The Asia's first Legoland

Iskandar Investment Berhad (IIB) will sign a deal tomorrow with the Lego Group, the Danish manufacturer of interlocking plastic bricks, to develop the theme park in Nusajaya.The theme park, an integral component of Iskandar Malaysia, will be Lego Group’s fifth after Billund in Denmark, Windsor in the United Kingdom, Carlsbad, California, in the United States and Günzburg in Germany.

The skyline of Iskandar is set to change once the 200ha project, with an initial investment of RM800 million, is completed.Legoland will be one of the three theme parks to be built in Nusajaya.Sources said IIB was negotiating with other global theme park players to set up operations in this economic region in southern Johor.They are Universal Studios and Disneyland.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will witness the signing of the deal between Lego and IIB.Legoland theme parks are built from Lego’s interlocking plastic bricks of different colours to create mini structures such as buildings and vehicles, among others. At the Cityscape property exhibition in Dubai in October, IIB managing director Arlida Ariff had been reported as saying that three theme parks were being considered in Iskandar.

“We have learnt from the Disneyland Hong Kong’s experience, which is operating with insufficient visitors and revenue. It is better and more appealing to operate a cluster of theme parks.“If Iskandar has only one theme park, visitors from Singapore may return to the republic the same day.

“We want them to stay at least one or two nights so that there would be multiplier effects on the economy.” The plan at Nusajaya is to have a core theme park and a few smaller theme parks. About 1,200ha have been set aside for theme parks, including supporting commercial developments.

Monsoon Cup Terengganu 2008

Monsoon Cup was first initiated by the Malaysian Prime Minister, Dato Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi during his fishing trip in Terengganu with the state Chief Minister Dato Seri Idris Jusoh and state EXCO Dato' Wan Hisham. The Prime Minister thought the monsoon season should be used as an advantage to the state and her people rather than being seen as a hurdle.(Monsoon season last a few months a year in Terengganu mainly between November and January where the fisherman cant go out fishing due to strong waves.)This idea was then brought forward by the state government where later Dato Wan Hisham became the main organiser under T-Best Event which is a company owned by the state to run the event annually.

The Monsoon Cup 2005 celebrated its inauguration and debut as the 50th official event of the Swedish Match Tour (http://www.swedishmatchtour.com/), and serves as the Malaysian leg for the prestigious international sailing event. Dubbed 'The Formula One of Sailing', this professional sailing series was formed in 2000 to unite the world's best match-race regattas under one banner. The Wolrd Match Tour comprises nine events in nine specially selected locations around the world. As the leading professional sailing series in the world, the Tour events are recognized as must-attend regattas on the match-race circuit. The Monsoon Cup for the 2008 now offers the second highest prize money in the world (RM1 million) for a match racing event with the sponsorship of Mr Richard Mille of Richard Mille Watches. Richard Mille will also be the official time keeper for the event.The Monsoon Cup 2008 will be held at Pulau Duyong, Terengganu, from the 3rd to 7th December 2008.

Welcome to DIFC Week 2008

The Middle East is enjoying exceptional economic development despite the turmoil in western markets.

However, as the global crisis continues, how can the region shield itself from its impact and sustain its prosperity? In the coming years, how can it work with the rest of the world to take greater advantage of growth opportunities? What role can traditional industries like energy and the dominant family-business sector play in consolidating growth? How can women play a larger part in the economic surge?

The region’s ultra-high-net-worth individuals join global business leaders to discuss these issues at DIFC Week, the Dubai International Financial Centre’s annual programme of conferences.

The week starts off with a golf tournament that ensures a relaxed start to the business sessions.

World Congress of Muslim Librarians and Information Scientists (wCOMLIS) 2008

The World Congress of Muslim Librarians and Information Scientists (wCOMLIS) is continuation of the Congress of Muslim Librarians and Information Scientists (COMLIS) one of the congresses that gather information professionals (consisting of librarians, information scientists, information managers, etc) from Islamic and non-Islamic countries all over the world. It has countries all over the world. It has organized its events for several times throughout the world, such as:

1st COMLIS, 1982, United States of America (USA)
2nd COMLIS, October 20 – 22, 1986, Kedah, Malaysia
3rd COMLIS, May 24 – 26, 1989, Istanbul, Turkey
4th COMLIS, June 20 – 23, 1995, Tehran, Iran

Generally, wCOMLIS 2008 is organized to bring together Muslim librarians from all over the world to discuss on library related matters that affect them. It aims to cooperate on mutually beneficial schemes and to establish communication with each other through congresses, forums, and other forms of communication. It focuses on assisting each other in ways which will enhance the access and delivery of information to those who need it. It intends to foster the brotherhood of Islam amongst librarians and information professionals.

WCOMLIS 2008 is not a religion based congress but it mainly discusses the core aspects of managing Islamic information. The management of this information is important in order to determine the resources of Islamic information, for analyses and syntheses into valuable products. Indirectly, it will portray the Islamic information as global and accessible by anyone without prejudice. This will repulse stigma among the western society that Islamic information resources are not freely accessed, indeed, the main issue is the lack of bibliographic tools that control information resources to be accessed and retrieved.

World Endurance Championship (WEC) 2008

Welcome to Terengganu!!


In just a matter of days, the much expected and anticipated FEI World Endurance Championships will be underway at the sprawling Terengganu International Endurance Park (TIEP) in Lembah Bidong, situated on the scenic coastline 25km north of Kuala Terengganu in Malaysia. There are 142 riders and horses from 34 countries set to compete, of which 22 have sent teams while the remaining 12 countries will be competing with individuals. As the majority of the horses have now arrived, Malaysia is on the verge of becoming the first Far East country to host a Senior FEI World Endurance Championship, held every two years since it’s inception in 1986, which will also mark the first ever to be held in a tropical climate and during the hours of darkness.

The facilities and venue are of the highest International standard, while the 160km course is designed to provide a safe yet challenging competition, taking riders along the stunning coast line, through palm plantations, along canal banks and through natural vegetation forests.



The Orgainsing Committee wishes the riders, grooms, Chef d' Equipes and Officials who have arrived in Terengganu a warm welcome. It feels great to finally see people from all around the world gathered here in the Terengganu International Endurance Park (TIEP) for the FEI WEC 2008.Besides the very important people participating in this prestigous championship, we have also recieved the arrival of the most fundamental aspect of the championship, which are the horses.

53 horses from Oman, Australia, Malaysia, Chile, Japan, Canada, Colombia, Argentina, Uruguay, Great Britain, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, France, South Africa and Norway have safely arrived at TIEP.Some of the horses had to go through a 13 hour non stop flight from Amsterdam just to be here. We are excited to see that the stables are now slowly being filled with the horses and we can't wait to recieve the other horses which are expected to arrive on 20 and 22 October.To all the riders, grooms, Chef d' Equipes and Officials, don't be afraid to ask us for kind of assistance. We hope you enjoy your stay here in sunny Terengganu and we wish you all the best!

Enhancing the Resilience and Stability of the Islamic Financial System

This Conference is organised in response to the increasing global interest shown in Islamic financial services and is the first such cooperation between the IFSB and IIF. The one and half-day conference will discuss and deliberate issues relating to the resilience and stability of the Islamic financial system during periods of economic difficulties and crisis. The Conference topics include:

* Resilience and stability of the Islamic financial system – An overview
* Prerequisites for resilience and stability of the Islamic financial system (Part I)
* Risk management and prudential standards in Islamic finance - Are they fit to prevent crisis?
* Managing the Islamic financial system in a crisis – Case studies

For more information, please visit : http://www.ifsb.org/ifsb-iif/index.html

Penang Global City Center

Three decades after being dubbed the “silicon island”, Penang is set to move on to the world stage as a global city centre. The RM20bil Penang Global City Centre (PGCC) masterplan, covering 104ha at site of the Penang Turf Club, was unveiled yesterday by Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. The project will comprise, among others, hotels, condominiums, commercial centres and a central park. The Prime Minister, a Penang boy, said this would be a “meaningful” project to the state and

Islamic Finance Forum 2008

At IIR it’s always been our endeavour to bring you the newest strategic developments and concepts within Islamic finance at our International Islamic Finance Forum (IIFF) events. With this objective in mind, IIFF this year will be particularly special, addressing and including new markets like Kazakhstan, Turkey, France and Latin America to name a few.

This October will mark the 15th edition of IIFF, and we will be returning to Istanbul in Turkey to celebrate the occasion. You will learn and participate in new facilitated sessions that will provide you with more networking opportunities than ever before, with top Shari’ah experts and practitioners from both the region and the international arena. In addition, you will participate in highly interactive and in-depth post-forum workshops which will take your knowledge to the next natural level of excellence.

As you might be aware, since its introduction in 1985, participation (interest free) banking has grown rapidly in Turkey to meet increased demand from customers who are looking for new products and services as alternatives to conventional banking.Highlighting the growing appetite for Islamic products among all clients, the theme and topics for IIFF – New Markets have been meticulously researched, enabling you to strengthen your understanding of the concepts, mechanisms and regulations governing what is set to become the most promising financial sector both for Muslims and non-Muslims.You will benefit from insights into the industry from an impressive line up of speakers from the top Islamic finance hubs of the world and will have the chance to engage these leading minds through meaningful debate and discussion.

Pioneering international Islamic finance practitioners and the world’s leading Islamic scholars will converge in Istanbul from 13 – 17 October for IIFF – New Markets, the most important networking event in the Islamic finance industry calendar.As participants, you will not only hear from some of the most knowledgeable practitioners in the industry, but you will be able to put questions to the experts. The Forum will surely enable you to share your goals, challenges and experiences with the conference faculty as well as your peers.

Iskandar Development Region, Malaysia

The Iskandar Malaysia is set to become Southern Peninsular Malaysia's most developed region, where living, entertainment, environment and business seamlessly converge within a bustling and vibrant metropolis. Located in Johor, the southern gateway to Peninsular Malaysia, Iskandar Malaysia is only six to eight hours flight radius from Asia's burgeoning growth centers such as Bangalore, Dubai, Hong Kong Seoul, Shanghai, Taipei and Tokyo. It is also within reach of a global market of some 800 million people.

South Johor is accessible by four ways; air, land, rail and sea. The available Senai International Airport provides easy access by air travel. By road, Kuala Lumpur is just a three-hour drive while Singapore's Changi International Airport is just a 55 minutes drive. Rail travel is also available. Iskandar Malaysia is flanked by three major ports, the Pasir Gudang Port, Port of Tanjung Pelepas and Tanjung Langsat Port.

Iskandar Malaysia aims to be a sustainable region of international standard. The beacon of new growth, Iskandar Malaysia will spur economic developments that actuate Malaysia's global potential. Recognising the need for sustainable development, social and environmental issues features heavily on its agenda. Iskandar Malaysia's commitment to these causes are evident in its manifestation within the Iskandar Malaysia Masterplan.

Iskandar Malaysia is the ideal place to do business within the Johor-Singapore-Indonesia (JSI) Triangle. It offers state-of-the-art physical infrastructure and a world-class business environment like excellent logistical facilities, cyber cities, and central business adinistration. Recognising South Johor's strategic importance to national development, the Federal Government supports the State in respect of planning, implementation, coordination, control, management, finance and promotion to ensure the success of the Iskandar Malaysia

The Atlantis Hotel

It's the latest word in Gulf excess - a sprawling £800million resort boasting a £13,000-a-night suite and dolphins flown in from the South Pacific, all atop a palm tree-shaped island. Environmentalists have long criticised both the island and some of the features of the Atlantis hotel, set to open tomorrow.

Analysts wonder, separately, if global financial turmoil could someday crimp Dubai's big tourist dreams.But Dubai is not blinking: the 113-acre resort on an artificial island off the Persian Gulf coast is among the city-state's biggest bets that tourism can help sustain its economy once regional oil profits stop flowing. The resort contains a giant open-air tank with 65,000 fish, stingrays and other sea creatures and a dolphinarium with more than two dozen bottlenose dolphins flown in, amid controversy, from the Solomon Islands.

But the hotel's top floor aims squarely at the ultra-wealthy. A three-bedroom, three-bathroom suite complete with gold-leaf 18-seat dining table is on offer for £13,000 a night.Dubai's development has long been criticized by environmental activists, who say the construction of artificial islands hurts coral reefs and even shifts water currents. They point to growing water and power consumption

The Nakheel Tower (Burj Nakheel)

It seems like the Burj Dubai will be dethroned from the “world’s tallest tower” position as (also) in Dubai will be built a one kilometer skyscraper. The tower was designed by Woods Bagot architects and it will be built by Nakheel, the same developer which has built those fancy state-of-the-art man-made islands in Dubai. The skyscraper will be called Nakheel Tower and as a bonus, there will also be built world’s first inner city harbor.

The entire construction area will be of 270 hectares, and when the Nakheel Tower and Harbor will be finished, it will provide enough space for 55,00 inhabitants, workplaces for 45,000 people, and for millions of tourists every year. Although it will be one kilometer-high, the skyscraper will only feature 200 floors, but this could change as the developers don’t want to tell us more about the actual height as rivals could build taller towers.

Nakheel Tower will have four individual towers within a single structure – a groundbreaking engineering feat. A distinctive crescent-shaped podium encircles the base and complements its remarkable height.

"Nakheel has sought inspiration not just from Islamic design but also from the Islamic principles of inclusion, innovation, diversity, excellence, growth and progress. These are the same principles that have motivated and guided Islamic culture and helped create its great cities throughout history. Now they are shaping the cities of the future," enthused His Excellency Sultan Bin Sulayem.

Not only has a development of this shape and scale not been attempted before, but it is also a further example of Nakheel's innovative projects that have changed the way the world looks at Dubai.

The multibillion dollar Nakheel Harbour & Tower development will include 250,000m2 of hotels and hospitality space, 100,000 m2 of retail space and huge expanses of green spaces including canal walks, parks and landscaping. The new development is geographically central to the Emirate of Dubai, at the intersection of Sheikh Zayed Road and the Arabian Canal; and will also complement Nakheel's surrounding developments including Jumeirah Park, Jumeirah Islands, Discovery Gardens and Ibn Battuta shopping mall.

The Nakheel Harbour & Tower development minimises car use and maximises train, bus and water transportation. A complete transportation hub blends into the harbour area with metro transportation combined with a unique water transport interchange, with Abra & Dhow station links.

Sustainability and safety will be key to the planning and design of Nakheel Harbour & Tower, with the latest standards and technology incorporated in the development.

"The inspiration for the project came from Sheikh Mohammed's vision for building for tomorrow," said His Excellency. "He is famously quoted as saying that 'before evaluating the future, we have to take a quick look at the past. For it is the foundation of tomorrow'.

"It sends another message to the world that Dubai has a vision like no other place on earth."

Source from : Nakheel Properties

The latest project of Islamic Region project

1. Al-Burj,
2. The Palm Island,
3. The Pearl,
4. Bahrain Bay,
5. IskandarMalaysia,
6. Arab Saudi Knowledge City

The latest tallest skyscaper 2008