Friday 23 November 2018

Forest City - Durian Carnival

Are you addicted to durian? Don’t wait anymore! Durian Carnival will be held in Forest City soon! Come and join us to enjoy the tasteful durian πŸ˜‹

Date:2018.11.22 – 2018.11.30
Time:11:00AM – 07:00PM
Venue : Forest City Sales Gallery Level 1 (Poolside)




Playtime by the Riverside - Desaru Coast

Make this long, school holiday season a fun and educational outing for the whole family at Desaru Coast!

“Playtime by the Riverside” takes place at Riverside Desaru Coast from 23 November to 16 December, featuring a series of fun and exciting activities for the whole family! There will be plenty of action for the kids including cultural dance performances, Playdoh workshops, inflatable castles as well as meet & greet sessions with the mascots from KIdZaniaGo and Desaru Coast Adventure Waterpark!

In addition to this, the String Symphony will make its first appearance in Malaysia at Desaru Coast! Come and experience gigantic, illuminated-puppets that will present an interactive musical performance! Join in the fun and play a part as a puppeteer too!

Playtime by Riverside @ Desaru Coast Malaysia
Date: 23 November to 16 December 2018
Time: 10.00am to 9.00pm
Location: Riverside Desaru Coast

For more information, please visit www.desarucoast.com

Presented by: What’s going on in Johor Bahru? #WGOIJB

Tuesday 20 November 2018

Mersing to be declared national geopark next year

Mersing to be declared national geopark next year



Mersing would be declared the first national geopark site in the state in March next year.

Its assistant district officer Mohamed Afiq Zubir said the matter had been agreed upon by the National Geopark Development Committee, and the papers on the proposal by the state executive council, which would be examined by the Valuation Committee, were already in the works.

He said geology is the most important element in applying for the geopark status, but it must be accompanied by others including biodiversity and culture of the local community.

“The proposal to make Mersing a geopark is in line with government’s effort to position the district as a thriving tourist destination, both domestic and internationally.

“The district’s uniqueness is based on the belief that it was one of the earliest land formed in the peninsula, apart from the existence of a once active volcano 300 years ago.

“Every week, hundreds of tourists would arrive in Pulau Tioman, making it a popular tour destination.

“The geopark status would encourage tourists to spend time to explore the district,” he said in his speech at the launch of 2018 Mersing Geopark awareness programme at Dewan Jubli Intan Sultan Ibrahim, here, on Thursday.

Mohamed Afiq said for the past 10 years, the state government, with the assistance of the East Coast Economic Regional Development Corridor (ECERDC) have carried out various infrastructure projects in efforts to achieve this.

He said geopark was part of a sustainable regional development which would focus on restoration of the natural heritage, people’s wellbeing, and generation of income through tourism.

“It is hoped that a comprehensive plan would be prepared in ensuring that the aims of the geopark development would be achieved.

“The aims include elevating the socio-economic status of the people while protecting their wellbeing, apart from contributing profit for Johor,” he said.

Also present was National Geopark Development Committee chairman Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Ibrahim Komoo.

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

Tuesday 13 November 2018

Multi-biometrics screening at Singapore checkpoints from April 2019

ICA to introduce multi-biometrics screening at checkpoints from April 2019

Travellers with faded fingerprints will soon not have to worry about getting stuck during immigration clearance.

From April 2019, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) will progressively deploy a new screening system which uses three biometric identifiers - fingerprints, facial and iris - to complement fingerprint matching for immigration clearance. ICA said this is more accurate and is useful for travellers with deteriorated fingerprints due to ageing, scarring or genetics.

The new system will be available at all checkpoints.

"With the BioScreen-Multi Modal Biometric Screening System, travellers can be authenticated using any of the three biometric identifiers," the agency said in a statement on Monday (Nov 12).

"This will enable more efficient immigration clearance for travellers who may face difficulties using their fingerprints."

After handing over their passports, travellers put two thumbs on a fingerprint scanner and concurrently look at a camera which scans their faces and eyes. A green tick on a screen indicates the process is completed.

When asked if the process will take the same amount of time as current procedures, ICA said: “As part of the trial, we will try to fine-tune the final outcome to achieve a more effective clearance process.”

The system is being trialled at manual and automated counters at Woodlands, Tuas and Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal checkpoints.

"A robust biometrics database of travellers, comprising facial images, fingerprint and iris, will be useful for post-incident investigation and data analytics purposes in the event of a security incident," ICA added.

FACIAL RECOGNITION

Meanwhile, the ICA has also been beefing up security at Singapore's borders with the use of facial recognition cameras, which have been deployed at Woodlands Checkpoint since 2012.

The cameras, found at strategic locations like entrances, queue lines and immigration counters, are used to identify wanted persons, including during post-incident investigations.

Since 2012, the system has identified persons wanted for offences like possessing multiple identities and previously overstaying in Singapore, although ICA declined to reveal exact figures due to operational security.

"More than 280,000 travellers pass through Woodlands Checkpoint every day," Deputy Assistant Commissioner (DAC) Lian Lee Siong from ICA told reporters on Monday.

"With this facial recognition technology, we will be able to process large volumes of passengers more efficiently and securely."

The cameras have also been used during stepped-up checks in the lead-up to the ongoing ASEAN Summit, and other major events like the Trump-Kim summit. ICA is also in the midst of deploying the cameras at other checkpoints like Changi Airport.

HOW IT WORKS

ICA works with other security agencies like the police to upload pictures of wanted persons into its database, which currently contains a few hundred thousand images.

The system can simultaneously compare faces of multiple travellers to those in the database and automatically flag wanted persons to officers in the command centre. These officers make a final identification before alerting their colleagues on the ground.

Officials said this process takes three to five seconds, which means suspects trying to flee the country will be nabbed even before reaching the immigration counter.

"If someone commits a crime inland and attempts to depart Singapore through our checkpoints, all we need is just a photograph of him and our system will be able to sieve him out from the crowd," DAC Lian said.

The system is smart enough to identify suspects using old photos, or if their features were altered or obstructed. For example, officials showed a real-life example of a wanted person being identified despite dying her hair a different colour.

It can also detect objects based on physical features like colour, size and dimension, meaning officers can identify suspects based on the colour of his T-shirt, or other security risks like unattended baggage.

"This provides you ways of identifying and verifying a person-of-interest even without an image," said Dr Naresh Kumar, a director at the Office of the Chief Science and Technology Officer, which helped produce the system.

"With the attributes and descriptors, we are able to nail down the person. This keeps our checkpoints safe and secure."

If officers need to look back in time, the system can trawl up to a year of old footage and automatically show instances of the suspect passing through.

As far as privacy is concerned, ICA said in a statement that only authorised officers are allowed to enter the command centre and operate the cameras.

"In addition, the user access rights are restricted such that users only have access to perform their assigned duties," it added. "Any officer found to have abused the system will be investigated and dealt with in accordance with the law."

MOBILE AND BODY-WORN CAMERAS

Besides the fixed cameras, ICA has also deployed mobile and body-worn cameras equipped with facial recognition technology.

The mobile cameras, which have been used for several Home Team operations since July 2017, are usually for large-scale events like festive celebrations, when prior intelligence has indicated the possible appearance of a wanted person.

These cameras can be set up within 10 minutes and is useful when it is not practical for officers to patrol the ground for long hours. They can send alerts to officers' mobile phones through a secure wireless network.

Another option is the body-worn cameras, which officers can use in low-light conditions or when faced with infrastructural challenges, like on board a cruise or inside a vehicle.

These cameras are also connected to officers' mobile phones and can automatically match faces to a remote database.

"The body-worn cameras allow roving officers on patrol within the checkpoints to accurately and swiftly detect persons-of-interest before they reach the immigration counters," ICA said.

Source: CNA/hz(ra)

Legoland Premium Pass

Hey Premium Pass holders, we know you are asking for more and the awesome deal is back! Let’s continue the LEGOLAND fun with your friends from 15 to 30 November. πŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰

Haven’t got an Annual Pass yet? Get it here now http://bit.ly/AnnualPassDeal. We’ll see you soon!



Source: FB Legoland Malaysia

Public Transport to Paradigm Mall JB








Departure levy different from airport tax

Departure levy different from airport tax

The departure levy proposed in Budget 2019 is completely separate from the existing passenger service charge (PSC), said Transport Minister Anthony Loke.

Loke was responding to a question on the need to impose the levy which was set at RM20 to Asean countries and RM40 for non-Asean countries.

The PSC is not something collected by the government, that’s collected by Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) to run the operations of the airport, he said.

“The departure levy introduced by the government, is a form of tax for anyone travelling out of the country. That is completely by the government, not by the airlines, not by the airports,” he said during the launch of AirAsia Bhd’s first fully-digitalised ground handling services control centre at klia2.

The departure levy is needed to raise revenue and the government could collect a few hundred million ringgit annually, he said.

Loke pointed out other countries such as Thailand and Indonesia had similar taxes for outbound travellers.

The mechanism, he said, would be announced later as implementation only starts on June 1.

He added the ministry has not decided on the mechanism to offer the 30% stake in the proposed Airport REIT (real estate investment trust), which forms part of the Budget 2019 proposal.

Fernandes hopes the proposed REIT would not increase costs.

“Obviously we would like to see full privatisation, so new airport operators can come in, we may see different ways of running airports, and not just giving 30% to Malaysian Airports as a different form of funding,” Fernandes said.

What the low-cost carrier needed, he added, was an airport operator and airport which understood AirAsia’s model in reducing costs, which he said would in turn reduce the costs of flying for passengers, allowing the carrier to build Malaysia into a strong aviation hub.

Meanwhile the ground handling services control centre will allow AirAsia’s Ground Team Red (GTR) to track aircraft handling, with real-time information on passenger boarding, baggage reconciliation and ramp-loading compiled on a digital dashboard at the control centre.

Loke was given an overall briefing of the way the centre functioned to compile the different data and identify any soft spots in the aircraft’s turnaround process.

~News courtesy of The Star~

Monday 12 November 2018

Kedai Mee Rebus Mak Long - Kota Tinggi

Kedai Mee Rebus Mak Long

Address 1: Jalan Kampung Tembioh, Kampung Seri Lalang, 81900 Kota Tinggi, Johor

Address 2: 20, Jalan Wayang, 81900 Kota Tinggi, Johor







Source: Johor My Hometown ζˆ‘ζ₯θ‡ͺζŸ”δ½› facebook

Endau Rompin National Park





Laksa

Laksa is a spicy noodle soup popular in Peranakan cuisine. Laksa consists of rice noodles or rice vermicelli with chicken, prawn or fish, served in spicy soup based on either rich and spicy curry coconut milk or on sour asam (tamarind or gelugur). Laksa is found in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Southern Thailand.

The type of laksa is based upon the soup base employed in its recipe; either rich and savoury coconut milk, fresh and sour asam (tamarind, gelugur or kokum), or the combination of the two. 

There are three basic types of laksa: curry laksa, asam laksa, and other variant that can be identified as either curry or asam laksa. 

Curry laksa is a coconut milk curry soup with noodles, while asam laksa is a sour, most often tamarind-based, soup with noodles. Thick rice noodles also known as laksa noodles are most commonly used, although thin rice vermicelli (bee hoon or mee hoon) are also common, and some recipes might create their own rice noodle from scratch. Some variants might use other types of noodles; Johor laksa for example uses spaghetti, while a fusion recipe might use Japanese udon noodle.



Laksa lemak, also known as nyonya laksa (Malay: Laksa nyonya), is a type of laksa with a rich coconut gravy. Lemak is a culinary description in the Malay language which specifically refers to the presence of coconut milk which adds a distinctive richness to a dish. As the name implies, it is made with a rich, slightly sweet and strongly spiced coconut gravy. Laksa lemak is usually made with a fish-based gravy (with vegetarian food stalls omitting fish) and quite similar to Thai laksa (Malay: Laksa Thai), perhaps to the point that one could say they are one and the same.



Asam laksa is a sour, fish and tamarind-based soup. Penang Asam Laksa listed at number 26th on World's 50 most delicious foods compiled by CNN Go in 2011. Asam is the Malay word for any ingredients that makes a dish tastes sour (e.g. tamarind, gelugur or kokum). Laksa typically uses asam keping, known as kokum in the English speaking world, which is a type of dried slices of sour mangosteens. 

The modern Malay spelling is asam, though the spelling assam is still frequently used.
The main ingredients for asam laksa include shredded fish, normally kembung (small mackerel of the Rastrelliger genus), and finely sliced vegetables including cucumber, onions, red chillies, pineapple, lettuce, common mint, daun kesum (Vietnamese mint or laksa mint), and pink bunga kantan (torch ginger). Asam laksa is normally served with either thick rice noodles or thin rice noodles (vermicelli). And topped off with petis udang or "hae ko" (蝦膏), a thick sweet prawn/shrimp paste.







Source: Wikipedia and Facebook

Sunday 11 November 2018

Prepare for stormy days ahead, says weather department

Prepare for stormy days ahead, says weather department

Bring out your umbrellas and rubber boots because heavy rains are expected to lash out soon, bringing with it high chances of floodings.

Malaysian Meteorological Depart­ment director-general Alui Bahari said the north-east monsoon was expected to last until March and has already brought heavy rainfall to Kelantan and Terengganu.

Rain will make its way to Pahang and Johor before shifting to Sabah and Sarawak later in the season.

“These states are expected to experience four to six heavy rainfalls as in previous years,” he said.

“If heavy rainfall, high tides and strong winds occur, it could cause rivers to overflow,” he added.

The situation could be worsened by spring tides that take place during the new and full moons.

While the east coast is typically the worst hit by floods during the rainy season, west coast residents should also be on the alert.

Last year, Penang was also hit by major floods, where the state sought help from armed forces after winds and rain lashed out, causing landslides and falling trees.

However, Alui said he did not expect such rainfall over Penang and Kedah this season.

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Professor of Climatology and Oceanography Prof Dr Fredolin Tangang said the country was entering the monsoon period earlier compared to the average mid­-November onset date.

However, he said this was within the “natural variability” of the monsoon period, which was affected by phenomena such as El Nino.

“Sea surface temperatures in the Eastern-Central Pacific Ocean are warmer than usual, indicating the progression of a weak El Nino by year end or early next year,” he said.

Due to this, he said, there was likely to be heavier rainfall in southern Peninsular Malaysia, which includes Johor and the Klang Valley.

He added there was a low possibility of extreme rainfall, which could lead to large-scale flooding as the Kelantan and Terengganu floods in December 2014.

According to his research, three phenomena should take place for such extreme weather to occur.

Firstly, he said there should be cold surges from the north and secondly, the Borneo vortex, a wind circulation system should be located close to Peninsular Malaysia.

“The Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) must also be active and its low pressure-centre must be located near West Sumatra,” he said.

The MJO is a phenomenon in which a low pressure system crosses eastward from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.

The people can monitor weather and flood situations through http://portalbencana.nadma.gov.my and www.met.gov.my or download relevant mobile applications such as myCuaca and myJPS.

~News courtesy of The Star~

Saturday 10 November 2018

KSL Restaurant Promotion


Manhattan Fish Market - Promotion


Thomas Town - Puteri Harbour

All aboard to Thomas Town - Puteri Harbour this school holiday πŸš‚ Come out and learn with us with new storytelling sessions, friendship and teamwork themed games & activities!

What's more, get 30% off Two-Park-Pass to Thomas Town when you purchase your tickets online with the online promo code: HOLIDAY30


Offer valid from 8 November – 9 December 2018 for the following visit date: 9 November – 31 December 2018.


Other terms and conditions apply.


Get your tickets now at www.puteriharbour.com


Angry Birds Activity Park promotion

Hi. Come and grab our promo tickets at only RM40 (Normal price RM60/RM75) in conjunction with our 4th anniversary. Buy and used from 1st Nov till 11th Nov 2018. For walk in customer only.   

Saturday 3 November 2018

Departure levy at airports

Travel, departure levy at airports

AVID traveller Shahida Sakeri will think twice about going overseas for her holiday next year when the departure levy on travellers leaving Malaysian airports is introduced on June 1.

The government has proposed a fee of RM20 per head for those departing for Asean countries and RM40 for other countries.

Shahida said since she was used to travelling solo, it might not affect her as badly as those travelling in a large group. 

“For my aunts and uncles with many children, they will now have to bear the additional costs,” she said.

“I want to see more facilities for the disabled at our tourist attractions, such as increasing accessibility at museums and parks,” she added.

Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents president Datuk Tan Kok Liang, on the other hand, described the move as “disappointing”.

“It will not have any significant impact on domestic tourism as leisure travellers are on extreme budget constraints and very price sensitive.

“Domestic tourism can be improved by providing healthier tourism fundamentals, better tourism packages and capping on domestic airfares,” he said.

However, Tan welcomed the RM100mil grant for private companies to boost international tourist arrivals through marketing efforts, which he called a “good surprise”.

Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association president Uzaidi Udanis said the money collected from the departure levy could be used to promote inbound travel.

However, he also warned that the move might deter airlines from increasing connectivity from the country.

“If there is lower demand for outbound travel, airlines might not be interested in introducing new routes from the country,” said Uzaidi.

Malaysia Airlines in a statement said that any funds generated and channelled back to the development of the aviation industry in general would only be positive for the sector.

Budget 2019 also allocated RM20mil to the Malaysia Healthcare Tourism Council (MHTC) to promote the country’s medical tourism industry.

MHTC chief executive officer Sherene Azli said this would further propel Malaysia’s profile as a leading global destination for healthcare tourism.

“This will go a long way in bringing Malaysia’s healthcare tourism to new heights while making a significant positive economic impact on the nation,” she said.

~Courtesy of The Star~

Thursday 1 November 2018

Traditional Local Food


Apam Balik

Apam balik (English: 'turnover pancake') or terang bulan (English: 'bright moon') or martabak manis (English: 'sweet martabak') common in Southeast Asia. It is usually sold at specialist roadside stalls throughout Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.



The pancake's batter is made from a mixture of flour, eggs, sugar, baking soda, coconut milk and water. The batter is cooked upon a thick round iron frying pan in plenty of palm margarine to avoid it sticking to the pan. 

Then other ingredients are sprinkled as filling; the most common or traditional is crushed peanut granules with sugar and sweetcorn kernels (available from cans), but modern innovations such as chocolate sprinkles and cheddar cheese are also available. Then, the pancake is folded (hence the name: "turnover pancake") and cut into several pieces.

The texture of the apam balik can vary depending on the amount of batter and type of pan used, from one that is akin to a crispier form of crumpets to small thin light pancake shells that break when bitten (the latter is usually called apam balik nipis, 'thin apam balik').

The dish has been declared a heritage food by the Malaysian Department of National Heritage.

~wikipedia~