Sunday 25 December 2011

merry christmas~

merry christmas~

Tuesday 20 December 2011

Stay away from Johor beaches

Stay away from Johor beaches, public told

The public have been warned against recreational activities along some beaches in Johor and the northern part of the country due to the current rough weather.

In Johor, the Malaysian Maritime Enforce­ment Agency is urging parents to keep their children off the beaches during the school holidays.
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Southern Region commander First Admiral Zulkifli Abu Bakar said strong winds, high waves and thunderstorms were expected to hit the shores of Mersing, Tanjung Sedili, Desaru, Sungai Rengit and East Johor until next Thursday.

The winds could go up to 60km per hour while the waves could measure over 5.5m, he warned.

Current weather conditions, he said, would also be dangerous for those involved in maritime activities, including fishermen and oil rig workers.

"Sea conditions are dangerous even to swimmers. Although this is the holiday season, there are many other family activities which do not involve going to the beach," Zulkifli said.

The Meteorological Department also advised against recreational activities and sea sports in the waters off Langkawi, Perlis, northern Kedah and Sandakan due to strong winds, which were expected to continue until Saturday.

However, it assured the public that the Tropical Storm Washi, which battered southern Philippines over the weekend and left hundreds dead or missing was not heading towards Sabah and Sarawak.

Its director-general Datuk Yap Kok Seng said the storm was expected to move south-westwards from Palawan in the Philippines and would be closer to Vietnam.

He said the forecast for thunderstorms, rough seas and strong winds until Dec 29 was due to the monsoon.

~News courtesy of The Star~

Brothers drown at Desaru beach

Brothers drown at Desaru beach

Strong currents and waves prevented a father from saving his two sons from drowning.

The incident occurred at 12.30pm at the popular Desaru beach here. The body of Mohd Fazli Mohd Fauzi, 23, was recovered within minutes of the incident.

The body of his sibling, Zulkhairi, 16, was not found at press time.

The victims' father, Mohd Fauzi Aliuddin, 49, nearly drowned as he battled to swim through the waves to save his sons.

He was rescued by other beach goers.

His wife, Zuraini Adnan, 47, said it was their family's first beach outing.

"My two sons were bathing when they were suddenly pulled in by the current," said Zuraini.

She said rescuers tried to resuscitate Fazli but could not.

His body was sent to Kota Tinggi Hospital for a post-mortem.

Bandar Penawar Fire and Rescue Department operations chief Abdul Rahman Mohd Salleh said his team rushed to the scene upon being alerted.

Rahman said a scuba team would be deployed to look for Zulkhairi as it was possible that his body might have been swept to a nearby beach.

He warned that it was dangerous for the public to swim during the monsoon season because of strong currents.

"There is even a red flag hoisted here to warn others about the dangers. It is not suitable for swimming at the moment."

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

Monday 19 December 2011

Great bargains in store

Great bargains in store

THE Johor Premium Outlets offers a great mix of high end luxury brands, high street and local brands for shoppers.

If you are looking at getting the best bargains, why not take some time to browse around and see what you can get?

There is a wide selection of brands that will appeal to everyone, and for the accessory lovers, there are plenty of choices.


Up for grabs: Shoppers finding attractive discounts in a branded store at the Johor Premium Outlets.

Those with a penchant for American brands will be happy to know that two very well known names are here, Coach and Michael Kors.

Coach, the high end designer brand, does not need an introduction, has an array of accessories on display at great prices.

Fans of this brand can pick up the monogrammed bags or purses, and there is an excellent selection of men’s accessories as well. There is also a range of shoes available.

Michael Kors, which recently opened its first boutique in Kuala Lumpur this year, showcases pretty pastel colours in purses which would make great Christmas gifts. There is also quite a wide selection of bags in summer colours as well.

The Ready-to-Wear line is also available, so you can pick up some classic pieces from dresses to blouses for that clean cut American polished style.

Those looking for suits or men’s shirts and pants can head over to Canali. The luxury Italian menswear brand is known for its handmade suits, sportswear and accessories.

Just the right place to pick out a suit for that Christmas or New Year party or whole new wardrobe for next year.

What is also interesting about Coach, Michael Kors and Canali, is that they also have a special selection of products made specifically for their factory outlets.

These factory outlet exclusives are items you would not see in their downtown boutiques, so make sure you grab them while you can.

Contemporary local brand Flow is also a good place to stop for those who want their clothes with a generous cut. The plus-size womenswear brand has a selection of dresses, tops, pants and jackets all designed to flatter the figure.

If you are looking for affordable fashion timepieces and designer sunglasses, head to Wear + When. You never know what you might be able to pick up that will go perfectly with you Christmas wardrobe and with our climate, you can never have too many sunglasses.

And a little teaser, Swiss Watch Gallery will be opening soon, where you will be able to find not only fashion timepieces but also luxury watches.

So there you have it, some great places to pick up some fabulous Christmas buys or just to have a little retail therapy. After all, who needs an excuse to shop?

~News courtesy of The Star~

Wednesday 14 December 2011

New mall in Taman Sentosa

New mall in Taman Sentosa has everything for visitors

The former Lien Hoe Plaza in Taman Sentosa has been given a RM70mil facelift and has been renamed Plaza Sentosa.

The new mall will have a host of outlets catering to the people’s needs with entertainment, food, shopping and also a 260-room hotel.

Plaza Sentosa Advantage Equity Sdn Bhd executive director Datuk CS Ong said Plaza Sentosa was the first Lifestyle Mall in the area.

Lien Hoe Plaza has been around for the past 20 years.

The former Lien Hoe Plaza has now been given a RM70mil facelift and has since been renamed Plaza Sentosa.

“We spent RM70mil to upgrade it into a new outlet,” he said adding that there were a total of 120 tenants in the mall currently.

He added that the location of the mall would be convenient for locals as well as those from Singapore.

In his speech during the grand opening of the mall recently, he said they were banking on seven factors to make the mall stay alive and competitive.

“First of all, is its good location as the mall stands in the middle of the business hub in this district.

“Secondly, the First Lifestyle Mall house eight bistros and clubs and the largest reflexology centre in Malaysia,” he said.

Other factors identified are design and layout, marketable tenants, business class hotel, parking facilities and experienced management team which also contributes to the competitiveness.

“We also have our Grand Sentosa Hotel within the mall, with 260 rooms which will be able to house tourist here.

“With this, we believe that Plaza Sentosa will be able to help in attributing the efforts to achieve Johor government’s aspiration in transforming Johor Baru as the destination for tourist as well as shopping in the Southern Gateway of Malaysia,” he said.

“In conjunction with our grand opening, Grand Sentosa Hotel is offering a special room rate of RM100 only for superior room and is valid until Dec 15.

~News courtesy of The Star~

Thursday 8 December 2011

Not many bargains at Johor Premium Outlets

Not many bargains at Johor Premium Outlets

Friday's heavy rain did not stop hundreds of Singaporeans from taking an hour's drive to Johor Premium Outlets (JPO) to look for designer goods at lower prices, said The Straits Times.

However, shoppers at the 16,258 sq m mall were rather disappointed and each went home with only a bag or two of purchases.

The mall noted that the discounts were not as big as those at Premium Outlets in the US and Europe, even though there were discounts of up to 70 percent on selected products. For instance, a Zegna tie that cost S$290 at the Takashimaya boutique was about 55 percent cheaper at S$130 (RM315), while high heels from Salvatore Ferragamo, which usually sell for S$790 in Singapore, cost around S$430 (RM1,040).

"If we wait for things to go on sale in Singapore, they are about the same price," said shopper Y.L. Tan.

"Compared with prices in Singapore, they are definitely lower but American brands like Coach are much cheaper in the US," noted Ginny Chu, who spent around RM700 (S$289) on a pair of sunglasses, a watch and a handbag.

The report noted that JPO retailers sell leftover stock from past seasons while some items were exclusively made by the brands for their outlet stores. Store managers said that because theirs are outlet shops, some signature products are not available.

Meanwhile, some stores like Tommy Hilfiger, Versace, Polo Ralph Lauren and Brooks Brothers are expected to open only on 11 December, when the mall holds its grand opening. Related Stories: Johor Premium Outlet opens doors today Prime retail rents in HK among highest in region Courts plans S$70m expansion boost in region.

~News courtesy of Yahoo~