Sabah, Malaysia consistently ranks high on places to visit as it did on the TripAdvisor’s 2018 Traveler’s Choice Awards, as published in The Daily Express (April 12, 2018).

Many first time visitors to Sabah will most likely be aware of the many cultural and nature attractions to be found. Large parts of Sabah is still natural pristine forest, difficult to get to and if you really want to see some amazing sights, you have to get off the beaten path.

Many of the natural attractions in Sabah are well-known – Mount Kinabalu being the highest mountain in Malaysia, the Rafflesia being one of the rarest and largest flower in the world, and for scuba diving enthusiast, there is no where better to be.

The Tourism Industry in Sabah

The tourism industry in Sabah, and in Malaysia is well regulated. They understand the importance of the economic benefits it brings to the local community and how it aids in conservation.

One of the charms of tourism in Sabah is that it is filled with rich history and cultural significance. It is not too developed and that adds to the adventure and its rustic charms. Sometimes getting to the destination is an adventure in itself, traveling on a mountain road while in the relative comfort of an air-conditioned coach.

One of the Sabah tour agency I have met realizes the role they play in taking care of the tourists that arrive in Sabah. Partly because of their ingrained sense of hospitality and friendliness, as well as the pride they have in being a Sabah native.

Sabah or North Borneo in the historical context, is known for its nature and natural beauty. Undeveloped islands maintain their charm, the National Park that is home to Mount Kinabalu is still surrounded by untouched nature on all sides.

Need to go further out into the wild? Maliau Basin is a designated conservation area that tourists can visit and see wildlife in its natural habitat. Or the Kinabatangan river, the second longest river in Malaysia that flows through vast tracks of virgin jungle.

To witness the true beauty of Sabah, you need to get out of the city and out into the countryside. This is where tour agencies come in. Much of Sabah is still being developed and getting around might not be as simple as more well developed tourist destinations.

Getting Around in Sabah

The best way to get around Sabah and experience Borneo in its fullest is to travel with a licensed tour agent. They have the support and facilities that lets you enjoy your visit without any stress. Many of the best destinations are outside the city, with a travel time of three hours or more, over sealed and unsealed roads.

Depending on the tour package and destination, food and accommodation may be included. All you have to do is enjoy yourself and immerse in the local culture.

The best known scuba diving site is in Sipidan and the only way to get there is on an aeroplane to Tawau, then a coach ride to a small town called Semporna. To make sure you get all your travel connections right, and with adequate scuba diving time, the best way is to talk to a tour agent.

It is possible to get around on your own but you will be spending a lot of time making travel and accommodations arrangement. If you have a specific destination in Sabah you want to go to but find it challenging to arrange on your own, talk to a tour agent. It can make all the difference and take the stress out of your holiday.

If you’re heading to Malaysia on a tiger safari, one of the best places to go looking for the Malayan Tiger is the Taman Negara National Park – widely considered to be one of the finest lowland forest reserves in the whole of Asia. Peninsula Malaysia is a fantastic place to discover a wealth of wildlife and enjoy an absolutely unforgettable natural history holiday. This part of Malaysia is home to rolling hills, lowland forest and mangrove fringed coastlines. The recent government interest in increasing tourism and related economic activity has meant that there has been an extensive amount of infrastructure development, making the country far more accessible to foreign tourists.

Taman Negara

When planning a tiger safari, most people immediately think of India as a destination, but Malaysia also has an incredible amount to offer the keen nature watcher. The Taman Negara (Malay for ‘National Park’) straddles the states of Pahang, Kelantan and Terengganu, and is home to one of the world’s oldest rainforests. The National Park was established during 1938 and 1939 as King George V National Park, during the time that the Malay Peninsula was administered by the British. The three sections of the Taman Negara vary in size from 2,477 km2 (Taman Negara Pahang), to Taman Negara Terengganu – the smallest at just over 850 km2.

An Ecological Tiger Safari?

Taman Negara has developed an enviable reputation as a respected ecotourism destination. As well as a great place to see tigers, visitors can explore the park via the breath-taking canopy walkway high in the trees, the hidden caves and the exciting river rapids. Jungle treks in the Taman Negara open up one of the world’s most diverse wildlife areas, and rock climbers will also find an almost never-ending range of opportunities to indulge their passion.

The area isn’t only ideal for a tiger safari; the reserve is also home to a spectacular array of other animals including the Sumatran Rhinoceros, the Red Junglefowl, the Malayan Gaur, the Asian Elephant, the Great Argus and the Crab-eating Macaque. However, the Malayan Tiger is arguably the jewel in the crown: an endangered species, the numbers of this incredible animal seem to be in decline, but it has become subject to much more concerted conservation efforts in recent times.

The accessible location means that it is possible for visitors to Malaysia to make brief visits to the park in the hope of spotting some rare wildlife in the impressive rainforests; or, for those who want a more well-rounded experience, the opportunity to spend an extended period of time there.

In November 2006, Blogging Asia: A Windows Live Report released by Microsoft’s MSN and Windows Live Online Services Business revealed that 46% or nearly half of the online population have a blog [Blogging Phenomenon Sweeps Asia available at PRNewswire.com].

Blogging Asia: A Windows Live Report was conducted online on the MSN portal across 7 countries in Asia namely Hong Kong, India, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand. Interestingly, the report found that 56% of Malaysians blogged to express their views, while 49% blogged to keep friends and family updated.

This article focuses on Malaysian law however as the Internet transcends boundaries and jurisdictions therefore the laws of many countries may apply. In Malaysia, bloggers face legal risks that carry civil or criminal liabilities such as;

(a) copyright;

(b) trademark;

(c) defamation; and

(d) sedition.

Other than the above, a blogger must consider other legal risks such as fraud, breach of confidentiality and misrepresentation which will not be addressed in this article.

Copyright protects the way artists or authors express their idea or fact on a piece of work but not the underlying idea or fact itself. Copyright protects originality of the work and prohibits unauthorised copying. Copyright protection is eligible for the following works refer to Section 7 (1) of the Copyright Act, 1987:-

(a) literary works, such as written works, novels, source codes in computer program and web pages and content in multimedia productions;

(b) musical and dramatic works, such as musical score, plays and television scripts;

(c) artistic works, such as drawings, sculptures and photographs; and

(d) sound recordings and films, such as films (traditional celluloid and various video formats), records, tapes and CDs of music, drama or lectures.

Unfortunately, much of the copyright infringement occurring on the Internet goes undetected. New blogs at times use existing blogs for its content and this is done through copying or linking. Apart from that, posting copyrighted photographs, designs, product photos or product packaging from another website is also illegal.

There are “rules of thumb” to follow when creating or posting contents such as:- (a) create one’s own original image, graphic, code and words; (b) use licensed works within the scope of permitted use laid down by the owner; and (c) use free images off the Internet as long as the terms of the creator of the image are followed.

The same “rules of thumb” apply when posting programming scripts as it is normally a violation of copyright law to appropriate programming scripts from third parties. With regards to postings on one’s blog by third parties, the blog owner may receive an implied licence to the postings made by third parties. When offering podcast i.e. recorded and dowloadable audio file to be downloaded from blogs it is best that the podcast do not contain any copyrighted music belonging to others thus protecting oneself from any copyright infringement suits.

If copyright protects the way ideas or facts are expressed, trademark on the other hand protects words, designs, phrases, numbers, drawings or pictures associated with products and services.

A trademark owner enjoys exclusive right to use his mark in relation to his products and services refer Section 35 (1) of the Trademark Act, 1976. Trademark protection grants right to the trademark owner to prevent others from using identical trademark with identical goods or similar goods that is likely to cause confusion to the public refer Section 19 (1) and 19 (2) of the Trademark Act, 1976.

How does a blogger infringe trademark belonging to another? One example is when a blogger posts links on logos belonging to a trademark owner. When a visitor clicks on the trademark it will directly lead the visitor to the blogger’s blog instead of directing the visitor to the trademark owner’s website.

Such linking may cause confusion or deception as it raises serious risk that the blog is in some way connected with or related to the trademark owner’sproducts and services.

Generally, the term defamation refers to a false statement made about someone or an organization that is damaging to their reputation. The person publishing the statement must have known or should have known that the statement was false. While the Internet provides the arena in which defaming statement can be made or published, there is no specific legislation that deals with defamation on the Internet in Malaysia.

In Malaysia, the Defamation Act, 1957 applies to publications in printed materials and broadcasting through radio or television. Since the law applies to published or broadcast materials, hence in principle it applies to materials such as blogs and websites published on the Internet.

As defamation law is complex there is a need to distinguish whether a defamatory statement is a libel (written form) or slander (spoken words). In a case of libel, if it is determined that the statement is defamatory then there are presumptions against the author or the publisher. In the case slander, there is often the requirement to proof actual damages or special damages suffered due to the defamatory statement. Hence, slander law does not apply to blogs as it does not fall within the ambit of broadcasting the slanderous words by means of radio or television.

Due to rapid changes to the Internet and the convergence of technologies, one will wonder whether the courts will apply the libel law or slander law when blogs converted from text to speech format are transmitted on the Internet. However, all this depends on proving defamation and finding the identity of the blogger which can be an enormous task due to the anonymity of the Internet and its worldwide scope.

Another legal risk is when blogs are used to disseminate false,incomplete or misleading information regarding racial disturbances or contents that cause hatred or contempt towards the government or the ruler. In Malaysia, various offences are provided for in the Sedition Act 1948 such as it is an offence for any person to print, publish or distribute any seditious publication- see Section 4 of the Sedition Act, 1948 for other offences. Whether the provisions in the Act apply to publications on the Internet have not been judicially determined.

In Singapore the sedition law was applied in 2005 where the Singapore court jailed two users for posting seditious remarks on the Internet- Two jailed for ‘sedition’ on internet, South China Morning Post, Saturday, October 8, 2005. The South China Morning Post reported that the case is considered a landmark case underscoring the government’s attempts to regulate online expression and crack down on racial intolerance. The two cases represented the first time Singaporeans had been prosecuted and convicted for racist expression under its Sedition Act.

Arising from the case of the racist bloggers, on 8 November 2006 the Singapore Government proposed changes to its Penal Code taking into account the impact of technology such as the Internet and mobile phones- refer to Singapore Ministry of Home Affairs, Consultation Paper on the Proposed Penal Code Amendments at page 2. The amendments cover offences committed via electronic medium such as Section 298 (uttering words, etc with deliberate intent to wound the religious feelings of any person) to cover the wounding of racial feelings as well, Section 499 (defamation) and Section 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) to expand and include those “published in written, electronic or other media” see Singapore Penal Code (Amendment) Bill at pages 8 and 20. These amendments when passed empower the police and state prosecutors to prosecute those with offending blogs- Cf.Sections 298, 499 and 505 of the Malaysian Penal Code (Revised 1997).

There are reasons why the authorities are taking blogging seriously as half of the people that took part in the Blogging Asia: A Windows Live Report survey believe that blog contents are as trustworthy as traditional media and a quarter of the respondents believe blogs to be the quickest way to learn about news and current affairs.

With such reliance on blogs, contents containing false, incomplete or misleading information posted on blogs not only may cause panic, anger, contempt or political scandals; it may also cause political and economic instability.

The Internet presents challenges to existing laws that are slow to provide adequate protection to a party with respect to the use and content of blogs. Currently, codes of practice for Internet users including bloggers have not been proposed as part of the Internet regulatory regime currently operating in Malaysia.

Instead, bloggers need to practise self-regulation and understand the legal implications of blogging to ensure that their blogs are written in a responsible and lawful manner. In order to protect themselves, bloggers may provide terms of use and proper disclaimer to offer some degree of comfort and protection from third parties postings on their blogs.

For those bloggers who are not self-aware of the legal risks, efforts should be made to educate and raise awareness to those bloggers. Perhaps the social responsibility lies on the Internet service providers and website service providers to create a blogger’s code of ethics to educate its bloggers to be ethical towards their readers, the people they write about and the legal ramifications of their actions.

First Published at Current Law Journal April Part 2 [2007] 2 CLJ i

In Malaysia this football size fruit shape round to elongate and colour green to greenish bronze and its flesh pale yellow to red, depending on the species with sharp spines as the “King of Fruits”. Durian scientific name is Durio zibethinus Murr belongs to the Bombaceae family and is native from sumatera, Indonesia. The durian tree grown in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippine and Vietnam.

The name Durian is resulting from the Malay word “duri” which mean thorn, due to its thick, harsh and thorny husk. The strong, delicious smell and juicy flesh of the durian which no other fruit can be camparable. Texture of good durian flesh should be felt dry on your finger tip when lightly touch/ press on the most outer layer of the flesh, with soft and creamy texture as a whole. Must try it while you are visiting to Malaysia. The Durian contains 4 to 6 locales, with 1 to 4 seeds each in custard-like aril which is whitish-cream yellow,yellow orange in colour with taste sweet or bitter or spirit depend to Durian species.

Some famous species is Red prawn (Campaign with severe years of Durian Competition), XO, D24, D99, D123, D145, D158, D159 and D169. Durian is a seasonal fruit productivity from April until July in northern such as Balik Pulau,Penang while in southern such as Johor,the productivite is June until September.

In Malaysia, it grew huge in Penang especially at Balik Pulau, Perak, Kedah, Kelantan,Terrengganu, Johore and Pahang. The durian tree produce fruits after 4 to 5 years planted. It can grows up to 50 meters high with rectangle 10 to 20 centimeters long evergreen leaves.The durian tree can live for centuries if not damaged by lightning, soil nutrient lost and disease. The fruit take 3 months to ripen after flower pollination with 30 to 40 centimeters long and weight from 1kg to 12 kilograms.

How to harvest the durian fruit? The answer is waiting the ripen durian fruit falls itself to ground. This is the best time to eat a delicious and tasteful as it is fresh enough with its origin favor. The durian fruit looses its favors and quality after 4 days. The chosen of taste good durian is look for fresh, big and solid stem with the fruit is shaken, there is a sound of seeds moving inside the fruit indicating ripeness. Some Malaysian eat with Pulut Durian (rice steamed with coconut milk and served with ripened durian).

In Malaysia, it grew huge in Penang especially at Balik Pulau,,Perak, Kedah, Kelantan,Terrengganu, Johore and Pahang. The durian tree produce fruits after 4 to 5 years planted. It can grows up to 50 meters high with rectangle 10 to 20 centimeters long evergreen leaves. The durian tree can live for centuries if not damaged by lightning, soil nutrient lost and disease. The fruit take 3 months to ripen after flower pollination with 30 to 40 centimeters long and weight from 1kg to 12 kilograms.

Malaysia tourism

Malaysia has an international reputation as one of the most desirable destinations of Asia. Malaysia truly is an enticing place to visit immersed in warmed tropical sun, blessed with various fascinating historical cities, beautiful hill resorts and eclectic cultural mix, and stunning, sprawling rain forests are among the oldest in the world. Malaysia tourism provides a delightful blend of attractions to suit all visitors, and it continues to pull a broad range of different travelers. Malaysia tourism aims to introduce you to the cultural and natural dimensions of Malaysia with attention to the practical tips, comforts and affordability. So come and explore the land of varied culture with Malaysia tourism and witness the beauty of Malaysia and be a part of it.

Bangkok Tourism

Bangkok tourism offers you to the chance discover Bangkok’s beautiful, gleaming temples and the magnificent grand palaces. Get lost in the ancient Siamese history with river cruise to the famous ruins of Ayuthaya, the Kingdom of former capital. Bangkok tourism also allows you to experience the novelty and fun of floating market, or put your bargaining shills for some unbeatable prices in the stifling heat of the market. Explore the hidden trails for completely different experience. There are many travel packages offered by various operators as per your need and requirement. So come and explore this beautiful city of Thailand as it has many sights and attractions that represent the country’s rich historical and cultural heritage. Book now and avail the best deals offered by Bangkok tourism.

Singapore tourism

Singapore is one of the most fascinating countries in South East Asia. Choose from the packages offered by Singapore tourism and experience the great sights and attractions of Singapore. Great shopping and delicious food is the major attraction of Singapore, it is also famous for scrupulously clean surrounding and very strict administration. Singapore being a cosmopolitan city and has all the ingredients for perfect vacation. While in Singapore you can visit Sentosa Island, learn about the interesting history of Singapore. Singapore tourism offers other tour excursion like Night safari, Jurong Bird Park which is the largest bird park in Asia. So if you are looking for tour packages to Singapore then Singapore tourism can offer you packages or customize a package for you. So get ready to explore this fascinating country of South East Asia and explore and experience the great sights and attractions of Singapore with Singapore tourism and create memories of life time.

Bird-watching in Malaysia is an enjoyable and rewarding experience. Apart from the 460 resident bird species in the country, there are also more than 50 migratory species that can be spotted from August to April each year. They sojourn in several areas in the country that have habitats suitable for roosting, nesting and feeding. One such popular stopover point is Kuala Gula Bird Sanctuary.

Covering 380 hectares, Kuala Gula Bird Sanctuary stretches over more than 20 kilometres of mudflats along the coastline of Perak State from Pulau Kalumpang, near the Sungei Gula estuary, to Sungei Burung. The sanctuary is part of Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve which spans 40,151 hectares. Annually, Kuala Gula plays host to more than 200,000 avian visitors from more than 50 species. Some of them come from as far Siberia, Mongolia and Russia.

At Kuala Gula, which has a visitor’s centre run by the Wildlife and National Parks Department, bird-watchers can charter a four-passenger boat for four hours at RM100. Eight air-conditioned chalets are also available. The number of visitors to Kuala Gula has increased so dramatically over the recent years that at Kuala Kurai, eight kilometres north, enterprising villagers have also become boat operators for bird-watching tours.

As the boat takes you out of the muddy Sungei Gula estuary, macaques and smooth otters are sighted in the mangrove forests, while waders and shorebirds such as night herons, egrets, greenshanks, marsh sandpipers, lesser adjutant storks and milky storks are seen in abundance on the mudflats. The heads of the birds bob up and down in search of crabs, small fish, snails and crustaceans. To take in the spectacular sight of a copper sunset, ask the boatman to stop at the observation hide in the river at dusk.

A side attraction at Kuala Gula is the fishing village of Bagan Gula which also cultivates cockles and prawns. Horseshoe crabs and mantis prawns are the unusual crustaceans often trawled up by the fishermen – try to see them when the fishermen return from sea and are sorting the catch.

Kuala Gula Bird Sanctuary is 38 kilometres from Taiping via the Kamunting exit of the North-South Expressway. After exiting the highway, travel to Kg. Selinsing and proceed to Kuala Gula. To book accommodation; please contact the Wildlife and National Parks Department at 05-7277207.

Apart from Kuala Gula, Kuala Selangor Nature Park in Selangor State is another area that attracts large numbers of migratory birds. Having an artificial lake in its centre, the park covers 200 hectares of secondary forests and 95 hectares of mangrove forests. It is managed by the Malaysian Nature Society, and there are four marked trails leading to interesting places. More than 100,000 birds representing more than 30 species come here annually. Some stop for just a few days before continuing their journey to Australia and Indonesia while others spend their entire winter vacation in the lush wetlands habitats.

From the Visitor’s Centre, one can take a 550-metre hike down along the Egrets Trail leading to an elevated bird hide at the edge of the lake. This is an excellent base to spot the nests of milky storks. Langur Trail, which is the longest at 1100 metres, leads through strangling figs and coastal vegetation to a raised boardwalk that reaches to the mudflats in the Straits of Malacca. During your 80-minute tramp through this trail, you will frequently encounter squirrels, silver-leafed monkeys and long-tailed macaques in the secondary forest. Further ahead, if you are armed with lots of patience, silence and binoculars, you can spot plovers, bee-eaters, herons and kingfishers searching for mollusks, worms and snails in mangrove habitat. There are also the Macaque and Eagle Trails that are 436 and 988 metres respectively.

Modest chalets are found at the Visitor’s Centre (tel: 03-8892294). Overlooking the park are the ancient cannons of Altingsburg Fort, perched atop Bukit Melawati (Melawati Hill). Inside the fort, an ancient execution block casts an eerie silence that is punctuated by the hooting and chatter of silver-leaf monkeys and long-tailed macaques in the surrounding tall trees. Kuala Selangor Nature Park is situated one kilometre south of Kuala Selangor; the latter is only 65 km north of Kuala Lumpur.

Down south in Malacca State, Tanjung Tuan Forest Reserve offers a unique birding experience. From March to April each year, raptors such as crested honey buzzard, black baza, Japanese sparrowhawk, Chinese goshawk and grey-faced buzzard swoop and soar in the skies of this forest reserve. After having spent the Northern Hemisphere winter in Indonesia, they return northward but make a stopover here as this is where the Straits of Malacca is narrowest.

“The flight from Sumatra exhausts the birds,” says Kamal Yusof, an amateur ornithologist, “so they come in low, giving bird-watchers a chance to see them up close.” He adds that over a four-day period last year, he and a group of friends managed to count more than 2,000 birds.

The 93 hectares of Tanjung Tuan Forest Reserve covers a promontory that juts into the Straits of Malacca, and includes its offshore areas. Walking trails and vantage points provide excellent opportunities to see the raptors, which include resident species such as brahminy kite and white-bellied sea eagle. Visitors may also chance upon civets, dusky leaf monkeys, squirrels and monitor lizards moving stealthily in the lowland dipterocarp and Seraya forests. On a clear day, feast in the panoramic view of Pulau Rupat in the horizon, only 38 km away in Indonesia.

Malaysia’s oldest lighthouse – originally constructed by the Portuguese — also stands at Tanjung Tuan, and was rebuilt by the British in 1821. In the waters off the promontory, the shipwrecks of ancient Portuguese and Dutch ships recall the fierce battles fought between these colonialists for control of Malacca. According to legend, Parameswara, the founder of Malacca, was buried at the summit of Tanjung Tuan, and that Hang Tuah, a legendary warrior, left his footprint in a rock somewhere in the reserve. To get to Tanjung Tuan, take a 15-kilometre drive south of Port Dickson along the coastal road.

Paya Indah Wetlands Sanctuary is one of the most easily accessible bird sanctuaries in the country. Located only 50 km from Kuala Lumpur, it covers more than 3,000 hectares of former peat swamp forests and includes several lakes with thriving lotus plants and elephant grass. These habitats have proved irresistible to species like purple heron, purple swamphen, cotton pygmy goose, egret, bulbul and whistling teal, which add colour and activity to the environs.

Bird-watching is only one of the attractions in Paya Indah – it is an ideal family vacation spot. Located at the entrance to the park, Exploration Centre contains an array of interactive exhibits on a range of subjects. The Palm Garden has been planted with more than 1,000 palms from 83 species. Kayaking, canoeing and horse-riding can also be enjoyed. Visitors wishing to see the most of the wetland in the shortest time can rent mountain bikes. More than 30 chalets provide overnight retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city. Getting to Paya Indah via the LDP Highway requires going into Dengkil and then heading in the direction towards Banting. On the other hand, if you are travelling on the ELITE Highway, you need to head in the direction towards Dengkil.

In the north of West Malaysia, Timah Tasoh Lake is also home to winged guests. Covering 13 sq. kilometres, Timah Tasoh Lake lies 15 kilometres from Kangar, the capital of Perlis State. The lake is the first fresh-water body that migratory birds come upon in Peninsular Malaysia. The WWF Malaysia and Malaysian Nature Society have recorded more than 140 species of birds that are either temporary or permanent residents. Among the rare species observed are the black-winged stilt and narcissus flycatcher. Easily identified by its black bill and red legs, the black-winged stilt prefers deeper waters. The Nakawan Range forms a majestic backdrop the lake.

The journey to Malaysia by thousands of migratory birds annually is made without fanfare but for those in the know, the migratory season offers unlimited birding opportunities.

Finally, I’m home. The moment I stepped through the doors and put my luggage down, I was already thinking about work on Monday. It wasn’t an insane thought. Somehow, I knew that things were going to be different from this day on. After the pageant, I know I’m not the same person I used to be anymore.

It’s been a grueling month, but God has blessed me with great people who have supported me at work and the pageant. Thank you to my family, friends, and all my wonderful colleagues at Tune Group. Thank you for being a part of my life.

My pageant experience involved a lot of hard work, determination and a strong sense of self. There were 18 finalists. All of us met the qualifying criteria – height, beauty, intelligence, personality. The question is simple – who is better? You’d be surprised at the amount of fine detail the judges had to scrutinize to vet us through. It was a close call at my auditions. According to Andrea Fonseka, our national director, I messed up my audition because I was standing with stooped shoulders.

“You mean it wasn’t a weight issue?” I asked. Inwardly, I rejoiced. I’m not fat. I’m. not. fat. I’m not fat (I had to say it three times for emphasis)!

“No.” she answered. “You were standing like this-” Andrea leaned forward, imitating my slight slouch (I straightened my back immediately). “The other girl was standing like this.” Andrea drew herself up into a tall, perfect posture.

That point just hit me like a ton of bricks. I can be anal at times, but this called for the ultimate expression of perfection. It was then I realized how important the little things were. The art of presentation of feminine beauty in pageants involve poise, grace, class, elegance, and I can’t stress this enough: technique. The key word to mastering technique – practice. I learned my lesson well that day, and I did not take the tiniest of technical details in training during pageant week lightly.

There are the technicalities of pageantry we had to learn (which I stress again, is very important), protocols to observe; public appearances to make. None of us were exempted from the activities. We had to do everything we were told to do without having our own individuality drowned in detail. That was the only way we could stand out and demonstrate charisma in front of the judges.

We were primarily under Andrea’s tutelage in all pageant-related aspects, of which I’ve benefited greatly from. We were also privileged to have other esteemed industry veterans come in to train us as well. This is not an exhaustive list: for hair, we had Winnie Loo, founder and CEO of A Cut Above (she did my hair for gala night. thanks Winnie!). For our finals, we worked with Andrew, founder of Andrew’s Models (which is the top modeling agency in KL) together with high fashion models Tini and Sue. Andrew has little patience for slip ups, even minor ones. We had to pay close attention to him because he speaks so quickly and if you don’t keep up… For make up, we had industry veteran Taymie Chin. Then there was media training with Craig and Farrell of Orchan Consulting, Jahabar Sadiq, CEO of Malaysian Insider, Mr Wong Sai Man, Executive Editor of The Star, and Noorsila Majid of Daily Chili. I’ve been training under directors who are all perfectionists – and they pushed us because they want the best from us. Thank you for dedicating your time from your busy schedules to come in and train us.

Although pageant training emphasizes on our grooming, appearance, and public speaking skills, it is important to put our training in context. It’s also not just about glamorous parties and wearing gowns and jewelery that cost 10 times my annual salary. Our charisma, personality and intelligence, is equally, if not more important than our looks. Charisma is key in delivering stellar performances on stage – and Hans Isaac was right – half of us looked nervous during finals, and that lack of confidence can clearly be seen, ruining chances of victory, even though it’s just a split second flash of uncertainty across one’s face. It was the women who felt completely at home, in front of the flashing cameras and lights and the hundreds of people – it was them who owned the stage and they knew it. It shows in their smiles and their walk, and it is a beautiful thing to watch. Needless to say, it was a close call for the selection of the final 5 during the gala night as well.

I’ve learnt something about myself that night as I walked on stage. I realized for once, I was nervous. And it was at that moment I knew that I could not win, even though I may have scored in my pre-judging interview. I also realized I did not feel as much passion for modeling as compared to dance. Dance is, and always will be my first love till the day I die.

One thing I envy about our winner Nadine is she gets to have a personal trainer from True Fitness and she has to workout EVERY DAY to train for Miss Universe. I wish I had such a luxury (God willing, I will have my own PT one day). As Andrea mentioned, Miss Universe finalists are not beautiful waify models. They are beautiful athletes. Their bodies are lean and well-toned in demigod-like proportions with glowing skin that is to die for.

Now it’s back to the real world (or is the pageant actually real, and my life stuck in the Matrix?), where everyone isn’t constantly dressed to the nines in 6 inch killer heels, white teeth, perfect hair and make up, and maintaining gorgeous bodies. I know I have discovered so much more about myself and what I am capable of. Being a Miss Universe Malaysia finalist is an experience I will always cherish (notwithstanding the feet blisters, running on 3-4 hours sleep for a month, managing work expectations, and the constant pressure of competing with 17 other ambitious, beautiful girls). I am better person now from my pageant experience, and that new-found confidence and belief in myself is something that cannot be taken away from me.

The identity of the national language in Malaysia is an ongoing debate. Is it the Malay language or, the Malaysian language? Is Malay language the same as the Malaysian language? A close inspection gives us a definite answer: NO.

Let’s begin with the Malay spoken during the Sultanate of Malacca. After Malacca fell to the Portuguese, the Malay ruler ship of Malacca moved to Johor and then retreated further to Riau to reemerge as the glorious Johor-Riau empire. Anglo-Dutch Treaty 1824 separated this empire: Johor to the British and Riau to the Dutch.

The Dutch established Riau Malay schools in other parts of Indonesia and upon it Bahasa Indonesia is based. How about the Malaya side? The commonly known version is the man who later became the first Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tunku

Abdul Rahman, talked ethnic Chinese into accepting Malay as the national language, by allowing Malay to be written in Romanized letters apart from Jawi. Also as part of the government’s effort to prevent a recurrence of the bloody May 13, 1969 racial riots, the national language is named the Malaysian language or, language of Malaysia – apparently to give it a more universal appeal. This is also the language the government is standardizing.

In view of the development of Riau Malay in Indonesia, what happened to this language at the other side of Johor? It has demoted from the status of a lingua franca to a dialect. Despite the popular notion that the national language of Malaysia is based this dialect, the Johor-Riau dialect, linguistic authorities are

strangely silent, inconsistent and some even denied the connection !

For instance, a reference work dealing with pronunciation of standard Malay noted that there are many speakers of Johor-Riau dialect throughout the states of Johor, Malacca, Selangor and Perak. While acknowledging “more or less some variations of standard Malay is based on the Johor-Riau dialect,” this reference work went on to say standard Malay has developed to a stage of forming its own image and

therefore should no longer be regarded as any dialects including Johor-Riau dialect.

At least that helps us to define the Malaysian language as the ‘standard Malay’ in Malaysia.

Malay language in comparison with the Malaysian language, comprises of bewildering numbers of dialects. Riau Malay for example, is divided into two major dialects: Archipelago Riau Malay and Mainland Riau Malay. Archipelago Riau Malay is again divided into 18 sub-dialects spreading throughout the Riau islands. This dialect retains much characteristics of traditional old Malay. Mainland Riau Malay consists of 13 sub-dialects and is beginning to come under Minangkabau influence.

Within Malaysia itself, the Kelantanese Malay is spoken in Kelantan and its neighbouring states of Terengganu, Pahang, Perak and extending into South Thailand. It is a very distinctive dialect similar to Patani Malay, incomprehensible even to most Malaysians. At the boundaries, Kelantanese Malay is mixed with other dialects to produce more variations. In the Borneo territories, the Sabahan Malay distinguishes its speakers with unique expressions. Of course these are only some samples, it is not feasible to discuss all the dialects in this article.

So, which one do you prefer? The Malaysian language still undergoing standardization, or Malay language comprising of many, many different dialects?

Malaysia has an original version of silat known as Silat Melayu. The Malay Peninsula traditional art of Silat has been practiced in the Malay society especially in villages. This martial art had its origin from the Malay art of war that had strengthened the Malay Champa Empire, Kedah Tua, Silat Bunga, Seri Patani, Silat Melayu Asli, Silat Kedah, Silat Seni Gayung Fatani and there are also other forms of school without specific that only use the word bersilat or bergayung.

Seni Gayung Fatani (Grandmaster Anuar Abdul Wahab, succeeded by Grandmaster Aminuddin Anuar) is most successful self defense among groups that mastering the Silat Melayu. This school maintains the original practice of Silat Melayu covering the art, self-defense, sports, silat baku music, culture and Islamic spiritualism. This school is an independent founding member of Persekutuan Silat Kebangsaan Malaysia (PESAKA Malaysia). It has branches all over the country and international branches overseas including among others Austria, France, New Caledonia, German, Thailand, Switzerland, Spain, Wales and many others.

Seni Gayung Fatani was the overall champion in the Kejuaraan Silat Kebangsaan (National Silat Championship) in 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1995. This association participated in the presentation involving 11 types of the world’s best self defense in 15 German cities (2004). This school became the champion for two years successively for Best Performance Group in art of self defense which was participated by 40 other countries from 14 types of the world’s best art of self defense under the International Martial Arts Games Committee (IMGC) organized by International Taekwondo Federation (ITF) in Pyongyang, North Korea, 2004. Seni Gayung Fatani also was a champion in the competition that organized by Kung Fu/ Wushu in Perugia, Italy, 2005.

Seni Gayung Fatani had groomed a number of athletes in Silat Seni, Silat Olahraga, Wasit Juri, Coaches and Team Manager who were successful in the International Pencak Silat Championship. This martial art has successfully improved the teachings of silat traditionally from the arena to modern Silat Curriculum.

Throughout the main training centre Pusat Cemerlang Silat (PCS), this school has developing numbers of international coaches from all around the world. PCS has played an instrumental role in creating athletes for Silat Seni, Silat Melayu and Silat Olahraga. In addition to that, this training centre holds martial art training, motivational and leadership courses on national and international levels. PCS has also paved the way in the creation of many martial art instructors and assistant instructors who aid instructors in each school in Malaysia. Besides this, PCS also holds lessons in muzik silat baku or gendang baku which is traditional silat music. Among the instruments used are the gendang anak and gendang ibu, the serunai (roughly translates to pipe or flute) and the gong.

Using the systematic syllabus that recognized by the Malaysian government (2002), this school plays an important roles to develop and spread Silat Melayu all around the world. The syllabus has been acknowledged as a Malaysian heritage martial art and its curriculum has become the basis for the Malaysian Seni Silat Curriculum practised all over Malaysia today. The comprehensive curriculum used ensures clear and concise execution and teaching.

In its curriculum, Seni Gayung Fatani teaches self defense, art of war, techniques, combat and also trains exponents for Silat Olahraga. Thus, one does not only learn how to fend off attackers but how to face an attacker who knows how to fight back. Fitness is also stressed for each exponent. A healthy body helps the exponent become stronger and achieve better results. Training is also provided for those interested in competing in Silat Olahraga, the competitive fighting sport of silat. Many techniques learnt are applied here which gives the student a better understanding of these techniques and their applications as well as conditioning the athlete’s mind and body to combative situations.

Tunku Puan Sri Azizah (Tunku is the title Malaysian Royalty are born with and Puan Sri is a title given by the Malaysian King and Aziziah is a female name). Tunku Puan Sri Azizah is an angel sent down from heaven who became my mother-in-law and mentor 32 years ago when I left Ireland and married her son Tunku Dato’ Mu’tamir (nick name Roy).

In all the 32 years I have known my mother-in-law I have never heard an angry word pass her lips and I never heard her raise her voice in any way, to her family, friends, grandchildren or her husband. All her life I heard her apologise to people even though she had done no wrong.

She never cajoled, demanded or ever asked me to follow in her Malaysian cultural ways and because of this I did so because of her gentle unassuming ways. She let me make the choice through the love she has for her son as she knew if it was my choice it would be done with a good loving and true heart…..and guess what it worked. She taught me to be forgiving and not to speak ill of people at anytime and to be humble without ego and to not expect anything in return for my deeds.

My mother in law comes from a long line of Sharifah’s. In Malaysia Sharifah’s are considered very special spiritually endowed individuals, (they pass this spirituality into one indiviual in every generation, my husband was the next chosen one, and now my youngest daugther Martika has been endowed with it) these heavenly chosen individuals are born with no bad thoughts and see the good in everything and everyone regardless. I have often heard my mother-in-law saying sorry to those around her, who say harsh words, just in case she was responsible for their words.

She taught me all the things I talk about above together with the secret royal recipes I impart on my royal recipe website, do have a look, you do not need to meet her physically, her angelic qualities will touch you through her 90th birthday photo on my website.