Malindo Air Service to East Malaysia.

Most air travellers in East Malaysia has not stopped fuming over the termination of service by Fireflys Airline  in late 2011. This short haul full service Malaysia Airlines subsidiary was doing well when it suddenly cancelled its operation following the (now defunct) share swap deal between MAS and Air Asia in later part of 2011. At least there was a choice that East Malaysian had whether to fly with Firefly or Air Asia. Many, in fact, had preferred  the former(fireflyz) because of its apparent friendlier service.
Here come the new Low Cost Carrier which promotes itself as a hybrid airline would complement the local aviation industry ecosystem in addition to winning the rapid growth potential of the Asian market.Malindo Air, the new domestic low-cost carrier will start their operation on 1^st May 2013 from the new KLIA2 terminal and will operate flights between Malaysia and Indonesia initially. However, Malindo Air has brought forward the launch date to mid-March 2013 and will begin with domestic flights: Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu & Kuching.

A new hybrid airline offers low air fares with additional services is set to takeoff its first flight on 22 March 2013 after its success in getting the AOC from Department of Civil Aviation (DCA), Malaysia last month. This will mark the second low-cost carrier in Malaysia which offer additional service with affordable fares. This brand new airline will be operating Boeing 737-900ER.

Several interesting key point:

• Malindo Air will provide a hybrid service (Hybrid is an airline service concept which combine together both LCC and Premium service).
• Malindo Air will take off earlier from the original schedule in mid-March with 12 Boeing 737-900ER with 12-business class seats and 168 economy seats with the In-Flight Entertainment and Wi-Fi.
• Number of domestic flights destination in Malaysia will increase from time to time.
• Boeing 787 will be introduced in 2015.
• Ticket fare and the services is aimed to be on par if not lower that Air Asia.

 By using the slogan “Not Just Low Cost”, Malindo sure needs a pack of punch to break the AirAsia monopoly on the Malaysia market. It is believed that Malindo Airways is eyeing primarily AirAsia’s on the lucrative domestic market in Malaysia which is primarily on the east coast of the Malaysia that is Sabah and Sarawak. Theoretically Malindo Airways for being a new entrant in Malaysia will go all out for market share at the expense of profits by undercutting prices. AirAsia also on the other hand, may also want nip the competition in the bud by dropping fares. This will result in a full-scale price war.

The Last Day of Chinese New Year,Chap Goh Meh.

The last day of Chinese New Year, i.e., the 15th day is also known as Chap Goh Meh literally translated as the 15th night in the Fujian/Hokkien and Teochew dialects.My Tiong Hua friends told me that this traditional Chinese festival (on the 15th of the first month of the Chinese New Year) marks the end of the Chinese New Year celebrations.Chap Goh Meh, also dubbed as the Chinese Valentine’s Day, takes place on the  fifteenth night of Chinese New Year, and it is a day where young Chinese singletons gather up at a location in town to celebrate this special day. They celebrate this day in high hopes of finding their true love by writing their name and contact details on the mandarin oranges before throwing them into the pool of water.

 There are many different legends surrounding the festival’s origins, but most people believe it’s an old tradition to carry lanterns around on the street and set-off firecrackers on this day. Legend has it that because the Jade Emperor was angered by the death of his favourite crane when it was sent down from heaven but was killed by some villagers. The Jade Emperor then sent a troop to incinerate the village only to find that the village was already burnt to the ground. The villagers were able to escape death as the Jade Emperor’s daughter took pity on the villagers and warned the villagers beforehand. A wise man from another village also suggested hanging red lanterns around their house and set-off firecrackers on the 14^th, 15^th and 16^th lunar days.

Chap Goh Meh was also believed that it is the only day where young maidens were allowed to stroll on street and pray in temples in hopes to find the suitable match. That way, potential suitors would catch a glimpse of the young maidens who have dressed up to find their love. It is also believed that the maidens who threw oranges into lakes will find her future match when her ‘suitor’ picks up her orange. This story is possibly the reason why the tradition continues to be preserved until today.
Although the origin of the festival is quite superstitious, it is still a celebration that Chinese singletons look forward to each year. Apart from throwing oranges, cultural performances will also take place during the festival as well.

Millions celebrate Chinese New Year, welcoming Year of the Snake.

Chinese New Year is being celebrated around the globe, as Asians focus on family and friends in celebration of spring and new beginnings.Chinese New Year has been celebrated for centuries and is immersed in myths, legends and traditions. It’s a time to honor ancestors and deities.Families gather together for traditional meals, and homes are cleaned to “sweep” away any bad fortune that might have accumulated during the year. The heart and home is made ready for incoming good fortune in the new year.Homes are decorated with all sorts of items usually in red, which is the color for good luck symbolizing good fortune, wealth, happiness and longevity. Firecrackers are lighted to scare away bad fortune, and money is given in red envelopes for good luck.

The New Year Celebrations can only begin after paying respect to the ancestors.

On New Year's Eve, people will go to the temples and pray for good fortune for the new year.

They bring offerings of food and incense to please the spirits of the deceased so that they might bring good luck.

While traditions change from country to country, many families will thoroughly clean their homes on the eve of the New Year to "sweep out" the bad luck and make room for good luck.
However, families do not clean on New Year because that sweeps away the good luck.

 However, people learned that the Nian is scared of the color red. That is why many people will wear red on Chinese New Year, hang red lanterns or scrolls from their home or even paint their window frames the fortuitious color.

 The Year of the Snake is said to bring great opportunities to embark on a new career or studies

To-Day Is Chinese New Year Eve.

Today is the last day of the year according to Chinese lunar calendar. Tomorrow, we would welcome a new year of snake! Let me wish every Chinese an early greeting of Happy Chinese New Year or commonly known as Spring Festival in China. Everyone must have their Chinese New Year mode turned on by now, since the big day of festival is tomorrow itself. It’s Saturday, and so I guess many didn’t work today. Some would have gone back to hometown for reunion with their grandparents and relatives.

The Boatman or "Pak Tambang" of Kuching.

The sampans or "water taxis" have been in existence for as long as I can remember. Its primary role is to ferry people across the Sungai Sarawak. "Sungai" means river in the Malay language. Though not as romantic as the gondola of Venice (the boatman doesn't serenade) it is nevertheless a great experience to take a sampan ride and should be on the must do list of every visitor to Kuching. A "one way ticket" on the sampan cost 60 sen and it takes about 5 minutes to cross the Sungai Sarawak.

This image shoot with film camera loaded with kodak gold 200.

 The boatman or "pak tambang" starts work early in the morning and doesn't clock out until evening. The work is long and hard but the "pak tambang" takes it all in his stride and is always ready to greet his passengers with a smile. To supplement their income most of the boatmen have allowed big companies like Astro, Celcom and Digi to place advertisements on the sampan.

This image shoot with film camera loaded with film kodak gold 200.

 Almost all of the "pak tambang" are in their "twilight" years and if the younger generation don't take over from them, these icons of Kuching will disappear in the not too distant future.

This blog is a tribute to all "pak tambang". in Sarawak.

What Did You See To-Day? Serikin Border Market Revisited.

I brought my friend for a photography assignment in Serikin border market.The photographer & the owner of ABANA Foto (Abang Khalik) from Sibu ,he has not been here before. The weather was very hot that day, but luckily, not many people came. I already expected a crowded place and having a hard time getting a place to park the car, but it was the opposite.I did notice there were more stalls opened this time, but most were selling almost the same stuffs. You really need to visit each stalls to bargain the best price.Serikin is a little bordertown (at the Malaysia-Indonesi border), 80km from Kuching.
Below are set of photos that I shoot yesterday in Serikin :

 That me photograph the antique store. (photo credit to ABANA Foto.

The owner of ABANA Foto.

Classic Barbershop.

A classic, quality barbershop shave always includes a "hot towel," which goes on your face prior to the shaving. The experience is not only relaxing, but the heat and moisture from the hot towel serve to open your pores and soften your face skin.

The old school barbershop a place which is slowly being replaced by the new and swanky hair salons which have gained so much popularity in the last decade or so. I wonder too whether establishments like the one in the picture still exist in the big cities. Many of the younger generation  prefer to have their hair cut in the 'newer' establishments, most of which are unisex.

 Horizontal position for a good old fashion shave.

 Remember these old barber chairs? Would you go for a traditional hair cut and shave? It will only cost you RM8.00