Tourism Malaysia

Ehm, ehm.

The fact said that tourism industry contributed as 3^rd largest in acceptance of national income or devisa in 2009 after gas & soil and palm oil. Tourism Indonesia face pre condition for take off era, when economic and social conditions allow increasing amounts of domestic tourism (mainly visiting friends and relatives). Branding visit Indonesia 2008 “celebrating 100 of national awakening” succeed to boost 6,4 million foreigner tourist, while Malaysia in 2007 get almost 21 million tourist.

That’s big question?

Malaysia serious in handle tourism, and inhabitant become a key to make a success story. The government gave opportunity for inhabitant to reach advantages from tourism industry. Malaysia realize the growth of tourism industry means the prosperity for inhabitants. That’s why tourism industry there, play a vital role after manufacturing at present.

I don’t want to tell about how much rich our country is, and how poor Malaysia is. We already know together. Hey you! Kementrian Budaya & Pariwisata R I, are you sleepy? Satisfy with almost 7 million foreigner? Hufffft “yeah I know, the amount/quantity isn’t the priority but the total expenditure and length of stay should be the consideration”. See the facts below.

Indonesia become 2nd largest tourist for visiting malaysia

Something that’s amaze us, Malaysia also place medical tourism as excellent product. We know almost 200 students from Malaysia each year take medical study in FK UNPAD, and pharmacist in Pharmacist school of ITB. Then they back to home country and build the medical sector, they do believe as a medical destination with affordable place but high quality. And make Indonesia as a potential market for them.

Who knows, most of them came from Indonesia...

Friends, we have to accept the reality, Today our country is stay behind Malaysia in tourism Industry. As a student who learn tourism as a science, we have responsible about this serious problem. Let’s (SIP, SAK, & SDP) we are unite to make shining future of tourism Indonesia. :)

Believe it 5 , 10… years later Tourism Indonesia is in our hand.

Finnaly we felt ikan aSIN & ikan MAS

aSIN here doesn’t mean salty and MAS isn’t a (mbak-mbak or mas –mas) calling name for older male in Javanese language. I brought this words from 3 letter city code, confused? Code is international standart use in Airlines industry to make easier and efficient in pronounce the name of airlines, country, city, and airport. For e.g. GA for Garuda Indonesia, INA for Indonesia, CGK for Cengkareng, and JKT for Jakarta and so on. a-SIN here means Singapore, and MAS for Malaysia. J just fyi

SIN and MAS are popular tourist destination for Indonesian people who’s have, they treat tourist from Indonesian as well as they can, because they believe Indonesian tourist like to waste money as much in their country. Not to mention about image of T K I which pole apart from tourist.

First of all, beside prepare your money, trip, and etc. We have to prepare the crucial one before entering other countries, that is travel documents. We don’t need either KTP or KTM (kartu tanda mahasiswa), we need passport, visa, embark/disembark card, even maybe travel insurance, letter of sponsor, and bank accounts.

It’s good to handle by yourself, because you’ll get more experience like I had. Actually in semester holiday I went to custom office in Bogor for made new passport. The process isn’t simple as I thought, but it’s Indonesia. After found information from blogger, asked people, and check the website. On Tuesday morning after fulfill the requirements (akta lahir, KTP, ijazah terakhir, kartu keluarga, *surat menikah) I took step to come to Jl. Ahmad Yani No.65 Bogor, where the office located. Register to receptions and get the form, then they asked me to buy passport cover in canteen (what does it means, in canteen ??) 15000 IDR, after complete the form we’ll get queue number, when our number mentioned, we have to give the form and the receptions will identify the requirements and gave a piece of paper that’s from it, we know our photo and interview schedule.

The rainy Friday morning accompanied me to come for photo and interview session, I was unlucky one, I came at 09.30 and got the photo and interview session at 13.30, sigh.. Don’t forget to bring 270000 IDR for regular, I don’t know how much for express. four days letter I came again to take it out.

Eng Ing Eng…………………..

The story began, this field trip between clear and unclear. Nothing special to prepare but when the day comes we were getting busy. Busy to approach lecturer to ask more, busy to ask parents for sent money as soon as possible, busy to prepare dollar and ringgit, busy to decide dress colors, and other busy. Lebay mode on J. Especially for me, who responsible for check list.

I don’t think it’s hard job, but something make this job became harder. We started field trip on Monday morning on 22^nd, one week before, on 15^th I got the check-list material to copy, at least 1500 papers. The attendant of photo copy said better if I bring on Thursday ‘Yeah Tuesday -Wednesday are holiday’. Never mind, trouble was coming in the Thursday morning. Photo copy doesn’t operate because of cleaning in progress after cat and dog rain that’s make office full with water. I came for twice in afternoon, they looks unhappy. They guarantee that’s will be finished on Monday. Hey what the hell !! we will go on Monday morning, they give option to copy outside. It’s mean we’ve to pay by our own money, NO THANKS. That’s why you’re working here, your responsibility, and your job. The way they’re asked me that’s I hate, rude and emotional.

The day after, I back to take photo copy, as the result they didn’t do as instruction, In the short time I ask my partner to copy outside then I’ll be arrange the pages and finishing. I’d distributed it when meeting service a half hour before departure.

Other problem that I face when prepare departure I’m not fit. I got ‘diare and masuk angin’, I try to cure by myself to drink kinds of medicine but nothing, till my friend suggest me to drink Imodium (the expensive one, 1 small tablet 7000 IDR), now still ‘masuk angin’ and my friend kindness try to help me by ‘kerok’ first time for me. Thanks for febry, it’s work and I felt better. Well sista and brader on Sunday night I didn’t rest enough but I went to attend gathering Bandung World Jazz Festival at Bumi Sangkuriang till 10.30 pm, at the same time at 02 am we have to present to start our field trip. Finally I didn’t get sleep but I’m happy because I got better.

Sory, sory, sory. If to much tell about pre departure, I don’t let you pity for me.

Letttt’s go with our tour itinerary

1^st day.

Meeting service at 2 am (damn) continue to sleep inside bus before came to Soekarno Hatta Airport. Check in, boarding Sriwijaya 105, and arrive at Changi airport at 11.30. After process custom and immigration, take the baggage in conveyer, the trip continue by bus to reach Hjh Maimunah Restaurant in Bencoolen. We miss chance for study visit in Singapore Tourism Board, so the trip directly continue to Malaysia by second link route. Having dinner at Mellaca, the last Kuala Lumpur Welcome us at 10.30 pm.

2^nd day

Putar-putar Malaysia

Wearing uniform because our first destination is Malaysia Tourism Board, continue to take city tour by visit Negara Palace, Petronas Twin Tower, Dataran Merdeka, Chocolate Boutique, Shopping in Sin Wang Plaza. Time for smile, visit Genting Highland “popular with Casino” but on short time we able to enjoy cable cart and some wahana. Because limited time, we miss again visit Batu Cave , but visit China Town was needed for shopaholic. Back to Hotel at 11 pm.

3^rd day

Check out time, transfer again to Singapore proceed to Putra Jaya, just saw Putrajaya Mosque, Kompleks Perdana, Tasik Putra then Transfer to Melaka visit Rumah Belanda, St. Tan Cheng Lock, Banda Hilir. Failed. But replace by visit China Town Singapore for shopping 10 $ for 3 , taking picture at Merlion Statue, Taking picture in front of Universal Studios, and Watch Song of the sea in Sentosa Island. Last but not least shopping again in Mustafa Mall after enroute Orchard road. 81 Palace hotel welcome us to spend energy for tomorrow.

4^th day

Nothing can’t do. After check-out direct to Changi Airport and spend 3 hours to take more photo at this modern airport. Boarding Sriwijaya 104 and Jakarta Welcome us at 2.30 pm after custom. Bandung we come at 7.30 pm.

5^th day

Sleeping, sleeping, sleeping day.. huammmmmmmmmmmmMMMM

ikan aSIN ikan MAS

Here I’m !

Say hello to my blog, how’s your life? it’s been so long we haven’t keep in touch. Before I forgot about everything that I follow in my life, it’s better for me to share as soon as possible.

Guys, sista and brader. Traveling, studying, working, and living abroad is ones of my objective. After failed AFS student exchange program, I always dreams to go abroad. I ‘m not come from wealth family who able to spend holiday abroad, I ’m not the genius one, who won the science olympiad neither olympic sport games, I’m not diplomat children who moves countries to countries to follow my parents working in, I ‘m not the Indonesian worker because at present I’m a student in Bandung. For some people going abroad is prestige one, so I’m I, on the other hand going abroad is something usual or even daily routines for them who have the chance.

Well, I use this opportunity to write down about my experience based on traveling abroad. Actually the name isn’t traveling, we call it’s field trip, but who knows the activities not faraway from traveling.

Before continue to tell more, I provide space to say thank for everything.

-Allah almighty, who creates scenario of human life, especially for me.

-My mummy, daddy, also my big family, for love, sincerity, sacrifice, support and hope to get better generation.

-Indonesian citizen, who obey to pay tax, so the government allocates it for education, particularly for students like us, who have chance to go abroad by paying only 650.000 IDR. We are lucky having learn at public university.

-Travel Department of Bandung Tourism Institute, well known STPB or Enhaii. Dean, lecturers, driver, security, and all. We have make history that we’re the first who able field trip abroad, beside on the job training.

- SIP 2008 members, for 21 extraordinary students that will spend 4 years together. Not to forget our ex classmate Amanda and Eva.

-Padangnese, your delicious foods that spread surrounding country and abroad offers Indonesian taste that we miss a lot but we hate you at present.

-Kribo foto copy, you’re help me to do my responsibility as check list coordinator. Also campus copy center who make me confused and frustrating. Sigh….

-Money changer, a place to change IDR for RM and SGD.

-Tour leader (Bang Iyan) , tour guide (Pak cik’ and Aisyah), driver, sriwijaya air stewardess,

-Brisdale hotel Kuala Lumpur and 81 Palace hotel Singapore staffs, and all restaurants staff that we’ve been visited (Hjh. Maimunah, Indori, Geylang bilal, lucky garden, harbor front food court, genting rest area, and padang restaurant). Of course we great thanks to tandas attendants.

-All, that I can’t mention one by one. Muah-muah-muahhhh. :-)

I’ll divided my writing experience in sub section or some part.

-Pre departure, Sista and brader will read about tour itinerary, my conflict fighting with copy center attendant, illness (diare dan masuk angin) huffttt that I face, and unsleeping.

-Departemen Pelancongan Malaysia. The serious one, formal visitation to know much about Malaysia strategic in promoting tourism as 2^nd largest industry. and how’s Malaysia attracts tourist to come to their country.

- Tandas Zone, that include hotel we’ve stayed and restaurants we’ve visited then the meals service at aircraft. I also put some comparison about Soekarno Hatta Airport and Changi Airport.

-Disaster, The best deal for unforgettable moment, because of it’s problem and angry.

-Indonesian hobbies (Shopping) in Part 3. I’ll provide reader little information about How much did I spend money for shop, and the best price for shopping destination especially China Town.

-Ketawa-ketiwi, The most exciting part, full with joy, happiness, ice cream gangster, and new experiences.

-Country Landmark. While Singapore has merlion, Malaysia has petronas twin tower, How’s about Indonesia?

-Cultures, and others information. It’s contain story from our tour guide, “let’s go” the most magic words I love from Pa ‘cik.

-How much you love Indonesia ? I’ll put this as closing part because I wanna write about my analytical thinking comparison from SIN and MAS (ikan asin dan ikan mas) of course Indonesia.

All right ladies gentlemen “let’s goooooo” go go go…!!

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:: Don’t pray for easy life.. Pray to be stronger man… ::