Categories
Travel to Melaka

Melaka Batik House – Home of Colorful Malaysian Batik

Batik is any kind of fabric that is imprinted with the colorful patterns via the application of dye and wax. It is an essential part of the Malaysian culture and a traditional art form. The batik industry that has existed and evolved over nearly a century ago and is now one of the roots of Malaysian culture. Although it cannot be ascertained precisely how history begins, the results of this art has been the heritage of world civilization. It is creative medium and if you want to purchase some pieces or learn this art then a visit to Melaka Batik House should be in your list of things to do in Melaka.

Melaka Batik House

Melaka Batik House is operating since 2009 with the support of Batik Malaysia, Noor Arfa Batik. Located at the Melaka International Trade Centre (MITC), Melaka Batik house is one of the best tourist attractions in Melaka. The store accurately represents the Malay culture as it is shaped in traditional Malay house. With the wooden gabled roof and bricked stairs that lead to the entrance of the house of innovation.

Batik has much more to offer to its guests then a mere shop. Here you can find myriad of batik products, such as batik parios for women and batik shirts for men. If you want to create your own batik inspired outfits in your own style then the Melaka Batik house has also stocked up unstitched colorful batik fabric for you. The store also creates outfits of your choice on order with your hand-picked batik fabric. Your shopping in Melaka will be incomplete if you don’t pay a visit to the Batik House.

Melaka Batik House consists of two floors. On the first floor, visitors can enjoy learning batik class. On the second floor, visitors’ eyes will be spoiled by a variety of beautiful batik designs from designers Melaka Batik House. Price batik sold in the Batik House ranging from Malaysian Ringgit 39 or more. It depends on the quality of fabrics, types of batik and batik motif. Melaka Batik House is also equipped with a large parking area, showroom sales, and making batik workshop to guests. In Malacca Batik House, you can find the entire batik from various parts of Malaysia, ranging from the rare to the popular and modern. For the class of batik workshops for visitors, you can register yourself first.

History of Batik House, formerly started from a small batik business owned companies Noor Arfa. Claiming self-operating since 1980, Noor Arfa ventured to expand the business by opening boutique batik Melaka Batik House. The Batik House building itself was built in 2008, a year before the boutique opened to the public. The main batik manufacturing plant is located in Kuala Terengganu and is built on an area of ​​2.5 hectares, part of the Industrial Zone Chendering. There are about 140 employees at the factory batik makers.

Melaka Batik house is not only a place to learn but it is a must visit place in Melaka due to the creative aroma it exhales. Visit the Batik House once and of let us know about your experience there.

Selamat Tinggal!

Address: Pt 15251, Melaka International Trade Centre, 75450, Ayer Keroh, Melaka, Malaysia
Phone: +60 6-232 3900

Categories
Tourism Malaysia

Food Haven Ipoh: Simply The Best

By Vishnu Krishnan

The homely town of Ipoh is on the verge of major development and expansion, but the fragments of its rustic charm still remain, namely within the old school buildings and authentic local cuisines which many argue are simply the best.

The dish most synonymous with Ipoh is their nga choy kai or beansprout chicken. This mouthwatering dish consists of chicken meat and innards, blanched crunchy beansprouts drenched in soy sauce and sesame oil. The blend of textures is divine. Follow the throngs of locals for the best serving at Onn Kee Restaurant.

Onn Kee Tauge Ayam Kue Tiaun is bliss.

(Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/94223817174270490/

It is sinful to skip assam laksa in Ipoh. The best version of it is served with yong tau foo (fried or boiled processed fishcakes and vegetables) stewing in a steamy bowl of the famous sweet and spicy sardine broth. Head to Dai Shu Geok Assam Laksa restaurant for this scrumptious delight.

picture1

Dai Shu Geok Assam Laksa is the flavor of the heaven!

(Source: http://www.misstamchiak.com/the-ipoh-food-guide-2014/)

Ipoh Hor Fun is a signature kuey teow (flat noodle) soup with shredded chicken and prawns that burst with flavours. The Tricycle Chicken Prawn kuey teow at Thean Chun Coffee Shop is one of the best places to sample this little piece of heaven.

picture1

Tricycle Chicken Prawn Kuey Teow is the way to the heart

(Source: http://www.imgrum.net/user/sonia.leong/1946618593/1253554644445572068_1946618593)

Wat tan hor, also known as hor fun, is an amazing dish of flat noodles smothered in a thick egg gravy littered with chicken pieces and prawns. The slimy texture is surprisingly smooth and delectable. The best serving can be found at the Tuck Kee Restaurant which is known for slipping-in an egg at the very last minute to further enhance the smoothness of the gravy!

picture1

Tuck Kee Wat Tan Hor redefines your concept of texture!
(Source: http://www.j2kfm.com/tuck-kee-fried-noodles-wat-tan-hor-ipoh/)

Ipoh is not just limited to full meals and entrées. Their desserts and snacks are pretty good as well. Muah chee is a glutinous rice ball coated in a lovely sweet chopped peanut powder. To experience the best, try the stall right outside the Nam Heong Coffee Shop.

Ipoh white coffee is a blessing to coffee lovers across Malaysia. This beverage is traditionally made from butter roasted coffee beans that is known for an intense, unrivalled aroma.

This particular blend was created by the Wong brothers who set up the famous Sin Yoon Long Coffee Shop in 1937. The white coffee is best served with their famous Hainanese toast bread with kaya, a sweet coconut and egg spread.

picture1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sin Yoon Long Coffee Shop’s white coffee and toast with eggs may not look like much, but trust us, this is the real deal!

(Source: https://en.yelp.my/biz/sin-yoon-loong-ipoh)

And a trip to Ipoh is not complete without a visit to Buntong for Ipoh’s famed kacang putih (Indian snacks). This area is famous for the manufacturing and retail of kacang putih and makes millions each year selling these savoury treats to England, New Zealand and Australia.

picture2

Now this is what you call snacks!

(Source: http://www.j2kfm.com/kacang-putih-stall-ipoh-garden-post-office/)

For a full list of things to do while you’re enjoying best food in town go to http://www.ipoh-city.com/attraction/

Categories
Cuisine in Melaka

PATENTS FOR MALACCA’S UNIQUE TRISHAWS

Patents for Malacca’s unique trishaws

By Jason Gerald John
New Straits Times
Monday, Jun 10, 2013

MALACCA – THE famed Beca Melaka (trishaw) which have been plying the Historical City since the 1920s will soon be patented by the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO).

The move to patent the Beca Melaka is aimed at preventing the unique designs and decorations, which differ from one trishaw to another, from being reproduced.

State Agriculture and Entrepreneur Development chairman Datuk Hasan Abdul Rahman said each trishaw was unique in its own way as the decorations and lights on the pedal-powered three-wheelers spoke for the innovation and creativity of the owner.

“A patent gives the owner an exclusive right to stop others from manufacturing, using or selling the owner’s invention in Malaysia without the owner’s consent or permission.

“There are some 250 beca under the Persatuan Beca Pelancongan Negeri Melaka (PBPNM) in the state, which are used mainly for tourism purposes. We want each and every one of them to be patented to protect this unique heritage.

“PBPNM mooted this idea to protect their innovative creation through MyIPO and the state government fully supported this move,” he said after launching the Beca Melaka Parade, held in conjunction with National Intellectual Property Day 2013 and the International Melaka River Festival at the Melaka River Square in Jalan Merdeka here yesterday.

Present were MyIPO chairman, Datuk Abdul Manan Ismail, MyIPO director-general, Datuk Azizan Mohamad Sidin, and PBPNM chairman, Capt (Rtd) Khalid Ahmad.

Hasan said that with the patent, each trishaw rider could also reap numerous benefits including monetary gains through the right marketing strategy, sales of patent, licensing and franchising, not only locally but in other parts of the world as well.

On a related matter, Hasan called on trishaw riders to continue preserving the tradition of providing trishaw services to tourists as well as help promote the state’s tourism industry.

Categories
Cuisine in Melaka

RM400 MILLION CRUISE TERMINAL IN MELAKA

Monday April 22, 2013

Malacca expects RM400mil cruise terminal and others to drive its growth
By B K SIDHU
bksidhu@thestar.com.my

Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Bin Mohd Rustam during the interview at Seri Bendahara, Malacca.
MALACCA: The development of a RM400mil marina jetty terminal in Malacca for cruise liners is in the works, one of many projects lined up to drive the state’s growth.

Malacca was eyeing RM8bil of investments this year RM3bil and RM5bil for manufacturing and services sectors, respctively, Malacca chief minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam told StarBiz.

He said the manufacturing sector would create 6,000 jobs this year and the services sector, 2,000.

Last year, investments into the state totalled RM5.3bil. And in 2011, RM4.3bil was secured for the manufacturing sector.

Though on average local investments had outpaced that of foreign, the converse had been true for some years now, Ali Rustam said. The state has 26 industrial parks.

He said that in the past 12 years till 2012, the state government had managed to secure RM29bil worth of investments, of which RM20.46bil was foreign.

In the last few years, gross domestic product stood at between 5% and 6%, while the unemployment rate was at 0.7% and poverty, 0.5%.

Ali Rustam said for this year, he expected RM800mil in investments from US-based Guardian Industries a global float-glass maker to set up a high-technology glass products manufacturing plant in Jasin; a RM1.8bil solar thin film plant by US-based WNK Solar; and RM500mil worth of small projects for the manufacture of electrical and electronics as well as warehousing and automation.

“The groups are in the process of getting the various approvals to invest in Malacca,” he said.

Earlier, US-based Sunpower Corp had committed to invest RM3.7bil, of which RM2.4bil had already been pumped into a solar panel plant that has started operations. This year, the company is expected to invest the balance RM1.3bil to expand operations.

“Our focus is on the K-Economy and high technology, and our manufacturing is all high-tech. We also now have investments in green and biotechnology. Our manufacturing and services sector, tourism and health tourism are strong,” Ali Rustam said.

On tourism, he said with the increasing numbers of tourists coming to Malacca every year, plans were in place to build more resorts and hotels, an underwater world and a theme park.

“We are talking to Eden Enterprises for the Seaworld/Underwater world project and with an Indonesian party for the theme park project,” Ali Rustam said.

Two new specialist hospitals in Ayer Keroh and Kelebang also have been planned. They would be developed by local companies.

On the marina jetty terminal, Ali Rustam said it would be undertaken by Kejuruteraan Asas Jaya Sdn Bhd on a 121.81ha site.

“The jetty would be built for RM100mil and the needed land would be reclaimed for RM300mil. All these are initial investments,” he said.

This development will facilitate cruise liners docking at least twice weekly at the jetty. Each liner carries about 3,000 passengers. “Even if each passenger spends RM100 a day in Malacca, the spillover business activities would be huge over time,” he noted.

Tourist arrivals in the state in 2000 was 1.6 million, and rose to 12 million in 2011. Last year, the number increased to 13 million and Ali Rustam expects a steep rise with the docking of the cruise liners.

“That is also why we need more hotels and resorts to cater to this new growth,” he said.

The jetty terminal should be completed by 2015.

Malacca also made the New York Times’ list of 45 cities to be visited in the world this year. This could be attributed to its World Heritage City status granted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation in 2008, a report said.

Ali Rustam has been the Chief Minister since December 1999 and has, over the years, managed to make Malacca more attractive to investors, for instance, initiating a one-stop approval centre to facilitiate investor needs and requests.

Categories
Wonderful Malaysia

Overall growth of tourist arrivals Malaysia

Malaysia recorded an overall growth of +1.2% tourist arrivals with 9,438,592 tourists for the first five months of 2012 as compared to 9,323,827 for the same period last year, according to the Tourism Minister, Dato’ Sri Dr. Ng Yen Yen. ASEAN region still contributed the largest number of tourists to Malaysia with 73.4% of the total arrivals. The positive growth come from Indonesia (+19.3%), Philippines (+41.7%), Vietnam (+35.2%), Myanmar (+6.9%) and Laos (+19.9%). Other notable progressive medium and long haul markets include Saudi Arabia (+50.7%), China (+34.1%), Japan (30.6%), Russia (25.8%), Kazakhstan (25.2%), Denmark (14.4%) and India (+7.8%).

Total receipts by tourists from January to May 2012 rose by +1.9%, generating RM21.8 billion to the country’s revenue as compared to RM21.4 billion in 2011. The tourists’ per capita expenditure for that period is estimated at RM 2,309 an increase of 0.7% as compared to RM 2,294 in 2011.

The minister added that in line with the Malaysia Tourism Transformation Plan 2020 towards achieving 36 million tourist and 168billion in receipts by 2020, it is important for Malaysia to shift its focus on growing yield per tourist rather than to rely heavily on growth in tourist arrivals. “To attract the higher yield segment, we will need to enhance connectivity to key priority markets.” For a start, Tourism Malaysia works to increase flight frequencies to 6 priority countries namely China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia and Taiwan besides developing an air-rights allocation framework to facilitate efficient development of these key routes and others.

One of the most successful programs that have been identified by the Ministry to develop rural based tourism is the Homestay Program. The tourism program recorded a significant increase with 38.4% of occupancy rate compared to 24.9% for the same period last year. A total of 133,689 tourists visited our homestay from January to May 2012 of which 110,322 were domestic tourists and the rest 23,367 were foreigners. This is a 70.7% increase compared to the same period last year where we only received 78,333 tourists. Tourist receipts from homestay program for the first five months of 2012 also proliferated to RM 7,376,446.50 (+53.1%) compared to RM4, 817,158.30 in January to May 2011. Increased spending by these tourists has stimulated the rural economy. The homestay tourism program has encouraged local communities to be a part of rural based tourism whilst maintaining their traditions and identities.

Recognized as one of the National Key Economic Areas, the tourism industry remains as one of the major contributor to Gross National Income, foreign exchange earnings and employment. In 2011, tourism ranked seventh (7th) largest contributor with a GNI total of USD12.3billion and the third (3rd) largest foreign exchange earner after manufacturing and palm oil. The Malaysian tourism industry in 2010 provided 1.8 million jobs (15.9%, share of employment in tourism to total employment). Amongst the 12 Entry Point Projects are duty free shopping, luxury tourism, designating KLCC–Bukit Bintang area as a vibrant shopping precinct, improving business tourism and increasing the supply of 4 5 star hotel rooms, etc.

The percentage on tourist shopping recorded from January to May 2012 shows 32.3% (RM7.04 billion) of the total tourist receipts. This is an increase compared to 30% last year. The covered walkway connecting Bukit Bintang and KLCC completed early this year to facilitate shopping has shown a positive impact.

To attract high yield tourists, we need quality four five star hotel rooms. Currently there are 59,804 four five star hotel rooms available in Malaysia. By 2020, 37,000 additional four five star hotel rooms are required. The Ministry of Tourism targets to increase 3000 four five star hotel rooms in Malaysia as at end 2012. Currently 71% of the target is achieved with 2,123 rooms completed. The government’s liberalization policies and lucrative tax incentives have resulted in domestic and foreign investments on hospitality assets across Malaysia.

Malaysia has premised itself as a world class destination for Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE). The Malaysia Convention Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) successfully secured 33 major events throughout January to May 2012, attracting total delegates of 50,770 and generating an estimated economic impact of RM499.9 mil. The International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) Rankings 2011 ranked Kuala Lumpur number 21 in the world and number 5 in Asia Pacific. Malaysia ranked number 29 in the world and number 7 in Asia Pacific.

Domestic tourism is also another important part of Malaysia’s tourism industry. The number of domestic tourists in 2011 increased 15.7% (45,731,000 as compared with 39,539,000 in 2010). In 2011, the spending by domestic tourists was RM27.0 billion, registering a 13.9% increase as against RM23.7 billion spent in 2010. This is the success of the “Cuti Cuti 1Malaysia” Campaign.

In order to grow the tourism industry, efforts have been intensified towards enhancing existing tourism products and developing new, creative and innovative tourism products. This included the “1Malaysia International Shoe Festival 2012?, “1Malaysia International Tourism Exchange 2012?, “1Malaysia Contemporary Art Tourism 2012? and the recently concluded “1Malaysia International Tourism Night Floral Parade 2012?.

The Ministry of Tourism’s ‘Malaysia: Truly Asia’ branding is recognized worldwide and the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has ranked Malaysia the ninth most traveled to destination in the world.

Share
More related articles