旅游部：发展空间大‧塑造大马成购鞋天堂

光明日报‧2010.03.10

Boosting Tourism With Footwear Fair

KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 (Bernama) — Besides scenic spots, culture, shopping and food, the Tourism Ministry is embarking on shoes as an attraction to promote Malaysia to the world.

Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen said a three-day 1Malaysia International Shoe Festival would be held from April 2 to promote the country as the shoe capital of the East.

Malaysian-born world-renowned shoe designer Datuk Jimmy Choo will also showcase his 10 most successful shoe creations and deliver a talk at the event at the Putra World Trade Centre here.

Ng said the number of tourists who shopped for shoes in Malaysia increased by 19.9 per cent last year compared to 2008.

“We hope that this year, sales will increase by up to 25 per cent and will stimulate the Malaysian economy,” she told reporters.

The event would be jointly organised by the ministry and the Malaysian Footwear Manufacturers Association.

Ng said Peter Chow, a renowned London-based trade buyer and owner of Davina Fashion Shoe boutique, would speak on how to attract more international buyers for Malaysian-made shoes.

The prime minister’s wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, would launch the festival, which would also feature the history of local shoes including Malay Royal Court shoes and intricately-designed beaded Nyonya shoes, she said.

“With the support from Jimmy Choo, we believe our dream to establish Malaysia as an international hub for shoe fashion and become a shoe-buying centre is possible.

“We believe this event will not only create an economic opportunity but will also attract more tourists to the country,” she said, noting that Malaysian brands such as Vincci, Bonia, Carlo Rino and Lewre had penetrated the international market.

– BERNAMA

Shoe festival to kick off in April

KUALA LUMPUR: Come April, Malaysia will be a showcase for everything related to shoes.

As part of Tourism Ministry’s plans to strengthen its standing as one of the top tourist destinations in the world, the inaugural Malaysian International Shoe Festival will kick off in April, showcasing the best of locally-made footwear, including traditional shoes and their history.

The masterplan for this idea, said Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen, was to expand the RM1 billion local shoe industry and attract foreign tourists to spend in Malaysia, especially during the Formula 1 Grand Prix period.

“We not only want them to attend the F1 race, we also want them to spend money. Last year, the F1 weekend spending totalled RM64 million. We want to see more of that.”

She said the Malaysian GP Sale, which is the basis for the shoe festival, would be the first of three major sales this year to turn Malaysia into a shopping paradise. The 37-day GP Sale begins on March 6.
“In Asean, there is no shoe festival and Malaysia’s shoe industry is quite big although we are not aware of it. We want to develop this as an economy.

“We have Datuk Jimmy Choo, nobody else has Jimmy Choo.”

Dr Ng said the Malaysian-born, world-famous shoemaker would speak at a seminar on shoes and health, and showcase 10 of his best creations.

“We have many shoe manufacturers in the country. We have a lot of beaded shoes, which are so expensive overseas,” she said.

“My dream is for Malaysia to become a shoe buyer’s centre. People go to Milan to look for fashion.

“So, in Asean, if they want to buy shoes, they can wait for this festival. We should not only start the event but also sustain it.”

Co-organised by the Malaysian Footwear Association, some of the brands that will be showcased at the festival include Vincci, Bonia, Sembonia, Carlo Rino, Jukebox, Larrie, Nose, Asadi and Lewre.

Visitors can view and place orders for custom-made shoes during the show, which will be held at the Putra World Trade Centre for two days beginning April 2.

旅游部与鞋业厂商公会 首度联办鞋业展览

（吉隆坡9日讯）旅游部长拿督黄燕燕医生说，为了鼓励大马商家投身鞋业发展，旅游部与马来西亚鞋业厂商公会首度联手举办大马国际鞋业展览会。

她在记者会上说，该展览会将于4月2日至4日，在吉隆坡世界贸易中心举行，出题为“走向团结—一个马来西亚”，并邀请到首相夫人拿汀斯里罗丝玛主持开幕。

鞋王周仰杰分享经验

她宣布，展览会当天，大马旅游大使兼“世界鞋王”拿督周仰杰将会与业者分享制鞋及设计鞋样的经验，提高大马制鞋领域在国际上的形象。

另一方面，她透露，我国目前鞋业领域有近1000家厂商，大部分位于霹雳、雪兰莪及柔佛，每年生产逾7000万双鞋子。

“2009年，来马观光的外国游客，有近20%的游客购买本地制造的鞋子。而本地制造的鞋子出口额达到6亿令吉。”

出席新闻发布会的有周仰杰、大马鞋业厂商公会会长丁振民。

周仰杰在会上指出，他本身计划返马开办学院，发觉更多鞋业设计人才，并传授设计经验予学生。

黄燕燕：任高层司空见惯‧女性决策力应受肯定

星洲日报 · 2010.03.07

黄燕燕盼“旅游德士” 助带动旅游业发展

（吉隆坡6日讯）旅游部长拿督斯里黄燕燕医生冀望获选的100辆“旅游德士”，能成为国内德士的模范，以及协助带动旅游业的发展。

她说，获选的100辆“旅游德士”，将使用里数表，及具备干净、内置旅游手册及态度亲切等特色。

“我在外国推动国内旅游业时，许多人都抱怨我国德士服务，包括没使用里数表及肮脏等。”

黄燕燕主持旅游部新春聚餐活动开幕仪式后，在记者会上这么说。在场嘉宾包括旅游部副部长拿督詹姆士及马来西亚国际美食节筹委会主席拿督史迪达。

黄燕燕说，旅游部将负责在100辆旅游德士的车身，绘上我国旅游的特色，包括景点及美食等。

“这是一项双赢的合作，德士车身因此可变得更为五颜六色，包括可能获得更多小费等。”

另外，她说，我国旅游业成功在去年取得杰出的成绩，成为全球7个旅游人次增长的国家之一。

“我想特别感谢旅游部的官员、旅游机构、业者及今天餐会的所有出席者，我认为这是值得骄傲的成绩。”

Melaka, KL bandar kasut

KUALA LUMPUR 19 Feb. – Kementerian Pelancongan berhasrat menjadikan Melaka dan Kuala Lumpur sebagai bandar kasut yang terkemuka di dunia.

Menterinya, Datuk Seri Dr. Ng Yen Yen berkata, untuk tujuan itu, kementeriannya akan memastikan semua jenis kasut yang dipamer di kedua-dua bandar raya itu adalah buatan tempatan, manakala yang antarabangsa pula hanya melibatkan jenama terkenal sahaja,

“Langkah itu diambil kerana pembuatan kasut adalah salah satu industri tradisional di Malaysia yang mencatatkan jualan kira-kira RM1 bilion setiap tahun.

“Oleh sebab itu, saya berharap bandar kasut di kedua-dua bandar raya itu boleh dilaksanakan dalam masa terdekat ini,” kata beliau dalam kenyataannya di sini semalam.

Dalam pada itu, tambah Yen Yen, kementeriannya akan menganjurkan Karnival Kasut Antarabangsa buat julung kalinya pada 2 dan 3 April depan bertempat di Pusat Dagangan Dunia Putra (PWTC).

Menurutnya, pada karnival itu, pelbagai jenama kasut keluaran tempatan serta antarabangsa akan dipamerkan.

“Bagi menganjurkan karnival ini, Kementerian Pelancongan akan bekerjasama dengan Persatuan Pengilang Kasut Malaysia. Ia bagi membolehkan pengguna dan pelancong menikmati suasana membeli-belah yang menarik.

“Ia juga adalah salah satu usaha untuk mempromosikan jenama tempatan ke mata dunia,” katanya.

Sementara itu, kata Yen Yen, pada bulan lalu, seramai 1,896,918 pelancong asing melawat negara ini iaitu meningkat 1.4 peratus jika dibandingkan pada tempoh yang sama tahun lalu.

“Pada Januari tahun lalu, 1,871,099 telah melawat negara ini,” katanya.

Dalam pada itu, beliau mahu sektor perhotelan memberi lebih tumpuan kepada usaha memberi layanan terbaik terhadap tetamu.

“Layanan yang diberikan oleh pekerja-pekerja hotel di Jepun misalnya sangat istimewa dan saya tidak pernah terima layanan yang sama di negara lain mahupun di Malaysia,” katanya.

Popular beach victim of neglect

KOTA BARU: Popular beach resort Pantai Cahaya Bulan here is one of the tourist spots in the state that the Tourism Ministry has identified as dirty. Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen said the ministry had problems promoting the beach and other sites in the state for fear of being accused by tourists of marketing unsightly locations.

“As the beach is a natural site, all the state government should do is enhance its beauty with proper maintenance work.

“But the lack of maintenance by the local council has resulted in poor cleanliness at the beach,” she told a press conference after attending a Chinese New Year open house held at the Chinese Chamber of Commerce here yesterday.

Dr Ng said the ministry had allocated RM500,000 over the last five years to build basic facilities such as public toilets for the convenience of visitors at the beach.

Altogether, she said the ministry spent RM31 million on the state over the same period to carry out programmes to upgrade, rehabilitate and maintain various tourist sites.

Drift wood and rubbish litter the popular Pantai Cahaya Bulan.

She said other popular tourist spots which suffered the same neglect were Siti Khadijah market here, Pantai Irama in Bachok, Rantau Panjang entry point and Pergau Dam in Jeli.

“The state government should have a master plan for tourism so that the tour products in Kelantan can be properly developed.

“They should also be more tourism-driven as Kelantan has culture, traditional performing arts, foods and nature sites to offer as tourism products.”

Dr Ng said the ministry would now review the ability of local councils nationwide to carry out maintenance work before approving allocations for tourism purposes.

Nationwide, she said Malacca had set the benchmark for keeping its tourist spots in commendable condition.

Dr Ng: Keep tourism spots safe and tidy

RAUB: Popular tourists spots should be maintained as safe and conducive places so that foreigners will choose Malaysia as a preferred holiday destination, said Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen.

She said that members of the public should help the authorities to build this image.

Dr Ng said the safety of foreign visitors should never be taken lightly as they brought in revenue of RM51bil a year.

“The tourism industry will suffer if foreign visitors decided to forgo Malaysia.

NEW YEAR GOODIES: Dr Ng (fifth from left), Lam (fourth from left) and Lim (sixth from left) presenting red packets to senior citizens at Ah Fatt Restaurant in Raub recently.

“Many investment and job opportunities will be affected and our people will lose out,” she said.

Dr Ng, who is also Raub MP, urged the people to work closely with the authorities to safeguard the country’s peace, particularly the safety of foreign visitors.

“I assure foreigners that the authorities are doing their best to uphold law and order.

“The crime situation is very much under control and Malaysia is a safe destination compared to others,” she said.

Dr Ng also urged local councils to maintain cleanliness at all tourism sites in their respective jurisdictions.

She said that the cleanliness of public toilets and the surrounding areas must not be overlooked as it reflected the state of the country.

“I have received complaints of dirty toilets and poor maintenance of public amenities at tourist spots.

“Local councils should respond to such complaints promptly as they have an adverse effect on tourism in the long term,” she said, adding that some tourism spots were developed by her ministry and handed over to local councils for maintenance.

She said that local councils could privatise public amenities such as toilets and playgrounds or employ single mothers or healthy senior citizens to upkeep them.

Earlier, Dr Ng presented Chinese New Year goodies and red packets to senior citizens here with Raub MCA division chairman Datuk Seri Lam Kam Sang and Raub Wanita MCA chief Lim Nget Yoon.

Ng cries foul over toilets