This Week >> 7/17/2008
This week Let's Travel! journeys to Malaysia, a multicultural melting pot of races and religions and extreme contrasts. We'll visit Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of nearly 7 million people, and home of the Petronus Tower, once the world's tallest building, and the KL tower at 1100',Penang, the "food paradise" of Malaysia and southeast Asia, and Malacca, a historic colonial city conquered by the Portuguese, the Dutch, and finally the British. And we'll discover the culture, food, and art of Malaysia and explore cool hideaways, sandy beaches and rich, humid mangroves. Mr. Taib Ibrahim, the VP for tourism in NA will lead a distinquished panel who will tell us what there's to see and do in Malaysia this coming season.
To view the official tourism site of Malaysia, click here
Where we'll be exploring
MalaysiaMalaysia is a country that consists of thirteen states and three federal territories in Southeast Asia with a total landmass of 329,847 square kilometres (127,355 sq mi). The capital city is Kuala Lumpur, while Putrajaya is the seat of the federal government. The population stands at over 25 million. The country is separated into two regions — Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo — by the South China Sea. Malaysia borders Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei and the Philippines. The country is located near the equator and experiences a tropical climate. Malaysia is headed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and politically led by a Prime Minister. The government is closely modeled after the Westminster parliamentary system.
Malaysia as a unified state did not exist until 1963. Previously, a set of colonies were established by the United Kingdom from the late eighteenth century, and the western half of modern Malaysia was composed of several separate kingdoms. This group of colonies was known as British Malaya until its dissolution in 1946, when it was reorganized as the Federation of Malaya and later recognized as an independent nation in 1957. Singapore, Sarawak, British North Borneo and the Federation of Malaya joined to form Malaysia on 16 September 1963. With a GDP per capita standing at USD 13,000, it has, from time to time, been considered a newly industrialized country. As one of three countries that control the Strait of Malacca, international trade plays a large role in its economy. At one time, it was the largest producer of tin, rubber and palm oil in the world. Manufacturing has a large influence in the country's economy.
The Malays form the majority of the population. Some Malays are of Arab descent and there are sizable Chinese and Indian communities. Islam is the largest as well as the official religion of the federation. The Malay language is the official language. Malay was originally written in Jawi, based on Arabic script, but nowadays, the Roman alphabet (Rumi) is more often used.
Malaysia is a founding member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and participates in many international organizations such as the United Nations. As a former British colony, it is also a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. It is also a member of the Developing 8 Countries.
Guests
Tourism Malaysia, New York Office
Taib became the director of the Tourism Malaysia New York office in 2006. Prior to this, Taib was based in Malaysia's capital city of Kuala Lumpur as the Head of Administration and Finance for the International Promotion Division, and worked extensively with the ASEAN Council between 2000 and 2006. Before that, Taib served as the Overseas Director in Perth, Australia from 1995 to 2000. The Tourism Malaysia New York office oversees the efforts of Tourism Malaysia in the Eastern portion of the US in educating American travelers and encouraging them to explore the beautiful country of Malaysia. Since becoming director, Taib has made great strides in promoting Malaysia as a premier destination for American travelers through roadshows, exhibitions, interviews, meetings, and programs such as this year's Melaka Food Festival at the United Nations Delegates Dining Room.
Taib's outlook on Malaysia
Our diversity can be seen in the experiences we offer -- Malaysia features everything from eco-tourism and adventure activities to fabulous shopping and dining; from luxury resorts and expansive golf courses to longhouse accommodations where visitors can taste a bit of indigenous life preserved from centuries past. I truly believe that Malaysia embodies the essence of Asia and is filled to the brim with both natural and cosmopolitan beauty alike – from the world's oldest rainforests to its tallest twin towers.
We hope that more American travelers will come explore our country and see for themselves the fascinating experience we have to offer.
Friendly Planet
Peggy, a veteran of the travel and tourism industry, started Friendly Planet in 1981 to specialize in exotic destination travel. In 2004, Friendly Planet began offering tours to Malaysia, specifically one that offered tours to Malaysian Borneo (the adventure-seeker's favorite states of Sarawak and Sabah) and Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia's cosmopolitan capital). Friendly Planet decided to offer the destination because it gave travelers a great experience with a lot of value, at an incredibly good price. The tour operator is known for creating cost-effective packages that are both "up-scale" and "sophisticated." Since it began offering the Borneo Adventure package, Friendly Planet has seen growing results and good feedback from its clientele, and plans to continue offering tours to Malaysia, as well as create new programs to the country.
What she will talk about
Peggy will share her expertise and her experiences in selling the destination, and the high degree of satisfaction her clients have reported after visiting Malaysia. Her clients love the physical beauty of the country, including the landscapes and seascapes. They were also fascinated by the cultural mix of the people, which is also reflected in the architecture, the markets and crafts, and the amazing cuisine (toward which travelers are particularly effusive in praise). Other traveler favorites include the rainforests -- which are older than even the Amazon -- and the exploration of the flora and fauna, all of which are the major focus for Friendly Planet's tours. Peggy will also share her customers' delight at the country's world class facilities, gorgeous beach resorts, and startling affordability.
Kathy Wong, Chef and Co-Owner
Laut Malaysian Restaurant
Laut Malaysian Restaurant
15 East 17th Street
New York, NY 10003
Tel: (212) 206-8989
www.lautnyc.com
Kathy has been in the New York restaurant industry for more than two decades. After arriving in the Big Apple with her husband in 1987, Kathy worked in a variety of different restaurants before opening her first establishment in 1995. Laut Malaysian Restaurant, Kathy's third restaurant, recently opened in 2008. Kathy and her husband created Laut in order to share with New Yorkers the diverse, savory and delectable cuisine that Malaysia is famous for.
What she will talk about
During the interview, Kathy will be sharing information on Malaysia's traditional and fusion cuisine. As Malaysia is home to three major Asian ethnicities -- Malay, Chinese and Indian -- its cuisine reflects this diversity. Also, as each of these ethnicities and cultures have thrives in peaceful co-existence in the country for many years, Malaysia has become a hotbed for fusion cuisine, which combines the tastes and spices from each of these styles of cooking.
Some Background on Malaysian Cuisine
Malaysian cuisine is an exotic mélange of the multi-cultural background that depicts this colorful Southeast Asian country. Some of the exotic spices that one can often find used in Malaysian cuisine includes: lemongrass, ginger bud, galangal, fresh turmeric/lime leaf/curry leaf/basil leaf, ginger, garlic; coriander, cumin, cardamon, cloves cinnamon, star anise, chilies and many other spices. Other often-used ingredients are coconut milk, tamarind palm sugar, shallots and etc.
Malaysia has the unique blend of flavor where people from different ethnicities and cultures enjoy each other's style of cooking. Laut Malaysian Restaurant demonstrates this diversity of offerings by serving a range of good authentic food, like satay (chicken/beef skewer in fresh grounded spices with peanut sauce, one of Malaysia's signature dishes); rendang which is simmered with exotic spices and coconut milk and comes with choice of beef, shrimp, chicken or vegetables; roti canai (Indian bread with dipping curry sauce); and mee goreng (spicy sautéed Indian egg noodles). Also, the Chinese are famous for their Char Kueh Teow (stir fried broad noodles) and curry noodle soup.
Simon Russell, Photographer
Simon first traveled to Malaysia in 1994. During that visit, he spent two months traveling across the country, photographing and experiencing everything from the perfect white sandy beaches of Peninsula Malaysia's East Coast to the lush rainforests of the state of Sarawak (on Malaysian Borneo). Simon was captivated by Malaysia's beauty and culture, and particularly fascinated by the people he met along the way. The way in which the Malaysian people opened their lives, and their hearts, to him in his everyday experience provided an intimacy and understanding that made the images he took profoundly more powerful and true. Simon credits the experience as his inspiration for becoming a professional photographer, and has traveled to Malaysia countless time in the years since.
What he will talk about
Simon will discuss his memories and experiences from photographing in Malaysia for the past 14 years, including some of his favorite locations and Malaysia's growth and evolution as he's seen through his lenses. The locations that he believes has really shined over the years are:
1. The 10 days he spent in an Iban Longhouse in Sarawak photographing the Gawai Festival
2. Climbing Mt. Kinabalu (the tallest peak in Southeast Asia) in Saba
3. Night markets all over Malaysia
4. The serenity of the Perhentian Islands
5. The Mulu Caves in Sarawak
Below are some photographs of Simon's. You can view the rest of his work here or email him at simonrussell@nyc.rr.com
(Click to enlarge)
Sylvia Sidin, Corporate Sales Rep
Malaysia Airlines (MAS)
Sylvia began working for Malaysia Airlines almost four years ago and is currently in charge of the airline's corporate sales in the North America Eastern Region. Prior to this, she worked in the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board -- New York office -- for four years. In 2001, when Malaysia's Ministry of Tourism decided to form local cultural troupes under the Tourism Malaysia umbrella worldwide, Sylvia decided to join the New York chapter of the Malaysian Cultural Dance Troupe. Since then, Sylvia has been the leader of the Troupe, which has performed all over the US and the Caribbean, bringing Malaysia's rich and colorful cultural diversity to numerous audiences.
What she will talk about
Sylvia will provide information on Malaysia Airline's flights from the US to Malaysia, as well as highlight the award-winning cabin service experience that travelers can expect while flying MAS. She will also share her experiences as a traditional dancer and as the leader of the Cultural Troupe, and how the Troupe is trained and goes about performances. Sylvia will talk about the different cultural dances of Malaysia and the importance of celebrating the multi-cultural people of Malaysia through dances. She will also explain the significance of the dances in the Troupe's repertoire -- which include traditional Malay, Chinese, Indian and indigenous dances -- and how it reflects upon the country's theme of "Malaysia Truly Asia."