18/04/2025

FRIDAY | APR 18, 2025

21

LYFE

Get most out of ringgit when travelling M ALAYSIANS love a great travel deal, especially as travel fairs and flash promotions ramp up o Malaysians should pick destinations where currency stretches furthest About 70% of Malaysians prioritise the cost of hotels and accommodation.

ahead of mid-year holidays, but new research has found Malaysians are overlooking a key part of their travel planning: How far their ringgit goes when they land. As Malaysians hunt for the best travel deals, a recent survey by Wise has found nearly a third (29%) of respondents spend more than two days comparing hotel and accommodation options, 34% search for the best flight deals and 40% focus on researching itineraries and must-visit spots. However, this focus risks Malaysians getting a bad deal by ignoring the thing that matters most – how far their money goes when they land at their travel destination. In fact, 70% of Malaysians prioritise the cost of hotels and accommodation, while 69% focus on flight prices – but only 41% consider how much local currency they get for every ringgit. This over-prioritisation on hotels and flights means Malaysians may not be getting the most for their money. Malaysians risk choosing holiday destinations where their ringgit does not go very far – and this is made worse by Malaysians using old school payment methods. The majority of Malaysians (96%) still rely on traditional money changers, who charge unfavourable exchange rates. Meanwhile, 65% use their local bank cards abroad, despite 67% of respondents knowing that banks apply hidden exchange rate markups and foreign transaction fees as high as 3%. “Malaysians work hard to score cheap flights and hotel deals, but

Most Malaysian travellers still rely on traditional money changers, who charge unfavourable exchange rates.

where you go and how you spend matter just as much. Malaysians need to consider where their ringgit stretches the furthest, with places such as Indonesia, Vietnam and Japan offering great value. And, perhaps most importantly, they need to stop getting ripped off when they spend abroad. Most travellers still use outdated spending methods overseas, getting hit by marked-up exchange rates and hidden fees that quietly eat into their budgets,” said Wise senior product manager Yee Won Nyon. The research, conducted by Vase.ai from March 27 to April 4 gathered responses from a total of 1,014 participants from the Vase.ai proprietary online panel. The survey focused on understanding

travel behaviours, spending habits and preferences for travel deals among Malaysians.

About 34% search for the best flight deals and 40% focus on researching itineraries and must-visit spots. – PICS FROM PEXELS

Sungai Nipah Time Tunnel Museum captures tragic moment in history the crisis. It is interesting for the public to experience. (In fact) the father of the museum chairman is said to be the first individual to contract the virus (bat-to-human transmission through consumption of the infected date palm sap). time and recalls his mother telling him to pack up as they had to move because the village was closed and tightly guarded by police and soldiers. “It is bittersweet to remember, many died because of the virus, in addition to the large herds of pigs being culled,” he said. THE tragedy of the Nipah virus outbreak that claimed more than 100 lives in several villages around Bukit Pelanduk about 27 years ago remains a dark memory that is difficult to erase in the minds of local residents.

To commemorate the tragedy and ensure that the danger is not lost on future generations, a museum known as the Sungai Nipah Time Tunnel Museum was opened in Kampung Baru Sungai Nipah seven years ago. Kampung Baru Sungai Nipah Village Development and Security Committee chairman Cheng Khai Lee, 37, said the museum, which displays key moments from the beginning of the outbreak to the recovery process, has received an encouraging response from visitors. “The event is memorialised in the museum to educate the community about the history and resilience of the community in the past when facing

“Every month, there will be people coming to this museum, especially school and university students. The school holidays are the busiest. It is not open every day. Anyone who wants to come must make an appointment,” he said after visiting the museum. Cheng said on average, there are almost 400 visitors to the museum every year, including from outside Negeri Sembilan, who want to learn more up close about the incident which wiped out the swine farming industry in Bukit Pelandok. Speaking about the incident, Cheng said he was 10 years old at the

Meanwhile, resident Winnie Lee Le Hoong, 50, said the establishment of the museum was important to raise awareness and educate the public to understand the history of the incident as well as to ensure that it does not recur. “It is great, this museum is full of information and items from that time including newspaper clippings, old agricultural tools and photos of the incident, so it can give the public a vivid impression. The livestock of two of my uncles were also disposed of due to the Nipah outbreak at that time,” he said. – Bernama

The Sungai Nipah Time Tunnel Museum aims to educate visitors about the tragic Nipah virus outbreak that occurred 27 years ago and spread to several villages around Bukit Pelanduk. – BERNAMAPIC