KL 5th world's most-visited city, Bangkok takes top spot -

MasterCard

The latest MasterCard Inc annual ranking showed Kuala Lumpur was the fifth world’s most-visited
city. -NSTP/Rosela Ismail
By Reuters - September 4, 2019 @ 8:04pm
BANGKOK: Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, edged out Paris and London as the world’s most popular
city to visit, according to a survey released on Wednesday, welcome news for Thailand after worries
over a drop in foreign arrivals.
Bangkok was named the most-visited city for the fourth consecutive year, with about 22.8 million
visitors reported in the annual rankings by MasterCard Inc.
Paris and London were ranked second and third, each with about 19.1 million arrivals, trailed by
Dubai with 15.9 million.
Other Southeast Asian cities, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur were fourth and fifth in the rankings,
based on third-party research, proprietary analysis and public data across 200 destination cities.
New York, Istanbul, Tokyo and Antalya, Turkey, rounded out the top 10.
The number of international visitors across the 200 cities grew by 76% in the last 10 years.
Despite Bangkok’s longtime reign atop the list, the Thai tourism industry has faced headwinds, with
arrivals dropping 1.03% year-on-year in May before recovering to grow 0.89% in June from a year
earlier.
Tourism accounts for about 12% of Thailand’s economy.
However, weaker Chinese economic growth and a boat accident last year led to a drop off in
Chinese arrivals in Thailand in the first half of this year.
The downturn in the number of visitors from China was partially offset by Indian arrivals.
Thailand expects to welcome 2 million Indian tourists in 2019, the governor of the Tourism Authority
of Thailand, Yuthasak Supasorn, told Reuters, adding this was one year earlier than its target.
In August, the government extended a waiver of a 2,000 baht (US$65) fee for visa-on-arrivals for
tourists from 18 countries including those from China and India.
A growing middle class and increasing wealth in populations and the rise of low-cost airlines will
make travel more accessible, Minor Hotels Chief Executive, Dilip Rajakrier, said in an email.
“Given only less than 10% of the China’s total population having passports today. The potential of
the Chinese market will never fade,” he said. --Reuters
A staggering 80 per cent of the public prefer using Uber,
GrabCar than cabs, says SPAD

Commuters
prefer to use
the Uber and
GrabCar
services
compared to
taxis.

Land Public
Transport
Commission
(SPAD) say
based on its
survey, 80
percent
commuters
prefer to using
the Uber and
GrabCar
services. Pix
by RAMDZAN
MASIAM.

p
By C. Premananthini - April 26, 2016 @ 6:02pm
SHAH ALAM: The Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) has yet to submit its study reports to
the Transport Ministry on regulating ride sharing services such as Uber and GrabCar.
SPAD chairman Tan Sri Syed Hamid Syed Albar said the commission has completed its online
survey launched last year.
He said the survey revealed that 80 per cent of the public prefer using Uber and GrabCar services.
Accessibility, he said, was the main reason why the public would rather use Uber or GrabCar
services compared to the conventional taxis.
"I would not consider this as ‘ride sharing’; I prefer to see it as ‘e-hailing’ as ride sharing has got it
own problems.
"We have looked into it and we will submit all of our views on how we should tackle this issue to the
government.
"Also, I recently met with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC)
chairman. We discussed all these issue on the various ways how we can regulate it, because mobile
applications fall under the MCMC.
"In that case, we have to make sure that the country’s taxi industry would be able to coexist and not
be pushed out from the public transport system," he told a press conference after addressing his
public lecture series on 'Land Public Transport Transformation in Malaysia - History, Aspirations and
Challenges', here at Intekma Resort and Convention Centre, today.
However, he stressed that there are current issues in the taxi industry which need to be addressed.
He said taxi services in the country have to upgrade its standards so they can offer better services
and ensure that passengers have a comfortable ride.
"Currently, we see the situation as not good. It needs a change or reorientation. We have completed
our lab on the taxi industry where we engaged with all stakeholders and the report has already been
completed.”
In the meantime, Malaysia Institute of Transport (MITRANS) director Prof Dr Saadiah Yahya, called
for Uber and GrabCar drivers to be registered with SPAD.
She said this will ensure that SPAD can regulate and monitor these drivers, especially on the safety
and security of the passengers.
"For example, if an accident takes place, who will be responsible for the act and how will the
insurance covers the user?
"For now, what we see is only one side of income - the Uber drivers but there are no such insurance
packages or plans which will help to cover the user. We want the passengers or Uber users to be
protected in terms of safety and to be covered by insurance.
"According to Uber's studies, there are now 10,000 Uber drivers in the country, since it first came to
Malaysia in 2014," she said.
Seizing the halal opportunity in Malaysia

(File pix) Halal food products at a supermarket in Nantes, western France. The global halal market is
expanding at a rapid pace. Reuters Photo
By Simon Hearsey - December 21, 2018 @ 10:26am
AROUND the world, demand for halal products and services is growing. Figures show that the global
halal industry is set to grow between US$3 trillion (RM12.55 trillion) and US$4 trillion in the next five
years, from the current US$2 trillion, and this will be backed by increasing demand from both
Muslims and non-Muslims alike.
The growing Muslim population globally and their increasing income levels, coupled with the rising
awareness of halal in general, are among some of the significant propellers of this growth.
Specifically, Asia is a crucial contributor to setting the direction of the international halal market,
given that close to two-thirds of the global Muslim population reside in the region.
However, a more notable driver for the growth is the fact that halal is now moving beyond merely
being a mark of religious observance. For many consumers — be they Muslims or non-Muslims —
halal certification today represents a hallmark of reliability, food/product safety and hygiene.
In some ways, the concept of halal has now been “demystified”.
With this, it is no surprise then that companies around the world are waking up to the potential of this
diverse and rapidly expanding market — and New Zealand companies are no exception to this.
Our food brands, in particular, such as SHOTT Beverages, ANZCO Food, and Angel Bay Beef and
Lamb recognise the benefits of seizing the halal opportunity in the region, especially in Malaysia,
and how unlocking this opportunity can lead to better business growth.
For many years now, Malaysia has been a key partner for New Zealand companies looking to
expand their halal offerings to consumers in this part of the world.
Geographically, Malaysia is uniquely located in Southeast Asia to act as a hub for the sales,
production and transhipment of halal products, providing a good gateway to the region for New
Zealand companies.
Furthermore, Malaysia’s status as a world leader in the halal economy makes the country a clear
choice for New Zealand companies looking for halal certification to partner with.
As part of the partnership, the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand (FIANZ) works
closely with Malaysia’s Department of Islamic Development (Jakim) to ensure that food products
coming from New Zealand into Malaysia are equipped with the proper certification when it comes to
halal.
Jakim also makes trips to New Zealand to visit various food plants and educate local companies on
what halal certification entails and the steps that need to be taken to ensure that their products are
compliant with the halal standards in Asia.
This creates a transparent and efficient certification process for New Zealand businesses, and helps
to change any pre-existing perceptions that they might have about the process such as it being a
lengthy and expensive one.
It also helps steer these New Zealand business away from the traditional mindset of halal
certification being just a religious mark.
On New Zealand’s part, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise is also working with local companies to
build halal compliance into the business models of the companies, especially the new ones. This
means that instead of coming into the Malaysian market first and then getting the halal mark to meet
consumer needs, we work with the companies to ensure that their facilities, supply chain processes
and products are all halal compliant even before entering the market.
This will not only reduce the time take to succeed in Malaysia’s halal market, but also ensure that
our local companies have a competitive advantage in meeting the wider consumer needs right from
the point of entry into the market.
To date, more than 90 per cent of our beef and lamb products are compliant with Malaysia’s halal
standards. As a result, we witnessed over 60 per cent year-on-year growth last year in halal beef
and lamb imported from New Zealand into Malaysia.
Companies like Wellington-based SHOTT Beverages have also seen the sales of their naturally-
flavoured syrups grow by more than 150 per cent in Malaysia in the year after gaining halal
certification.
It is clear through such results that Malaysia, with its global halal hub status, offers huge business
opportunities for New Zealand food companies that embrace the halal economy — and this then
contributes to the growth of New Zealand’s food industry.
This halal opportunity is further unlocked with significant developments in Malaysia, such as the
strong growth of e-commerce and the recently established Digital Free Trade Zone (DFTZ).
The DFTZ, in particular, will better allow halal-compliant New Zealand companies — especially the
relatively small ones — to go through the e-commerce route and establish a new distribution channel
that allows them to reach their consumers directly.
Countries outside South East Asia, too, are taking steps towards halal compliance.
For example, in preparation for the Rugby World Cup in 2019 and Olympics in 2020, Japanese
businesses are embracing halal opportunities in recognition of this growing market.
Jakim in Malaysia has emerged as a key adviser in navigating these changes.
Furthermore, the general halal market is also expected to develop further in sectors other than just
food.
Halal compliance is set to grow in sectors like supplements, nutraceuticals and even cosmetic
products — all of which provide more opportunities for New Zealand companies to tap into the halal
consumer market in Malaysia and expand their businesses throughout the region.
Simon Hearsey is New Zealand’s Trade Commissioner to Malaysia
Bahasa Melayu a beautiful language

We should

promote Bahasa Melayu and not limit children’s learning opportunities. FILE PIC
By SHAHRIL NIZAM ABDUL MALEK - June 21, 2018 @ 8:49am
BAHASA Melayu is a distinguished and classy language, befitting its stature as our national
language.
The language is infused with finesse and subtlety, making it one of the most beautiful languages in
the world.
Just look at phrases like minta diri, langkah kanan or terima kasih.
Its translation into another language fails to capture its embedded cultural values, rendering it literal
in impact.
That said, many feel that Bahasa Melayu is a lesser language. Often, the feeling is that Bahasa
Melayu is too simplistic or too poetic.
It lacks the competitiveness to be as lucid and cogent as English or French.
I beg to differ. We feel this way because we do not know Bahasa Melayu well enough to appreciate
it.
Admittedly, some words in Bahasa Melayu are not as efficient in letters as compared with English.
We tend to feel that perpustakaan is a mouthful compared with “library”, but we do not use the same
yardstick when we compare “comprehensive” with tuntas.
Or maybe we have never heard of tuntas. The point I am making is that we need to continue our
lessons in Bahasa Melayu.
As native speakers, we can ill afford haphazard of improper usage of the language.
Its usage needs to be not just correct but also fluent and immaculate.
At the same time, we need to safeguard the sanctity of Bahasa Melayu and nip in the bud
preposterous WeChat language.
Here are some ways to achieve it.
We can start by reviewing Akta Bahasa Kebangsaan ) 1963/67 and give it a new breath of life or
rather “teeth” to bite.
Missing from legislation is the legal implication to its offender.
Bahasa Melayu is a compulsory subject only up to the secondary level. At the tertiary level, it is an
elective subject that is often ignored, unless you are majoring in language or communication.
This needs to change. Those in high offices are expected to have excellent command of Bahasa
Melayu.
Only then will knowledge and skills be passed down.
A case in point was that not too long ago, we were anxiously waiting for new Malay words to be
unearthed from the thickness of Kamus Dewan at a budget presentation at Parliament.
The music community should show off their prowess in Bahasa Melayu by writing beautiful songs
with all the richness of its vocabulary.
It should not just be any words to fit the tempo.
M. Nasir has shown his worth in this. The lyrics in his songs are exemplary, reflective of his mastery
of the language.
We could also benefit from better quality Bahasa Melayu publications in the market.
The authors and publishers play an important role to this end.
The public needs to read to learn. Romance novels are fine provided that proper Bahasa Melayu is
used.
We should be more supportive and more enthusiastic towards language-related events, such as
debates, poems writing competitions, pesta pantun and essay competitions to promote Bahasa
Melayu.
It should be publicised in the media and we could tap social media to do this.
However, learning English or other languages will not be at the expense of Bahasa Melayu.
Learning Mathematics and Science in English does not make Bahasa Melayu a second-rate subject.
To object to this without making efforts to uphold Bahasa Melayu is just as ludicrous.
We should promote and not limit children’s learning opportunities.
It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but our children’s future is at stake.
For now, Selamat Hari Raya, maaf zahir dan batin.
There is no translation for this and this article is in English just to prove this point.
Kebitaraan Bahasa Melayu is at its best display.
SHAHRIL NIZAM ABDUL MALEK
Bukit Beruang, Melaka
YouTube ‘creators’ fret over
impact of new child protection
rules
Published 1 day ago on 15 September 2019

A settlement requiring Google-owned YouTube to pay

US$170 million and change how it serves up ads on
videos aimed at children marks the latest twist in a
series of controversies over content for young
audiences. — AFP pic

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept 15 — Samuel Rader

quit his job three years ago to work full time on
his YouTube channel, Sam and Nia, featuring
videos of his family life.

The channel created by the Texas-based couple

— with videos of their Hawaii vacation, setting up their backyard pool and other content
about “Christian family life” — has become one of the stars of the Google-owned video
service with some 2.5 million subscribers.

But the future is now uncertain for Sam and Nia and other YouTube “creators” as a
result of a settlement with US regulators that will make it harder to get ad revenues from
videos and channels directed at children.

“I went into a minor panic attack when I heard,” said Rader, whose channel has taken in
a reported US$2 million (RM8.34 million) from ads placed along the videos.

“I thought we would have to find a new source of revenues.”

YouTube earlier this month agreed to pay a fine of US$170 million and change how it
handles collected data from children under a settlement with the US Federal Trade
Commission.

YouTube will treat data from anyone watching children’s content on YouTube as coming
from a child. It will also stop serving personalized ads on this content entirely, and bar
features such as comments and notifications.

The new rules, set to go into effect in four months, have stoked fears in the YouTube
community of creators and “vloggers” like the Raders, who live off the advertising
revenue.
Shock, grief, fear

“There’s a lot of shock, grief and fear. For many creators, this is their only source of
income,” said Melissa Hunter of the Family Video Network, a consultancy which also
operates a group of channels on YouTube.

“They are people making content in their houses, not huge companies; they’re small
homemade businesses.”

Many questions remain as to how YouTube will define children’s content — intended for
kids up to age 12 — which will be subject to the new rules.

Rader said he has been advised that “we are a low-risk channel because our content is
not targeting children.”

YouTube is believed to have millions of content creators on its network, who share in
the service’s ad revenues, estimated to be more than US$10 billion annually, though it
is unclear how much of YouTube’s content is directed at children.

In announcing the new policy, YouTube chief executive Susan Wojcicki acknowledged
that “these changes will have a significant business impact on family and kids creators
who have been building both wonderful content and thriving businesses, so we’ve
worked to give impacted creators four months to adjust before changes take effect.”

Wojcicki added that YouTube is “committed to working with them through this transition,
and providing resources to help them better understand these changes,” and would also
establish a US$100 million fund “dedicated to the creation of thoughtful, original
children’s content.”

Critics of the internet giant said YouTube marketed itself as a destination for children
and benefitted by selling advertising to toymakers and others.

FTC chairman Joe Simons said the settlement “prevents YouTube and Google from
turning a blind eye to the existence of kids-directed content” on its platform.

Hunter said the creators of family content may collect anywhere from US$30 to
US$100,000 per month, but that “those families are going to make almost nothing on
January 1” when the new rules come into effect.

Ending targeting?

YouTube and creators may still be able to generate revenue from video ads as long as
they are not targeted based on data collected from children, although these are far less
lucrative.

“Advertisers do spend more for trackable, measurable placements,” said Nicole Perrin,
an analyst at the research firm eMarketer.
“I’m not sure there is a way to comply with this for kids without limiting some of the
revenues on that side.”

Shaun McKnight, whose Dallas-based M-Star Media has created several popular
YouTube channels which have attracted millions of subscribers, said he and his wife
anticipated changes were coming.

“My wife and I thought it was too risky so we pulled back,” he said. — AFP
Google bans ads for
‘unproven’ therapies,
including stem cells
Published 1 week ago on 07 September 2019

Google said it took the action after consulting experts in the field and that its move was
endorsed by the president of the International Society for Stem Cell Research, Deepak
Srivastava. ― Reuters pic

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept 7 — Google said yesterday it was banning online ads for
unproven medical treatments including most stem cell and gene therapy.

“This new policy will prohibit ads selling treatments that have no established biomedical
or scientific basis,” Google policy adviser Adrienne Biddings said in a blog post.

Biddings said Google will “prohibit advertising for unproven or experimental medical
techniques such as most stem cell therapy, cellular (non-stem) therapy and gene
therapy.”

Google will also ban “treatments that are rooted in basic scientific findings and
preliminary clinical experience, but currently have insufficient formal clinical testing to
justify widespread clinical use,” she added.
The online giant said it made the decision due to “a rise in bad actors attempting to take
advantage of individuals by offering untested, deceptive treatments.”

The company said this was not an effort to diminish the importance of medical
discoveries but maintained that “monitored, regulated clinical trials are the most reliable
way to test and prove important medical advances.”

Google said it took the action after consulting experts in the field and that its move was
endorsed by the president of the International Society for Stem Cell Research, Deepak
Srivastava.

In Google’s statement, Srivastava was quoted as saying, “The premature marketing and
commercialization of unproven stem cell products threatens public health, their
confidence in biomedical research, and undermines the development of legitimate new
therapies.”

Online services have struggled to filter out misleading and deceptive content, including
medical hoaxes, while remaining open platforms.

Earlier this year, Facebook and Google-owned YouTube moved to reduce the spread of
misleading health care claims after a media report showed the proliferation of bogus
cancer cures on social media.

Facebook said it made changes as part of efforts to reduce the spread of misleading
medical claims including from groups opposing the use of recommended vaccines.

A Wall Street Journal report, based on interviews with doctors, lawyers, privacy experts
and others, found numerous false or misleading claims about cancer therapies online.

These included videos advocating the use of potentially dangerous cell-killing

ointments, unverified dietary regimes, or unapproved  screening techniques. — AFP