Malaysia’s longest-running creative arts festival Urbanscapes partners with U Mobile to take over Kuala Lumpur once again with nine days of music, visual, and performance art from 16 to 24, Nov 2019.

This year’s edition Urbanscapes is expected to draw over 50,000 attendees to its city-wide celebrations. Building on previous year’s themes, Urbanscapes beckons festival-goers to #reconnectKL as they encounter the much-loved festival’s activities that will occupy Medan Pasar, River Of Life, REXKL, The Godown KL, Sentul Depot, Kwai Chai Hong, the backlanes of Lorong Bandar 13 and Lorong Panggung, and other unique spaces in the heart of the city.

Staying true to its ethos, Urbanscapes will once again work with local and international artists and creative communities to bring Kuala Lumpur to life. “We want Urbanscapes to inspire people to get out of their homes and explore their city, to discover new experiences and create meaningful conversations around all the fest has to offer,” says festival founder Adrian Yap. This year, the Unlimited Grooves Festival (UGF) by U Mobile returns with a three-day music extravaganza that will culminate with Urbanscapes’ closing party.

On 21, 22, and 24 Nov at Sentul Depot, UGF will showcase local and international musicians for every palate such as Boy Pablo, Colde, Lost Spaces, Sunset Rollercoaster, and The Drums. UGF’s general tickets have gone on sale on 12 September at www.galactix.asia. The BMW Shorties – Malaysia’s most prestigious and longest running short film competition will also be at Urbanscapes to host Tayangan BMW Shorties, a week-long screening of genre films from Southeast Asia. Held at the iconic REXKL theatre from 16 to 24 Nov, the mini-film festival will culminate with the BMW Shorties Awards Night on 23 Nov, where the Top 10 Finalists and Grand Prize Winner of BMW Shorties 2019 will be announced.

A much-beloved part of the Urbanscapes experience for many are the colourful art installations and public art works. And this year, NIPPON PAINT presents Colours Of Life that commissions emerging and established street artists to bring life and colour to the city. Along with that, IMMERSIO, with its indispensable site-specific new media art curated by audio visual collective Filamen, will produce an interactive arts exhibited paired with performances inside three heritage shophouses in Medan Pasar.

For more information and announcement updates, visit urbanscapes.com.my.

Images are credited to All is Amazing.

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If you are a fan of whisky, want to learn more and try new brands, or just want to see what Malaysia’s biggest whisky event will look like when unveiled in Penang, this November will give you the chance!

Whether you’re a serious whisky connoisseur, a casual aficionado, or a total newbie looking to expand your whisky horizons, WhiskyPLUS is the event for you! Whisky’s popularity continues to soar worldwide, so join us for Malaysia’s premier whisky and spirits tasting event, and take your enjoyment and appreciation for the whiskies of the world to the next level.

One day. Two sessions. Unlimited sampling.

Save the date: November 30, 2019. For guests who don’t live on the island but want to attend the event, why not make a weekend of it in Penang? We are working to negotiate special hotel packages for guests of WhiskyPLUS, and this will all be updated on the WhiskyPLUS website once the deals are finalised.

Tickets will be going on sale soon, with special Early Bird pricing throughout the month of October, so check out the site at www.whiskyplus.my for all the latest details and make your plans to join us in Penang!

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Dealing with any kind of move has never been an easy task for anyone, even among the most organized of people. Most would be inclined to actually leave all organizing and packing activities for the last minute before the mad rush to D-day, causing the whole experience to be distressing, hectic, and emotionally draining.

This is where Crown Relocations come in. With over 50 years of highly-rated services in the moving industry, they’ve got the whole shebang down to a science! Change is inevitable and most people will be faced with relocating at least several times over the span of their lives, if not more. Hiring the right company to manage your move is not only crucial to your state of mind, it also allows for you to focus on other areas besides physical items.

Let’s take a look at these other areas that need your attention before the packing company turn up at your door on moving day.

Discontinue Before Unplugging

Make sure to contact your cable or satellite service providers to inform them of your change of address, and remember to cancel any magazine and newspaper subscriptions to your existing residence. This also applies to your Internet service provider. There will usually be a small fee imposed with disconnection, but it depends on the kind of contract you have with them. Be sure to find out if their coverage extends to your next location, if not you will have to change to a different ISP.

Disconnect, Dispose, Remove

Before your Dedicated Move Manager and packing crew arrive, make sure you’ve disconnected all major household appliances such as the refrigerator to allow defrosting, washing machine and dryer, microwave, coffee machine, water heater, and ensure they are cleaned out before being packed away.

All gas cylinders have to be emptied or returned, and arrange for electricity and gas companies to disconnect any fittings they may have provided from the supply source.

This will also be the best time to dispose of all unwanted and unused paraphernalia around your home. If there is a need to get rid of things that are more than an unwarranted amount, you might want to consider having a jumble/yard sale. This can guarantee zero wastage and items that are no longer needed but still have use can find a different home.

See to it that wall fixtures are removed, and any holes in the wall can be refilled and touched up if you are in a rented residence. Also, perishable items are not encouraged to be transported so make sure all kitchen pantry items are either used up, given away, or disposed of.

Dangerous Goods

Here are some examples of items that are classified as dangerous goods that cannot be transported:

• Ammunition

• New or partially used cans of paint

• Linseed oil

• Bleach products

• Gas cylinders, turpentine (unless emptied)

• Kerosene

• Gasoline

• Cleaning fluids

• Aerosols (any kinds)

• Vegetable oils

• Chemical sets

Keep All Valuables Safe

It’s imperative to make sure all important documents such as passports, birth certificates, marriage license, property and vehicle paperwork, veterinary vaccination cards, as well as warranty and insurance copies are packed away in a safe compartment of your travel luggage to be taken with you. This also includes any foreign currency you might have. Your Dedicated Move Manager will also help you to identify all valuable items such as jewelry, family heirlooms, or clothing and footwear that you would need to take with you, or have them insured before being specially packed.

Whatever the concern, Crown Relocations’ expertise goes beyond basic packing and transporting, helping you every step of the way in your moving experience. To know more, read about all the different services provided here.

For more information, visit Crown Relocations’ website here.

The post Relocation Hacks to Make Your Life Easier appeared first on ExpatGo.

We’re getting closer and closer to the 2019 edition of Gin Jubilee, Malaysia’s largest gin and tonic festival! So what better time to get up close and personal with what’s arguably the most popular gin-based beverage by talking with one of the organisers of this epic G&T celebration?

We sat down with Shawn Samuel, the Managing Director of Wholly Spirits, an importer and purveyor of fine spirits, and also the organiser of Gin Jubilee. Shawn founded Wholly Spirits with a group of friends back in 2016 with the aim of ‘Redefining Spirits’ here in Malaysia, and ensures that everyone on the Wholly Spirits team is passionate about craft spirits, cocktails, and bartending.

So as part of our countdown to Gin Jubilee, here’s our chat with Shawn about that classic cocktail, the gin and tonic!

What makes gin such an ideal spirit for Malaysia’s climate?

For one, the gin and tonic is such a refreshing drink, perfect for the hot and humid weather in Malaysia. Beyond that, though, it’s also a very versatile drink, easy to make at home, and easy for bartenders to put their own twist on, as you can see from the different varieties of gin and tonics the Partner Bars have submitted for the Gin Jubilee’s ‘Best G&T in KL’ competition.

With Malaysia having such a food-obsessed culture, the distinct flavours of gin are also quite appealing to us. Many of these gins have very pleasant, refreshing flavours – the juniper is a great pick-me-up, while all the other floral, herbal, sweet, and even savoury flavours add to the allure of gin.

Gin seems to be enjoying a surge in popularity in Greater KL. What do you think is driving this?

We like to think it’s because of the popularity of the Gin Jubilee! But the fact is, Malaysians have always been drawn towards diverse and interesting flavours in their food and drinks, and when it comes to spirits, you can’t get more diverse than gin, with all the different types of botanicals being used these days.

The gin and tonic is also an important way to promote gin, and the increasing popularity of premium tonic water brands like East Imperial in the market also helps, because these mixers help to enhance the flavours of the gins even more.

Talk about that a little more, because this is something that may not be commonly known. How important is the mixer in this particular cocktail?

Many people are not aware that it’s equally important to use a good tonic water to complement and even enhance the unique characteristics of the specific gin used in a gin and tonic.

Some bars just make do with the usual mainstream brands, which really defeats the purpose of using a craft or otherwise special gin. The overly sweet nature of these mainstream brands tends to overpower the flavours in the gin, which in turn, upsets the balance of the drink. So, yeah, if there was one thing I want everyone to know, it’s to use a good tonic water… like East Imperial, which actually has a number of different flavour expressions of their premium tonics, and these can be ‘paired’ with the right gin to make a truly memorable G&T!

You’ve mentioned craft gins. What do you feel are some of the benefits of moving beyond the mass-market gins to more craft and boutique offerings?

Well, it’s safe to say that one of the reasons that gin began growing so quickly around the world is because of these craft and boutique offerings. In the past, all we had were London Dry Gins, but brands like Hendrick’s and The Botanist, both of which had the resources of large distilleries behind them, helped to introduce consumers to a world outside that quintessential gin style.

These days, we have gins from all over the world that are unique in their own way. The juniper will always be the main star of a gin, but you could say that there is a gin for everyone these days.

Want a more juniper-forward gin? Try Four Pillars Rare Dry Gin or Scapegrace Gin. Want something that’s more floral? Check out G’Vine Floraison or Rock Rose. Want a very complex gin to give an extra kick to your G&T? Try a Kyro Napue Gin or a St George Terroir gin. The possibilities these days are nearly endless, and there’s never an excuse for a boring G&T!

Most people are familiar with just the classic gin and tonic. In your opinion, what are some other gin-based cocktails worth checking out?

Gin drinks indeed encompass so much more than just the G&T. Gin is the base for so many classic cocktails. Of course, if you’re talking about the most famous gin drinks apart from the G&T, there’s the Negroni, Martini, Gimlet, the Tom Collins, Clover Club, The Last Word, and many more. Even James Bond’s drink, the Vesper, uses gin in it.

But with so many great bars and talented bartenders in Malaysia now, why limit yourself to the classics? Most of the Malaysian bars have their own curated menus, with great gin drinks. My recommendation would be to go out to these bars and explore these home-grown gin drinks, and expand your palate!

Any final thoughts in the countdown to Gin Jubilee?

For the team at Wholly Spirits, we wanted to elevate the drinking experience of consumers in Malaysia by helping to develop the local bar industry and bringing in the best quality products possible. Gin Jubilee is really a testament to these goals. We’re fortunate to be working alongside some great brands and partner bars, and the whole event, from the Opening Party to the big Gin Lane celebration, offers consumers a terrific opportunity to try new things in the world of gin, taste cocktails from some of the city’s best bartenders, and have a great time learning about gin and sampling the wide range of flavours from this one special spirit. We’re really looking forward to seeing everyone at Gin Jubilee this year!

The post Ginthusiam: Discover the Greatness of the Classic Gin and Tonic appeared first on ExpatGo.

Houston is the fourth most populous city in the United States and the world’s largest concentration of healthcare and research institutions as well as NASA’s Johnson Space Center, where the Mission Control Center is located. The new Houston flights will be operated via Ethiopian West African Hub in Lomé, Togo, and will facilitate the travel of the large African community in the Houston area, as well as the oil and gas industry and other companies doing business in the region.

Group CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam, remarked, “The U.S. is among our most important markets owing to the presence of a large African community and growing investment, trade and tourism relations with Africa. Our new route structure with additional frequencies to multiple gateways and the opening of a new route to Houston are aimed at responding to the market demand and availing the best possible connectivity between the USA and over 60 African destinations.

The new flights will provide the only direct and most efficient connections between Houston and West Africa. Onboard our flights, our customers will continue to enjoy our premium and award-winning service on the most technologically advanced commercial aircraft, the Boeing 787. In line with our Vision 2025 strategic roadmap, we will keep on expanding our U.S. and African network so as to facilitate people-to-people ties and the flow of investment, trade and tourism.”

Africa’s leading carrier, Ethiopian Airlines, has been expanding its international destinations which have now reached 125. Marseille, Garowe, and Beira are the new international destinations launched recently.

Book flights to Houston now on Ethiopian.

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Managing Director of Düsseldorf Tourism, Ole Friedrich, present at the official launch gave a passionate speech about why you should visit this beautiful city. For more information, visit duesseldorf-tourismus.de. Also in attendance was Nicolas Peveling, Sales Manager of the Steigenberger Parkhotel, who impressed the audience with stunning visuals of the hotel–a must stay when you visit Düsseldorf. Go to Steigenberger.com for bookings.

With state-of-the-art technology and superior operating efficiency, there are 253 seats in the A350-900 aircraft in Business Class, Premium Economy Class and Economy Class, which offers customers an enhanced travel experience with features that focus on comfort including higher ceilings, larger windows, an extra wide body, spacious legroom and lighting specifically designed to reduce jetlag.

Customers are able to depart conveniently from different points in Malaysia, transiting via Singapore Changi Airport to fly to Düsseldorf:-

• Fly from Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Kota Kinabalu on Singapore Airlines or SilkAir
• Travel out of Kuantan, Ipoh, Kuching, Langkawi and Kota Bahru on Scoot

The transit experience at Singapore Changi Airport is even more rewarding when customers travel on Singapore Airlines, SilkAir and Scoot. From now till 31 March 2020, customers will receive a S$20 transit voucher to offset their shopping during the stopover at the Changi Airport. On top of that, customers will get to enjoy a host of privileges and exclusive discounts on hotel stays, car rentals, restaurants, boutiques, shopping malls and other tourist attractions with their Singapore Airlines or SilkAir boarding pass.

To book your flights, visit singaporeair.com.

The post Fly With Singapore Airlines From Malaysia to Düsseldorf, Via Singapore appeared first on ExpatGo.

Launching in October, and available at all of The Social Group’s outlets, the collection of coolers will see 50% of the proceeds from each drink sold donated to The Lost Food Project and Free Tree Society. The Lost Food Project is Malaysia’s largest food bank, rescuing surplus, quality, and nutritious food that would otherwise go to landfill, and redistributing it to those most in need, whilst Free Tree Society is an environmental organisation which gives away and promotes the planting of trees to naturally help mitigate – or even reverse – the impacts of human-caused climate change.

These are important organisations that do invaluable work. Over 3,000 tons of edible food go to waste in Malaysia every day. Not only is that number shocking because of its staggering wastefulness, but as that food breaks down in landfills, huge amounts of carbon are released into the atmosphere. We wrote about The Lost Food Project a short time after it was founded back in 2016. Since then, the organisation has ‘rescued’ enough excess food from landfills to furnish welcome, quality nutrition to those who need it, all while keeping over one million kilograms of carbon from entering the atmosphere. Talk about a win-win! Even the food that’s not suitable for eating is put to good use, as it gets composted into a high-quality fertilizer for plants and trees.

Meanwhile, Free Tree Society aims to raise environmental awareness and stewardship, encourage more biodiversity in the urban environment, and empower people to conserve and preserve our planet by changing the way people think about interacting with nature. In addition to educating people about the benefit and importance of nature (and trees, specifically), they also give away trees at community projects and environmentally-themed events, so far having distributed some 34,000 of them since their founding! Each tree will naturally absorb carbon throughout its lifetime, and many climate scientists believe that – while not being a complete solution – planting more trees can help mitigate some of the effects of human-caused climate change. The ‘baby trees’ are often wrapped in packaging made from unwanted and used burlap coffee sacks, donated by the Coffee for Good project, a social enterprise which provides barista training for underserved youth in the Greater KL area.

Speaking about the campaign, co-founder of The Social Group, Mei-Li Tan said: “Climate change is one of the most urgent crises facing the world today and we’re taking baby steps to do our bit for the planet in any small way we can like managing our food waste with our partner Eco Foodsoft to convert food waste to compost using black soldier flies and African night crawlers, which is then used for animal feed and for planting trees. Now, through this project, we hope to tackle climate change by raising awareness and influencing the people around us to live and consume more conscientiously and sustainably before it’s too late.”

Bees, Trees, and Seas

The names of the drinks have been carefully selected to give a nod to the urgent need to save the bees, which we depend on to pollinate our crops to produce fruits and seeds for human consumption; save the trees which we depend on to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and cool the planet, among many other benefits trees confer; and save the seas, which absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, reduce climate change impacts, and provide both recreation and transportation, as well as a huge proportion of the animal protein we eat.

Using Trigona honey – produced by stingless bees that are endemic to Malaysia – as the base of the mocktail sippers, Save the Seas blends ginger mint tea, mint syrup, lemongrass, Trigona honey, and butterfly pea flower to create a vivid blue appearance; Save the Bees brings vibrant zests of passionfruit syrup, yellow capsicum juice, freshly squeezed lemon juice, butterfly pea flower, tonic water, and Trigona honey; while Save the Trees oozes fresh zings of earthy pandan juice, caramel syrup, condensed milk, yogurt, and Trigona honey.

“The climate emergency is a very real and imminent threat to our species,” says Suzanne Mooney, founder of The Lost Food Project. “The time to take action is now, before we all feel the irreversible effects of climate change, and through initiatives like this, we hope to be able to reach people with this important message,” she adds.

“The compost generated from the ‘We’re Endangered Too’ initiative will go into the planting of trees, towards the mitigation of climate change through carbon sequestration,” says Baida Hercus, president of Free Tree Society Kuala Lumpur. “Every restaurant that composts and re-distributes excess food means a reduction in the amount of waste going into landfills, which are significant contributors of greenhouse gases. We’re happy to see The Social Group leading the way on this.”

We think that supporting this initiative by purchasing a tasty and enjoyable non-alcoholic drink is an easy way to play a part, but of course, it takes more. If each of us takes real steps to reduce our consumption, reuse things as much as we can, and recycle (or upcycle) materials, too, collectively, that can make a real difference.

Most importantly, support the companies who make the effort to really positively address climate change and vote for public officials who pledge to enact legislation that helps, not hinders, the fight against human-caused climate change.

The ‘We’re Endangered Too’ drinks will be priced at RM15++ per drink and will make their debut at the KL Eco Film Festival on 12 October 2019. The menu will also be available at The Social Publika and Lisette’s Café & Bakery in Bangsar and Subang.

To get inspired and to learn more about what you can to do to play your part in one of the most important fights of our time, head over to the Conservation International website and watch this short video featuring teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg and writer George Monbiot. Then drop by one of The Social Group’s popular outlets and enjoy a cool, refreshing mocktail that will help Save the Bees, Save the Trees, and Save the Seas.

We also encourage readers to visit the respective sites of these great organisations to learn more and perhaps even lend a volunteering hand to help them continue the important work that they are doing right here in Malaysia!

www.freetreesociety.org

www.thelostfoodproject.org

www.coffeeforgood.com.my

The post Bees, Trees, and Seas: Do Your Part to Make a Difference appeared first on ExpatGo.

This comment seems to have sparked a variety of emotions, running from fear of the country being overrun by foreigners to people urging the government to act faster.

‘Property overhang’ refers to those properties which have been completed and remain unsold. It’s certainly a concern for the developers, because it’s typically the sale of the last few units which produce the profit for the whole development. The number of unsold units has increased dramatically in the last few years, growing from almost 11,000 in 2015 to over 33,000 at the end of the first quarter of this year.

However, it should be noted that only around 4,000 of these unsold properties – barely more than 10% – are priced over RM1 million, and most states will not permit foreigners to buy properties below this price. So even if a lot of foreigners did decide to buy, there is a very limited number of units from which they could choose for purchase. In some states, the minimum property purchase price for foreigners, especially for MM2Hers, has been set at a lower level, but usually it’s RM1 million and sometimes more.

In fact, the decision to buy properties is not really linked to the MM2H programme in any specific way. Any foreigner can buy property in Malaysia, as long as it’s in a category available to foreigners. That’s why so many property companies have road shows overseas to attract foreign buyers for their developments.

In the 18 years since the MM2H programme was launched, only around 42,000 applications have been approved, so it has not even reached an average 3,000 a year, many of whom do not move to Malaysia to live. So it’s easy to see that the number of potential MM2H property buyers is negligible compared to Malaysian buyers. The Malaysian population grows by around 500,000 a year, so each year, another segment of the country’s population reaches the ‘property buying’ age.

As noted, a majority of people who are approved and receive the MM2H visa choose not to live here. No one knows the exact number because it is not tracked, but it is thought to be a lot less than half of the ones who acquire the visa. And of the MM2Hers who actually do choose to reside in Malaysia, only around 60% buy property, so it is obvious this is a very small number indeed.  Surprisingly, the government has never lowered the price at which foreigners who live and work here can buy property. In fact, they’ve only raised it, often simply doubling the previous minimum with no clear reasoning as to how the new figures were reached. Even people with permanent residency get no reduction in the minimum purchase price.

Given the continually growing property overhang in Malaysia, there is certainly a strong case for letting foreigners who live and work here buy property priced under RM1 million. That would help the oversupply, and to ensure such a decision would not be negative for Malaysians (as some fear the possibility of overseas buyers purchasing large numbers of inexpensive units, thus squeezing out locals), foreigners could easily be limited to buying only one property, presumably to be used as their primary residence.

Perhaps the most compelling reason for people to not worry about a deluge of MM2H property buyers, however, is that currently there is a serious backlog in clearing these visa applications. In fact, it seems not a single application submitted in the last nine months has been processed and approved yet!

Feature image credit: Tierra Mallorca on Unsplash.

The post Property and MM2H: A Lot of Misinformation appeared first on ExpatGo.

As a child, Kamwei Fong would spend time scribbling before going off to kindergarten, with whatever he could get his hands on. Scrap paper, walls, and even furniture saw all kinds of adornment with pens and pencils; something most children would be subject to some kind of discipline when caught in this innocent act of domestic vandalism. Fong’s mother however, saw something worth cultivating in the hobbies of her 4 year old. Fong fondly remembers his mother getting good quality art materials for him, and sitting beside him every time he drew. 

It set a strong foundation for Fong, and art became a lifelong pursuit.

Fong can’t pinpoint exactly when he decided to become an artist, but art has always revolved around him. From art classes in high school to a diploma in an art/design college, Fong spent almost a good two decades in design consultancies and international advertising agencies before going full-time into artistry in 2018.

While he has an impressive (and extensive!) background in the more formal creative industry as a consultant, branding and advertising designer, and other art-related creations, Fong has happily settled into doing art full time.

He is known to his 176k followers on Instagram for his signature ‘Furry Thing’ cats, being adorable feline characters drawn intricately with strokes of a gel pen, giving his creations a fluffy appearance with painstaking effort. It may take a few long-time, die-hard fans to remember his dabbling in equally adorable ceramic creatures as well under his branding Bo&Friends, where a cute goldfish named Bo is his happiness personified.

His tools are simple 0.05pt and 0.1pt archival micro pigment ink fine line pens, and his patience. The ‘Furry Thing’ artworks demand steadiness and calm (therapeutic, Fong professes), but also quite delicate. A single tiny mistake of a fur stroke going the wrong way and the entire piece could be ruined, and the flow broken. Even his petite ceramic pieces require much attention to detail while in motion, as anything can happen in the firing process. Unpredictable colouring, shape warping and other accidents have the potential to occur, something Fong has noted to be quite challenging.

His inspiration comes from a myriad of many great artists, designers, calligraphers, architects, inventors, and writers, all shaping collective insights towards his personal journey as an artist.

As a professional artist, Fong functions through creating and selling prints of his art via commission or through a set composed for other bigger, well-established brands. His unique art has been featured and sold all around the world such as Galerie Club in Paris, Super Superficial clothing in London, and Isetan, just to name a few. Locals will recognise him through ana tomy’s limited edition run of notebooks with his work as cover art, exhibitions at KLPAC, and sales at local branches of Isetan The Japan Store and Fab Space.

Fong lives in the moment, enjoying everything he does in the present. Like his art-style, Fong goes with the flow. His personal philosophy is that the things he has done today will lead him somewhere tomorrow. Like many of us, thinking of the future makes him nervous, but Fong reverts this as redundant as it has not happened yet. His creativity is self-described to be instinctual, striving to only do what he loves, and collaborate with companies and brands he finds interesting. Very much in line with his zen outlook on life, Fong considers his biggest achievements to be finally be done with works he was never fully interested in and to be doing what he enjoys in the now.

Fong confesses not knowing much about Malaysia’s art scene, most of his personality is active on the globally-reaching platform Instagram.  He has however, has some exposure via Art Expo Malaysia 2018, and was amazed by the number of visitors and openness to the different kinds of art, encouraging the many talented artists Malaysia has to offer.

Kamwei’s art can be purchased through his Etsy (@kamweifong). He can also be found on Instagram (@kamweiatwork), on Facebook (@Bo&Friends or @Kamwei Fong). To inquire on availability for certain pieces, reach out to him at kamweiatwork@gmail.com.

The post Shady and Sketchy Cats Paint the Picture of Adorableness appeared first on ExpatGo.

Break Up Exhibition 2.0

A safe space to view and connect with others who have experienced heart-break over a relationship, or a fight with family, or losing a beloved pet is here for you. In this second edition of displaying once-cherished items and the memory associated with them, past relationships will be recognised and honoured as having had happened, and viewers are invited to sympathise and learn. The exhibition is free, but tickets must be secured via this link.

Date: 3rd – 5th October
Venue: Gallery, 1st Floor, Sunway University, 5, Jalan Universiti, Bandar Sunway, 47500 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Website: Heal

Kuala Lumpur Alternative Bookfest (KLAB) 2019

In conjunction with the artistic Cooler Lumpur Festival, KLAB returns for its 11th year running! Rare books, limited-editions, new publications, all from the local indie publishing scene are up for grabs, and knowing more about the Malaysian literature scene always makes for an interesting day. From history to horror, find something new from the many multicultural and multi-generational perspectives of Malaysia and beyond.

Date: 4th – 6th October
Venue: Publika, Solaris Dutamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Website: Books

One Night Only : A Bob Marley Tribute

The Bee’s monthly tribute this year pays homage to the one and only legendary reggae maestro Bob Marley! Featuring for the first time a specially-curated 11-piece band of well known faces in the local music scene such as Bihzhu, Brendan de Cruz, Billie Blue (Billie Blue & The Nowhere Men) and Danielle Williams (Skies Are Red) and many more, spend a chill and heartwarming night jamming out to the best reggae hits and classics.

Date: 5th October
Venue: The Bee, Publika Mall, 36, Block C, Level G2, 1, Jalan Dutamas 1, Solaris Dutamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur
Website: https://www.facebook.com/events/514805495974315/

Traders Market #7

The seventh and latest instalment of the popular home-grown community market finds a new venue in Bangsar this year. From 3pm to 9pm at The Fore, Bangsaria on Jalan Maarof, come and shop consciously in support of local entrepreneurs and the local market space! Expect products ranging from the homemade baked goodies to eco-friendly soaps, sustainable beauty products, innovative handicrafts, and culturally-poignant gifts. For a complete list of vendors, head over to their Facebook page.

Date: 5th October
Venue: The Fore, 45 Jalan Maarof, 59000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Website: Market

Spooktacular Craft Affair 2019

While Halloween in Malaysia is a vastly under-celebrated occasion, some fun is still to be had at the Spooktacular Craft Affair! This event will not only feature fun Halloween-themed merchandise from local independent vendors, but also a ton of workshops and craft activities for all ages to take part in.

Date: 11th – 13th October
Venue: Paradigm Mall Petaling Jaya, No. 1, Jalan SS7/26A, Kelana Jaya, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
Website: Spoopy!

Magical Movie Moments II

The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre’s volunteer orchestra comes under the baton of Music Director and Resident Conductor Lee Kok Leong to bring you an array of well-known scores from some of the biggest blockbuster movies ever. From childhood favourites to instantly recognisable tunes, this family-friendly concert programme will definitely take you on a musical journey throughout the history of cinema. This concert will also serve as a fundraiser for the musicians to maintain their instruments, and each RM100 VIP ticket will go towards the upkeep of all equipment. Tickets are available on proticket.com.

Date: 11th – 13th October
Venue: Pentas 1, klpac, Sentul Park, Jalan Strachan, 51100 Kuala Lumpur
Website: Music

Malaysia Wine Fiesta 2019

France, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, and more countries famed for their harvests of grape come together in Malaysia for a spectacular display of winery and finery! Join the aficionados or bring along some curious friends to learn all about wine, from its production to its bottling, as well as the bites that pair up with the different types of wine. Not only that, the Fiesta will feature masterclasses, 18 top producers worldwide, and 50 unique labels, many of which will be sold at a very special price in celebration of the day. Tickets range from RM120 to RM150 via Eventbrite.com and the event will take place at the REXKL on Jalan Sultan from 3pm to 10pm.

Date: 12th October
Venue: REXKL, 80, Jalan Sultan, 50000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Website: Wine

Young Entomologist Program

Back with high demand, the Young Entomologist Program is set to introduce the delicate world of insects to a whole new generation! Under the guidance of certified field scientists, children and parents will engage in collective studying of Malaysia’s bug life, from catching and releasing to detailed studying of antennae, wing type, diet, and even leg proportions. Participation fee will include meal, insurance, FRIM entrance fee, activity materials, certificate and MNS facilitators included. To register or more info, kindly please fill in the Google form at https://forms.gle/LmX4wH9B27MfLsqV9. For any enquirers, please call the organisers at 03- 62771703 or email nec@mns.org.my.

Date: 19th October
Venue: FRIM-MNS Nature Education Centre, H3, Jalan Symington, Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM), 52109 Kepong, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Website: Bug’s Life

Deepavali

The Festival of Lights is upon us! Celebrated by the Indian community, Deepavali brings out the best of Malaysians as they come together for food and companionship under the Hindu tradition. Look out for beautiful, intricate kolams made of stained rice in the entranceways of shopping malls and Indian houses, and the many small clay oil lamps lining the walls to signify good triumphing over the darkness of evil. Do not miss out on the celebratory open houses, and remember to respect some outlets closing in view of the public holidays!

Date: 27th October

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