Mandarin-speaking Immigration Officers

HELPING HAND: Tan’im helping a Chinese tourist fill up a form at the KLIA on Tuesday. He is one of nine Mandarin-speaking officers placed at immigration counters in the airport.

In a bid to improve tourism and to make it easier for Chinese tourists, the government had decided to station Immigration officers who are able to speak Mandarin. This is in effect and has proven to be effective.

A survey of the counters on Tuesday showed traffic to be smooth, with many tourists approaching Li Han Wei who started work as an immigration officer.

According to a Chinese tourist, the officers are a great help, especially so for first-time travellers to Malaysia like him. The Mandarin-speaking officers were able to clarify certain things.

Read story: Helping Chinese tourists
The Star

Ipoh set to become budget carrier hub

The under-used Sultan Azlan Shah Airport in Ipoh would soon be a low-cost carrier hub with AirAsia introducing flights from Senai to here in February.

According to AirAsia chief executive officer Datuk Tony Fernandez, the airline would begin operations on Feb 1, with four Senai-Ipoh flights a week increasing to a daily flight frequency when AirAsia takes delivery of their A320 Airbus by the end of March. The Boeing 737 aircraft would initially be used for the sector.

Fernandez said flights to the airport would boost economic development in the city and its surrounding areas and the airport can be developed into a northern low-cost hub complementing the KL International Airport. The flights would also attract more tourists to the city.

Answering a question, Fernandez said AirAsia may fly to Indonesia, Thailand, Sabah and Sarawak from Ipoh.

Read article: The Star...Ipoh set to become budget carrier hub

AirAsia offers two million free tickets

KUALA LUMPUR: AirAsia will give away a whopping two million free seats to mark its fourth anniversary.

The offer is for all domestic and regional flights departing from its four hubs – Kuala Lumpur, Senai (Johor), Bangkok and Jakarta.

In a statement here the low-fare airline, which operates over 100 domestic and regional flights in Asia, said it would launch an aggressive advertising campaign simultaneously in eight countries from today.

The countries are Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, China (including Macau), Vietnam, Philippines and Cambodia.

To be eligible for the free seats, bookings must be done online at www.airasia.com or via mobile.airasia.com (available on GPRS, 3G, EDGE mobile phone or wireless device) from today until Dec 28, for travel from Feb 7 to Oct 10, 2006.

Read story: AirAsia offers two million free tickets...The Star

Online visa for Chinese nationals

MAKING A POINT: Azmi speaking to reporters in Beijing yesterday with Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi beside him. — APpic

BY HOO BAN KHEE
The Star

BEIJING: Chinese nationals wishing to visit Malaysia can make online visa applications and pay the visa fee using credit cards when the system is up in two months, Home Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid said.

He told a packed media conference that this was the latest measure to encourage more Chinese to visit Malaysia. Currently, they would have to submit their applications at consulates located here, in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Kunming.

Azmi said an applicant could expect a response within 24 hours. The successful applicant would be given a number to be presented together with the passport on arrival at KL International Airport.

Those without credit card or online facilities could go through authorised travel agents in their areas.

Azmi led a 14-member delegation to China to assuage Chinese concerns arising from a recent spate of bad press involving Chinese nationals.

He said Malaysia valued Chinese tourists, and incentives, including a US$1mil (RM3.78mil) “Ang Pau” contest, had been announced.

Azmi advised Chinese nationals to go through authorised travel agents so that they would not be cheated or be trapped by human trafficking syndicates.

He said only four job areas in Malaysia were open to Chinese nationals at the moment.

They are: highly-skilled furniture makers; construction workers engaged by Chinese companies doing projects in Malaysia; professionals such as engineers and computers experts under the expatriate group; and students, who are now allowed to work part-time.

“Any other employment is illegal. Do not believe anything else that people may say,” Azmi said.

Azmi said he had apologised for the incidences of rape, robbery and murders involving Chinese nationals, which were committed by criminals.

The cases had been dealt with in accordance with the law, he added.

To a question, Azmi said Malaysian laws did not allow the police to check tourists, unless on suspicion of drug offences.

On the case of a fair skinned woman asked to do ear squats, he said: “This lady could have been suspected of carrying drugs and the squatting was to make her eject any drug hidden inside the body.”

“We still do not know whether she is a Malaysian or foreigner.

“Even if she is an illegal, I will give her a pass to stay in Malaysia so that she can be a witness,” he added.

Source: The Star...Online visa for Chinese nationals

Third pay TV station to go on air on Dec 26

Yes!! This should give Astro a run for their money. It's healthy
as Astro is like having full monopoly (well almost) and they're
getting so distant as in very difficult to get access to a human.
It's always a recording talking to you when you call.


By MUMTAJ BEGUM
The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: After Astro and MiTV, Malaysians can now opt for a third pay TV station called Fine TV which will begin transmission on Dec 26 in the Klang Valley.

It is offering 18 channels initially. They include SeriAnda (which shows telenovelas bought from around the world), MovieBuff, MusicU and Toon Tuff.

There is also a channel dedicated to karaoke lovers called KTV which offers 2,000 tunes.

Subscribers will have to pay for the programmes they want to watch; the charges begin at 20 sen and rise to RM5.

Full story: Third pay TV station to go on air on Dec 26

Retirees can take out EPF dividend

An interesting letter I found in The Star on the EPF dividend
is reproduced below:

Retiress can take out EPF dividend
We refer to the letter, "Allow retirees to withdraw annual
dividend" (Sunday Star, Oct 30).

The Employees Provident Fund would like to clarify that there
is already an existing scheme that allows retirees to draw
only their annual dividends and leave the principal amount
with the EPF.

This scheme was introduced in 1982 and is open to all members
who have reached 55 years.

V.K.Chin's Comment article "Don't treat the EPF like savings
account, (The Star, Oct 26) reflects a greater concern for
Malaysians to become more aware of their individual
responsibility to play a role in planning for their retirement
needs.

EPF members who want to know more about the organisation, its
benefits and services can visit the website at www.kwsp.gov.my
or contact our call centre at 03-8732 6000.

NIK AFFENDI JAAFAR,
Senior Manager, Public Relations,
Employees Provident Fund.
Kuala Lumpur