Roti john is an omelette sandwich founded by a Malay who lived in Singapore during the British colonial times before being widely popular throughout the Malay Peninsula in present-day Malaysia.
Roti is the Hindi, Urdu and Malay word for bread, and more generally for any bread-based or bread-like food, including sandwiches and pancakes. The origin of john in the name is allegedly due to the Western origin of the baguette and British colonial rule in British Malaya and Singapore island.
The ingredients include minced meat (chicken or mutton), onion, egg, tomato-chilli sauce and a baguette-type loaf.
~Wikipedia~
Ministry: Eateries nationwide to be smoke-free from next year
Smoking in all restaurants, coffee shops and hawker centres nationwide will be banned starting next year, even in open-air eateries.
Apart from the existing smoke-free zones in public places and government buildings, the new ruling under the Health Ministry will encompass all restaurants and eateries, including open-air hawker centres and street stalls, according to Deputy Health Minister Dr Lee Boon Chye.
Those caught smoking at prohibited areas will be fined up to RM10,000 or face two years’ jail.
Eateries found to allow their patrons to light up will be fined up to RM2,500.
“This time, all restaurants regardless whether they are an enclosed area, air-conditioned or open-air will need to comply with the ruling from next year,” he said after opening a conference at the Asian Institute of Medicine, Science and Technology yesterday.
Dr Lee said smokers or restaurant owners who violated the ruling would face action under the Control of Tobacco Product Regulations 2004 under the Food Act.
He added that the ruling was not only to encourage smokers to kick the habit, but also to protect non-smokers from the effects of secondhand smoke.
“We are ready to face objections from smokers and restaurant owners, but we will not compromise when it comes to looking after the health of the people.
“No doubt smokers will say they have the right to smoke, but non-smokers also have the right to enjoy their food without being harmed by cigarette smoke.
“Business operators and traders need not worry about getting fewer customers as we are confident that more non-smoking customers will eat at places without the presence of cigarette smoke,” said Dr Lee.
He also said imposing the ban on roadside and illegal eateries was still a challenge and that the ministry had yet to decide on the details.
~News courtesy of The Star~
ICA to launch electronic arrival card for foreign visitors to Singapore after three-month trial
The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) will be launching an electronic arrival card that will eventually replace the paper-based disembarkation/embarkation card that foreign visitors are currently required to submit on arrival, said the authority in a statement on Wednesday (Oct 3).
To ensure smooth implementation of the new electronic arrival card, a trial will be conducted by the ICA for foreign visitors for three months from Thursday.
The trial will be conducted at most of the air, land and sea checkpoints such as the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints, Changi Airport and the four cruise/ferry terminals.
During the trial period, foreign visitors who arrive at these checkpoints but have not yet completed the paper-based disembarkation/embarkation card may be approached by ICA officers to participate in the trial and provide feedback.
The trial will not affect Singaporeans, permanent residents and long-term pass holders (such as students and workers) returning to Singapore, as they do not need to submit any disembarkation/embarkation card.
More details of the implementation of the system will be announced at a later date, after the trial is completed.
When the electronic arrival card is fully implemented, travellers can submit their personal information and trip details through the ICA website or via a mobile application before arriving in Singapore.
The travellers will then need to produce only their passports for immigration clearance upon arrival.
Currently, the card contains information such as details of the traveller's flight to Singapore, his intended length of stay and where he will be staying. These details will still be required under the new electronic card.
The electronic arrival card will be available in various languages, and those travelling in families or small groups can choose to make a one-time group submission. Some information such as last port of embarkation as well as address in Singapore will be automatically replicated for all in the group.
The mobile app will also save information from previous trips for use during the next trip to Singapore.
"The electronic arrival card will enhance operational efficiency and is a significant step towards ICA's vision of paperless immigration clearance, and save up to 48 million paper-based disembarkation/embarkation cards a year," said the authority.
ICA said that it studied and took into consideration the practice and experience of countries that have implemented a similar model of the electronic arrival card, as part of the authority's conceptualisation and design process.
Mr Duong Dat, 23, a software engineer from Vietnam who visits Singapore once or twice a year to meet friends, said an electronic arrival card would be great, as it will reduce the waiting time at arrival.
He added that it will also remove the last-minute scramble for him to fill up the information. “Sometimes my itinerary information is not available if I have no Internet connection (on the plane) and I have to write it down at the airport.”
Bruneian Hana Latiff, 24, who visited Singapore twice this year for youth programmes, is happy that the paper use will be reduced.
She also noted that the data-saving feature will be handy as she would not have to fill the form every time.
But Ms Hana, an administrative staff, added: “I might be concerned (about going online), as I am not sure how secure my data will be.”
The move is part of a series of recent high-tech measures by ICA.
Earlier this year, X-ray imaging scanners were introduced at the Tuas Checkpoint to better detect components on buses and vans that have been modified or contain explosives.
A new Web portal called MyICA was also launched by the authority in June to make renewing and applying for a new Singapore passport easier.
In August this year, eye-scan trials were rolled out for Singaporeans and permanent residents at Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints, and Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal. The trial involves officers scanning travellers’ iris images in addition to fingerprint verification.
~News courtesy of The Straits Times~
AirAsia launches services in Ipoh, eyes expansion
IPOH: AirAsia may have just launched its services in Ipoh but the airline is already planning to expand its network to destinations within a four-hour flight from here.
These destinations include several areas in China, Thailand and Vietnam.
AirAsia chief executive officer Riad Asmat (pic) said he was given the mandate to expand the airline’s network from Ipoh and would look into all opportunities.
“I can’t divulge now but there are multiple destinations within a four-hour flight from here.
“We will leave it to your imagination,” he told reporters after welcoming AirAsia’s AK6082 Johor Baru-Ipoh flight at the Sultan Azlan Shah Airport here yesterday.
The flight arrived at 8.40am, having departed Johor’s Senai International Airport at 7.30am.
Passengers were greeted by Mentri Besar Ahmad Faizal Azumu, who gave them each a goodie bag.
Also present were state Tourism, Arts and Culture Committee chairman Tan Kar Hing, Tourism Perak chief executive officer Zuraida Md Taib and Tourism Malaysia Perak director Mohd Roslan Abdullah.
On the Johor Baru-Ipoh route, Riad said it was a long-anticipated addition to airline’s route network and they felt positive about it as Ipoh shows a lot of promises.
He said there were 120 passengers in the inaugural flight here and 126 to Johor.
“Our target is for each flight to be 80% full. We will have four flights every week and hope to increase it later,” he said, adding that the Airbus A320 could accommodate about 160 passengers.
Taking off in a big way: Perak Mentri Besar Ahmad Faizal Azumu (centre), Riad (on MB’s right) along with AirAsia and state officials welcoming the inaugural flight from Johor Baru to Ipoh at Sultan Azlan Shah Airport in Ipoh.
Besides the flight to Ipoh, AirAsia also commenced another direct flight from Senai International Airport to Alor Setar.
Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents Perak chairman Chong Yu Ken said the state should consider flights to several countries up north.
“I think the possible destinations should include Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Vietnam and also Hong Kong.
“Perakians love to travel. And with the recent announcement that a flight to Bangkok will commence early next year, I think this is a good sign for all of us,” he said.
~News courtesy of The Star~
Malaysia eyes 30 million tourist arrivals by 2020
The Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry is targeting 30 million tourist arrivals by 2020.
Deputy Minister Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik said this would increase the contribution of tourism to the Gross Domestic Product from 14.9 per cent last year, when there were 26.1 million tourist arrivals, to 15.1 per cent.
He said the increase in tourist arrivals proved that tourism promotions had been successful.
“We are now asking for a bigger budget for tourism promotion because it is key to the sustainability of the tourism industry,” he told reporters after flagging off the 2018 Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride Penang, here, today.
He said there was a need to go all out to promote the country’s tourism industry as there was stiff competition from neighbouring countries.
He urged tourism organisations to use the tagline, Malaysia Truly Asia, in their promotions as it had proved to be effective in wooing tourists.
Bakhtiar said the ministry was working with the Education Ministry to introduce staggered school holiday breaks according to states to distribute the domestic tourist load.
~News courtesy of New Straits Times~
Malaysia may implement VEP by year end - RTD
The Road Transport Department (RTD) expects the Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) on all foreign vehicles entering the country through the Johor Causeway and the Malaysia-Singapore Second Link, to be implemented at the end of this year.
Its director-general Datuk Seri Saharuddin Khalid said the permit system was now in the final stage of tests, before being finalised by the Ministry of Transport.
“I am waiting for the final report which I expect to receive this October before getting a decision from the ministry.
“This implementation does not put pressure on the neighbouring countries as it only involves our business and our borders,” he told reporters after visiting a RTD personnel who had suffered a permanent disability in Kampung Sawah Dalam here today.
The VEP was previously postponed by the government to standardise its implementation in Malaysia-Singapore and Malaysia-Thailand.
- Bernama
