Book Fest Malaysia 2013

If you've yet to visit this year's Book Fest, you have until tomorrow to do it.

BookFest @ Malaysia, established since 2006 is aimed at showcasing leading publishers, exhibiting the latest most innovative stationery, CD and Multimedia products. This much-anticipated yearly bookfair has more than 600 booths, allowing hundreds of publishing houses, book and stationery distributors from all over Asia and elsewhere including United Kingdom, United States and Canada, to present and display their goods.

Available are millions of books from the latest and best collection of Chinese, English and Malay titles.

The Book Fest occupies a total of 133,000 square feet of exhibition space.  The Chinese Pavilion is located at Halls 1 & 2; the English Pavilion in Halls 4 & 5 and the Lifestyle Pavilion in the Grand Ballrooms 1 & 2 as well as the Banquet Hall of Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

This year's BookFest @ Malaysia 2013 was officially launched on 2 August 2013. The exhibition opens from 10 am to 10 pm daily starting from 3 till 11 August 2013. Admission is RM 2.50 per ticket. FREE admission is given to students 18 years & below and senior citizens 60 years & above.

Visit the Bookfest Malaysia website for more details.

Current situation of Haze in Malaysia - Kuala Lumpur, Muar, Singapore - June 24, 2013

Check out 2015 Current Situation of the Haze here.

The air quality in Kuala Lumpur has still not improved from yesterday. I'm not able to get a current PSI reading for KL but a mask is still a good friend to go outdoors with.

Fiery red supermoon  over the hazy backdrop in Kuala Lumpur last night - The Star

The haze in Malaysia has today escalated to unhealthy levels on the API or PSI and in certain districts, even to crisis levels. Schools in these parts of the country have been ordered to close today - Selangor and Kuala Lumpur; Negeri Sembilan including Port Dickson; Malacca; Kuantan and other districts in Pahang; and Segamat, Muar, Ledang, Batu Pahat, Kluang in Johor.

In Muar, the district has been declared to be on emergency status meant to encourage the people to stay indoors due to the haze which hit a dangerous 750 on the API (Air Pollutant Index).

“People are still allowed to go about with their normal routines but for their own good, they should try and stay inside as much as possible and wear masks,” Muar District Officer Abdul Rahman Muhamed Dewan said during a press conference on Sunday.

Muar folk brave thicker haze today despite state of emergency - The Star

Under the emergency guidelines, aimed at ensuring public safety and health, federal, state and district level natural disaster, management committees must advise the closure of schools and childcare centres, government and private sector offices and other work premises, including factories, plantations, construction sites, quarries and earthwork sites.

However, services related to water, electricity, public health, safety, radio and telecommunication, transport and finances are exempt.

The number of hotspots in Sumatra is reported to have doubled.

Here's an indication of the haze menace - KL PSI reading and elsewhere in the country at different times of the day (yesterday, I believe), and visibility info - as reported in The Star today..

Visibility problem affected two Malaysia Airlines flights from Kuala Lumpur to Kuantan. Two flights had to be cancelled because visibility in Kuantan was at only 400km. All other operations were normal and the situation was being monitored.

API readings between 51 and 100 are considered “moderate”, 101 to 200 as “unhealthy” and 201 to 300 “very unhealthy”.

Any reading above 300 is “hazardous” while readings above 500 come under “emergency”.

Authorities are prepared to carry out cloud seeding but there is practically “no cloud to seed” as moisture in the atmosphere is being drawn to the Tropical Storm Bebinca that is hitting south China. The storm is expected to make landfall today and when this happens, the situation is expected to change and we will see if the cloud-seeding can be carried out then,” said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim.

The Star reported today that Tourists still flock to KLCC despite haze with an American tourist saying his trip was not spoiled by the haze, adding optimistically that the “smog would be gone soon”.

Chinese tourist Mark Xiong, 27, who was wearing a face mask, said the haze was actually not too bad, adding that “in Beijing, the air quality was sometimes very bad”.

And in Malacca..

Say ‘haze’: A woman posing for a camera near a beach in Malacca despite the haze in the state. - The Star

*wide grin*

Meanwhile, face masks are flying off store shelves in no time.. and traders have been warned not to take advantage of the situation by raising prices.

Let's take a look at the haze situation in Singapore. Straits Times reported a moderate PSI reading in Singapore of between 51-100 this morning.

Clear skies at tourist spots..

Gardens by the Bay late yesterday afternoon - clear skies - Straits Times

Stay safe, stay indoors..whenever possible.

Attractions in Kuala Lumpur at the KLCC

Schools are closed for the holidays these two weeks here in Malaysia. If you were to go downtown or visit places where there are attractions, these places would be crowded teeming with happy excited faces, the schoolchildren's.

Being the capital city of the country, Kuala Lumpur provides a wide choice of student travel sites from attractions in the city to jungle-trekking at FRIM, the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia over at Kepong to the Bird Park and museums.  There are more than enough attractions to fill up for a week's excursion here in Kuala Lumpur. 


I was at KLCC (Kuala Lumpur City Centre) last weekend and saw a large group of excited schoolchildren lining up waiting to gain admittance into the PetroSains Science Discovery Centre, an attraction located inside the KLCC where the Petronas Twin Towers are. This is a must-see place when you are in KL especially if you have small children with you. Oh, while you are in KLCC, you may also want to visit the Aquaria KLCC, a state-of-the-art oceanarium showcasing over 5000 different exhibits of aquatic and land-bound creatures. For music-lovers, take in a performance or two at the Petronas Philharmonic, Malaysia's first world class concert hall in Kuala Lumpur for classical music.

Prince William and Kate on Far East tour

Source
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate Middleton, are on a tour of the Far East as representatives of Queen Elizabeth II in conjunction with the celebration of her Diamond Jubilee. Malaysia is included in the itinerary. Their Royal Highnesses arrived at KL International Airport on Thursday, Sep 13, to begin their three-day official visit in the city.

Malaysia was their second destination after Singapore in their 9-day tour of the Far East and South Pacific. Let's trace their footsteps a little to see the activities they have been involved in..

Will and Kate on their way to Seri Perdana for lunch with the Prime Minister and his wife after arriving at KLIA - Source

Prince William and his wife Catherine pose with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor at Seri Perdana - Source

The royal couple later visited Hospis Malaysia, a charitable organisation which offers professional palliative care to patients suffering from life-limited illnesses, and received a warm welcome from residents and children from a nearby kindergarten.

School children waiting for the arrival of Prince William and his wife Catherine outside Hospis Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur Thursday - Source

Prince William and Catherine unveiling a plaque at Hospis Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur - Source

The Duchess of Cambridge shares a light moment with a boy and a woman - Source

In the evening, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge had an audience with the King and Queen, Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Hajah Haminah and attended a royal banquet at Istana Negara.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge pose for a photograph with Malaysian King Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah, Queen Haminah Hamidun, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak and wife Rosmah Mansor at the palace in Kuala Lumpur - Source
Included in the royal couple's itinerary was a visit to the Kuala Lumpur City Centre and in Sabah, the Danum Valley, a primary tropical rainforest in Sabah. They left for the Solomon Islands on Sunday (yesterday).

School children waiting to welcome the arrival of Prince William and Kate Middleton during their 'cultural walkabout' at KLCC Park in Kuala Lumpur on Friday. The iconic Petronas Twin Towers in the background. - 14 September, 2012 - Source

Wonderful weather for a walkabout in the KLCC Park. Pretty flowers for a pretty lady..

Prince William and Catherine Middleton making their way to the Assyakirin Mosque during the royal couple's walkabout at KLCC Park on Friday

Respectful: Prince William and his wife Kate take their shoes off - Source

Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, giving a speech during a business luncheon hosted by the British Malaysian Chamber of Commerce at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre on Friday. - Reuters - 14 September, 2012 - Source

Brave face: The Duchess of Cambridge smiled her way through a tea party at the British High Commission in Kuala Lumpur despite the news that a French magazine has published topless pictures of her on holiday - Source

Grim faced: With lips pursed, the Royal pair head down the red carpet towards a waiting Boeing 737-800 jet at Kuala lumpur's airport taking them to their next stop, Sabah, East Malaysia.

Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate Middleton, wear the beaded jewellery Pinakol, synonymous with the Rungus ethnic culture, on their arrival at the Shangri-La Tanjung Aru Beach Resort in Kota Kinabalu for a two-day visit to Sabah. NORMIMIE DIUN/The Star

The royal couple visited a rainforest in Borneo and enjoyed the high life - by being hoisted up a 130ft rainforest tree by ropes and walking along a 300-metre long canopy bridge.

Kate joked: 'I'm going to go "whee" and fly the way up.'

William and Kate toured the Danum Valley research centre in Sabah, one of the two States that make up the Malaysian part of Borneo. More: Dailymail - including a video

After lunch, much to their delight, they were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of an Orang-Utan family, a mother, father and their baby, while with a guide from the lodge.

An Orang-Utan seen near the tree William and Kate were hoisted up by forest conservationists

The couple have vowed not to let the furore over a magazine's decision to publish topless pictures of the Duchess derail their nine-day Diamond Jubilee tour of South East Asia and the South Pacific.

The say they are determined to press ahead with their high profile visit.

A source close to William and Kate, said they felt intense anger and disappointment at what had happened but believed very strongly that the tour was far too important to British interests abroad to be allowed to suffer.

'The Duke and Duchess are hugely disappointed by what has happened but both feel very strongly that it should be business as usual,' the source said.

'They feel it has been a great success so far and have thoroughly enjoyed the places they have visited and the people they have met.

The couple launched a legal action in the French courts against Closer magazine for what they described as a 'grotesque' and 'unjustifiable' breach of their privacy.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton, concluded their four-day visit to Malaysia Sunday.

They were given a traditional red carpet send-off at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport at about 7am. Next stop: the Solomon Islands and Tuvalu.

On to Solomon Islands: Kate is crowned an Island Princess as she wears decorative headpiece given by well-wishers during village visit in South Pacific

More..
Photo gallery from The Star
Photo gallery from The Telegraph, UK
Videos from The Star

Related articles:
- Prince William and Kate Middleton arrive for three-day visit
- Royal couple endear themselves to guests with down-to-earth approach
- Tea and sympathy for Kate as she puts on a brave smile but grim-faced William shows his anger after topless photo outrage
- Scene of the crime: Royals confirm legal action against French mag as we reveal spot where long-lens photo of topless Kate was taken
- Will and Kate end Malaysia visit and head for Solomon Islands
- 'I'm going to go whee and fly the way up': Wills and Kate are royal high-nesses as they forget their troubles by being hoisted up a 130ft tree in Borneo rainforest
- Kate is crowned an Island Princess as she wears decorative headpiece given by well-wishers during village visit in South Pacific

Book Fair / BookFest @ Malaysia is back!

Officially called BookFest @ Malaysia, this is a Book Fair or book exposition not to be missed..

Established since 2006, the aim of BookFest @ Malaysia is to showcase leading publishers, exhibit the latest most innovative stationery, CD and Multimedia products. This much-anticipated book fair, deemed one of the largest book expositions held in the region, has more than 600 booths, allowing hundreds of publishing houses, book and stationery distributors from all over Asia and beyond to present and display their goods.

The fair will feature publishers from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Singapore and Malaysia. Millions of titles in English, Chinese and Malay will be available, housed in two pavilions know as the Chinese Pavilion and the English Pavilion.

This year, BookFest @ Malaysia will occupy a total space of 125,000 square feet of Hall 1 - 5 and Grand Ballroom 1 & 2, Level 3. The Chinese Pavilion will be located at Hall 1 & 2, English Pavilion in Hall 4 & 5 as well as a Lifestyle Pavilion in the Grand Ballroom 1 & 2, Level 3 of the convention centre.

This mega book fair/exposition will take place over a period of 9 days, from Aug 18 (tomorrow) right up to Aug 26, coinciding with the school holidays. For those who are visiting, you can look forward to a wide range of fun-filled exciting activities including performances, contests, as well as meet-the-authors sessions throughout the entire duration of the exposition. Chinese-inclined events will be held in Main Stage @ Hall 1 while the English-inclined events will be held in Stage @ Hall 5.

Officially launched today, Aug 17, BookFest @ Malaysia 2012 will open from 10 am to 10 pm daily from 18 - 26 August 2012. Admission is RM 2.50 per ticket. FREE admission is given for students 18 years & below and senior citizens 60 years & above.

Source: Book Fest

New Year fireworks around the world

If extra-terrestrials were monitoring Earth activity during New Year's eve, they'd think the Earth was cracking up with colorful explosions! Even in Kuala Lumpur itself, there were more countdown venues this year with their own fireworks display.

Found some good shots of fireworks around the world online.

Here's one of the display at KLCC - Image shows fireworks next to skyscrapers Petronas Twin Towers during the New Year celebrations in Kuala Lumpur

Of course, there's nothing like seeing the fireworks in person but nevermind, a video could serve as a good substitute. This one is in HD and taken from a strategic location at K Residence Apartments. The best effort on YouTube after checking out the rest. Enjoy!


Here's another pyrotechnics show, an even better one. This one is in London featuring the London Eye. Awesome display. Must watch.


The above video is borrowed from AllVoices.com. There's also one for Sydney's fireworks display at the famous Harbour Bridge. Fireworks were launched from the bridge, to the boats in the harbour and from buildings around the waterfront. However, I found a better one on YouTube, so here it is. This video comes with music.


Here are a few more images of fireworks displays around the world. More can be found on AllVoices.com.

Fireworks explode beside the London Eye and The Houses of Parliament on the River Thames during New Year celebrations in London

Fireworks explode from Taiwan's tallest skyscraper Taipei 101 as part of Taiwan's centennial celebrations in Taipei

Fireworks explode over Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, celebrating the new year in Dubai

This has got to be my favorite. It has a certain serenity about it - quiet and soothing. Come to think of it, doesn't it look like an impressionist painting, something out of Van Gogh's collection? It's an image of Fireworks exploding behind the Houses of Parliament on the River Thames in London.

There you have it. Hope you enjoyed them all. Well, until next new year... may the next 364 days be as awesome as the fireworks you just saw..