Latest news with #K.Raven
AsiaOne
a day ago
- Business
- AsiaOne
Nearly 80% of visitors to Johor in 2025 were from Singapore, says Malaysian official, Singapore News
Travellers from Singapore have topped the list of most frequent foreign visitors entering Johor, accounting for over 11 million of the more than 14 million foreign arrivals recorded in the first half of 2025. According to The Star, Johor Unity, Culture and Heritage Committee Chairman K. Raven Kumar said on Tuesday (Aug 19) that Singaporeans recorded the highest number of visits entering the state between January and July this year. This number constituted more than 78 per cent of total visitorship to Johor. "Besides Singapore, we are also seeing many visitors from Indonesia, China, India, the Philippines, European countries, and South Korea," said K. Raven. "In fact, from January until March, more than two million tourists, including Malaysians, have stayed more than one night in Johor." K. Raven pointed out that this was a positive and encouraging sign for the state government and local tourism industry players, as they gear up for Visit Johor Year 2026. Malaysia's Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing also revealed that close to 10.3 million, or 10,288,256 tourists from Singapore visited Malaysia from January to June, The Star reported. The number represented a 22.5 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2024, said Tiong. Tourists from China recorded the highest growth, with 2,178,857 arrivals between January and June this year — up from 1,607,413 during the same period last year — marking a significant 35.6 per cent increase. Efforts to promote Johor as a tourist destination According to K. Raven, efforts are also underway to promote small towns across Johor's 10 districts as potential tourism destinations for both foreign and domestic tourists. "There is a lot of potential in small towns to be part of our tourism destinations. As these towns are located near tourist attractions such as waterfalls, and many of them offer delicious local delicacies," said K. Raven. "Part of the government's effort to promote small towns in other districts is by holding state-level events such as Majestic Johor and Festival Zapin outside of Johor Bahru." He also shared that the government aims to attract 12 million tourists to Johor in 2026 by upgrading various tourism products and organising events to strengthen the state's position as a key tourism destination. [[nid:719297]]
New Straits Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
MIC confirms informal discussions with PN
KOTA TINGGI: MIC today admitted that the party has held informal discussions with Perikatan Nasional (PN) on its future direction. MIC president Tan Sri S. A. Vigneswaran said the party leadership is carefully reviewing its course following proposals from grassroots members, including those from Kedah and Penang, to support PN. He said the country's changing political dynamics and landscape require the party to decide its direction to ensure it does not become irrelevant. "Yes, we acknowledge that we have held informal discussions with PN on MIC's direction. MIC is not hiding anything... This is not a 'secret relationship'. "We will determine our own path. Having said that, we are not upset with anyone," he said after officiating the 79th Johor MIC Delegates Convention here today. Also present was Johor MIC chairman K. Raven. It was reported last week that several MIC branches, including those in Kedah, Penang, and Perak, passed motions to cooperate with PN and did not rule out leaving Barisan Nasional (BN). However, MIC Kedah chairman SK Suresh was quoted as saying that the final decision would be made by the party's central leadership. Commenting further, Vigneswaran said MIC is still carefully reviewing its future direction before coming to a final decision. He said the decision to be made would be for the benefit of the Indian community in the country and for the party's future. "Everyone must understand that the country's political dynamics have changed. If MIC does not accept this reality, we will be lost. "MIC accepts it; we are labelled weak, yet it is strange that many still want to discuss this party. We don't understand that. "Much analysis has been done about MIC, many things have been said, but we do not believe them. MIC only trusts our grassroots," he said.
