see www.tourism.gov.my

Malaysia is a veritable land of festivals and celebrations. The major festivals of its multi-racial communities are celebrated to mark important events or days in their religious calendars. Most of them are colourful occasions when centuries-old customs and traditions are still observed.

JANUARY

Royal Langkawi International Regatta
09 - 14 January 2012
The premier sailing event of Asia will host many different classes of competition, including Racing Class, IRC Class, Sports Boat, Multihull, Club Cruising and Ocean Rover. www.langkawiregatta.com

Chinese New Year
23 January 2012 - 24 January 2012

FEBRUARY

Thaipusam
7 February 2012 - 7 February 2012
A truly spectacular event, Thaipusam is an annual Hindu festival where devotees perform various rituals as acts of devotion and penance. The main venue is the world-renowned Batu Caves temple.

MARCH

Le Tour De Langkawi Malaysia
24 February - 04 March 2012.
Asia’s premier cycling event will go through the seven states of Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Johor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor and two Federal Territories of Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur. www.ltdl.com.my

Formula 1: World Championship "Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix"
23-25 March 2012
This year's Formula One is held in Sepang with many entertaining and exciting exhibitions held in the city of Kuala Lumpur and shopping discounts offered in various shopping complexes especially in Bukit Bintang area. www.malaysiangp.com.my

APRIL

Malaysia International Shoe Festival
6 April - 8 April 2012
An annual event held at the Putra World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysia Grand Prix Sale 2012
This nationwide carnival sale throughout the nation is held in conjunction with the Petronas Malaysian F1 GP.

MAY

Tadau Kaamatan
30 May 2012 - 31 May 2012
Tadau Kaamatan is a harvest festival celebrated in Sabah and Labuan.

Colours of Malaysia 2012
19 May 2012
Colours of Malaysia Festival will give you an opportunity to learn about the Malaysian people and their diverse culture. Various delicacies of the different ethnic groups of Malaysia will be featured.

JUNE

Annual Penang International Dragon Boat Festival
June 2012
Teluk Bahang Dam, Penang.

SuperGT Champtionship, Sepang
June 2012
Started in 1994, the Japan GT Championship Series (JGTC) is the most popular category in Japan’s motorsports world. One of its races is held in Malaysia in Sepang, Selangor.

Fraser's Hill International Bird Race
23 June - 24 June 2012
This annual event held at Frasers Hill attracts bird watchers from around the globe. Teams are divided into groups to identify the birds, many of them migratory birds from Siberia and Japan.  www.pkbf.org.my

Gawai Dayak Festival
1 June 2012 - 2 June 2012
Gawai Dayak is a harvest festival celebrated by the state's indigenous people, particularly the Ibans and Bidayuhs, in their traditional costumes. Ceremonial offerings of various local traditional delicacies and 'tuak' (home-made rice wine) are made to the gods of rice and prosperity.

JULY

Rainforest World Music Festival, Sarawak Cultural Village, Borneo
July 2012
Musicians from around the world will gather to celebrate a fusion of nature, culture and ethnic music. www.sarawaktourism.com

Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival
July-Aug 2012
Held throughout the country, many shopping malls offer great discounts.

UNESCO World Heritage City Celebration
7 July 2012
George Town was accorded the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage List of Cities and Sights for its 'outstanding universal value' on 7 July, 2008. Celebrated by a month of cultural and music shows, traditional crafts demonstrations and exhibitions.

Malaysia Contemporary Arts Tourism Festival
2 July - 30 Sept 2012
This Arts Tourism Festival organised by the Ministry of Tourism will be held throughout the country.

AUGUST
Hari Raya Aidil Fitri
19 August 2012 - 20 August 2012
Decked in their traditional finery, friends and family from near and far come together to celebrate this joyous Muslim occasion.

National Day
31 August 2012
Celebrated with colourful parades, stage shows and competitions at major towns throughout the country.

SEPTEMBER

Malaysia Day
16 September 2012
Annual commemoration of the establishment of the Malaysian federation in 1963.

Lantern Festival
29 Sept 2012
Held in Central Market, Kuala Lumpur, the Lantern Festival is celebrated during the full moon of the Chinese Calendar that features many intricately designed lanterns with multiple motifs.

Malaysia Tennis Open ATP World Tour 250
Sept-Oct 2012
Organised by the Ministry of Tourism, this is one of the major tennis events in Malaysia.

OCTOBER

Fabulous Food Malaysia- Malaysia Annual International Gourmet Festival
1-31 October 2012

Hari Raya Aidiladha
26 October 2012
Also known as Hari Raya Haji, this festival marks the culmination of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mekah which is performed by millions of Muslims annually. It is also known as Hari Raya Qurban.

NOVEMBER

Deepavali 'Festival of Lights'
13 November 2012

Deepavali or the 'Festival of Lights' is celebrated by Hindus with prayers, family gatherings and festivities. Open houses are held where family and friends visit each other and enjoy delicious traditional goodies (except Labuan and Sarawak).

DECEMBER

Christmas and New Year
25 and 31 December 2012

-ENDS-

For further information please contact:

Flo Powell/Alicia Iglesias Cortes
alicia@representationplus.co.uk
Tel 020 8877 4504 Visit: www.tourism.gov.my

Dato Professor Jimmy Choo OBE, was presented with the 2011 World’s Outstanding Chinese Designer Award at a ceremony at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre by the Honorable Gregory So, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. This honor is reserved for designers of Chinese heritage who have demonstrated significant contribution to the design community and a continuous devotion to the development of design through supporting educational, training and research activities across the globe. Since 2000, when Jimmy Choo was bestowed the title of Honourable Dato’ (equivalent to a British Knighthood), he has received more than 15 awards including an OBE in 2003.

Mention “Jimmy Choo” and elegant, exquisitely crafted shoes immediately first come to mind as famed for making shoes for the late Princess Diana, Mr Choo’s beautiful creations have adorned the feet of royalty, celebrities and pop stars.

Choo, the son of a reputable shoe designer in Malaysia, spent his early years on the idyllic island of Penang working as his father’s young apprentice. Determined to master the art of shoe design, he came to London in the 1980’s to study footwear at Cordwainers College.

Since establishing his couture label in 1986, Choo’s made-to-order designs have included an extensive range of hand beaded; hand stitched and personalised shoes ranging from slippers, sandals and mules to boots.

In 1988, Vogue ran an 8 page spread featuring Choo’s creations teamed with clothes from various British dress designers. This affirmed his status as a shoe designer and master craftsman and Choo has never looked back since.

Today, Dato Professor Jimmy Choo is forefront in several areas, namely, at his couture house on Connaught Street, secondly in his support for education as Ambassador for Footwear Education at the London College of Fashion and a spokesperson for the British Council in their promotion of British Education to foreign students and thirdly in his active support for his native country as Tourism Ambassador for Malaysia since August 2009.

Commenting on his role as Ambassador Jimmy Choo says: “Although I am living in London, it is my responsibility to promote Malaysia as a unique tourist destination on the other side of the world”. He adds, “I am still a Malaysian, every time someone asks me where I come from, I will instinctively promote my country to them”.

“As a world renowned celebrity icon Dato Jimmy Choo is the perfect candidate to help Malaysia promote its tourism in the UK and we congratulate him on this recent accolade”, commented Abdul Rauf Abu Hassan, Director of Tourism Malaysia in the UK & Ireland.

- Ends-

For press information on Malaysia please contact:

Representation Plus
Flo Powell/Alicia Iglesias Cortes
Email:flo@representationplus.co.uk/alicia@representationplus.co.uk
Tel: 020 8877 4509/04

For more information on holidays in Malaysia please contact:

Malaysia Tourism Promotion Bureau
57 Trafalgar Square London, London WC2N 5DU
Phone: 02 079 307 932
Email: mtpb.london@tourism.gov.my / info@tourism-malaysia.co.uk
Visit: www.tourism.gov.my

For more information on the World’s Outstanding Chinese Designer Award:

Visit: http:// www.hkdesigncentre.org/en/awards/wocd.asp.

Note to editors:

Mr Jimmy Choo has been honored with many awards over the years including the the following:

2000,  Title of Honourable Dato’ (equivalent to a British Knighthood) by the Sultan of Pahang.

June 2000, Choo was one of the first six recipients of the Gold Award from the Association of Colleges

May 2001, Title of visiting professor by The London Institute

June 2003, Honorary OBE

Feb 2004, Admitted to the Freedom of the Company of Cordwainers and clothed as an Honorary Liveryman of the Company

May 2004, Title of Honorary Fellow of London University of the Arts

July 2004, Honorary Doctorate of Arts (Design) from De Montfort, Leicester

Aug 2004, Title of Dato’ from The Head of State of Penang

Nov 2006, “Freedom of the City of London”

Nov 2006, Lifetime achievement award at Malaysia- International Fashion Week

June 2007, Special Recognition from the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage, Malaysia

Aug 2009, Named as Malaysia’s tourism Ambassador

September 2009, Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society

January 2010, Honorary President for the International School of Creative Arts       

December 2011, World’s Outstanding Chinese Designer Award

How well do you know Malaysia? With a royal visit planned by Prince William and the Dutchess of Cambridge this summer, 2012 will be the year to visit Malaysia. We have compiled a list of reasons to visit this fascinating country to demonstrate Malaysia’s diverse culture, history, biodiversity and landscape; there is a story for every week of the year.