Scenic coastal drive

From beautiful mosques and the charm of the countryside to picturesque sunsets, ELIZABETH LEONG is fascinated by the sights and sounds along the way to Morib

PANTAI Morib and its sister beach Pantai Kelanang in Kuala Langat district do not hold much in terms of water sports activities.

Nevertheless, it’s a delightful journey with interesting sights along the way.

Personally, I feel the lesser-known Pantai Kelanang holds more potential than Pantai Morib but only if the dead branches of mangrove trees are cleared away and more facilities are set up.

Pantai Kelanang beach stretches further than Pantai Morib and has volleyball courts, children’s playground and camp sites. Camping here costs RM5 per head, with barbecue pits, and there is a lookout tower for admiring the sunsets. Digging for clams or kepah is a favourite activity when the tide is down.

In contrast, Pantai Morib offers more eateries. Troops of monkeys scampering around the children’s playground and occasional fights with stray cats provide a source of amusement. The seafood here is nothing to shout about but it is affordable. For instance, at D’Nelayan Corner, the set dinner for my companion and I costs only RM36. We had steamed siakap, tom yam soup, fried belacan, roasted cockles and a jug of sirap with cincau.

Stalls selling packed food, sotong bakar, slippers, shades, T-shirts and other bric-a-brac are interesting diversions.

I savour my best moments at Pantai Morib during the sunset. Like a flourish of a magician’s wand, the rather murky sea changes to a deep blue caused by the reflection from the setting sun, conjuring up a picture-postcard setting.

But let’s focus on the more interesting journey to these coastal weekend getaways.

Sights Along The Way

From Petaling Jaya, take the Kesas Highway and after paying toll near Bandar Sunway, proceed ahead and turn left as indicated by a signboard that says Pulau Indah. You will pass a few villages before reaching Jenjarom. The turquoise-blue Masjid Al-Firdaus at Taman Kota is a landmark here.

Sleepy Jenjarom bursts into a frenzy only during Chinese New Year when hordes of visitors pray at Dong Zen Temple at Jalan Sungei Buaya. You can also find landscaped gardens, fountains and granite statues in addition to prayer halls and a tea house here.

Next door is the famed Hao Bee Bak Kut Teh Enterprise (Tel: 016-2707-557) housed in the Selangor Ang Clan Association.

Proceed to Banting, which is basically a three-street town. Its heartbeat is The Store and the adjacent Banting Bowl. However, dozens of shops stretch from Wisma MDKL along Jalan Sulan Abdul Samad, flashing a veritable riot of colours along five-footways. They are flowing swatches of textiles complemented by baju kurung, drapes, scarves, selendang and sarung made of silk, rayon, nylon cotton, spandex, acetate and polyester, among other fabrics. This is Banting’s golden mile of textiles!

Parallel to Jalan Sulan Abdul Samad is Jalan Pekan Bunga 2, the town’s fashion and beauty centre.

Get your jamu and traditional cosmetics from CTS Cyber Arked and have your pick of pretty baju kurung from Mora Senang, Kedai Pakaian Maritah Bt. Ahmad and Busana Muslimah.

Siti Beaut Images offers mandian pengantin and facials, and Zazie Aronma & Slimming specialises in resdung (sinusitis) treatment, bleaching, slimming and sauna. Other notable shops include Koldan Silk Paradise, Kedai Pakaian KST, Pusat Kasut KST, Kedah Kain Indah Jelita, Pusat Pakaian Beatrice, Angel Girl Shoes, Seri Flora Collection and the eye-catching K. Charmz.

At K. Charmz, which is elegantly decorated with mannequins at its window front, my purchase of a yellow dress, a black belt and a pair of matching yellow high-heeled shoes cost only RM150! These would have cost more than RM200 in Kuala Lumpur.

Boutique owner Karen Goh (Tel: 012-2339-090) is a great fashion consultant, at the ready to recommend accessories to her customers.

Food And Relaxation

Now what about food? Cruising along Jalan Pekan Bunga 2, I notice a motley collection of stalls at Restoran High Luck food Court. Yong Kee Bak Kut and Uncle Yam Kopitiam also seem to be well-patronised.

For the best accommodation in town, check out Hotel Comfort.

As for relaxation, Rest Day Traditional Massage, which is housed within the hotel premises, offers foot reflexology while opposite it stands Mic Karaoke. I recommend Restoran Ibrahim Cendol at the junction of Jalan Pulau Banting and Jalan Sultan Abdul Samad opposite KFC if you are craving for a bowl of cendol. To create the ice shavings, the hawker repeatedly slides an ice block over a wooden block fitted with a blade. A bowl costs only RM1.20.

Along the road also lies Asam Jeruk House which sells a variety of pickled fruits. The shop, however, closes on Saturday afternoons.

The only other restaurant in Banting town centre is Restoran Dragon Pheonix.

Nearing Morib

As I head out of Banting towards Morib, I pass Dataran Banting opposite the police station, where pensioners were practising tai chi in the evening.

Now, the food scene begins to change. Restaurant after restaurant whizzes past as I zip out of town: Rashid Tom Yam, Arina Seafood Frenz Sizzle Station (offering Western fare and tom yam), Seri Seafood (looks enticing with thatched huts), Pa Ya Sate, Kerepek House, Morib Seaview Restaurant and more.

Keep a lookout for Masjid Jamek at Kampung Kanchong Darat for its beautiful design and architecture. Its cupola-crowned minaret has louvres and parapets rise from the edges of its roof while its back annexe features symmetrical fretwork.

Behind the mosque, pop over to Orchid D’Kanchong nursery at Jalan Masjid for potted plants.

Another attraction is Homestay Kampung Kanchong Darat. Overnighters can join villagers in a variety of agricultural activities. Another alternative is Homestay Kampung Sungei Lang Tengah further south.

Masjid Ar-Rahman is another fascinating mosque. You will find it when you turn right at the traffic light to Kampung Sungei Manggi further south. Three pillars reach skyward and end with prongs resembling music tuning forks. The minaret is actually a tower with a balcony topped with a cupola that sadly needs a fresh coat of paint.

Further ahead, I am tempted to stop at one of the few makeshift stalls that proclaim “Ikan Segar”.

Buyers have a choice of a variety of fresh fish packed in crushed ice in styrofoam boxes.

Then I catch sight of Kuil Arulmigu Sri Perumal Alaya Devasthanam at Simpang Morib, followed by a golf driving range a few kilometres ahead.

On the left side of the road stands a mosque with langsat-coloured rectangles and circles adorning its façade.

From Pantai Morib, a narrow straight road through oil palm estate leads to Pantai Kelanang. You can also get to Pantai Kelanang from Simpang Morib but you risk getting lost as there are several left and right turns.

AirAsia to use nasi kandar as selling point

PENANG'S gastranomic icon - the nasi kandar - will be the marketing channel tapped by low-cost carrier AirAsia Bhd (5099) to promote its newly launched Penang-Chennai route.

Chairman Datuk Aziz Bakar said nasi kandar outlets in the island state will be one marketing source for the airline, where restaurant workers are mainly Indian nationals.

"The nasi kandar operators, who themselves are wealthy, are also another potential group of travellers for us," he told reporters at the Penang International Airport yesterday.

Aziz welcomed 165 passengers on board AirAsia's inaugural AK 5702 flight, which landed from Chennai at 3.40pm. The route is a welcome relief to South Indian-bound passengers from the northern states who have had to fly either via Kuala Lumpur or Singapore to Chennai previously.
Malaysia Airlines had stopped serving the Penang-Chennai route more than eight years ago.

"With this new route connecting Malaysia's most popular northern state and India's fifth most populous city, we hope to bring in more Indian tourists to discover Penang, and the rest of Malaysia, in line with Tourism Malaysia's target of 650,000 Indian tourist arrival this year," said Aziz.

AirAsia conquered the Indian skies in January this year by launching six new routes to the sub-continent. They include Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi.

The Kuala Lumpur-Chennai route will be operating on May 17.

Read more: AsiaAsia to use nasi kandar as selling point http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/nasik/Article/index_html#ixzz0mXRR4tOe

Go diving with responsibility

Avid scuba diver RIDZWAN A. RAHIM thinks there may be merit in limiting the number of visitors to Redang

I feel like a water-baby these days. I love snorkelling and scuba diving. And even the simple pleasure of jumping off jetties and boats to swim in the clear waters of our islands.

And I do prefer paying less for my island holidays.

But I can understand why the authorities are looking to increase the cost of staying in Redang Island.

Recently, the Terengganu State government announced that from now on, only five-star resorts and hotels will be allowed to operate on the island.

What that means in ringgit and sen is this: Expect to pay some RM1,600 a night for your future Redang getaway.

That’s a quantum leap from the few hundred ringgit that you can get from budget resorts currently operating on the island. Lots of people have already started moaning.

The reason for the move, according to Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Said, is to protect the island’s fragile natural beauty, especially its coral reef and marine life.

Because of the affordable accommodation, too many people are visiting Redang, he said. As a result, pollution and environmental damage have gone out of control.

“We want to turn Redang into a niche market to control the number of visitors. We are concerned about the environmental damage that is happening on Redang,” he added. Redang is widely regarded as one of 10 most beautiful islands in the world.

It is so beautiful that in the late 90s, a Hong Kong production team chose the island as the location site for the film, Summer Holiday, starring Richie Ren and Sammi Cheng.

The screening of the film in 2000 gave the island a huge amount of publicity and created a surge in both local and international visitors.

And they have not stopped coming since, in particular because a trip here is very affordable.

Businessman Neoh Jiun Yih came to Redang with his wife, child and five of his staff.

He paid for everything, including airfare, to reward the staff for hitting their sales target.

“I’m very happy for my staff. Some of them had never been on an island trip before, never taken the plane before,” he said when met recently in the island.

“I spent a total of RM5,500, including flight tickets and three days, two nights full accommodation for seven. That’s the great thing about this place.

“But if we go with what the State government is suggesting — that is, RM1,600 per night for a single person — this trip will be impossible for a small business owner like me,” said Neoh.

Protecting Redang’s

Natural Treasures



For me personally, Redang has a special place in my heart. This was where I overcame my fear of water and other obstacles and completed my Padi Open Water diver certification.

One of my most memorable dives was at the Bahagia shipwreck, a cargo ferry that lies 15m under the sea. It has been there for the past six years. You can swim through the ship’s small toilet without having to pay 30 sen.

More recently, my friends and I chanced upon a brand new shipwreck in Redang. The two Vietnamese boats, each about 30m long, were at a dive site called Sandy Bottom.

Our dive master said we were the first to visit the shipwreck as the boats sank only about two days earlier. It was a pleasant surprise.

But, as I mentioned earlier, I can understand if the government wants to somehow control the number of divers coming to the island.

Ever since taking up scuba diving more than a year ago, I am more aware of how interaction with humans can have an adverse effect on the fragile marine environment.

One of the misconceptions people have about the marine life is that they are there for touching.

If they find a turtle, for example, they would try and see if they can ride on it.

They think the whole point of taking up scuba diving is so that you could go down there and touch things or ride on things — something you can’t do when snorkelling. This is wrong.

As a scuba diving student, I was taught from very early on that diving is a passive activity. You are free to observe the marine creatures but never to touch them.

In fact, our instructors told us to keep our arms folded most of the time, and to move slowly and silently so as not to disrupt the natural rhythm of the marine life.

We were also forbidden from wearing gloves, because with gloves, you are more likely to touch things.

I follow these rules religiously.

However, things can still go wrong. For example, during underwater photography.

I am not a photographer but I now see that if you intend to dabble in underwater photography, you must have good buoyancy control — the ability to suspend in mid-water.

Without this skill, a photographer will constantly kick, scull or wave to stay in place or worse, hold on to or step on a coral.

Sometimes, the photographer gets too engrossed in the activity without realising that his gauge has gotten unclipped and is dragging across the coral reefs, destroying them.

Of course, some allowances can be made. For example, when there’s strong undersea current, you have no choice but to hold on to something.

The point is, accidents can and will happen. We cannot design a system that does not allow people to make mistakes.

But we must do all we can to minimise mistakes, to tell people that they must avoid contact with the sensitive marine life.

That is why the use of fins (or flippers) for snorkelling is banned in Redang. There have been instances in the past where snorkellers used their fins to rest on the corals.

Making It Really Special

We want people to enjoy our country’s beautiful islands but we want them to do it responsibly. Otherwise, our children and their children may not get to enjoy what we have today.

Now about the proposed pricing. Most of the visitors to Redang are locals and personally, I don’t know anyone who can afford a RM1,600-per-night stay.

So it must be not for Malaysians.

Redang risks losing tourists to alternative destinations like Pulau Perhentian, or even Pukhet or Bali, which have become affordable now with cheap AirAsia flights.

I don’t think people are not willing to pay, but it has to be substantiated.

Perhaps packages can be tailored for different segments of the market.

The problem with scuba divers, though, is that we are typically not fussy. We are happy with a decent room, decent buffet meals and Internet access.

We don’t need LCD TV, Astro or mini-bar. We don’t spend much time in our rooms anyway. Which is what budget (RM320 for 3D/2N) accommodations like Redang Pelangi Resort where I stayed at, is already offering.

So it’s going to take a lot — A LOT — of imagination on the part of the resort and the State government to come up with something that will make us pay RM1,600 a night.

One idea is underwater videography. Based on my experience, resorts can make a handsome profit from this.

On a diving trip in Sipadan last year, someone approached our group, offering to shoot videos of our dives, edit them and burn them to DVD.

Guess what? We agreed. We paid him RM1,000 on top of the RM2,000-plus per person that we had already paid for accommodation. But we got a nice little something to bring home.

People on holiday want to relax. They don’t want to have to fiddle with anything, much less cameras or video editing. But they want to bring back memories. If the place is special enough, and if the price is right, they will be more than willing to pay.

MAN not the only ones to blame

ALL it takes is just one careless act by an irresponsible holidaymaker to destroy reefs that take hundreds of years to form.

But human interaction is not the only cause of damage to the fragile marine environment. There are a host of other factors as well, many of which are beyond our control.

Corals are sensitive to water temperature and global warming has a catastrophic impact on coral reefs. Corals bleach and die when their upper temperature threshold is exceeded.

The El Nino phenomenon of 1998 destroyed much of the world’s coral reefs through mass bleaching. Some of these corals are still in recovery process now.

Other natural threats include storms and, on this side of Malaysia, monsoons. They bring about powerful waves that can damage corals and churn up seabed, causing sedimentation that can block sunlight needed by the coral.

And then, there’s disease. Bacteria, fungi and virus may attack coral polyps and kill them.

There is also damage by reef animals. Crown of Thorn starfish is among the biggest natural predator of corals. A single starfish can devour as much as six square metres of coral a year. Therefore, an outbreak in their number can destroy entire reefs.

Which is why, during ocean clean-up exercises, divers hunt for the Crown of Thorn.

Other threats include damage caused by fishermen through destructive fishing practices (using cyanide or explosives) and fishing boats that anchor on coral reefs.

Shangri-La still the best business hotel

KUALA LUMPUR: Shangri-La Hotel Kuala Lumpur is still the best business hotel for the fourth year in a row.

The hotel was awarded the BrandLaureate Awards 2009-2010 for Best Brand in the hospitality industry -- Best Business Hotel.

The award was given at a gala dinner held recently at the hotel.

"It is indeed an outstanding accomplishment for Shangri-La Hotel to be honoured with this prestigious award which bears testimony to the hotel's continuous commitment and effort in providing its guests with the best products and services," said Shangri-La Hotel Kuala Lumpur vice-president and general manager Lothar Nessman.

Launched and themed "Your Brand, Your Masterpiece" by the Asia Pacific Brands Foundation, the BrandLaureate Awards 2009-2010 was conceptualised to honour brand excellence among the best brands in Malaysia and the world.

The awards are given to deserving brands from multinationals, public-listed, government-linked companies and corporations that have shown best practices in branding and met stringent selection criteria of the Asia Pacific Brands Foundation.


These criteria include brand strategy, brand culture, integrated brand communications, brand equity and brand performance.

The Product Branding category honours companies that provide the best of products and services.

At the awards ceremony, Datuk Prof Jimmy Choo was conferred the BrandLaureate Country Branding award which honours personalities or icons that have helped promote and enhance Brand Malaysia.

Ng: Budget tourism to stay

KUALA LUMPUR: Budget tourism will continue to remain as Pulau Redang’s forte, said Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen.

“I believe that Terengganu Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said is not going to close them down but maintain them,” she said after an appreciation dinner in conjunction with the Malaysia International Shoe Festival 2010.

She said islands had a limited capacity in terms of tourism.

“We cannot cater for the influx of thousands. But I agree with the MB’s vision in wanting to make the island a high-yield market,” said Dr Ng.

She added that there will still be budget hotels around the island but urged them to operate appropriately.

Last Thursday, Ahmad announced that the state government would no longer approve the construction of chalet-type accommodation on the renowned island, which is a haven for the diving community.

He said the island would be turned into an exclusive getaway with rooms starting from US$500 (RM1,600) per night.

The announcement was not well received by several environmental organisations, tourists and divers.

Pulau Redang aims to lure the rich with room rates no less than RM1,600

KUALA TERENGGANU: Pulau Redang — rated as one of the world’s most beautiful islands — is set to be turned into a getaway exclusively for the rich and famous.

Terengganu Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said said the state government would no longer approve the construction of chalet-type accommodation on the renowned island, which is much visited by the diving community.

“Only hotels rated five-star and above will be allowed to be built,” he said when met after the state assembly sitting here yesterday.

In future, only wealthy individuals would be able to afford holidays in Pulau Redang as hotel rooms will cost no less than US$500 (RM1,599) a night, Ahmad said.

He that said with the decision to turn the island into a high-end holiday destination, current chalets catering for backpackers would have to upgrade and raise their rates.

Asked if the move would draw criticism from non-governmental organisations, Ahmad said it was the only way to save the surrounding rich marine life and prevent environmental destruction due to pollution and indiscriminate littering.

“Some of the budget accommodation places on the island have no proper sewage system and waste is directed to the sea, and this destroys the corals,” he said.

Apart from that, Pulau Redang is a jewel for Terengganu and the 10th most beautiful island in the world, Ahmad said.

“Efforts must be made to save the island from deteriorating environmentally. Those on budget excursions can visit other islands like Pulau Kapas and Pulau Perhentian that are equally charming.”

Pulau Redang, a popular holiday destination for locals as well as foreigners, attracts about 100,000 visitors annually including many who flock there to visit the marine park.

Terengganu Tourist Association deputy president Alex Lee lauded the move, saying that it was time for Malaysia to create its own niche market.

“Redang has only one five-star hotel and others are mostly budget accomodations,” he said.

He believed the move by Ahmad was initiated out of concern for the environment as damage to the corals had been extensive.

The owner of an eight-room hotel in Redang, however, was worried that his livelihood would be affected if Pulau Redang became an exclusive holiday destination.

He said the move would affect many holidaymakers, both local and foreign, who would not be able to afford to stay in Pulau Redang if the state government went ahead with the niche market proposal.

“I hope the state government will meet budget hotel and chalet operators in Redang to get our views and include us in the planning,” said the man, who wanted to be known only as Dina,

He also said the state government should ensure there was proper drainage and sewage on the island for better waste disposal.

Another chalet operator, Nik Kamal Nik Husin, 43, said the move would only burden the villagers on the island as many were renting out rooms to budget travellers.

He also said only a handful of irresponsible chalet operators were directing the waste into the sea.

The state government, he said, should build a centralised sewage treatment to deal with the waste disposal problem.

Starwood in talks to bring W and aloft to Malaysia

STARWOOD Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, which owns and operates hotels under nine brands, including Sheraton, Westin and Le Meridien, is in talks to bring two more hotel brands into Malaysia, namely W and aloft.

"We are in two pretty advanced (stage of) discussions in Kuala Lumpur. We are looking at (introducing) a W and an aloft brand," its senior vice-president acquisition and development for Asia Pacific, Matthew Fry, told Business Times in a recent interview in Singapore.

He said one negotiation was for a W hotel and residences that will be built from scratch, and may be ready in four years should the deal be sealed.

"The Kuala Lumpur City Centre and the Bukit Bintang areas are the focus for our W brand," he added.

On its aloft brand, Fry said that there could be one in Malaysia within the next 18 months. The location could be in Kuala Lumpur, Johor or Sabah.

"aloft, basically, has the DNA of, and is the spin-off of W. The hotel measures about 28 sq m compared with a W hotel, which is about 42 sq m to 48 sq m or bigger," he said. "aloft does not have as much public space, and the food and beverage offerings are not as elaborate."

W is described as one which provides the "wow" factor and a holistic lifestyle experience integrated into the brand's sensibility through contemporary restaurant concepts, glamorous nightlife experience and signature spas.

Meanwhile, Fry said that Starwood sees a lot of activities around Johor, especially in the east coast of the state, and would consider this area to have Starwood's representation.

Currently, Starwood operates five hotel brands in Malaysia and has confirmed a sixth - The St Regis.

The hotels operating in Malaysia include Le Meridien Kota Kinabalu, Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur, The Westin Kuala Lumpur and The Westin Langkawi Resort & Spa.

In December 2009, it took over the management of The Andaman in Langkawi from General Hotel Management, and is now operating the property as a Luxury Collection.

The Starwood group also operates the Four Points by Sheraton Kuching and is scheduled to open the Four Points by Sheraton Sandakan in March 2011.

It has also confirmed the opening of The St Regis Hotels and Residences Kuala Lumpur in 2014.

Yet another brand which it operates in Malaysia is the Sheraton Langkawi Beach Resort. It also part owns and manages the Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur.

On plans to divest its stake in Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur, Fry said: "Our long-term strategy is to divest real estate holdings. At one point Starwood owned 190 hotels and we are now down to about high-50s.

"The long-term strategy is to divest our hotel ownership and become more of a management/franchise fee-based business. At one point 80 per cent of our income was from our own hotels and 20 per cent from fees. Our goal is to switch that.

"We are not actively looking (to sell). This particular estate (Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur) has not been discussed," he said.

The hotel is jointly owned by Indonesia's Rajawali group and Starwood.