Sabah Scuba Dive

The Malay language or Bahasa Melayu is used by over 150 million Asians. The language uses two distinct scripts, Rumi and Jawi. Rumi is the Roman alphabet. Jawi is the Arabic form of writing. As Rumi is considered the easier of the two and also the official script of the country, it is the script used.

I really need a new mobile phone! My old one is so antique that it can be considered the model from the last century! Every time I take it out of my pocket to answer a phone call or make a call, people start to stare at me or rather my hand phone. It must be because of it bulky size and ancient looks!  It doesn’t even have a camera to begin with! I been wanting to get a new one for a long time but I just don’t have that extra cash to spare and by the time I do, the mobile phone I was eyeing is already out of the shelve! I been looking for a solution to my problems and am considering options like borrowing money from the bank but I don’t need that huge lump sum of amount or for a few years for that matter. However when I turn to my family member, it seem like everyone is short of cash! Lucky for me there is cash advance no faxing in the net. Thank to Cash Advance payday loan, I am able to get the sum of money to purchase a brand new mobile phone! With cash advance I’ll never be short on money again or be in a tight finance situation. I have recommended cash advance no faxing to all my relatives and friends and they all think it’s great!

Once, my friend need some urgent cash to buy a birthday present for his girl friend. He was a bit short of cash and I am not in a position to help either. I remembered cash advance facilities and recommend it to him. He was so grateful to me and to cash advance that he later invited me to be his best man for his wedding. He is now happily married and has three children. He once told me that he really owed to me for my advice to use the cash advance and I believe he still does. Pity that cash advance did not give me any commission for my recommendation, otherwise I will have more money to buy another new mobile phone.

Like Deepavali, Thaipusam is a religious festival. This festival has a slightly different religious purpose. Thaipusam is the day for repentance and hope.

To many Tamils, this day is the day of Lord Subramaniam. Subramaniam is the lord of power and justice.

It is Lord Subramaniam who takes care of his people’s livelihood. He has authority to punish the wrong-doers and to pardon, as well as to fulfill one’s wants and wishes.

From the religious aspects, Thaipusam is a day for visiting, too. In Malaysia Indians from the rubber plantations and rural towns will go into the cities. They come to pray at the temples built for Lord Subramaniam

In Kuala Lumpur, the Indian families will gather at the Batu Caves. In Penang, they will gather at the Botanical Gardens, which is the meeting place where the procession and worship begin.

On this holy day, Indian families from distant places have a chance to go into the towns or cities fro the whole day.

In the morning, they will pray and worship at all the temples of Lord Subramaniam situated in the villages and towns.

Soon after eating, these families dress in everything new, gather in town center to watch or participate in the religious processions which have headed for the temples to worship.

This procession gives the devout followers an opportunity to repent as a crowd.

Like the fire-walking ceremony on Deepavali day, these devout Hindus undergo strict bodily discipline through fasting, praying and mediating in order to perform the rite of repentance.

As a toke of repentance, a number of devout Hindus will carry Kavadis, which are small shrines or idols.

Added to their weight are sharp nails and knives or hooks which pierce the backs of these Kavadi-carrying devotees.

Other people also express their repentance by enduring pain so as to receive pardon.

They undergo this by piercing their own bodies with hooks or silver needles. Theses devout followers seem not to be in pain.

They walk within the procession in surrounded by followers who play on the tambourine, trumpet and drums or by those who perform religious dances.

This is the season to be jolly! You don’t think I’m out of my mind are you? With so much sales going on, why shouldn’t you be jolly, unless you are short on cash! To be short of cash when they are sales of about 70%, it is quite a shame not to take advantage of it. Let me introduce you to Cash Advance which is the solution to your financial problem! With Cash Advance, you be able to continue your shopping spree and shop till you drop! It is an effective way to get close to your girlfriend and to win her over to your side, especially if you are competing with a number of other suitors.

Girls like shopping, their favorite past time. Take them out to buy shoes, bags, and lots of clothes. She will love you for it. But most guys, especially if you are just starting to work, your cash is rather limited. There is the car loan which you have to pay every month, the rental for the condominium, the study loan for the MBA degree which gives you the job. These are fixed commitments and you can’t just wait to get to the next payday to have the cash to buy something wonderful for your girl friend’ birthday.

Who can apply for cash advance or payday loans? Almost anybody who is over 18 years old and working with a pay check of at least USD1000 per month and a bank account. There is no need for collaterals or a guarantor. But the rule of using cash advance and payday loans is that you must pay back whatever you have borrowed by the next payday, which is either 7 days at the minimum or at the maximum 18 days. I would advise against extending your loans to a month as you will incur extra charges. Ensure that you use this cash advance or payday loans in a wise and sensible manner so as not to get yourself into financial trouble.

Chinese communities in Malaysia celebrated the traditional festival of Dragon Boat Festival which falls on the fifth day of the fifth moon according to the Chinese lunar calendar signifying The Double Fifth.

A few days before the celebration, Chinese will prepare rice dumplings made rice dumplings ( ‘Bak Chang’ in Chinese).

These dumplings are made with ingredients such as chicken meat or pork meat with mushroom, peanut and chestnut, marinated with five spice.

These ingredients are position in the center of the triangular dumpling so that the glutinous rice will cover and hold the ingredients firmly during steaming or boiling. It is then wrapped in bamboo leaves.

This process is central to the philosophy of the folklore of this festive as we shall see later on.

On this special festive, rice dumplings are served for breakfast, lunch and dinners. School children brings them to school for their lunch breaks.

Neighbors exchange gifts of dumplings with each other and trade or swap recipes with each other.

Buddhist devotees will performed prayers in temples or at their residence and the altars will be filled with these triangular rice dumplings.

This festive season is held in remembrance of a Chinese poet and minister called Qu Yuan. He was well loved by the people of Chu.

He lost his position and status when he was banished by the king of Chu. He lost his reason to live when he learned of the Qin invasion of Chu. In his bid to commit suicide, he drown himself in the Miluo River.

When the people of Chu heard about his death, they hope and pray that the dragons will not eat his corpse.

Fishermen made attempts to rescue and so in order to buy time, they decided to create food for the fish by placing rice in bamboo tube to so as to protect the the poet.

They beat drums to scare away the fish as they paddle in their long boat made to disguise like a dragon. He was look upon as a hero by the local people of Chu.

Each year, they commemorated the ritual by throwing in the rice dumpling.

Today, Chinese observed this festive by performing prayers in temples and homes. They made rice dumplings in bamboo leaves as offerings.

The highlight of this festive is the Regatta and the eating of ‘Bak Chang’. Weeks before the festive occasion, you will be able to witness people paddling their long boat practicing for the regatta event.

It is a colorful event and dragon boats are beautifully crafted for this festive.

With such a varying ethnic composition, it is no surprise that a great diversity of religions is prevalent throughout Malaysia.

Although the official religion is Islam, freedom of worship is practiced. As a result, it is a common to see temples, mosques and churches within the same area.

Ethnic Groups: 59% Malay and other indigenous, 32% Chinese and 9% Indian.

There is a strong interlink between the country’s multi-racial and multicultural make-up and its history. Besides the local Malays and the native groups, immigrants from China, India, Indonesia and other parts of the world have all contributed to the multiracial composition of its population.

Its interesting cultural diversity can be largely attributed to the country’s long and on-going interaction with the outside world and colonial rule by the Portuguese, Dutch and the British. Consequently the evolution of the country into a cultural melting pot is evident in the unique blend of religions, socio-cultural activities and traditions, dressing, languages and food.

Where do big business comes from? From big people? Wrong! Big business comes from small business. Remember the story that Microsoft started out in a garage? Remember that the Hilton Hotel Chain comes from a small room in cramped house? In fact the country’s real business growth comes from the support of small businesses. The American’s economy sustainable power comes from the businesses. They have been mushrooming every minute, every hour and everyday. But, small business needs capital to start with. Most entrepreneurs have good ideas but they need venture capital. The government recognizes this need for small business loans. A small business loan usually do not require collateral and it represent a form of small business financing that do not required collateral or deposit for a start up. Government agencies may provide these small business financing packages with zero interest rates while banks may be required to set up small business loans for their customers at special interest rates.

Living in harmony

The country achieved independence on August 31, 1957 as the Federation of Malaya and subsequently with the entry of Sabah and Sarawak in 1963, Malaysia was formed.

Then visiting Malaysia, visitors should observe local customs and practices. Here are the common courtesies and customs.

Handshakes are generally acceptable for both men and women. However, some Muslim ladies may merely nod and smile as as acknowledge when being introduce to the opposite sex. A handshake should only be initiated by ladies.

Salam (the traditional greeting) resembles a handshake with both hands but without the grasp. The man offers both hands, lightly touches his friends outstretched hands, then brings his hands to his chest, (this is a gesture of ‘I greet you from my heart’). The visitor on the other hand should reciprocate the salam.

It is polite to call before visiting a home. Shoes must always be removed when entering a Malaysian home. Drinks are always offered to guests and it would be polite to accept even if you don’t feel thirsty. The right hand is always used when eating with one’s hand or when giving and receiving objects. It is considered rude to use the right forefinger to point at places, objects or persons. Instead, the thumb of the right hand with the four fingers, folded under is the more polite usage.

Shoes must be removed when entering homes, places of worship such as mosques and temples. It is permitted to take photographs in places of worship but it is always polite to ask for permission first.

Muslim in Malaysia does not drink alcohol. Therefore, toasting is not a common practice but generally if there is a toasting, mostly with a glass of juice instead.

Malaysia has a combined population of over 25 million people. Because of its central location, between the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea, Malaysia has traditionally been a meeting point for traders and travelers from both the East and West.

As a result, Malaysia has a multicultural and multiracial population consisting of Malays, Chinese, Indians and numerous indigenous peoples.

Although Malay is the official language, English is widely spoken, especially in business, and the English language is a compulsory subject in all schools.

With the increase in usage of internet for business transaction, there is an urgent need for security for the protection of users on the internet. Security has always been an issue. The development of Firewall, encryption, security passes, are all the current methods deployed in the protection of credit cards and other electronic means of payment. Electronic business is big business but even bigger business will be the coming of mobile commerce. The mobile commerce will make use of the electronic wallet that can be incorporated into the mobile phone. Transaction can be done by GPS. Personal indentification number (PIN) will be in two sets. With the ease of mobile transaction, there is even a greater need for the protection of the identity of the user. Security and protection of identity will become a big business for the electronic business and mobile business of the future. It is inevitable that you will have purchase books, music and other things online. If you did, make sure that you purchase from reputable online sellers. Make sure that you do not do your online buying from internet cafes or public internet connections. Certainly do not do it in unsecured areas such as WiFi zone area. There could be hackers around that are just waiting for someone to give out their credit cards and security numbers.

If you do send your computers for repairs make sure you have wipe out all your data from your hard disk before you hand them over. A lot of us have stored our passwords onto the computer for ease of using them. Make sure you have clean out the data., although this maybe a tedious job. However , there are companies in the business of making security and protection of identity their bread and butter. For example, life lock is one such company with a reputable track record. You can log into lifelock.com and explore the system that they have and if you are lucky you might even get a lifelock promo code at a very special price.

The term ‘Deepavali (Divali for short) means ‘The Path of Lights’ or more commonly, ‘The Festival Of lights’. In Northern India, it is called ‘Dipmala’.

This is regarded as a holy day by the Hindus. To the Hindus Deepavali Day is a day when the good triumphs over the evil. It is also the start of a new life.

Oil Lamps are burned throughout the day.It is is often celebrated between the month of October and November.

Deepavali begins early in the morning. Indian families of the Hindu faith will get up from their sleep before the sun rises.

Some of the them will be awakened by the chime of temple bells and by the blowing of a conch.

This day starts with the early morning bath. On this day, cleanliness is most important. The body and mind must be cleansed in order to participate in the religious rites on Deepavali day.

To cleanse the body, The Hindus normally apply gingelli oil to their hair and bodies and allow the oil to dry.

Then, before they bathe themselves with warm soapy water, they will sprinkle some scented powder onto their bodies, to get rid of the oily smell.

Bathing with the warm water will make the Hindu family clean and fragrant. Only then will they put on their new clothes.

Before breakfast, most Hindu families pray together. Many of them will visit the temple in the morning to worship.

For breakfast, a light meal is usually prepared, consisting of rice, fruit and vegetables. This is followed by delicious and special food.

Dinner consists of rice, chicken curry, mutton or fish, yellow rice and vegetables.

After breakfast, the adults will visit their friends and relatives. They too will be visited in turn.

Guests will be served with cakes and drinks. Children will play with the gifts they received.

In the afternoon,many Hindus visit the temple for the second time. They want to watch the Hindu devotees walk on fire to express their strong religious convictions.

The devotees have gone strict bodily discipline for several days before this, by praying and fasting. The embers are fanned to glowing red. The devotees will then walk bare-foot on the embers.

Every time a devotee manages to complete his walk, the audience will applaud because he is amazed, happy and satisfied. This is astonishing but real.

Not a single one of the devotees who walk on the fire seems to bin pain or have his feet burnt

The night before Deepavali is the most glorious occasion. Hindu families will light up their houses.

Oil lamps are placed along the fences in front of the house, on the verandah, along the drive way, on the window sill and even on the flat-topped roof. Nowadays, electrically operated colored lights are available in stores and market.

Usually,neighbors will compete between themselves as to whose house will be the brightest.
In the villages, children are usually given the task of lighting the lamps as dusk approaches.

Children and adults will let off fireworks to brighten the beauty of the night.

On Deepavali day, the children go to bed late at night. When the children are asleep, the parents will clean the house, put out the lights and make preparations for the next day.

I am a frequent traveler because my job is a consultant and seminar speaker. I traveled from country to country. If you ask me what is the most important thing in my needs for my job, I would say there are a few things. First, I need internet connection for my communication on my notebook or my blackberry. Secondly, I need a good hotel that can give me a nice bed, gym, good food and a reliable hot shower. I need a good rest to prepare myself for the next day’s work. I can saved on transport, food, clothing, handphone, and computer but I do not cut corners on hotels. I demand a good hotel so that I can have my wonderful beautiful sleep. There is nothing worst than to have a lousy hotel that is noisy, bed full of bugs, smelly carpet, smelly pillows and dirty toilets or worst still, a shower that is not functioning well. There was a case where I nearly scared my body because the hot water was terribly hot and could not be adjusted.

With the internet and the advance of websites and blogs, checking out a good hotels online is a click away. I read the reviews on the hotels that I am going to book and soon I have a developed a list of good hotels in my little booklet. Whenever, I want to go traveling, I will check out my little book and login the homepage of the hotel to make my reservation online. This way, I am assured of a place to sleep, when I reached the place.

After a hard day’s work, you will want a good spa and some hotels do provide excellent spa. Again, the net come in useful and you can check out the spa facilities from the various hotels. Best still, read up the reviews of the customers who have patronized these spas. These are independent reviews given without any bias. Of course, do look at the types of rooms you are comparing with. The internet is such a wonderful place for looking up accommodation in any place in the world. If you want to enjoy a place, make sure the hotels you choose is safe, secure, user friendly, clean and has the facilities that you need for your purpose.

Instead of looking up the search engine, there is one site which I found very useful. This site has all the combined hotels information and you can choose several hotels that you like and make a comparison. For example, if you want to visit Kota Kinabalu, there are several hotels in Kota Kinabalu. Type in the key words of the hotels and you will be able to compare the prices offered by each hotel. This is very useful and convenient as you do not have to search one site at a time. Finding the lowest cost of 3 stars and 4 stars hotel is on the mind of every budget traveler. With increase in oil prices, more and more travelers are looking for the lowest costs to stay in. Start by looking in the internet and you won’t believe how much you have saved.

Visitors entering Malaysia must possess a valid passport with at least six months beyond the intended visiting period.

Those who do not must have a valid Travel Document like a Certificate of Identity, Laisser Passer, Titre de Voyage or a Country’s Certificate of Permanent Residence which is recognized by Malaysian Government.

Visitor upon arriving will have to produce their passport at the immigration check point. Visitors who require a Visa must always apply in advance at the Malaysia Representative Office or to the British High Commission or Embassy. Please prepare your Travel Document, your return traveling tickets, 3 copies of a Form IM.47, 3 passport size photographs and evidence of sufficient funds.

There are 3 types of visa issued by the Malaysian Government to foreign national.

Single Entry Visa are issued for visitors entering into Malaysia for business or social purposes.  This visa is only valid for a period of 3 months from the date of issue.

Multiple Entry Visa is valid within 3 - 12 months from the date issued.  it is usually for visitors entering into Malaysia for government to government matters or business.

Transit Visa are only issued to visitors who enter Malaysia on transit to other countries but for visitors who do not leave the airport precincts will not be issued visas.

Visitors can contact the nearest Tourism Malaysia office for further information.

Here are some tips when purchasing Duty Free products in Malaysia duty free shop. Visitors are allowed to purchase 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 225 gms of tobacco, 1 litre of alcohol, a reasonable amount of cosmetics/perfume for personal use only. Gifts/souvenirs not more than RM200.

Certain goods such as the following, imported by visitors are liable to duty: carpets, garments, clothing accessories, jewelery, chocolates, handbags, spirits, alcoholic beverages, tobacco and cigarettes. Visitors bringing in dutiable goods may have to pay a deposit for temporary importation, refundable on departure.

The goods are to be presented at the time of departure at the point of exit together with the deposit receipts. Non-dutiable goods include cameras, watches, pens, lighters, perfumeries and cosmetics.

The electronic business or e- commerce has revolutionise the travel industry in a big way. E-ticketing has change the airlines industry and saves billions of dollars. Travellers are becoming more computer savvy and are able to purchase their tickets on line. Now, the next wave is the accommodation or hospitality industry. Travellers are now booking their accommodation online. They can check out the prices for the types of rooms that are available at different hotels directly. They can also purchase on a bidding process even where third parties or brokers online convey your requirements to the suppliers. Hotels, motels and inns will bid on your requests. This way, you can have a range of choices to pick from.

There are three great places to visit in Italy, namely, Venice, Florence and Naples. Venice is the renowned for their gondolas and their canals. It is always depicted as a city of romance. Venice has always been considered as one of the most beautiful city in the world. If one is to visit Italy and has not visited Venice, you have not seen Italy in its wholeness. There are great sculptures, great architecture and a place full of history and romance for lovers and honeymooners. For a check out on Hotel Venice, do your homework and find out the types of rooms you required. Get the best from Hotel Venice while you are there.

Florence is another great place to have your holidays. Florence has been declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1982. This is not surprising when you have great works of great men such as Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci,,Botticelli. There are great museums, galleries and it is a great place to study the works of the great artists and painters in Florence. For a great stay, check out Hotel Florence and choose the ones that fix your budget. You may want to spend a longer time in this place as there are so many places to visit as Florence is the cradle of Renaissance period.

Another great place to visit is Naples in southern Italy. It is a city noted for its rich history, art, culture and gastronomy. Naples City is synonymous with pizza. Check out Hotel Naples to get the best view of the city. The city is so beautiful that you could just stay in your room, sipping Italian wine and enjoying your pizza, while you take in the beautiful view around you. And don’t forget to get copies of Naples romantic guitar music and mandolin

Santa Claus is coming to town! It’s Christmas.

Christmas is celebrated by all Christian throughout the world on 25 December. This date was chosen by Christian heads as a suitable day to remember Christ. It was on that day that the Romans freed their slaves. There, the date was considered suitable as the day to remember the teachings of Christ. These days, celebration are considered to be a season for rejoicing and to strengthen friendly relations between different faiths.

In Malaysia, 25 December is declared a public holiday. In towns and cities, just days before Christmas, the atmosphere of celebration is everywhere. Shop-owners decorate their windows with a kind of powder that looks like snow and they sprayed ‘Christmas greetings’ over the glass panels. Stockings of huge sizes are hung up with all sort of goodies. Real and artificial Christmas trees are placed at the doorways of restaurants, shops and malls.

Christmas trees decorated with colored lights appear in big shops and in Christian houses. Banners are displayed in shops and departmental stores to welcome customers Old friends and relatives are remembered by loved ones and are presented with gifts. When choosing gifts , one should consider the things that pleases the grandparents, parents, children,relatives and friends. Gifts are beautiful wrapped and hidden away. Stockings are filled up and hung up in trees.These are for the children to find when they wake up in the morning.

Greetings cards are sent days or even weeks before the festive to friends and relatives who lived abroad. The cards received will be hung or arranged neatly on the wall or noticeboard as decorations. Santa Claus are seen around shopping centers, greeting children and handing out sweets to young shoppers. Children are allowed to sit on Santa’s lap and whisper in his ears for the gifts they wish to have for Christmas. Of Course, a photographer will be on hand to take some pictures of you with Santa or Santa Marians.

On the night of Christmas Eve, Santa Claus is supposedly to bring gifts to the children in the middle of the night. Of course, we all know who are the real santas, their parents of course. Christian homes will be brightly decorated with lights and wall hangings. Fairy dolls will be hung on the branches of the Christmas tree. Gifts already wrapped in lovely paper are arranged under the tree.

Weeks before the festive, churches all over the country will be organizing activities centering on the birth of Christ. The churches will hold activities for the old, the sick and the handicapped, the poor, as well as the children. Various organizations and institutions will assist the churches in this welfare work and to bring about rejoicing and sharing during this festive season. As the day gets nearer, a number of caroling groups will sing Christmas songs at private houses, hotels, restaurants, hospitals and other institutions for the poor and the sick.

Music and songs will fill the air till late at night. Music , dances and fun among the young at shopping complexes, open threatres, malls streets certainly brought in the atmosphere of joy, fun and happiness.
Midnight mass are held in churches and both young and old will come out in full force to celebrate this joyous festive. The church bells will chime at midnight and everyone will greet one another and wish everyone a blessed Christmas.

Chinese communities in Malaysia celebrated the traditional festival of Dragon Boat Festival which falls on the fifth day of the fifth moon according to the Chinese lunar calendar signifying The Double Fifth.

A few days before the celebration, Chinese will prepare rice dumplings made rice dumplings ( ‘Bak Chang’ in Chinese). These dumplings are made with ingredients such as chicken meat or pork meat with mushroom, peanut and chestnut, marinated with five spice.

These ingredients are position in the center of the triangular dumpling so that the glutinous rice will cover and hold the ingredients firmly during steaming or boiling. It is then wrapped in bamboo leaves. This process is central to the philosophy of the folklore of this festive as we shall see later on.

On this special festive, rice dumplings are served for breakfast, lunch and dinners. School children brings them to school for their lunch breaks. Neighbors exchange gifts of dumplings with each other and trade or swap recipes with each other.

Buddhist devotees will performed prayers in temples or at their residence and the altars will be filled with these triangular rice dumplings. This festive season is held in remembrance of a Chinese poet and minister called Qu Yuan. He was well loved by the people of Chu.

He lost his position and status when he was banished by the king of Chu. He lost his reason to live when he learned of the Qin invasion of Chu. In his bid to commit suicide, he drown himself in the Miluo River.  When the people of Chu heard about his death, they hope and pray that the dragons will not eat his corpse.

Fishermen made attempts to rescue and so in order to buy time, they decided to create food for the fish by placing rice in bamboo tube to so as to protect the the poet. They beat drums to scare away the fish as they paddle in their long boat made to disguise like a dragon. He was look upon as a hero by the local people of Chu.

Each year, they commemorated the ritual by throwing in the rice dumpling. Today, Chinese observed this festive by performing prayers in temples and homes. They made rice dumplings in bamboo leaves as offerings. The highlight of this festive is the Regatta and the eating of ‘Bak Chang’. Weeks before the festive occasion, you will be able to witness people paddling their long boat practicing for the regatta event.

It is a colorful event and dragon boats are beautifully crafted for this festive.

Like Deepavali, Thaipusam is a religious festival. This festival has a slightly different religious purpose. Thaipusam is the day for repentance and hope. To many Tamils, this day is the day of Lord Subramaniam. Subramaniam is the lord of power and justice.

It is Lord Subramaniam who takes care of his people’s livelihood. He has authority to punish the wrong-doers and to pardon, as well as to fulfill one’s wants and wishes. From the religious aspects, Thaipusam is a day for visiting, too. In Malaysia Indians from the rubber plantations and rural towns will go into the cities. They come to pray at the temples built for Lord Subramaniam. In Kuala Lumpur, the Indian families will gather at the Batu Caves.  In Penang, they will gather at the Botanical Gardens, which is the meeting place where the procession and worship begin.

On this holy day, Indian families from distant places have a chance to go into the towns or cities fro the whole day. In the morning, they will pray and worship at all the temples of Lord Subramaniam situated in the villages and towns. Soon after eating, these families dress in everything new, gather in town center to watch or participate in the religious processions which have headed for the temples to worship. This procession gives the devout followers an opportunity to repent as a crowd.

Like the fire-walking ceremony on Deepavali day, these devout Hindus undergo strict bodily discipline through fasting, praying and mediating in order to perform the rite of repentance. As a toke of repentance, a number of devout Hindus will carry Kavadis, which are small shrines or idols. Added to their weight are sharp nails and knives or hooks which pierce the backs of these Kavadi-carrying devotees. Other people also express their repentance by enduring pain so as to receive pardon.

They undergo this by piercing their own bodies with hooks or silver needles. Theses devout followers seem not to be in pain. They walk within the procession in surrounded by followers who play on the tambourine, trumpet and drums or by those who perform religious dances.

The term ‘Deepavali (Divali for short) means ‘The Path of Lights’ or more commonly, ‘The Festival Of lights’. In Northern India, it is called ‘Dipmala’. This is regarded as a holy day by the Hindus. To the Hindus Deepavali Day is a day when the good triumphs over the evil. It is also the start of a new life. Oil Lamps are burned throughout the day.It is is often celebrated between the month of October and November.

Deepavali begins early in the morning. Indian families of the Hindu faith will get up from their sleep before the sun rises. Some of the them will be awakened by the chime of temple bells and by the blowing of a conch. This day starts with the early morning bath. On this day, cleanliness is most important. The body and mind must be cleansed in order to participate in the religious rites on Deepavali day.

To cleanse the body, The Hindus normally apply gingelli oil to their hair and bodies and allow the oil to dry. Then, before they bathe themselves with warm soapy water, they will sprinkle some scented powder onto their bodies, to get rid of the oily smell. Bathing with the warm water will make the Hindu family clean and fragrant. Only then will they put on their new clothes.

Before breakfast, most Hindu families pray together. Many of them will visit the temple in the morning to worship. For breakfast, a light meal is usually prepared, consisting of rice, fruit and vegetables. This is followed by delicious and special food.

Dinner consists of rice, chicken curry, mutton or fish, yellow rice and vegetables. After breakfast, the adults will visit their friends and relatives. They too will be visited in turn. Guests will be served with cakes and drinks. Children will play with the gifts they received.

In the afternoon, many Hindus visit the temple for the second time. They want to watch the Hindu devotees walk on fire to express their strong religious convictions. The devotees have gone strict bodily discipline for several days before this, by praying and fasting. The embers are fanned to glowing red. The devotees will then walk bare-foot on the embers. Every time a devotee manages to complete his walk, the audience will applaud because he is amazed, happy and satisfied. This is astonishing but real. Not a single one of the devotees who walk on the fire seems to bin pain or have his feet burnt

The night before Deepavali is the most glorious occasion. Hindu families will light up their houses. Oil lamps are placed along the fences in front of the house, on the verandah, along the drive way, on the window sill and even on the flat-topped roof. Nowadays, electrically operated colored lights are available in stores and market. Usually,neighbors will compete between themselves as to whose house will be the brightest.

In the villages, children are usually given the task of lighting the lamps as dusk approaches. Children and adults will let off fireworks to brighten the beauty of the night. On Deepavali day, the children go to bed late at night. When the children are asleep, the parents will clean the house, put out the lights and make preparations for the next day.

Muslims also celebrate Hari Raya Haji ( means ‘Festival of Pilgrimage’). It is celebrated on the 10th day of Zulhijjah, the 12th month of the Muslim calendar.

This festival is associated with the 5th tenet of Islam,the performing of the pilgrimage to Mecca. Annually, thousands of Muslims throughout the world go to Mecca. On this festive day, Muslims will go to the mosque to pray.

A special ceremony on this occasion is the Muslim sacrifice of a cow or buffalo, goat or sheep. The flesh of the animal is distributed to poor and needy Muslims. Muslims family will prepare a feast in which their friends and relatives gather to celebrate this occasion.  Based on this practice, Hari Raya Haji is also called Hari Raya Korban, the festival of sacrifice.

In Malaysia, this festival, also known as Hari Raya Aidiladha celebration is on a lesser scale than that of Hari Raya Puasa.

One of the major festivals of the Malays and other Muslims is the Hari Raya Aidilfitri. It is celebrated by all Muslims with much ceremony. The Malays celebrate Hari Raya Puasa, after having fasted daily for the whole month of Ramadan, according to the Muslim calendar. They fast to fulfill one of the tenets of the Islam.

Muslims young and old fast from dawn till dusk. This is the period where fasting is to cleanse themselves by exercising abstinence and self-control. The sick and pregnant women do not fast but they are expected to replace later after they are well again.

A week before Hari Raya Puasa, Muslim ‘balik kampong’ ( return to their hometown) to be with their family. During this festive occasion, the city is unusually quiet and many have return to their hometown to celebrate. Muslims houses are brightly illuminated. Houses are cleaned and beautifully decorated. On the eve of Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Muslim houses are decorated with colorful lights and oil lamps. Modern decorative lights made into the shape of Ketupat are hung in and around the house.

The first day of Syawal is Hari Raya Aidilfitri also known as Hari Raya Puasa (’Hari Raya’ means day of celebration). On the morning of this auspicious day, family members will asks for forgiveness among family members. The asking for forgiveness is done in order of family seniority.

Green packet with money inside (Green pau) is given by the parents to their children as a token for the festive occasion. Muslims go the the mosque to perform the Hari Raya Puasa prayers, visit their ancestors graves to do cleaning and perform prayers.  Every Muslim house is open to visits for both Muslim and non-Muslims friends. Open house (’rumah terbuka’in Malay )is one of Malaysian signature hospitality regardless of races or religion.

The King of Malaysia and the Ministers of Parliament also like wise hold open houses to foreign dignitaries and the common public.  Special Malay delicacies like ketupat, satay, fermented glutinous rice, curry, rendang (a popular beef delicacy), thousand layer cakes and varieties of cookies are serve to visitors.

It is indeed a joyous festive occasion celebrated by all Malaysian in a true multi-racial harmony.

Every year on 31st August, Malaysians celebrated their National Day, also popularly known as Hari Merdeka . The word ‘Merdeka’ means independence and Hari Merdeka is celebrated on a national scale.  This is a special day as there will be national celebration and state level celebration. The national level is usually held in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, while the state level are held in every of the 13 states in Malaysia.

Hari Merdeka (Merdeka Day) parade involving a cross section of communities from all sectors is the highlight for the day. This event is held on the actual day in the morning. At this event, dignitaries, ambassadors, the King and queen, Prime minister and cabinet ministers will officiate these events.

On this special day, awards and titles are bestowed on outstanding citizens of Malaysia for their contributions towards the nation. Contingents of school children, army, civil servants, villagers, and all walks of live, will do a march along the designated route in the cities. Roads will be closed for this event and it is good advice for visitors to this country to be at the designated area early in the morning.

In the evening, fireworks lit the night sky while concerts are ongoing at strategic locations.  On the eve of Merdeka day, fireworks display will be put up in the capital city at the strike of 12 mid-night, followed by shouts of ‘Merdeka, Merdeka, Merdeka’ by all the participants and onlookers. This is as joyous day for both young and old.