Bangkok, TH, Nov. 01, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In 2020, Anantara Vacation Club Points Owners wishing to indulge in an enhanced travel experience, will have thousands of new vacation options to choose from, thanks to a new affiliation agreement with RCI^®, the global leader in vacation exchange and a part of Wyndham Destinations (NYSE: WYND).

Under the terms of the agreement, Club Points Owners may exchange their points to enjoy holiday escapes at RCI’s vast resort portfolio and for world-class vacation experiences across the globe.

From January 2020, all Anantara Vacation Club Elite Owners will be able to exchange their Club Points to enjoy the benefits of both nightly and weekly stays within RCI’s sprawling network of more than 4,300 affiliated resorts which include properties under distinguished international brands.

“Together, we’re creating more value and providing even greater levels of flexibility for our Owners planning their next holiday.” said Maurizio Bisicky, Chief Operating Officer of Anantara Vacation Club. “We’re looking forward to working with a partner with such a well-established presence in Asia Pacific, and we can’t wait to see what milestones we’ll reach in the future.”

Anantara Vacation Club’s highest Ownership Tiers will also be granted exclusive access into RCI’s luxury program, The Registry Collection^® – the largest programme of its kind with approximately 200 affiliated properties at some of the world’s most desirable resort destinations.

In return, RCI’s members can exchange for vacations at luxurious Anantara Vacation Club properties, giving them a taste of the authentic Anantara experience, and the opportunity to explore destinations throughout Southeast Asia and beyond.

“We are thrilled to welcome Anantara Vacation Club back to the RCI exchange network,” said Olivier Chavy, President of RCI. “Anantara Vacation Club’s properties are known for their exceptional quality, and we believe that our members will rejoice at the amazing vacation options the Anantara Vacation Club affiliation will bring. I look forward to a great partnership and the exciting opportunities it brings in the many years to come.”

“The addition of Anantara Vacation Club adds impressive vacation options to our expanding portfolio in the Asia Pacific region,” said Jonathan Mills, Managing Director of RCI Asia Pacific and DAE Global. “We are delighted to welcome over 13,000 Anantara Vacation Club Points Owners into the RCI member family, and we look forward to providing them access to vacations at some of the amazing destinations that RCI has to offer, in addition to the suite of benefits they currently enjoy.”

For more information, visit us online at www.anantaravacationclub.com.

About Anantara Vacation Club

Anantara Vacation Club is Asia’s premier vacation ownership programme. It was launched in 2010 by Minor International PCL, the owner of Minor Hotels. The Club offers a portfolio of nine luxurious Club Resorts across Thailand, Indonesia, China and New Zealand and provides Club Points Owners and their guests with the opportunity to explore top holiday destinations. Club Points Owners’ travel opportunities are further enhanced through the use of the flexible Club Escapes and Global Traveller programmes, which provide access to hundreds of partner resorts and hotels internationally.

For more information, please visit www.anantaravacationclub.com, or follow Anantara Vacation Club’s blog or social media channel on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Weibo.

About Minor Hotels

Minor Hotels is a hotel owner, operator and investor with a portfolio of over 76,000 rooms across more than 520 hotels, resorts and serviced suites under the Anantara, AVANI, Oaks, Tivoli, Elewana, NH Collection, NH Hotel, nhow, Marriott, Four Seasons, St. Regis, Radisson Blu and Minor International brands. Today, Minor Hotels’ hotel and spa portfolio spans across 54 countries in Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Africa, the Indian Ocean, Europe and the Americas. In addition, Minor Hotels also operates mixed-use business including shopping plazas & entertainment, residential properties, and a points-based vacation club. For more information, please visit www.minorhotels.com.

About RCI

RCI is the worldwide leader in vacation exchange, housing a unique portfolio of brands. RCI pioneered the concept of vacation exchange in 1974, offering members increased flexibility and versatility with their vacation ownership experience. Today, through the RCI Weeks^® program, the week-for-week exchange system, and the RCI Points^® program, the industry’s first global points-based exchange system, RCI offers its 3.8 million members access to more than 4,300 affiliated resorts in approximately 110 countries. RCI’s luxury exchange program, The Registry Collection^® program, is the world’s largest program of its kind with approximately 200 affiliated properties either accessible for exchange or under development on six continents. RCI’s portfolio of brands also includes Love Home Swap, one of the world’s largest home exchange programs, DAE, a direct-to-member exchange company, and @Work International, a leading provider of property management systems. RCI is part of Wyndham Destinations (NYSE:WYND). For additional information visit our media center or rciaffiliates.com. RCI also can be found on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

About The Registry Collection^® program

The Registry Collection^® program is the world’s largest luxury exchange program, with approximately 200 affiliated properties that are either accessible for exchange or under development. From condo hotels and high-end fractional resorts to private residence clubs and fractional yachts, The Registry Collection program provides members with access to an elite network of the finest vacation properties at some of the world’s premier destinations, as well as travel concierge services that are available 24 hours a day. The Registry Collection program is offered by RCI, the worldwide leader in vacation exchange and part of the Wyndham Destinations family of brands (NYSE: WYND). For additional information visit our media center or TheRegistryCollection.com. You can also find The Registry Collection on Facebook and Instagram.

Attachment

• Anantara Vacation Club_Exchange Agreement with RCI

Varunya Suchatlampong
Anantara Vacation Club
+66 (0) 23657500 #5657
varunya_su@anantaraclub.com

Andrew Schiff
Anantara Vacation Club
+66 (0) 23657500 #5806
aschiff@anantaraclub.com

KUALA LUMPUR, The Road Transport Department (RTD) has issued more than 1.02 million notices nationwide from January up to Oct 31 this year.

Its director-general Datuk Seri Shaharuddin Khalid said of the total, 212,158 summonses were issued for major offences such as going against traffic lights, overloading, carrying loads dangerously and not wearing seat belt or helmet.

Other offences include overtaking another vehicle at the double line, overtaking from the left side, misusing the emergency lane and using mobile phones while driving, he told a press conference after the Kuala Lumpur RTD integrated operation in Jalan Bangsar here this morning.

The operation was held from 8pm to 1am and involved 127 enforcement personnel from the RTD, Royal Malaysia Police, the National Anti-Drug Agency, the Department of Environment and the Department of Road Safety.

Shaharuddin said during the operation, 2,450 vehicles were inspected, action were taken on 220 vehicles and 603 notices were issued.

Source: BERNAMA (News Agency)

KUALA LUMPUR, Giant media company Media Prima Berhad (Media Prima) has announced a business transformation and internal restructuring exercise which is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2020.

Media Prima, however, has given its assurance that all employees affected by the transformation effort would receive a fair and equitable compensation package.

All affected employees will receive a fair and equitable compensation package as prescribed by the law and their respective unions and will be paid in full after they meet all legal requirements, it said in a statement today.

The restructuring exercise is to enable the group to become more competitive and sustainable in the future, given the uncertain macroeconomic environment and disruption of the global media landscape.

Media Prima owns 100 per cent equity in TV3, NTV7, 8TV and TV9.

The group also owns the New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad, the largest publisher of three national newspapers, namely the New Straits Times, Berita Harian and Harian Metro.

According to the statement, Media Prima would provide support services to affected employees including outplacement services and career counselling.

Rumours on an alleged retrenchment exercise by the company have been circulating on social media sites since this morning.

Meanwhile, the New Straits Times Press (NSTP) branch of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ), in a separate statement, explained that termination of employment would involve LIFO (Last In First Out) and also based on several factors, including health and discipline.

The number that will be involved in the retrenchment exercise will be discussed with the management and the list will be released by the end of December.

It will involve every department, including staff as well as management personnel. There will be units to be reduced to a smaller size as well as those that will be closed, the statement said.

According to the union, a townhall session with management will be held on Nov 15.

Source: BERNAMA (News Agency)

SERDANG, Two restaurants in the Klang Valley have been found to serve pork-based products originating from a country affected by the African swine fever (AFS).

Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Sim Tze Tzin said a raid by the Veterinary Services Department (JPV) on the two restaurants yesterday found that they were serving ‘suckling pigs’ imported from Vietnam.

Malaysia has banned the import of pork and pork-based products from 10 countries including Vietnam because of the ASF outbreak. The ban also covers China, Poland, Thailand, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Myanmar, Laos, Timor Leste and Belgium.

The move was part of the government’s effort to prevent the spread of the AFS virus that could adversely affect livestock and the RM5 billion pig farming industry here, Sim told reporters after opening a national technology transfer conference organised by the Malaysian Institute of Agricultural Research and Development (Mardi).

“We do not want the fate of thousands of workers in 600 pig farms to be affected by the irresponsible actions of those who bring in pork-based products from ASF-hit countries,” he said, adding that Malaysia is still free from the disease.

Source: BERNAMA (News Agency)

MUAR, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today said he would focus on strengthening the Malaysian economy in the effort to give a better life to the people.

Anwar, who is also the Port Dickson Member of Parliament, said the national economic growth was flat in the last 10 years and it impacted on the lives of the people and the government’s capability to help them.

He said it was difficult for the government realise initiatives such as giving aid to the B40 group, National Higher Education Fund Corporation education loan and health services to the people without a firm economy with encouraging growths.

”Many people saw me suffering years in prison, but I still had a place and food and drinks, everything was available. But after 60 years of independent there are still people whose place to stay and food and drinks are not assured,” he said here today.

He said this in his speech at a Johor Keadilan Convention here which was also attended by PKR secretary-general, Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail who is also Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister and PKR Information chief Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin who is also the deputy Minister of Primary Industries and about 500 state PKR members.

Anwar said the PKR leaders in the government currently should not only be followers who supported the government without daring to criticise and voice out (their opinions) in order to implement efforts to form a better government for the people

He said the PKR leaders must always remember and hold on to the ideals of the struggle of PKR which was set up to champion the welfare of the people.

”PKR leaders should not be arrogant. Perform the work entrusted to us. It is our duty to solve the problems of the people. Why pick me as a leader and let me live a cushy life but leave the people derelict.

”Cast me away if you don’t agree or don’t like this policy. Accept this reality, our leadership especially those who have become ministers must focus on this matter because poverty is still a problem among our people,” he said.

Source: BERNAMA (News Agency)

SHAH ALAM, The police arrested five local men and seized various drugs weighing about 36.24 kg worth some RM2.1 million in three raids around Seri Kembangan and Pandan Indah, near here, on Tuesday (Oct 29) and Thursday (Oct 31).

Selangor Police chief Datuk Noor Azam Jamaludin said the arrests were made following investigations by the Selangor Police Contingent’s Narcotics Crime Investigation Department and the Narcotics Division from the Serdang District Police Headquarters over the past few weeks.

He said in the first raid at around 1.30 pm on Tuesday, two men aged 28 and 20 respectively, were arrested in Seri Kembangan while they were believed to be meeting up to do a drug deal.

The two suspects came in separate cars and met at a parking lot. The two then proceeded to open the bonnet of one of the cars, and took out a luggage bag.

“That’s when they were arrested. Checks on the bag found 21 transparent plastic packages and 12 packets of Chinese tea powder containing powders and crystals believed to be Syabu weighing some 32.84 kg, at an estimated value of RM1.64 million, he said during a press conference here today.

He said further investigations revealed that the 28-year-old suspect who worked as a car salesman acted as a drug ‘transporter’ and had three past criminal records, while the other suspect without a criminal record was his accomplice.

In the second raid on the same day, Noor Azam said a 29-year-old man was arrested around 3.30 pm at a fast-food restaurant near Seri Kembangan.

“Investigations done on the vegetable seller from the Selayang Wholesale Market led to a search of his vehicle which revealed 40 aluminum foil packages containing 1,400 Eramine-5 pills worth RM28,000 stored in the bonnet,” he said, adding that the suspect had no past criminal record.

He said the suspects from both cases were believed to have started distributing drugs six months ago, and had been obtaining supplies from within the Klang Valley to be sold in the same location.

He added that all of them were remanded from Wednesday (Oct 30) to next Tuesday (Nov 5) for further investigation under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act (DDA) 1952.

In the third case, Noor Azam said two men aged 47 and 45 were arrested in front of a hair salon in Pandan Indah at around 3.30 pm yesterday, on suspicion of carrying two plastic packages containing drugs.

Checks on the suspects revealed 8,710 ecstasy pills weighing about three kg worth some RM435,500 in the plastic bag. The 47-year-old has a criminal record, while his friend has no previous record,” he said.

He said the two suspects who were believed to have been active for the past six months would be remanded in accordance with Section 117 of the Criminal Procedure Code, and the case would be investigated under Section 39B of DDA 1952.

He said urine tests also found all the five men positive for drugs, while three vehicles and cash worth a total of RM136,180 were also seized.

Source: BERNAMA (News Agency)

IPOH, Nov 1 � The Health Ministry is willing to study a suggestion to demarcate the pasar malam (night market) as a smoking-free zone but it could be tricky to enforce, said Deputy Health Minister, Dr Lee Boon Chye.

This is due to the area not having legal boundaries like a food premise, public building or higher learning institution which has clear boundaries.

As an example, if we try to enforce the law at a pasar malam, they can dispute that it isn’t the pasar malam, it’s their front yard, so there is difficulty in carrying it out, he told reporters after officiating the 31st Annual Scientific Congress of Malaysian Oncological Society 2019 today.

There has been a smoking ban in place at food premises nationwide since Jan 1 this year, with strict enforcement to begin from Jan 1 next year, therefore anyone caught contravening Regulation 11 of the Control of Tobacco Products Regulations 2004 can be fined up to RM10,000 or imprisoned a maximum of two years.

On a different topic, Dr Lee said Malaysia requires more oncologists to provide sufficient care to cancer patients as at the moment there are 42 specialists in public and university hospitals, and 73 serving in private hospitals.

We need more than 200 oncology specialists so we are definitely encouraging more doctors to specialise by joining a master’s programme at a local university or taking it up as a subspecialisation, he said.

Source: BERNAMA (News Agency)