simply astounding! - · pdf filesdn bhd, a successful local developer reputable for...

HighlightDevelopment&Home

VOL.23 JAN-MAR 2012ISSN 1823-9625 | PPK380/03/2012(029393)

Sarawak • Borneo • Malaysia

Astounding!Simply

www.kraftangan.gov.my

Malaysian Handicraft Development Corporation, Sabah BranchBlock A, Lot 1 & 2, Lorong Buah Salak, Pusat Perindustrian Hiong Tiong, Km 11.2, Jalan Tuaran, Inanam, 88450 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. Tel: +6088 433461, 423471 Fax: +6088 424491

Kraftangan Malaysia, Sabah Branch is committed to transform the industry into mainstream through various means like innovations, involving young

people and giving modern interpretations to traditional crafts of the country. The One District One Industry (SDSI) initiative is still an important factor in pushing for a wide variety of products with increasing specialisation and professionalism in many different parts of the country. Anywhere craft products are made, they provide employment opportunities for local people involved in the trade like material gatherers, craftsmen and women as well as traders and are important contributions to many rural households. Young people are encouraged to participate in the craft trade and schemes like incubator programs provide them the opportunity to pick up a skill and become entrepreneurs too. With more countries getting into the crafts trade, there are now greater competitions in the market which also means higher quality products at competitive prices which is healthy for the industry. Hence producers must be able to produce modern and contemporary craft products which have universal appeal. Towards this objective, Kraftangan Malaysia, Sabah Branch continues to be an innovative and competitive leader in the industry and sets its goal to meet the international market demand in quality and aesthetics of traditional products.

Ministry of Information, Communication and Culture

Malaysia

Yang Berhormat Datuk Amar Abang Johari Bin Tun Abang OpengMinister of Housing & Minister of Tourism

Jan-Mar2012BorneoTalk | 3

V isitors to our state have always commented on the smiling faces they see in the people here. In fact, many have always expressed surprise by the changes they see here too! Surprise because of the speed of development but yet keeping the green environment! Sustainable tourism development is the

key aspect of the underlying theme in all our efforts to promote Borneo with its unique heritage, diversity of cultures and adventures on both land and sea.

Another positive factor for investors in Sarawak came from the recent budget announcement whereby Real Property Gains Tax will be lowered for first time home buyers which means that those intending to make Malaysia My Second Home can also stand to gain. The move will also boost the housing sector in Sarawak and the extra benefits to SCORE (Sarawak Corridor Renewable Energy). It will also create jobs opportunities as well as demand for housing in the coastal areas of Sarawak.

The recent turmoil in the western economies of Europe may affect some aspects of tourism in Asia but Sarawak’s niche offerings, unique flavours and unassuming friendliness will continue to attract the crowd. Understandably, Sarawak must also strive to add more packages and offerings, which give tourists value for money and enjoyment to make their stay here a memorable one. All players in the tour industry here have to continue to be innovative and supportive of each other while fostering closer rapport with foreign partners. I am certain that you will enjoy your stay in Sarawak as our records show that repeat visitors account a higher percentage which proved that Sarawak is a value for money destination. Continue to find and explore new areas as well as try different food and adventures in Sarawak with its unique charms. Tell your friends and families about Sarawak and convince them to visit and experience the warmth of the people here; for it is a destination called, “Sarawak – where adventure lives!”

Welcome toSarawak!

1st Floor, Lot 10503, Taman Stutong Indah, Jalan Setia Raja, 93350 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 361226, 362226 Fax: +6082 360170 Email: [email protected], [email protected]

(663797-X)

Valued projects by

Pride of KucHing

Three distinctive property developments set to transform the city facade

Development

4 | BorneoTalkJan-Mar2012

www.kenbest.com.my

K uching, capital of Sarawak, will see wholesome changes with the

completion of two shopping and residential properties at strategic locations within the city, namely CityONE, ST3 and Uplands Serviced Suites. CityONE, the retail hub with the tagline ‘City within a city’ is sited at the busy hub of Jalan Song and Jalan Tun Jugah, while ST3 and Uplands Serviced Suites are opposite The Spring shopping mall at Jalan Simpang Tiga. All three premium projects are developed by Kenbest Sdn Bhd, a successful local developer reputable for undertaking premium commercial projects on highly strategic lands and completing them on a timely basis.

The pride of Kuching, CityONE with the bird’s nest theme facade, inspired by Beijing Olympic Stadium, will be the biggest mall in Sarawak when it opens in 2012 with 1.5M sq ft gross space. Featuring first time retailers and tenants in Sarawak, namely METROJAYA, Golden Screen

• CityONE Mega Mall

Cinemas (GSC) and Celebrity Fitness, CityONE stands out as the premier shopping mall and will host over 600 retail units. METROJAYA’s established business in fashion and lifestyle brands will be spread over 3 floors of retail space while GSC, one of Malaysia’s largest cinema groups will feature 10 new, state-of-the-art screen cineplex as well as other entertainment mix like family

theme arcades, extreme simulators and karaoke. Celebrity Fitness is an international gym chain and will provide high quality, exciting and entertaining workouts experience for members. Other famous brands to be found in CityONE include Reject Shop, Baskin Robbins, Apple Premium store, ToysRUs, Slimming Sanctuary and shoppers will be definitely be spoilt for choice.

Development


on the rooftop. Inside each apartment are air-conditioning, remote control mood lighting, water heater, kitchen cabinet, washer/dryer, wardrobes with quality sanitary wares, fitting and vanity top. One literally just has to pack their bags and move in. The 4 floors of retail outlets will cater to specialties from pharmacy to daily necessities, beauty to clothing and jewelry to food outlets and will be assured of regular customers from Citadines as well as neighbouring Uplands Serviced Suites.

Uplands Serviced Suites comprise 10-storey service apartments with 54 units of 2 and 3 bedroom suites and is linked via an annex to ST3. Designed for private use, the apartments will feature different views from each floor and designed to suit the needs of individuals as well as those with families. With its central location it is within easy access to Spring Shopping Mall, federal and state government complexes and virtually next to Swinburne University. This will be Kuching’s next choice residential address with its own style and privacy assured.

• CityONE Mega Mall - December 2011

• ST3 (Retail Mall + Serviced Apartments / Hotel / Office )

The UplANDS Serviced Suites •

ST3 is built as a self-sustainable 4-storey suburban retail mall with another 8-storey service apartments on top. The apartments will be managed by The Ascott Limited (a member of CapitaLand and the world largest serviced residence owner-operator in Asia Pacific, Europe and the Gulf region) under its trade name, Citadines Uplands Kuching. Comprising 215 units of fully furnished studio, one

& two bedroom service apartments, Citadines will be the premier service apartments for discerning clients and families at this strategic location opposite the Spring Shopping Mall, next to Swinburne University and walking distance to state and federal government offices. Other attractions include skyline infinity swimming pool, Jacuzzi and wading pool, gymnasium and sauna with a landscaped garden

Shopping!

Entertainment!

Cineplex!

Food!Hotel!

Apartments!Water Theme Park! Summer Lagoon

Its Fun! its ExCiting! its SuMMER!…everything you’ve ever wanted

Development


For enquiry and booking, please contactSales office

082 367777

Marketing & Leasing

012 8099348 Chen012 8877148 PAULIne012 8337448 DeLIA

Shopping!

Entertainment!

Cineplex!

Food!Hotel!

Apartments!Water Theme Park! Summer Lagoon

It’s Fun! it’s ExCiting! it’s SuMMER!…everything you’ve ever wanted


Summer - the real deal!An opportunity not to be missed – call TODAY for that perfect investment! Be it investing in the apartments or spaces at the Mall, SUMMER is definitely a wise choice given the potential of the place with its completeness in its offerings of shopping, entertainment, water theme park, food and being surrounded with many other developments like medical centre and government offices in this Education Hub of the city. Plan a visit here soon and explore the possibilities for business, investments and shopping convenience.

To add on, shopping with children can now be a fun outing in Kuching/Samarahan with the opening of Summer Lagoon in 2012! For many, especially children, it will be a splashing affair with lots of water sports activities and fun at the Water Theme Park playground. Laughter, spills and happy shrieks fill the park with parents and children engaging in a fun day of activities.

While the children and friends loose themselves at the Water Park playground, parents can take time to browse through the boutiques, bookstore, supermarket, cineplex in Kuching’s latest and most interesting shopping mall. Located at Samarahan division, just on the outskirts of the capital city, it is everything you want in a mall – convenience, clean, multiple levels of shops and outlets offering wide range of goods and services with hotel and apartments also available in the complex.

www.thesummermall.com

No. 6 15831, Ground Floor & First Floor, Setia Commercial Centre, Off Setia Raja Road, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 367777, 361000, 364848 Fax: +6082 367676 Email: [email protected]

Developer

Development

SIGNE

D,

SEALED, DELIVERED,


To Advertise In This Publication Call 6 082 427423Endorsed by

Ministry Of Tourism Sarawak Sarawak Tourism Board

BorneoTalk is published by Bumi Serasi. The contents of the magazine may not be reprinted or reproduced without prior written permission. The publisher is not liable for statements made and opinions expressed in the publication.

Editor-In-Chief Ivy Pan Executive Editor S C Goh Marketing Ivy Pan, Jasmine Wong, Nancy Shukri Administration Ribena Noh Contributors S C Goh, Mark Jacobson, A. Chua, UNIMAS Design & Art Direction Steven Yap, Photography David Joseph, Jasmine Wong, Mark Jacobson, Sarawak Tourism Board (STB), Brunei Tourism, Front Cover Image CityOne by Kenbest Sdn Bhd Printer Teknik Print Sdn Bhd, Malaysia.

Write to us at BorneoTalk, 242E, Lorong 3, Jalan Green, 93150 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 427423, 238968, Fax: +6082 235152 email: [email protected]

The next issue of BorneoTalk will be out in April 2012.

www.borneotalk.com

inSide

1626

development 4 • Home 18 • education 28 • info 34

• Map 40 • Medical 42 • food 44 • Hotel 63 • Movie 70 • Books 71 • People 72

• etc 74

4th Sarawak Hornbill tourism Award 2009/2010Outstanding Contribution to the Tourism Industry - Media: Publication (winner)

• ST3

R iveria, Kota Samarahan, located about 7 minutes’ drive from downtown

Kuching, and short distances from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), UiTM, Maktab Guru as well as Giant Hypermarket in Tabuan Jaya among others, provides a conducive living environment for the whole family.

Just recently launched are its Phase 1 3-storey walk-up apartments, which consist of 66 spacious 2-room and 3-room units spread across 3 levels in 3 apartment blocks. All three Blocks has a build-up area for the apartment units of between 925 square feet to 1280 square feet. Each unit comes

convenience and peace of mind

complete with kitchen cabinets and wardrobes in each of the spacious bedrooms. The open concept of the living room and dining area that interconnect with the kitchen create a sense of space.

With 24-hour security guard services, future residents in Phase 1 will have

NAIM HOLDINGS BERHAD

NAIM HOLDINGS BERHAD [Headquarters] 9th Floor, Wisma Naim, 2½ Mile Rock Road, 93200 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. • [New Office] Sublot 12 to 16, Rock Commercial Centre, Jalan Green, 93150 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 411667 Fax: +6082 429869 Email: [email protected] • [Kuching Sales Office] Ground Floor, Wisma Naim, Rock Commercial Centre, 2½ Mile, Rock Road, 93200 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 422001 Fax: +6082 412001 Email: [email protected] • [Miri Sales Office] Lot 223-226, 1st Floor, Permai Mall, Bandar Baru Permyjaya, 98000 Miri, Sarawak, P.O.Box 369, 98107 Lutong, Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6085 491000, 491915 Fax: +6085 491958 (sales dept), 491962 (admin) Email: [email protected]

www.naim.com.my

peace of mind. And besides security, residents of Riveria, Kota Samarahan will enjoy other benefits as well. Each apartment unit comes with a parking space, and residents will also benefit from the jogging tracks provided. A playground is also available for the kids to enjoy.

Sales Permit Number : P1504/KP/HD/09/157 Developer License Number : L1584/KP/HD/09/157


Development

Project: DE 55 UNITS 4-STOREY SHOPHOUSES*Contemporary Design

Location: Located at Kuching City, 7 minutes from the Kuching International Airport & near to Boulevard Shopping Mall. Amidst commercial and residential estates at Jalan Taman hui Sing.

Project: RivERviEw

CoMMERCiAL CEntRE @ MoDERn

BintAwA FiSHing viLLAgE

27 UNITS 3-STOREY SHOPHOUSES & 17 UNITS SINGLE-STOREY HAWKERS’ STALLS

Location: Located within strong community-based area.

Project: SEKAMA 77 UNITS OF 3-STOREY SHOPHOUSES

Location: Located at Jalan Sekama near to Sekama Police Station and all units facing main road.

NOW OFFERING FOR

SALE

ISO 9001:2008 CERT NO. QMS-004/08-TSW

PKK Class A CIDB G7 UPK Class A

TENAGA SERI WANGSA SDN BHDP1-1-1(A), Chonglin Park, Lot 351, Section 55,

Jalan Tabuan, 93100 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia

Marketing Office: Ground Floor, P1-G-2(B), Lot 351, Section 55, Jalan Tabuan, 93100 Kuching,

Sarawak, Malaysia.

Tel: +6082 259577Mobile/HP: (Isabelle) +6012 888 7897,

(Anna) +6012 883 3026

Project: Song PLAzA

22 UNITS 4-STOREY SHOPHOUSES & 1 BLOCK 8-STOREY BUSINESS/OFFICE COMPLEX

Location: Song Plaza located at the intersection of Jalan Song and Jalan Tun Jugah and opposite the latest shopping icon of Kuching, the CityOne Mall in the bustling city hub of Kuching.

Note: now ready for use, with Operation Permit.

NOW OFFERING FOR

REntShophouses

at Block 1 &

8-Storey Tower

– business/office

spacesminimum of

3 years

NOW OFFERING FORREntTenTaTive compleTion – mid 2012

NOW OFFERING FORSALE Intermediate Units Available &All Corner Units sold ouT

* Subject to availability

Site visit & property documents can be arranged

TenTaTive compleTion – mid 2012



Development

O wning a house is one of the main aspirations of every individual and especially so

for those with family. To enable more people in the state to enjoy owning a house, the Sarawak government set up the Borneo Development Corporation Sdn Bhd (BDC) in 1958 to build houses in different parts of the state with financing and other services for convenience of these buyers. To date, BDC has established a sound reputation as one of the trust-worthiest developers of quality homes and other property developments.

Near the state capital Kuching, BDC is currently developing the Taman Stakan Jaya in Samarahan. The project comprises seven units of single storey terrace and 16 units of double storey terrace houses with prices ranging from RM188,000 to RM328,800 and investors are assured of quality finish as well as excellent purchase services rendered. As a new growth area in the ‘Educational’ hub of the capital, Taman Stakan Jaya will continue to rise in value of property especially with increasing access roads passing the area. In Kuching, at Jalan Muara Tuang there are 16 units of 3-storey shophouses under construction and the 72 units Woodlands housing project at Jalan

the obvious choice for property

Stutong is expected for completion by early January 2012. BDC also builds other properties like hotel and shopping malls apart from houses. In Lawas the Hotel Seri Malaysia is completed and the 16 units of shophouses to be completed soon. In Limbang, the Light Industrial Estate had started on Phase 1A and 1B while earthworks for 1C and 1D are in developing stages. In Bintulu, BDC has plans for the development of its 490 acres lot at Sg. Plan, about 15km from Bintulu scheduled for later part of this year together with a shopping mall and office complex in Lawas also in 2012. As SCORE (Sarawak Corridor Of Renewable Energy) will be focused heavily along the coastal belt, Bintulu will be a major venue for many investments in the oil and gas sector, which will augur well for BDC projects. In the pipeline are projects in towns like Limbang, Sarikei and other towns in the state.

Investors should also take note that BDC is deemed a native company and hence is able to purchase, own and develop native lands in Sarawak. In addition it is also a PKK registered Class A Civil Engineering and Building contractor with Bumiputra status and G7 registration with CIDB as well as registered with UPK (Unit Pendaftaran Kontraktor) Sarawak.

Call the friendly people at BDC to make an appointment on your next purchase of a new house or shop today!

Borneo Development Corporation (Sarawak) Sdn. Bhd. Top Floor, Wisma Satria BDC, Jalan Stutong, PO Box 342, 93704 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 458241, 452958 Fax: +6082 452161

Your Reliable Partner

in Home Ownership

www.satriabdc.com.my

investors

StAKAnJuncTIOn 3 Storey Shophouses

TAMAnStAKAnJAYA Double Storey Terrace

TAMAnStAKAnJAYA Single Storey Terrace

Borneo Development Corporation Sarawak develops houses as well as commercial properties throughout the state with government support

K uching, capital city of Sarawak, has very limited areas for growth of new

townships due to the limited spaces available which leads the Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) to pinpoint alternative sites for future growth. Hence their Bandar Baru (New Township) at Kota Samarahan just on the outskirt of the city limit, is the ideal area for new business and residential properties. In fact, the first two phases of the grand plan had already been completed and today business in the area is flourishing!

Choice investmentsIn view of greater demand for properties, Hock Peng Realty Sdn Bhd is embarking on Phase 4 of the project, which includes 3-storey shophouses/apartments and residential houses. Located adjacent to the existing two completed phases, these shop lots will be surrounded by terraced houses on the east and west wings. The strategic location within housing and business properties add to the desirability of these units as they will have a captured population nearby for convenience and accessibility. In the long term plan for the area, there is also a proposal for a Samarahan bus terminal to be located within the Bandar Baru Kota Samarahan project lot. Under the new business concepts of SEDC, prospective business entrepreneurs can either choose to buy or rent these new premises with the added bonus of a three (3)% discount for purchase of three (3) or more units of these 3-storey shophouses/apartments. With an area of 20,000mm X 15,100mm the various floors can be customized into retail/commercial outlets, offices, residential or apartment suites to cater to individual needs. The rental prices range from RM950 (ground floor)

to RM500 (first floor) and RM300 (second floor) while the sale prices are RM271,000, RM109,000 and RM54,000 for the ground, first and second floors respectively.

Another interesting project under the SEDC is the Kilang Teres Bako, located at Jalan Bako, just 7km from the Senari Port on the outskirts of the Demak Laut Industrial Park, Muara Tebas. These include 10 units of two-storey Industrial Premises and 42 units of Terrace Factories completed and ready for businesses. The Industrial Premises has built-up areas ranging from 120.6 sq.m (ground floor) to 140.7 - 203.7 sq.m (first floor) while the Terrace Factories have built-up areas of 196.7 sq.m (ground floor) and 43.9 sq.m (first floor). Currently, selling price of these units range from RM280,000 to RM450,000 for the Terrace Factories and RM400,000 to RM450,000 for Industrial Premises respectively.

Sedc’s Bandar Baru Kota Samarahan and Kilang Teres Bako offer investors choices of properties in fast developing areas in Kuching, Sarawak

For more information and all those interested should write, call or visit Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) Corporate Marketing Division • 6th - 11th Floor, Menara SEDC, Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, 93100 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.

Bandar Baru Kota Samarahan { Mobile/HP: +6019 8586159 (James Dago - Director), +6019 8586096 (Jason Sia - Marketing Officer) } •Kilang Teres Bako { Mobile/HP: +6019 8586159 (James Dago - Director), +6016 8992015 (Petrus Veno - Marketing Officer) }

Email: [email protected] Website: www.sedc.com.my

Development

open for Booking

All illustration and color schemes are artist’s impression only. The information contained herein is subject to changes and without notification as may be required by the relevant Authorities or Developer’s Architect

Jala

n Da

tuk

Taw

i Sli

Jala

n Da

tu A

mar

Kal

ong

Ning

kan

Jala

n Pe

nriss

en

Jalan Kung PingSJK Chung Hua 4½ Mile

Seventh - Day Adventist ChurchCentral Park

Commercial Centre

SMKJalan

ArangBoulevardShopping Mall

Jalan Stephen Yong

Jalan Batu Kawa

Site

BOOK NOW! For further inquiries:Sales officetel.082 366307 Fax.082 366349Sales booking

mobile. 012 887 7148 012 809 9348

Developer Contractor

SL 8514, Lot 6806, No.8 Ground & First Floor, Blk 11, Sri Stutong Commercial Centre, Jalan Setia Raja, MTLD, 93350 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.

Privileges• OnHillLand• CompetitivePrice• Spacious&PracticalDesign• 2CarParkLotsForEveryUnit• 4StoreyApartmentWithLifts

open for Booking


Royal ArsenaaallWooollllwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiccccccccccccccccccccccccchhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh


investment opportunity in uK

E ducation is the endless pursuit of knowledge and the United Kingdom is one of the most sought after destinations

for higher education. More than 110 nationalities are found in just the Bradford area where Bradford University and Bradford College are located which means high demand for accommodation. Crown Place is an apartment block, catering to students and just a short walk from these campuses. Crown Place provides good forecast on returns for the investment as the demand for accommodations is always high, good location, high occupancy and annual rent increase amongst the advantages of such an investment.

Crown Place Bradford provides accommodation facilities to foreign students

Development

London callingRoyal Arsenal Woolwich riverfront investment

T his new showpiece is a brand new hotel in the midst of 76-acre mixed-use development adjacent to the River Thames, situated at

Royal Arsenal, 10 miles Southeast of London. When completed, this site will include 3,700 residential units with office space, retail outlets, bringing together a whole new London neighborhood. In view of the exciting development coming up, this is the opportune time for investing in this property which can expect real capital growth potential, high income from the ‘Buy-to-let’ hotel room investment. The deal calls for a fully managed, hassle free, high yielding opportunity which can even be cash-positive from year one; there are also no on going maintenance, refurbishment or furniture renewal costs which will all come under the hotel management handling. Check out this investment opportunity in London and spread your portfolio wider; call the agents now at the contact below.

www.qudoss.com

Registered Estate Agent E(3)1311 Suite 20.04 Level 20, GTower 199, Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. T: +603 2161 0270 F: +603 2161 1272e: [email protected]

Syed (Kuching) { m: +6019 858 4466 }Sharon Poh (Kuching) { m: +6012 888 6811 }Sharon Kho (Kuching) { m: +6016 860 9622 }Paul (Miri) { m: +6017 363 9667 }

£22,000

£40,000


Development

K uching, Sarawak’s capital city, is very similar to many cities in Asia; they

are mostly sited near to a river for convenience and also accessibility. A number of bridges have been built for city folks to access either side of the river in Kuching and also one can take the ‘Water taxi’ or sampan across at the famed Waterfront. The city’s rapid growth necessitate another bridge for increasing traffic volume crossing the river between City South and City North and a toll bridge completed in 2003 provided the solution to the issue. Located at Tanah Puteh, between the State Administrative enclave of Petra Jaya and the industrial areas of Pending, the Tun Salahuddin bridge has been very popular with commuters in the city, so much so that within first four months of operation, the number of users reached one million, majority of whom preferring the short distance travelled when compared to the long about way through the Satok side bridge. The 16-lane motorist access bridge with

SaveTime, SaveFuel, SafeTrip

Tun Salahuddin Bridge gives Kuching commuters a timely and convenient route in crossing the river

www.zecon.com.my

Zecon Berhad(134463-X)

Corporate office: 8th Floor, Menara Zecon,

No. 92 Lot 393, Section 5 KTLD, Jalan Satok, 93400 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia,

Tel: +6082 275555 Fax: +608 275500

Toll Administration Office:Jalan Tun Abang Muhammad Salahuddin

93050 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia

Customer Service: Tel: +6082 350000

Email: [email protected]

its fully computerized system makes it very convenient for motorist and motorcyclist alike and since its commencement in 2003 as the best alternative route crossing the Sarawak River to one of the major crossings today with average daily users of almost 26,000. The good news is that commuters now have even more reasons to smile as the toll operator has new savings plans for them. When purchasing the RM100 toll card, you will save RM15 from the toll as it will enable user to use until RM115 total charges. The reloadable toll cards cost RM3 each and start from as low as RM10 with no expiry date so they will remain valid whenever you use them. It is also a normal practice for the toll operator to give special discounts, lucky draws and other special offers such as the free special limited edition toll cards on major festival occasions. The toll operator usually announces these special rates prior to the festive dates so watch out for them soon!

Zecon

A lmost anyone who has been to Kuching will surely have visited the ever-busy

‘Sunday Market’, which is the central of attention along Jalan Satok. Due to the limitations of the venue and much inconvenience to shoppers and sellers as well as littering, the ‘new’ Medan Niaga Satok has now been set up. Located at Jalan Matang, Petra Jaya, just across the main bridge from Jalan Satok, the Market is due to be opened for business in mid 2012. Built at a cost of RM46million, this mega market was a joint venture between the Federal Government through its agricultural agency, Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) and the Sarawak State Government and covers an area of 12.25 acres. As the most modern market of its kind in

Sarawak, Medan Niaga Satok is expected to be a shoppers’ paradise, well planned, clean, orderly and conveniently accessed. What’s more, there is even a plan to have water taxis plying the venue as a jetty has also been built at the site!

Compared to the old market, this new Medan Niaga Satok will always be clean thanks to a modern

Development


system of disposing waste and rubbish generated from the business enterprises. At this new market, this litter will no longer be an issue as the disposal system is efficient, effective and environmentally friendly. The market is divided into five main blocks – Semi-wet block, Wet block, Plaza block, Food block and FAMA’s office. The separation of the different types of sellers and entrepreneurs enable the different blocks to be easily cleaned and facilitate smooth flow of customers and visitors to the area. Furthermore, these entrepreneurs and shoppers will now have a roof over their heads and are spared from the hot sun, rain or strong winds. Estimates are that some 1800 traders and sellers will make the transition to the new site this mid 2012. Naturally, locals who

The new Satok Market embodies the spirit of the Sunday Market

For further information, kindly contact FAMA Sarawak, Office,Lot 6C,D,E, Wisma Haji Suaidi, Jalan Tun Abdul Rahman, Petra Jaya, 93050 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.

Tel: +6082 422578, 414744 Fax: +6082 244551

- Everyone’s market!

Development


frequent the market will be pleased with the new arrangements while visitors too can now browse around comfortably. What used to be a drivers’ nightmare when visiting the old market is now something to smile about

with the ample parking bays in the new Medan Niaga Satok. With the added convenience for shoppers, it is not surprising that more people are expected to come to the market and this is again something which will boost the business potential of the site for more entrepreneurs to participate in. While the market may be new, the ‘life’ of the market

is still here; unusual products from the jungle, seasonal favourites, pesticides-free wild vegetables, savoury food cooked right before your eyes and live fish, cockerels and other food items. It is definitely going to be a market that has to be seen and visited to get a feel for it!

Satok Medan Niaga


www.elkfurniture.com.my

Smart PartnershipKL / SELANGORS. Star Furniture Design Sdn Bhd (Shah Alam) +603 - 7846 6903BJ Furniture Sdn Bhd (Gombak) +603 - 4024 2011Monzen Interior & Furniture (Semenyih) +603 - 8723 4671Vilano (Cheras) +603 - 2788 0926Home Star Furnishing Sdn Bhd (Ampang) +6012 - 359 4840Bello Design Sdn Bhd (Petaling Jaya) +6012 - 267 4076ELK Furniture Sdn Bhd (Klang ) +603 - 3341 2688ELK Furniture Sdn Bhd (Ambang Botanic) +603 - 3324 2238

KELANTANKedai Perabot Yakin Jaya (Kota Bharu) +609 - 766 6388

TERENGGANUSPPhua Excel (K. Terengganu) +609 - 623 1808

PERAKNg Company Taiping Sdn Bhd (Taiping) +605 - 808 3863

PENANGEng Wah Home Center Sdn Bhd (Penang) +604 - 646 4298

JOHORU Casa Home (Segamat) +607 - 931 0539Home Life (J) Sdn Bhd (Johor Bharu) +607 - 353 9696

PAHANGPerabot Woon Wah (Kuantan) Sdn Bhd +609 - 567 2245CF Chan Furniture & Renovation (Temerloh) +609 - 296 6709

MELAKAHomeast Enterprise (Melaka) +606 - 317 1812

KEDAHClassy Glory Furniture Sdn Bhd (Alor Setar) +604 - 732 2355

SARAWAKWee Hua Boo Trading Sdn Bhd (Kuching) +6082 - 246 641Comfort Furniture Centre (Sibu) +6084 - 335 561Sin Siang Hai Trading Sdn Bhd (Miri) +6085 - 415 015

SABAHGlory East Sdn Bhd (Tawau) +6089 - 762 466Casarano Miva (Sandakan) +6089 - 227 721Ken Fat Furniture Sdn Bhd (Kota Kinabalu) +6088 - 714 015

( 493415-V )

Home

www.whbfurniture.com WEE HUA BOO TRADING SDN BHD • Lot 102, 2½ Mile, Rock Road, 93200 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 246641, 240775 Fax: +6082 240295 Email: [email protected]

D ining tables have changed and evolved over the centuries

but the marble table remains the favourite amongst many for obvious reasons. It never goes out of style and always looks polished despite the years of use and remains stainless; a priceless asset in your dining room! “Many fine restaurants and stately homes continue to use marble tables when entertaining guests as these have become status symbol and are the pride of the hosts in showing them off. Apart from being water and heat resistant, marble tables are easy to maintain and don’t get scratch on easily,” said Nicholas Sia, proprietor of WHB Furniture in Kuching on the marble dining tables in his showroom.

“Marble tables are also heavy and sturdy which makes them ideal for entertaining many guests at a single sitting. Some marble tables even have carvings which are specially ordered and these are quite extraordinary to possess,” he expressed. For those who wish to customize their dining table, this is also possible

WHB Furniture shop has wide range of

genuine marble furniture pieces to fit

any room

with today’s modern technology, Nicholas stated. In fact, you can even have marble tables in the shape and thickness that you want, colour and finishing to suit any taste. To ensure that you get real marble tables, Nicholas cautioned buyers on choosing only reputable outlets as there are those which comes in mixture of marble and glass or other materials of poorer quality and can crack or be easily scratched. When selling these marble tables and other furniture sets, WHB Furniture gives a guarantee to customers on the genuine material used be it marble steel, leather or others. Other than marble tables and sets, there are many other types of in-house and outdoor furniture available at WHB Furniture shop. Best part is that they can customize your rooms to your desire and specifications and provide the services and advice on the best choices for every practical application. Visit them for the latest in living room to kitchen, bedroom or even the garden furnishings.

Pricelessmarblemarble


Home

Home


For more information and all those interested should write, call or visit

AMHOME Flooring (Kuching) Sdn Bhd

BDC Office: No. 15 (G/F), RH Commercial Centre, Lot 5391, Block 16, New Airport Road, Stampin, 93250 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.Tel: +6082 571985 Fax: +6082 572985Mobile/HP: +6012 8879685Email: [email protected]

MJC Office: Lot 29, Batu Kawa Light Industry, 93250 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.Tel: +6082 686943 Mobile/HP: +6016 8868016

Factory: Lot 838, Block 7, M.T.L.D., Jalan Demak Laut 5, Demak Laut Industrial Park, 93050 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.

Home


AmHome provides

superb wooden flooring with

manufacturers warranty

Beautiful & Safe

W alk into any new showhouse and you will likely step onto smooth

textured wooden floor that’s both great to look at and also soothing to the feet. It’s no coincidence that these floors are to give amazing first impressions by their looks and also to provide extraordinary feel to the touch on contact. Our human nature and soft spot for wood also plays significant part in immediately bonding to wooden floors which probably explains why more and more house developers are now opting for wooden floors throughout most high end homes in their bid to secure investors and buyers.

While most wooden floors may look alike and feel quite similar to the touch, there is a whole world of difference in the types of materials used in these wooden floors. Foremost is safety and durability; are the materials free from harmful glues and other bonding substances and what kinds of materials make up the different layers of the floor? AmHome understands the frustrations of some homeowners who have mistakenly installed poor quality wooden floors. As one of the established names in the industry, AmHome is also an authorized dealer for Euro Standard DPL technology for wooden floor installation which puts emphasis on nail free-glue free floating installation using only certified flooring materials. It provides a Manufacturer Warranty to its products and as a supplier to commercial clients as well, it is a trusted name for floor installations. The floor material starts with a sheet of Melamine – impregnated water proof stabilizing bottom layer on the area to be surfaced and steps are undertaken to ensure that there are

no leakages of water draining into the area to be covered. The next layer is the actual floor piece, made in Malaysia Eco-Balanced Tropical Coreboard with revolutionary ‘Yoga lock.’ These advanced 4-edged pieces are vacuum-sealed for excellent moisture resistant as well as termite resistant and also provide a smooth finish to the whole floor. The second top-most piece is the European manufactured Natural colour decorative paper, which also comes with fade resistant warranty and the top piece being the Melamine-impregnated durable tropical liquid overlay protection layer. It comes with manufacturer abrasion resistant warranty as well as stain resistant warranty, giving home owners the assurance that their children’s’ spillages and other accidents will not cause major damages to the floor. Of course, homeowners get to choose the ‘natural’ colour of their floors based on the different choices available and can also opt for different colours and types based on their locations and preferences of the individuals. When planning to install quality wooden floors for your homes or commercial areas, contact AmHome for advice and also check out their available floor options for every part of the house. As provided for under their warranty against staining, fading, abrasion and moisture resistance for residential and commercial applications, AmHome can deliver the best for your home or commercial establishment. It is quite common for AmHome to provide up to 15 years of warranty for homes and 5 years for commercial establishments based on the guidelines established by the manufacturers. Give your home a whole new look and feel with these exquisite wooden floors.


Home

helps you makea lifestyle change for the better

Y ou should be waking up feeling fresh and reenergised after a good night’s sleep.

Unfortunately, that is not the case for most people. One of the determining factors to how good you sleep is the mattress you sleep on.

Science has proven that a good sleep can help improve one’s focus and memory, and even helps to repair cellular damages as a result of stress.

At the.Bedroom, you’ll find that your sleeping problems will soon be over. the.Bedroom offers a huge selection of premium mattresses from well recognised brands, many of which boast ground-breaking technology that will change the way you sleep for good.

The Sleep to Live mattresses, for example, uses a unique system called Sleep to Live Diagnostics, which is a patented technology that helps you to choose which mattress suits you best.

Only available at the.Bedroom, as far as Kuching is concerned, this system, which was developed in the US, works by looking at how you answer the questions on the computer while lying on the diagnostic test bed, then through 18 statistical measurements and more than 1,000 calculations, tells you what type of sleep surface that will give you the best posture support and pressure relief that are specific to your body type.

Within just minutes, via BedMatch™ and PillowMatch™ technology, you will know which sleep system that will give you the best possible sleep at night.

Sleep to Live also boasts a one-of-a-kind My Side Technology™, which combines state-of-the-art materials with the latest scientific findings, offering proper posture support and pressure relief. Perfect for couples, the system ensures that each one gets the

For further information, please contact the.Bedroom, Homy Furture Sdn. Bhd. Sublot 13/14, Jalan Tun Jugah/Jln Song, 93350 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 454635 | Fax: +6082 456702 | Email: [email protected] | Opening hours: Daily 10.30am-6.00pm

To know more or see for yourself the collections available, visit the.Bedroom at Song Plaza, Jalan Song, Kuching, Sarawak

right kind of support he or she needs on his or her side of the bed.

Another innovative name in sleep systems is Technogel®. Technogel® is a unique material that can deform three-dimensionally like fluids and has a memory shape of solids. The 100 percent non-toxic and stable polyurethane substance reacts to forces differently as compared to foam, and deforms in three directions, allowing pressure to be evenly distributed over the whole body and thus reduces pressure and improve blood circulation.

The clever design of the Technogel® sleep system allows for better temperature regulation and optimal moisture conduction, and optimises the 3D deform ability of the Technogel®.

At the.Bedroom, one can also choose from other very good sleep systems, including those offered by names like Slumberland, FourStar, Posturest, Sweet Dream and more, spanning across four floors or spacious showrooms. Besides mattresses, there are also tasteful and modern contemporary bedroom sets available. Among them are stylish and functional modular wardrobes by ICUBiq Room Solution, whereby the lamination film are imported all the way from Korea. A good selection of beds, side tables and bed spreads are also available.

With each purchase of the mattresses or bedroom sets, customers will be provided with a free delivery (only within Kuching) as well as after-sales services.

Living in the tropics like in Malaysia means having sunshine

everyday of the year! However, sometimes too much sunshine

can be bothersome and at times unpleasant due to the heat and

glare. Blinds are the perfect answer to such problems as they can effectively eliminate the rays

or opened up to allow the rays in.

At Maxtrack Sdn Bhd Kuching, they are specialist in supplying, installing and servicing blinds. The shop has

almost every type and brand of blind you can think of, like zebra blinds, roller blinds, panel blinds, venetian

blinds, pleated blinds, roman blinds from manufacturers like Louvolite,

Somfy, Horiso, Moonlight etc. Maxtrack undertakes every aspect of the blind services for you, from

measuring to advice on suitable types and styles, colour to brand

names and installation to servicing should any be required.

Most blinds are for practical

purposes but with today’s technology, they can also

be decorative and can even enhanced the setting of a living room, bedroom,

meeting room or office with their ambiance. Unlike other

fixed renovations, blinds can be easily replaced with new ones or styles to make

noticeable differences to any room or surrounding. Visualizing these

changes with the addition of blinds can be difficult but let the experts at Maxtrack give you some ideas on the right choices and you can immediately see the changes the

blinds do to the area or room. Remember that blinds last a long

time too and with little to zero maintenance, they are perfect for adding extra depth and beauty to

any room.

Home


Maxtrack (kch) Sdn BhdLot 10784, Section 64, Simpang 3, Lorong Upland 1, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.Tel: +6082 231677 Fax: +6082 234677 Email: [email protected]

Johor Bharu +607 3535881 • Miri (Sarawak) +6085 438381 • Petaling Jaya (KL) +603 79562088 • Cheras (KL) +603 91023792 • Kota Kinabalu (Sabah) +6088 731401

Blinds sparkle up your rooms Maxtrack Sdn

Bhd has the blinds for every living area in homes or offices

We specialised in Venetian Blinds • Vertical Blinds • Honey Comb Blinds • Pleated Blinds • Wooden Venetian Blinds • Roller Blinds • PVC Vertical Blinds • Zebra Blinds • Panel Blinds

Vertical Blinds

PVc Vertical Blinds

Honey comb Blinds

Zebra Blinds

Wooden Venetian Blinds

Pleated Blinds

Venetian Blinds

roller Blinds

Panel Blinds

4 feet wide which justifies the name of elephant ear plant,” said Mohd Latiff Bin Dirun Director, Kraftangan Malaysia Sabah Branch. “It also grows very well in our humid climate, especially where there is soft soil like peat or swamp and requires very little input. Some even consider it a pest as it tends to spread very fast through its underground root system as a rhizome. Instead of just chopping it away we have researched it and came up with yam paper which in turn can be made into a host of many other products.” Firstly, the team developed a machine to cut the leaves which is then further refined to pulp and finally into paper. A hardy paper, it is an environmentally friendly product while also sustainable and readily available yet cheap raw material. The potential of the paper is huge as can be seen from the varieties of products created by the team. These include paper boxes for special gifts

and also for souvenirs and innovative uses of the paper for other purposes like tablemats, paper towels, tissues

etc could all be in the pipeline with further innovations and research. “Naturally we are happy with the outcome of our work and the onus should be to our team of dedicated researchers for their time and effort. Now we will focus more on the commercial aspects and hopefully this can be one of the industries which provide employment opportunities for rural communities as well as income as the plant is a perennial and the whole processing is technologically quite simple with little need of other materials,” he added. On the part of the department, he said that they are still looking at ways to make the paper more versatile by adding other materials, which could lead to other more innovative uses, which include the addition of natural colour dye from local fruits and plants to provide the variety for selection and usage.

www.kraftangan.gov.my

Kraftangan Malaysia Sabah Branch produces paper from the yam plant with innovative applications

Yam paper!

For further information, please contact Malaysian Handicraft Development corporation, Sabah Branch, Block A, Lot 1 & 2, Lorong Buah Salak, Pusat Perindustrian Hiong Tiong, Km 11.2, Jalan Tuaran,

Inanam, 88450 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. Tel: +6088 433461, 423471 Fax: +6088 424491

Keladi Buntoi (Keladi Gajah)

“Keladi Gajah” Cutting Machine

Mohd latiff Bin Dirun Director (l) showing off the yam paper to Minister of Information, Communication & Culture Malaysia

Colocasia gigantean or Giant Taro is one of the yam plant family and is sometimes

referred to as Elephant –ear Taro due to the shape of the leaves which resemble the animal’s ears. Locally the plant is sometimes grown as an ornamental attraction as it is hardy and easy to maintain but in other Asean countries it is also eaten and can be fed to animals too. In Kota Kinabalu, Kraftangan Malaysia Sabah Branch has pioneered in developing products from Yam paper. “The plant can grow up to 10feet high and each leaf can be about


Fern Landscape is the top of the pack in

championing vertical gardens

my

home

Call them today for an appointment to visit your home or office on the possibilities of change!

T he New Year is coming! Make it special by adding a touch of green to your home, both

inside and outside. By just adding a pot of plant in the corner, a sculptured figurine near the door or a refreshing waterfall feature in the garden makes all the difference in the way your garden will look and function! And now with their latest introduction of the vertical garden concepts in Kuching, the first of its kind, you can now have a haven of greens even on your full height concrete walls.

“Many homeowners have visited us and learned from our resident experts on the possibilities for their garden as well as inside the house,” revealed Ms Gwen, the Manager. “Usually they aren’t too sure of what to plant and where to place in the garden and seek our advice. After getting some idea about their general preferences and budget, we then recommend the possibilities to them. Many later come back to add to their new found hobby and add to their growing collections.”

Many find the sprucing up of their garden a joy and pride whenever

friends and neighbours compliment. For bigger gardens that require expert input, Fern Landscape also provide the services for maintaining the ideal garden concept.

“There are some homeowners who aren’t too sure about having plants inside the house as they worry about the lack of sunlight and upkeep.

To these people, we assure them that we will provide the right types of plants and also the necessary information on their upkeep. In fact, we strongly recommend plants indoor as these can give a very relaxing and soothing atmosphere to the surrounding while extras like sculptures and other ornaments will make them conversation pieces for guests and friends,” she explained.

Whatever you may decide, feel free to just pop over to their nursery at 366 Lorong 13T, Arang Road, 93250 Kuching, Sarawak to understand your garden requirements and get first hand knowledge on the different plants best suited for your garden and especially on the in vertical gardens concept.

Nursery: 366 Lorong 13T, Arang Road, 93250 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia • Show house: 301 Taman Sunny Hill, Jalan Pearl Park, 93250 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6013 8117178 or +6013 8862997

Home


Home


ommitted To clients’ Satisfaction

Home


M ake this Chinese New Year truly ‘Green’ with plants in your house and in your garden! Sarawak’s biggest supplier of both indoor and

outdoor plants specialist, My City Landscaping Sdn Bhd will certainly have the plants you want and they can provide you with the professional answers to all your questions on any aspect of landscaping too. Best reason for calling now is that they are having a promotion with 30% - 80% offer on plants in their stocks until the Chinese New Year! As always, consultation estimates services on any designs be it outdoor rooms, stone walls, water features, lighting or even irrigation are free; you are assured that My City Landscaping Sdn Bhd is trustworthy in providing the all important after sales service on all jobs done as part of their total commitment to your project. Essentially a One-Stop provider of all things on landscaping, the company takes pride in providing only custom designed works for each individual home or office; it also goes all out to ensure that customers are totally satisfied with their work as that has always been the reason for their success over the years. By using only quality materials in their work, clients are guaranteed against defects or other shortcomings.

Rest assured too that My City Landscaping Sdn Bhd does not simply charge clients; providing competitive prices that fit any budget are part and parcel of their range of offerings in the landscaping industry. Together with their experienced team of workers the company ensures that every work done will be worth the investment in both the aesthetic and physical sense as clients are consulted every step of the way to the completion of

project. Everyone who has had dealings with My City Landscaping Sdn Bhd knows and fully recommends them to friends and fellow customers because of their professional approach to work and continuous services like maintenance and checks when jobs are completed. Remember that no work is too small for them or giving less dedication to the job

when it comes to My City Landscaping Sdn Bhd. Having grown from a small company in the landscaping industry to even supplying plants to Sabah now, the outlook and commitment of the company is still the same as when it first started, giving the best in whatever to ensure clients are satisfied with the work done. Check out My City Landscaping Sdn Bhd for your next garden job and be pleasantly surprised!

My city Landscaping Sdn Bhd always

makes sure that work done will completely

be to par

For further information, please contact

SL 12, Lot 789, Jalan Hup Kee, 93250 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.

TEL: +6082 452543 FAX: +6082 452539

Mobile/HP: +6012 611 2411, +6012 858 8017

E-mail: [email protected]

ommitted To clients’ Satisfaction


Education

Brunei’s education system provides

vast opportunities for local and foreign

students

Beacon for Education

E very year thousands of students enroll in the colleges and universities in Brunei with foreigners making up a substantial number of these new faces. Similarly, hundreds more

foreign students also enroll in the primary and secondary schools in the Sultanate, mainly from neighbouring countries. The main attractions to study in Brunei are mainly the high standard of the education system, usage of English as the main medium of instruction, safety of students, small number of students in classes, good infrastructure, excellent internet connectivity and also excellent health care facilities found here. In addition, the crime level is low, there is little number of drugs cases or menace and good accommodations easily available. With easy access from anywhere in the region through air, road and sea links, Brunei is an attractive destination for students and especially for parents who want their children to have good solid foundation in their studies to prepare them for the higher education later in their lives. Majority of these foreign students enroll in the number of private schools in Brunei, some run by missions and others by private enterprises. In fact, many of these students come from neighbouring states of Sarawak and Sabah who are just a short hop away and get to enjoy excellent education standard and facilities in this Abode of Peace as the nation is known as. Naturally, many private colleges have also sprung up here to cater to the ever increasing number of students who

For further information, please contact BRUNEI TOURISM, Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources, Jalan Menteri Besar, Bandar Seri Begawan BB3910, Brunei Darussalam.

Tel: (673) 238 2822, 238 2832 Fax: (673) 238 2824 Email: [email protected]

Education


and Finance to Civil Engineering, Computing and Information Systems to Communication Language, Electronic and Communication Engineering to Mechanical Engineering. It earned the Asia’s Best Business School Leadership Award in 2010 from Singapore which shows the strength of its courses and standard in the region. Universiti Brunei Darussalam is the nation’s only academic university which also caters for foreign students intake. Established in 1985, the university offers courses ranging from science to arts, language to social sciences and others. It is also one of the main research institutions in Brunei which places the importance of the university in relation to the types of research work done here. The Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali is a leading religious university in the region, offering courses in the four faculties of Usuluddin, Shariah and Law, Arabic Language and Islamic Civilisation as well as Business and Management Sciences. A modern university with links to the world through ICT, the university is easily

wish to pursue tertiary education in other countries after undergoing twining programmes here. With the rising cost associated with foreign exchange of currencies, studying in Brunei looks to be even more appealing now and could potentially save parents much money due to the lower cost of studying here.

Unknown to many outsiders, Brunei’s Jefri Bolkiah Engineering College is one of the main training grounds for a career in the oil and gas industry in Asia and it collaborates closely with the Brunei Shell Petroleum Training Centre here. The Institut Teknologi Brunei is an award winning college which offers courses ranging from Business

accessible and also a reference point for the religion while providing opportunities for people from all over the world to pursue their interests. Graduates from Brunei’s education system easily fit into other British Commonwealth nations’ higher education institutions like Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, UK and also USA. A closer look into the education system in Brunei reveals that there are still a number of expatriates and foreign experts being employed as lecturers and teachers in the system which augurs well for the integrity of the system as well as maintaining the high standard expected. By focusing on the building of highly educated pool of student population, Brunei is cleverly investing in the future of its human resources which will continue to provide the necessary experts and professionals to bring the nation forward on the international and regional fronts. Brunei is certainly the ideal nation for gaining excellence in education to meet the challenges of the next century.

www.bruneitourism.travel

Education


Centre for Pre-University

Studies, UNIMAS


Education

especially at UNIMAS in fields such as Resource Science & Technology, Cognitive Science, Medicine & Health Science, Engineering and Information Technology. The aims of the program are to encourage the required learning capacity and to provide a strong foundation for students to achieve their fullest potential in their studies in UNIMAS.

The Centre for Pre-University Studies of UNIMAS was established based on the following rationales:

a. To provide a primary channel for Bumiputera SPM leavers for their entry into UNIMAS.

b. To provide access and opportunity for qualified Bumiputera students from rural areas to enter UNIMAS.

c. To improve the quality of intakes for the programs in UNIMAS.

d. To provide a bridging program designed to equip students with basic skills and knowledge required for major courses offered in UNIMAS.

A total of 232 students have enrolled in the first intake for the 2010/2011 session. The next session showed an increase of enrolment to a total of 575 students. This may well be due to increase public awareness towards the existence of this Centre as a result of the promotional activities conducted by UNIMAS.

The Centre provides an avenue for bright students, particularly from Sarawak, to further their studies. Prior to this, SPM high scorers would continue their tertiary studies in Matriculation Colleges such as the ones in Labuan and in Peninsular Malaysia. As such, with the outlined rationales as guidance, the Centre for Pre-University Studies presents an affordable opportunity for further studies to rural Sarawakians. The Centre is committed towards the provision of the best teaching and learning facilities and a conducive learning environment. Additionally, students will be involved in leadership, public services, sports and cultural activities to supplement their studies and help shape a critical minded generation in the future.

Presently, UNIMAS is finalizing a proposal to offer a third program, namely Foundation in Human Sciences to art stream SPM leavers. Tentatively, the program is expected to start with the 2012/2013 session.

CENTRE FOR PRE-UNIvERSITy STUDIESUniversiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia.

Tel: +6082 582480 Fax: +6082 582330

www.unimas.my

T he Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia approved the establishment of UNIMAS’

Centre for Pre-University Studies commencing with the 2010/2011 session. In this session, two (2) Science Foundation programs were offered; Biological Sciences and Physical Sciences, each covering a year (two semesters) of studies. Upon completion of this foundation program, students would be able to pursue their Bachelor’s Degree in UNIMAS.

The Pre-University Foundation Studies is a bridging program designed to prepare SPM leavers for their Bachelor’s Degree studies

and classes are conducted during the weekend (either Saturday or Sunday from 10.00am to 3.00pm).

• Some of the components which make the programme stand out from others in the market is that all practical session are conducted in Denver own hotel and food outlets which enable the students to use culinary equipment for planning and implementation on preparation of cuisine and students will also be skilled in several cooking techniques in a variety of styles.

LAND A COOL CAREER WITH AIR-CONDITIONING TRAININGEvery organization whether large or small, profit or non-profit making and every home whether big or small requires someone who understands and maintains their air-conditioners well. That someone is the certified air-conditioning technician who is technically well trained with experience, knowledge and skills to perform efficiently and effectively. As such, demand for such certified air-conditioning technician is constantly high. Denver Consulting Sdn Bhd in collaboration with school of Lifelong Learning, Open University Malaysia (SOLL-OUM) is now offering a Certified Air-Conditioning Technician programme at its campus at Nanas Road and Samarahan Kuching.

denver consulting Sdn Bhd,

open university

Malaysia give opportunity

to people to pursue

their dream professions

Air-conditioning technicians are responsible for installing, inspecting, maintaining, and repairing air-conditioning and ventilating equipment and controls to make sure that they operate efficiently and continuously. They make adjustment and do calibrations of thermostatic controls. When needed, they install new air-conditioning systems and equipment. Air-conditioning technicians also clean blowers and coils, check tensions of belt and motors. They are involved in making plans and designs of new air-conditioning systems including their installation and maintenance

A basic air-conditioning course teaches students introductory concepts for air-condition systems in residential and commercial buildings. Specific topics of study include air-conditioning systems, air conditioning processes, fans and general ventilation. Students learn through hands-on and exercises. Topics include trouble-shooting, proper equipment selection and techniques.

T he cherish hope of most students is to get a tertiary education but circumstances

and timing may have diverted some from pursuing their dreams. Don’t give up yet! Denver Consulting Sdn Bhd and Open University Malaysia can assist you to achieve your dream profession through weekend classes and on-line learning. These courses, ranging from three-months to one-year duration, are specially designed for those who are currently working full time and at very affordable rates too! Those who have successfully complete the courses will be presented with a joint certificate by the school of Lifelong Learning Open University Malaysia and Denver Consulting Sdn Bhd.

LEARN FROM THE ExPERTS TO BECOME A TOP CHEFThe culinary industry is rapidly growing and this has contributed to the need for skilled manpower in the hospitality and tourism sector in the country.

Maybe culinary work could be your calling. Coupled with creativity and entrepreneurial skills, you can one day be a celebrated chef or open your own restaurant. Denver Consulting Sdn Bhd is collaborating with School of Lifelong Learning, Open University Malaysia (SOLL-OUM) in offering Industrial Career Certificate and Executive Diploma in Culinary to those who wish to craft a career in the culinary line.

Both the Industrial Career Certificate and Executive Diploma have a comprehensive syllabus taught by experienced skill-based lecturers and instructors. Apart from the fully equipped kitchens, students have an F&B service area to practice their skills.

Upon graduation, the students will obtain the Industrial Career Certificate or Executive Diploma in Culinary from School of Lifelong Learning, Open University Malaysia. Duration of course is 3 months for Career Certificate and 9 months for Executive Diploma

For more information on these and other courses available, please contact

Lot 379, 2nd Floor Section 10, KTLD Jalan Nanas, 93400 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.

T: +6082 257429 F: +6082 237428 M: +6016 807 7845 (Mr.Tay) E: [email protected]

in collaboration with

www.denvergroup.my

Be what you want

to be!

• Industrial Career In Tailoring • Career In Wellness • Industrial Career In Tourist Guide

• Industrial Career In Front Office Administration & Management

• IndustrialCareerCertificateinCulinary• IndustrialCareerCertificateinFrontOffice

Administration and Management• IndustrialCareerCertificateinTouristGuide• IndustrialCareerCertificateinTailoring• CareerCertificateinWellness• CertifiedAirConditioningTechnician• ExecutiveDiplomainCulinaryArts• ExecutiveDiplomainFrontOffice

Administration and Management


Education

Education

U niworld Bookstore is a unique bookstore in Kuching city because

it caters not only to university textbooks, including textbooks adoptions for UNIMAS and UiTM, two local universities located in the Samarahan Division here but also has a selection of general books such as school text books, novels, children’s books, motivational, self-development titles and many others.

It also carries stationeries, bags and others as part of its overall retail services for the past 13 years. Located at Unisquare Commercial Centre along the Kuching-Samarahan road, Uniworld Bookstore prides itself on being a reputable, reliable and experienced textbook supplier, equipping students, teachers and researchers with the right materials for their studies and work.

Other Services Uniworld Bookstore can also specially order textbooks, which cannot be found anywhere else in the city as it has established good links with publishers, suppliers and others in the book trade around the world.

For more details just drop in to the shop and talk to the friendly people here about these different services that the bookstore can provide to customers.

UNIWORLD BOOKSTORE SDN. BHD.Sublot 16, Ground Floor, Block B, Unisquare Commercial Centre, 94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia.

Tel/Fax: +6082 625272 (Opening hours: 9am - 6pm, Monday to Saturday)


Uniworld Bookstore Sdn Bhd in Kuching can source for

textbooks not available anywhere else in the state!

Books of choice

Info


T he Sarawak government decision on setting up the Ministry of Welfare, Women

and Family Development shows the concern of the government for women and especially those poor single mothers families in the state. The Minister, Datuk Fatimah Abdullah is a veteran in championing the cause of women and family since her foray into politics, having served numerous roles in various ministries since her maiden win in the state election in 2001.

“The creation of this new ministry, Ministry of Welfare, Women and Family Development, shows the commitment of the government towards the welfare of women and also those within their care, the family unit. Studies and profiles from all over the world shows that women have significant roles in the upbringing of children and the family structure; they provide stable and safe environment for the young children and keep the family together. This is indeed the very essence as to why women need to be equipped with all

the necessary defense mechanisms and provided with the necessary support systems to better deal with problems and challenges confronting them when building homes and families, especially so for those who are widowed or single mothers,” said Datuk Fatimah on the ministry she is heading.

“As rightly mentioned by the Chief Minister recently, more women from rural areas have migrated to the urban centres over the years, either in search of better opportunities for them and their families, or following their husbands. For those with little skills and education, the opportunities for them are limited so we have to identify jobs and skills that will suit their lifestyles for a better tomorrow. This will be one of the functions of the ministry in lifting the living standard of women in our society, especially those single mothers with school going children. The other major role is on education whereby we have to ensure that all children enroll in early childhood education in kindergartens and proceed to primary

The Chief Minister of Sarawak (third left) together with his wife, puan Sri Ragad and YB Datuk

Fatimah (fourth and fifth left respectively) taken during the “Hari Warga Emas” presentation

Sarawak Ministry of Welfare, Women and family development, Minister Yang Berhormat Datuk Fatimah Abdullah talks about the roles of her Ministry

CARING SOCIETY

Info

Jan-Mar2012BorneoTalk | 35Sarawak Women’s Bureau • Jalan Bakti off Jalan Sultan Tengah, Semariang, 93050 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6086 446980, 446178 Fax: +6086 447937

and secondary schools for a sound education foundation which will carry them to the next level of professional education or skills trade and others like entrepreneurships.”

On the welfare aspect of the Ministry, Datuk Fatimah stressed that legitimate and registered candidates in the unfortunate, the poor and the incapacitated category will continue to gain attention and financial assistance from her Ministry. According to her, the government has always place priority to ensure that those living on the fringes of society are not forgotten and

take steps to give them a better life through financial and other assistance. To this end, the Welfare Department Sarawak has already embarked on its “ cari “ initiative to register the needy across the length and breadth of the State.

“In this aspect, the Ministry will also appeal to private organisations to come forward and jointly work with the Ministry in providing a better future for those who are poor and marginalized within our society. Many of these families live within the city and town centres, many of which are without basic utilities and in deplorable living conditions. We can sometimes see them foraging for food and work while mothers with small children can also be seen going around in the group. It is especially sad to see these children not going to schools as their parents find sending them to school a burden. Hence they will grow up with

no academic qualifications or skills, which is needed in society and without which will then lead to another circle of poverty for them and their families.

“We also must remember that there are also others who suffer from mental and physical handicaps, which make it impossible for them to seek normal employment, so must be provided with assistance in every way. Their families will bear most of these burden but some are unable to do and so the welfare homes are the places where they will be given the proper conditions for the rest of their normal lives,” she pointed out. On a positive note, she informed that statistics from early childhood education programmes has shown much improvement in the scholastic aptitude of these children and they tend to be generally doing well in primary and secondary schools. With the right educational background, they will be able to dictate their own future and bring progress to our society and also to their families. Datuk Fatimah cautioned that despite such success, there is much still to be done to uplift the living standard of the society, especially when the government is targeting 2030 for Sarawak to be a developed state.

We need to constantly upgrade our own skills and technical capabilities as the world is changing very fast and challenges from neighbouring nations so that we will remain ahead. At the same time we cannot afford to neglect those who are marginalized and poor in our quest to achieve success. I believe that together we can all work towards success, the government and public sector working as partners in caring and strengthening the family institution with an aim to empower the women in our society and bring new hopes for those who are less fortunate.

Sports achievers from SarawakSarawak Sports council continues to produce successful sports athletes

Info


S arawak’s unique ability to produce natural sportsmen and sportswomen is once again evident

by the achievements of athletes at the recent SEA Games in Sumatra, Indonesia from 11th to 22nd November 2011. Diver Pandelela Renong, Shooter Bibiana Ng, Cyclist Josiah Ng and Squash Player, Mohd Aslan Iskandar were winners in their respective events; all are Sarawakians and many budding ones are coming up as evident in the SUKMA Games last year. With the support from the Sarawak Sports Council and corporate bodies, the state is bound to remain among the forefront of sportsmen and sportswomen in the nation.

Cyclist Josiah ng represented Malaysia at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India in 2010 and won 1Gold,1 Silver and 1 Bronze, winning another Silver at the 16th Asian Games Guangzu, China. Awarded as Malaysian

Olympian and Sportsman of Year in 2004. He will be aiming for Gold in the London Olympics this year.

Mohd. Azlan iskandar represented Malaysia in squash at the Asian Games in Guanzhou, China in 2010 and was a 3-time winner of the Malaysian Open event. He had a remarkable 2010 with his squash achievements; where his ranking soared to World top 10 from World No. 18. Azlan’s achievement has put Sarawak on the world stage and he is the first Asian man to make it to Commonwealth Games Semis.

Bibiana ng won Gold for Malaysia in the Air Pistol event at the Commonwealth

Games in New Delhi, India in 2010 as well as 2 Silvers and 2 Bronzes from previous Commonwealth Games.

Pandelela renong won Malaysia’s first aquatic Gold in Diving at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India in 2010 as well as a Silver medal. She also won a Bronze in the Youth Mini Olympic 2010 and is another medal hopeful at London’s Olympic Games later this year.

onwards to success

Progress can be chartered under the Sarawak Football Development

Programme (SFDP) since 2010

F ootball is a game that takes years to build up a good team, especially for a large state like

Sarawak where players are scattered all over. Building on the success of the 5-year plan which kicked off in 2010, numerous progress have been made under the Sarawak Football Development Programme (SFDP) in 2011 including seminars conducted by professional trainer, Mike Leigh in charge of West Ham Academy Football Club (zone oceania – Australia) for the youngsters and coaches in Kuching and Miri. Other activities include football game clinics in the two cities, and involvement in the preparation for XV SUKMA Games. Notable too was the Borneo Games participation in December 2011 in Samarinda, Indonesia, a first for the state’s youngsters.

“We can see the steady progress of these talented young players over the past two years and we are on track to achieve most of our targets for SFDP by 2014,” SFDP Project Manager Lucas Kallang happily shared with Borneo Talk. “Moreover, these young players are being taught the right and proper methods from day one so they

will be better prepared when they join the senior rank later. Lucas, has been a steady force in the implementation of the programme and there are even more activities planned for this year!” “In January, we will be conducting our selection trials for our Under-19 players in Miri and Kuching where 110 participants are expected,” Lucas explained. “This will be followed by centralized training in the two cities for approximately 35 players with the bonus of playing on an exposure tour in Australia sometime in March. The crucial event will be the Inter Centre Tournament in July where 44 teams form the Northern, Central and Southern Zones will be competing in. Here, we are talking about some 880 players in total!” he pointed out.

For more information, please contact SARAWAK STATE SPORTS COUNCIL at D/A Dewan Suarah Kuching, Jalan Taman Budaya, 93000 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.

Tel: (D) +6082 247012, (O) +6082 251330 Fax: +6086 419029

Coaches too will also be attending seminars to update themselves on the finer aspects of training football players at their respective Centres. The coaches will include both primary and secondary level where 77 individuals have been targeted, the Project Manager stated. Other coaching skills and team building exercises will be slotted into the overall schedule pending more details from the organisers. With the busy calendar for the year, SFDP together with the Education Department are putting in place the next generation of football players for both the state and nation with the aim of making Sarawakian a force to be reckoned with in the Asian region.

MA

JL IS SUKAN NEGERI S

ARAWA

K

• Training in progress under the watchful eyes of trainer, Mike Leigh (left)

Players performing the technique of dribbling •

• P

layer

s eng

aged

in p

erfo

rmin

g te

chni

ques

and

tact

ics o

f the

gam

e

Info



Development

Palm villa in Kuching, Sarawak opens for pre sale bookings

For the pre-sale launching, investors will have the opportunity to choose their desired lots at Palm Villa in either the 50 units of residential properties or 10 units of shophouses. With value expected to soar when completed, the shophouses are priced from RM800,000 with corner lots of 18.3m X 9m while intermediate ones are 18.3m X 6.7m. The ground and first floors are suitable for commercial purposes while the second floors are ideal for residential quarters with spacious living areas. The residential properties at Palm Villa are priced from RM292,800 for double storey terraces to RM457,300 for the double storey semi-detached houses. The prime location and close proximity to institutions of learning and services are sound reasons to own these properties which will grow in value over the years to come. Landed property investments are always safe bets in a world of fluctuating rise and fall in currencies and stock markets and even more so when the location is Sarawak which continues to enjoy sound economic growth, racial harmony and strong stable government.

gem of an

investment

C ity folks in Kuching, capital city of Sarawak, have been buying properties on the outskirts for investments as well as

for conducive living and one such prime property is the up and coming Palm Villa located at the Kuching/Kota Samarahan Expressway. Sited next to SALCRA and UiTM with close proximity to UNIMAS, The Summer Shopping Mall, Palm Villa is a mix residential, business project comprising 3-storey shophouses, terraced houses and semi-detached to detached houses. The Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) is the main developer of Palm Villa with Hock Peng, a renowned property developer, as the joint partner which together form a reputable team.

For more information and all those interested should write, call or visit Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) Corporate Marketing Division • 6th - 11th Floor, Menara SEDC, Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, 93100 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Mobile/HP: +6019 8586159 (James Dago - Director), +6019 8586096 (Jason Sia - Marketing Officer) Email: [email protected] Website: www.sedc.com.my

Development

investment

UNIMAS

KUCHINGINTERNATIONAL

AIRPORT

TabuanJaya Baru

GreenHeights

KotaSentosa

Jalan Datuk Mohd Musa

Kuching - Kota Samarahan

Expressway

SALCRA

UiTM

KU

CH

IN

GW

AT

ER

FRO

NT

PADA

NGMER

DEKA

Dewa

nMa

syar

akat

MBKS

Swim

min

g Po

ol

RESERVOIR

PARK

Radio

Telev

ision

Malay

sia

JUBILEE

RECREATIO

NGROUND

S

AR

AW

AK

RIV

ER

SA

RA

WA

KR

IV

ER

Red

Cres

cent

Build

ing

Hero

es’

Monu

men

t

Telek

omMa

lays

ia

Wet

Mar

ket &

Hawk

er C

entre

Syar

iah

Cour

t

Bank

Nega

raIsl

amic

Gard

en

Stat

e &

DBKU

Libra

ry

Khat

uisti

wa

JAL

AN

GA

MB

IER

JALA

NM

AIN

BAZ

AA

R

JAL

AN

TUN

ABD

UL

RA

HM

AN

JALA

N

PADUNGAN

JA

LA

NP

AD

UN

GA

N

JAL

AN

ABE

LL

JAL

AN

PAD

UN

GA

N

JALA

NPE

TAN

AK

JALA

NC

ENT

RA

LT

IMU

R

JALA

NB

AN

HO

CK JALAN

DESHON

JALA

NEL

LIS

JALA

NSE

KA

MA

JALA

NM

END

U

JALANPEN

DIN

G

JAL

AN

TA

NSR

IO

NG

KE

EH

UI

(JA

LA

NC

EN

TR

AL

BA

RA

T)

JA LAN

TABU

AN

JALAN SIMPANGTIG

A

J AL

AN

D

AT

UK

WI

LL

IA

MT

AN

JAL

AN

LU

MB

AK

UD

A

JA

LA

NA

NG

CH

EN

GH

O

JALA

NDA

TUK

ABAN

GAB

DULR

AHIM

JALA

NM

cDO

UG

ALL

JALANSONGTHIANCHEOK

JA

LA

NM

AT

HI

E

S

JA

LA

NR

ES

ER

VO

I

R

JALAN TAMAN BUDAYA JALA

NB

UD

AY

A JALA

NCROOKSHANK

JALAN

BAMPFYLDE

JALANTUN

ABANGHAJI

OPENG

JALANHAJI

TAHA JAL

AN

SAT

OK

JALA

NSA

TOK

JAL

AN

KU

LA

S

JALA

NB

AD

RU

DD

IN

JAL

AN

NA

NA

S

JAL

AN

RU

BB

ER

JAL

AN

PIS

AN

G

JALANGREEN

JALANPALM

JALANTUNABANGHAJIOPENG

JALAN CH AWAN

J A L A N F O O C H O W

JALANPARK

JALANRAMLEE

JAL

AN

DA

TU

KA

JIB

AH

AB

OL

JALA

NW

AW

ASA

N2

02

0

LEBUHWAYANG LEBUHTEMPLE

JALANBARRACK

LEBUHMARKET

JALA

N M

OSQ

UE

JALANKHOO

H

UN

YEA

NG

CHINA STREET ULUCHINA STREETSo

uven

irs Sh

ops

SUNDAY

MARKET

CARP

ENTE

R ST

REET

Wism

aTin

g Pek

King

Top S

pot F

ood C

ourt

INDI

A ST

REET

PEDE

STRI

AN M

ALL

Rive

rban

k Su

ite

Yaya

san

Sara

wak

Resid

en O

ffice

SRB

Chun

gHu

a No

. 4

Tunk

u Pu

traIn

tern

atio

nal

Scho

ol

Chun

g Hu

aNo

. 3 S

choo

l

Gree

n Ro

adSe

cond

ary

Scho

ol

Chun

g Hu

aSc

hool

Old S

araw

ak M

useu

mAq

uariu

m

Dewa

n Tun

Abd

ul Ra

zak

Muze

um

Islam

ic Mu

seum

Squa

re To

wer

Fort

Marg

herit

a

Asta

na

Chin

ese

Muse

um

Civic

Cent

re

Plan

etar

ium

Amph

ithea

tre

CAT

Stat

ue

CAT

Stat

ue

Sara

wak

Club

Sara

wak

Tour

ism C

ompl

ex

Hock

ey S

tadi

um

New

Stat

e Leg

islat

iveAs

sem

bly (D

UN)

Arts

Muse

umText

ile M

useu

m

Orch

id Ga

rden

Merd

eka P

alace

Hotel

& Su

ites

HH

H

H

H

H

H

H

H

H

H

H

H

H

H

H

H

H

CAT

Stat

ue

HH

H

H

H

HDo

rman

i Hot

el

Hotel

Gra

ndCo

ntine

ntal

Telan

gUs

an H

otel

Gran

d Ma

gher

ita H

otel

H

H

H

H

H

H

Wism

a Sa

tok

Hopo

hSh

oppi

ngCe

ntre

Sara

wak

Plaz

a

Electr

aHo

use

Rive

rside

Majes

ticKu

ching

Tun

Juga

h

H36

0 Ho

tel

Meda

nPe

lita

Cent

repo

intSh

oppin

g Cen

tre

Cros

sway

Beds

Thia

m M

ing

Grea

t Wal

l

at&a

Hom

e Ide

as Sd

n. B

hd.

Sara

kraf

Pav

ilion

Sri S

han

Caru

s Woo

d

Secre

t Rec

ipe

Mian

Ann

Choo

n Hu

iCa

fe

Cozz

i

Atok

Kopi

tiam

AbSo

lute

lySa

yang

Pasa

r Ta

mu

Litt le

Leba

non

Good

rich

Hock

Lee

Cent

re

Crow

nSq

uare

Term

inal

One

Laun

ge

Fryd

ays

Chick

en

Bata

via C

afe

Buha

ri Cafe

Zest

Sam

erse

tGa

tewa

y

Limet

ree

Hote

l

Park

Lane

Lodg

e

Lodg

e 12

1

Bera

mbi

hLo

dge

Sara

mo H

ostel

Mr.D

’s

360X

pres

s

Pullm

anHo

tel &

Reso

rts

Open

Air

Mark

et

SCR

SCR

Xpre

ss SCR

Aha

Orga

nic

SCR

Hong

Kon

g Pau

Cafe

ever

ybre

ad

Kopi

‘O’ C

orne

r

RJ A

yam

Peny

et Ko

pitiam

Top

Hill

Kitch

en

H36

0 Urb

an Re

sort

Hotel

Kim

Bay

Dorse

tBo

utiqu

e Hot

el

Hom

e St

ay

Sam

udra

Cour

t Hot

el

Ariva

Gate

way

Bus A

sia/

Asia S

tar Of

fice

My B

ooks

tore

Life

Cafe

Mala

ysia

Airli

nes

Kuch

ing

Sout

h Cit

yCo

uncil

(MBK

S)

24

Polic

eTo

urist

Boo

th

Polic

eSt

atio

n

3

1

Gene

ral H

ospi

tal

Polic

eSt

atio

n

Fire

Stat

ion

Polic

eSt

atio

n

Polic

e Co

ntin

gent

HQ

Land

& S

urve

yDi

visio

nal O

ffice

Inta

n

Polik

linikA

B

St. J

osep

h Ch

urch

Hind

u Te

mple

Divis

ional

Mosq

ue

Tua P

ekKo

ng Te

mple

Hong

San

Si

Tem

ple

Siang

TiTe

mple

Kua

Ning

Tem

ple

Meth

odist

Chu

rch

Bapt

ist C

hurch

Sikh

Tem

ple

India

Mos

que

Map

• K U C H I N G A R E A ( S A R A W A K ) • OTHER ENqUIRIES Tourism Malaysia-Sarawak +6082 246575, 246775 Infoline 1300-88-5050Sarawak Tourism Board +6082 423600MAS Office +6082 244144, 246622Air Asia +6082 283222KCH International Airport +6082-454255, 454242

Immigration Department +6082 245661, 230280Custom +6082 33313324-hour Public Service Line +6082 555999Taxi Service +6082 480000, 341818Police Station +6082 245522, 241222, 999Traffic Police +6082 241133

JPJ +6082 258811, 628700DBKU +6082 446688MBKS +6082 238080, 242311Telekom +6082 429191, 255994Post Office +6082 244141, 339937General Hospital +6082 230689, 257855

Padawan Council +6082 615566SESCO +6082 333111Kuching Water Board +6082 240371BOMBA (Fire Brigade) +6082 241033, 994, 417712Rescue 991 +6082 256685JKR +6082 203100

LEGENDSHotels General

Post OfficeFood Outlet / Restaurant / Entertainment Outlet

Shopping Centres Bank / ATM

Mosque Church TempleKuching Matang Transport

Petra Jaya Transport

Taxi Station

Sarawak Craft Council

1. Sarawak Tourism Board2. Visitors’ Information Centre3. Sarawak Tourism Federation4. Tourism Malaysia Office


Info


Together we prosperT hrough such belief, Sibu

Municipal Council (SMC) has established good friendship

and understanding with nine counties in China.

This follows with the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding forfriendly exchange relationship between them over a period of two years.

The programme was initiated by SMC Chairman Datuk Tiong Thai King who sees the need to foster goodwill, understanding and cooperation with counties in the People’s Republic of China.

The first MoU happened on March 20, 2009 between SMC and NingDe City in the Fujian Province. It was a great success for both parties. With that, eight more counties joined in. They included FuQing County (signed on 21/2/2011), MingQing County (22/2/2011), GuTian County (23/2/2011), PingNang County (23/2/2011), GuLou County (24/2/2011), QingHe County (4/3/2011), GuangNing County (17/10/2011) and PuYang County (19/10/2011).

Through such agreements, SMC and the counties concern agree to promote the friendly contacts between the peoples of the two places, and the exchanges and cooperation in every field which include economy, trade, science and technology, culture, education, sports, public health and personnel for common prosperity on the basis of equality and mutual benefit.

Besides that, leaders and related departments of both sides shall

maintain frequent contacts so as to have consultations on issues of common concern and matters on bilateral exchange and cooperation.

This agreement is valid for five years and subject to renewal by both parties.

The friendship has thus resulted with cultural troupe from NingDe County inaugural performance at the 2009 Borneo Cultural Festival.

The Ningde She Minority Song-and-Dance Troupe has also performed a combination of 11 dances, songs, the She traditional musical instruments and magic show on the second week of November 2011 at the Sibu Civic Centre.

SMC is mulling to send a mixed cultural troupe of the Malay, Chinese and Dayak to all these nine counties for performances as part of the agreement for cultural exchange. Such arrangements will take place next year.

In addition, the Council will soon identify a piece of land to create a Friendship City Garden. Under the project, all the nine counties will be invited to set up their respective landmarks in the Garden.

The programme does not end with nine counties as more counties in China are expected to follow suit in time to come.

For further information, please contact

Sibu Municipal council at Level 19-24, Wisma Sanyan No. 1,

Jalan Sanyan, 96000 Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6084 333411 Fax: +6084 320240

Signed, sealed, delivered...Thai King (left) and the Chief of GuangNing county, Yuan Hai ping putting their signature on the dotted line for the MoU. Witnessed by Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh, Minister of

public Health (standing 3rd left)

NingDe Cultural troupe from China performing at the 2009 BCF


Medical

Kuching Specialist

Hospital has all the answers to

your medical queries

A s part of Malaysia’s largest healthcare group KPJ Healthcare Bhd, Kuching

Specialist Hospital has wide range of healthcare services from emergency to home nursing services and specialists’ services. Recently, Bone Densitometry services was introduced in Kuching Specialist Hospital which means that complete body scan can provide useful evaluation of fat, lean and total mass to comprehensively analyze the skeletal structure accurately. This enables the doctor to inform patient of any deficiency and other follow up exercises, which over time can prevent osteoporosis, especially amongst the elderly.

Home Nursing Services are aimed at providing the best healthcare for loved ones by qualified nurses and

ensure proper care for these aged, physically or mentally unfit family members. These services can be either in their own homes or at the hospital and are designed to look after them in a dignified manner. Additionally, OHS (Occupational Health Services) are also offered here for SMEs (Small Medium Enterprises) to multinational companies and are headed by well-trained OHD (Occupational Health Doctor) registered with DOSH (Department Occupational Safety and Health). The services offered are numerous, from medical surveillance to pre-employment checkup, workplace health risk assessment to noise

conservation programme and fitness for work assessment to drug alcohol free workshop programme and many others. Kuching Specialist Hospital also provides gastrointestinal endoscopy

Medical


www.kcsh.kpjhealth.com.my

Lot 10420, Block 11, Tabuan Stutong Commercial Centre, Jalan Setia Raja, 93350 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 365777, 365030 (Emergency Line) Fax: +6082 364666 Email: [email protected]

kUchING SPEcIALIST hOSPITAL (A Member of KPJ Healthcare Berhad Group)

procedure to diagnose the inside lining of the patient’s digestive system. The apparatus comprise of an endoscope where a flexible fiber optic tube with a tiny TV camera at the end for a direct viewing on a colour TV. From the check up with

the apparatus, doctors are able to diagnose gastrointestinal diseases and provide the necessary treatment too. Certainly, there are many other specialists’ services available here and the list is almost endless; if you have any queries about medical healthcare, the hospital is able to provide the answer to your questions and more! Call them today for an appointment or just walk into the hospital and the friendly staff will answer to your needs.

Food

eve & day of

Auspicious dishes for

ushering in the new year

Type of dining setup:

CHineSe Set DinneR

Price :

RM700++ per table (Menu A)

RM800++ per table (Menu B)

dining outlet: river Palace

Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, P.O. Box 2928, 93756 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 247777 Fax: +6082 425858 Email: [email protected]

www.riversidemajestic.com | m.rmh.my

for reservations, please call

+6082 247 777 ext 4412


chinese new Year

Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, P.O. Box 2362, 93100 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 423111 Fax: +6082 426169 Email: [email protected] Kuching Central Reservations Office | Tel: +6082 418911 Fax: +6082 236041 Email: [email protected]

www.grandmargherita.com | m.gmh.my


for reservations, please call

+6082 423 111 ext 1109 / 1158

Food

Family Reunion

22nd January 2012

Type of dining setup: CHinESE SEt MEnuPrice: RM688++ per table RM900++ per table

dining outlet: Meisan restaurant

Chinese New Year

082-423 016082-423 016

Kim Bay@Spring : 082-239308Kim Bay@Hills : 082-248308Kim Bay Office : 082-423016

www.kimbayrestaurant.com

Mon-Fri : 8.30am to 5.30pmSat : 8.30am to 12.30pm

会

员预定

特惠

RM88/盘FaCai YeeSang

Each

RM80.00RM48.00

RM52/只Crispy Roasted Duck

Each

( )Crispy Roasted Duck (each)

( )FaCai YeeSang (each)

082-423 016082-423 016

Kim Bay@Spring : 082-239308Kim Bay@Hills : 082-248308Kim Bay Office : 082-423016

www.kimbayrestaurant.com

Mon-Fri : 8.30am to 5.30pmSat : 8.30am to 12.30pm

会

员预定

特惠

RM88/盘FaCai YeeSang

Each

RM80.00RM48.00

RM52/只Crispy Roasted Duck

Each

( )Crispy Roasted Duck (each)

( )FaCai YeeSang (each)

Special Member

Price

LIFE CAFé @ Ewe Hai Street Ewe Hai Street, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 425707 LIFE CAFé @ Brighton Square Jalan Song, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 285688 LIFE CAFé @ Train Terrace Jalan Tun Ahmad Zaidi Adruce, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 232199 LIFE CAFé @ Sutera Taman Sutera Utama, Skudai, Johor, Malaysia. Tel: +6012 7873330

LIFE CAFé KUCHING SDN BHD Fax: +6082 236024 Email: [email protected] Wedsite: www.lifecafe.com.my (Opens daily from 10am-11.30pm)

Food


It is a mere walking distance from some of Kuching’s most prominent landmarks, like the Hong San Si Temple, the main bazaar and Kuching Waterfront. It’s also connected to two other very old and famous streets; Carpenter Street and Bishop Gate Street, where you can find some of Kuching’s best food offerings among many other things.

The exterior wall of the original Life Cafe is decorated with bamboo and bare red bricks to recreate a classic Chinese feel to the cafe. Four red lanterns hang from the ceiling, bearing the teahouse’s name in Chinese characters.

Two sets of wooden tables and chairs are put outside for guests who prefer to enjoy their tea or dine on some of the teahouse’s delicious gastronomical

offerings like its signature Life’s Spicy Noodles, famous for its spicy, tangy, savoury and earthy flavours.

Inside, the walls are adorned with portraits of actors and actresses from a traditional Chinese opera. The use of wood and bamboo is continued throughout the teahouse’s interior. Among the important aspects of the outlet’s interior decor are the bookshelves, where guests can pick up their favourite titles and enjoy a good read while sipping on a warm cup of tea.

Atop a row of wooden showcases, you can find beautiful crafts with intricate designs for sale, including the classic gramophone with an HMV sticker on it.

To date, there are four Life Cafe outlets & branches; the original Life Cafe at Ewe Hai Street, Life Cafe @ Brighton Square Kuching, Life Cafe @ Train Terrace Kuching and a branch in Sutera, Johor Bahru. Each one serves the same great set of dishes, but if you want to immerse yourself in rich history, visit the original Life Cafe at Ewe Hai Street.

T he original Life Cafe outlet opened its doors 15 years ago, becoming the first teahouse to

open on Ewe Hai Street.

The teahouse is steeped in history and had hosted countless number of visitors from here and overseas. The teahouse building sits on what happens to be the oldest street in Kuching, built in 1885 by the late Ong Ewe Hai, a businessman from China.


serves traditional Dayak delicacies

K uching is blessed with countless numbers of restaurants, and there are

countless more coming up. And more often than not, these new restaurants serve either western style food or fusion dishes in keeping with today’s food trends.

There are also outlets selling Chinese food, Indian food and local Malay food. “But what about those of the local ethnic communities?”, you might ask.

To answer that question, Kuching now has some outlets selling Bidayuh food and Kelabit food, offering foreign tourists as well as visitors from other parts of the country a taste of the traditional dishes of both ethnic groups.

Joining them in promoting local ethnic dishes is a new outlet simply named ‘the.Dyak’, which serves food from the Dayak community.

Its owner is passionate about food, and is eager to promote Dayak dishes as so much more than just “Pansoh Manuk”.

Food

Ikan Lempis •

• Pansoh Manuk

Petai Gulai Kechala •

one-of-a-kind. Staying true to the theme of the restaurant, a special jam is created using local herbs and spices, lending a sweet, earthy and savoury flavour to the burger. The homemade patty is succulent and perfectly done and the char marks on other side of the patty make for a beautiful presentation.

For those who crave barbecued meat, the Jani Tunu is a perfect choice. Beautifully charred on the outside and succulent in the inside, this dish of grilled three layered pork is sure to satisfy your hunger for simple, sumptuous grilled pork!

Ikan lempis is not to be missed, especially if you like fish. A whole tilapia fish is wrapped in a fragrant turmeric leaf and garnished generously with ginger and cut chillies. The owner guarantees fresh tilapia brought in directly from Batang Ai.

What’s a meal without the veggies? Two of the must try’s at the.Dyak are petai Gulai Kechala (Bitter nuts sauteed with wild ginger flowers and onion) and Daun Ubi Randau Guring, which is a dish of sweet potato leaves sauteed with dried shrimps, garlic, desiccated coconut and chillies.

While a traditional Dayak meal does not end with dessert, the.Dyak does serve desserts in the form of Tuak Ice Cream and Tapai Ice Cream, both boasting very unique flavours indeed. So unique in fact, that you simply must try them yourself.

the.Dyak is strictly non-Halal and is MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) free. If real Dayak food is what you’re after, then head on over to the.Dyak for a real treat.

Sub-Lot 29, Ground Floor, Panovel Commercial Complex, Jalan Simpang Tiga, 93300 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.

Tel: +6082 234068

www.facebook.com/the.Dyak ( Opens daily from 12noon to last order at 9.30pm and

closed on Sundays. Open on Public Holidays. Guests are advised to call in advance to make reservations. )


The interior of this new establishment is very cosy. The dark-coloured walls are adorned with framed up pictures of the owner’s family. One side of the wall even boasts a framed up pua kumbu, whose intricate designs complement the rest of the interior décor perfectly. One of the distinctive features of the restaurant is that old kerosene lamps are lit and placed at every table, creating an almost magical ambience in the evenings.

Working his magic in the kitchen is a specially trained chef, whose expertise elevates the Dayak dishes served at the.Dyak to a ‘culinary’ level.

Looking at the.Dyak’s menu, one might be surprised at how many types of Dayak dishes there are. Certainly, there’s more than just ‘Pansoh Manuk’, and there’s a good variety of pork dishes.

Recommended items include Jani Kari, which is a dish of three-layered pork simmered in a rich curry gravy, which has become a hit with guests.

The chef puts his spin to an otherwise normal pork burger, turning it into something truly

Food

Jani Tunu •

• Pork burger

K o t a K i n a b a l u , S a b a h

www.littleitaly-kk.com

Ground Floor, Hotel Capital, Jalan Haji Saman, 98813 Kota Kinabalu. PO Box 146, 89407/Likas, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. Tel/Fax: +6088 232231 | Email: [email protected] Opens daily from 10.30am to 11.00pm

Food


continued success of the restaurant run by the family members. So whether it is lunch with office colleagues or dinner with clients or families, Little Italy is the choice for daily fresh cooked meals. The choices available mean too that everyone could share the large portions and get to taste a wide variety on every visit. This is the place to really sample authentic, freshly prepared Italian dishes, which will dawn on you why there is no comparison when it comes to taste. You will certainly make more visits after the first try as many others have also experienced!

Homecooked and fresh

L ittle Italy is the home for daily home cooked, freshly made dishes in Kota Kinabalu,

Sabah; the aroma of freshly baked pizza and sizzling grilled lamb chop greets you the minute you walked into the room! The restaurant’s insistent on only using freshly made pasta, appetizers, sauces, vegetables and oven baked pizzas has won it the reputation of being the authentic Italian food caterer in the state. So much so, that the state has even rewarded it with a trophy and title for being an ambassador of tourism in Sabah.

Well into its eleventh year of establishment now, Little Italy continues to astound customers with its wide varieties of dishes apart from its famed traditional menu of pasta, pizza and soups. The heavy responsibility of buying fresh vegetables, fish and other necessities for churning out the variety of fresh salads, appetizers and main course meals that comes with their traditional sauces marks the

Little Italy

promises daily fresh

dishes in KK, Sabah

pizza Quattro Stagioni

Filrtto ai Fumghi

Zuppa di Mare Con Spaghetti

pasta-Fetuccine alle Cozze

Insalata Di Salmone


C elebrate this Chinese New Year with

delightful treats from Lof Bakery, a modern and chic bakery originating from Brunei Darussalam. Created using Lof’s very own recipes, these festive treats will surely become the main topic of conversation at your Chinese New Year open house.

Choices of festive cookies on sale now include pineapple tarts (normal pineapple tarts and the more traditional flower pineapple tarts - the pineapple filling is homemade), almond flake cookies, coconut cookies, peanut cookies, cashew nut cookies and Magic Square (which has several delicious layers made from butter and chocolate).

A selection of Kuih Mor (otherwise also known as Biskut Makmur) is also available. Choices include Original Mor, Oreo Mor and Peanut Mor.As Sarawak is well-known for its Kek lapis or Layered Cake, Lof has also come up with five different flavours of this delicacy especially for the upcoming Chinese New Year celebration, as well as any other festivities such as Christmas, Hari Raya Aidilfitri and Gawai Dayak. Made with butter as well as other fresh and quality ingredients, the five flavours of Kek lapis include Cheese lapis, Horlicks lapis, Prune lapis, Evergreen lapis and lapis Masam Manis (Sweet & Sour lapis).

The Spicy Olive Oil Prawns is a highly recommended item. This tapas-style dish boasts a mix of Spanish and Asian flavours, and is best enjoyed with a stick of crispy garlic bread. The Prawn Aglio Olio is a must for those who love pasta. This flavourful dish features plump fresh prawns and chilli flakes for that extra kick.

Lof Bakery/Cafe at Tabuan Stutong also serves Vietnamese coffee, whose rich and deep flavours are very addictive indeed. The

Vietnamese coffee comes in choices of Classic Blend (Ca phe Nong ‘Hot Vietnamese Coffee, straight up’, Ca phe Sua Nong ‘Hot Vietnamese Coffee with Condensed Milk’, Ca phe Sua Da ‘Iced Vietnamese Coffee with Condensed Milk’), Creative 3 (Ca phe Nong, Ca phe Sua Nong and Ca phe Sua Da using Arabica SE), and Creative 5 (the same variations using Culi Arabica). There are also other varieties of gourmet coffee, bubble milk tea, fruit yoghurt and hot drinks to complement your meal.

Visit Lof today and get ready to be wowed. Lof outlets are located at Song Plaza in Jalan Song and Tabuan Stutong Commercial Centre, with the third outlet set to open at the brand new Kuching Sentral this year.

An absolute must-try is Lof’s Signature Kek Mata Kuching, which has a nice chocolaty taste. It is made using ingredients such as good quality chocolate, cream and milo.

More Than Just Baked Goods

A second Lof outlet, which is located at Tabuan Stutong (same area as Kuching Specialist Hospital), meanwhile offers more than just baked goods. This particular outlet also boasts a small cafe section with an array of exciting dishes created by its team of experienced chefs. Choose from a variety of salads, soups, pastas, baked rice, snacks, breakfast items, and of course the impressive selection of fusion cuisine.

Must-try includes LOF Garlic French Fries, which the cafe’s very young chef says is a fresh take on an all-time favourite snack. Fried at the right temperature and time, the fries soak in the flavours of the garlic-infused oil. To add more flavour to the dish, the chef drizzles some balsamic reduction and parsley mayonnaise on the fries.

LOF CAKES & BAKERy (Wholly owned by LOF PRESTIGE SDN BHD)

SARAWAK • Song Plaza, Sublot 18, Fround Floor, Lot 12169, Jalan Song, Song Plaza, 93350 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 575117 Fax: +6082 579117 Email: [email protected] (Opens daily: 9.00am - 10.00pm) • Tabuan Stutong, Ground Floor, Sublot 16, Block 11, MTLD, Tabuan Stutong Commecial Centre, 93350 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 368771 Email: [email protected] • Kuching Sentral (to open soon)

BRUNEI DARUSSALAM • Delima, Unit 8, Ground Floor, Block C, Delima Square, Brunei Darussalam. Tel: (673) 2330777 • Yayasan, Unit B.01 Basement, Yayasan Sultan Hj. Hassanal Bolkiah Complex, BSB. Tel: (673) 2241077 • Kiulap, Unit 10, Ground Floor, Block B, Brign Pehin Dato Hj. Mohd. Yusof, Kiulap. Tel: (673) 2233477 • Rimba, Westmart maga Store, No. 7, Simpang 76, Jalan 82 Perumahaan Negara Rimba, BSB • Times Square (to open soon)

Chinese New Year

goodies at

www.lofbakery.com


T hinking hard about what to get for your better half this coming Valentine’s Day?

Why not start with the perfect cake to celebrate the day for the lovers on February 14?

At Mita Cake House, the choices seem endless. A seemingly perfect choice is the strawberry Valentine’s Day cake, which is topped with a flavoursome icing of simple, yet meaningful design, befitting the theme of the celebration. Pick one out of many different cake flavours like strawberry sponge cake, vanilla sponge cake, chocolate sponge cake, pandan sponge cake and even fresh fruit filling.

The grape Valentine’s Day cake is as nice to see as it is to eat. The frosting consists of shiny grape filling and fresh cream. Two plump strawberries are “dressed up” to represent two lovers sitting on a bed of mouth-watering cake. As for the flavours of the cake, you can choose from grape and blueberry, or any flavour your heart desires.

What about a chocolate-smothered Valentine’s cake? A heart-shaped cake is finished with silky smooth chocolate frosting and topped with fresh strawberries as well as chocolate rings. For the cake itself, you can choose either sponge cake or rich and irresistible tiramisu. Flavour-wise, there’s chocolate, vanilla, coffee, pandan and even fresh fruits.

treats at Mita Cake HouseIf you like something much simpler, there’s always the heart-shaped butter cream Valentine’s cake. Like the other cakes, you can choose whatever flavour of sponge cake your heart desires most.

Perhaps you’d like a simple white cake topped with pretty pink roses made from fresh cream. That is available at Mita Cake House as well.

Meanwhile, Mita Cake House also bakes a good array of sweet, rich cheese cakes that are perfect for hi-tea, parties and get-togethers or just as a treat to reward yourself with.

Besides the original baked cheese cake, which is incredibly moist and has an amazing flavour, there are also other variants like Oreo Cheese Cake, Lemon Cheese Cake, Blackforest Cheese Cake, Blueberry Cheese Cake, Strawberry Cheese Cake, Coffee Cheese Cake and many others. Besides cheese cakes, there are also delicious tiramisu choices including the original tiramisu and chocolate misu. All together, there are 15 different cheese cakes and tiramisu variants available at Mita Cake House.

MITA CAKE HOUSE • 155A, Jalan Satok, 93400 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 416955, 245517 (O) Fax: +6082 416581 Email: [email protected] Branch • No.117-D, Ban Hock Road, Kuching, Sarawak. Tel: +6082 429184 • Lot 13-14, Jalan Tun Jugah, Kuching, Sarawak. Tel: +6082 458693 • Sub Lot 19, Jalan Setia Raja, Tabuan Stutong, Kuching, Sarawak. Tel: +6082 361368 • No.44, Gambier Street, Kuching, Sarawak. Tel: +6082 416202 • No.199, Sub Lot 7, Ground Floor, EastMoore Centre, Jalan Rock, Kuching, Sarawak. Tel: +6082 417286 • No.10 & 11, Jalan Tun Abdul Rahman Yaakub, 93050 Kuching. Tel: +6082 238248

These cakes are available straight off the shelves all year round, in slices at any of Mita Cake House’s branches. But if you like, you can also place an order to have a whole cheese cake prepared for you. Orders must be made at least three days in advance.

Baking cakes, breads, pastries and more since way back in 1978, Mita Cake House has made a name for itself here in Kuching. Founded by Mr Jong Ted Hin and his wife, the bakery is well-known for its Hong Kong style breads, cakes and pastries.

As freshness and quality is of top priority at Mita Cake House, only the best ingredients are used to ensure customers get only the best from the bakery.

Valentine’sDay,party times

Food

Black Forest Cheese CakeDurian Cheese Cake

Banana Baked Cheese

Food


T here is no secret – if you love cakes, go to Secret Recipe and select the most delicious

and innovative cakes in the market in Sarawak. With outlets in all the major centres of Kuching, Sibu, Bintulu and Miri, there is always an outlet close to you!

Regular customers of Secret Recipe expect to try new recipes whenever they are here and the chefs have been spoiling them ever since with new creations, including Durian Cheese Cake and Durian Durian recently. Other creations, which have delighted customers and bring smiles to children’s faces are Green Tea Cheese, Black Forest Cheese and Chocolate Cheese Berries. You simply have to drop into a Secret Recipe outlet to see and taste the difference!

Always new and refreshing

In addition to their superior cakes, Secret Recipe outlets also serve an array of delicious and mouth-watering meals; these range from local favourites with added twist of authentic flavours from fresh ingredients to western choices of sandwiches to spaghetti and pastas to meat loaves. The choices here are always different from other restaurants in that the team of Secret Recipe chefs always add something of their own to the concoction which give these meals a whole new taste! Remember too that the servings are usually large portions so children and ladies may have to share their meals. Like their meals, the drinks served at Secret Recipe outlets too are given very appetizing looks and colours. Surprise yourself by ordering something you have tried before in other restaurants and see as well as taste the difference here. Secret Recipes outlets are always the interesting food centres and you know that there is usually something new waiting!

Chocolate Cheese Berries Cake

Cream Brulee Cheese Cake

Secret recipe restaurants are more than just incredible cakes!

Cod Fish with honey lemon mustard

• KUCHING •SONG THIAN CHEOK - 181 & 182, Off Jalan Song Thian cheok, Section 51, Kuching Town Land District, 93100 Kuching, Sarawak. Tel: +6082 244968 • Opening Hours: 10.00AM-10.00PM (Mon-Thurs), 10.00AM-11.00PM (Fri-Sun)

THE SPRING - G11, The Spring Shopping Mall, Jalan Simpang Tiga, 93350 Kuching, Sarawak. Tel: +6082 424968 • Opening Hours: 10.00AM-11.00PM (Daily)

JALAN SATOK - 161 (Lot 314), Jalan Satok, 93400 Kuching, Sarawak. Tel: +6082 420966 • Opening Hours: 10.00AM-11.00PM (Daily)

MJC - Lot 106-107, Batu Kawah new Township, Jalan Batu Kawah, 93250, Kuching, Sarawak. Tel: +6016 8795131 (no SMS) • Opening Hours: 10.00AM-10.00PM (Mon-Thurs), 10.00AM-11.00PM (Fri-Sun)

SONG PLAZA - Ground & 1st Floor, Sublot 11, Lot 12162, Song Plaza, Jalan Tun Jugah, 93350, Kuching, Sarawak. Tel: +6016-8791391 (no SMS) | Opening Hours: 10.00AM-11.00PM (Daily)

MiRiPELITA COMMERCIAL CENTRE - Lot 349-350, Pelita commercial centre, 98000 Miri, Sarawak. Tel: +6085 430953 • Opening Hours: 10.00AM-11.00PM (Daily)

BINTANG MEGA MALL - 61-62, Ground Floor, Bintang Mega Mall, Lot 1657, Block 9, McLD, Miri-Pujut Road, 98000 Miri, Sarawak. Tel: +6085 410214 • Opening Hours: 10.00AM-10.30PM (Daily)

PERMY MALL - Lot 107 & Lot 108, Ground Floor, Permy Mall, Bandar Baru Permujaya, 98100, Miri, Sarawak.

SiBu Lot 71-73, Lorong Pahlawan 9, Jalan Pahlawan, 96000, Sibu, Sarawak. Tel: +6016 8862787 (No SMS) • Opening Hours: 10.00AM-10.00PM (Mon-Thurs), 10.00AM-11.00PM (Fri-Sun)

BintuLuGround & 1st Floor, 257, Assyakirin commerce Square, Jalan Sultan Iskandar, 97000, Bintulu Sarawak. Tel: +6016 8863106 (No SMS) • Opening Hours: 10.00AM-11.00PM (Daily)

secretrecipe.com.my

Food

W hen looking for a good place to eat, the rule of thumb is to check the

places where most people will go to. In Brunei this is reasonably simple as during lunch and dinner, Ideal Café & Grill four outlets in the Sultanate are usually heavily patronized. Located at Gadong Properties Centre, Abdul Razak Complex, Delima Jaya Complex and Petani Mall Tutong, the cafes serve varieties of local and international favourites at reasonable prices with clean surroundings and courteous services. Majority of the people go to Ideal Café & Grill for their grilled chicken, which is always prepared fresh and grilled to perfection everyday! The meal is not only tasty and wholesome; it is also nutritious and just right for one’s daily consumption of a balanced meal. In fact, this specialty was the original idea that gave rise to the chain of restaurants as it proved to

be the crowd’s favourite. Interests in other types of food soon

gave rise to

the numerous other meals that now feature prominently in their menus. By providing choices of Kids’ menu together with Value Meals as well as Regular Menu, Ideal Cafes cater to a wide range of customers daily and the choices available such as rice meal varieties like nasi lemak, ayam penyet, chicken curry, grilled chicken with sweet chili or black pepper sauce enables anyone to

sample many different foods under one roof! Children’s meals start from as low as $3.70 for a satisfying mixture of chicken, chips or burger and pasta while Value meals start from $4.10. At such prices it is a foregone conclusion why people are

patronizing Ideal Cafes daily for their meals and usually, with the whole

family too.

Now that you are aware of the fantastic food choices at Ideal Cafe four locations in Brunei, the next step is to try out the food. The convenient locations allow for anyone anywhere to walk into one for lunch or dinner with friends or family and ordering different choices to sample the varieties from the menu. Don’t forget also their mouth-watering Espresso

coffee and locally-made Gelato (Italian for ice cream) which give the perfect end to any satisfying meal. Once tried, you can be certain that the family will want to go back for more at Ideal Café and Grill!

Brunei’s ideal café & grill restaurants are suitable for any occasion

Minimum Delivery amount: $15 at limited areas only. Delivery time: 9.30am - 7.30pm daily. Opening hours: daily from 10am-10pm

for friends and family meals

The outlets are also able to cater for birthday parties or parties for any other occasion.

Please contact the nearest branch at:

BSB, gadong Area:Gadong Properties Centre

Tel: +673 245 3254, 245 5595Abdul Razak Complex

Tel: +673 242 0596, 245 6244

Muara, Berakas Area: Delima Jaya Complex

Tel: +673 234 1104, 234 1493

Tutong Town Area:Petani Mall Tutong

Tel: +673 422 0745, 422 0744

with minimum $30 food purchase with this coupon. Valid thru September 2012

with minimum $30 food purchase with this coupon. Valid thru September 2012

T here’s always something new at Fusion Grill restaurant. Located at Brighton Square in

Jalan Song, the restaurant has been serving up mouth-watering fusion dishes that combine flavours of the western world with those of Asia, particularly Korea.

Famous for its Korean Style Barbecue, which incorporates infrared technology, allowing you to grill your selection of meats, sausages and vegetables on both sides at a time, the outlet is a favourite among many, especially Koreans who simply can’t resist the taste of Fusion Grill.

The outlet recently added new items to its menu, offering a wider variety for diners. Divine and no less than decadent, the Grilled Baby Pork Ribs are a definite must-try. The ribs have a good amount of char-flavour to them, and are still tender and juicy inside. These are accompanied by a sweet and savoury home-made barbecue sauce that also goes nicely with the potato wedges that come served with the ribs.

Ground Floor, Lot 7691, Block 15, Brighton Square, Jalan Song, 93350 Kuching, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 285882(Opening hours: 8am - 11pm (Friday & Saturday), 8am - 10pm (Sunday, Tuesday to Thursday) & Closed on Monday

www.fusiongril.com.my

Breakfast is also available at Fusion Grill, with a variety of breakfast items to choose from. Items like egg with bacon and toast are sure to give you all the energy you need to get through the day.

For those who are looking to organise parties, Fusion Grill is ever ready to accommodate as well. And the best thing is the fact that the outlet can prepare personalised menus, with a list of dishes not found in the restaurant’s original menu. The dishes will be prepared according to your liking and budget.

Head on over to Fusion Grill today for flavours that will surprise you.

A hit with the kids and adults alike, the Fusion King Burger is a humongous sandwich the size of a dinner plate. But don’t be alarmed by the size of it, as you can always share the burger with two or three other friends.

The burger features pork or beef patty, with cheese on top, served on a bed of fresh lettuce leaves. These are sandwiched between two halves of a fragrant and fluffy homemade bun. And if that isn’t enough, the huge burger also comes served with potato wedges.

Fusion Grill has also introduced its lunch menu, featuring more delectable dishes, including boneless chicken served with rice and vegetables. This is not your usual chicken chop with rice, as the chicken is topped with a sweet and tangy jam, called Honey Citron Tea - a product of Korea. The beauty of the Honey Citron Tea is that it is not overly sweet, and can be enjoyed in many ways. You can spread it over toast like marmalade, use it as a marinade for meats, mix it with warm water and drink it to cure your flu or cold, or you can even add some ice for a refreshing citrus drink.

Food

(wholly owned by Ribs & Grill Sdn Bhd)


Big bold flavours at

• Gr

illed

Baby

Por

k Ri

bs

• Garden Salad • Honey Citron Chicken

• Fusion King Burger

Food


The allure of K uching presents a plethora

of flavours and a colourful variety of food that you

simply must try. And if you don’t mind not eating in air-conditioned restaurants or food outlets in hotels, then street food is what you should have a go at. And besides, the City of Cats has always been known for its street food anyway.

Steeped in history When in town, make it a point to visit the open-air food court, located next to Electra House shopping mall and near the colourful and bustling India Street. It is home to some of the oldest food businesses in Kuching, and some of the best street foods in town are found here as well.

Noodles One of the foods that scream “Kuching” most is the ever popular Kolo Mee. Kuchingites themselves are forever “married” to this delightful Chinese dish of noodles topped with thinly sliced char siew (barbecued) pork, among other toppings.

One of the best Kolo Mee in town is found right here at the open air food court, and has been in business in the same spot for more than 50 years. The stall, whose name is written in Chinese, is located nearest

to the tip of the triangular shaped food court, just opposite to Ah Mui stall.

The stall owner proudly said that their Kolo Mee stood out from the rest because of the reddish hue on the noodles and this in actual fact is due to the sauces from the char siew pork.

The sauces not only give the noodles its reddish colour but also lend a smoky, savoury and sweet flavour to the noodles.

Another strong selling point of their Kolo Mee is the hand-made noodle they use. The texture is much firmer and there is a unique flavour to the noodle that makes it special. In fact, it’s so popular that people come from as far as West Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore, among others, to buy kilos and kilos’ worth of the noodles to bring back home with them.

Right opposite the Kolo Mee stall is Ah Mui, another old-timer at the open-air food court. In fact, the stall has been in operation there at the food court way longer than the Kolo Mee stall. Although it also sells noodle, the noodle is of a different kind - beef noodle to be exact. Ah Mui’s beef noodle is all about the broth, which is achieved through hours of cooking and a good mix of ingredients that include, of course, beef, beef tendons and beef tripe. It has a rich beefy taste, complemented well with the subtle yet refreshing flavours of bean sprouts.

The noodle, meanwhile, is well seasoned and perfectly cooked.

All-time favourite Next to Ah Mui’s beef noodle stall you’ll find Sin Kwang Heng, a stall that has been selling its timeless favourite - ‘sio bee’ or steamed pork dumplings, for over 50 years to date.

So what’s so special about their ‘sio bee’? According to the owner, their dumplings are made with 10 different ingredients, including fish meat and freshly ground pork. The rest of the ingredients are a family secret, of course. The fish helps by adding more depth of flavour into the dumpling, and a well-balanced mix of all the ingredients is the secret to the unforgettable, unmistakable taste of the ‘sio bee’ at Sin Kwang Heng.

The stall is also famous for its steamed buns. Although the choices of filling (char siew pork, pork patty or red bean paste) are absolutely delicious, it’s the bun itself that is the star of the show. Made with fragrant white flour, among

food Kuching’s street

‘Sio bee’ •

Food


• Batang Ai HEP

noodles. The dish is garnished with hard-boiled egg, shrimp, lime and other condiments.

At this particular stall, an order of Mee Jawa Special also comes served with satay, whose meat is surprisingly tender and marinated to perfection.

Another stall also selling particularly good Mee Jawa can be found inside a Chinese coffee shop called Syn Wah Hui near Bormas and Kuching’s famous Tua Pek Kong temple. The stall, operated by a lady named Rabakyah, opens from 8am to 12 noon, and her Mee Jawa is a huge hit among Kuchingites and tourists alike.

According to Rabakyah, there is no secret recipe for her Mee Jawa gravy. The ingredients are more or less the same as everyone else’s. What makes hers so special is the cooking techniques used to produce a gravy that has a nicely-balanced set of flavours and a wonderful consistency.

Luscious Nasi Lemak Using the word “luscious” to describe food may not sound at

all correct. But after you’ve taste this next item, you’ll agree that it is indeed... well... “luscious”!

Take a drive along Astana Road and you’ll come across a humble looking food court called RNR Food Centre. At night, all the stalls are close, but one opens right outside the food court. On offer are barbecued chicken but the real star at this stall is its Nasi lemak!

Sure you can go for the normal Nasi lemak, but why stop there when you can have the Nasi lemak Special? For the ‘special’, you’ll get a fried chicken, half a hard-boiled egg and a fried egg! Now is that decadent or what?

The main pulling factor of their Nasi lemak is the sambal. For those who don’t know it, sambal is made with shrimp paste, loads of onions, tamarind juice and chillies, among others. The sambal at this particular stall is no less than divine! The marriage of sweet, sour and salty is absolutely spot-on, which is why it’s no surprise at all why people always ask for extra sambal in their Nasi lemak.

If you find this difficult to believe, the solution is simple... Drive over to the stall, which only opens at night, or take a cab there, and have a taste of the Nasi lemak yourself!

F or those of you who think you know Malay food... think again. Here in Sarawak,

the Malays have their own way of cooking up some absolutely delicious food. Although the following food items are also available in West Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, Sarawak’s version of these dishes have their own unique set of tastes.

Mee Jawa Mee Jawa, also known in certain areas as Mee Rebus (boiled noodles), is a popular dish especially among the Malays in Sarawak.

In Kuching, one of the best Mee Jawa can be found at a stall outside Cafe Ceria, opposite Choice Food Centre in Satok. In operation for six years now, the stall opens daily from 7am onwards, till 12 noon.

The lady who operates the stall said that she sold around 300 plates of Mee Jawa in average per day. As to why her Mee Jawa is so popular, she said that the secret lies in her gravy, whose recipe was handed down from her mother to her.

A typical Mee Jawa gravy is made from potatoes, curry powder, dried shrimps and peanuts, among others. But at this particular stall, the gravy is made using sweet potato instead of regular potato, and is cooked for two hours. This gives the gravy a naturally sweet taste that is a perfect contrast to the spiciness of the curry, and a nice consistency as well - not too thick nor too thin.

This rich and flavourful gravy is poured over a plate of boiled yellow egg

other ingredients, the bun is soft and fluffy in texture, and there is a pleasant hint of sweetness in the bun that complements the fillings very well.

Also don’t forget to order their famous soya bean milk, which is homemade and served ice cold or hot. Steamed buns •

‘Nasi Lemak’ •‘Mee Jawa’ •

favourites Malay


Rice Overflowing

Usher in the New Year with Liansin’s brand rice to bring a smile to everyone’s face!

Food

Jan-Mar2012BorneoTalk | 61www.liansin.com

For more information, please contact

Liansin Trading Sdn Bhd (516882-W), Lot 2041, Section 66, Jalan Kisar, Bintawa Industrial

Estate, 93450 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 333555, 335558, 334558

Fax: +6082 335599 Email: [email protected]

L iansin, Sarawak’s largest wholesaler of rice wishes all readers of Borneo Talk and

customers of its brand of rice a Happy, Prosperous New Year 2012! With the entry of the Chinese Dragon 2012 promises to be a great year as many parents always associate the dragon as a symbol of majesty and power, the world can expect it to be a bountiful year for babies too!

In conjunction with the new year, Liansin will be supplying new rice shipment to retailers throughout the state. When cooking these new rice stocks, always remember that the new crop of rice is new, nutritious and also soft; add less water to the rice when cooking to get that rich aromatic and sweet tasting rice. Customers are again assured that Liansin always checks its rice shipments and carefully packs them in their factory under very stringent controlled environment to ensure that these packs will not have impurities in them. Their state-of-the-art sorting machines methodically scan the rice prior to packing which Liansin can then guarantees customers that the packages contain only the best quality rice available in the market.

A tradition of the Chinese New Year is to keep rice to the brim in the pot which signifies abundance of luck and prosperity; make sure that your Dragon Year starts off with the cooking pot overflowing with Liansin Butterfly fragrant rice to usher in the blessings of the season and at the same time be rewarded with 2 boxes of beautifully package tissues for every 10kg Butterfly brand purchased. Naturally too, many families will be having their reunion dinners the night before and so this is the opportunity to provide everyone a taste of Liansin’s Butterfly brand fragrant rice. You can be assured that the family members will be surprised by the great tasting rice and its aroma so make sure too that there is plenty to go around!

Rice Overflowing

Happy New Year!

Special Promotion for Chinese new Year

Food

Purchase a 10kg pack of Butterfly brand rice and enjoy two complimentary boxes of specially

package tissues. While stocks last!

CHECK IT OUT TODAY & DON’T MISS OUT!

Available at all leading supermarkets, hypermarkets & retail shops throughout Sarawak

KM36 Miri-Bintulu Road, lot 15, Block 2, Sibuti land District, Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6085 407198, +6085 613888 Fax: +6085 613808


Miri Office: lot 101, Airport Road, 98000 Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6085 613888 Fax: +6085 613808

www.BorneoRainforestResort.com

jungleThe recipient of Ministry of Tourism

Sarawak 2011 Award for Most Innovative Individuals, Borneo Tropical Rainforest Resort in Miri, is ample proof that the

resort constantly reinvents itself to provide the best to its guests. From the humble

origins of a secluded resort in the midst of a tropical jungle to one for team building

and family fun, it is one place that can cater to different range of demands.

Visitors can choose from a range of

accommodation here while meals and facilities are all ready for those who have

booked in advanced. Children get to enjoy their fun time in the mini swim pool and

water park while jungle trekking is an adventure for those who want to get away

from city living. Choose your preference here and you can be sure that the resort

will prove that their award is not just merely for decoration – they are always

looking for new ways to make guests welcome and enjoy their stay here!

adventure

Award winning Borneo Tropical Rainforest Resort Miri has what it takes for

great outdoors

Miri’s premier

fun, relaxing and luxurious venue

Lot 1379, Block 17, Jalan Miri-by-pass, 98000 Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia.

Tel: +6085 421010 Fax: +6085 417858 Email: [email protected]

www.eastwoodvalley.com

Plan a holiday for the whole family in luxurious green surroundings when in Sarawak’s Resort City Miri at the Eastwood Valley Golf & Country Club; it’s everything you’ll ever want. Golfing greens and practice range, swimming pool with rowing boats in the lake, sauna rooms, team building facilities and jungle trekking for the adventurous are some of the ample things to do here. The dining venue overlooks the lake with splendid food all day long and can also cater to big

events like weddings and family reunions. Since opening its doors in

2005 this has become the premier address for social gatherings and also

for seminars and other similar events. Choices of luxury rooms with various

combinations from single to deluxe or family to longhouse are available and all are

well equipped with modern amenities for a good night rest. Anyway you look at it, with

Eastwood Valley Golf & Country Club as your destination of choice in Miri, you are assured of

having a fun and enjoyable time here!

Hotel

No.3, Lorong Kampung Datu 9A, Jalan Kampung Datu, 96000 Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6084 331122 Fax: +6084 338111


www.paramountsibu.com

The Paramount Hotel is the choice hotel as its rooms feature are all specially theme with matching colours and excellent services. Strategically located along Jalan Kampung Dato, The

Paramount Hotel is in close proximity to government offices, business centres and entertainment outlets.

The Paramount Hotel places emphasis on its food outlets with three distinct venues; The Valentine Café, Phoenix Court and Happy Valley Lounge, all designed with guests in mind. Valentine Café serves local and western food while Phoenix Court is ideal for big events like anniversaries and weddings, family reunions and year end parties for corporate clients. Happy Valley Lounge is the place to sing the night away with friends and colleagues.

Corporate events, seminars and conferences can be comfortably held in The Paramount Hotel as it has a meeting room that easily sits 400 guests at any one time. Participants of

seminars and conferences in The Paramount Hotel will also get to enjoy their rooms as they all come standard with TV, IDD phone, fridge, beverage making facilities in clean and comfortable surroundings. Check in to The Paramount Hotel for your next visit to Sibu; it is the hotel of choice.

The center point with newly refurbished rooms in bustling Sibu

Located right in the heart of the bustling town, Tanahmas Hotel is about as close to the center as you can get here. Everything, from shopping to entertainment, business to pleasure, is just around the

corner or mere walking distances away. Convenience is staying in this strategically sited hotel!

Adorned with awards for its facilities and services, Tanahmas Hotel is the choice for corporate and family visits with 120 newly refurbished deluxe rooms to choose from and ample facilities, amenities to satisfy every needs! Check out the hotel at its website (www.tanahmas.com.my) or call for reservations.

Lot 277, Block 5, Jalan Kampung Nyabor, P.O. Box 240 96007 Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6084 333188 Fax: +6084 333288


www.tanahmas.com.my

Hotel


A s the winner of the prestigious Outstanding Hotel and Accommodation

Service Provider 2010 (Sarawak Hornbill Tourism Award), New World Suites Bintulu is certainly the pride of the industry.

Their motto of ‘Creating Truly Memorable Experiences’ ensures that guests and patrons get the best of services and experience when staying here and there are always new happenings at the hotel. Beyond Banquet is a totally new offer from the creative banquet team; now

www.newworldsuites.net

Parkcity Commerce Square, Lot 3971, Jln Tun Ahmad Zaidi,

P.O.Box 1680, 97007 Bintulu, Sarawak, Malaysia.

Tel. +6086 331122 Fax: +6086 331100 Email: [email protected]

you can enjoy the same high quality food and service at your convenience in the home, office, of just anywhere you fancy; you name the place and

they will be there! They will offer you every assistance from polishing up the venue to suit the occasion to the meals, décor, tables and chairs to make the event a memorable one. You can expect the same professional service in the hotel and enjoy with your invited guests the splendour of enjoying excellent hospitality at your choice of venue. Couples will definitely find the Lavender Romance wedding package an irresistible offer from New World Suites, which start from as low as RM488. Imagine having a custom-

tailored wedding reception with that special menu of local to international cuisines for guests to select, complimentary Bridal Suite, special room rates for relatives and friends, complimentary 1st Anniversary stay in

Suite Room, wedding invitation cards and much more! These offers will surely spruce up any couple’s Big Day and something to always remember.

New World Suites has many other special qualities like their excellent

service, exquisite rooms and lavish Paddy’s Coffee House as well as meeting rooms for functions and events. Bintulu’s largest Park City Mall is actually connected to New World Suites, another convenience to guests and shoppers. One thing is for sure, here at New World Suites, your choice for receptions, events and stay will always exceed your expectation.

Golden ChoiceNew World Suites provides excellent services for our guests

Facilities and Amenities: Ensuite bathrooms • 24 hours reception • Complimentary use of air conditioning units • Complimentary use of hair dryer • Complimentary use of towels • Complimentary toiletries (soap and shampoo) • Complimentary use of minibar fridge • Complimentary use of wired internet access in every room • Complimentary use of wifi in hotel lobby • Complimentary use of washing machines and dryers in laundry room • 32”LCD TV with more than 20 local, cable and satellites channels • Security room safe • Bottled drinking water • Luxury shower • 5 star beds and satin cotton sheets • Tea & coffee making facilities • Airport transfer (minimum charge) • RFID Security Door Locks

Hotel


Rates from RM49.99 nett *

www.360xpress.com.myWisma Phoenix, Jalan Song Thian Cheok, 93100 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 236060 Fax: +6082 237070 Email: [email protected]

* terms & conditions apply.


R eputation and consistency of services provided are the hallmarks of established names in the hotel industry around the world; visitors trust

and expect similar levels of hospitality whenever they visit these hotels in any continent. These are the traits that are found in the 360 Hotel brand in Sarawak; as one of the fastest growing chain hotels in the state, it has continued to surprise visitors with their levels of services and offerings at very reasonable cost. “We know consistency of services and prices are the biggest aspects of the hotel industry and that is why 360 Hotels are so competitive as we continuously upgrade our offerings and keeping cost down through volume and quality sourcing of materials,” said Richard Wong, Group General Manager. “Take our 360 Urban Hotel which is amongst the latest in the city; 5-star facilities, centrally located, tastefully furnished and packaged with 3-star prices. More importantly, we are not competing on prices; we just offer our best prices which reflect the quality of our management and also principle in the business.”

Hock Lee Centre, Hotel Tower, Jalan Datuk Abang Abdul Rahim, 93450 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 484888 Fax: +6082 484999 Email: [email protected] Website: www.360kuching.com

* terms & conditions apply.

Hotel

Rates from RM49.99 nett *

360 Urban Resort Hotel Kuching has top notch facilities for discerning guests

360 Urban Resort Hotel is located at Tower A, Hock Lee Centre with 178 rooms offering majestic views of the surrounding city below. Each room comes with superior queen size mattress, mini-bar, coffee/tea making facilities, TV and internet connectivity and individually controlled air-conditioning. There is also a Coffee House within the same block where guests can try their various brands of coffees and teas in a relaxing setting. Shopping and other food choices are available at the central podium which link the two towering blocks of hotels. Equally convenient too are the varieties of shops within the vicinity of the hotel’s location like banks, clinics, eateries, recreational ground. For those visiting for the first time, 360 Urban Resort Hotel Kuching will definitely be the choice for their next visit as the services and facilities offered are top notched, 5-star quality at very affordable 3-star prices!

Rates fromRM99.00 nett*

Hotel


Delicious dining sure to please your taste buds and comfortable rooms to stay!

There’s no place like Horizon Hotel to find great hotel packages and travel deals. Plan your next getaway and check out the selection of special offers. Book a room with us today and enjoy the best hotel packages.

**Free Parking For Diners, Banquets & Meetings.** Terms and conditions applies.

call us at +6088 518000 ext-2307/2308 for reservations

www.horizonhotelsabah.com

Facilities and Services:• 180 luxurious rooms and suites • Deco Cafe & Bar, The Asian Restaurant & Pastria • Horizon Hall and 3 Meeting Rooms • Local tours & car rental • Swimming Pool with Children’s Pool (6th floor) • Gymnasium (6th Floor) • Spa (5th Floor) • 3 levels of car park equipped with CCTV • iHome System & DVD Player in Suite Rooms • Concierge • Limousine Services • Surau • Business Centre (1st Floor) • Euro Asia Lounge (13th Floor) • Baby sitting on request • Laundry and dry cleaning • Major credit cards accepted • Accessible or handicapped rooms are available • 24 hours security • Free high speed internet access

DecoCafe • HorizonHall •

overlooking the city with sea views featuring branded 42/50” Plasma

TV, restorative rain showers, comfortable beds, free high speed

internet access and all the extra touches that will make your stay

memorable.

TheAsianRestaurant • DeluxeSuiteWithJacuzzi •

HORIzON HOTEL • Jalan Pantai, Locked Bag 2084, 88999 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. Tel: +6088 518000 Fax: +6088 518111 Email: [email protected]

A new exciting 4 Star hotel in

The Heart of Kota Kinabalu,

Sabah

• Superiorroom • Deluxeroom • GrandDeluxeroom • EuroAsiaDeluxeroom

Dorset Boutique Hotel

Centrally located, brand new furnishings in all our Standard, Deluxe

and Superior Rooms at competitive prices. Clean rooms with fully

equipped modern amenities like TV, Coffee/tea making machines, hot showers and free Wi-Fi inside

hotel. Excellent and efficient services to make your stay enjoyable and

relaxing!

Suitable for business and pleasure, individuals, families or groups with facilities for seminar, conferences or meetings with seating capacity of

70 (theater format). Rich choices of Chinese, Malay, Asean or fusion style

food flairs to please everyone.

Bookings available for Reunion Dinner, Weddings and Anniversaries,

Birthday and Office parties.

No. 175, 175A-C, Jalan Sekama, 93300 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 347799 Fax: +6082 346799 Email: [email protected]

Facilities in room:LCD TV with 21 channels, Free wi-fi inside hotel, Personal unit adjustable air-conditioned units, Hot shower, towels, Tea/Coffee making facilities, Safe box & writing desk.

Online booking, please log on towww.dorsetboutiquehotel.com

Tuesday | Ladies Day, Ticket only RM6(not applicable for male and public holiday)

Wednesday | Movie Day, Ticket only RM5(not applicable for movie marked (“) and public holiday)

TEL: 6 082 234 077

f I L M PREvIEW

Genre: Suspense/Horror, Sequel & Action/Adventure Rated: PG-13 Director: Mans Marlind, Bjorn Stein Stars: Kate Beckinsale, Stephen Rea, Michael Ealy, Theo James & India Eisley

Synopsis: After being held in a coma-like state for fifteen years, vampire Selene learns that she has a fourteen-year-old vampire/Lycan hybrid daughter, Nissa, and when she finds her they must stop BioCom from creating super Lycans that will kill them all. This is the much-anticipated sequel to Underworld.

Genre: Action/Adventure & Sequel Rated: PG-13 Director: Mark Neveldine, Brian Taylor Stars: Nicolas Cage, Violante Placido, Ciaran Hinds, Idris Elba & Johnny Whitworth

Synopsis: Former stuntman and bounty hunter of rogue demons Johnny Blaze has been living in self-imposed exile, believing that his powers are a curse. But when he is approached by a member of a monastic order who is looking for someone to protect a mother and her son, who are being pursued by the devil in the figure of a man named Roarke, the Ghost Rider takes the case.

Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy & Action/Adventure Rated: PG-13 Director: Andrew Stanton Stars: Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins, Thomas Haden Church, Willem Dafoe & James Purefoy

Synopsis: War-weary, former military captain John Carter is inexplicably transported to Mars where he becomes reluctantly embroiled in a conflict of epic proportions amongst the inhabitants of the planet, including Tars Tarkas and the captivating Princess Dejah Thoris. In a world on the brink of collapse, Carter rediscovers his humanity when he realizes that the survival of Barsoom and its people rests in his hands.

GHOST RIDER 2 - SPIRIT OF vENGEANCE

JOHN CARTER

*All booked tickets must be collected 45 min before show times.

January2012

February2012

March2012

UNDERWORLD 4 AWAKENING


MPH BOOKSTORES THE SPRING • Lot 114, 1st Floor, The Spring Shopping Mall, Jalan Simpang Tiga, 93350 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.

Tel: +6082 244 800 Fax: +6082 244 801 Website: www.mphonline.com Business hour: 10.00am - 10.00pm

We will offer these selected titles featured in this issue at 20%* discount to BorneoTalk readers. Readers to cut-out coupon from the magazine or download and print from www.enjoy365.com.my and present it at Midvalley, Subang Parade, Megastore (1 Utama), Great Eastern Mall (Jalan Ampang), KLIA Airport, The Spring to enjoy the special offer.

Only original coupon or downloaded coupon from www.enjoy365.com.my is accepted • This offer is valid at MPH Bookstores indicated above • Not valid with any other offers or promotions • This coupon is not exchangeable for cash • Valid until 31th MARCH 2012

gREAt BY CHoiCE: UnCERTAinTy, CHAoS, AnD LUCk – WHy SoME THRiVE DESPiTE THEM ALL Author: Jim Collins and Morten T. Hansen ISBN: 9780062120991Publisher: HarperBusiness

RM89.90

GREAT By CHOICE distinguishes itself from Collins’s prior work by its focus not just on performance, but also on the type of unstable environments faced by leaders today. With a team of more than twenty researchers, Collins and Hansen studied companies that rose to greatness—beating their industry indexes by a minimum of ten times over fifteen years—in environments characterized by big forces and rapid shifts that leaders could not predict or control. The research team then contrasted these “10X companies” to a carefully selected set of comparison companies that failed to achieve greatness in similarly extreme environments. This book is classic Collins: contrarian, data-driven, and uplifting. He and Hansen show convincingly that, even in a chaotic and uncertain world, greatness happens by choice, not chance.

MiDAS touCH: WHy SoME EnTREPREnEURS

GET RiCH – AnD WHy MoST Don’T

Author: Donald Trump and Robert Kiyosaki ISBN: 9781612680958

Publisher: Plata Publishing

RM94.90

In this title, two entrepreneurial Icons share experiences and insights into creating and building successful businesses. What makes some

business owners wildly successful? What separates the entrepreneurs who build businesses from ones who just seem to create more work

for themselves? How, exactly do the world’s most prominent business builders seem to hit home run after home run? The answer: They have the Midas Touch. Donald Trump and Robert Kiyosaki believe

the world needs more entrepreneurs. For the first time, two of the world’s most successful and influential entrepreneurs will share their

own Midas Touch secrets. Secrets that will both inspire you to find and fulfill your passion as well as provide you with the hands-on

guidance you need to be successful. Through their real life stories of success, failure, perseverance and purpose, you’ll discover how they do it and whether or not you have what it takes to drive your own

entrepreneurial success.

Books

People


Borneo Talk congratulates and talks to Keith Pointer on his appointment and role as the chairman of the Malaysian Association of Hotels Sarawak chapter

1. As the new Chairman what would the priorities be for the association in the coming years?

Firstly, the position allows for the person to sit in the Sarawak

Tourism Board, which presents an opportunity to voice the industry’s needs and concerns more directly, especially like the need to strengthen the human capital base in the state to meet the challenges of the coming years. MAH Sarawak Chapter will be very focused on how we can assist and develop human capital for the industry and strengthen our corporate and social responsibility thus strengthening our ties with the local community in particular those who are less fortunate than ourselves through the proper channels. 2. The current international

economic situation doesn’t augur well for tourism industry as a whole. Do you think it will be of concern for the hotel industry in Malaysia, Sarawak? If so, what are the options that the association will take to overcome the effect?

While the international outlook may be less than rosy,

nevertheless the situation in ASEAN is less critical and Malaysia by and large is still at a healthy stage. Locally, Sarawak tourism industry is very dependent on connectivity and this is the most critical aspect that must be constantly upgraded for the industry to grow and mature.

3. There are more budget hotels coming up in the state as well as B&B operations. Are these healthy for the industry and is there a need

for some form of control on the numbers?

Competition is always healthy in any industry; more important

is that the standard of the industry must be continuously strengthened to ensure that it will continue to progress. Safety and security are aspects that should be ensured in the industry here which will in the long term help it grow.

4. How will the association further enhance the standard of the industry in the state? Should there be a more stringent standard for hotels in the state and who should be the monitoring agent?

Currently the industry is well monitored and this has ensured

that a high standard is maintained which augurs well for the people involved.

5. The changes are coming forth in the state with the minimum wage policies. Will the association be implementing these or will it continue to pursue a different approach?

Generally, any industry will have to follow the laws of the nation

it is operating in and we are no different here. The national chapter of MAH has sent its views on the matter to the relevant authorities concerned with regards to the uniqueness of the industry per se and so we have to wait for the respond from them before deciding on next course of action.

6. What are some of the most pertinent issues that the association would like the state/nation to undertake for

the betterment of the hotel industry here?

As mentioned, human capital development is crucial for the

industry here and we have now started to bring our message even to school going children to give them better understanding of the industry as a whole. Such early steps are necessary if we want to be able to get the necessary people in future as the growing demand in the service industry will continue to rise worldwide and we have to be prepared more than others due to the unique situation here where there is always a lack of human resources. The state and nation currently needs quality people in many industries and the option on foreign labours should be given serious thoughts if progress is to be assured.

7. On a personal note, you have been in the state for a long time and have grown to understand the situation here better than some of the newcomers. What would be your advice to those who are here for the first time and what will be your advice for those contemplating to go into the industry?

Having been through the early years of establishing an

international hotel in Bintulu, I see tremendous opportunities in Sarawak; the only thing is that the uniqueness of the state with its diversity of ethnic races and cultures can be a challenging tasks for newcomers here. New comers too can bring in new ideas and concepts, which will bring us to the next stage of development and so ensure the continuous improvements necessary for any industry to progress.

“S arawak is very proud of our 25 athletes who were part of the

Malaysian team at the recent SEA Games in Sumatra, Indonesia where Malaysia emerged in 4th place overall among the 11 participating nations,” began Francis Ding, Director of Sarawak Sports Council. “From the 25 athletes, Malaysia managed to secure 5 gold, silver and 6 bronze which is quite an achievement. I dare say that if the sports were limited to just Olympic ones, Malaysia could have finished even higher!”

On that matter, the Director also stated that for Sarawak and the country to achieve world standard in sport activities, athletes must be

exposed to bigger competitions like SEA Games, Commonwealth Games and Olympics. To do that, the infrastructures must be there and this is where the government has to be generous in building world-class venues and facilities to provide the necessary training grounds. Locally, sports associations should be the leading agents in guiding their sports forward and the government’s role is to assist in supporting them where necessary; government should not be in the business of leading sports bodies in international or national arenas, he opined.

Fortunately, the State government has put in place a 10-year Sports Development Plan, which envisioned

Sarawak to be amongst the sports powerhouse in the nation by 2020, Francis remarked. This is something, which gives every sports association aspiration to achieve their best and to improve on their performances.

“For Sarawak the battle cry ‘Agi Idup Agi Ngelaban’ (As Long As I Live, I Will Fight), will always be in the spirit of our athletes as this is our own way of making us distinctly different from the rest by the fighting spirit that our athletes will show in competitions. As long as the government is strongly behind us, the Sports Council and associations will continue to excel in their work of producing exemplary athletes for our state and nation,” he concluded.

For the record, Francis revealed that his position would soon be handed over to another person as he is expected to retire in the near future. However, he has no regrets or misgivings as he said he had given his best and has also made many new friends during the course of his work to forever cherish those memories.

Sarawak Sports council director envisioned state to be at top in country by 2020

francis nyurang ding

fighting Spirit

People

Jan-Mar2012BorneoTalk | 73Jan-Mar2012BorneoTalk | 73

naim Holdings Berhad wants Sarawak to stand tall

in the nation

P roperty development in Sarawak is on the rise with rapid growth in industrial,

agricultural and manufacturing sectors boosted by the implementation of SCORE (Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy), which will transform the central coastal region of the state into areas of niche industries. The influx of international and local investors in SCORE will accelerate the demand for properties, which is the forte of Naim Holdings Berhad, the Sarawak based Bumiputra company listed in Bursa Malaysia. Cited as one of Malaysia’s largest Bumiputra contractors, Niam Berhad is an industry recognized award-winning corporation, which focuses on quality works and timely delivery of projects. Naim Berhad’s prime property developments in Kuching and Miri are amongst the long list of

the noble

achievements from its humble start in 1995 and now look forward to fulfilling RM3.5 billion contracts in innovative and prestigious projects on hand. Building on its good corporate governance culture, Naim has put in place a system that enables the corporation to take proactive steps in the construction and property sectors, which has since branched into other related fields like oil and gas through its Dayang Enterprise Holdings Berhad. In addition, Naim has also ventured into neighbouring Sabah state and island nation of Fiji in its quest to expand its reach in the construction field. These external ventures with renowned international partners will be the source for future expansions and also growth of the corporation in terms of value and human resources, earning valuable experience and expertise to enable it to compete globally in the future.

To ensure that the corporation will continue to be a flagship bearer in the construction and property sectors, much emphasis has also been placed on the development of human resources. These include putting in place a Succession Management Plan, management trainee programme and engagement of leading consultant to oversee the smooth implementation of these plans. On top of these there is a further RM50 million fund for the healthy development of human resources within the corporation in the form of incentives, rewards and training purposes. In its efforts to bring about greater Bumiputra entrepreneurship developments, Naim also ensures that such companies are provided with trainings and mentoring to enable their human resources to reach higher levels of expertise. In carrying out its CSR (corporate social responsibility), Naim has been ever present in many community events and also in educational scholarships to the tune of more than RM10 million to date. These are the positive steps the corporation is taking to give back to the community and also to show its gratitude to the state for the confidence in the corporation from its early days. With much emphasis now being placed on engaging locals for many of its on-going projects, Naim seeks to further make Sarawakians proud of the rapid developments to achieve the target of Vision 2020.

giantNAIM HOLDINGS BERHAD

NAIM HOLDINGS BERHAD [Headquarters] 9th Floor, Wisma Naim, 2½ Mile Rock Road, 93200 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. • [New Office] Sublot 12 to 16, Rock Commercial Centre, Jalan Green, 93150 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 411667 Fax: +6082 429869 Email: [email protected] • [Kuching Sales Office] Ground Floor, Wisma Naim, Rock Commercial Centre, 2½ Mile, Rock Road, 93200 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6082 422001 Fax: +6082 412001 Email: [email protected] • [Miri Sales Office] Lot 223-226, 1st Floor, Permai Mall, Bandar Baru Permyjaya, 98000 Miri, Sarawak, P.O.Box 369, 98107 Lutong, Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: +6085 491000, 491915 Fax: +6085 491958 (sales dept), 491962 (admin) Email: [email protected]

www.naim.com.my

NAIM’s launching of 2012 KpI on 24th November 2011 •

Oil & Gas •

Bandar Baru Permyjaya •

• Bengoh Dam

Desa Ilmu •


simply astounding! - · pdf filesdn bhd, a successful local developer reputable for...

Documents