Takaful Malaysia Enters RM12 Million IT Services Contract with HP

Syarikat Takaful Malaysia Berhad (STMB), a listed company in the Main Board of Malaysian Stock Exchange has recently outsourced the management of its IT infrastructure to Hewlett-Packard (HP), the world largest technology company for a 3-year contract deal of RM12 million.This move which is part of STMB's strategy to establish itself as the country's leading takaful operator and a key player in the local insurance scene will see HP provide IT infrastructure operation management services to boost-up STMB service deliveries capabilities and enables STMB to focus on its core competency of delivering insurance services to exceed expectations and ultimately further improve business productivity and efficiency.
According to Dato Hassan,Group Managing Director of STMB," being the oldest Takaful player in the country, STMB places importance in enhancing its IT infrastructure and system to enhance responsiveness to customers' needs and to enable further expansion of their market share as well as increasing product development efficiency.
HP is excited to have this opportunity to work in close partnership with STMB and support their IT initiatives," said TF Chong, Managing Director of HP."Today's business success largely depends on leveraging IT.Streamlining the IT environment and making sure IT functions and business processes are carefully aligned to support business strategies will enable a company to increase flexibility and adaptibility to market changes and challenges."

Federal Hotels International (FHI) Charity Brings Cheer and Joy

Kuala Lumpur 5 February 2009,Federal Hotels International (FHI) Group of Hotels namely The Federal Kuala Lumpur and Hotel Capitol Kuala Lumpur has once again jointly organize their annual FHI Chinese New Year Charity Celebration to share the new year joys and cheers with more 100 old folks and children from three shelter-homes- Ti-Ratana Welfare Society,Rumah Kanak-Kanak Angels Kuala-Lumpur and Little Sister of The Poor Old Folks Home.The old folks and children are treated to a sumptuous Chinese New Year Hi Tea and Yee Sang while at the same time enjoying the acrobatic lion dance performance and the Special rendition of New Year song "Lu Pin Hua"by the Ti-Ratana Children Choir.On the memorable occasion,all the old folks and children also received festive gifts such as mandarin oranges,

groundnut, hampers and "Red Packets" as well. Ms Ooi Lee Ping,Director of Marketing Sales said FHI Group Gong Xi Fa Cai Festive Charity is part of our continuous FHI Group sharing and caring comminity commitments."There is no greater joy than be able to warm the hearts,to spread festive cheer & hapiness during this Lunar New Year as this is a time in bringing everyone together for sharing and caring and we wanted to spread good cheer and bring smile to the old folks and children.

Reunion Joy For Senior Citizens At Pavillion KL

Pavillion Kuala Lumpur has brought joys to a group of Malaysian seniors citizens from Rumah Charis,Rumah Sejahtera Seri Setia and Caring Old Folks Home recently when it hosted a Chinese New Year celebration with a spectacular performance and a sumptuous New Year feast in conjunction with its "First Anniversary Celebration".Joining in the festivities was guest-of-honour,YB Dato' Sri Dr Ng Yen Yen,Minister of Women Family and Community Development.

Upon arrival,the senior citizens were greeted by the Majestic Golden Bull which showers golden luck to anyone who touches it's forehead for good health and fortune as the group gathered around the 11-feet statue for a group photo .The gathering was both a treat as well as a special gesture from Pavillion KL as it paid tribute to the elders by staying true to the traditional value of filial piety.The special guests were treated to a traditional Chinese singing performance by the renowned YuDi ,which brought back many fond memories for the leders who clearly enjoyed the wonderful live performance.Chinese New Year is a time-honoured and cherished occasion which is meant to reassert old customs and traditions.Traditions are very special to Chinese families as they serve both a glorious link to the past and an auspicious bridge to the future.Our relationship with our elders are also part of this bridge," said YB Dato' Sri Dr Ng Yen Yen.

YB Dato' Sri Dr Ng Yen Yen later joined Tan Sri Datuk Seri Zainol Bin Mahmood,Chairman of Urusharta Cemerlang Sdn Bhd,Datin Cindy Lim-Deputy Chairman of Pavillion Kuala Lumpur Sdn Bhd, Ms Joyce Yap-Acting Chief Executive Officer and the senior management together with Tangs and Mercato in giving out Ang Pows and hampers to all senior citizens.A scrumptious lunch at Lijin Restaurant welcomed the senior citizens who shared Lou Sang with Pavillions KL management and VIPS while smiles could be read on the faces as the various dishes were served in a cheery atmosphere.

Sweet Celebrations as Pavillion Kuala Lumpur Turns One

Pavillion Kuala Lumpur has officially launched its first Anniversary in style by throwing a glamorous birthday bash for its supportive tenants and loyal customers on 31 January 2009, exactly one year since the retail mall was officially launched.Tan Sri Datuk Seri Zainol Bin Mahmood,Chairman of Pavillion Malaysia Sdn Bhd,Datin Cindy Lim-Deputy Chairman of Pavillion Malaysia Sdn Bhd and Ms Joyce Yap ,Acting Chief Executive Officer-Retail of Pavillion KL launched the retail mall's First Anniversary with a grand cake-cutting ceremony and shared a joyous toast with their guests.

Whimsically themed with cakes,Pavillion KL treated its launch guests to a dynamic singing performance,brightly colored cupcakes and other sweet temptations.The launch event,hosted by glamorous emcee Elaine Daly,came to high-notch when the much talk-about "Pavillion KL's Great 1% Anniversary Deal" was launch at 1pm with enthusiastic shoppers queuing-up eagerly since early morning to be the first 300 customers eligible to take part in the once-in-a-lifetime offer where luxury products were being sold at only one per cent of their retail price.Shoppers brought home high-end products from the likes of Bimba & Lola,Harvey Norman,Marc by Marc Jacobs,Mandarina Duck and Nokia.Amazingly,the shoppers only needed to spend RM10 on the Anniversary launch day to participate in the deal.

Pavillion Kuala Lumpur which receives approximately 2.5 million visitors a month comprising of foreign tourists and local shoppers has also lined up an intriguing array of activities from 31 January until 28 February 2009.Among the exciting events are "Anniversary Contest" which is a month long contest where shoppers who spend a minimum RM100 are eligible to enter a lucky draw to win exciting prizes including a three-day/two-night stay at the enchanting Raffles Dubai with round trip tickets provided by World's 5-Star Airline,Qatar Airways,EON Bank Group Pavillion Pre-Loaded Prepaid Cards and other fantastic prizes worth-up to RM200,000 in total.Meanwhile the "Themed Shopping Days" will allow shoppers to enjoy 'buy one free one deals', addititional discounts as well as 'special RM1 deals' throughout throughout the month long celebration sales.

Honda Malaysia Aims For Higher Sales Target in 2009

Honda Malaysia has expected this year to be a tough and challenging year for the industry at large and they are aware that there are lots to be done in order to continue to perform in the market. However,according to Honda Malaysia Managing Director & Chief Executive Officier Mr. Atsushi Fujimoto they remain confident that they will achieve an increased annual target of 35,000 units, which could be translated into 8.8% of Total Industry Volume (TIV) market share with a forecast TIV of 400,000 units for the year.

Speaking at the "Beyond Limits Media Gathering 2009" nite, Mr Atsushi said "Water Elements" will be their continuing guiding principal and theme for this year as it reflects clarity and transparency.He also believes the challenging spirit "Power of Dream" instilled in them by their founder will continue to stir them in achieving this year target. Furthermore, he believe that the looming challenges will only present them with more opportunities to excel and advance ahead of times as proven last year especially during the turmoil of final quarter,where Honda Malaysia has managed to achieve an annual growth of 14% with a registered total sales of 32,486 units in 2008,although slightly below their target of 33,000 units set in January.

Moving on Mr Atsushi reveals despite all the negativity from the market, Honda Malaysia will continue to introduce new, refined products and innovations to the market this year, in hope to boost the market excitement level amid the gloomy situation.The weakening market condition,

also will not stop us from doing our part for the society. Honda Malaysia will continue to serve the people in Malaysia wholeheartedly through our corporate social responsibility initiatives.

Key Highlights for Honda Malaysia in 2008 include the sucessful products launched of the well received All-New Record on 22 April 2008 ,the sophisticated performance luxury sedan with advanced technology which meets World Safety Standards and attains maximum Fuel Efficiency has been awarded with accolades such as Autocar Asean Car of the Year Awards 2008 – Large Sedan Category and Asian Auto-VCA Auto Industry Awards 2008 – Best local assembly luxury sedan.A total sales of 7,310 units was recorded, 52% beyond its initial target of 4800 units up to December 2008. Next ,the All-New Jazz launched on 20 August 2008
has registered a remarkable total sales of 870 units up to December 2008.It has also been awarded with Autocar Asean Car of the Year Awards 2008 - Compact Sedan/Hatchback Category and New Straits Times/Maybank Car of the Year 2008 Awards – Premium Small Car. Meanwhile ,the recent All-New City with dynamic stylish design, class-leading performance, and ingenious practicality, the All-New City was the final milestone made in 2008. The complete value-for-money package aims to achieve 1500 units per month within the next one year. The All-New City had received booking of more than 4,500 units in 3 weeks after its launch.

On the other hand, despite its annual busy schedule, Honda has done its part in giving back to the society in its Corporate Social Responsibility program, such as, organising Honda Dreams Fund Year 2 - a non-binding full scholarship for eligible underprivileged youth based on their dreams, Rhino Rescue Project in its 3rd Year-a project that enhanced environment conservation in collaboration with WWF, signing MOU with Road Safety Department that allows Honda Malaysia stands out to become the first non-national car manufacturer in its commitment to support the government move for safer road, safer cars and safer drivers in Malaysia and lastly the launch of ASIMO - Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility, the world’s first humanoid robot that has inspired all Malaysian to reach for their dreams.

Blossom in Pink and Prosper in Red with Pavillion Kuala Lumpur

Pavillion Kuala Lumpur has officially launched its Chinese New Year Celebrations 2009 themed "Blossom in Pink and Prosper in Red" on the 8th January 2009 to the vibrant beat of traditional drums and the exhilarating jumps and flips from a world champion acrobatic lion dance troupe.Vibrating to the beat of the drums,Pavillion Kuala Lumpur has unveiled a majestic 11-foot Golden Bull at it's Bukit Bintang entrance much to the delight of guests and passer-by.

Pavillion Kuala Lumpur Acting Chief Executive Officer Mrs Joyce Yap who officially launched the 2009 Chinese New Year Festivities said "The Bull in Chinese tradition is an icon that signifies strength and energy.They are classic sophisticated in style with an iron-willed heart; they remain true to their beliefs by being a strong support inspiring others with hardwork and dedication.In reflection of that ,let us embrace the challenges this year and charge foward together".
Pavillion Kuala Lumpur has lined up an intriguing Chinese New Year celebration for its shoppers and visitors beginning 8 January until 8 February 2009.Among the exciting events are-Pink Blossoms Walk (for those who want to capture the spirit of spring),World Champion Kun Seng Keng Acrobatic Lion Dance Troupe,The largest Golden Bull of prosperity Sculpture,Hands Percussion Group,Arts and Craft & Fortune Reading,Festive Fashion Show which will be on the 10 & 11 January at 1pm & 5 pm and 17 & 18 January at 3pm & 5pm

Drive in Style & Performance with the Gutsy Looking All-New City

Dynamic stylish 3rd Generation new Honda City with new value-added features for class-leading performance and ingenious practicality was recently unveiled to the Malaysian consumers seeking for value-for-money sedans.



The All-New City now runs on the newly developed i-VTEC engine, which adopts a more advanced technology. Producing 120PS at 6,600 rpm, and 145Nm of torque at 4,800 rpm, is currently considered the most powerful in its segment. It is also the first in the 1.5-liter sedan segment to come with the 5 Speed Automatic Gear Transmission. Both fuel efficiency and power output have been improved and balanced, without compromising one or the other, to achieve environmental-friendly performance. Fuel efficiency has been pursued from various angles, from improving oil retention, friction reduction, reducing fuel consumption in the high-speed and high-load ranges to reducing the overall weight of the car, thereby contributing to the model’s fuel efficiency. In terms of environmental performance, the All-New City meets the Euro 4 level of emission.

Interior spaciousness and comfort are greatly enhanced in the All-New City with a 100mm extended wheelbase that provides better styling and efficient space usage.It has a more adjustable and variable driving position to provide better driving comfort, especially during long-distance drives as it now comes equipped with a tilt and telescopic steering column (adjustment ranges have increased from 10 to 40 mm for each direction) and driver seat height adjuster(height can be altered within a 50 mm range).The vehicle’s trunk capacity now has also been developed to an astonishing 506-liter for the best balance between maximum capacity and practical usage, providing a lofty carriage space in cars of its 1.5-liter segment.

Drivers of the All-New City will further be delighted by its new and multi-format compatible entertainment feature -- the revolutionary ‘Advanced Audio’ digital media system is developed to be compatible with iPod, MP3 players and other sources of digital audio sound to allow driver and passengers to enjoy entertainment at their convenience. All major operations, such as song selection and volume adjustment, are controlled using four push buttons and a rotary selector similar to the Jog Dial function on an iPod. The system also provides high quality sound output with sophisticated acoustic tuning.

Honda in addition has also incorporated All-New City with the revolutionary Advanced Compatibility Engineering or ACE body structure, which is an extension of Honda’s G-Force Control (G-CON) technology, designed to spread out and disperse collision impact so as to limit cabin intrusion and to effectively minimise driver and passengers as well as pedestrian injuries. Other safety features include SRS airbags, active headrests to prevent whiplash injuries and ABS and EBD.

Launching at the All-New City’s ceremony, Mr. Atsushi Fujimoto, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer for Honda Malaysia, said the new Honda City will caters for both work and leisure to the out-going or family-oriented Malaysian.He emphasised Honda had significantly enriched the All-New City with qualities and values that surpassed customers’ expectation in a sedan of its class. Explaining the All-New City’s marketing campaign, led by the tagline "Excitement in the City" , Mr. Fujimoto said: “We hope to enthuse and motivate our customers to approach the All-New City with a heart of discovering the excitement of a metropolis.

Mr Takeshi Nakamura, Chief Engineer of Honda R&D Co. Ltd explained that the new model’s exterior styling had adopted the concept of the ‘Arrowshot Form’, which originated from the idea of an energetic arrow stringed on a bow and ready to be released. “The dynamic form and theme moved all the developing vectors in one direction and as a result, the design now features an imposing and ambitious look,” he said.

The All-New City is now available in the 1.5-liter i-VTEC Grade E and Grade S variants at all Honda authorised dealers nationwide. While the Grade S offers essential features of the All-New City, the Grade E variant offers additional features such as paddle shift, rear reclining seat, rear underseat tray and 16-inch alloy wheels. These two variants come in a selection of five colours: Alabaster Silver Metallic, Bold Beige Metallic, Polished Metal Metallic, Crystal Black Pearl and Deep Lapis Blue Metallic, of which the last two are new colours. The City Grade-S, which is the entry level, is priced at RM84,980, while its premium model Grade-E is retailed at RM89,980.

Starting today, customers can visit all authorised Honda showrooms nearby to view and test-drive the All-New City. For more information, please call Honda Toll Free number at 1-800-88-2020, or log on to http://www.excitementinthecity.com.my/ for more details.