Choice catch at affordable prices

Choice catch at affordable prices

IT is said that if a restaurant serves tasty and affordable food, people will come even if the location is a bit out of the way.

This is definitely true for Restoran Seafood Seri Bahagia, which is in Kampung Tanjung Langsat in Pasir Gudang.

Located near the Tanjung Langsat Port, the restaurant serves a variety of fresh seafood including crabs, squids, prawns and fish that are caught by local fishermen in the area.

The restaurant, which was opened 14 years ago, was the brainchild of husband and wife Halimun Awang, 52, and Saadiah Ahmad, 49, who started the business by offering ikan bakar before they slowly added other dishes to the menu.

"We opened the restaurant as a way to supplement my husband's income as a fisherman.

"At first, business was very slow but things improved over the years and we started to expand our menu," said Saadiah.

She said most of the restaurant's early customers were locals before word started to spread and people from other places came to the restaurant to enjoy its delicious and affordable seafood dishes.

"Now, people from as far away as Kelantan, Singapore and Malacca also come to the restaurant."

The restaurant's speciality is crabs, which can prepared in a variety of ways depending on the customers' choice.

There's chilli crabs, black pepper crabs, sweet and sour crabs or steamed crabs.

"I had no knowledge or experience cooking these dishes but I developed the recipes myself through trial and error," said Saadiah, who prepares the dishes herself with the help of her children.

She said on a busy day, the restaurant could sell up to 40kg of crabs, which is priced at RM50kg.

"We don't usually have any problem getting our supply of crabs as we get them from local fishermen who catch them in the surrounding area.

"Customers can also bring their own seafood which we will then cook for them for RM20 per kilogramme," said Saadiah.

Another signature dish is the asam pedas, which uses fish like red snapper, ikan sagai and ikan siakap.

She said that the restaurant also receives orders for receptions with a maximum number of 200 people.

"For these events, we would need two or three days' notice so that we can ensure the seafood is available," said Saadiah.

The restaurant is open from 12.30 pm until midnight. It closes every other Monday.



Saadiah Ahmad and her husband Halimun Awang with some of the dishes available at their restaurant.

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

Crackdown on illegal transport to Singapore

Crackdown on illegal transport to Singapore

Some factory and tour bus drivers here are allegedly making a quick buck by ferrying passengers into Singapore, despite not having the permit to do so.

It was understood that the driver would charge passengers between RM1 and RM2 each for bringing them to Woodlands in Singapore via the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex, here.

The distance from the CIQ to Woodlands is about two kilometres.

It was also learned that this had been occurring daily, prompted by the fact that stage buses that start their service at 5am could not cater to the needs of some commuters who needed to get to Singapore to work as early as 3am.

Some of the illegal buses were seen filled to full capacity with commuters, and some even appeared to be overloaded.

Johor Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) executive enforcement officer Asmadi Mat confirmed the matter and said that there were about 40 stage buses operating at the CIQ, but the buses would start operating at 5am.

"The people who need to go in earlier than that have no other choice but to look for an alternative," he said.

A three-day operation launched on Sept 10 saw an express bus driver and a factory bus driver being slapped with a compound of RM500 for illegally transporting commuters into Singapore.

The operation comprised 31 personnel, including policemen as well as those from the State Road Transport Department and Iskandar Malaysia Public Transport Corporation (PAIM).



Asmadi Mat inspecting documents provided by bus drivers to ensure they were licensed to ferry passengers into Singapore from the CIQ in Johor Baru.

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

Minyak Beku beach turns into an eyesore

Minyak Beku beach turns into an eyesore

THE beauty of Minyak Beku beach, a popular tourist spot here, is marred by the sight of litter strewn about by irresponsible beach-goers.

Food containers with leftovers and other waste are left behind by those who had come here for picnics. The absence of rubbish bins has only worsened the situation.

Visitor Halim Hamid, 55, said he was saddened by the sight although the recreation area had a facelift through an upgrading project last year.

"When I brought my family here last year after the upgrading project was completed, we were very pleased with what the local authorities had done.

"It is now back to square one as rubbish can be seen everywhere," Halim said.

"It could be also due to the fact that there are no rubbish bins here which leads to people dumping their waste wherever they please," he added.

Za Mohd Kassan, 46, urged the local authorities to step up cleaning works at the beach. "It is otherwise a beautiful place if not for the rubbish. The beach is turning into an eyesore. Considering the beautification works carried out by the local authorities, the public should be more civic-minded and keep the beach clean," he said.

Ali Rahmat, 28, said more signboards should be put up as some visitors do not know where the toilets are.

"The steps leading to the beach also reeks of urine."


Workers carrying out upgrading and landscaping works at Minyak Beku beach in Batu Pahat.

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

JB Arts Festival is is back in town

JB Arts Festival is is back in town

IN 2004, the JB Arts Festival (formerly known as the Johor Arts Festival) made its debut in Johor Baru.

Nine years later the festival is still going strong, more so as Johor Baru is also developing rapidly.

The festival in its own special way has contributed to Johor Baru's rapid development, by providing a platform that allows artistic expression to breathe through the city. The festival complements the developments, and just like the city it has its own soul and identity.

This year's event, which is its 10th began on Sept 7 and will end on Sept 28.

The main performances will be held at the Sultan Ibrahim Building, also known as Bukit Timbalan.

It is the former state administration centre.

Several performances have been scheduled to be held at other premises, namely at Eight Lido along Jalan Skudai, Lazio at Danga Bay, and also at Nusajaya.

Some of the premier performances include those by 3G: Guitar, Gambus & Gee, AkashA, Angels on the Hill 3, Arioso Sinfonia, ASWARA, Atelier Flute Ensemble, Balada Perawan Johor, Blues Gang, Colloquium, Comedy Court, Dayang Noraini with Agungbeat, Fresco Harmonica Ensemble, GEMM, Hossan Leong, Jason's Boys, M.A.C.C., Maskara Shorties, Moscowfish, National Symphony Orchestra, RadioActive Monkey, re:mix , South Front Presents and Temple of Fine Arts, A performance entitled The Curse will be presented by Sekolah Seni Johor Baru and Tud Nakhon.

There are also performances that will appeal to families such as Art for Noah's Ark, Arty-Party, Chinese Yoyo, Gegar Anak Tempatan, Highnotes, JB Can Talk, Kidz Mania, kompang competition, kuda kepang and Orang Asli dances.

The festival's curator cum founder Yap Siong Cheng said the performers included many local artistes especially Johoreans, as it was paramount that they are included in something local.

A digital booklet and more information on the festival is available on the festival's website at http://jbartsfest.com/.

For details, call 019-713 9900.



~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

Legoland celebrates with special rates

Legoland celebrates with special rates

PROMOTIONS: Legoland Malaysia is offering special renewal rates to annual pass holders and extra months on renewal

NUSA JAYA: LEGOLAND Malaysia is offering special renewal rates to annual pass holders, extra months on renewal and special rates to its Water Park in conjunction with its first anniversary.

Legoland was opened by the Sultan of Johor Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar on Sept 22 last year.

Annual pass holders who renew their passes before the expiry dates will get three extra months of entry free of charge.

Legoland general manager Siegfried Boerst said, for a limited time, annual pass holders would be given the opportunity to renew their passes at RM235 for adults and RM180 for children or seniors.

He said they would also receive extra offers and seasonal promotions on the admission fee for the Water Park.

The Water Park, which opens on Oct 21, features more than 20 water rides and more than 70 Lego models. The Joker Soaker is one of the new attractions.

Legoland's limited annual pass and premium pass are available at special rates.

The premium annual pass, priced at RM345, includes unlimited access to the Water Park and allows families to move freely between the Theme Park and the Water Park.

For those who are not already pass holders, open dated day tickets, advance day tickets and annual passes can be purchased at www.legoland.com.my.



The first anniversary LEGO cake model.

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

JB lacks transport connectivity

JB lacks transport connectivity

SOMETIMES, I really cannot understand why there is a need for so many transport hubs in Johor Baru.

The presence of so many transport hubs in a not-so-big city is as confusing to the locals as it is to tourists.

Worse still, the bus and taxi services are often not connected , which leaves travellers in a lurch.

Larkin Sentral is about 5km from the downtown core. JB Sentral is right in the city centre. The Kotaraya II Terminal (the former Jalan Trus bus station) is about 500m from JB Sentral.

Of the three, Larkin Sentral is the most integrated transport hub. It provides express bus, stage bus and taxi services to the whole of Peninsular Malaysia.

The role of JB Sentral is restricted to stage bus services plying between the city and the northeastern outskirts of Johor Baru.

Some operators provide shuttle services to Senai International Airport, Legoland Malaysia and Hello Kitty Town in Nusajaya, and Johor Premium Outlets in Kulaijaya.

For the convenience of the public, the buses which serve the above destinations pick up passengers at Larkin Sentral.

On the return journey, they drop off passengers at Larkin Sentral before ending their journey at JB Sentral.

Kotaraya II Terminal offers Johor Baru-Singapore taxi and bus services.

The cross-border bus service at Kotaraya II Terminal is redundant as the service is available at Larkin Sentral, and the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex, next to JB Sentral.

The only service that is relevant at Kotaraya II Terminal is probably its cross-border taxi service.

The terminal is not served by local stage buses.

So, taxis are the only option for passengers who terminate their journeys at the terminal.

Furthermore, as the terminal is not well-lit, I wonder how many people are willing to take the risk of being at the terminal early in the morning or late at night.

And, if you think there are only three transport hubs in Johor Baru, wait till you get to Jalan Wong Ah Fook, which is between JB Sentral and Kotaraya II Terminal.

The whole stretch is like another bus terminal. Every day, there is a long queue of up to 20 stage buses waiting to pick up passengers along the road. The buses serve northwest Johor Baru.

We have so many transport hubs, but there is hardly any service connectivity between the hubs.

Even locals find it confusing as to which bus to board at which particular hub.

The problem is compounded by the fact that some bus companies change their routes at their whim and fancy.

Perhaps the relevant departments could clear the confusion?


Integrated Larkin Sentral is the biggest transport hub in the south.

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~~

Causeway Link Express Bus Ticket Price Increase

Mid-Autumn celebrations begin in Jalan Tan Hiok Nee

Mid-Autumn celebrations begin in Jalan Tan Hiok Nee

The beautiful lanterns will be hung along the road for a month

TWO siblings are celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival with a difference this year as they have paired up to create a monochromatic pencil drawing in front of the Red House in Jalan Tan Hiok Nee, here.

Pauline See, 37, and See Ca Dai, 23, were busy with the drawing during the recent opening of a lantern festival organised by the Johor Baru Tiong Hua Association.

It is the fourth year that the lantern festival is being held in the cultural zone in downtown Johor Baru.

Pauline said she was happy to show off her skills in public for the first time.

"It helps me to brush up my drawing skills," she said.

Pauline hoped that their drawing would be appreciated by visitors as they would add value to the heritage walk.

"We hope to complete this drawing within two weeks. This is a memorable experience for us to contribute during the lantern festival," she said.

The Rong He Xing musical group added to the merriment by playing Teochew songs. Guests were treated to mooncake and tea.

Ting Lin Jie, 13, was fascinated by the lanterns which were hung along the road.

Lin Jie was with his 8-year-old brother, Ting Wu Feng, and parents, Ting Chan Choy, 47 and Tan Seow Ching, 46.

Jasmine Yap, 47, said the visit brought many happy memories for her and her mother, who wanted to be known only as Madam Tan.

"I am happy that the tradition is being kept alive. I come here every weekend for cultural activities," she said.

Mariners Cafe & Bistro employee Izwan Yaacob, 26, said the festival was one of the area's major attractions.

The cafe is located next to the Red House.

Tan Hiok Nee Heritage Walk commitee chairman Tan Chai Puan said the lanterns would be on display for a month.

"The association will hold cultural activities with the Chinese community and schools at about 30 locations in Johor Baru for the celebration," he said.

State Tourism, Domestic Trade and Consumerism Commitee chairman Datuk Tee Siew Kiong announced that the Johor Tourism Department was giving RM20,000 to the Johor Baru Tiong Hua Association.

"This is to recognise its achievements and dedication to keeping the culture alive in Johor Baru," he said.


This is the fourth year the festival is being held in Jalan Tan Hiok Nee.

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

Legoland for the young and old

Legoland for the young and old

OUR visit to Legoland Malaysia in Johor Baru last May debunked two myths.

One, Legoland is not strictly for children 12 years and below and secondly, you don't get to play with Lego bricks which we had assumed would be lying around the sprawling theme park.

After an exciting visit to the Singapore Universal Studio, a day before, the four teenagers in this group of 10, were busy scouring the Net to see if the trip to Legoland would be a waste of time for them while two other tweenagers (aged 11) could not wait for the big day.

It was a day after Wesak and I had anticipated a large crowd. But the sight that greeted us was double of what we expected.

Luckily, we already had the tickets in our hands and getting in was a breeze.

Shops selling souvenirs reminded me of the usual flea markets in shopping complexes.

Familiar items like handphone covers were all there, albeit a little more expensive than the ones in town.

But as soon as we got in, it was an awesome sight.

Even a statue indicating a toilet is made of Lego bricks. Several souvenir shops were filled with toys and souvenirs made of Lego bricks.

And as we stepped further, miniature landmarks in the country filled a portion of Legoland.

And of course, an equally major portion of the time was spent admiring the minute details of KL City and other landmarks around the world.

Hundreds of photographs were taken at the spot alone while the teenagers and the tweenagers, Adriana and Nazeera went missing in search of more challenging and exciting attractions.

There were roller coasters (not made of Lego bricks, of course), water theme rides and other games that occupied their time, while, armed with a camera, I went around snapping photos.

And not to be outdone, I joined them for a splashing good time at a few rides. The 11-year-olds had gotten rid of the roller coaster fear and went on and on until it was time to say goodbye.

Legoland Malaysia, which is in Nusajaya, Johor, was launched on Sept 22, 2012 by the Sultan of Johor Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar.

It is the only Legoland theme park in Asia with more than 40 interactive rides, attractions and shows.

It is an integrated complex set within the Iskandar Malaysia economic region (in the Nusa Cemerlang industrial park), which includes a lifestyle retail centre, service apartments, offices, hotels and residential units.

The day ticket costs RM105 if you purchase online (which have to be booked seven days in advance) while the regular ticket price which you could buy on the spot is RM140. An annual pass will set you back RM325.


A commendable feat, replicas from Lego bricks.

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

National park not spared by litterbugs

National park not spared by litterbugs

It appears that a lot of cleanliness campaigns have to be carried out at the Tanjung Piai National Park, located at the southernmost tip of mainland Asia.

The tourist destination is popular with locals as well as foreigners.

Visitors, however, are welcomed by unsightly garbage stuck in the mangrove forest and which can be seen along the boardwalk.

Plastic bottles, polystyrene lunch boxes and empty cans are among the garbage spotted around the national park.

It is not known where the garbage came from, as it could have been carried to the national park during high tide and then found itself stuck between the mangrove roots during low tide.

Ismail Mat Don said he had heard so much about the national park and went there with his wife and two children last month.

"Spotted among the hermit crabs and mud-skippers at the mangrove forest were strewn garbage. I think the authorities should identify the source of the garbage and do something about it. Otherwise, the national park will end up as a garbage collector," he said.

Another visitor, Yap Lim Ting, called the garbage an eyesore. He said he liked the national park because of its unique location and for the vast mangrove trees found there alongside the rich flora and fauna.

"I am not too sure if the garbage is dumped by visitors or nearby villagers. Something needs to be done so that the park will not earn a bad name," he said.

A staff member working at the national park, who did not wish to be named, said the garbage was basically domestic trash which most likely came from nearby villages.

He said the garbage that ended up trapped by the mangrove roots would be difficult to remove completely.

"The problem has been going on for quite some time," he said.

Johor Tourism, Trade and Consumerism Committee chairman Datuk Tee Siew Kiong said cleanliness at all tourist attractions should be upheld to protect their international image.

He said as cleanliness was an important aspect in the tourism industry, the relevant authorities should step up efforts in enforcement.

"As Visit Malaysia Year 2014 is just around the corner, we should welcome our visitors with a good and clean image at all tourist attractions," he said.



Garbage is strewn all over Tanjung Piai National Park. Pic by Hairul Anuar Abd Rahim

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

S'pore vehicles may be taxed for entry

S'pore vehicles may be taxed for entry

Iskandar Malaysia Public Transport Corporation is considering imposing a levy on Singapore-registered vehicles entering the country.

State Public Works, Rural and Regional Development committee chairman Datuk Hasni Mohammad said it was estimated that over 200,000 vehicles commuted between the two countries every day.

He said the levy would reduce the congestion at the entrance to the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex in Johor Baru and could also encourage more to use public transport.

"Public transport users make up only 14 per cent of the commuters," he said at a recent state assembly sitting.

"The fees collected will be used to develop road infrastructure, carry out maintenance works and provide better public transport.

"We aim to have a convenient, reliable and effective public transport system," he said. He said it is hoped that the levy would change the mind set of motorists in Iskandar Malaysia and encourage them to switch to public transport.

"The levy is part of a long-term development management plan which focuses on reducing the number of foreign-registered vehicles coming into the country to control the traffic volume," he said.

He said about 70 per cent of vehicles on the road were privately owned and a strategic plan was required to solve the issue of traffic congestion.

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

More in store in JPO Phase II

More in store in JPO Phase II

Part two of the premier shopping centre to offer 40 new stores and over 9,000sq m of retail space

PHASE II of Johor Premium Outlets (JPO) is well underway and scheduled to open in November.

About 9,290sq m large, Phase II will have about 40 stores, bringing the total number of stores at the shopping centre to 120. Since its opening in 2011, JPO has grown to become a major shopping destination attracting millions of visitors from Malaysia, Singapore and around the region.

With the additional stores, JPO will enhance the shopping experience for visitors while continuing to contribute to the economic development of Kulaijaya.

JPO recently held a three-day job fair in collaboration with the its tenants. The fair featured numerous booths actively recruiting full- and part-time staff to fill a range of management and sales positions in over 40 stores.

Participating outlets included Aigner, BCBGMAXAZRIA, Bread & Butter, Coach, Columbia, Dome Cafe, Furla, Kampachi Japanese Restaurant, Hugo Boss, Polo Ralph Lauren, Sacoor Brothers, Sembonia, Sunglass Hut, World Of Outdoors and many more.

"JPO does not only provide a great outlet shopping experience for the nearby residents and visitors, it also supports the community by creating hundreds of new jobs and assisting in the overall economic growth of the area," said JPO general manager Jean Marie Pin Harry.

"Aside from boosting tourism by placing Malaysia on the world retail map, we look forward to helping the state build and develop human resources and talent."



Johor Premium Outlets is set to cement its position as a major shopping destination with the expansion. Pic by Zain Ahmed

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

High-speed rail expected to pass through Nusajaya

Malaysia expects high-speed rail to pass through Nusajaya

The proposed high-speed rail linking Kuala Lumpur to Singapore will not be built along the existing North-South highway in peninsula Malaysia, said the head of the country's Land Public Transport Commission, Syed Hamid Albar.

Mr Syed Hamid said the high-speed rail is expected to pass through Nusajaya in Johor state before crossing the straits into Singapore.

Speaking to Channel NewsAsia, he disclosed that technical teams from both sides are now ironing out details, including the modality and cost structure.

He said: "There are two parts. One part is the cost of building up to Singapore, how much is the the Singapore portion, the other part is on operating. Our Prime Minister has talked about whether Singapore is interested in an operating company for the high-speed rail, as even though coming into Singapore, the distance is very short it's very costly."

The pricing of tickets, said Mr Syed Hamid, will be market-driven and affordable, and probably benchmarked against the average economy airline ticket.

So far, several consortiums have shown interest in bidding for the multi-billion dollar project. They include MMC Gamuda, UEM and YTL Corporation.

~News courtesy of Channel Newsasia~