NEW ROUTE TO KATHMANDU

It is not always that our national carrier makes good commercial decision. But this one is worth the mention.

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) will add another international destination to its flight network service by introducing the commencement of thrice weekly services between Kuala Lumpur and Kathmandu effective Sept 1. The national carrier said the flights would be operate with a two-class configured Boeing 737-800 aircraft comprising 144 economy class and 16 business class seats.

The outbound flight departs Kuala Lumpur at 8.35 am to arrive at Kathmandu at 11.30 am, while the return flight takes off from Kathmandu at 12.20 pm and would land at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 6.55 pm.
MAS Regional Sales Vice-President Malaysia and Asean Region Muzammil Mohamad said this was a timely addition to MAS’ flight network as Malaysia and Nepal can mutually benefit from various commercial relations including trade, investment and tourism promotions. “We see great potential in Kathmandu, especially during the forthcoming year-end holiday season and have fast-tracked this aspect of our operations to commence services to Kathmandu this year,” it said in a statement.
In conjunction with the introduction of this new route, MAS is offering all-in return economy class promotional fares at only RM1,200 for travel from Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Johor Baharu to Kathmandu. Economy class travel from Kota Kinabalu and Kuching starts at only RM1,878.

NEW BREED OF TOURISM AMBASSADORS

Despite all that negative stories about the misconduct of most of our taxi drivers, a well-trained stable of taxi drivers will help shape and improve tourists’ perception of the country.

Prime Minister Dato Sri Mohd Najib Tun Razak  said thousands of taxi drivers nationwide interact with tourists every day, making them an important first contact with foreign visitors to Malaysia.

The Prime Minister added that : ‘If taxi drivers are polite, courteous and customer friendly, speak good things about the country and show a positive attitude, tourists will feel welcome. If taxi drivers are polite, courteous and customer friendly, speak good things about the country and show a positive attitude, tourists will feel welcome. Tourists meet thousands of taxi drivers and through their interactions, tourists’ perception of Malaysia are formed,” he said at the launch of the Taxi Tourism Ambassadors programme at Dataran Putra here recently

Some 4,000 taxi drivers will be appointed as ambassadors under the programme, after they complete a one-day course at the Malaysian Tourism Centre (MaTiC)

TOURISM AMBASSADORS IN THE MAKING

We should congratulate our government through the Ministry of Tourism for introducing a program of making Malaysia Taxi Driver as Malaysia Tourist Ambassador. This program which cost the government a large sum of money has started to produce excellent results.

Latest report from Bernama confirmed that the police have detained a taxi driver who is believed to have robbed an American woman at Jalan Maarof, Bangsar on Monday. The incident which took place at 9 pm involved a sum of RM 20,000 belonging to a 46 year old American woman who was reported by the police as having got them from an ATM machine. How was this possible, only the police know that a daily withdrawal of this sum of money is not possible from an ATM machine.

Mobile phone, credit cards and several other valuable items were also robbed by the taxi driver.

This incident should make the Ministry reconsider spending such sums of money on taxi drivers who by nature are " cari makan" people who will do anything to make a living. Robbing a person, tourist or anyone is part of this nature.

TOUR GUIDES DEVELOPMENT

In Singapore yesterday the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) launched yesterday Singapore’s first-ever Tourist Guide Chapter to safeguard the rights and advance the interests of licensed tour guides in the country, something which has never been done in Malaysia

The professional chapter aims to tackle the menace of illegal tour guides and raise industry standards through development programmes, while looking at ways to attract senior citizens and housewives re-entering the workforce to join the profession.

In addition an MOU was signed at the launch by NTUC, Raffles Medical Group and Q&M Dental Group to provide chapter members with healthcare and insurance benefits not previously available to them.

Placed under the auspices of the Attractions, Resorts and Entertainment Union, the chapter has so far enlisted over 300 members, a figure anticipated to grow in the near future. Currently, some 2,300 tour guides are licensed to work in Singapore.

It is about time that the Malaysia NGos for tour guides work with Cuepacs or MTUC  on similar lines of cooperation.

EARNING RM168 BILLION BY 2020

Despite many views about Malaysia  not getting the real value from tourism arrivals Deputy Tourism Minister still insist that Malaysia's rapidly developing tourism industry is expected to be one of the largest contributors to the country's economy by 2020,

 

He said that with promotions and new products, earnings from tourism could reach RM168 billion, up from the present RM83 billion. How on earth can they arrive at this figures is mind boggling.

 

"Last year, he went on to say that foreign visitors contributed RM58.3 billion to earnings and domestic tourists, RM25 billion,"

At the closing of a Gawai celebration here last night Dawos said Sarawak maintained its record as the state with the highest number of domestic tourists, at 22 per cent, followed by Kuala Lumpur, 18 per cent, and Pahang and Johor, 16 per cent each. Now he is talking sense. 

But the truth is that we are not getting the real value from all these numbers which have been plucked from the sky. God save Malaysia.

MAS IS SECOND FIDDLE AIRLINE

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak told the Dewan Rakyat that the supplemental collaboration agreement between Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and AirAsia X was signed to provide an opportunity to the national carrier to operate flights at a lower cost,

 

He said the agreement and two other memoranda of understanding inked after the MAS-AirAsia ahare-swap deal was shelved was for procurement, aircraft repair and maintenance services.

 

"MAS had the opportunity to enjoy better terms and conditions through sharing of equipment and services besides sharing and selling reserve capacity to other airlines," said Najib, who is also Finance minister, in his written reply to Wee Choo Keong (IND-Wangsa Maju).

 

Wee had queried why a joint venture had to be formed between MAS and AirAsia X after the MAS-AirAsia share-swap deal was revoked on May 2.

 

Of course the Prime Minister have overlook the fact that MAS is our national carrier and it is a premium airline. Why then so much concession are being gvien by the government to Air Asia..

The Prime Minister went on to say that such collaborations had to be continued to increase MAS' business synergy by enhancing MAS' flight services in the main market, improve passenger handling and optimum utilisation of resources. He said MAS' business plan focused primarily on engineering and maintenance as a strategic move to enhance the potential of the Malaysian Aerospace Engineering (MAE) not only for aircraft maintenance but also to further develop maintenance, repair and overhaul services.

 

"This will make MAE more competitive and can entrench its position in the increasingly challenging and rapidly developing aviation industry," he added.

  

This is sadly making our national carrier a second fiddle airline.

MAS HAS BECOME SECOND FIDDLE AIRLINE

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak told the Dewan Rakyat that the supplemental collaboration agreement between Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and AirAsia X was signed to provide an opportunity to the national carrier to operate flights at a lower cost,

 

He said the agreement and two other memoranda of understanding inked after the MAS-AirAsia ahare-swap deal was shelved was for procurement, aircraft repair and maintenance services.

 

"MAS had the opportunity to enjoy better terms and conditions through sharing of equipment and services besides sharing and selling reserve capacity to other airlines," said Najib, who is also Finance minister, in his written reply to Wee Choo Keong (IND-Wangsa Maju).

 

Wee had queried why a joint venture had to be formed between MAS and AirAsia X after the MAS-AirAsia share-swap deal was revoked on May 2.

 

Of course the Prime Minister have overlook the fact that MAS is our national carrier and it is a premium airline. Why then so much concession are being gvien by the government to Air Asia..

 

The Prime Minister went on to say that such collaborations had to be continued to increase MAS' business synergy by enhancing MAS' flight services in the main market, improve passenger handling and optimum utilisation of resources. He said MAS' business plan focused primarily on engineering and maintenance as a strategic move to enhance the potential of the Malaysian Aerospace Engineering (MAE) not only for aircraft maintenance but also to further develop maintenance, repair and overhaul services.

 

"This will make MAE more competitive and can entrench its position in the increasingly challenging and rapidly developing aviation industry," he added.

  

This is sadly making our national carrier a second fiddle airline.