Latest news with #BERNAMApic
The Star
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
Malaysia's 'flying roti canai' draws long queues at Expo 2025 in Osaka
The sight of Muiz tossing roti canai dough in the air is part of the crowd-pulling appeal at the Malaysia Pavilion. – BERNAMApic OSAKA: "Flying roti canai" has turned out to be a crowd-puller at Expo 2025 Osaka, drawing visitors to the Malaysia Pavilion with its skilful preparation and irresistible buttery aroma. The sight of roti canai being expertly tossed high into the air by Muhammad Muiz Ruzaini and Mohamad Zul Imran Zulkifle, combined with the tempting smell, has whetted the appetites of visitors. Some are willing to queue for up to two hours. Muiz said he did not expect to be selected as part of the Malaysian delegation to Expo 2025 Osaka, where he would showcase the rich flavours of Malaysian cuisine on the world stage. What makes the experience even more rewarding is the overwhelming response from visitors, the Kedahan said when met at the expo recently. "Many visitors praised the delicious roti canai and gave positive feedback, both in terms of taste and our presentation. "After they ate, many would come up and say 'oishī' (delicious). Some even repeated it seven times," he said, adding that most of the visitors were from Japan, South Korea and China. The freshly made roti canai, served with chicken curry and dhal, is priced at 1,680 yen (almost RM50) per serving. Daily sales average between 1,000 and 1,600 pieces, underscoring its growing popularity among visitors from the above three countries and elsewhere. The pan-fried flatbread – a popular choice at any time of the day in Malaysia – is skilfully stretched, flipped and spun in the air to create a layered texture. Crispy and flaky on the outside but soft on the inside, the roti canai was ranked among the top 100 street foods in the world in 2023 by global food database TasteAtlas. Zul Imran, a roti canai maker from Penang, hoped that the popularity of roti canai at the expo would help cement its place on the global culinary map and attract more tourists to visit Malaysia. "I hope the Malaysia Pavilion roti canai becomes the number one dish at Expo 2025," he said. Japanese visitor Yoko Yoshinaga described the dish as "sweet, with a unique texture, and addictive". "This is my second time having roti canai. I first saw it on X (formerly Twitter), and the unforgettable taste brought me back. I lined up again just to relive the experience," she said. Yoshinaga, who visited Malaysia 30 years ago, praised the nation's development, calling it a peaceful and modern country. Another visitor, Hanako Sekimukai, who tried roti canai for the first time, said she was pleasantly surprised by its flavour. "I've been to Malaysia before, but I never had the chance to try roti canai. The chicken curry served with it wasn't too spicy, which made it even more enjoyable," she said, adding that the cultural performances at the pavilion brought back fond memories of her time in Malaysia. Located on a 2,654.52sq m site across three floors, the Malaysia Pavilion reflects the nation's diverse culture and dynamic economy. Under the theme "Weaving a Future in Harmony", the pavilion highlights Malaysia's commitment to a sustainable, inclusive and forward-looking future. Expo 2025 is a six-month fair that began on April 13 and will go on until Oct 13. It is the second world expo in Osaka after Expo 1970. – Bernama
The Star
5 days ago
- Health
- The Star
Diabetes and high cholesterol cases in Kelantan above national average, says Dzulkefly
Dzulkefly (foreground) participating in a group exercise session at the opening of the Kelantan Wellness Hub Open Day on May 30. – BERNAMApic KOTA BARU: Cases of diabetes and high cholesterol levels in Kelantan have seen an increase exceeding the national average indicators, says Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad. He said based on the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2023, 16.3% of Kelantan folk suffered from diabetes, with the national average indicator at 15.6%. "High cholesterol levels also showed an increase among the people in Kelantan, recording 34.9% against the national average indicator of 33.3%," he said when opening the Kelantan Wellness Hub Open Day in Pengkalan Chepa here on Friday (May 30). Also in attendance was state Health director Datuk Dr Zaini Hussin. Dzulkefly described the findings as worrying, although the state recorded better performance in several indicators against the national level. He said 51.6% of people in the state are categorised as overweight or obese (national average 54.4%), while the high blood pressure figure is 27.9% (national average 29.2%). "To address this, the ministry has introduced and implemented 'Agenda Nasional Malaysia Sihat' (Healthy Malaysia National Agenda) as a platform to mobilise the culture of a healthy lifestyle," he said. – Bernama Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!
The Star
7 days ago
- Business
- The Star
KK-Labuan ferry resumes operations with first trip at capacity
Hajiji (right) with Zaliha at the launch of the jetty and ferry service at KK Port's CIOS Terminal on May 27. – BERNAMApic LABUAN: The Labuan-Kota Kinabalu-Labuan express ferry service officially resumed operations on Wednesday (May 28), restoring a crucial transport link after a suspension of more than three years because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Labuan-based Kinabalu Express departed the Labuan International Ferry Terminal (LIFT) at 10am at capacity. The return trip from Kota Kinabalu is scheduled for 8am Thursday (May 29). The vessel can accommodate 212 passengers, offering 146 economy and 66 business class seats. Daily trips will continue until Tuesday (June 3) to coincide with the Harvest Festival and school holidays. From June 4 onwards, the ferry will operate every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with possible adjustments based on demand. A promotional fare campaign is being conducted until Aug 3 in conjunction with the Borneo Flora Festival (BFF), aimed at encouraging ridership. During this period, Malaysians may buy tickets for RM35 (adults) and RM22.50 (children), while business class fares are RM45 and RM27.50 respectively. Foreign passengers will be charged RM80 (adults) and RM45 (children) for economy, and RM90 and RM50 for first class. Standard fares will apply from June 4, with slight increases across categories. Tickets are available online at and can also be purchased at LIFT or the Jesselton Point ticketing counters in Kota Kinabalu. Prior to the pandemic, the route served up to 120,000 passengers annually. LIFT chief executive officer Noor Halim Zaini, when met on Wednesday, hoped the ferry's return would spur regional tourism and help revitalise Labuan's local economy. On Tuesday (May 27), it was reported that Putrajaya had approved a RM1.3mil allocation for Kota Kinabalu Port jetty repair and upgrading works as a prerequisite for restoring the express ferry service with Labuan. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa said improved connectivity between the two areas would stimulate growth across various sectors and strengthen the Bornean states' economic bloc. "…this express ferry service carries great significance as it is set to become a catalyst for the regional economic, social, and developmental networks, including reinforcing family ties, facilitating the community's daily affairs, supply chains, and local socio-economic dynamics," she said at the jetty and passenger ferry launching ceremony by Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor at Kota Kinabalu Port. – Bernama
The Star
19-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Sarawak TYT opens fourth term of 19th state assembly
Wan Junaidi being greeted by Speaker Mohamad Asfia (right) upon arriving to open the state assembly meeting on May 19. – BERNAMApic KUCHING: Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak Tun Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar has opened the First Meeting of the Fourth Term of the 19th Sarawak State Legislative Assembly here. Wan Junaidi, who was accompanied by his wife Toh Puan Fauziah Mohd Sanusi, was received on arrival by Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg and state Speaker Tan Sri Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar here on Monday (May 19). The ceremony began with the national anthem, Negaraku, followed by Wan Junaidi's inspection of the main guard of honour, comprising 40 personnel led by the Royal Malaysia Police Band director. The assembly sitting will be held over eight days until May 28, with six Bills scheduled for tabling. They are the Supplementary Supply (2024) Bill 2025, Supplementary Supply (2025) Bill 2025, Sarawak Biodiversity Centre (Amendment) Bill 2025, Land Code (Amendment) Bill 2025, Local Authorities (Amendment) Bill 2025, and Infrastructure Development Trust Fund (Dissolution) Bill 2025. – Bernama
The Star
16-05-2025
- General
- The Star
M'sia earns UN award for women peacekeepers
Lt-Gen Azhan (right) receiving the award in Berlin. – BERNAMApic BERLIN: Malaysia has been honoured with a United Nations award recognising the participation of female peacekeepers in its peacekeeping missions. The Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) Headquarters said that the award recognised the work and involvement of female peacekeepers from the Malaysian Battalion (Malbatt) in the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil), which successfully achieved the goals set by the Uniformed Gender Parity Strategy (UGPS). It stated that Malaysia is one of the countries advocating for the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda, noting that women constitute 10.5% of the total personnel involved in the Malbatt Unifil peacekeeping mission. 'Besides Unifil, MAF has also deployed female peacekeepers as military observers and staff for Monusco (UN Peacekeeping Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo), Minurso (UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara), and Unisfa (UN Interim Security Force for Abyei),' the statement added, Bernama reported. The MAF said the award presented at the UN Peacekeeping Ministerial 2025 in Berlin recognises Malaysia's contribution to upholding international peace and security on a global scale. Other recipients were Fiji, Guatemala, Kenya, Malawi, Mongolia and Tanzania. MAF Headquarters Chief of Staff, Lt-Jen Datuk Azhan Md Othman, and military adviser to the Permanent Mission of Malaysia to the UN Kol Shamsuri Noordin attended the award ceremony. On Tuesday, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin reaffirmed the country's continued commitment to supporting the WPS agenda in line with the UGPS.
