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Malaysia Tourism Board, Disappointing
Malaysia Tourism Board invited over 190 journalists from all over the world to witness the opening of Floral Festival 2007, which was part of the Visit Malaysia 2007 program.
From Indonesia, 17 journalists from 10 media – 7 printed media, 3 tv stations — followed the 5 days trip in Malaysia (Jan 25th to 30th). I got a chance to represent SCTV to go there together with Anca Leksmana (producer) and Bambang Triyono (cameraman). Being invited by the Malaysia Tourism Board, I had a high expectation that it would be a fun and easy trip, in the sense of we would get easy access to explore interesting places in the country.
However, it surprised me that in most of the places written on the itinerary, we couldn’t shoot anything! Actually, when we just arrived at the hotel, the first thing I asked to the Senior Tourism Officer of Malaysia Tourism Board was a simple letter stating that they invited SCTV to come to promote the country for Visit Malaysia 2007, in case we needed it. But, to write such letter, the officer said that they needed two weeks time! Geezz.. Why does it take so long to write a simple letter? I understand bureaucracy might be complicated, but couldn’t they make it simpler to ease the work of the journalists?
So, we were there for 6 days, had an itinerary on hands that looks fabulous from outside but useless. For example, there was a shopping tour program for 5 hours in 2 shopping malls and IKEA. But then, in these malls, it was forbidden to shoot anything. As journalists who work for a TV station, what’s the point going there if we couldn’t record anything? We came to Malaysia to work, not for holidays. We are not tourists.
Another small example, we were scheduled to have lunch at a revolving restaurant at KL Tower. We also couldn’t shoot there and the manager even had no idea that a TV station from Indonesia would come. Being in KL Tower, the 4th tallest tower in the world, it would be such a waste if we couldn’t shoot some scenes from the top of the tower. So, we contacted the PR of KL Tower by ourselves. I got her number from a French journalist who works in KL. We got a good response from her as she realized that it would be a good exposure for KL Tower. Unfortunately, it was Sunday and it was such a short notice. She could only assign a customer service to take us to see the facilities that they have and shoot there. If we contacted her earlier (on the workdays), then she could have arrange a tour to the top of the tower, which is not a public area. Wouldn’t it be amazing?
She wanted the Tourism Board to contact her to confirm that it was true SCTV came on behalf of their invitation. So, we asked the representative of the board to call her. Apparently, she already contacted the Tourism Board in KL herself. And this caused a little bit of a crisis in the board (Malaysia and Indonesia offices). The representative of the board from Indonesia who brought us there, called us up saying that her boss was angry at her and now she looked so stupid and unprofessional in doing her job. So, she warned us not to contact any parties directly in the future. Oh great! Being journalists on a TV station, our job is to get a good picture and produce a good show. If the board didn’t do their homework in arranging permit to shoot in any places, then as journalists, it was our instinct to contact the party directly. Especially, when we could get direct access to the party (journos always know how to get direct access, right? 
Being a PR myself, I couldn’t believe how the Malaysia Tourism Board didn’t understand what the media needed. A TV station doesn’t need to go to IKEA and eat at a fancy restaurant if they couldn’t get any story (and picture) out of it. Plus, there are so many nice places in Malaysia that actually we could explore for 5 days, apart from staying in Kuala Lumpur only! Too bad the board didn’t allow us to go outside KL (only to Genting Highlands and Putrajaya). They should’ve created a program highlighting the best spots in the country and most importantly, arranged a permit in each of the places so that we could shoot there freely.
Plus, we got a tour guide that had no experience in guiding the media. She made our days even harder as she always forbids us to shoot here and there, even in Petaling Street (China Town)! Ckckck.. (but we tried to convince her that it was ok to shoot there and if anything bad happens , we wouldn’t blame her. Oyeah, we also managed to drag her to take us to Batu Caves Temple after the Genting Highlands trip. Batu Caves wasn’t included in the itinerary, but we had to go there, otherwise we wouldn’t have enough images/stories for the show due to all the limitations)
So, 5 days in KL, we felt frustrated. Frustated by the board and… by the tour guide! Hopefully, next year the board does their homework well and knows the needs of each type of the media. If not, it would be such a waste to invite many journos from all over the world if they couldn’t maximize their work during their stay there.
Now you know how frustated we were when filming the show. This is a behind the screen story 
. The “Melancong Yuk” Malaysia episodes will be aired on Saturday, 3 February and Sunday, 4 February at 6.30am in SCTV.
It will be 2 different episodes, full of hard work and lots of candid shots. So, make sure you watch both of them!
32 Responses to “Malaysia Tourism Board, Disappointing”
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obviusly it is a big news among malaysian blogsphere, why I just know this news ya ? Perhaps I have to add my blogwalking time
Hi Nila, am a freelance writer and so interesting to read your malaysia experience in ur blog.
Honestly r so expensive at the moment…
How come they response you so emotional, u just wrote how ur experience based on fact, and how come also they connecting to a women blogger …its a nonsense..
Keep on a good writing nila and felt sorry to all of bad experience there, I went malaysia few times for my own purpose, wrote my nice experience in my blog also, and actually people r nice there & they has much things to offer for tourist..
Hi NILA,
M Korean who visited M’sia lots of times. for mostly for biz. M afraid but I bit don’t understand ur story.
Frankly, only one side of ur story, right? We have to listen the other story from TM, haven’t we?
Pls, believe me, M visited 30+ countries for biz, incl. Indonesia, too.
my personal experienced; TM is a one of the wonderful organizations on this planet.
unfortunetely, we can meet unhappy experiences anywehere and pls, consider; i saw ur pics on ur blog, looks like had happy days in M’sia.
we can think negatively, but we can do think posively, too.
Tourism Malaysia invited & spent time / money for you, lady.
M wanna tell u my experience and opinion abt M’sia.
Terima Kasih!
Hi Nila,
Your trip to Malaysia, was it officially to produce “Melancong Yuk” or was it to cover the Floral Festival?
Did your team go to Malaysia especially to shoot “Melancong Yuk” or to cover “Floral Festival”?
In all fairness, you can’t expect a rock concert when you are officially invited for a gala dinner.
Moreover, you can’t request a rock concert after you arrived in that gala dinner and expect the host to accomodate your requests.
Were you involved in the planning, programming, and the execution of program, including listing all possible shots and all possible interviews, scripting, and editing? Or were you just the program presenter?
Once again in all fairness, if the Malaysian officials were professional within the boundaries of the official invitation, as in the Floral Festival, then you can’t really complain.
I know how an Indonesian media think, since i am a journalist myself. Honestly I think your TV company, or whoever have the programming authority for your program, should have a better budget planning, and allocate more money for your program.
Sometimes it’s not always about “mumpung diundang” you know…
Turut prihatin buat Anda, Nila. Semoga tetap tabah dan terus menulis. Thx 4 ur info
omg…
can’t hardly wait to see how all this story end..
till then, keep writing girl..
You ROCK!!!!!!!!!
Nila…
Keep fighting…
SCTV ? Why did u act like a child….
SCTV must be an independent TV Media as I knew …do not make our mind changing about this..
Come on…keep on writing…
Cheers for freedom…
“Please dont come to Malaysia again. We dont really like ungrateful people. Thank you.”
This can describe about what they have done while M do some work there?
Hi Nila & Maverick team,
I am Indonesian who just relocate to KL.
In general MY is good country, and KL is nice city, nicer than Jakarta for sure. I believe the people & government here is in the crossing road to get better life after Mahatir era, so give them other chance. They are better dan Indonesian.
It may take some time, but they are going towards good direction.
Please come back to MY and enjoy the trully Asia here.
Bambang
hi nila..
as malaysian people, I want to apologize that you had bad experience in our country. Keep Writting and telling the Truth…
yap i agree with you.
Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor As a ministry you should have good attitude and polite, at least diplomatic the way speak with te public, I’m not agree with your emotional opinion that all blogger lier, without cross check with the blogger it self, what a shame !
For STCV, don’t follow the step to cut the creativity, freedom of speak !
Can’t really blame MTB if your group was only invited for covering the floral festival
. That’s very unfair, but again as “an Indonesian journalist friend” said, “aji mumpung” is really part of our culture here in Indonesia. Is it?
. Worsening the situation for them, only 
Still, what the minister said about blogger is very stupid though
Hi SCTV,
Kenapa acara melancong yuk tidak ada Nila lagi? Ada apa dgn SCTV, takut atau pengecut?
I just loved the comment from “An Indonesian Journalist” that said at the end….(Sometimes it’s not always about “mumpung diundang” you know…
Just laughed my ass off the chair.
….by the way, ‘mumpung diundang’ has a similar meaning as ‘….and while we’re here, why don’t we….’
For several reasons, as an Indonesian, these term reflects some old habit that some Indonesians have.
For once, please answer his question about,
Did your team go to Malaysia especially to shoot “Melancong Yuk” or to cover “Floral Festival”?
If it’s for “Melancong Yuk”. well, those Malaysian deserved of what you’ve been saying all along about them, but if for “Floral Festival”, well,next time, you should think twice and see the bigger picture of your way of thinking, my dear.
it’s really sickening to read your story
why is it so hard just to get permission to shoot and take some pictures
i think Malaysia should be grateful to have journalist coming and promoting the country
me myself actually went to the flora festival
and honestly it was dissapointing
people was queueing for almost 1 hour just to get into the exhibition hall (if you say it’s a hall)
there were hundreds of people and one small door
people were cramming to get into the hall
and even some dissapointed people were screaming when the guard said “anak-anak dan orang tua dulu ya…”
anyway…putrajaya is actually a nice place to visit
nice architecture
nice view
but too bad the event wasn’t organized very well
keep writing…
Hiii,
I’m agree to ‘An Indonesian Journalist Friend’….
SCTV are invited for Floral Festival only. It’s more for news. I hope that will explain about permits for other places. Other than that it is just a complimentary tour and not for shooting any scenes. This such complimentary things (under government or Malaysian People money) will not even exist if you go to other similar event ( or similar invitation) in any other country in the world (Try Singapore). Go to any other places in this globe when you introduce yourself as a TV crew, you will definitly fall under different laws aka u r not a tourist anymore. There are separate laws for TV crews. If only SCTV and other people in Indonesia ( had brief you clearly before you take the flight to KL, this issue will not going to be there in the first place.
Talking about the boat ride in Putrajaya,
I dare to challenge any readers in this blog to shot with a Beta or any professional Cam infront of White House today and not been stare or harrased by the Secreat Sevice.
Putrajaya maybe among the only an A level security area where tourist can carry their camera without any hassle. Again when you tell them u r an SCTV crew….
Try take a picture of MONAS infront of KOMPASUS HQ with BETA or other type of pro cam and see how those soldiers respond.
Although I do agree with some flaws from the government side but to be fair there are other side of story too.
-cendanasari-
Cyberjaya / Putrajaya. Malaysia
hi nila
i’m from east Malaysia so pretty much it’s the same thing when it comes to having a visit to the ‘mainland’. your experience is just a little tiny winny bit compared to my fellow mates. i just dont wanna talk bout it.
i went to jakarta recently and i am quite suprised by the warm reception there. we knew a few girls which was a friend of a friend and we never met them before. they picked us at the airport, pretty much showed us around town, entertain us all day although they have to work during office hours and even lend us their car after knowing us just for a couple of hours. they refuse us to pay for our bills and even bought us things before we leave. their friend were very, i mean very friendly toward us and not like ‘KL’lites, fucking snobbish! i practically lived in KL for around 13 years and still they can differ between a Sarawakian and a Sabahan. plus they still think we lived on trees???!!! WTF!!
anyway…i love jakarta….for sure i wanna go there again….now i dont reside in KL but often when i have time i just pass the idea of staying there and go to other places instead…. most of the time i spend my time on transit in KLIA or LCCT rather than spend half a day in KL…..
cheers
Hi, I read with great interest and despair on the way journalists were man-handled in Kuala Lumpur. This is such a pity, as the sole purpose of inviting the press over is for them to write “good stuff” about Malaysia.
Are Malaysians so unclear of this concept?
There’s a 5hr documentary showing you all the sites that the Malaysian government “conveniently” forgot.
It’s called “discovermalaysia; the Backpacker’s Trail” You can download and watch the trailer if you visit www.discovermalaysia.biz
This is totally Non-Governmental, No Propoganda Bullshit, and most of all, will really help you plan a really good time after watching it.
Bon Apetit
hey nila,
you have another sabahan supporting you all the way.
best regards.
hey, nice to c ur post here.i oso disappointed wif our tourism board.wat a shame cos let a fren like you from indonesia cant really shoot any scene you want,especially ur job is reporter and want to promote malaysia.i apologize for our clumsy government and i js wana say malaysia is truly beautiful.Hope u can see it by urself next time.^^ selamat datang lagi@æ¡è¿Žå†ä¾†é¦¬ä¾†è¥¿äºž!
hey nila,
I am definitely late or slow to read about your predicament while in bolehland. As the saying goes, ‘better late than never’. Being a Malaysian and working in Jakarta, I am ashamed by the actions of those in MTB. (BTW, I truly enjoy your program on TV, keep it up!)
U know in bolehland..those who are in power are full of rethoric..or better be tagged as “NATO”. (This sweeping statement is used in reference to the Tourism Minister comments, if he could do this, I reckon so can I, hehe) I am sure your predicament is true for all other invited journalists.
Nevertheless, it’s wonderful to read the insights from your personal point of view. I am sure you have lots of support from all the Malaysian working here in Indonesia and thank you for the positive coverage despite the negative treatment you got from those ‘unqualified’ MTB officials.
Cheers,
Food for thought.
copied from Bambang:
Anonymous said…
Hi Nila & Maverick team,
I am Indonesian who just relocate to KL.
In general MY is good country, and KL is nice city, nicer than Jakarta for sure. I believe the people & government here is in the crossing road to get better life after Mahatir era, so give them other chance. They are better dan Indonesian.
It may take some time, but they are going towards good direction.
Please come back to MY and enjoy the trully Asia here.
Bambang
=>>> Bambang.. r u loosing your nationalism??? Btw, i support u maverick!!
I’m sorry to hear you had a bad time in Malaysia. It’s just that the government thinks that it can operate in an Orwellian world, where people’s thoughts and actions are completely controlled and regulated by the people in power. And media management is definitely a big part of the government operation in Malaysia. In other countries where the media is the “fourth estate” to check the government’s transgressions, the mainstream media in Malaysia is simply part of the government apparatus. Shameless! Anyway, to cendanasari, tourists are allowed to take pictures in-front of the White House, even with high-powered lens! Trust me, even with the most advanced camera and lens, you can’t see much from outside the White House gates. So, please refrain from making comments you have no first-hand experience of.
We know it’s must be a problem with you because your job is must record every interesting things at Malaysia, and you right, you may dissapointed, and that’s is your authorization to write at your own blog what your feel… that’s good…
For that one man from Malaysian Goverment, he should be wise and smart when he want to say something in public ofcourse…
And I have a little point of view from my own, better this problem should not be gonna more big, I think Nila have a glorious mind that now everything is ok, and don’t want get too long in this situation rite?!
If we have a matchbox, we don’t want burn all the forest rite?! stay in peace
[…] Attan aka Rocky. Thanks also to Tengku Adnan for calling Malaysian bloggers are liars over Nila Tanzil’s revelation of her experience with Malaysia Tourism Board. Thank you so much to Kementerian Dalam Negeri (Internal Affair […]
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