There were some technical problems (can't log in for some reason), which were compounded by the running about, trying to get things ready before scheduled deadlines and such. But most, if not all has been sorted out (except for the running about, which will never cease) and hopefully behind us, now that I could miraculously log in to post updates. ;-)
Plenty has gone on since, and while I seemingly haven't given much of it any attention (especially if this space is anything to go by), trust me when I say that a lot of work - writing, designing, planning, organising - has gone into improving our portals/services, particularly on AllMalaysia.info.
With that in mind, take note: this will be a long post.
AllMalaysia.info will sport a new look with added features come Aug 31, 2008. We're most excited about the all-new Travel Tool, powered by Mayflower.
This excellent addition will allow you, as a user, to make bookings for hotels, flights, transfers, and even full holiday packages. For the time being, bookings are limited to destinations within Malaysia, but we're looking at outbound travel as well, so that's one for the future.
The Travel Tool will complement the larger Travel Planner which includes your Travel Profile, an improved version of your MyStar Profile. With it, you'll be able to:
- Keep a record of your booking status - Bookmark relevant stories (within the profile itself) for easy access - Make notes/plans - E-mail bookings/stories i.e travel plans to your friends and family - Print said stories, notes etc
Note that we're starting on a clean slate so expect the site to be a tad bare in the beginning. But it'll improve (content-wise, especially) as the months progress. Need I tell you to check the site out on Merdeka Day?
Before I write about the above, I would like to say a big thank you to all those who replied to our 'Wanted' ad for a Fashion Blogger. The position has been filled by Phat Mama whose jottings can now be found at CloveTWO's Trendsetter Blog.
Moving on: We're now looking for some 30-odd travel buffs and other restless types to fill in the position of AMBP Travel Ambassador.
As an AMBP Travel Ambassador you'll be sent to all-expense paid trips (maybe with a small allowance), from time to time, and all you need to do is well, write about your experience. Simple as that. There won't be any other remuneration/salary as such, but hey, we're going to send you on holidays! Isn't that enticement enough?
Each of our travel ambassadors will be assigned to specific regions, as follows:
1) Central Region: Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Putrajaya, Negeri Sembilan 2) Northern Region: Perlis, Kedah, Penang, Perak 3) Southern Region: Johor Baharu, Malacca 4) East Coast Region: Pahang, Kelantan, Terengganu 5) Sabah: Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan 6) Sarawak: Kuching, Mulu, Miri
If you're interested, send an e-mail to (in spam-friendly format) ambp AT allmalaysia DOT info, with 'AMBP Travel Ambassadors' as the subject line, and tell us why you'll make a great travel ambassador for us.
Also, do provide us with the following info...
Name: Address (Where you're residing at the moment): Contact No: Blog: Preferred Region(s):
...and you're set.
Note that if you do make the cut as one of our travel ambassadors (especially those within the Klang Valley) you will be required to attend the official launch of our revamped AllMalaysia.info website on Saturday, Sept 6, 2008 (tentative) at Menara Star. To dangle the carrot, we'll be giving out the first few holiday packages at the launch, so keep yourself free for that day, yah?
Update: The official launch date has been postponed to Sept 27 due to some legal complications.
For those of you who have written in to show your interest in taking up the role an AMBP Travel Ambassador, note that we'll be making calls on Sept 24 and 25 to confirm that you've been chosen. You'll be required to attend the launch if you've been shortlisted.
For those interested, but have yet to write in, please do so before Sep 24.
To commemorate the soon-to-be-relaunched AllMalaysia.info, we've set up a simple contest called Malaysia: Reviewed! to allow you to play the travel writer. The contest is open to all MyStar members, which effectively means, as an AMBP member, you're eligible.
All you need to do is send in the URL to a blog post, written this year, about your Malaysian holiday experience, and you may end up with a hotel stay. Post your entries at the link above, and hurry, cos it's gonna end soon.
Oh, and if you're interested to become one of our travel ambassadors, this will be a fantastic opportunity for you to show us how good a travel writer you are.
One of our bloggers QuaChee (his blog: http://www.quachee.blogspot.com/), being the true patriot that he is, has published a book called 50+1 Malaysia, in conjunction with Malaysia's 51st Independence Day. The book is a wonderful synopsis of what makes Malaysia, well Malaysia.
It's divided into seven sections (Food, Places, Things To Do etc), and keeping to its theme of '50+1', each of these sections list 51 items that are uniquely Malaysian. For instance, under the section 50+1 Truly Malaysian, you'll find entries for Malaysian colloquial expressions (aiyo, syiok and boss); Malaysian textile and fashion (kebaya, songket batik), as well as Malaysian wildlife (tapir, Sarawak hornbill, orang utan).
To learn more about the book you can head on over to its 'official' website, the malaysia page.
To support QuaChee's admirable endeavour (as you should, being a fellow Malaysian blogger and all), we're giving away 25 copies of the book.
Here are the steps you have to take to win a copy of 50+1 Malaysia:
1) Write a paragraph (keep it short and simple), about your love for Malaysia, by using the following 5 + 1 words (Five compulsory + one of your choice):
Compulsory Words: Malaysia, 50+1, Merdeka, alamak, mamak
And choose at least one of these: badminton, aiyo, orang utan, ah long, ang pow, 4D, beca, Malaysia Boleh!, nasi lemak, batik, Angkasawan, Lee Chong Wei, Michelle Yeoh, Mawi, KLCC, durian
The world has started spinning again for footie fans, and this is especifially true for English Premier League (EPL) fans whose lives are now once again complete now that the 2008-09 season has begun.
Good thing too, for I would have gone completely bonkers if I had to continue reading the garbage that comes out during silly season (Henry to ManU??!! ROTFLOL)
But let's not go into that for world order has been restored. And what's more, The Star Online has created a blog space especially for ourselves you footie fans. It's called FootBlog, and it's a designated corner for you to rant and rave about anything and everything to do with the beautiful game.
AMBP will be looking at organising events for Gooners EPL fans, so watch out for that on this space. In the meantime, go write about Samir Nasri's awesome debut at FootBlog. ;-)
We're into our fourth CD Giveaway now, and boy-oh-boy, am I excited about this one.
Y'see, I'm a fan of this edition's featured artist Duffy, and I would strongly recommend you become one too. Heh. Well, maybe this track Warwick Avenue from her debut album Rockferry would covert you, if you aren't already a fan.
Now, isn't she just great? The talented 23-year old Welsh singer has drawn comparisons with Dusty Springfield, and that in itself should say something. A whole lot of somethings, in fact.
But before I start rambling on, I'll just direct you to her Wikipedia entry, y'know, to avoid accusations of hard selling and all.
Anyways, the contest. Universal Music has provided us with 10 copies of Rockferry to give away, and they've even thrown in two each of Duffy tank tops and tote bags for the top three entries.
To get your hands on one of the 10 copies we have, you'll have to demonstrate your best impression of Duffy. There are several ways you can do this; here are your options:
1) Rewrite the lyrics to either Warwick Avenue or Mercy and make it as fun(ny) or witty or sad or crazy as you can. You don't have to rewrite the whole song. One verse and the chorus would do. Post it on your blog.
OR
2) Put on a blonde wig, and strike your best Duffy pose for a pic. Then post the photo on your blog.
OR
3) Sing a verse of your favourite Duffy song, record it, and post either the video or audio of the rendition on your blog.
OR
4) Imagine that you're Duffy. Now blog about the experience that prompted you to write the song Warwick Avenue.
Once you're done send the link as a comment here. You've got until Sep 7. Winners will be notified by e-mail.
each of which will be preceded by a short talk by Shamshahrin Shamsudin, a professional photographer whose works have appeared in both local and foreign newspapers/magazines such as The Star, The International Herald Tribune, TIME, Asiaweek and the Far Eastern Economic Review.
The workshops and trips are held in conjunction with the Sunway Memories Photography Contest, a 3-month competition offering total prizes worth over RM140,000.
In view of that, after each talk/workshop, bloggers will be given free passes to explore the Sunway holiday destination in question, to take as many photos as they like, which they must submit as entries to the above contest.
The Sunway Lagoon day-trip will take place on Sep 26, while the all-expense paid 2D/1N excursion to Sunway Lost World of Tambun is happening on Oct 10 & 11.
We're looking at 40 bloggers for the Sunway Lagoon trip, and another 30 for the Tambun stay, for a total of 70 bloggers. For further details, and to book your place for the workships/trips simply head on over to our contest page, which will be up either this Friday or next Monday.
I'll update this section of this post with the link as soon as it's up, so come back, yah?
For the winners of our Dream a little Dreamz Contest who have yet to collect their passes, please be reminded that the Genting - City of Entertainment showcase will end its run on Aug 31. So do come pay us a visit very soon if you don't want to miss out on it.
I must be honest and say that the response to this contest has been somewhat disappointing. As a result, we still have extra passes that we don't want to see go to waste. So, I'm offering them up to ALL AMBP members - if you intend to watch the show for free, and able to collect the passes from Menara Star before Tuesday, 26 Aug, give me a call at oh one nine 2184 307.
Comments
hello! i am interested for Dreamz!! coming to see u soon!!
Here's my entry for the Duffy contest : http://tjfran.wordpress.com/2008/08/21/bluey-scheluwee%e2%80%99s-ode-to-owner/
My entry for Malaysia 50+1 http://tjfran.wordpress.com/2008/08/21/192/
50+1 Malaysia in love
my post at http://plusizekitten.blogspot.com/2008/08/501-malaysia-years-in-love.html
Happy Birthday 50+1st Birthday Malaysia
www.Spectreoutreach.blogspot.com
hi, posted the Malaysia 50+1 years and loving it here :-
My entry for Rockferry can be found at: http://justkimz.blogspot.com/2008/08/at-mercy-for-rockferry.html =)
has the "Photographer Blogger's Special: AMBP Workshop + Trip + Contest" forms been posted out yet? interested to participate
hey! im just wondering whether the winners for the previous one republic cd giveaway has been announced?
gotchagirl, hhhmm. i've already e-mailed a notice to the winners but you're not the first person to ask me that question. maybe i'll send the notice again.
kkchow23, we're having some technical probs with the submission page so hold on for a bit. Fingers crossed we'll settle it by tomorrow.
ooo, so many contest,duno which 1 to join(^^)
Hi there, I am joining the Malaysia, 50+1 years and Loving it Contest(^^)
Here is the link: http://xjion89.blogspot.com/2008/09/malaysia-is-501-i-am-proud-to-be.html
The term 'travel ambassador' sounds so cool.. *crosses fingers, hoping to be one* haha...
the email "ambp@allmalysia.info" is not working. I tried to submit email for the travel ambassadors since tue, but always encountered failure. please take some time to look into it.
Error:
Connected to 202.184.114.35 but sender was rejected. Remote host said: 452 4.3.1 Out of memory
Erm....there's something wrong with the e-mail for the travel embassador thing. The e-mail keeps bouncing back (sent like 2 to 3 e-mails already). Hope that you guys can provide an alternate e-mail.
Hi to whom this may concern, I would like to inform that your email ambp@allmalaysia.info has been bouncing back the emails I've sent. I think this another reason why the people sending in to apply for travel ambassadors could possibly be poor. Cause I have another friend who has the same problem. The email i'm using is a gmail account, so that could be another factor, due to possibly email filtering. Just to let you know.
I received the email on the Wanted: AMBP Travel Ambassadors. I checked the blog here and it stated that the last day to write in is on Sep 24th. Still, I receive an email about getting more peeps to join in, so I thought, maybe there's still some opening. However, when I send the email, the mail fail to be delivered.
"This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification
Delivery to the following recipient failed permanently:
ambp@allmalaysia.info
Technical details of permanent failure: Google tried to deliver your message, but it was rejected by the recipient domain. We recommend contacting the other email provider for further information about the cause of this error. The error that the other server returned was: 452 452 4.3.1 Out of memory (state 13)."
I tried sending loads of emails to apply for the Travel Ambassador thing but I kept getting bounced emails from your side
the email "ambp@allmalysia.info" does not work, please let me know if there's another email address I could send to? Thanks
I kept getting emails from your side asking us to submit our letters if interested but all I get from your side when I send the email is rejects.
