MIHAS 2006 – Malaysia HALAL Showcase 2006

Come MAY 10, 2006 the world will showcase through MIHAS, the largest display of halal-certified food & beverage products, related consumables and services.

MIHAS will bring together an international community that is keen to tap this lucrative consumer market. First organised in 2004, MIHAS swiftly claimed its place as Malaysia's Largest Food & Beverage Expo and World's Largest Halal Trade Fair.

The trade fair and exhibition held over four days received an overwhelming response both in terms of local and international participation as well as the media.

This unprecedented support has brought to centre stage two key factors, which inspired MIHAS to assume greater challenges to better serve the Global Halal Market.

Read more :
http://www.mecd.gov.my/index.php?option=com_events&task=view_detail&agid=60&Itemid=203

Program :
http://www.mecd.gov.my/files/MIHAS/MIHAS_2006_PROGRAM.pdf

Promoting Malaysian Products to the West Asia Countries

10 day promotion to feature a wide range of more than 200 halal food products especially selected for the UAE and Middle East market

Press Release :

The opening of the Malaysia Trade Centre in Dubai, Malaysia's first overseas trade exhibition centre in West Asia, by Dato' Seri Rafidah Aziz, Minister of International Trade & Industries, recently serves as a catalyst for Malaysian exporters to further increase and expand the range of Made-In-Malaysia products and services to United Arab Emirates and the surrounding region.

The Centre , strategically located within Dubai's central business district, has over 1,500 square metres of permanent exhibition space, is equipped with a resource library which offers up-to-date information on Malaysian export products and services, and business centre where importers can discuss business dealings with Malaysian suppliers.

Read more :
http://www.matrade.gov.my/mtcdubai/press.htm

Malay Traditional House and A Kampung Lifestyle

Most the Malay Traditional Houses can be found in rural area (kampung - village). It is built with Malay creativity and their affective bond with their nature and environment.

The climate made a Malay Traditional House raised on timber stilts or piles to elevate the building above the ground level. It is due to heavy rainfall that sometimes brings flood.

Although it use timber as main structure, amazingly it is build without a single nail, instead the Malays used pre-cut holes and grooves to fit the timber building elements into one another, effectively making it a ‘pre-fabricated house’. There are handcrafted panels, holed carvings and slatted panels around the walls.

Traditional house roofs are very steep and always have wide overhangs for shading and protection from heavy tropical downpours. In many cases, they have beautifully carved timber eaves to decorate the ‘visual connection’ between roof and sky.

On the lawn, there are local flower plants and the usual daily used spices and herbs such as ginger, lemongrass, pandan leaves and ulam (local salads).

We can also find the pangkin (long low bench) under the shade of mango or coconut trees, which is used to rest after a long tiring hard work for the men.
The women also use the pangkin to have their friendly chats with neighbors as well as enjoying raw mango dip with rojak sambal belacan! (A mixture of local sweet and spicy dip)

On the backyard, we can find a small orchard planted with local fruits trees such as durian, rambutan, langsat and manggis.

Oh, have I mention that they raise chicken, duck and goat for personal use? Yes, the animals are let loose on the territory being fed by surroundings resources and leftovers. Indeed, what a wonderful life it is!

Early Malay Traditional House has the toilet and bathroom outside - on the backyard. However, it is uncommon to see the scenery nowadays but there are some rural areas that still use natural water supply from nearby stream or a self-digging, self-maintaining well.

Picture this - a cool, fresh and pure spring water bath….Surely, it is the most breathtaking bath you ever experience!

Experience the Malay Kampung's lifestyle at
Homestay Kampung Sungai Haji Dorani :
http://www.tourism.gov.my/news/docs/KAMPUNG%20SUNGAI%20HAJI%20DORANI%20HOMESTAY.doc.

The Most Wanted - List to do when visiting Malaysia

Introducing : DURIAN
Name: Bombaceae Durio zibethinus L./Murr
Better known as: Durian (Malaysia/Worldwide), Duren (Indonesia), Thurian (Thailand)
From: South East Asia (Malaysia/Thailand/Indonesia, etc.)

Why Durian?

Simply because Durian is the trademark of South East Asia people.

Skeptically some people would rather say durian STINKS!
oh yeah...? it's ok then- :)
I took 20 years to accept durian as an exotic, delicious, mouth watering local fruit I’ve ever taste.. but to miss it? aahh... it would be a waste.

Virtually unknown outside Asia, the durian is hailed here as the King of Fruits, a spiky, soccer-ball-sized globe with custardy yellow flesh.

The durians taste range from creamy to bittersweet, its texture and shape are all distinctive. But what makes the fruit truly unmistakable is the odora smell.

Durians are an obsession here in Malaysia and South East Asia. It is also a seasonal fruit, so you could only taste the best durian during it's season... in Malaysia we have two durian seasons - For Southern Area (April -July) , For Northern Area (June-September).

Durians are highly perishable. They are fully ripe 2 to 4 days after falling and lose eating quality in 5 or 6 days. So the best way to taste the best durian is to visits the durian orchard itself!
See www.durian.com.my

It's a waste not to taste Durian when visiting Malaysia.

THE OFFICIAL MALAYSIAN GOVERNMENT TOURISM BOARD WEBPAGE SAID:
"Be adventurous when trying this. The locals call it "The king ofFruits". Controversial for its smell, this thorny football-size fruitfetches a very high price. Its flesh defies all description. You'lljust have to taste it!"
Learn more about durian :http://www.ecst.csuchico.edu/~durian/