and why?
JF: To be able to meet my boyfriend’s best and funniest friend. This is because he makes me laugh a lot whenever I chat with him
DL: That I am able to perform with Michael Jackson in year 2010 but unfortunately he passed on before the year ended.
R: Wow.. that has to be the one… where I promised myself that I would stop swearing! I’m glad to say that it lasted only for 3 hours!
AO: To watch less TV. It is funny because I just ended up watching more downloaded TV shows!
SY: One year, my friends and I had written down a To-do list which consisted of about 20 plus things to accomplish together that year. We only managed to cross 2 out. It has been 3 years since and the list is still stuck onto the door of my friend’s place
AZ: I’m sure at one point I had ‘to improve my memory’. Unfortunately, I forgot to work on it for the year.
JA: I wanted to take more videos of life around me! But everyone is camera-shy and accuses me of getting footage for blackmail or embarrassing wedding videos. Another one is to be more independent. But then the next day, there was this giant spider in my house and I was screaming for someone to “GETITGETITGETITGETIT!”. New Year resolution FAIL.
BL: I will stop replying with K, LOL to my friends’ texts because I do not want them to reply me with that too. LOL!
SC: To lose weight. I think it is self explanatory why it is funny. Who am I kidding? I have weighed the same since 10 years ago. Even if it changes, it only goes up, never down, :p
LT: Spend less time on the Internet. It is like a prison without bars and a porn magazine lying on the floor… such is the internet.

Everyone, it’s Andy!


What is your most horrible New Year’s experience?

JF: Celebrating New Year after our late mum had passed away the previous year. We had no celebrations but we were full of sorrows.
DL: Not that I can remember of at the moment
R: To be honest, I cannot seem to recall any (thank God!). But I do remember this one time when I suffered from indigestion. It was not that bad but it did put a halt to me celebrating New Year’s (for about 15 minutes!)
AO: Getting stuck alone in my car after work with a bladder that is about to explode right after the countdown.
SY: Walking from Bukit Bintang to KLCC on a 4-inch stiletto heels. It was fun at the moment, but I could not feel my toes after that.
AZ: I remember wanting to spend my NYE with my best friend. Everything seemed set and good to go. However, my father had other plans and insisted that the entire family go back to my grandparents’ place since apparently my grandparents really wanted all their grandchildren to celebrate with them. I love my grandparents but they fell asleep by 10pm.
JA: I do not have one really. It is either quite fun and upbeat or super low-key (like not do anything at all). I guess I prefer the former.
BL: Getting lost in the crowed and being stranded in KL for 2 hours.
SC: None too horrible that it is unforgettable?
LT: There was one year where I fell terribly ill, so I was just stuck in bed sleeping through the New Year. That was horrific.

Su Yi is such a sport to answer our little questions

Do you have any New Year celebration rituals?
JF: I don’t but the only thing that I do is give thanks to God through prayers
DL: Just pray for a better year and better health!
R: Nope!
AO: Nothing special besides the usual countdown.
SY: Watching the firework displays!
AZ: Not really. But I was always fascinated by how my Spanish friend used to celebrate New Year’s Eve. Custom dictates that at the stroke of midnight, one must eat a single grape every time the chime strikes, i.e. twelve grapes for the twelve chimes representing midnight. It was the most peculiar and anti-climactic thing I have ever seen.
JA: If I am back in Malaysia, my family will always head out for a big night with their friends and their families. We will go to a nice restaurant, preferably with dancing and live music and PAR-TAY the night away!!
BL: No
SC: Nope. Just try to enter the New Year with a positive attitude for the first 5 minutes to set the ‘pace’ for the year. Hahaha…
LT: Watching fireworks. I’d feel incomplete and out of spunk if I missed it.

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Tourism Malaysia

Tapestry 2011

December 29, 2011 at 1:30 pm

There are many things about the earth and its living things that never fail to capture our interest and attention. One good example is the fascination that many people have regarding wild animals, in particular the way they move about in the jungle. Many inspirations have been derived from that one simple act, for instance incorporating animal-like movements into dances like the lion dance or a traditional Indian folk dance known as the Peacock dance.

ASWARA students performing the ‘Datun Julud’. This is a traditional dance of the Kenyah tribe in Sarawak

The Peacock Dance is a dance that mimics the movements and image of a peacock

Joget Gamelan Timang Burung dan Ketam Renjong

Tapestry 2011 by the National Academy of Arts, Culture and Heritage (ASWARA) is a series of performances that was formed with the intention of showcasing Malaysian traditional dances to the public. Each performance usually begins with research on the origins of the dance and its uniqueness. As most of these dances were not properly documented in the past, researchers often face a lot of problems when it comes to determining the actual steps and dance movements involved in each of these traditional dances. This year’s performance concentrates on traditional dance inspired by animals. Each of these performances shows the creativity of the choreographer and the dance creator, both of which are responsible for creating such amazing dance routines.

The traditional dance called ‘Ketam Bawa Anak’ is a repertoire of tarian Terinai

The traditional dance known as ‘Penyu Menangis’ is usually performed when the turtles come ashore to lay their eggs

This dance is called Ikan and it is based on a traditional symbol in China, that of which is a fish

The Tapestry 2011… Inspirasi Alam Haiwan was held at ASWARA’s Panggung Eksperimen from the 22nd till 26th November. The performance showcased 14 short traditional dances incorporating animal movements. For example, Datun Ulud is a traditional dance of the Kenyah tribe in Sarawak, Malaysia. This dance was invented as a symbol of happiness dedicated to the God of Thanksgiving and was once performed to celebrate the warriors’ return from hunting. This dance is normally performed by women only and the performers will wear a ‘Kirip’ (a hand decoration made by the feathers of the Hornbill) on their hands when they dance.

The Labi-Labi dance is a Malay folk dance that is popular in Rompin and Pekan, Pahang

The Ketam Bangkang is an Orang Asli from the village of Bakar Batu, Johor Bahru and is inspired by the daily activities of the Orang Asli

The dance known as ‘Kuda Pasu’ is normally performed during weddings and Tamu festival in Kota Belud, Sabah

There was also the Peacock Dance, which is actually a dance that imitates the movements and actions of a peacock. Dancers wear a skirt made out of peacock feathers so that it looks like a peacock’s train when the dancer expands it and another Chinese dance inspired by a fish’s movements. Other performances include the Kuda Pasu, which is a dance by the Bajau tribe in Kota Belud, Sabah. This dance highlights the tribe’s expertise in horse-riding and is often performed during weddings and Pesta Tamu in Kota Belud.

The main purpose of dancing the ‘Tarian Anak Tedung’ was actually to cure any illnesses relating to poison, especially from snake bites

This cute dance known as ‘Tari Pelanduk’ tells a tale of how the kings hunt mousedeers in the jungle

Hanuman Salor is a dance that was created by two Zapin dancers who displayed dancing movements inspired by wild monkeys in the area

For more pictures of the different types of dances performed during the event, please log on to our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/malaysiadotcom

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Tourism Malaysia

Event: Hang Tuah Jaya Municipal Council Flower Festival 2011

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Tourism Malaysia

The White Bat

December 26, 2011 at 12:30 pm

The story of The White Bat is a familiar story for many of us. It tells the story of Bella, a repressed housewife who longs for her husband Jonathan’s attention. Being an ambitious person, Jonathan becomes so obsessed with his work that he does not realise that he is neglecting his wife in the process. And then there is the Bat – a representation of our hidden nature that moves in the folds of the shadows, appearing only in the night.

The Bat is envious of Jonathan, having fallen for Bella and vies for her love. He appears in the night and takes Bella to a pub, where she finds herself being transformed into the person that she really is – a beautiful and seductive lady. Jonathan soon realises that having someone does not automatically mean that he owns her love as well and struggles to reclaim Bella’s love. Will Bella still want to return to Jonathan, now that she has found herself, remains to be seen.

The White Bat

This beautiful love story to be performed in a ballet is a production of Danceworks Production in collaboration with Ena Ballet Studio Company and Istana Budaya. This performance is choreographed by Jie Choong Wan Chin and will be staged at the Istana Budaya on the 7th and 8th January 2012 at 8.30 pm. The choreography is based on the music of Johann Strauss’ opera ‘Die Fledermaus‘ and will see the performance 13 artistes from the UK, Australia and Japan together with 15 local award-winning artistes.

Tickets are priced at RM 50, RM 100, RM 140, RM 180 and RM 220 and all proceeds will benefit the following charities – Hospis Malaysia, Kiwanis Down Syndrome Foundation, Lions Lyfe-Line Leukaemia Fund, SPCA Selangor, Yayasan Sin Chew, Living HOPE Malaysia and Persatuan SLE Malaysia. Tickets can be purchased via online at ticket2u.biz or by walking in to the participating outlets. For more information, please log on to the website here. A list of participating outlets can be found here.

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