Menara Kuala Lumpur

	Total Height	421 m (1403 ft)
	Observatory Level	276 m (920 ft)
	Architects	Kumpulan Senireka
	Total Weight	100,000 tonnes
	Completion Date	May, 1996
	Opening Date	July 23rd, 1996
	Launch Date	October 1st, 1996

                                                                                                                             

Ever wanted to see the whole of Kuala Lumpur an instant? More than just a sight to remember, Menara Kuala Lumpur is poised to be Malaysia's top tourist destination providing both local and foreign tourists with a breath-taking and picturesque view of Kuala Lumpur from a towering height of 276m. Keeping the consumers in mind, Menara KL has developed an exciting program where people get to dine, shop as well as have a bird's eye view of the CITY OF LIGHTS all in one tower. At Menara KL, visitors will also find a theatrette, an amphitheatre, beautiful cascading pools, a fast food restaurant and souvenir shops. A trip to Kuala Lumpur will simply not be complete without a visit to Menara Kuala Lumpur! ("Menara" is the Bahasa Malaysia word for "Tower")

MENARA KUALA LUMPUR

One of the most ambitious, mammoth projects ever undertaken in Malaysia, standing statuesque in all its architectural perfections is Menara Kuala Lumpur. A highly innovative combination of retail, leisure, entertainment and most of all a hi-tech center for telecommunications. Completed in May, 1996 and acting as the country's main telecommunications and multimedia broadcasting tower, Menara Kuala Lumpur - or KL Tower - is perched atop Bukit Nanas and rises to a height of 421m (1403 ft); a highly visible and prestigious landmark . Bukit Nanas itself, where the tower is built, is 94 meters above sea level. Located in the heart of the Golden Triangle at the epicentre of Kuala Lumpur's business and entertainment district, you can reach the Tower from Jalan Sultan Ismail to Jalan P. Ramlee via Jalan Punchak with parking provided for up to 184 vehicles (MAP, Aerial View). Menara KL was officially launched by YAB Dato Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, on October 1st, 1996.

It stands majestically among the clouds as the tallest structure in South-East Asia, the tallest single standing concrete structure in the world and fourth tallest communication tower in the world (behind the CN Tower - 553m - in Toronto, the Ostankino Tower - 537m - in Moscow, and the Shanghai Tower - 450m - in Shanghai).

ARCHITECTURE

The Tower's architecture reflects the country's Islamic heritage with the construction detailing Arabic Scripts, Islamic tiles, classic Islamic floral and abstract motifs and soothing color combinations. 

The KL Tower has been designed to achieve an overall glass arranged in the traditional Islamic form of the "Muqarnas". As the Muqarnas pattern recurs in the Tower Shaft design, the architectural design of the Tower Head and the roof of the Base Buildings, the whole appearance will become one harmonious entity reflecting the revival of the Islamic architectural heritage. 

The design of the decorative glass windows at the top of the tower is based on the Muqarnas decoration of the Shah Mosque in Isfahan, Iran. Muqarnas was constructed in the arrangement of glasses on the domes of the lobby entrance to illustrate the 7 layers of the sky with sun rays shining from the middle. The designs also represent the human journey for perfection in life. With its unique architectural heritage, Menara KL has become a prime tourist attraction in the capital city.

The natural surroundings of Bukit Nanas were cared for during the construction of Menara Kuala Lumpur to ensure balance in development and conservation of the environment. In this effort, a 100-year-old Jelutong tree (Dyera Costulata) was preserved by building a retaining wall around the tree at the cost of RM430,000.

Menara Kuala Lumpur Sdn. Bhd (188533-A),
Jalan Punchak, Off Jalan P. Ramlee,
50250 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Tel : + (603) 208 5448
Fax : + (603) 204 2609
http://www.menarakl.com.my/

MONDAY - FRIDAY                                                = 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
SATURDAY, SUNDAY & PUBLIC HOLIDAYS   = 9:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
ENTRACE FEE                                                          = RM 8.00 (US$2) adult and RM 3.00 (US$.75) children (4-12)

FREE                                                                                             = children ages 3 and below

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STRUCTURE

The structure consists of five basic sections i.e. the Foundation Base, Touristic Building, the Tower Shaft, the Tower Head and Antenna Mast.

FOUNDATION BASE

The Foundation Base comprises a 3 level basement for safety needs, storage and maintenance work. The lower ground floor houses the control/maintenance room, a cafeteria for staff, and a water reservoir for firefighting and domestic supply. The maximum diameter of the Base is 54 meters.

TOURISTIC BUILDING

At the upper ground floor, the two-level touristic area is linked to the 146-metres long pedestrian mall which adjoins the main entrance featuring a cascading reflective pool in its centre. The space at the ground level houses mainly the switch-room, kitchen for the revolving restaurant and administration office for Menara Kuala Lumpur Sdn. Bhd. The main public area and entrance is at the upper ground level. At this level there are 9 shoplots, a fast food restaurant, a mini-theatre (47 seats; shows a documentary on the construction of the tower every 15 minutes) and an open-air amphitheatre (222 seats), surau (prayer room), public toilet and office space for MKLSB. The upper ground level is also accessible through the Escalator from the ground level.

TOWER SHAFT

The Tower Shaft comprises 22 levels, with 4 elevators and 2058 flight of stairs. The circular concrete Tower Shaft is designed with vertical ribs on the external surface, fanning out into decorative painted aluminium Islamic pattern at the soffit of the Tower Head. Along the Tower Shaft are twenty-two (22) platforms providing access to the lift lobby for maintenance and rescue purposes. Rooms for the cellular phone radio base station are allocated at level T02 (30m above the ground level). The Tower Shaft is 24.5 m at its widest and narrows to 13.6m near the top. The thickness of shaft walls goes from 1.4 m to 0.6 m.

TOWER HEAD AND ANTENNA MAST

The entire 6-level tower head is clad in glass (double-glazed with gas infilled) arranged in the traditional Islamic form of the "muqarnas". Four high speed lifts (capacity = 800 people per hour) will zoom you up the KL Tower to the Observation Platform in 60 seconds where a breath taking 360° view of the city by day and by night awaits. Visitors will find an observation platform on the first level and a revolving restaurant on the second level. The Tower Head has a total area of 7,700 sq meters and is 50 m diameter-wide at its widest point. Note: It's 2,058 steps from the Base to the Tower Head! The Tower Head also houses the telecommunication and broadcasting stations.

The Restoran Berputar Seri Angkasa (revolving restaurant; capacity = 250), located at Level Two of the Tower Head, serves international and local cuisine 'above the clouds'. At a height of 282 meters above ground level, this 9,172 square feet restaurant offers not only a revolving dining area, but also music area and lounge. The restaurant is open daily from 11.30 am to 2.30 pm for lunch and 7.00 pm to 11.00 pm for dinner. A la carte menus are available for lunch and dinner. A la carte menus are available for lunch and dinner, which are priced at RM50++ for lunch and RM70++ for dinner on weekdays. High tea buffet is also available everyday from 3.00 pm to 6.00 pm.

Other attractions at the Tower include the world's highest McDonalds and the Tower Burger! The last section of Menara Kuala Lumpur is an 86 meters long telecommunication and broadcasting antenna mast which also includes RTM's antenna serial for UHF, VHF and FM band at the last 12 m of the antenna mast.

http://www.kiat.net/malaysia/KL/kltower.html

THE MALAYSIA HOMESTAY PROGRAMME: EXPERIENCING LIFE IN THE COUNTRY

A tourism product in Malaysia that is becoming increasingly popular among local and foreign tourists is the homestay programme.

Under the homestay programme, tourists live with a local family in a kampung (village) house and learn about close-knit family relationships, enjoy sumptuous home-cooked food and discover the simple lifestyle in the country. It offers a chance for visitors to experience the daily life outside of bustling capital cities and puts tourists closer to our natural “assets,” the culture and friendly people of Malaysia.

Each homestay village has something unique to offer tourists and organises its own special activities for their guests such as jungle trekking, fishing, rubber tapping, fruit picking, handicraft-making, etc. From just RM80 a day, a guest will be hosted by a family and share their meals and enjoy the daily

routines of a kampung life. Accommodation is usually in traditional wooden houses on stilts set amidst a pretty landscaped garden. Basic amenities include bed and bathroom (either en suite or commonly shared).

The homestay programme in Malaysia was first launched in 1995 in Temerloh, Pahang. Since then, villages in other states have caught on to the concept of hosting tourists in their kampung homes, and today, there is a choice of villages offering the homestay experience in every state.

Generally, the homestay development policy in Malaysia emphasises the utilisation of available resources of the kampung, the conservation and maintenance of socio-cultural and artistic customs of the village and also highlights the uniqueness of the Malaysian village life. The homestay programme provides a supplementary source of income to its hosts and inexpensive alternative accommodation to tourists. It is carried out in collaboration with the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development, respective state governments and the Association of Homestay Malaysia.

To date, a total of 2,808 homestay operators from 142 villages throughout the country have been trained and licensed by the Ministry of Tourism. The five states with the highest number of homestay villages are Pahang, Sabah, Selangor, Johor and Sarawak.

Last year, more than 68,000 tourists both local and foreign had a taste of the kampung lifestyle at the various homestay programmes offered in Malaysia.

A total of 18,891 foreign tourists participated in the homestay programme in 2007 compared to 10,038 tourists in year 2006; the majority of them were from Japan, Korea and Singapore.

The Ministry of Tourism, Malaysia, recently launched a website on the homestay programme which is accessible via www.homestay.motour.gov.my.

The website provides online visitors with a list of homestay operators in Malaysia and contact details for tourists to make arrangements for bookings.

In addition, the Ministry has also introduced several homestay packages  under its Xperience Holidays packages.

For details, visit http://www.tourismmalaysia.gov.my/en/xcape/holiday.pdf.

For more information, please contact,

Tourism Services Division

Ministry of Tourism, Malaysia

Tel : 603-2696 3970

Fax : 603-2693 7451

Mr. Haji Shahariman Hamdan

President

Malaysia Homestay Association

Tel : 609-284 6616 / 7496

Fax : 609-284 6610

Email : sbham@pc.jaring.my

HEALTH TOURISM IN MALAYSIA

Malaysia is fast becoming a strong competitor in the global health and medical tourism sector. Given the potential of health tourism as a foreign exchange earner, the government has taken a series of proactive measures to enhance Malaysia as a preferred health tourism destination.

Health tourism in Malaysia consists of two main categories which are medical tourism and wellness programme. Patients can opt for medical treatments in one of our internationally recognised hospitals, and stay on during the convalescence or recovery period. Or they can come for a holiday by exploring the various forms of wellness programmes that are available in Malaysia.

Competitive medical fees and modern medical facilities are two vital factors that make Malaysia a popular destination among health tourists. Patients can undergo treatment and recuperate in any part of the country for much less than what it would cost them for a treatment in other countries. For example, a normal cardiac bypass surgery (CABG) in Malaysia would cost only between US$6,000 and US$7,000.

Malaysia offers a wide choice of state-of-the-art private medical centres boasting an impressive array of sophisticated diagnosis, therapeutic and in-patient facilities. These establishments are well-equipped and staffed to ensure the highest level of professionalism, safety and care to patients. Most private medical centres have certifications for internationally recognized quality standards such as MS ISO 9002 or have been given accreditation by the Malaysian Society for Quality of Health.

Most private medical centres in Malaysia also offer comfortable accommodation ranging from private rooms to suites for single occupancy or more. Room charges, inclusive of meals, vary at medical centres but are attractively priced. Some medical centres even provide highly qualified and trained private nurses and personal butlers at a reasonable cost.

In brief, factors that contribute to making Malaysia a centre of medical excellence in the region are listed below:

1. Safe and politically stable country
2. Wide choice of world class infrastructure facilities e.g. National Heart Institute and Tun Hussein Onn National Eye Hospital
3. Competitive and affordable pricing and favourable exchange rate
4. Highly qualified, experienced and skilled consultants with internationally recognised qualifications
5. Tolerant multi-cultural and multi-racial Malaysian society accommodates patients of different cultures and religions
6. Communication is easy - English speaking medical staffs
7. State-of-the-art technology, such as MRI, 64-Slice CT Scan, PET Scanner for early detection of cancer and other diseases, cyberknife which is able to radiate tumours without damaging adjacent vital structures
8. Quality and safety system in place, such as ISO and accreditation by the Malaysian Society for Quality in Health (MSQH) 
9. Recently, the Ministry of Health, Malaysia has set up a Corporate Policy and Health Industry Division to promote medical tourism and related healthcare products including traditional medicine, etc. As such, the Ministry's promotional efforts are more focused with the support from relevant government agencies and private sector.
10. Attractive and affordable packages during recuperation period.

To ease entry formalities for patients, the Immigration Department of Malaysia has implements the Green Lane System at main entry points which expedites custom clearance for medical travellers. Accompanying family members or friends of the patient can take advantage of their visit to sample Malaysia's various interesting tourist attractions. Cities like Kuala Lumpur and Penang offer a truly comprehensive range of both health and tourism services, all within easy reach. Penang, for example, is not just home to many hospitals and medical centres; it boasts the rejuvenating air of Penang Hill, the cozy warmth of shady beaches, and endless cultural discoveries.

Statistics indicate a strong and growing interest in Malaysia's healthcare tourism industry. According to the Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia, the number of foreigners seeking healthcare services in Malaysia has grown from 75,210 patients in year 2001 to 296,687 patients in year 2006 which generated a total of RM203.66 million (USD 59 million) in revenue. From January to March 2007, Malaysia received 77,009 medical tourists.

BRIEF BACKGROUND

Under Malaysia's current health tourism promotion drive, 35 private hospitals in the country have been identified to promote Malaysia as a health tourist destination.

Malaysia's success in establishing itself as a regional hub for excellent healthcare, capable of providing state-of-the-art medical facilities and services for health tourists, began following the setting up of the National Committee for the Promotion of Health Tourism in January 1998.

Besides the Health Ministry, the Committee includes the Ministry of Tourism, the Association of Private Hospitals of Malaysia and other government agencies such as the Malaysian Association of Tours and Travel Agencies, Malaysian Airlines and several private hospitals.

The Committee has been cooperating with other agencies in carrying out promotional activities concerning health tourism in the country. This includes collaborations with the Malaysian External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) through its trade missions; Tourism Malaysia through its promotional activities; various state governments; private hospital groups and the Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia.

For further information, please log on to Association of Private Hospitals of Malaysia (APHM) website at www.hospitals-malaysia.org or the health tourism portal at www.malaysiahealthcare.com.

APHM address:

Suite A450, 4th Floor, Pantai Medical Centre,

8 Jalan Bukit Pantai, 59100 Kuala Lumpur,

Malaysia

Telephone : +6 (03) 22840278

Fax : +6 (03) 22841278

E-mail : inquiry@hospitals-malaysia.org

MSC Malaysia

MSC Malaysia (formerly the Multimedia Super Corridor, and also known as the MSC in Malaysia) is a Special Economic Zone in Malaysia. The Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) program was officially inaugurated by the 4th Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on 12 February 1996. 

The establishment of the MSC program was crucial to accelerate the objectives of Vision 2020 and to transform Malaysia into a modern state by the year 2020, with the adoption of a knowledge-based society framework

Purpose

The MSC flagship applications were launched to boost the MSC Malaysia initiatives and to create a multimedia utopia (hub) for innovative producers and users of multimedia technology. Consortia comprising both the local and foreign companies (MNCs) collaborated with various government agencies, departments and ministries to enhance the socio-economic development of Malaysia in the new millennium (Information Age). The vision and mission of the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) as expressed by Dr Mahathir Mohammad, the Prime Minister of Malaysia at the time (1981–2003), is essentially this:

“MSC is paramount to leapfrog (Malaysia) into the 21st century and to achieve Malaysia’s Vision 2020, the MSC was created to endeavour the best environment to harness the full potential of the multimedia without any artificial limits. MSC is a global test bed (hub), where the limits of the possible can be explored, and new ways of living, working, and playing in the new area of the Information Age.” (Ibrahim Ariff & Goh Chen Chuan, 2000; Jeong, 2007)

The Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) is a Government-designated zone in Malaysia designed to leapfrog Malaysia into the information and knowledge age. It aims to attract companies with temporary tax breaks and facilities such as high-speed Internet access and proximity to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

MSC Malaysia covers an area of approximately 15 km (9.3 mi) × 50 km (31 mi) (that is, 750 km2 (290 sq mi)) stretching from the Petronas Twin Towers to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, and including the towns of Putrajaya and Cyberjaya. On 7 December 2006, Port Klang was added to the MSC.

This project was announced by former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir at the Multimedia Asia Conference on 1 August 1996. Dr Mahathir's visit to the United States of America in January 1997 to promote the MSC to companies there succeeded in attracting the interest of many large information technology companies. During the visit, an international advisory panel comprising 30 information technology experts were formed to exchange ideas toward the success of the MSC.

The Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC, formerly MDC) was created to oversee development of the MSC.

Effects on press freedom

Though Malaysian law had provided for strict government controls on print media since 1984, a founding principle of MSC Malaysia was that government censorship of the Internet would not be permitted. Seeing a loophole, journalist Steven Gan and colleague Premesh Chandran decided to start an online news resource that would be free of the controls that they felt stifled print media.[1] In November 1999, the pair founded Malaysiakini, an online, independent news source that would become one of Malaysia's most popular websites.[2] The site was awarded a Free Media Pioneer award from the International Press Institute in 2001,[3] and Gan was awarded one of the 2000 CPJ International Press Freedom Awards for his work with the site.

National Flag of Malaysia

The national flag of Malaysia, also known as Jalur Gemilang or "Stripes of Glory," was first raised on September 16, 1963 at the Merdeka Square in place of the British Union Flag. It was approved byKing George VI on 19 May 1950 and was first raised in front of Istana Selangor on 26 May 1950.

Federation of Malaya.

The Malayan flag was designed in 1947 by Mohamed Hamzah , a 29-year-old architect working for the Public Works Department in Johor Bahru, Johor . It's said to have been inspired by the flag of the United States as both share a field of alternating red and white stripes and a blue canton. It's also said that the national flag of Malaysia was inspired by the red-and-white alternating striped flag used by the British East India Company, which was very active in the region at that time.

Description---

The national flag of Malaysia comprises of 14 horizontal red and white alternate stripes and a blue canton bearing a crescent and a 14-point star in gold , known as the Bintang Persekutuan or Federal Star.

The 14 stripes of red and blue of equal width, symbolizes the equal status in the federation of the 13 member states and the federal government, while the 14 points of the star represent the unity between these entities. The 14 stripes also stands for the 14 states of Malaysia, the Perlis, Kedah, Perak, Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Johor, Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Selangor, Penang, Sabah, Sarawak and the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Labuan.

The crescent represents Islam, the country's official religion and yellow is the color of royalty- Their Highnesses the Rulers of the Malay States, while the blue canton symbolizes the unity of the Malaysian people. Though the blue was originally chosen to represent a link between the federation and the Commonwealth, this was gradually downplayed and eventually replaced by its current interpretation.

In blazon, the national flag of Malaysia is described as, "A banner Gules, seven bars Argent; the canton Azure charged with decrescent and mullet of fourteen points" or this means "a red flag with seven horizontal white stripes; the upper-left (hoist) quarter is blue with a yellow waning crescent (i.e. horns pointing to sinister) and a yellow 14-pointed star."

In the year 1997, when the Malaysians were asked to name the flag, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir bin Mohammad chose the name Jalur Gemilang to project the country's onward drive towards continuous growth and success.

The national flag of Malaysia is hoisted during the National Day celebrations and everyone is encouraged to fly the Jalur Gemilang at their homes, office buildings, shops and corporate premises.

The flag should be raised pointing towards the road if it's fixed at home and if the flag is surrounded by other groups of flags of the state and private company, then the national flag of Malaysia must be raised in between two flags and its pole placed higher than the rest.

JATA NEGARA

Jata Negara Malaysia merupakan lambang Persekutuan Tanah Melayu yang telah diperkenankan dan diwartakan oleh Raja-Raja Melayu pada 30 Mei 1952. Reka bentuk Jata Negara telah diusahakan oleh Jabatan Ukur dengan menggunakan enam warna.

Jata Negara menunjukkan bintang pecah 14 menandakan 13 buah negeri dan sebuah Wilayah Persekutuan yang terkandung dalam Persekutuan Malaysia, dan Kerajaan Persekutuan.

Bintang bersama-sama anak bulan pula sebagai lambang Agama Islam yang diangkat sebagai agama rasmi Malaysia.

Lima bilah keris pula sebagai lambang Negeri-Negeri Melayu Tidak Bersekutu iaitu Johor, Kedah, Perlis, Kelantan dan Terengganu.

Bahagian sebelah kiri perisai menandakan Pulau Pinang dan bahagian sebelah kanan dengan pokok Melaka mewakili Melaka. Kedua-dua buah negeri tersebut adalah sebahagian daripada Negeri-Negeri Selat suatu ketika dahulu.

Dalam empat jalur yang sama besarnya dalam bahagian tengah itu; warna-warna hitam dan putih adalah warna Pahang; merah dan kuning warna Selangor; hitam, putih dan kuning warna Perak; merah, hitam dan kuning adalah warna Negeri Sembilan. Empat buah negeri ini adalah Negeri-Negeri Melayu Bersekutu yang asal. Dua ekor harimau juga merupakan lambang bagi Negeri-Negeri Melayu Bersekutu.

Tiga bahagian di sebelah bawah itu menandakan negeri Sabah di sebelah kiri dan Sarawak di sebelah kanan. Di tengah-tengahnya ialah bunga raya yang merupakan Bunga Kebangsaan Malaysia.

Cogan “Bersekutu Bertambah Mutu” ditulis dengan tulisan rumi di sebelah kiri dan tulisan jawi di sebelah kanan.

Warna kuning pada awan-awan adalah warna Diraja bagi Duli-Duli Yang Maha Mulia Raja-Raja.

Lion Dance

Dragon structure

The dragon is a long serpentine body formed of a number of sections on poles, with a dragon head and a tail. The dragon is assembled by joining the series of hoops on each section and attaching the ornamental head and tail pieces at the ends. Traditionally, dragons were constructed of wood, with bamboo hoops on the inside and covered with a rich fabric, however in the modern era lighter materials such as aluminium and plastics have replaced the wood and heavy material.

Dragons can range in length from around 25 to 35 meters for the more acrobatic models, and up to 50 to 70 meters for the largest, parade and ceremonial styles. The size and length of a dragon depend on the human power available, financial power, materials, skills and size of the field. A small organization cannot afford to run a very long dragon because it requires considerable human power, great expenses and special skills which are difficult to manage.

The normal length and size of the body recommended for the dragon is 112 feet (34 meters) and is divided into 9 major sections. The distance of each minor (rib-like) section is 14 inches apart; therefore, the body has 81 rings. Many may also be up to 15 sections long, and some dragons are as long as 46 sections. Occasionally dragon with far more sections may be constructed in Chinese communities around the world to produce longest dragon possible, since part of the myth of the dragon is that the longer the creature, the more luck it will bring. The current record of the longest dragon stands at over 5 km long.[16]

Historically the dragon dance may be performed in a variety of ways with different types and colors of dragon. Green is sometimes selected as a main color of the dragon, which symbolizes a great harvest. Other colors include: yellow symbolizing the solemn empire, golden or silver colors symbolizing prosperity, red color representing excitement while its scales and tail are mostly beautiful silver colors and glittering at all times which provides a feeling of joyous atmosphere. As the Dragon dance is not performed every day, the cloth of the dragon is to be removed and to have a new touch of ultra-paint before the next performance.

The Northern Lion

The Northern Lion looks pretty much like a Peking dog, with its whole body covered with long fur. The Northern Lion will normally perform in pairs with another person holding a ball for the pair of lion to chase after. Sometimes, to make things more exciting, two lion kids will join in to perform together with the two adult Lions. The pair of adult Northern Lions is made up of a female and a male. Initially their genders were differentiated by the color of the ribbon that is tied on the lions’ head. The female Northern Lion has a green colored ribbon tied on, while the male has a red colored ribbon. But currently, the gender of the northern lion can also be differentiated by the color of its fur on its head and its back, i.e. green for a female and red for a male.

The Northern Lion Dance projects a very active, happy, and playful movement. In their performance, they will joyously and actively chased after the ball, by leaping over tables, chairs, spinning themselves in 360 degrees stunt and rolling over one and another. If you happen to bounce into these Lions, make sure that you make it a point to see them in their performance.

Styles

Lion dance, Chinese New Year Lion dances during Chinese New Year

During its thousand-year development, the lion dance was divided into two styles: the southern lion dance and the northern lion dance.

The Northern Lion Dance

The northern lion dance has close relations to wushu (martial arts). Usually, a young lion is performed by a single person and an adult lion is performed by a duo. Both performers are in lifelike lion dance costumes, so that the performers become an integral part of the lion: their lower limbs are in trousers which are the same color as the lion's body, and their yellow-colored shoes are in the shape of the lion's claws.

In the adult lion dance, one performer stands in front to hold the lion's head, and the other bends his waist to make the lion's body move. The lion, under its instructions, gives performances such as rolling, wrestling, leaping, jumping, climbing, or worshiping.

The Southern Lion Dance

The southern lion dance originated from Guangdong, and it is famous in Hong Kong, Macau, and the hometowns of overseas Chinese people. The southern lion dance is also performed in pairs, and the performers wear a lion costume.

The southern lion dance is a performance based on the study of a lion's behaviour. The southern lion dance puts an emphasis on actions like scratching, shaking himself, and licking his fur, which makes a performance vivid and entertaining. Moreover, there are some skilful performances, such as playing with a ball, which includes swallowing it.

Istana Negara, Jalan Duta

ISTANA NEGARA,JALAN DUTA KUALA LUMPUR

Istana Negara adalah tempat bersemayam rasmi bagi Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong dan Seri Paduka Baginda Raja Permaisuri Agong. Terletak di Jalan Duta, Kuala Lumpur dan merupakan mercu tanda bagi sistem pemerintahan Raja Berpelembagaan di Malaysia. Rekabina istana ini melibatkan aspek keselamatan dan ciri-ciri estetika khusus dengan penekanan ciri-ciri binaan Islam dan tradisional Melayu pada bangunan dan sekitarnya. Istana Negara ini terletak di kawasan seluas 241.3 ekar (97.65 hektar).

Pentadbiran Istana Negara di Jalan Duta ini telah mula beroperasi sepenuhnya semasa tempoh Pemerintahan Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong XIII, Al-Wathiqu Billah Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah Shah iaitu pada 11 November 2011. Satu Istiadat Menaikkan Bendera Peribadi Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong telah diadakan pada 15 November 2011 sebagai simbolik bahawasanya Istana Negara, Jalan Duta ini telah secara rasminya menjadi Istana Negara di Malaysia.

KEUNIKAN BINAAN

Antara keunikan yang dapat dilihat pada Istana Negara ini adalah bilangan kubahnya iaitu sebanyak 22 buah kesemuanya. Pada 2 kubah terbesar, terdapat reka bentuk seolah sirih bertindih di mana pada waktu malam, cahaya daripada lampu hiasan yang menerangi kubah berkenaan akan memberi kesan ilusi yang sangat cantik. Cahayanya boleh bertukar warna mengikut acara rasmi yang berlangsung dan dapat dilihat dengan jelas daripada luar kawasan Istana Negara ini. Di dalam lobi Anjung utama, tetamu akan berada di bawah kubah utama setinggi 40 meter atau 10 tingkat bangunan. Ia juga menempatkan chandelier terbesar buatan tempatan yang dihasilkan di Kuala Selangor. Di sekeliling kubah yang disokong oleh tiang-tiang besar berbentuk bulat, terdapat lapan lukisan besar yang menonjolkan sejarah negara sejak zaman Kesultanan Melaka sehingga era sekarang yang menyaksikan Malaysia membangun dengan pesat.

Berbeza dengan Istana Negara di Jalan Istana yang agak sempit dengan keluasan 11.34 hektar, Istana Negara Jalan Duta ini lebih luas untuk membolehkan setiap Bilik dan Dewan dibina khas untuk fungsi khusus sahaja. Semua bilik dan dewan berkenaan memaparkan ukiran, lukisan dan hiasan dalaman tradisional Melayu. Ciri-ciri Islam yang dipaparkan dalam corak geometri tiga dimensi, ukiran kalimah Allah, lampu hiasan seperti yang banyak diguna ketika zaman kegemilangan kerajaan Islam juga turut diserlahkan terutama pada binaan surau. Tulisan ayat-ayat suci Al-Quran yang terpapar di sekeliling ruang dalaman dan bahagian Mihrab surau berkenaan dihasilkan oleh anak tempatan. Singgahsana yang menjadi tempat Bersemayam Seri Paduka Baginda di Balairong Seri Istana Negara Jalan Duta ini menonjolkan ukiran tradisional Melayu serta tulisan khat 99 Nama Allah dan ayat-ayat suci Al-Quran.Ukiran berkenaan dihasilkan oleh beberapa pengukir terkenal dari Terengganu dan Kelantan yang diakui sejak zaman-berzaman mempunyai hasil kerja bermutu tinggi.

Selain keunikan segi ukiran, lukisan dan hiasan dalaman yang dihasilkan dengan tangan sepenuhnya, keistimewaan lain yang terdapat pada Istana Negara ini adalah suasana alam semula jadi di sekelilingnya. Ini berikutan hanya sekitar 65 hektar sahaja keluasan yang digunakan bagi pembinaan bangunan manakala kawasan selebihnya dikekalkan sebagai taman dan zon penampan dari sekitaran luar. Persekitaran Istana Negara juga diperindahkan dengan sulaman lanskap lembut.



KOMPONEN BANGUNAN

Istana Negara dibina merangkumi tiga komponen utama iaitu Komponen Rasmi, Komponen Diraja serta Komponen Pentadbiran.

Komponen Formal

Komponen Rasmi menempatkan Balairong Seri, Dewan untuk majlis menghadap, Dewan menunggu sebelum majlis menghadap, Dewan Bankuet bagi majlis santapan , Dewan Singgahsana Kecil dan Dewan Mesyuarat Majlis Raja-Raja iaitu tempat bagi Majlis Raja-Raja bersidang beserta Dewan menunggu bagi Duli-Duli Yang Maha Mulia Raja-Raja serta Tuan Yang Terutama Yang Dipertua-Yang Dipertua Negeri , Yang Amat Berhormat Perdana Menteri, Yang Amat Berhormat Menteri-Menteri Besar dan Yang Amat Berhormat Ketua-Ketua Menteri. Di komponen ini juga disediakan ruang legar yang selesa bagi kegunaan tetamu jemputan diantara Dewan Bankuet dan Balairong Seri serta Pejabat Bahagian Keselamatan Istana Negara khusus bagi menjaga keselamatan Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong dan Seri Paduka Baginda Raja Permaisuri Agong serta kawasan persekitaran Istana Negara.

Komponen Diraja

Komponen Diraja pula yang direka khusus untuk persemayaman Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong dan Seri Paduka Baginda Raja Permaisuri Agong beserta kerabat Diraja Baginda meliputi Kamar Peraduan, Kamar Persiraman, Kamar Pejabat Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Kamar Pejabat Seri Paduka Baginda Raja Permaisuri Agong, Kamar Santapan, Tempat Istirehat serta Bilik Tetamu Diraja.

Komponen Pentadbiran

Komponen Pentadbiran menempatkan Pejabat Datuk Pengelola Bijaya Diraja, Pejabat Datuk Paduka Maharaja Lela, Bahagian Urusan Diraja, Bahagian Istiadat, Bahagian Pentadbiran, Bahagian Agama serta Bahagian Juruiring yang menjadi nadi pentadbiran dan pengurusan Istana Negara.

Sebuah surau dengan muatan 1000 jemaah turut disediakan bagi kemudahan dan keselesaan tetamu dan kakitangan Istana Negara.

Kemudahan lain yang turut dibina di Istana Negara termasuklah bangunan sokongan, pejabat keselamatan, jalan masuk bertingkat dari Jalan Duta, dataran pelawat dan tempat meletak kenderaan bawah tanah. Turut disediakan ialah kemudahan dewan serbaguna, lif, eskalator, bilik rawatan, tapak pendaratan helikopter, tempat tembakan meriam, kandang kuda, gelanggang untuk bersukan serta kolam renang diraja.

LALUAN ISTANA NEGARA

Istana Negara, Jalan Duta mempunyai 3 laluan masuk utama iatu Pintu Gerbang Masuk Utama melalui jalan masuk bertingkat dari Jalan Duta untuk kegunaan Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong dan Seri Paduka Baginda Raja Permaisuri Agong, Duli-Duli Yang Maha Mulia Raja-Raja serta Duli-Duli Yang Maha Mulia Permaisuri-Permaisuri Baginda, Tuan Yang Terutama Yang Dipertua-Yang Dipertua Negeri, Ketua-Ketua Negara dan Ketua-Ketua Kerajaan. Pintu Gerbang Masuk Utama ini turut menempatkan Pengawal Istana dari Batalion Pertama Rejimen Askar Melayu Diraja serta pengawal berkuda. 

Pintu 2 yang terletak di Jalan Changkat Semantan adalah pintu masuk bagi kegunaan Tetamu Diraja serta tetamu-tetamu jemputan bagi menghadiri sesuatu majlis di Istana Negara.Manakala Pintu 3 yang terletak di Jalan Sri Hartamas, Mont Kiara adalah pintu masuk bagi kegunaan umum yang ingin berurusan berkaitan dengan Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong dan Seri Paduka Baginda Raja Permaisuri Agong serta Pentadbiran Istana Negara serta tetamu-tetamu jemputan bagi menghadiri sesuatu majlis di Istana Negara.

MAJLIS PENYERAHAN KOMPLEKS ISTANA NEGARA JALAN DUTA

Majlis Penyerahan Istana Negara Baru Jalan Duta, Kuala Lumpur telah diadakan di Dewan Serbaguna DiRaja di antara Jabatan Perdana Menteri (JPM) dan Pihak Pengurusan Istana Negara pada 18 Oktober 2011.

Aturcara penyerahan Kompleks bangunan ini telah disempurnakan dengan sesi menandatangani penyerahan dan penerimaan Sijil Penyerahan Bangunan di antara Y.Bhg. Datuk Timbalan Ketua Setiausaha Kanan, Y.Bhg. Datuk Othman Bin Haji Mahmood dari Jabatan Perdana Menteri dengan Y.M Datuk Pengelola Bijaya Diraja, Y.M Datuk Tengku Farok Hussin bin Tengku Abdul Jalil yang mewakili pihak Pengurusan Istana Negara. Majlis yang diadakan secara sederhana ini turut dihadiri dan disaksikan oleh Pegawai-Pegawai Kanan daripada Jabatan Perdana Menteri dan Istana Negara.

MAJLIS PERPINDAHAN BENDERA RASMI SERI PADUKA BAGINDA YANG DI-PERTUAN AGONG KE JALAN DUTA

Pada 15 November 2011, Yang di-Pertuan Agong secara rasminya berpindah dari Istana Negara, Jalan Istana ke Kompleks Istana Negara Jalan Duta. Perpindahan tersebut dilakukan dengan simbolik perpindahan bendera peribadi Yang di-Pertuan Agong. Upacara menurunkan bendera peribadi baginda di Istana Negara, Jalan Istana dilakukan pada jam 9 pagi manakala upacara menaikkan bendera peribadi Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong di kompleks Istana Negara baru disempurnakan tepat jam 10.25 pagi.

Acara berlangsung di dataran Istana Negara, menandakan pemindahan secara rasminya. Upacara bermula dengan perbarisan 52 anggota Rejimen Askar Melayu Diraja serta 12 Skuadron Istiadat Berkuda diiringi tiupan fajar. Datuk Pengelola Bijaya Diraja, Datuk Tengku Farok Hussein Tengku Abdul Jalil kemudiannya menyerahkan bendera kepada Pemangku Pegawai Memerintah Batalion Pertama Rejimen Askar Melayu Diraja, Mejar Mohd Kadri Abu Bakar. Bendera Yang di-Pertuan Agong dinaikkan dengan diapit dua bendera Jalur Gemilang serta 14 bendera negeri-negeri. Kaedah menaikkan bendera pada tiang berketinggian 30 meter dilakukan secara automatik, berbeza di Istana Negara lama, yang dinaikkan secara manual. Upacara diakhiri dengan bacaan doa.


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Federal VS State Authority

Federal laws enacted by the Parliament of Malaysia apply throughout the country. There are also state laws enacted by the State Legislative Assemblies which applies to the particular state. The constitution of Malaysia also provides for a unique dual justice system:

1.       secular laws (criminal and civil); and

2.       syariah laws.

Articles 73-79 of the Federal Constitution specifies the subject in which the federal and state government may legislate:

1.       Parliament has the exclusive power to make laws over matters falling under the Federal List, e.g. citizenship, defence, internal security, civil and criminal law, finance, trade, commerce and industry, education, labor, and tourism;

2.       State Legislative Assemblies have legislative power over matters under the State List, e.g. land, local government, Syariah law and Syariah courts, State holidays and State public works.

Parliament and state legislatures share the power to make laws over matters under the Concurrent List, e.g. water supplies and housing, but Article 75 provides that in the event of conflict, Federal law will prevail over State law.

KLIA Express and KLIA Transit

Express Rail Link Sdn Bhd (ERLSB) has been awarded the concession on 25 August 1997 to finance, design, construct, operate and maintain the KLIA Ekspres and KLIA Transit and other ancillary activities related to railway services from 30 years. ERLSB.s shareholders are YTL Corporation Berhad , Lembaga Tabung Haji Bhd and Trisilco Equity Sdn Bhd with 50%, 40% and 10% shareholding respectively.

The KLIA Ekspres which commenced operation on 14 April 2002 is a daily high speed, non-stop air-rail connection between KLIA and Kuala Lumpur City Air Terminal (KL CAT) at KL Sentral station with a journey time of 28 minutes at 15-minutes interval during peak hours and 20-minutes frequencies during off-peak hours. Passengers can also take a 3-minute ride between KLIA2 and KLIA. The trains run 4 services per hour during peak hours and 3 services per hour during off-peak hours.

The KLIA Transit is a commuter service that stops at three intermediate stations i.e. Bandar Tasik Selatan, Putrajaya/Cyberjaya and Salak Tinggi with a total journey time of 35 minutes at 30-minutes frequencies. It first started operation on 1 June 2002.

The other ancillary activities are retail space provisioning at KL CAT and advertising spaces on the trains, stations and InfoScreen. ERLSB is operated by a team of one hundred, proficient personnel from various departments i.e. Marketing and Sales Management, Office Services Management, Air Rail Services Management, Human Resource and Training Management, Information & Services Management, Finance and Revenue Management and Customer Services Management.

The train operation and maintenance is efficiently managed by ERLSB.s wholly owned subsidiary, ERL Maintenance Support Sdn Bhd (E-MAS). E-MAS was established in 1999 and initially owned by Siemens and ERLSB with shareholding portion of 51% and 49% respectively. After three years in operation i.e. in June 2005, ERLSB took over Siemens shareholding whilst E-MAS continue to operate and maintain the train system with its three hundred (300) experienced and competent personnel under the ERLSB flagship.

The Concession

Design, finance, construct, manage, operate and maintain a high-speed air-rail system between Kuala Lumpur City Air Terminal (KL CAT) at the Kuala Lumpur Sentral Station and Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) under the Build, Operate and Transfer privatization system for a period of 30 years.

The Concession Agreement between Express Rail Link Sdn Bhd (ERLSB) and the Ministry of Transport was signed on 25 August 1997.

Vision & Mission

Vision

To be the premier and preferred surface transportation mode providing international standards of service and recognized internationally as the top service provider in air-rail connection.

Mission

·               To provide premium high-speed air-rail link services between KL CAT and KLIA.

·               To meet the expectations of airline traveler.

·               To promote Kuala Lumpur as a business and tourist destination.

·               To provide a comfortable, reliable and safe service.

Express Rail Link Sdn Bhd (375839 H)

Achievements

ERL has been recognized locally and internationally for consistently providing high standards in the air-rail services industry. ERL received the ISO9001:2008 certification for Quality Management System while E-MAS was awarded the ISO14001:2004 certification for Environmental Management System. ERL has also received numerous awards at the prestigious Global Air-Rail Awards which included the Best Customer Service Awardfor KLIA Ekspres VIP Service (2001), Personality of the Year for Noormah Mohd Noor, Chief Executive Officer of ERL (2011), the coveted North Star AirRail Link of the Year (2012) and the Environmental Commitment Awards in 2013. ERL was once again named AirRail Link of the Year at the Global AirRail Awards 2014 in Oslo.