Garmin releases MalSingMaps Malaysia/Singapore/Brunei NT 2010.40 for free update

Garmin has made available MalSingMaps (MSM) Malaysia/Singapore/Brunei NT 2010.40 (2010-Q4) for free update now.

You can click here to download the installation file of MalSingMaps Malaysia/Singapore/Brunei NT 2010.40 from Garmin server. The download file is split into 4, and you just need to download the file relevant to your Garmin GPS navigator:

• nuvi 3790
• nuvi 1460, 1350, 765 or 255w
• nuvi 1250
• nuvi 205 or 205w

Due to this improvement, the installation file is much more smaller than the previous version. For example, the installation file for nuvi 255w is now 237MB only (compared with previous version's 743MB)

The installation program will update gmapprom1.img, gmapprom1.unl, gmap3d.img and SGMYMAL.JCV into your Garmin GPS navigator. As nuvi 255w doesn't support 3D maps, if you are installing to this model, gmap3d.img will automatically be removed during the end of the installation process.

During the installation process, you'll be asked for the unlock key. The key is stored in the existing gmapprom1.unl file in your Garmin GPS navigator, which you can open with Notepad or any text editor. Just copy and paste the key to the installer when asked.

Version highlights:

• Update Traffic Message Channel in Singapore
• DPOI of Singapore
• Add more POIs, postal code data and laneinfo of Singapore
• Extended road shield of Singapore & Malaysia
• Trails are built into the map
• Road Signs value-added
• Synchronize to Malsingmaps v5.00
• Extending more Junction Views for complex intersection around Malaysia

Surprisingly, this version has a smaller SGMYMAL.JCV file of size 217,747kb only (compared with the previous 352,764kb), but it contains more Junction View pictures and more lane assist triggers.

It seems that the Garmin release of MSM has improved a lot over the year. However, I still prefer using MalFreeMaps (MFM) as the later contains much more POIs and also able to provide more precise route to the destination.

Fabulous Food 1Malaysia 2010 in conjunction with Deliciously 1Malaysia

For the 2nd year, the Malaysian restaurant food festival and cooking competition namely Fabulous Food 1Malaysia 2010 (一个大马。食全食美) held in conjunction with Deliciously 1Malaysia carnival is coming again.

Fabulous Food 1Malaysia 2010 is all about food. It brings together F&B businesses, restaurateurs, tourists and consumers in celebration and recognition of Malaysia's sumptuous spread of local and international culinary delights during the festive seasons, reinforcing Malaysia as a gourmet paradise to savor fine cuisines and food delicacies.

Date: 17-19 December 2010
Time: 10:30 am - 8.00 pm
Venue: Tun Razak Hall 1, PWTC, Kuala Lumpur
Admission: Free

This event is presented by Ministry of Tourism, organized by The Malaysia Selangor and Federal Territory Ku Su Shin Choong Hung Restaurant Association (马来西亚雪隆姑苏慎忠行餐饮业公会) and co-organized by The Federation of Hawkers and Petty Traders Association of Malaysia (马来西亚贩商同业总会). It is ambitiously targetted for 120,000 visitors from local and overseas.


150 exhibition booths will be setup, and there will be cooking competitions, restaurant showcases, cooking demonstrations, food acrobats, etc.

According to statistic, 2008 tourist spending on F&B in Malaysia stood at 8.77 billion and increased to 9.29 billion in 2009.

Click here to go to the website of Fabulous Food 1Malaysia 2010.

The Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) - A Roadmap for Malaysia

Resulting from the results and targets of the 1,000-person workshop and 500-person laboratories orchestrated by the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (PEMANDU), Najib has launched the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP): A Roadmap for Malaysia on 25 October 2010.

The ETP contains action plans, hopefully will transform Malaysia into a high-income nation by 2020. This is charted by lifting Malaysia’s gross national income (GNI) per capita from US$6,700 (RM23,700) in 2009 to more than US$15,000 (RM48,000) in 2020. In order to achieve this target, GNI need to continuously grow at the rate of at least 6% per annum.

The ETP is planned to be driven by 12 National Key Economic Areas (NKEAs) announced in the 10th Malaysia Plan, which are:

• Oil, Gas and Energy
• Palm Oil
• Financial Services
• Tourism
• Business Services
• Electronics and Electrical
• Wholesale and Retail
• Education
• Healthcare
• Communications Content and Infrastructure
• Agriculture
• Greater Kuala Lumpur/Klang Valley

It seems that areas ruled by MPSJ, including Subang Jaya, USJ, Bandar Sunway, Puchong, Kinrara, Seri Kembangan, etc. will be at the heart of Greater KL, and hopefully will be greatly benefited from the plan.

However, the planned MRT system under Greater KL, where the Red Line linking Damansara to Serdang, and the Green Line linking Kepong to Kajang, seems to have bypassed the heart!

Under the ETP, 131 Entry Point Projects (EPP) and and 60 Business Opportunities (BO) were planned, spanning across the 12 NKEAs. They include:

• Expanding the production of swiftlet bird nests (燕窝)
• Seaweed farming in Sabah
• Mushroom project
• Establishing dairy clusters in Malaysia
• Growing aviation support services
• Building globally-competitive outsourcing services
• Data centre and green technology
• Islamic financial services
• Launching EduCity @ Iskandar
• Solid state lighting (SSL)
• Home appliances and semi-conductors
• Solar energy
• Developing health metropolis
• Connecting to Singapore via a high-speed rail system
• Deploying nuclear energy for power generation
• Building a regional oil storage and trading hub
• e-Healthcare, e-Learning and e-Government
• Positioning Malaysia as a duty free shopping destination for tourist goods
• etc.

Click here to go to the download page of The Economic Transformation Programme: A Roadmap for Malaysia