Chinese Tourists Find "a Home Away From Home" in Malaysia

Thanks to the China-Malaysia visa-free policy, more Chinese tourists are exploring Melaka, uncovering its deep historical ties with Zheng He's voyages and the rich Baba-Nyonya culture.

 

 

Celtic saw out 2024 in sensational style at Celtic Park yesterday as they thumped bottom side St Johnstone 4-0. This Scottish Premiership outcome widens their lead over closest rivals Rangers to 14 points before a trip to Ibrox on Thursday.

 

The opener arrived from a familiar source. Reo Hatate burst through the middle of the park with the ball at his feet and sent an excellent pass out to Nicolas Kuhn. The winger cut inside towards the penalty area and smashed his shot beyond the goalie and in to the back of the net to give the Celts a well-deserved lead in the thirtieth minute.

 

Kuhn came close again before Kyogo Furuhashi benefitted from a well-worked corner to nod home from a yard in the 59th minute after the other side's keeper parried Paulo Bernardo's flick towards goal. Another arrived five minutes later for the Japanese striker thanks to a beautifully whipped low cross from Arne Engels and Kyogo smashed it first time into the back of the net. 

 

And then, substitute Daizen Maeda came on and gave a composed finish to a delightful dinked through ball from Bernardo in the seventy-third minute to secure Celtic's second 4-0 win of the week. 

 

 

Bagoong and Cincalok

I watched the Best Ever Food Review Show's video "Eating the Philippines WORST Rated Foods!! (It's bad...)" on YouTube on Tuesday and one dish that was highlighted and which caught my attention was bagoong sisi (or ginamos nga sisi) – essentially, fermented small oysters and clams – which are harvested from the Visayas region. And I read it only takes three days to ferment!

 

You should know that bagoong is the Filipino condiment made from salted and fermented raw seafood. This imbues the paste with the umami of the sea: proudly briny and deeply salty, with a funky aroma that's impossible to ignore. And it can be made from small shrimp or krill (bagoong alamang), fish (bagoong isda), and even oysters/clams (bagoong sisi).

 

How to use bagoong: 

• Serve it as a condiment alongside kare-kare (a thick, rich peanut stew that is a popular dish in the Philippines) or laing (a creamy, rich, and spicy Filipino dish of taro leaves cooked in coconut milk and spiced with chilies, garlic, shallots, lemongrass, ginger, and shrimp paste).
  
• Use it like salt to season pinakbet (also called pakbet), an indigenous Filipino dish from the northern regions of the Philippines. Pinakbet is made with a variety of mixed vegetables flavored with bagoóng. 
• Mix it with honey to make a chicken wing glaze or a sweet-salty dipping sauce. 
• Treat it like anchovies, as an ingredient in pasta or in Caesar salad dressing.

I'm fascinated with bagoong because this dish reminds me of cincalok, a pungent, salty, and sour condiment from my hometown Melaka, Malaysia that's made from fermented shrimp or krill (udang halus in Malay). And often used as an ingredient in dip for fish or vegetables. 

 

If you must know, it's a favorite of mine.

Nukes or NATO

Ukrainian President [V]olodmir [Z]elensky (left) has a new demand. To guarantee Ukraine's security, he wants to have nuclear weapons or immediate NATO membership.

 

German tabloid Bild reported on Thursday, citing a high-ranking Ukrainian official involved in weapons procurement that Kiev has the capability to build a nuclear weapon “in a few weeks”. 

 

I daresay that [Z]elensky has gone completely bonkers. If the nuke option is exercised, Ukraine will cease to exist because Russia will nuke the country first.

 

FYI, Ukraine has long claimed it had previously been among major nuclear powers, with its arsenal surrendered under the 1994 Budapest Memorandum. The document involved the US, UK, and Russia extending security assurances to Kiev in return for the removal of the weaponry. However, Kiev was never actually in control of the nuclear weapons, which were the leftovers of the Soviet arsenal that ended up in Ukrainian territory after the collapse of the USSR.

 

A Maybank Investment Bank report released yesterday noted that Malaysia is capitalising on a surge in Chinese tourists, with numbers expected to rise significantly by 2025.

 

This influx is driven by the “Xin-Ma-Tai” route – which connects Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand – attracting millions of Chinese visitors to Malaysia annually.

 

“Post-Covid, Malaysia and Singapore have emerged as winners in the race for Chinese visitors. Malaysia and Singapore are the only two countries in the top 10 list of countries most visited by Chinese with seat capacity (on flights) from China having surpassed pre-Covid levels”. 

 

The report also suggested that Malaysia’s tourism expenditure from Chinese visitors may double to over RM30 billion by next year, highlighting the growing spending power of Chinese tourists.

 

It said that Singapore’s location as a neighbor plays a crucial role in this growth, as many Chinese tourists enter Malaysia by land after visiting Singapore. The ease of travel between the two countries has boosted the attractiveness of the region for multi-destination tours, the report added.

 

Good news for the state of Melaka which has successfully tapped popular actress Fan Bingbing as a tourism ambassador, resulting in tourist arrivals exceeding its initial target at nearly 10 million as of September.

Fan Bingbing Drives Durian Frenzy Among Chinese Tourists in Melaka

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Popular Chinese actress Fan Bingbing has driven a wave of enthusiasm among tourists from China to Melaka, Malaysia to savor the luscious taste of the king of fruits, says Low Chee Leong. 

 

The Kota Laksamana assemblyperson said he was invited to interview the Chinese tourists enjoying the flavor and texture of the fruit at a stall along Jalan Tun Perak in Bachang, Melaka. 

 

“The stall owner wanted me to see the number of Chinese tourists patronising his roadside stall following the spike in durian frenzy after Fan’s promotion. We have seen a steep increase of tourists from China over these few weeks and many told me that they wanted to taste the same durian that the Chinese diva uploaded in her social media page while visiting here in June”, Low (right) said on Thursday. 

 

FYI, Fan was made the Visit Melaka 2024 (TMM2024) ambassador by Chief Minister Ab Rauf Yusoh, also in June and Low had been instrumental in arranging her visit to Melaka.

 

Low said there was an unexpected increase in arrival of Chinese tourists during their summer holidays from July 01 to Aug 31 and savoring the popular Musang King and Black Thorn topped the tour itinerary for durian lovers from the country. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He said the Chinese tourists also told him that the prices of durian are more affordable here compared to China, and they are offered a distinct durian-eating experience with the availability of different varieties. 

 

“Furthermore, these tourists can enjoy the freshest durians while holidaying here as well as tasting different types of local fruits”, he added. 

 

Low said tour companies are also offering unique experiences to the Chinese tourists as they include eating fresh durians as part of their holiday package besides visiting other tourist destinations. 

 

“Tour guides shared that they received positive feedback from Chinese tourists when they are brought to taste the durians while touring the historic city”, he added. 

 

Meanwhile, Edwin Teo, the owner of ZJY Fruit Trading at Jalan Tun Perak said he is able to offer cheaper and quality durians as he sources the fruits from his own orchards. 

 

“My partner and I have orchards in Raub in Pahang, Tangkak in Johor and Tehel here”, he said. 

 

Teo said the Chinese tourists visited his stall either accompanied by tour guides or via e-hailing rides after seeing the viral videos. 

 

“It’s good that I can play my role as a Melakan to make TMM2024 a successful initiative”, he said. 

 

Durian Olympics – Kee's World, a Malaysian cartoon:

 

😋😋😋

Miniature Diorama Showcases 15th-century Melaka

A band of Malaysian miniature artists has vividly recreated the atmosphere and daily life of 15th-century Melaka at a private miniature art gallery in Selangor, Malaysia.

 

Their 13m-long diorama, depicting the golden age of the Melaka Sultanate, features over 700 miniatures representing a multicultural society adorned in detailed traditional clothing and cultural attire. The exhibit also includes meticulously crafted replicas of palaces, houses, and transport systems, showcasing animals like elephants and oxen.

 

Even more fascinating, the diorama includes several replica trading ships, similar to those used by traders from China and Melaka, showcasing the trading relationship between the Melaka Sultanate and China that began in the 15th century, during the height of Melaka's prominence as the most important port in the region. 

 

Upon close examination, the static diorama reveals countless stories and narratives, engaging the mind to imagine the true essence of that era.

 

Founder of the WCO Art and Culture Gallery, Foo Loke Kee said the diorama is one of the artworks featured in the Malaysia-China Diplomatic Relations Miniature Exhibition, held in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

 

According to Foo, the beautiful diorama depicting the golden age of the Melaka Sultanate and its trade relations with China was successfully created by a group of miniature artists who took three years to complete after starting work in 2020. He said that producing the diorama required extensive references and research, combined with the expertise, talent and creativity of fine and miniature artists from various backgrounds and ethnicities.

 

"The craftsmen come from diverse backgrounds and possess unique skills. For instance, Malay and Chinese artisans worked together on this project. The palace, houses and ships were crafted by carpenter Mohd Zain Abd Aziz, the miniature figures by Helen Chua and other miniatures by Lai Pui Sun". 

 

The exhibition, which runs from May 31 to June 30, is held at the Galeri Seni Dan Budaya WCO, You Residences, Persiaran You City, in Cheras, Batu 9, Hulu Langat, Selangor. Admission is free. 

 

Foo added that there are four ship replicas: a 15th-century Galleass, the Baochuan (treasure ship), a Chinese Junk, and a Chinese Tongkang and these models illustrate maritime activities and trade with China in the waters and the Straits of Melaka.

 

Senator Prof. Emeritus Dr. Awang Sariyan (below photo on the far left) said the miniature exhibition symbolises the close relationship between Malaysia and China over five decades. It not only showcases the history of cooperation and achievements of the two countries but also inspires the public to understand the importance of this diplomatic relationship. 

 

"This exhibition portrays significant moments in bilateral relations, economy, trade and cultural exchanges that have taken place with China since the 15th century. We also hope that this exhibition can serve as a medium to strengthen the understanding and friendship between the people of the two countries, especially as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between our nations”, he said in his speech at the exhibition's opening on June 11, 2024.

 

Methinks, Tourism Melaka should reach out to Foo. And build a dedicated infrastructure to house these miniature artwork and turn them into a tourism product.

Congratulations Tourism Melaka!

Congratulations Tourism Melaka!

 

I daresay the "fuss" around Fan Bingbing has been worth it.

 

Data disclosed by Fan’s international manager, Jersey Chong, illustrates this Brobdingnagian interest. Over the course of just two days, on June 14 and 15, the number of searches for “Melaka” on WeChat exploded, reaching a staggering total of over 300 million searches.

 

WeChat statistics on Friday:

Fan Bingbing = 334,883,965 searches

Melaka = 165,082,653 searches

 

And on Saturday: 

Fan Bingbing = 461,138,243 searches

Melaka = 161,972,679 searches

 

Comparison to other big events in China during the same period: 

Shanghai International Film Festival = 2,280,795 searches

Weibo Movie Awards Ceremony 2024 = 3,472,115 searches

 

And if you still can't get enough of Fan Bingbing, here are more photos of her:

 

 

Fan Bingbing in Melaka

As I have highlighted in my blog on June 12, 2024, Chinese superstar Fan Bingbing was in Melaka, Malaysia from Friday to Sunday:

When asked why she chose Melaka as her travel destination this year, Fan said one of the reasons was the long history between Melaka and China.

 

Fan, who has 63 million followers on Weibo (a social media platform in China similar to X) and 4.1 million followers on Instagram, is often portrayed as the face of Chinese culture on the global stage.

 

Melaka Chief Minister Ab Rauf Yusoh said the state government were lucky as Fan’s Asian manager is a Malaysian and she suggested that the Chinese diva could offer her services to promote the state.

Visit Melaka Year 2024's International Tourism Ambassador

This year is Visit Melaka Year 2024 and the Historic State of Malacca (Malay: Melaka Negeri Bersejarah) gets ready to welcome Chinese actress Fan Bingbing who has been appointed the Malaysian state's International Tourism Ambassador for 2024. 

 

And so, the Melaka State Government did a giant mural of “Empress Wu” – one of the most popular characters that Fan has played in her acting career – at Lorong Hang Jebat in Jonker Walk. FYI, Wu Zhao (624–705), also known as Empress Wu Zetian, was the first and only woman emperor of China. 

 

The portrait is based on a still from one of Fan's 2014 TV series “The Empress of China” and which is based on events in the 7th and 8th-century Tang dynasty. It is 10 feet high and 10 feet wide and it uses water-based paint so as to protect the building located in the UNESCO World Heritage Zone.

 

Fan Bingbing will officiate the mural with Melaka Chief Minister Ab Rauf Yusof during her visit to the state this Friday (June 14).

 

 

Malaysia is a Top Global Destination for CNY

This year's Chinese New Year celebration witnessed a significant resurgence in consumer spending in cross-border tourism in Malaysia, signalling a robust rebound post-Covid-19. 

 

Malaysia became the fifth most popular destination globally for Chinese tourists, according to data from Alipay+ and Paynet. Other countries in Asia on the list of preferred travel locations for Chinese travelers are Japan, Thailand, Singapore and South Korea by their Alipay spending.

 

The data stated that spending in Malaysia in the first seven days of CNY was two times that of the same period in 2019 and more than 10 times that of 2023.

 

In fact, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore combined saw a 7.5 percent increase over 2019 and a 580 percent leap over 2023, with Thailand leading in total volume and Malaysia showing the most significant growth, according to a news report from New Straits Times published February 27. 

 

New visa-free policies from major Southeast Asia destinations, including Malaysia, are critical enablers of the cross-border travel boom, it is said.

 

[Note: Since November 2023, Alipay+ has been accepted by more than 1.9 million DuitNow QR merchants, giving Chinese tourists greater convenience to pay via their home e-wallets no matter where in the country they visit]. 

 

And if you exclude Chinese tourists, Malaysia ranks as the sixth most popular destination amongst other Asian tourists. 

 

The same New Straits Times had on January 23 highlighted Malaysia as the third most popular destination – after Japan and Thailand – for tourists to celebrate the Lunar New Year, according to digital travel platform Agoda. 

 

Booking data showed that Singapore, Brunei, China, Indonesia and South Korea as the top inbound markets to Malaysia, marking China's return as a top-five source market for the first time since 2019. 

 

And the five most popular destinations visited within Malaysia are Kuala Lumpur, followed by Johor Baru, Kota Kinabalu, Malacca and Penang", said Agoda in a statement.

China's Covid Variants Do Not Pose Any Threat

My previous post "A Mild Case of Covid" published on Monday refers. In case, you don't believe me, then listen to this Malaysian virologist!

 

Dr. Kumitaa Theva Das (left) of Universiti Sains Malaysia has come out to say there is no need to hit the panic button on the government’s decision to keep Malaysia’s borders open amid supposed concerns over a surge of Covid-19 cases in China. 

 

She says the two main Covid-19 subvariants, BA.5.2 and BF.7, which account for almost 80% of the variants found in China currently, are not newcomers to Malaysian shores. Meaning, they have been in Malaysia for quite some time already! 

 

She informs that it is “highly likely” that most Malaysians have developed immunity against BA.5.2, which was first detected in Malaysia around March 2022. As for BF.7, it first turned up in Malaysia around August and September last year in Selangor, Pahang and Melaka. 

 

“As we did not see an exponential increase in cases then, it is unlikely that the same subvariants would pose a threat to us now”, she reiterates. 

 

She adds that since BF.7 has been reported in more than 90 countries, China’s reopening should not be any different. 

 

I agree. Stop picking on China!

 

In case, anybody needs reminding, Covid is still around everywhere! And if the rest of the world is already living with Covid, why not China? Why should we treat China differently? Why single out China?

Flash Flood Warnings

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Malaysia’s national disaster management agency (Nadma) said 16 districts spread over seven states – Kedah, Perak, Selangor, Melaka, Johor, Kelantan and Sabah – are impacted by floods as of noon yesterday and affecting 3,014 victims from 932 families. 

 

MetMalaysia have warned of possible flash floods in parts of Penang and Sarawak, and more flooding in Kedah and Perak if downpours and thunderstorms persist.

 

Businesses are getting into the election fever by rewarding those who have performed their civic duty during Malaysia's 15th general election. 

 

All they need to do to claim these offers is to prove that they have voted by showing the indelible ink marked on their finger. 

 

For example, one piece of fried chicken for free with any purchase at Marrybrown. 

 

And GSC Cinemas are handing out a small box of popcorn to those who got inked, regardless of whether they also have a movie ticket. However, their Facebook post warned that only “limited stocks” are available. 

 

Meanwhile, Secret Recipe are giving a 30 percent discount on any drinks, and Bean Jr are giving away hot tau fu fah (a bean curd dessert) to voters. 

 

All the above offers are only valid on polling day which falls on November 19.

Melaka PRN Just Days Away

In Malaysia, Melakans are readying to go to the polls on November 20, with early voting just four days away on the 16th. 

The state election was called following the dissolution of the state legislative assembly on October 04, when four assemblypersons withdrew their support for then Melaka chief minister Sulaiman Md Ali from UMNO.

The foursome were Norhizam Hassan Baktee (Independent, previously DAP-Pengkalan Batu), Idris Haron (UMNO-Sungai Udang), Nor Azman Hassan (UMNO-Pantai Kundor), and Noor Effandi Ahmad (Bersatu-Telok Mas).

The electoral battle will be fought under the respective banners of the three coalitions, i.e. Barisan Nasional, Perikatan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan:

KL, Putrajaya and Selangor Move into NRP's Phase Four

In case you're wondering, Malaysia's Covid caseload is still high. Four digits.

Nonetheless, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Selangor will join Melaka to move from Phase Three to Four of the NRP from tomorrow. 

And Kedah, Kelantan, Penang, Perak, and Sabah and Kedah will move from Phase Two to Three on the same day as well. 

More easing of restrictions, e.g. Highway rest stops can operate 24 hours a day; e-hailing vehicles can resume carrying passengers without restrictions. 

And the quarantine period for fully vaccinated travellers from abroad is reduced to seven days, and for partially or non-vaccinated travellers, to 10 days. 

Since October 11, crossing state borders is already allowed. 

It is now believed that we will continue to experience outbreaks of Covid-19 here and there – but not on the same calamitous nationwide scale as the one we just experienced the past six months. 

As we transition to an endemic Covid-19 situation, health authorities seem convinced that the worst is behind us.

We will know soon enough.