tourism malaysia? hello?
This is regarding the Arab Square to be (or is being?) implemented around the Bukit Bintang area.
If memory serves me right, it was reported in the dailies a couple of weeks ago; I wanted to write about it then but sort of got sidetracked.
I also don’t read the dailies on a regular basis, so I don’t really know the outcome of the whole thing. But I thought the whole concept was a bit off.
Here’s how it basically went :
It’s June!
June? So what?
Summer!
Then how?
Ninjas!
It should just stop at there, right? But no…
Ninjas? Good! Tourism up!
Not enough! We need an Arab Square.
What the fuck is an Arab Square?
Something that will be squeezed in the middle of a massively popular tourist spot with all things Arab “to make them feel like home!” (”quote unquote”)
Total awesomeness! Get it done, get it done now, do not give a fuck about the residents’ concerns, “we can’t help it that the Arabs like to stay up late anyway”.
What the…
Something is very wrong… and it is not just the lack of logic and common sense.
When I was at Hong Kong, I did not see a ‘Malaysian Square’ anywhere. I didn’t expect to see one either. Why not? Well for starters, if I had wanted to see a little Malaysia in Hong Kong, I might as well save all the trouble and just plonk my ass where it is now.
Similarly if I were in London at the Trafalgar Square, I would not expect to see a ‘Malaysian Square’ in the shape of a massive white tent with kebaya-clad chicks ‘selamat datang-ing’ me with their hand on their hearts. Why? Because it is London! Not Kuala Lumpur! I don’t want a Malaysian Square in London! No kebaya! No selamat datang! I want London in London! Even Eurotrip’s highly Americanised version also tak apa!
Why doesn’t the government hire me to be the minister of tourism? I keep telling people that I am destined for greater things in life… someday… and yet nobody believes me. Then when something like this comes up, who hide their faces in shame?
YOU!
Now, vote for me.
Tags: arab square, malaysia, omgwtfbbq, sarcasm, tourism
OK, I vote for you, pls ask leo michael toyad to stand aside. :p
Hmm London in London you say? KL in KL you say? If they make this “arab square” thingy. A lot of the local demographic will feel left out! What about the Obese Krispy Kreme Eaters, they will want a kiosk. Or even the token white guys, they should get their own little place….I would visit which in turn would get you re-elected as the minister of tourism!!! I have plenty of token white friends too!! Hahahaha I think i am delusional….I am hallucinating….time for meds!!
I guess…it’s a square where we all can stuff ourselves with Kebabs and smoke shisha’s till we’re high while we watch belly dancers entertain us.
I do hope that wasn’t too stereotypical.
I do need sleep.
SK: YES! That’s the spirit!
Mr. Fatty: You belong to the Germanic stature demographic, now go stand in your little corner
Edrei: That’s Egypt, right? Arabs and Egyptians are technically not the same. No belly at all. Oh the shame.
euro disney was the greatest foul up ever. malaysia now wanna hop onto the bandwagon. malaysia boleh!
lol u psycho bitch.
how about an ARAB STRAP for everyone… not the band silly….
If I vote ah, you wont promote something like Indon Square or something right. Anyway where to vote la
Arabs power tourism in Malaysia, there are arabic resturants, totally catering for arabs in Penang for example.
They are just catering for those who bring the money.
Is there a little India in KL?
Is there a China Town?
Do they exclude other races? No…
i think when malaysians go overseas we spend too little to deserve a malaysian square.
but arabs pour money on us.
THAT must be the reason.
its a scandal i say. SCANDAL.. first they kill off petaling street than they made Arab Square.. wait.. what em i saying.. nvm the front part.. but em agree with what u say.. it just dont make sanse.. if they wanna make arab square.. no big deal.. but whay that thay wanna made it in Bukit Bintang area??? dam.. they are going to create a grey spot there..
Dun care if it’s a black cat or a white cat, as long as it knows how to catch rats, it’s a good cat!
In another word, as long as I can find good food there, I don’t really mind whatever nation square is that.
yes! SUANIE!SUANIE!. eh u run which division? independance party ar? run for BUKIT BINTANG!! every friday nite should be duty free nite for alcohol at bintang!!
i share your sentiments, suanie.
like i can’t understand why berjaya like to use the name ‘times square’ for their shopping complex, and there’s one in penang coming up, not only shopping complex but condos as well… and they said they name it ‘time square’ as they want to model it after new york’s famous times square. why must copy cat one??
similiary in genting too why they have this place er… forgot what it is call… traflagar square… or that famous place in new york… forgot, where they have replicas of stuffs from the place. whatever for we need to see them in our own country.
*big sigh*
why don’t they just slam the bill and make this a total malay/islam country and we all chinese/indians have to be called islamic chinese or islamic indians and abolish all temples, kuils and build mosque every 5 feet away., masacre all dogs and pigs.
oh, please sembahyang 5 times a day so our country productivity will increase ten fold because osama then would then fall in love with our country and pumps in money to terrorize US of A.
while you’re doing that, make every pure bumiputra datuk and 2nd class those that is not.
stupidity have to start somewhere !
They should just get a better name. Now the Arabs think that they’re great to have a square specially made for them..I was wondering, are they gonna open the square only during their Summer? and then close the square ones they all go back? I mean c’mon. Sigh. Malaysian can be so ‘creative’ sometimes. Ok fine, they’re great in monetory terms, I worked in KLIA before and heck, they buy perfumes to the extend that the whole shop can be cleared up within that week. Now I wish I was working back there again. Imagine the commission I would get *dreams*
I hope they have nice kebabs/shamama…the ones here are so miserable….they put so lil meat in it…kedekut betul
hehehe…ninjas…hehehe
heh, i get stupid too when i get jab in the ass in my office…..tiew my boss,
you dirty dirty boi!
Bawang Merah: at an election near you
ST: Coming soon..
minishorts: Coming soon…
Archangel: They are actually going to kill off a community park to build the square.
h.liew: Coming soon…
villager: actually it means you got to buy me beer so I will make sure there’s no Arab, Eskimo, Alaska, French square
lucia: Coming soon…
S-kay: The question is, why do we need an Arab square in the first place? Ditto about the kebab.
There’s a Chinatown in almost every capital city in Australia, and I used to live in Hurstville, which is like a Chinatown. I seem to sense there is some degree of problem with the location of this Arab Square. I don’t see a problem with an Arab Square as long as everyone is welcome there, and it continues to make money through out the year.
(Maybe I’m showing myself as a real outsider here).
Anyway, many cities have areas dedicated to one culture. As long as it isn’t a way to exclude people, I don’t see what the problem is.
I loved living in a Chinatown type area, maybe some Malays might like living in an Arab Square area.
most chinatowns did not have roots traced back to tourism. it’s just an inevitable thing to happen when there is an influx of chinese, they set the shops up and everything. they have to make a living. that they become a tourist attraction is basically it’s always been a part of the country.
now malaysia trying to set up an arab sq so that arabian tourists would feel more at home? the thing is if they wanted to feel at home they would stay at home. i raised euro disney earlier because it was a failure. they emulated everything european in the park when they started. nobody went coz what the hell for they grew up in it anyway. then they realised their mistake and turned it into everything americana and mcdonalds. now only they’re recovering the losses from previous cockup.
OI!!!! WHAT YOU MEAN ‘COMING SOON’? NOT FAIR> NOT FAR>>> MUST COME NOW!
Yeah coming soon, that’s some weak ass shit.
You think orgasm meh?! Coming soon… Tiu~
Cannot tahan…the mention of Arab reminds me of Kebab!
Ok, back to the question…..I thought it was a silly idea when I first read it on Malay Mail. They care about Arabs’ feelings (fair enough they bring in money once a year) more than their own citizen.
This Arab-thing been going on for quite a while actually; a lot of restaurants in the Bukit Bintang area, and some other shops too, have been putting up signage in Arabic.
I think we need to take into account that since 9/11, a large number of Middle Eastern travellers have felt unwelcome in the States and large parts of Europe. Hence, Malaysia is benefitting by an increase in the number of tourists from the Middle East. In this instance, the idea for an Arab Square is merely pandering to the perceived economic value of such tourists.
Personally I’d rather BB Park to an Arab Square any time. Then again, if the proposed Arab Square were to get a license to hld belly dancing performances, my Ho-Ham-Sap-ness might get the better of me
p.s. I’m proposing another Bloggers’ Meet on 30th July @ Zoo Negara. Feedback on this idea is most welcome.
you must have been so taken by minishorts’ photo of the hung horse! hehehehe. Can’t do, I work Saturdays.
True, most of them don’t, but I know quite a few which were set up specifically as that. The Chinatown in PERTH is specifically set up to be a cultural/tourist thing. I’m not even sure if they asked the Chinese about it. They’re just imitating the one in Sydney.
The one in Sydney, if I remember correctly, was also a specific area designated for the role. Where I used to live at Hurstville, THAT was basically where the immigrants from Hong Kong set up shop - it’s not considered a tourist attraction of any kind. It’s also not called Chinatown. Areas like that abound all over the world, where people of similar racial and cultural backgrounds form communities. Still, in most cities, they aren’t considered tourist attractions.
Governments though as seeing that money and cultural tolerance can come from forming these sorts of areas. (It only becomes a problem when you get areas which seem to grate on the nerves of other areas).
I can name plenty of areas in Sydney that formed due to racial/cultural groups gthering, and others where the local Governments basically planned it.
I don’t see the Arab Square as much more than the Government of the area cashing in on things which have been done in other parts of the world. Aim to provide a cultural centre with a specific theme, and ensure tat it is open enough for all to enjoy.
Hey… don’t be stupid laa…. even US try to attract more foreign investor from middle-east…. they can invest here with trillion dollar you know…..
http://www.saudi-american-forum.org/Newsletters/SAF_Essay_22.htm
Everyone knows why the Arab Square is being built. From a business point of view it’s great. From the commoner’s point of view it’s silly. Go look for the second part of this article somewhere in the archive, I’m sure you are not too stupid
[...] Despite my skeptical tendencies, I am actually an optimist at heart. There were considerable doubts regarding the effectiveness of a peace forum that I had previously blogged about. And a little further back, there was the issue of the Arab Square being built along Jln. Bkt. Bintang, sparking unofficial slogans of ‘Visit Malaysia. It’s Like You Never Left Home‘. How many people blogged about (and made fun of) it? How many others spoke up in the papers screaming for our Malaysian identity instead of a copy-and-paste project? The Arabic Square is still there, isn’t it? What are you going to do about it? Cry? Bleah. [...]
I was very pleased to read this post and evry comments here except for this one…
From –>GOD said on June 16th, 2005 at 2:19 am
…malay/islam country and we all chinese/indians have to be called islamic chinese or islamic indians and abolish all temples, kuils and build mosque every 5 feet away., masacre all dogs and pigs……
….oh, please sembahyang 5 times a day so our country productivity will increase ten fold because osama then would then fall in love with our country and pumps in money to terrorize US of A…….
As for me, that comment from “god” are too much!!! and too racist!!! I do agree with the fact that “our” Malaysia is benefitting by an increase in the number of tourists from the Middle East…So, your gov just wanna make more $$$..that’s all….what a big deal?
I was born and grew up in Nizhny Novgorod,Russia before I met my husband in the summer of 1997-who is Malaysian. I Still rmber my 1st day here, I really don’t like Malaysia because of too many Asian people in one country..especially chinese in Petaling street area and some from old residential in KL-totally contradic with my hometown. But after almost 9years in Kuala Lumpur city, I start to learn about this developing country and the people..Now, I love this tropical country. Hope more Malaysian love their nation and learn to appericiate people who spending their $$$ for economic growth.
I still keep in contact with my Russian friends, and my great story about Malaysia has encouraged many of them to come here. My cousin married a guy from the USA, and plan to open a business in Malakka soon….Gosh! wish not read any blog that discuss about white people from USA and Russian who try “to make ourselves feel like home!” here in Malaysia
-I don’t hv to worry, Malaysian always proud with our westernize culture :p Globalisation huh?