So where should you actually get off? There are 16 stops between Gombak and Kota Bharu, and some are much better holiday picks than others. We go through them one by one, from south to north, with addresses, opening hours and entry fees, plus the catches nobody’s talking about yet.

• Route: Gombak (Selangor) to Kota Bharu (Kelantan), passing through Pahang and Terengganu
• Cheapest ride: Gombak to Bentong, from RM24
• Longest ride: Gombak to Kota Bharu, from RM125 (Transit) or RM147 (Express)
• Launch promo: 30% off Economy tickets for the first month

Want the full fare table first? Head over to our ECRL ticket prices guide.

Bentong ECRL Station

Fare from Gombak: from RM24 (Transit). It’s the cheapest ride on the line and an easy day trip from KL. Bentong is famous for its "three treasures": ginger, tofu and durian.

1. Chamang Waterfall (Hutan Lipur Chamang)

This is Bentong’s best-known nature spot, about 15 to 20 minutes from town. The water spreads over wide, flat rock ledges into shallow wading pools. There’s also a suspension bridge, an easy 2.5km forest trail, and space for picnics and camping.

Safety first: the fast channel down the middle is deep and has claimed lives, so keep the kids in the shallows.

• Address: Jalan Chamang, 28700 Bentong, Pahang
• Hours: about 9am to 5pm daily, with a break on Friday afternoons
• Entry: about RM3 per adult, plus RM3 for parking

Heads up: the park usually closes for about three months in the rainy season, from around mid-October to the end of January. Call 017-366 6223 before planning a December trip. Most stalls only take cash.

2. Bentong Walk and the Sunday Morning Market

The old town really wakes up at the weekend:

• Saturday evenings: the Bentong Walk night market, with around 30 to 40 stalls selling ginger products, snacks and crafts.
• Sunday mornings: the streets fill up with a busy local market.

In between, take a stroll past the murals on Jalan Loke Yew, Jalan Chui Yin and Jalan Ah Peng, including the well-known Bentong ginger mural.

• Address: Jalan Chui Yin, 28700 Bentong, Pahang
• Hours: Saturday night market from about 5:30pm to 10pm; Sunday morning market from about 7am to noon
• Entry: free

Tip: arrive before 9am on Sunday, park on a side street and walk in.

3. Bentong Hot Springs

You’ve got two options side by side on the old KL–Bentong road, about 15 minutes from town:

• ēRYA by SURIA: a resort with clean, well-kept thermal pools and private baths.
• Public pools next door: free, but the water is often murky, so many people just soak their feet.

• Address (ēRYA by SURIA): Lot 2527, Jalan Kuala Lumpur Lama, Mukim Bentong, 28700 Bentong, Pahang (tel 09-221 0200)
• Hours: 9am to 7pm daily
• Entry: RM15 adult, RM10 child, RM8 senior; the public pools are free

4. Tofu, Ginger and Durian

Leaving Bentong without eating? Not an option.

• Tauhu Auntie Mok is where locals go for silky tau fu fah with ginger or gula Melaka syrup, plus fresh soya milk.
• Bentong ginger, sold as the "King of Ginger", is easy to find at the Sunday market and at Produk Tempatan Bentong on Jalan Chui Yin.

• Tauhu Auntie Mok: 90, Jalan Pasar, 28700 Bentong. Monday to Friday 7am to 4pm, weekends 7am to 5pm.
• Produk Tempatan Bentong: 58, Jalan Chui Yin, 28700 Bentong. Open daily 7am to 6pm.

Timing tip: durian season usually runs from June to August, so a December visit means no Musang King feast.

Temerloh ECRL Station

Fare from Gombak: from RM35 (Transit). Temerloh is an interchange with KTM and the gateway to Pahang’s interior.

1. Kuala Gandah Elephant Conservation Centre

Run by Perhilitan, this is home base for the team that rescues and relocates wild elephants across Peninsular Malaysia. Here’s what you can do:

• Watch a short documentary.
• Feed the elephants with bananas and sugarcane sold on site.
• Watch the mahouts bathe them in the river in the afternoon.

Just so you know, elephant rides stopped years ago, and visitors no longer bathe with them.

• Address: Kuala Gandah, 28500 Lanchang, Pahang (tel 017-629 8740)
• Hours: daily from 10:30am, with last registration at about 3:30pm. River bathing is around 2:15pm (2:45pm on Fridays), depending on the water level.
• Entry: free, and donations are welcome. One recent report mentions a small fee, so bring some cash just in case.

2. Ikan Patin Tempoyak

Temerloh calls itself the home of ikan patin, and the classic way to eat it is in a sour, spicy fermented-durian (tempoyak) gravy.

• Price: roughly RM25 to RM40 a plate at a stall.
• Timing: popular spots sell out by early afternoon, so go for lunch, not dinner.

• Restoran Kancil Raja Patin: 54, Kampung Bangau, Temerloh. Lunch only, listed as 11am to 5pm.
• Gerai Makan Pak Usop: B-12, Arked MPT, Lurah Semantan, Temerloh. Lunch only, closed Sundays. You can also buy frozen gulai patin to take home.

3. Gateway to Taman Negara

From Temerloh, head north through Jerantut to Kuala Tahan, the main entrance to Taman Negara, one of the world’s oldest rainforests. A normal car can handle the road.

The big highlight is the canopy walkway. It was closed for repairs through 2025 and reportedly reopened in June 2026. It closes on Fridays and in bad weather.

• Location: Taman Negara HQ, Kuala Tahan, Jerantut, Pahang
• Entry: RM1 park permit, plus small camera and parking fees

Tip: make it an overnight trip, not a day out.

Paya Besar ECRL Station

Fare from Gombak: from RM55 (Transit). Get off here for Bukit Gambang Resort City, a family resort about 30 to 40 minutes from Kuantan.

1. Bukit Gambang Water Park

This water park sits inside a stretch of secondary jungle, and it’s packed with things to do:

• A huge wave pool
• A lazy river
• A sandy "Coco Beach" with cabanas
• Penguin Island for toddlers

It’s cashless inside: you pay with a wristband that you top up.

• Address: Jalan Bukit Gambang Resort, Bukit Gambang Resort City, 26300 Gambang, Pahang
• Hours: Wednesday to Friday 11am to 6pm; weekends and school or public holidays 10am to 6pm. Closed Monday and Tuesday, except during holidays.
• Entry: about RM35 adult, RM25 child or senior; free for kids under 90cm

2. Bukit Gambang Safari Park

Right next door, the safari park takes you by tram through a savannah zone with lions, cheetahs and kangaroos. Live shows run into the evening, including a fire show after dark. It stays open later than the water park, so you can splash by day and do the safari at night.

• Address: Bukit Gambang Resort City, 26300 Gambang, Pahang
• Hours: Tuesday to Thursday 1pm to 9pm; Friday to Sunday and public holidays 11am to 9pm. Closed Mondays, except holidays.
• Entry: a water park and safari combo is about RM65 adult and RM45 child or senior

KotaSAS ECRL Station (Kuantan)

Fare from Gombak: from RM60 (Transit) or RM68 (Express). KotaSAS is Pahang’s new administrative centre, the first Express stop, and your gateway to Kuantan city.

1. Teluk Cempedak

Kuantan’s favourite beach is about 10 minutes from the town centre. A wooden boardwalk runs along the rocky headland, and a jungle trail at the far end leads to quieter coves. You’ll find cafes and hawker stalls along the beachfront.

Watch your bags: the monkeys here are bold.

• Location: Teluk Cempedak, 25050 Kuantan, Pahang
• Hours: open daily; free

Monsoon note: the sea is rough from November to February and there are no lifeguards, so stick to the boardwalk.

2. Kuantan 188 Tower and the Riverfront

This 188-metre tower on the Kuantan River esplanade opened in 2021.

• The glassed-in observation deck at 92 metres gives you a 360-degree view of the city and coast.
• The open-air SkyDeck higher up closes in rain or wind.
• The riverside park below is nice for an evening stroll.

• Location: Jalan Mahkota, 25000 Kuantan, Pahang
• Hours: from 10am daily until late, with longer hours at weekends
• Entry: about RM10 to RM18 for the observation deck and RM27 to RM36 for the SkyDeck (Malaysian adult; weekends cost more)

3. Sultan Ahmad Shah State Mosque

Kuantan’s landmark mosque faces the town padang, a short walk from the tower. It was built in the early 1990s and holds about 10,000 worshippers under a large central dome with four minarets. It looks beautiful lit up at night.

• Address: Jalan Mahkota, 25000 Kuantan, Pahang
• Visiting: dress modestly and avoid prayer times

4. Sungai Lembing

This former tin-mining town is about 45 minutes from Kuantan, and it’s best known for the sunrise hike up Bukit Panorama:

• About 1,100 steps and 40 to 60 minutes to the top.
• On a good morning, you’ll see a sea of clouds.
• The town museum tells the story of the mine, which ran from 1905 to 1986.

• Location: Sungai Lembing, 26200 Kuantan, Pahang
• Museum hours: 9am to 5pm daily
• Entry: museum RM2 adult, free for kids 12 and under; Bukit Panorama is free

Heads up: the underground mine tunnel has been closed since 2021 after a collapse. For sunrise, start climbing by 5am and drive yourself, because buses don’t run that early.

Cherating ECRL Station

Fare from Gombak: from RM67 (Transit). This is the best monsoon stop on the whole line. While the islands close, this laid-back beach village becomes Malaysia’s surf town.

1. Surfing at Cherating

When the northeast monsoon swell rolls in, Cherating’s left-hand point break gets some of the most consistent waves in the country. December and January are usually the best months.

Cheratingpoint, the village’s long-running surf school, rents out boards and runs group and private lessons for beginners, including kids from about seven.

• Address: Lot 1/1041, Kampung Cherating Lama, 26080 Kuantan, Pahang (tel 012-933 7590)
• Hours: 7am to 7pm during surf season; closed outside the monsoon months
• Price: check the school’s 2026/27 season rates; you’ll need a 50% deposit to book

2. Firefly River Trips

After dark, small boats head up the mangrove-lined Sungai Cherating, and the guide uses a torch to coax the fireflies out of the trees. Trips take about an hour and are best on a clear, moonless night.

• Meeting point: Jalan Kampung Cherating Lama, 26080 Balok, Pahang
• Times: departures around 7:30pm or 8:30pm
• Price: about RM45 to RM50 per person when booked locally, life jacket included

3. Cherating Beach

A long bay of yellow sand where the Cherating River meets the South China Sea, lined with cheap chalets, cafes and surf shacks. Expect crowds during the school holidays.

• Location: Kampung Cherating Lama, 26080 Balok, Pahang
• Entry: free

Safety tip: from November to February, the waves are for surfers, not swimmers. Only go in where a surf school or your resort says it’s safe.

Turtle fans, take note: the Cherating Turtle Sanctuary is listed as under renovation, and turtle nesting season (April to October) is over by December anyway.

Dungun ECRL Station

Fare from Gombak: from RM82 (Transit). The station is in an industrial area about 7km from Kuala Dungun town.

1. Rantau Abang Turtle Conservation and Information Centre

Rantau Abang was once world-famous for its leatherback turtles, and in 2026 they came back. In September and October, the first landings here since 2010 were recorded. The information centre covers turtle conservation and runs a hatchery, with hatchling releases mostly happening between March and October.

• Location: Jalan Kuala Terengganu–Dungun, 23050 Dungun, Terengganu, about 15km from the station
• Hours: 8am to 5pm, Sunday to Thursday; closed Friday and Saturday

Reminder: it’s illegal to touch turtles or their nests.

2. Bukit Bauk

A forested hill just outside Dungun that’s popular with joggers and hikers. The trail to the top is about 3km and takes 45 to 60 minutes. Go early in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid the heat.

• Location: Rimba Bandar Bukit Bauk, on the Dungun–Kerteh road, about 3km from the station
• Entry: free

3. Tanjong Jara

This stretch of coast is home to Tanjong Jara Resort, one of the East Coast’s best-known luxury stays. It’s built in traditional Malay style, with two pools and a spa, so it’s a great splurge base for exploring Dungun.

• Address: Batu 8, Off Jalan Dungun, 23000 Dungun, Terengganu

4. Pulau Tenggol

A diver’s island about 30 to 45 minutes by speedboat from Kuala Dungun, with more than 20 dive sites, steep drop-offs, and whale shark sightings from August to October.

• Season: roughly March to October; resorts and dive centres close from November to February
• Marine park fee: RM5 adult, RM2 child (Malaysians)

Kuala Terengganu ECRL Station

Fare from Gombak: from RM95 (Transit) or RM110 (Express). This is Terengganu’s only Express stop, roughly 3 hours from Gombak. Remember, the station is in Marang, about 23km from KT city, so allow 25 to 30 minutes by car.

1. Pulau Kapas (via Marang Jetty)

A small, laid-back island just 15 to 20 minutes by boat from Marang.

• All the beaches and chalets are on the side facing the mainland.
• A short jungle trail takes you over the hill for sunrise.
• You can snorkel around rocks, coral patches and a couple of wrecks.

• Jetty: Marang jetty, about 21.5km from the station
• Boat: about RM40 return per adult, half price for kids
• Marine park fee: RM5 adult, RM2 child (Malaysians)
• Season: roughly March to October

2. Pulau Redang (via KT Jetty)

Redang is the classic resort island, with Pasir Panjang’s white sand and coral close to shore. The ferry from Kuala Terengganu takes about two hours, and most visitors book a resort package that includes the boat.

• Jetty: Shahbandar (TTI) jetty, central Kuala Terengganu, about 23km from the station
• Ferry: about RM58 adult and RM25 child one way, with one morning departure a day
• Marine park fee: RM5 adult, RM2 child (Malaysians)
• Season: ferries run March to October only

3. Pasar Payang, Bukit Puteri and Kampung Cina

KT’s historic riverside quarter makes a great half-day on foot:

• Pasar Payang: rebuilt and reopened in August 2024. The main building now sells gold, batik and souvenirs, while dried seafood and keropok are in the second building about 280 metres away.
• Bukit Puteri: just across the road, an old fort hill with cannons, a bronze bell and views over the river mouth.
• Kampung Cina: right next door, a 300-year-old street of shophouses, cafes and the Ho Ann Kiong temple.

• Location: Jalan Sultan Zainal Abidin and Jalan Kampung Cina, Kuala Terengganu
• Bukit Puteri: 9am to 5pm, RM1 entry
• Tip: visit Pasar Payang early in the morning, when it’s at its liveliest

4. Pantai Batu Buruk

The city beach is just 1km from the centre and lined with casuarina and coconut trees. Stalls sell keropok lekor and coconut water from around noon until after sunset, and the windy monsoon months are kite season.

• Address: Jalan Pantai Batu Buruk, 20400 Kuala Terengganu
• Entry: free, open 24 hours

Safety tip: the currents are strong, so swimming isn’t advised.

5. Crystal Mosque and Taman Tamadun Islam

The steel-and-glass Masjid Kristal on Pulau Wan Man has been KT’s signature sight since 2008, and it glows after dark. Next door, Taman Tamadun Islam has more than 20 scale models of famous Islamic monuments. There’s a river cruise too.

• Address: Pulau Wan Man, Losong Panglima Perang, 21000 Kuala Terengganu
• Hours (park): Friday to Sunday and holidays 9am to 7pm; Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 10am to 6pm; closed Tuesday; Friday prayer break 11:30am to 2:30pm
• Entry (park): about RM22 adult, RM18 child or senior, free for under-6s
• Mosque: non-Muslims are welcome outside prayer times; dress modestly

6. Sekayu Waterfall

A seven-tier waterfall in Hulu Terengganu with a hanging bridge, chalets and a campsite. The main pool is deep, so families usually swim in the calmer spots near the bridge.

• Location: Hutan Lipur Sekayu, about 15km from Kuala Berang, Hulu Terengganu
• Entry: RM2 adult, RM1 child, plus parking

7. Tasik Kenyir

Southeast Asia’s largest man-made lake, with more than 340 islands that used to be hilltops. There are also waterfalls you reach by boat, such as Lasir and Saok, and the Gua Bewah cave.

The best way to see it is on a houseboat, fishing off the deck by day and having a barbecue at night. It’s the best monsoon pick here: houseboats keep running in the rainy season, and anglers say that’s when the fishing is best.

• Jetty: Pengkalan Gawi, near Kuala Berang, about an hour from the station
• Houseboat packages: roughly RM400 to RM825 per person for 2D1N or 3D2N, meals included, with group minimums
• Day boat tours: about RM80 to RM700 per boat, depending on the route

Tip: there’s no phone signal on the lake.

Bandar Permaisuri ECRL Station

Fare from Gombak: from RM107 (Transit). It’s the most convenient station in Terengganu, only about 1.2km from town.

1. Setiu Wetlands

The East Coast’s largest natural wetland covers about 23,000 hectares of mangrove, lagoon, gelam swamp and seagrass, and it’s been a state park since 2018. Things to try:

• A river boat ride
• The mangrove boardwalk
• Kelulut (stingless-bee) honey
• A night at a village homestay

The state actually recommends it as a monsoon-season trip.

• Location: Setiu district, entered via Pengkalan Gelap near Penarik, about 19km from the station

2. Merang Jetty

This is the faster way to the islands. Speedboats from Merang reach Redang or Lang Tengah in about 45 minutes, compared with two hours on the KT ferry.

• Location: Merang, Setiu, about 35km from the station
• Boat: about RM52 to RM55 per adult to Redang; parking about RM10 a day
• Season: March to October

3. Penarik

A long, coconut-lined beach and a string of quiet fishing villages, perfect for cycling and sunsets. Try the seafood restaurants for "celup tepung" (battered seafood), and look out for the quirky Rumah Botol, a house built from glass bottles.

• Location: Penarik, Setiu, about 55km from Kuala Terengganu

Monsoon bonus: chalet prices drop from November to March.

The post ECRL Holiday Guide: Where to Go at Every Stop, KL to Kota Bharu appeared first on Malaysian Review.

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Public transport ends at KLIA Terminal 2. From there, the free Rapid KL shuttle runs to the circuit from 7am to midnight, about every 10–15 minutes. Bring the race ticket. Staff check it in the queue.

1. KLIA Ekspres, then shuttle

   RM200 · 3-day pass · 50–70 min each way

   KL Sentral, then KLIA Ekspres, then Terminal 2, then the free shuttle to Sepang International Circuit. The pass covers six rides between KL Sentral and KLIA T2, enough for a return each day of F1 Malaysia. Fastest. Not the cheap one.
   

2. Airport coach, then shuttle

   RM13–RM15 each way · 80–105 min

   KL Sentral, then an airport coach, then Terminal 2, then the free shuttle. Use this if you are already at KL Sentral and watching the fare for the Malaysia Grand Prix.

   

3. MRT and KLIA Transit, then shuttle

   RM13–RM20 each way · 75–100 min

   MRT Putrajaya Line to Putrajaya Sentral, change to KLIA Transit for Terminal 2, then the free shuttle. Use this if the Putrajaya Line already runs near you.

   

4. KLIA Transit to Salak Tinggi, then Grab or taxi

   RM40–RM60 each way · 50–90 min

   KL Sentral, then KLIA Transit, then Salak Tinggi, then a Grab or taxi to your gate at Sepang International Circuit. Type the gate, not just the circuit name. Faster on the way in. Cars at Salak Tinggi run short after the race, so do not plan the return on this one.

   

5. Drive, park at Mitsui Outlet Park KLIA, then shuttle

   RM2/hour · about RM16–RM24 for a day · outlet is about 7km from the track

   Park at Mitsui Outlet Park KLIA and ride the free shuttle in. Food and shops are on site if you want a stop before the lights go out.

   

6. Drive to another shuttle point

   Free shuttle · 7am–midnight · 2–4 October

   For this Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia weekend, you need a pre-booked circuit parking pass to enter the venue car parks. Collection is at Mitsui Outlet Park, and passes sell out. No pass? Park at one of these and take the shuttle:

   • Mitsui Outlet Park KLIA
   • KLIA Terminal 2
   • KLIA Long-Term Car Park
   • De-Village @ Enstek

   Save that pick-up point in your phone before you go through the gate. The jam after Formula 1 Malaysia is the trip home.

   

The post F1 Malaysia: Six Ways to Sepang International Circuit appeared first on Malaysian Review.

Most headlines will call her the wife of Malaysia’s longest-serving prime minister. That is true, and it is also the least interesting thing about her. She was a doctor first. The country nicknamed her Ibu Negara because of the work she kept doing after the cameras arrived, not because of the office her husband held.

A Klang girl who almost chose newsrooms

She was born on 12 July 1926 in Kampung Jawa, Klang, the sixth of ten children in a family that later produced a Bank Negara governor and a chief of the armed forces. School took her through Sekolah Melayu Kampung Baru, Methodist Girls School, and Pudu English Girls School.

Journalism was the plan. Medicine was the path that opened after the war. She was among the first Malay women to study at the King Edward VII College of Medicine in Singapore, graduated in 1955, two years before independence, and went into government service as a medical officer in Alor Setar.

The job she chose was not the glamorous end of the profession. She worked in maternal and child health, much of it in rural Kedah, and stayed with that beat long enough to change outcomes rather than just attend ceremonies.

What she did before Putrajaya knew her name

• Became the first woman medical officer in the Maternal and Child Health Department
• Appointed Kedah’s first State Maternal and Child Health Officer in 1974
• Concentrated on rural mothers and infants, work later credited with helping bring down infant mortality
• Married Dr Mahathir in 1956 and built a partnership that lasted nearly seven decades

By the time he became prime minister in 1981, she already had a professional identity. The first lady’s office did not invent her. It gave her a louder room.

The causes she refused to treat as decoration

She used the platform the way a public health doctor would: pick a problem, keep repeating it, and stay with it after the event ends.

• Maternal and child health, immunisation, and family planning
• Rural women’s development and adult literacy
• Drug abuse prevention through BAKTI, the welfare body of ministers’ and deputy ministers’ wives
• Mental health, at a time when few public figures talked about it in plain language
• International anti-drug work, including the 1985 First Ladies’ Conference on Drug Abuse in Washington, at Nancy Reagan’s invitation, and a 1987 conference in Vienna

She also held civic posts that sat outside politics: president of the Malaysian Girl Guides Association, president of the Malaysian Medical Association Foundation, and the first chancellor of Multimedia University.

Recognition, without the myth-making

The honours followed the work, not the other way around.

• Kazue McLaren Award, Asia Pacific Consortium for Public Health, 1988
• Honorary doctorates from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (1991), the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (1992), and Indiana University (1994)
• The title Tun, conferred by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong in 2003

The last decade, on her own terms

In 2016 she published My Name is Hasmah and called Dr Mahathir her “hero.” In 2019 she spoke openly about breast cancer treatment and turned her own diagnosis into a public push for early screening. In 2024 she asked to be called Hasmah, the name she was born with, rather than Siti, a prefix that had attached itself socially in the 1970s.

Only last month, she and Dr Mahathir were recognised as the oldest living former head of government and spouse in the region. Both had reached 100. That statistic is striking. It is still smaller than the ordinary fact that they remained a working partnership for most of a century.

What the country is burying

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has announced a state funeral. The condolences will be formal. The better measure of her life is less formal than that: fewer deaths in childbirth, more children vaccinated, more women who learned to read, and a generation of Malay girls who grew up knowing a woman from Klang had already walked into a medical college and stayed.

A word of thanks

To Tun Dr Hasmah: thank you. Thank you for choosing the clinic over the newsroom, and then staying with mothers and children in Kedah when that work paid no public dividend. Thank you for treating the first lady’s office as another consulting room, not a balcony. The immunisations, the literacy classes, the anti-drug talks, the quiet push for screening after your own illness: that is the ledger that matters.

To Tun Dr Mahathir and the family: thank you for sharing her with the country for so long. A private grief is now a public one. May you be given strength.

To the girls who grew up seeing a Malay woman from Klang walk into a medical college and remain a doctor for the rest of her life: the debt is yours to spend well.

The post Tun Dr Siti Hasmah: the doctor Malaysians called Ibu Negara appeared first on Malaysian Review.

What is the API in Malaysia this week?

As of 20–21 September 2026, many Department of Environment stations logged unhealthy air (API 101–200). Serian, Kapit, Kuching, Samarahan and Sri Aman in Sarawak sat in the 160s to 180s. Putrajaya, Nilai, Shah Alam, Cheras, Seremban and several Johor and Melaka sites crossed 150.

Earlier this month Serian hit API 521. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong consented to a haze emergency there, the first since Muar and Ledang in 2013. It lasted three days. Schools in Sarawak stayed closed longer.

API / IPU Malaysia bands

Outdoor school activity usually stops at 101. Schools close when the air pollution index reaches 200.

How many cigarettes is this week’s air pollution?

During jerebu the reported API Malaysia figure is almost always the PM2.5 sub-index. DOE’s formula for the unhealthy band is:

API = 1.3218 × (PM2.5 − 75.5) + 101
so PM2.5 (µg/m³) = 75.5 + (API − 101) ÷ 1.3218

A common comparison treats 22 µg/m³ of PM2.5 over 24 hours as roughly one cigarette’s long-term burden. That is an upper estimate if you breathe that air all day outdoors.

Stay indoors with the windows shut and the real dose falls. Children, pregnant women, older people and anyone with heart or lung disease get hurt at lower numbers than healthy adults.

Why we have haze in Malaysia

Most of the smoke is not made by Malaysia. During the southwest monsoon, winds carry it across from forest and peat fires in Kalimantan and Sumatra. Fire is still used to clear land because it is cheap, for oil palm, pulp and small plots alike. Once peat is drained it dries out, catches easily and can burn under the ground for weeks. A long dry spell or El Niño only makes the same Kalimantan fire run farther. Local open burning and city exhaust add to the dust, but they do not explain a jerebu that hits Johor, Sarawak and the Klang Valley in the same week. That stream of smoke originated on the other side of the border and drifted with the wind.

What is PM2.5, and what it does in your blood

PM2.5 refers to fine particulate matter in the air—specifically, particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or smaller. A human hair is about 50 to 70 micrometres wide, so these bits are many times thinner than that. During haze Malaysia episodes they are mostly smoke and ash from a Kalimantan fire, mixed with whatever the wind picks up on the way.

They do not stop in the nose or throat. They reach the deepest part of the lung. Some pass into the bloodstream. In the blood they set off inflammation. Vessels stiffen, blood pressure rises, clots form more easily. That is why haze days track with more heart attacks, strokes and asthma attacks, not only coughs. These particles belong to the same class of carcinogens as tobacco smoke. Relative to their body size, fetuses and young children inhale higher doses.

WHO’s safe 24-hour mark is 15 µg/m³. An API Malaysia of 101 already means about 75 µg/m³, five times that line. That is why IPU Malaysia jumps when jerebu arrives. The index is measuring this dust, not the smell.

How to check API Malaysia

Use the Department of Environment. Other apps often print a different scale.

Website: eqms.doe.gov.my/APIMS/main
App: MyJAS EQMS (iOS and Google Play)

Readings refresh every hour. The PM2.5 number behind IPU Malaysia is a 24-hour running average, so a sudden night spike can look milder on the index than the air outside feels.

How to protect yourself

• • Stay inside when API Malaysia is 101 or above. Shut windows.
  • Run a HEPA purifier. Ozone “ionisers” do not cut PM2.5.
  • Outside: a fitted N95 or KN95. Cloth and surgical masks leak. N95s are hard work to breathe through. They fit children poorly and are not meant for long wear in pregnancy.
  • Drop outdoor sport.
  • Do not smoke. Drink water. (Keep inhalers close if you have asthma.)
  • Houseplants cannot purify this kind of air.

What Malaysia and Indonesia are doing, and how this stops

This month Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid met President Prabowo in Jakarta. Indonesia accepted Malaysian help against the Kalimantan fire: a Bombardier CL-415 water bomber, three helicopters and about 52 officers from NADMA, APMM and the RMAF. Cloud seeding along the border was already approved. Prabowo said there were still more than 1,400 hotspots in Kalimantan and that 95 companies had been pulled up for open burning.

The two sides are discussing prevention, not compensation. ASEAN currently continues to operate based on the 2002 ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution. Putting this week’s fires out does not end the cycle. That needs wet peat left wet, companies held to their drainage rules, and no fire used as the cheapest way to clear land. Until that holds, the monsoon will keep delivering Kalimantan smoke into Malaysian air.

Please check Malaysia’s API (Air Pollutant Index) before heading out. If the reading exceeds 100, consider the air to be polluted—because it is.

A personal view

To me, the haze problem plaguing Kuala Lumpur, and indeed all of Malaysia, feels deeply unfair. It is the Malaysian people who bear the health costs: coughing, school closures, and children confined indoors, while the elderly and asthma sufferers face genuine health risks. Yet a significant portion of the problem originates across the border, stemming from fires in the peatlands and plantations of Indonesia. That is precisely what is so frustrating. No matter how much effort we make in Kuala Lumpur, whether by wearing masks, using air purifiers, or staying indoors, we cannot address the root cause.

What I find hardest to accept is that this is a predictable, recurring disaster. It is not a sudden, unforeseen accident. It arrives with the dry season and worsens during El Niño years, yet the region reacts to it every time as if it were a new phenomenon. Even though everyone anticipates the problem, it remains unresolved.

This is a sensitive topic, and many Malaysians hold differing views on it. The above reflects only my personal opinion. What is your take? Do you view it primarily as a health issue, or as something else entirely?

The post Haze Malaysia: Check API and Stay Safe appeared first on Malaysian Review.

The same weekend, Malaysia’s first official Pokémon Center pop-up opens at Ombak KLCC. Pokémon GO also runs extra content around the park, which is the part most local trainers will care about.

Why the tour starts in KL

Pokémon first went on sale in Japan in 1996 as Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green. PokéXciting is the company’s anniversary tour for fans in Asia, not a ticketed concert.

Company staff have said Kuala Lumpur came out of talks with KLCC Holdings. The park, the new mall and the rail links sit next to each other, which made the site practical.

Each city on the tour gets its own PokéXciting Pikachu colour. Kuala Lumpur gets turquoise: blue hair and a black shirt with an equaliser print. That Pikachu appears on stage and in Pokémon GO.

What is on at KLCC Park

Daytime is mostly photo spots, a parade and short Pikachu dance sets. At night there is a stage show, then a drone display with the Petronas Twin Towers behind it. Rain or strong wind can stop the outdoor pieces, so check official pages on the day.

Organisers are calling the drone set Malaysia’s first Pokémon-themed drone show. It lasts about ten minutes. POKÉGENIC spots around the park are there for photos with the turquoise Pikachu and the other decorations. Giveaways go quickly. Get there early if you want one.

Pokemon GO Malaysia at the park

Open Pokémon GO at KLCC Park during event hours and you get two stamp rallies, two free Timed Research tracks, event Field Research, more wild spawns, lure and incense encounters, and Gigantamax battles with Venusaur, Charizard and Blastoise.

The catch people will queue for is PokéXciting Pikachu (Turquoise) with a Kuala Lumpur location background. There are two ways to get it.

The regional rally uses five stamps in the park, themed on Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, Pikachu and Vileplume. The cross-region rally uses KL’s city stamp, which is one of five stamps spread across the Asia tour. That second rally stays available for about a month after the weekend.

Incense in KL can turn up Unown M and Unown Y. Other bonuses: 2x XP when you spin PokéStops, cheaper trades, two extra Special Trades, one-hour Lure Modules, and more Candy on Nice, Great and Excellent throws.

The GO booth does stickers, a photo setup, and a free photobooth print if you collect enough stamps. Bring a charger. The park will be packed, so watch the people around you while you play.

Pokemon Center pop-up at Ombak KLCC

The Pokémon Center pop-up opens on 12 September at Ombak KLCC and is listed through the end of December. A Nintendo pop-up sits next to it. Early product lists mentioned Pokémon Center original goods, plushes, 30th anniversary items, and trading cards later in the run. There should also be limited Kuala Lumpur PokéXciting Pikachu merch.

The shop is stricter than the park on opening day.

Do not line up before 6:00am.

Entry tickets start at 8:00am at the Level G Ombak KLCC entrance. Staff can hold people outside when the floor is full.

The Pokémon Company has said no Pokémon TCG products will be sold on opening day. That may change later. If you are going on 12 September for a Pokemon card or sealed Pokemon cards, you will probably leave empty-handed. Watch official channels for a restock date.

From 1 October to 31 December the mall will rotate Pokémon decorations: a Pikachu theme, then Fire, Grass and Water. That display is separate from the two days in the park.

Pokemon cards later this year

Pokemon cards still matter here even if they are not on the till this Saturday. A Pokémon Company representative noted that the Master Ball League earlier in 2026 drew more than 4,000 players, the largest field Malaysia has had.

The 30th Celebration TCG set, which includes a run of anniversary Pikachu cards, is due for a global release around 16 September. KLCC Convention Centre is scheduled to host a Pokémon TCG Premier Ball League on 21 and 22 November, the same weekend as Pokémon RUN 30.

Come this weekend for Pikachu, the GO event, photos and the first wave of Center merch. Leave the card hunt for mid-September onward unless official pages say otherwise.

How to get there

KLCC Park and Ombak KLCC are next to each other. Driving will be slow.

• Putrajaya Line MRT to Persiaran KLCC is the simplest stop for Ombak.
• On the Kelana Jaya Line, change at Ampang Park to the Putrajaya Line. You can also get off at KLCC and walk, but it is a longer walk to the park.
• On the Kajang Line, change to the Putrajaya Line at Kwasa Damansara or TRX.

Bring water, a power bank and something for rain. Heavy rain or strong wind can pause the outdoor shows. Photos and video taken on site may be used in official promotion.

What comes after Sunday

After 13 September the tour moves to Taipei on 10 and 11 October, Singapore on 7 and 8 November, Manila on 23 and 24 January 2027, and Bangkok on 13 and 14 February 2027.

In Malaysia the rest of the year still has the Ombak pop-up through December, mall decorations from October, Pokémon RUN 30, and the November TCG league. Nobody has announced a permanent Pokémon Center. Company comments so far only say they will look at how fans use these events.

The post PokéXciting KL: Pokemon Malaysia 30th Party This Weekend appeared first on Malaysian Review.

Glamping is camping without the thin mattress and the 2 a.m. leak. You still get forest air and river noise. You also get a real bed, a bathroom, and usually air-con.

This list is for people searching “glamping near me”, “glamping Selangor”, “glamping Janda Baik” or “what to do on weekend” from KL. Ten spots. Prices and hours move, so confirm before you book.

Quick pick

Muslim-friendly on this list: Tiarasa, Tadom Hill, Dusun Bonda, Nur Laman Bestari, Glow Glamping, Caravan Serai. Dusun Bonda and Nur Laman Bestari are also Muslim-owned.

Near Janda Baik and Bentong

Selangor, closer to KL

Highlands

What to pack

• Clothes you can walk and sit in. Swimsuit. Light jacket for highland nights. Sandals or water shoes.
• Your own toothbrush. Towel if the listing does not mention one. Sunscreen. Mosquito repellent.
• Power bank, torch or headlamp, reusable bottle. Download maps and playlists. Signal drops at some sites.
• Medication, small first-aid kit, wet wipes or sanitiser.
• Snacks, extra water, BBQ food only if outside food is allowed.
• Muslim travellers: travel prayer mat, telekung, Qibla app if there is no surau.
• Optional: speaker, cards, camera.

Before you pay

• Book weekends and school holidays early, especially Janda Baik and the Selangor sites.
• Check whether meals are in the rate. Check which activities cost extra.
• If you need a surau, wudu space, or a site that does not serve alcohol, call first.
• Use this page as a shortlist. Confirm price, hours and inclusions with the property.

The post Top 10 Best Glamping Malaysia in Janda Baik & Selangor 2026 appeared first on Malaysian Review.

This guide covers the basics properly: what ASNB is, how ASM, ASM 2 Wawasan and ASM 3 differ, what they have paid out over the past few years, and the practical stuff like which apps let you buy units and how old you need to be to open an account.

What is ASNB?

ASNB stands for Amanah Saham Nasional Berhad. It is the unit trust management company wholly owned by Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB), and it has been around since 22 May 1979.

The distinction matters because people mix the two up. PNB is the investment institution that owns and sponsors the funds. ASNB is the arm that issues the units, sells them to you, and administers your account. When you read a dividend announcement, it is usually PNB issuing the statement about a fund that ASNB manages.

ASNB currently manages 18 unit trust funds with roughly 280 billion units in circulation across more than 15 million accounts. It runs 32 branch offices and works with over 2,600 agents nationwide, including Affin Bank, AmBank, Bank Islam, Bank Muamalat, Bank Simpanan Nasional, CIMB Bank, Hong Leong Bank, Maybank, RHB Bank and Pos Malaysia.

Fixed price versus variable price

Every ASNB fund falls into one of two camps, and this is the single most useful thing to understand before you invest anything.

Fixed price funds are permanently priced at RM1.00 per unit. You buy at RM1.00 and you redeem at RM1.00. The unit price does not move with the market, so your entire return comes from the annual income distribution, which gets reinvested as extra units unless you withdraw it. There are six of these: ASB, ASB 2 and ASB 3 Didik for Bumiputera investors, and ASM, ASM 2 Wawasan and ASM 3 for all Malaysians.

Variable price funds are the ASN series. Their price moves daily based on the fund’s net asset value, they carry a sales charge, and your capital can go down as well as up. They are ordinary unit trusts in the way most people understand the term.

Worth saying plainly: the fixed price funds have held RM1.00 since they launched, but the prospectus states they are not capital guaranteed or capital protected. That track record is not a legal promise. Treat it as a very strong history rather than a guarantee.

Amanah Saham Malaysia: ASM, ASM 2 Wawasan and ASM 3

The ASM series is open to every Malaysian citizen regardless of race. This is the practical alternative for non-Bumiputera investors who cannot buy into the ASB funds.

All three work the same way. RM1.00 per unit, no sales charge, minimum initial investment of RM10, distributions reinvested automatically. Under the hood they are mixed asset funds that can hold up to 90% in equities, with at least 5% kept in cash or liquid assets.

So why three funds? Mostly history, and the fact that demand kept outrunning supply.

ASM is the original and the largest of the three. As at March 2026 it had 786,088 unitholders holding 31.22 billion units.

ASM 2 Wawasan started life in 1996 as Amanah Saham Wawasan 2020, the fund tied to the old Vision 2020 branding. It was renamed in October 2018 when ASNB tidied up its fund names. It is aimed at investors who want regular income distributions, and as at August 2025 it had 983,505 unitholders across 25.5 billion units, making it the most widely held of the three by account count.

ASM 3 was launched in August 2009 as Amanah Saham 1Malaysia, and was renamed alongside ASM 2 Wawasan in 2018. It leans towards steady income while preserving capital over a longer horizon. As at September 2025 it had 717,446 unitholders and 19.16 billion units.

If you are wondering which one to pick, the honest answer is that the differences are small. The staggered financial year ends are the one genuinely useful distinction. Spread money across all three and you receive a distribution in April, September and October instead of once a year, which helps if you like seeing income arrive more than once.

ASM dividend rates and payout dates

Distributions are quoted in sen per unit. Because the unit price is always RM1.00, 5.00 sen per unit works out to a 5.00% return for that financial year.

The pattern is easy to read. Rates dropped sharply in 2020 and bottomed out around 2022, then climbed back. ASM has recovered furthest, holding 5.00 sen for two years running.

For the financial year ended 31 March 2026, ASNB declared 5.00 sen per unit for ASM, a total payout of RM1.54 billion to 786,088 unitholders. That beat the Maybank 12-month fixed deposit benchmark of 2.18% by 282 basis points.

ASM 2 Wawasan paid 4.75 sen per unit for the year ended 31 August 2025, RM1.18 billion in total, beating the 2.46% average 12-month fixed deposit rate by 229 basis points.

ASM 3 paid 4.75 sen per unit for the year ended 30 September 2025, a payout of RM896.01 million, beating its 2.40% fixed deposit benchmark by 235 basis points.

When the money lands

Each fund follows its own financial year, so the payouts are staggered:

ASM closes its books on 31 March. The declaration usually comes in the last week of March and the units are credited on 1 April.

ASM 2 Wawasan closes on 31 August, with the announcement in late August and units credited on 1 September.

ASM 3 closes on 30 September, announced in the last days of September and credited on 1 October.

Expect a short blackout around each of those dates. ASNB suspends transactions on the relevant fund for a few days while it runs the calculation. For ASM in 2026, transactions were frozen from 27 to 31 March and resumed on 1 April. For ASM 2 Wawasan in 2025, the freeze ran 30 to 31 August, with myASNB reopening on 1 September and branches on 2 September.

How your dividend is actually calculated

This trips up a lot of people. The distribution is not based on your closing balance. It is calculated on your average minimum monthly balance across the fund’s financial year.

In practice that means money you put in early in the financial year earns for more months than money you dump in the week before the year ends. If you deposit RM10,000 in February for a fund whose year closes on 31 March, most of your balance only counted for one or two months out of twelve. The distribution will reflect that, and every year a fresh batch of investors is surprised by it.

The other half of the rule is the reverse: pulling money out mid month drags down that month’s minimum, which drags down the average. Frequent in and out withdrawals quietly cost you.

Class A and Class B: the 2026 zakat change

This one is new enough that most guides have not caught up yet. Effective 25 May 2026, ASNB restructured all six fixed price funds into a multi class format.

Every existing unitholder, Muslim and non-Muslim, was automatically placed in Class A. Class A receives the income distribution in full with no zakat deducted, exactly as before, so if you did nothing, nothing changed for you.

Class B is optional and only open to Muslim unitholders. Under Class B, ASNB deducts zakat from your income distribution and pays it to the relevant state zakat centre on your behalf, within five working days of the fund’s financial year end. As of mid 2026 only three state centres were live for this: PPZ-MAIWP for Wilayah Persekutuan, MAIDAM for Terengganu and PKZ Pahang.

One detail deserves attention before anyone opts in. The switch is one way. Once you move into Class B, you cannot revert to Class A.

The myASNB app and ASNB online

myASNB is the digital platform for everything ASNB related, available as a mobile app and as a web portal at myasnb.com.my. It replaced the old passbook system, which is why nobody hands you a little book anymore.

Through myASNB you can register a new account, check your balance, buy additional units, redeem units, view your dividend history and update your details. There is no platform fee to register.

For ASNB login, you need an active account registered with myASNB, your user ID and password, and access to your registered mobile number for the OTP. If you are getting locked out, the usual culprits are an outdated app, an expired TAC or a phone number that was never updated after you changed it. The last one has to be fixed at a branch or agent counter.

The app also supports push authentication, which is more reliable than waiting for an SMS that may never arrive.

Which apps and banks can you buy ASM units from?

You are not limited to the myASNB app. Several banks and one e-wallet have integrated ASNB investment features, which is handy when units are released and everyone piles onto the same platform at once.

Internet and mobile banking channels include Maybank2u and the MAE app, CIMB Clicks, RHB Now, AffinOnline and HLB Connect. Maybank’s ASNB transfer service operates from 2.00am to 9.00pm daily, so it is not a true 24 hour channel.

On the e-wallet side, Touch ‘n Go eWallet supports ASNB investment. The minimum additional investment through TnG is RM10, slightly higher than the RM1 minimum on most other channels.

Over the counter, you can transact at any of the 32 ASNB branches, at agent bank branches, or at Pos Malaysia outlets.

One practical note. When a fresh batch of units is released, availability is first come first served and the myASNB app is usually the fastest route. Bank apps sometimes lag behind by a few minutes, which is enough to matter when a popular fund reopens.

How to open an ASNB account

For adults, the whole thing is done from your phone in about fifteen minutes.

Download the myASNB app from the App Store, Google Play or AppGallery, then choose to register a new account. Fill in your personal details, making sure your name and IC number match your MyKad exactly. You will then run through eKYC: scan the front and back of your MyKad with your phone camera, then take a selfie in decent lighting so the system can match your face to your IC photo.

An OTP goes to your mobile number for verification. After that you set your user ID, password and security questions, link a bank account in your own name for FPX transfers, and make your first purchase. The minimum initial investment is RM10.

If you would rather do it in person, bring your MyKad to any ASNB branch or agent bank counter. Some situations still require a counter visit, such as updating a mobile number you no longer have access to.

What age can you open an ASNB account?

For your own account, you must be a Malaysian citizen aged 18 or above. That is the threshold for an adult account and for registering directly on myASNB.

Children under 18 can still hold units, but the account is opened and managed by a parent or legal guardian who is themselves 18 or older. You will need the child’s MyKid or birth certificate, or their MyKad if they are 12 or above, plus the guardian’s MyKad. The minimum initial investment is the same RM10.

These minor accounts fall under ASNB Bijak, the programme aimed at young investors, which gives access to ASB or ASM 3 depending on eligibility along with campaign rewards. ASM 3 units were made available again for ASNB Bijak accounts from 12 May 2026, which is worth knowing because minor accounts sometimes have allocation when adult accounts do not.

Finding an ASNB branch near you

If you are searching for an ASNB branch near me, the branch locator on asnb.com.my is the reliable source. There are 32 ASNB branches, with the larger states covered by multiple offices in places like Shah Alam, Johor Bahru, Ipoh, Seremban, Melaka, Alor Setar, Kuching, Miri and Kota Kinabalu.

Beyond the branches, the agent network is far wider. Any Maybank, CIMB, RHB, Affin Bank, AmBank, Bank Islam, Bank Muamalat, Bank Simpanan Nasional or Hong Leong Bank branch acting as an ASNB agent can handle most transactions, as can Pos Malaysia counters. For a straightforward withdrawal or balance check, your nearest bank branch is usually faster than travelling to an ASNB office.

The catch nobody mentions in the ads

ASM units are frequently unavailable, and this is the most common frustration among non-Bumiputera investors.

Non-Bumiputera purchases in the ASM funds run on an allocation system. When that allocation is exhausted, units only become available again when existing holders redeem or when ASNB releases a fresh tranche. So you can have the money ready, an active account, and still be told there are no units to buy.

Releases do happen, and they are worth watching for. In July 2025 ASNB released 1.18 billion units across ASM, ASM 2 Wawasan and ASM 3 with no subscription limit. There have also been campaigns targeted at newcomers, including an allocation of ASM 3 units set aside for new customers registering through the myASNB app, capped at RM10,000 per person.

The practical advice is simple. Open your account before you need it, keep a bank account linked and ready, and follow ASNB’s official social media channels so you hear about a release on day one rather than day three.

Frequently asked questions

Is ASM the same as ASB?

No. Both are fixed price funds at RM1.00 per unit managed by ASNB, but ASB, ASB 2 and ASB 3 Didik are restricted to Bumiputera investors. ASM, ASM 2 Wawasan and ASM 3 are open to all Malaysian citizens.

Can non-Bumiputera Malaysians invest in ASM?

Yes. All three ASM funds accept any Malaysian citizen regardless of race. The limitation is unit availability rather than eligibility.

What is the difference between ASM, ASM 2 and ASM 3?

They share the same fixed RM1.00 price, the same RM10 minimum and a similar investment approach. The clearest difference is the financial year end, which determines when you get paid: 31 March for ASM, 31 August for ASM 2 Wawasan and 30 September for ASM 3.

When is the ASM dividend paid?

ASM distributions are credited on 1 April, ASM 2 Wawasan on 1 September and ASM 3 on 1 October. The rate is announced in the final week of the preceding month, and transactions on that fund are suspended for a few days beforehand.

Do I need to pay tax on ASNB dividends?

No. Income distributions from ASNB unit trust funds are tax exempt and do not need to be declared in your LHDN e-Filing.

Can I lose money in ASM?

The unit price has been held at RM1.00 since launch, but the prospectus states clearly that these funds are not capital guaranteed or capital protected. The distribution rate is also not guaranteed and has ranged from 3.75 sen to 5.50 sen over the past eight years.

How much do I need to start?

RM10 for your first investment. After that, additional investments can be as low as RM1 on most channels, or RM10 through Touch ‘n Go eWallet.

Can I withdraw anytime?

Yes, there is no lock in period and no cooling off restriction. The minimum redemption is RM100 per transaction, and online redemptions are capped at 2,000 units per month, so larger withdrawals need to go through a branch or agent.

Can I use my EPF savings to invest?

Partly. Under the EPF Members Investment Scheme, ASM 2 Wawasan and ASM 3 are eligible, along with ASB 2, ASB 3 Didik and several ASN funds. ASM itself is not on the EPF-MIS list, and neither is ASB. The amount you can transfer is calculated as your Account 1 balance minus Basic Savings, multiplied by 30%, with a typical minimum of RM1,000. You can do it through i-Invest in your EPF i-Akaun.

Why do the ASM units always show as unavailable?

Non-Bumiputera allocation in the ASM funds is capped. Once it fills up, no new units can be bought until existing investors redeem or ASNB releases a new tranche.

Can I open an ASNB account for my child?

Yes. A parent or legal guardian aged 18 or above can open a minor account for a child under 18 using the child’s MyKid or birth certificate. The account falls under the ASNB Bijak programme and the RM10 minimum applies.

How do I check the ASNB price today?

For fixed price funds there is nothing to check. ASB, ASB 2, ASB 3 Didik, ASM, ASM 2 Wawasan and ASM 3 are always RM1.00 per unit. Only the variable price ASN funds have a daily net asset value, which you can view on the myASNB portal or app.

Before you invest

The ASM funds are a reasonable place for money you want to keep stable while earning more than a fixed deposit. They are not going to make anyone rich, and the recovery from the 2022 low has been gradual rather than dramatic. Anyone treating a 5% distribution as a floor should look at the 2020 to 2022 stretch first.

Read the prospectus and the product highlights sheet on asnb.com.my before committing money. This article is general information, not financial advice, and past distribution rates say nothing definite about future ones.

The post Everything About ASNB: ASM Funds, Dividends & myASNB App appeared first on Malaysian Review.

KL is a compact city that punches well above what most people expect. Nearly everything below sits within forty minutes of the centre, and about half of it costs nothing to visit.

Here are ten places worth your time, with the hours, prices and stations for each.

1. Petronas Twin Towers

The obvious choice, and I still think the right one. The towers are 452 metres across 88 floors, designed by César Pelli, and they held the world’s-tallest title from 1998 to 2004. They are still the tallest twin structures anywhere.

Your ticket covers two stops. The Skybridge on levels 41 and 42, sitting 170 metres up, then a lift to the observation deck on level 86 at 370 metres. Budget 45 minutes to an hour and a half.

Three things trip people up. The towers close on most Mondays. There is a daily visitor cap and slots regularly sell out, so book online rather than turning up hopeful. And the dress code is real: collared shirt, long trousers or neat jeans, closed shoes. Bermuda shorts, t-shirts, sleeveless tops and sandals get turned away at check-in, which is a bleak way to lose a booking.

Tuesday to Sunday and public holidays
9am to 9pm (Open on the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month, 9am to 8pm)
Around RM98 for foreign adults, roughly half that for MyKad holders, less for children and seniors.
Book at petronastwintowers.com.my KLCC station.

2. KLCC Park and Suria KLCC

Most guides treat this as an afterthought, which I have never understood. The 50-acre park at the base of the towers is where you get the photograph everyone actually wants: both towers reflected in the wading pool, with lawn in the foreground and no ticket required.

Go around seven in the evening. The tower lights come on while there is still colour in the sky, and you can stay for the Lake Symphony fountain show afterwards. It is unashamedly cheesy and I enjoy it every time.

Suria KLCC is the mall in the podium. Six floors, a good food court up top, and Aquaria KLCC next door in the convention centre if you are travelling with kids who have run out of patience for architecture.

Park open daily
Lake Symphony light and sound shows at 8pm, 9pm and 10pm; light-only shows at 7.30pm, 8.30pm and 9.30pm. Suria KLCC 10am to 10pm.
Free

3. Batu Caves

Thirteen kilometres north of the city, and if you only see one thing in Kuala Lumpur, make it this. A 42.7-metre gold statue of Lord Murugan, the tallest anywhere, stands at the base. Behind it, 272 rainbow-painted steps climb into a limestone hill roughly 400 million years old. Temple Cave at the top opens into a chamber with a ceiling high enough to have its own weather.

Go early. Not “reasonably early” but properly early, before nine. The complex opens around seven, the climb is steep, the humidity is unforgiving by mid-morning, and the tour coaches start rolling in at about half nine.

The dress code is enforced at the foot of the stairs and it applies to men too. Shoulders and knees covered. Sarongs are sold on site for about RM15 if you get caught out. Bring water but leave the snacks: the macaques on the staircase are practised thieves and will take a bag straight from your hand.

One date to check. Thaipusam falls in January or February and draws well over a million people. It is one of the most extraordinary religious events in Asia and it is impossible to visit casually. Pick which trip you are taking.

Open daily
7am to 9pm.
Free, Ramayana Cave costs about RM15

4. Merdeka 118

At 678.9 metres this is the tallest building in Southeast Asia and the second tallest in the world after the Burj Khalifa. It opened in January 2024 and takes its name from Stadium Merdeka next door, where Tunku Abdul Rahman declared independence in 1957.

Now the part other guides gloss over. The View at 118, the observation deck on levels 115 and 116, has had its public opening pushed back more than once. As of writing there was still no confirmed date or ticketing information. The Park Hyatt in the upper floors opened in August 2025, and the 118 Mall at the base has been tied to the same shifting timeline. Check before you build an afternoon around it.

The tower is still worth seeing. The best free angle is from Merdeka Square looking south, and the facade runs a light show after dark.

Exterior viewing is free and always available. Observation deck opening not confirmed; check merdeka118.com Merdeka station on the Kajang line, directly in front.

5. KL Tower

Menara Kuala Lumpur is 421 metres of communications tower built on top of Bukit Nanas, which means its decks end up at a similar altitude to the Petronas deck despite the tower itself being shorter. The enclosed observation deck sits at 276 metres. The open-air Sky Deck is at 300 metres, and the Sky Box is a glass cube that juts out from it.

There is a decent argument for choosing this over Petronas rather than doing both. From KL Tower you can actually see the Twin Towers, which you obviously cannot do from inside them. Tickets are also far easier to get at short notice.

The tower sits inside Bukit Nanas Forest Eco Park, a patch of genuine rainforest in the middle of the city. The walk up from the road is short but steep, and there is a free shuttle from the gate. The revolving restaurant has been closed for some time, so do not plan dinner here.

Open daily
9am to 10pm
Observation deck around RM33 for foreign visitors, RM20 for Malaysians. Sky Deck and Sky Box combined around RM78 and RM47.50 respectively. The Sky Box can be added on site for about RM10. Bukit Nanas or Dang Wangi station, then a 10 to 12 minute uphill walk.

6. Merdeka Square and the Sultan Abdul Samad Building

Dataran Merdeka is the field where the Union flag came down and the Malayan flag went up at midnight on 31 August 1957. The flagpole at the southern end is around 95 metres, one of the tallest in the world.

Across the road stands the Sultan Abdul Samad Building, finished in 1897. Copper domes, horseshoe arches, a clock tower in the middle. It is the best piece of architecture in the city that nobody queues for, and I would take it over any observation deck for photographs. Late afternoon, when the light hits the western facade, is the moment.

The building itself houses government offices, so you are looking from outside. That is fine. Outside is the point.

Open square
Accessible at any hour
Free

7. Masjid Negara and Masjid Jamek

Two mosques, two completely different propositions.

Masjid Negara, the National Mosque, opened in 1965. It is modernist concrete with a folded eighteen-point roof, one point for each of the thirteen states and the five pillars of Islam, and a single 73-metre minaret. It looks nothing like what most first-time visitors expect a mosque to look like, and the reflecting pools around it are genuinely calming on a hot afternoon.

Masjid Jamek sits at the meeting point of the Klang and Gombak rivers, which is the exact spot the city is named after: the muddy confluence. It opened in 1909, designed by Arthur Benison Hubback, and the palm trees around it make it look older and further from a capital city than it has any right to.

Both are free and both lend robes at the door. Neither admits non-Muslim visitors during prayers, so the timing matters more than at any other stop on this list.

Masjid Negara:
Non-Muslim visiting hours Saturday to Thursday
9am to 12pm, 3pm to 4pm and 5.30pm to 6.30pm; Friday afternoons only
Free

Masjid Jamek:
Closed to visitors on Fridays
8.30am to 12.30pm and 2.30pm to 4.30pm
Free

8. Thean Hou Temple

Six tiers of red pillars and dragon-tipped roofs on a hill in Robson Heights, dedicated to Mazu, the sea goddess. It was completed in 1987 and opened in 1989, so it is not old and does not pretend to be. What it has is the terrace, which looks straight out over the southern half of the city, and several hundred red lanterns strung across the courtyards.

It is a working temple with a marriage registry attached, so at weekends you will often walk into somebody’s wedding. Nobody minds. Just stay out of the photographer’s shot.

Awkward to reach by train. Take a Grab. It is about fifteen minutes from Chinatown and costs very little.

Free, donations welcome. Listings vary between 8am to 8pm and 9am to 6pm, so do not leave it until late afternoon. Nearest stations are KL Sentral or Bangsar, then a short taxi ride.

9. Petaling Street and Central Market

Petaling Street is KL’s Chinatown market: a covered lane of watches, bags, phone cases and a great deal of confident counterfeiting. Haggling is expected and starting around half the asking price is normal. It is touristy and entirely aware of it, but the streets around it are the real reward. Sri Mahamariamman Temple, the oldest Hindu temple in the city, is two minutes away, and the old shophouses along Jalan Sultan have been filling up with good coffee bars.

Central Market, a few minutes north, began life as an 1888 wet market and became an art deco handicraft hall. Batik, pewter, woodcarving. Fixed prices and air conditioning, which after an hour on Petaling Street is its own reward. Kasturi Walk down the side is a covered lane of food stalls.

Petaling Street:
DailyShops from about 10am, market stalls from mid-afternoon until late.
Free

Central Market:
Daily
10am to 9.30pm.
Free

10. Bukit Bintang and Jalan Alor

This is where to go in KL once it gets dark. Bukit Bintang is the shopping and nightlife district. Jalan Alor is the street running behind it, a few hundred metres of hawker stalls that put plastic tables across the road every evening and do not pack up for a long time.

Order grilled chicken wings, satay, char kway teow, and whatever the stall with the longest queue is selling. The sellers are pushy in a good-natured way and you will struggle to spend RM30 a head.

Free to walk. Stalls set up from late afternoon and run past midnight. Bukit Bintang monorail or MRT station.

Getting around

Buy a Touch ‘n Go card at any station. It covers the LRT, MRT, monorail and KTM Komuter, and saves you queueing at a ticket machine every single time. Grab fills the gaps for about RM10 to RM20 across the city centre. The free GOKL bus loops through Bukit Bintang, KLCC and Chinatown, and it is slow in traffic but it costs nothing.

When to go

There is no dry season worth planning around. It rains most afternoons all year, usually hard and usually briefly. Mornings are more reliable than afternoons, which is another reason to do Batu Caves early and save malls, markets and observation decks for later in the day.

Two periods genuinely change the city. During Ramadan the bazaars are excellent and daytime restaurant hours shift. Around Chinese New Year, Chinatown is at its best and a good half of the shops close.

Is Kuala Lumpur worth visiting, and for how long?

Yes, though it rewards a different traveller than Bangkok or Singapore does.

KL is less polished than Singapore and less relentless than Bangkok, and people who arrive expecting either usually spend the first day slightly confused. What it has instead is range. Malay, Chinese and Indian culture are layered into a fairly small area, and you can move between a Hindu cave temple, a modernist mosque and a Chinese temple in a single morning without any of it feeling staged for visitors. The food is among the best in Asia and costs a fraction of what it does further south. English is widely spoken. The rail network is clean and cheap. A week here costs roughly what three days would in Singapore.

The honest caveat: KL is not a beautiful city in the way Georgetown or Melaka are. The centre is patchy, the pavements are inconsistent, and the traffic is bad. If you want an old town to wander aimlessly, this is not it.

Three days is the number I give people. Day one for KLCC and the towers. Day two for Batu Caves in the morning and the historic centre around Merdeka Square in the afternoon. Day three for Chinatown, the temples and Bukit Bintang after dark.

Two days works if you move quickly and accept you will skip the temples. Four gives you room for a day trip, and Melaka is the one I would pick.

If you have only one day, do Batu Caves in the morning and KLCC Park at sunset. That pairing gets you the two images that define the city, and leaves enough of a gap in the middle to eat properly.

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