Bring home a unique piece of Malaysia from the Airport

January 03, 2020

By New Straits Times - January 2, 2020 @ 7:24pm

SEPANG: Bringing home gifts and souvenirs when you come back from your travels is an art that some have perfected beautifully — giving gifts that are conversation starters or souvenirs that encapsulate the giver’s memories and experiences during their travel.

After all, the word souvenir is of French origin and means remembrance or memory.

But for many of us, it can sometimes be a chore — finding a gift that brings a taste of your travels back home can sometimes take away time from your precious holiday.

As a proud Malaysian company, as well as the custodian of the country’s gateway, Malaysia Airports is introducing Gifts from Malaysia to give travellers the opportunity to bring back a distinctly Malaysian product by getting them at the airport.

Madu spread, Orange-poppyseed Shimmering Starz Selangor Madu Spread and Orange-Poppyseed Shimmering Starz Biscuits

For the past two years, the people at Malaysia Airports have been making a greater effort to develop a richer “sense of Malaysia” at its airports so that visitors can experience Malaysia’s unique personality at the airport itself.

Gula Melaka spread, Dodol Melaka, Gula Melaka and Dodol. Melaka is synonymous with Gula Melaka or palm sugar. Now it comes in the form of a spread, making it easier to use it as a cooking ingredient or a sweet condiment. Dodol is another popular Melaka snack — its toffee-like texture and taste is popular among locals, especially during the festive seasons.

“We have embarked on this because these days, visitors are seeking a more authentic and culturally attuned experience at the airport. Our latest initiative is timely because of Visit Malaysia 2020. This is also our way to support the country’s tourism aspirations,” said Malaysia Airports group chief executive officer Raja Azmi Raja Nazuddin.

Kuih Bangkit, Tart Nanas, Rumah Johor Johor, Kuih Bangkit, Tart Nanas and Rumah Johor replica. Kuih Bangkit and Tart Nanas cookies are popular throughout the year, especially during the festive seasons. Kuih Bangkit got its name from the dough mixture that rises when fully baked — Bangkit means rise in Malay. Tart Nanas are sweet, buttery tarts topped with pineapple jam. The replica of Rumah Johor is an exact model of the traditional houses in Johor back in the days of yore.

“We are lucky as Malaysia is culturally diverse, so we have this opportunity to showcase the best of Malaysia right at the gateway of the country. Not only that, through Gifts from Malaysia, we can spur the growth of small- and medium-sized industries (SMEs) in Malaysia.”

Durian Spread, Baulu, Rumah Minangkabau Negri Sembilan, Durian Spread, Kuih Bahulu and Rumah Minagkabau replica. Durian is loved by locals almost obsessively. Now it is easily available in a container as a spread. The Durian Spread is versatile as a pastry filling or a dip. Kuih Bahulu is a traditional cake made of three ingredients. It has a soft, fluffy texture with a sweet taste making it ideal as a dessert. The replica of Rumah Minangkabau is an exact replica of the traditional houses that are still standing strong in Negri Sembilan.

Malaysia Airports is working with the Malaysia Design Development Centre (DDEC), an agency under the Rural Development Ministry, which curates products from all states in Malaysia and also ensures that these products are exclusively designed and packaged, with each featuring distinctive Malaysian elements or motifs. Each product has a story behind it that makes it unique and attractive as gifts from Malaysia.

Putu Kacang, Tekat, Labu Sayong, Rumah Perak Perak, Putu Kacang, Tekat, Labu Sayong and Rumah Perak replica. Putu Kacang is made from dried and finely grounded mung beans and sugar. Tekat is an embroidery craft that is made by artisans. Labu Sayong is a functional ceramic water vessel unique to Perak. The replica of Rumah Perak is typical of most Malay traditional houses.

The products will be available from June and sold at the Sense of Malaysia Stores and several retail outlets at the KL International Airport (IATA Code: KUL), Penang International Airport (IATA Code: PEN), Langkawi International Airport (IATA Code: LGK), Kuching International Airport (IATA Code: KCH) and Kota Kinabalu International Airport (IATA Code: BKI).

Kuih Kapit PENANGKuih Kapit is the Asian version of love letter snacks. It is baked in between two flat pans over hot charcoal, hence its name.

Raja Azmi said Gifts from Malaysia was a follow-through of successful Sense of Malaysia initiatives at its airports such as HIMPUN at KUL and LGK held since 2018. HIMPUN invites guests to embark on a journey of discovery through a uniquely Malaysian showcase of locally crafted products.

Dried Mango, Kuih Karas Perlis Harum Manis Preserved Mango and Kuih Karas. The Harum Manis Mango is indigenous to Perlis and the preserved version is equally sought-after as the fresh one. Kuih Karas is a traditional crispy and crumbly snack that is popular in the northern region.

It was also a display of Malaysia Airports’ commitment in supporting the national economic agenda by providing a marketing and retail platform at the airport, especially for SMEs. Potential entrepreneurs will be identified with the help of ministries and agencies such as the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry.

Kuih Loyang, Ceramic, Gamat balm, Rumah Kedah Kedah Kuih Loyang, ceramic products, Gamat-based products and Rumah Kedah replica. Kuih Loyang is a popular fried, sweet snack during the festive seasons. The ceramic products depict the traditional lifestyle practised in the state. Gamat or sea cucumbers is abundant in the coastal waters of Kedah and famous for its healing properties. The Rumah Kedah replica is a lesson in architecture that suits the local climate — its high stilts provide ventilation and are suitable for the flood-prone locale.

Under the Sense of Malaysia umbrella, retail outlets Little Malaysia and Delicacies of Malaysia have been opened at KLIA‘s Main Terminal, klia2 and Penang International Airport. These outlets specialise in Made in Malaysia products for tourists and visitors to purchase on-the-go at the airports.

Biskut Kelapa, Rumah Pahang, Kraftangan Pahang, Biskut Kelapa and Rumah Pahang replica. Biskut Kelapa or coconut biscuit is crispy and tasty. It is a traditional tea-time snack available all year round. The replica of Rumah Pahang can be found in villages in the state.

Other initiatives are underway in conjunction with Visit Malaysia 2020 such as the introduction of travel retail exclusive items, which are branded Proudly Malaysian.

Keropok Ikan, Rumah Terengganu, Batik Terengganu Keropok Ikan, batik and Rumah Terengganu replica

KUL will be one of the venues for KUL Biennale 2020, a mega-scale contemporary international art event organised by the National Art Gallery. As a lead-up to the event, contemporary Malaysian art installations will be showcased at international airports nationwide.

Serunding, Rumah Kelantan, Wayang Kulit Kelantan, Serunding, Wayang Kulit Shadow Puppet and Rumah Kelantan replica Serunding is a dry meat floss made of fish, chicken or beef. It is eaten with rice, porridge or bread. The replica of Rumah Kelantan depicts the traditional lifestyle of its people. Wayang Kulit is a form of puppet shadow play that has its roots in Hinduism but has been assimilated into the local culture.

This collaboration will not only expand the reach of local art, but will also provide opportunities, as well as support to the artists by providing an exhibition venue that is accessible to the public.

Currently, LGK is displaying unique sculptures made from Langkawi marble created by 19 artists from eight countries who participated in the International Marble Art Camp in Langkawi from Nov 30 to Dec 13 last year.

Federal Territory, Eco-friendly shopping bags featuring the Kuala Lumpur skyline and Malaysian motifs made from recyclable PET bottles will serve as a memorable collectible for travellers to bring home.

There will be several initiatives at the airports to support the performing arts. Visitors can look forward to a preview of Puteri Gunung Ledang, a hugely popular musical theatre, at the airport in July 2020, as well as ground activation at KCH to support the annual Rainforest World Music Festival 2020.

Laksa Sarawak Paste, Kek Lapis, Beras Bario, Anyaman

“Malaysia has a lot to offer tourists and the onus is on companies within the aviation industry such as Malaysia Airports to promote inbound tourism. We hope that our guests will come back to Malaysia repeatedly to experience the warm hospitality of the Malaysian people beyond even Visit Malaysia 2020,” said Raja Azmi when asked on his aspirations for VMY 2020.