M`SIAN FOOD, CULTURE DELIGHT CROWDS IN CASABLANCA

DAMASCUS, May 12 (Bernama) -- A Malaysian food and cultural promotion took
place recently in far-flung Casablanca, Morocco, as Tourism Malaysia eyes more
visitors from the north African country to Malaysia.

The event from April 27 to May 3 was organised by Tourism Malaysia Jeddah in
collaboration with Sheraton Hotel & Towers and Etihad Airways Casablanca.

Shamshul Mohamed Hassan Al Yafie, Tourism Malaysia marketing manager for
Saudi Arabia, Levant, Yemen and North Africa, told Bernama that three chefs --
Zek Abdul Rahman Zabidin, Mohamad Shokri Abdul Ghani and Mohaiyoum Mohamad --
were specially flown in to concoct mouth-watering Malaysian favourites during
the promotion.

"We also brought in Sarawak sape player Thomas anak Muka as well as fellow
artistes Safar Ghaffar and Ali Mulana Rashid, courtesy of Etihad Airways, in
our effort to promote Malaysia among Moroccans," he said.

Shamsul is in Damascus to join a Tourism Malaysia team from Kuala Lumpur on
a promotional drive in the Middle East region which had taken them to Dubai in
the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and now Syria.

He said the event in Casablanca was opened by Malaysian ambassador to
Morocco Othman Samin.
-- BERNAMA