IN A FLASH 26 JUNE 2009

IN A FLASH 26 JUNE 2009

GOOD AFTERNOON AND SALAM MUHIBAH.
IT IS NOW TIME FOR IN A FLASH.

Malaysia's production of aquaculture products is expected to reach 508 thousand metric tonnes or worth 6.9 billion ringgit by end of next year, Fisheries Department Director-General Datuk Junaidi Che Ayub said.

He said the products would come from 49 aquaculture industrial zones, covering 28 thousand hectares, in the country.

The areas, he said, included the fish in cage rearing projects at Temenggor Lake, Banding, Perak, and in Langkawi, Kedah.

The produce from Temenggor Lake would be exported to the US, while products from Langkawi would be exported to Hong Kong, he told reporters after opening the National Aquaculture Seminar here Thursday.





Referring to the aquaculture industrial zones, Junaidi, said the Agriculture and Agrobased Industry Ministry, through the National Aquaculture Development Plan, collaborated with the state governments in identifying the sites and providing the necessary assistance, including infrastructure, to aquaculture project operators, involving an allocation of RM358 million.


/ENDS – BERNAMA


This year's Malaysian Mega Sale Carnival (MMSC) with the theme "Malaysia Your Shopping Oasis" from July 4 to August 31, will have Middle Eastern flavour.

Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen said Tourism Malaysia would be introducing various events based on the Middle-East concept.

A showcase of Middle Eastern music and performances, called the Samrah Festival, would be held at Bukit Bintang every Friday and Saturday from July 10, she told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday.

She also said awards would be given to shopping malls and retailers who decorated their premises according to the theme.

She added categories for the Best Window Display Contest include departmental stores, specialty stores and food and beverages outlets while categories for the MMSC 2009 July Shopping Centres award include Central Bussiness District shopping centres and Suburban shopping centres.

She said Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, the wife of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, would launch MMSC 2009 on July 5 at Pavilion KL in Bukit Bintang.

Forty-four foreign journalists and television crews who were invited to Malaysia under the Mega Familiarisation programme in conjuction with the event would also be there. They were from Australia, Brunei, Indonesia, China, India, Iran, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates.

Asked about the low occupancy rate for the homestay programme, Ng said the ministry was reviewing it with a view to revitalising the programme.


She then said that homestay is a rural tourism economy and many foreign tourists prefer to stay at a homestay as they want to experience life in the village.

Unfortunately, the homestay operators had not really understood the concept, she added.


//ENDS – BERNAMA

THAT’S THE END OF IN A FLASH FOR TODAY.
SALAM MUHIBAH.