Asean to open skies further

Asean to open skies further

Asean countries signed the protocol to put into place a package of commitments to further liberalise air transport services in the region.

At the 23rd Asean Transport Ministers Meeting, the countries also agreed to improve connectivity among member states.

Transport ministers and senior officials from Asean member countries attended the two-day meeting. Also present were dialogue partners from China, Japan and South Korea.

Among the highlights of the meeting was the conclusion of the “tenth package of commitments on air transport services under the Asean Framework of Services”.

Liow said the ministers also signed the protocol of domestic code-share rights, allowing code­-sharing arrangements between the marketing airline and domestic airline in Asean member countries.

“This would increase connectivity between Malaysia and other Asean member states.

“At the same time, it would enable designated airlines of Malaysia to offer their passengers a wide range of travel options which can extend beyond the airlines’ own network and route structure,” he added.

Liow said the ministers signed the Mutual Recognition Arrangement on Flight Crew Licensing, which would facilitate air services to complement liberalisation efforts in Asean, and ensure the highest degree of security in international air transport.

They also reached an agreement on the Facilitation of Cross Border Transport of Passengers by Road Vehicles.

“This is to promote seamless cross-border mobility of passengers between Asean member states,” said Liow.

He added that the ministers had concluded the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the authorities in charge of aircraft accident investigation under the Asean-China partnership.

“This agreement would further strengthen Malaysia’s cooperation with China in relation to aircraft accident and incident investigations, sharing experiences and expertise in various specialist fields, equipment and research,” he said.

~News courtesy of The Star~

Tourism Tax

Happy Independence Day

Travellers departing airports to pay RM1 levy from 2018

Travellers departing Malaysian airports to pay RM1 levy from 2018

Air travellers will be subjected to a RM1 (US$0.23) levy when departing Malaysian airports as early as 2018, the country's aviation regulator said on Tuesday (Aug 15).

The new levy to be imposed by the Malaysia Aviation Commission, MAVCOM will be tabled in parliament in October. It will apply to all departing passengers for both domestic and overseas destinations except for rural air services in interior Sabah and Sarawak.

The passenger service charge at all Malaysian airports may also be raised from the current RM50 to RM73 for all international flights beyond Asean beginning January 2018 to standardise the system.
v Currently a different rate applies to KLIA1 and KLIA2 international airports.

The passenger service charge is fixed at RM35 for all destinations in Asean.

MAVCOM, which was set up last year to regulate the civil aviation industry, is expected to collect RM30 million in the first year from the RM1 levy, according to its chief operating officer Azmir Zain.

"I can confirm there is a definite plan by Mavcom to charge RM1 levy to all departing passengers with exception of those flying the rural air services in Sabah and Sarawak. The purpose of the RM1 levy is to ensure financial sustenance and more importantly the independence of the commission. In the last 12 months we have shown results. Example, by lowering the passenger service charge from RM65 to RM35 flat for all ASEAN destinations. That's a saving of RM30 for customers."

MAVCOM, in tabling its first industry report on Tuesday, said it expects the air passenger traffic to grow between 7.8 and 8.6 per cent in 2017 with the number of air travellers expected to hit 99.6 million.

But amid decreasing air fare and competitive operating environment, revenues are expected to remain flat for most airlines. 

Source: Channel News Asia

Penang tourism to ride high with moviegoers soon

Penang tourism to ride high with moviegoers soon



Grown-ups on bicycle: (From left) Dr Koh, Sun and Songpaisarn posing in front of the mural in Lebuh Keng Kwee.

A young man goes all out to woo a lovely lass. He remembers a tender moment they shared when he picked her up on his vintage bicycle, and “capitalises” on it by painting a mural of them on his two-wheeler.

The woman is moved on seeing the painting, and soon love blossoms.

This scene will be part of a romantic movie by a producer from China which will hit the silver screen in more than 5,000 cinemas around the world.

Titled Shining Love, the movie stars Thai heartthrob Yuke Songpaisarn and the angelic Sun Yao Qi from China.

The producers commissioned realism artist Dr Caryn Koh, a medical doctor from Kuala Lumpur, to paint the mural.

She completed the task on Monday night after five days on it.

Filming the scenes involving the mural was done on Tuesday.

Those who watch the movie elsewhere may be drawn to Penang for a chance to be photographed with the bicycle mural located in Lebuh Keng Kwee near the famous Penang Road Teochew Cendol stall.

Dr Koh’s manager, Tan Chor Whye, said the mural was an 11th hour addition by the producers.

“The original script used a tall picture of something else. But when the movie makers saw how much people loved the Children on Bicycle mural, they went with the flow,” Tan said.

The Children on Bicycle mural near the corner of Armenian Street and Beach Street was painted by Ernest Zacharevic for the George Town Fes­tival 2012.

Tan described the new mural as a “grown-up version” of the one with the children.

“There is just one problem. The movie producers did not have enough time to get the necessary approval from the state’s public art review panel to have their mural prop painted,” he said, adding that the producers felt bad as they committed to the change in the script without knowing that the panel’s approval was needed.

“We submitted all the necessary documents and will abide by the panel’s decision.

“If the mural is deemed unsuitable, we will have it erased. But I hope not,” he added.

George Town World Heritage Incorporated manager Chuah Ai Kheng confirmed that the producer submitted all the documents on Monday and the panel would make a decision within two weeks.

The movie is produced by Beijing Fengren Studios Co Ltd and directed by Shi Lei of Hong Kong.

~News courtesy of The Star~

Orchards drawing in durians lovers from afar

Orchards drawing in durians lovers from afar



Aromatic delight: The foreign visitors enjoying durians during their visit to the farm. With them is Chang (right).

It’s like the Pied Piper but of aroma as durian orchards here lure travellers despite it not being the peak season yet.

Tourists from as far as the Middle Kingdom are following their nose to the durian trail.

Chinese nationals Guo Xin and his wife Xing Zhi Yun, both 32, were among the many foreign holidaymakers whose mission here was solely to savour the thorny fruit.

“This is our first time to Penang. We came here just to eat durians. In China, there are durians imported from Malaysia but they are very expensive.

“Thai durians are not as pricey but we prefer the taste and fragrance of those from Malaysia,” Guo said when met at a durian farm here.

Guo, who is from Dalian, and Xing arrived in Penang on Thursday. They will be here for a week.

Another couple from China were also spotted enjoying durians with coffee at the orchard.

Wei Chan Fang, 39, said she and her husband Zhan Xiang, 38, were durian lovers and they especially loved the Musang King variant.

“We travelled to Penang just for durians,” she said.

She said that durians from Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia were available in her country.

“But in my opinion, the ones from Thailand and Vietnam lack the aroma of Malaysian durians.

“The durians from Malaysia, especially Musang King, have become very expensive in China, so much so that ordinary people cannot afford to buy them. So we rather travel here to enjoy the best of the fruits,” she said.
v For Indonesian Martin Suhartono, 29, eating durians with a group of people was a new experience.

“Back in my hometown, there’s no practice where people gather together to eat durians like this,” said Martin, who is from Bandung but works in Singapore as a logistics manager.

Bao Sheng durian farm owner Chang Teik Seng said this year’s peak season was expected to be from July till early August.

“The durian season is usually around May to July every year.”

“The durian supply this year is also expected to be low, with an average of 100 fruits per day in July as compared with 400 to 500 fruits per day during May and June in previous years when weather conditions were better,” he said.

Chang said that the fruits started to drop three days ago.

“The number of fruits is expected to increase from now on before slowing down in August.”

~News courtesy of The Star~

Selamat hari raya