Last month, I spoke about the hitting the bottom. This month, I can say that we are beginning to see a change, the stock markets are heading back towards the levels of before the July 1997 level. The Indonesian elections have proceeded smoothly, a little slower than expected but it has been fairly calm and has given a stabilising factor to the economy. The currency has strengthened, going from days when US$1 can buy 14,000 rupiah to a 7,000 plus now.

We can say that there is definitely a light at the end of the tunnel, however, I hope it is not the lights from an oncoming train instead! With this positive indication, we now have to seek t clarify our direction. We must firstly, go back to the basic and establish clear priorities and goals. Once this is done, we must then take aggressive steps towards making those goals a reality.

It is now the time to show real leadership. It is time to ensure that the fundamentals are established. This is the time to push ahead and achieve our goals.

I have sent a memo to all hotels with a notice of consideration for the Business Plan 2000. I ask all hotels to prepare yourselves to tackle the year 2000, but before you do that, you will need to know where you are. Please forecast how your hotel will perform for the rest of 1999 as this next year will be an extension of this year. I also ask all hotels to set your priorities for next year and tell us how the corporate team can support you in achieving these priorities and goals.

I would like to congratulate the team at Whistler for performing well in May, even though it is off the ski season and into the slower shoulder period. The team truly practises the Pan Pacific way in their daily activities and everyone shares in the responsibilities of ensuring that the guests' experience in the hotel is truly a memorable one.

This week, 13 students graduated from the Career Development Institute of Johor Bahru. This was the third batch of students at the institute and I am pleased to say that the past four years efforts have clearly resulted in the emergence of a learning culture at our hotel in Johor Bahru.

Our Managers are teachers at the institute, and they now understand the value of teaching with learning. In the process of preparing for their classes, they have to spend many hours reading and researching; therefore they too learn new things.

This mindset of teaching with learning makes it easier for us to establish the Pan Pacific way of doing business. It is easier for the culture and mindset to be adapted to the day to day situation and I am confident to say that the Johor Bahru operation is improving from day to day.

KLIA celebrated its first year of operations recently. When I look back to one year ago the hotel opened, I note that we experienced many challenges then. There were many questions and discussions about the Pan Pacific style of operation being put into place then.

One of which was the hiring of new associates who had absolutely no experience in the hospitality industry. This was compounded by the fact that these associates were too overwhelmed during the opening and were not able to handle the busy opening period. However, gradually, they settled down and learned and grew into their jobs and in the past six months, operations has improved tremendously.

The hotel operations are getting more stable and the change experienced within the one year is very significant. This progression gives use great confidence that the style of operation was correct. I would like to congratulate the whole team at KLIA for giving us this confidence in practising the Pan Pacific way.

I would like to announce the appointment of Mustaffa Yusuff as Hotel Manager for Glenmarie. I believe this is a new era for the Malaysian hoteliers. Since we opened our KL hotel about 13 years ago, we have worked on educating and grooming local Malaysians to succeed in our hotels. We can now appoint Mustaffa as Hotel Manager. He joined the KL hotel and has since worked on the opening teams for Glenmarie and KLIA. He is truly a Pan Pacific grown hotelier.

Mustaffa's appointment is in line with Pan Pacific's goal of appointing local GMs who are capable of implementing global hotel standards in the local hotel environment. We will also be announcing the appointment of a General Manager for Glenmarie in the near future.

Thank you.

Singapore -- The Sports & Recreation Club organises a weekly bowling session for associates at the newly opened Marina Bowl, adjacent to the hotel. . . Ms Sew Hoo Kong, Junior Supervisor – Housekeeping, has been nominated the "Employee of The Year 1999" in the annual Employee of The Year Award organised by the Singapore Hotel Association and the Food, Drinks Allied Workers Union. The selection was based on good attendance, punctuality, quality of job performance and job knowledge. . . The hotel Family Day was held at the Fantasy Island on Sentosa Island for about 350 associates and family members. They were treated to a buffet lunch, door gifts, lucky draw, treasure hunt and a series of water games. . .We held an Associate Satisfaction Survey in mid June to obtain honest feedback and suggestions for improvement. To ensure confidentiality the survey was conducted by external consultants. The results of the findings will be announced in July.

Mauna Lani -- The annual May Day celebration began with traditional Hawaiian music and song by the associates choir Na Leo o Mauna Lani. Activities included a lei contest and a hula demonstration by Sachiko Murano, Vice President of Mauna Lani Service Inc. . . The general associates meeting went very well when 150 associates turned up to hear GM Bill Sayce talk about upcoming events and also on Absolute Care. They were then treated to a dance routine by the "Mixed Spices"(Operations Committee). Associates Amelia Lajambe (Private Dining) and Don Fernandez (Engineering) were also persuaded to sing.

KLIA -- Team Leaders of various departments went through a `Round Table of Talent" session with an open forum between the Team Leaders and the Managers. During the session, the RTT team has suggested many brilliant ideas on how to improve the service standards in the hotel and improve the relationship between associates and managers. One suggestion was the feedback and suggestion card called "Please, Please Me" card. A committee will review the cards and take necessary action. . . A Birthday celebration for May birthday babies was held. . . Farewell parties were held for Gerald, (Manager, IBU – Pasta & Mee), Jane Chipman (Director of People Innovation) & Mustaffa Yusuff.

Bangkok -- All associates participated in he "Sarn Funn Su Vankhadee Thai" (Dream of the Thai Literature) party which included performances by the management team and departments, contest and lots of food. . . 119 associates participated in a two-hour classroom training on safety and security. . . 45 associates attended an external team building session.

Glenmarie -- 3 groups of associates underwent the 2-day re-orientation programme which consisted of a presentation by each department head & overnight stay in hotel, a reinforcement of the values presented by Hotel Manager Mustaffa Yusuff and familiarization of hotel/club facilities. . . A new group of associates arrived from Indonesia, replacing the current group at the Garden Terrace. . . Paul Er conducted a session on Key Account Management. Rina, Shahrul and Gary of Sales participated in the 2-day training held in KL, together with the MBD team. . . The Health Ministry personnel conducted a session on Diabetes & Blood Pressure for associates. . . First Aid classes continues. . . The Sales Team began "Phase 1" of the Delphi Migration to Windows version. There will be 2 more phases. . . 14 students from the Institute Technology of MARA attended training at the resort. . . Four Housekeeping associates attended computer training at the Vella Computer Center. . . A Farewell party was held for outgoing GM, John Malins. The hotel and departmental teams presented farewell gifts. Mustaffa Yusuff, the new Hotel Manager was also present.

Manila -- Birthday celebrants for the month were treated to lunch at Le Taxi by the members of the Steering Committee, the General Manager and a representative from the Owning Company. . . A second batch of Team Professionals will be trained in life saving and CPR conducted by the Philippine National Red Cross. . . Amber Egea, an associate currently assigned with the Finance Team, is now in Yokohama for the Staff Exchange Program. She will be undergoing 3-months training in all areas of hotel operation.

Yokohama -- Food Hygiene training was conducted to prevent food poisoning to F&B servers as well as kitchen associates. The content was a lecture on Food Hygiene, and an evaluation of the current hygienic situation of the hotel outlets. Apart from the health inspection specified by the law, there was a special inspection and test conducted particularly for the training session.

Johor Bahru -- 15 new associates underwent a 5-day orientation where the Steering Committee and department heads presented one-hour sessions on a variety of topics. They also went on a hotel tour and culminated in a welcoming party. . . 79 associates including department heads, team leaders and professionals have undergone the 3-day re-orientation session since it was launched in May. Topics covered include Vision, Mission and Values, Professionalism and Work Ethics, the Pan Pacific Way, Security and Safety, and Inter And Cross Cultural Understanding.

Palau -- As part of our Associates' Recognition program, fifteen Outstanding Associates from various departments of the Resort will go on an educational/vacation trip to in Guam. They will stay at two different 5 star hotels in Guam. . . In addition to this trip, Valeria Brel (1998 Supervisor of the Year) and Flavin Imeong (1998 Associate of the Year) will continue their trip to Bali, Indonesia as part of their prize. . . The month of July has been designated Safety Awareness Month. Activities related to safety will be conducted throughout the month.

Dhaka -- 24 associates from Housekeeping learnt fire fighting and safety procedures, conducted by the Chief of Security, Col. Zillur Rahman. . .Associates of Food & Beverage Department attended Medicare class conducted by in-house doctor. . . English classes of Career Development Institute (CDI) Internal School, PPHR were conducted by Chief Trainer – Manager Language, Mrs. Shahnaz Kibriya with Facilitator, Mrs. Zulfia Asaf. The Second semester will have 40 in-house associates of all departments participating in Housekeeping classes conducted by Trainer – Executive Housekeeper, Mr. Sharif Hossain Khan, Asst. Front Office Manager, Mr. Waliar Rahman, Laundry Manager, Mr. Liaqat Shamim Chowdhury, Coordinator – Education and Development Team. . . 9 associates attended Spirit of Hospitality (Re-orientation). . . English classes for the orphans conducted by Language Manager, Mrs. Shahnaz Kibriya. . . 26 trainees from Travel and Tourism Institute of Bangladesh attended job training in F & B – production and Housekeeping. . . 11 Management & Associates from all departments attended in-house computer classes, conducted by external instructor. . . The English Center of the Career Development Institute concluded it’s first semester of three month Functional English with an interesting debate "Wealth Brings Happiness" participated by the students of the school.

KL -- Department Heads and Managers were educated on how to objectively handle the 360 degrees Performance Appraisals process with the goal of using the appraisal as a tool to improve performance. . . All Associates were educated on the meaning of Absolute Care, its importance for guests, associates and community. This aims to help them to exceed expectations, surprise and delight our guests and associates. . . Front Line and Sales associates attended basic conversational Arabic language to make Middle Eastern guests "feel at home" during their stay. . . F&B Service, Kitchen and Stewarding Associates were taught the importance of preventing breakage of chinaware and glasses. . . Executive Housekeeper and assistant Housekeepers attended a two-day session on Chemical Usage conducted by Ecolab. . . Team Leaders were taught basic effective interviewing skills. . . Team leaders started on a supervisory skills programme which included self-analysis of strengths and weaknesses, role and responsibilities of a supervisor / team leader. . . Associates were trained to use the word-processing package, fire extinguishers and the importance of being alert on the causes of fire.

Pangkor -- The Annual Staff Party – Millennium Night was held recently and attended by all associates. Special guests were Mr. Ron Drake (Corporate Office) and Mr. William McNamara’s parents – Lucy and Peter McNamara (from Australia) . . . An education seminar on "Key Account Management: Customer Intimacy" was held. . . The monthly fire drill was held. . . A competency-profiling workshop was held, followed by a Probation & Evaluation Workshop. . . Star of the month of May for Front of the House was Kuppusamy a/l Velean (F&B) and Heart of the House – Rahamiah bt Abu Hashim (Housekeeping). . . Orientation was held for 4 associates at the PI Training Room , the Absolute Care Workshop for Supervisory level associates.

Yokohama -- Amber Egea from Manila, is lively enjoying the new working environment in Yokohama. Besides orientation within the hotel, she will also visit historical places. She is also attending basic Japanese language classes daily. . . Ms. Delphine Koh from Singapore and Ms.Wu Xiaoda from Wuxi, are expected to commence their exchange program from July onwards. . . In exchange, Mr. Yasutoshi Abe now works in Manila, and Ms. Chika Inoue is in Singapore. . . Mr. Eiji Oshima will be on a one-year training program in San Francisco from the end of June onwards. Many thanks for Mr. Shig Onuma (Vice President, Admin & Finance for PPHR America Inc.), and Mr. Volker Ulrich for making this happen.

KL -- Ahmad Sobry of Banquet Operations is currently in Johor Bahru assisting in the running of the banquet operations, while in Kuala Lumpur, Derrick Felix, Assistant Banquet Operations Manager takes care of the day to day business. . . Sous Chef Krishnan of Selera Kitchen assisted Pangkor Island during the busy weekends in June. . . Sous Chef Zamani of Selera Kitchen received cross exposure at the Garden Terrace of Glenmarie.

Singapore -- Jacqueline Yeo has been appointed Product Development & Loyalty Marketing Executive in the Marketing Communications Department. A Bachelor of Commerce graduate from the Curtin University of Technology, Western Australia, Jacqueline will introduce new promotion opportunities including new channels of distributions, target marketing through improving database management, survey and research on the latest development in marketing communications and establish E-commerce opportunities in key areas.

Johor Bahru -- Mohd. Saidi Abdullah @ Saidi Anak Neging has been appointed Operations Manager - F&B

Pangkor -- Ms Oi Choo is the new Manager, Special Project – Accounts Dept who will take over Bill Barsolaso’s job in the Credit/AR section role.

Mauna Lani -- Conde Nast recently rated the hotel as number 9^h out of the 50 Best Golf Resorts. The July issue of Bride's Magazine also featured an extensive coverage on Mauna Lani Bay.

Manila -- Sunday Funday with WANLU at Adriatico Square has been extended until July 11, 1999. Kids can come and join the fun watching dog & monkey shows, balloon twister, magic and puppet shows. . . The dinner- fashion series at the hotel enters its fourth month with a bridal fashion show featuring the collections of the Fashion Designers Association of the Philippines held every Wednesday and Friday in June at Le Taxi of Adriatico Square. . . Various bands perform every Friday and Saturday at some of the bars within The Pan Pacific Manila. . . Ping Valencia, Director of Marketing & PR celebrated her birthday at the Pacific Lounge of the Hotel. The simple celebration was well attended by the press, government officials and top caliber performers.

Pangkor -- Mr Lai Meng (Owner from IGB Corporation Berhad) visited the property from and was extremely impressed with the positive attitude of all associates and, also with major changes in the resort in the past months. His overall comment was that there was a major improvement since his last visit.

Yokohama -- The hotel has been accepted as a member of The Leading Hotels of the World, making it the first member from Yokohama and the tenth from Japan. Joining the other nine properties, the hotel is to strive to further develop service qualities and maintain the highly evaluated area of human resources. Also, we hope this affiliation will be an asset to the hotel. . . The hotel played host to an overseas Convention Planner and Co-ordinator Group, called Magical Journey from Texas, Illinois and other area in USA. They were shown local sights including Kamakura, a Japanese temple with the Japanese traditional tea ceremony, Harajuku for shopping, and the mountains around Hakone and Roppongi the entertainment district. The group was very impressed with the hotel's hospitality and services and this has resulted in a few convention bookings for next year. . . The hotel's Honorary Chef Ishinabe and Chinese Chef Wakiya of Turandot were nominated as chefs for the Okinawa Summit Kitchen brigade in 2000.

Johor Bahru -- The Minister of International Trade and Industry, Dato' Seri Rafidah Aziz, was at the hotel for the Federation Of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) Domestic Investment and Trade Seminar 1999. Other VIP guests included the Chief Minister of Johor, Dato' Hj Abdul Ghani Othman, and the Chief Minister of Malacca, Dato' Seri Abu Zahar. . . 'Wanita' magazine, a top Malay language women's magazines, has chosen to feature dishes from the hotel's wedding packages, highlighting specialties from the various districts in Johor such as Ayam Merah Sri Muar, Rendang Daging Sri Mersing and Gado Gado Pengantin. The magazine also chose to feature the Paolo Mediterranean Restaurant and the Presidential Suite. . . The hotel was the official hotel for a Bridal Make-up and Grooming Workshop organized by Rias magazine. 270 participants attended the full-day workshop conducted by well-known speakers.

Dhaka -- The 4th Annual Convention of Lion Club International District 315 A2 at the Grand Ballroom saw an attendance of 400 guests at the inaugural session and 400 at the dinner function. . . A grand inauguration of Standard Bank Ltd was held at the Grand Ballroom. Prime Minister Sheik Hasina inaugurated the function as Chief Guest with 700 guests. . . A Fashion Extravaganza – Poso Mo Poso Ko (your heart is my heart) was followed by a Grand Dinner was held on the occasion of Philippines Independence Day. 500 local and foreign dignitaries attended the show. . . The 14^th Annual General Meeting of Industrial Development Leasing Company (IDLC) was held at the Grand Ballroom for 500 guests.

KL -- On June 10, 1999, the Prime Minister of Malaysia Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamed hosted lunch for about 14 selected business people in the Sri Layang Suite of the hotel.

# # # # # # #

Rule of Success : "Trust only those who stand to lose as

 Vision and Values

Yokohama -- July 7th is The Star Festival Day in Japan. The legend is about Princess Orihime and Prince Hikoboshi who were separated by God and only allowed to meet once a year on a bridge over the Milky Way. Since the bridge will not materialise if it rains, all Japanese will wish for a fine day on this day. It has since then evolved into a day when dreams come true by hanging strips of paper with one's wish on it, on the bamboo tree. The hotel will set a bamboo tree in the lobby floor on second level and also on the first level during July 5th-8th, to encourage guests to make their wishes on the tree. 5 pairs will be selected and awarded complimentary accommodation invitation valid on The Star Festival Day in 2000.

Johor Bahru -- An exciting month of inter-departmental bowling competition ended in the Kitchen department emerging as champions. Second was Admin & General, while F&B was third. . . The hotel has upgraded its computer system to be Y2K compliant. During the two-day upgrading exercise, most operations were done manually; but with proper planning, operations ran smoothly and delays and inconvenience to guests were minimized.

Dhaka -- A Memorandum of Agreement, in respect of the Charter of Demands of the Sonargaon Hotel Sramik-O-Karmachari Union, was signed at a simple ceremony. Mr. Eldridge J. Mac Ewan lll, General Manager of the hotel & Steering Committee members represented the Management and Mr. M.M.A. Razzak, President of the Union & Executive Committee represented the Union. This agreement would create an example of partnership between the Management and the Associates. Both the sides expressed their commitment to better services towards Guests and Business Excellence of the hotel.

KL -- The 10-Foot Rule Competition was launched at the recent associate gathering. This is to ensure that associates smile at guests and other associates within 10 feet of each other. Associates are selected as "Mystery Spotter Agents" and will go around the hotel to spot associates who practised this rule. These associates will be recognised with a WOW card and a specially designed nametag. . . The Care Committee organised a Drawing and Colouring Competition for children of associates. The 56 children who took part were divided into 3 categories: 4-6 years (colouring), 7-9 years (drawing) and 10-12 years (drawing). The theme was "How would you show care in school or at home? " They all received chocolates, sweets, colour pencils and apple with the best drawings in each category wining Pandy Panda bags, watches, pouch and wallets.

Pangkor -- The formal signing of Union Collective Agreement was officiated by Lai Meng, the GM and Union Heads. Positive feedback was received from the Union Chief on strong communication and respect between Staff and Management. . . The visiting Service Professionals Atique Rahman (Dhaka) and Jenny Chia (Singapore) have worked with Rooms and F&B Department Heads and Team Associates to improve and focus on achieving international standards and procedures. . GM William McNamara is organising the first Pangkor Region GM’s Meeting, with invitations to all GMs around the region for an open dialogue on major concerns and look at ways to develop the Pangkor region. . . Paul Er will be making a trip to South Africa to expand the market further in that continent.

Palau -- Despite the rain and cold weather, the Recreation Team co-ordinated a Kids' Party on the beach. This rather bad weather day turned out to be a fun filled though wet day for the brave kids that came out for the party. A Japanese guest won the limbo game. He says that he will come next year to join this party and set a new record. The next Kids' Party will be in September and every three months thereafter.

Pangkor -- New professionally made and colorful Welcome & Farewell Signs are now features at the Lumut Jetty and lobby entrance. . . Guest Satisfaction Overall Results for May have improved the benchmarking goals due to a great team effort. . . The current fountain area – the fountainhead will be soon be changed into a waterfall to add more style and ambiance to the resort. More plants will be planted around the resort especially for Block C & D to lift up the area. Palm trees will also be planted in the Pacific Wing pool area to provide more shade for our guests.

Mauna Lani -- The new live cam is up and running, guests can now view the beach at Mauna Lani from the desktop.

Singapore -- For the Singapore Food Festival, Tuscany Ristorante and Hai Tien Lo have offered Pasta-making and Tim Sum-making Classes respectively to American Express cardmembers. Seven Pasta-making Classes have been scheduled for Sundays in June and July, to be conducted by Chef/Manager Ken Cherk. Three Tim Sum-making classes have been scheduled for Saturdays in July. Both offers have included a lunch.

Glenmarie -- A visit to the Carlsberg brewery was organized by the Traveller's Palm Fun

Pub team. Invited guests include regulars at the pub, long stay / corporate guests and hotel associates. The visit included a tour of the premises, a brief on the company history and beer making procedures. Carlsberg hosted a cocktail for all participants.

Manila -- Le Taxi, Café Mie and China House of Adriatico Square join in the celebration of the Father’s Day by giving out special gifts to fathers who dine in these restaurants.

Pangkor -- The Pacific Deck is now operational. Besides breakfast, lunch and dinner, this new outlet also offers cocktails and light snacks to guests who can enjoy the magnificent sunset at the same time. A strolling band now entertains guests during the Pacific Deck Sunset Cocktail.

Yokohama -- Chinese Restaurant Turandot is serving a special menu for June with the theme of Chinese tea. The menu includes Seafood-raw abalone, lobsters and scallops in a steaming basket with boiled tea poured onto the seafood in front of the guests. This dramatic start entertains curious diners and at the same time, the tea fragrance soothes guests through the evening. Other Chinese delicacies follow, completed with dessert made from three kinds of tea. . . The Somerhouse Smoothy Fair from July 1-September 15 offers 5 kinds of Tropical Summer drinks: Strawberry Smoothie, Tropical Smoothie, Citrus Smoothie, Cafe Mocha Float, and Royal Milk Tea Shake. Guests can enjoy a beautiful night view, with the lighting illumination of the Giant Ferris Wheel just in front of the window. . . Summer Festival buffet menu in Cafe Tosca from July 19th till August 31^st combines Western and Japanese dishes with soup, hors d'oeuvre, pizza, pasta, Italian barbecue, Italian Sushi, and dessert with tea or coffee.

KL -- The winemakers' dinner recently provided the perfect setting for a gathering of connoisseurs of fine wine. They enjoyed a six-course seafood menu from around the world. The wines were from the Loire Valley of France. The guest of honour was the French Ambassador Xavier Driencourt. On hand to guide the guests was the winemaker himself, Pascal Jolivet. . . · 3+3+3 Gift Certificates with A Total Value of RM345 at No Cost To date 27,000 of these gift certificates were distributed to all HMC card members. These vouchers are valid for dim sum buffet, high tea or Japanese Family Sunday Brunch and are valid for one free buffet for one full paying buffet. Response from the public has been overwhelming and weekends in the restaurants have become busy and exciting. The number of people served during the weekend buffets has doubled from May last year to this May. Similar vouchers have also been given to associates of Glenmarie and KLIA, giving them the opportunity to become sales person for The Pan Pacific Hotel Kuala Lumpur while enjoying good discounts.

Mauna Lani -- The 1999 Cuisines of the Sun will feature amongst others, star chefs like Lee Hefter of Spago, Michal Mina of Aqua, Jeremiah Tower of Stars, Alan Wong of Alan Wong's Restaurant and others.

Dhaka -- Café Bazar will begin its long awaited menu which reflects international market trends and taste. An all-day dining menu featuring trendy "comfort foods" and an array of Local, Western and Asian Classics, re-invented in a contemporary fashion. Breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets will be served daily from 6:30 am to 1:00 am.

Singapore -- The Indian Airlines crewmembers have started staying at the hotel, taking about 30 rooms per day. The airline crews that currently stay in the hotel includes Gulf Air, China Yunnan Airlines and Biman Airlines. . . Indian Airlines flew in 29 journalists and photographers from leading publications in Bangalore, India, for 4-day/3-night familiarization tour of Singapore. Amrita Sen Monticelli, Regional Manager S.E.A. for Indian Airlines hosted a buffet dinner featuring delectable Indian dishes prepared by our chef. . . The Marina Bay Hotels, comprising The Oriental, Marina Mandarin and The Pan Pacific provided accommodation for four journalists from United States and Germany. Representing leading MICE publications, they were invited by Singapore Expo and Singapore Tourism Board to check out the location, the set-up and facilities of the brand new Expo which was the venue for CommunicAsia '99 . . . The 90^th Rotary International Convention which was attended by some 16,000 Rotarians from all corners of the world was held at the Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre. The hotel had about 207 delegates staying in-house.

KLIA -- The team is attempting to make Malaysia's Longest Cake in conjunction with the Airport’s First Anniversary and to make a new entry in The Malaysian Book of Records. This historical event will be held at the Departure Level on July 3, 1999 in an attempt to beat the current record of 407 feet long and weighing 500-kg. The hotel will aim for a 550 feet long Strawberry Peach Roll cake that weighs about 3500 kg. The cakes will be sold to the public at RM2.00 per piece. Our Pastry Chef, Zainuddin bin Abdul Aziz has assured that the cakes are edible, as hygiene is being emphasized throughout the process of making this cake. Funds from the sale will be donated to charity. The process of making the cake started 20 days before the event where the cakes are baked in portions and kept in a freezer. About 380 portions of 1.5 feet x 12-inch diameter in size are needed to get a 550 feet long cake. . . Malaysia’s Longest Golf Drive will again be organized on the KLIA Runway on July 25. The aim will be to break last year’s record and to make a new entry in the Malaysian Book of Records. Part of the entrance fee will be donated to charity. Entrance fee is RM150.00 nett inclusive of 3 drives, T-shirts, caps and discount vouchers. Last year’s record holder is En. Abdul Mohd Khalifah Ali, a full time golfer from Sarawak with the record-breaking distance of 340.4m.

Glenmarie -- Hotel Manager, Mustaffa, accompanied by the respective Sales Manager, visited the resort's top 10 corporate accounts to introduce himself and get feedback on how the team is able to improve and better service their guests.

KL -- The hotel hosted the following Fam. trips in May and June: Travel agents from USA organised by MAS/RSO Los Angeles, Mr Ken Bovine of Quoin UK/Tour East, Quality Travel organised by MAS Brisbane. . . Christo Diamandopoulos attended EIBTM 99 in Geneva under the Diamond Triangle partnership called the "Kuala Lumpur Convention & Exhibitions" which comprised of the Putra World Trade Centre, Expo Age and The Pan Pacific Hotel. . . The hotel was the official hotel for Elenex 99 Electronic Expo in May. It was organised by Malaysian Exhibition Services. This is the 3rd International Exhibition of Electrical, Power Generation, Transmission, Distribution and Installation Equipment. . . The SRS Marketing Circle held at the hotel was attended by participants from Eastin, Palace of the Golden Horses, Nexus Golf Resort Karambunai and Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts Malaysia. Topics of discussion included UA Rewards Promotion for SRS member hotels in Singapore and Malaysia; Malaysia Events - Formula 1 and Golf World Cup; Individual Hotel Market Updates; Joint Marketing and Sales Promotions for SRS member hotels in Malaysia. The session ended with cocktails hosted by Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts.

Pangkor -- A direct mail campaign targeting return guests is scheduled for late June. . . New Shortlist Resort feature to key decision makers and major PCO (Professional Conference Organisers) in Australia and New Zealand markets – have received 24 responses from the ad – Lisa Campbell doing follow-up. . . A media campaign on the "Happily Ever After" weekend was held comprising a Hi-Tea talk in PPKL as a prelude to the weekend. 30 paying pax attended the high-tea talk. . . The Fun Trail was held on May 15 – 16 with a total of 74 participants. . . The domestic travel trade special offers RM99 to locally registered travel agents and tour operators from 23 May to 6 June. . . Postcards will be distributed to all BA crew checking-in at PPKL offering RM299 nett RIB for chalets and Rockies. Similar package to be promoted to other airlines. . . Planing with GP Fishing Magazine has started for the Pangkor Island Fishing Competition scheduled in 1 – 3 October for approximately 200 – 300 anglers – 3 categories i.e. Deep Sea fishing, Beach/Rock Fishing and pond fishing (for ladies and Children). . . Camp ABLE is schedule for the 1^st week of September. . . The Kingfisher Tournament was held from 19 June – 20 June.

Thailand -- To boost the tourism industry, the Tourism Authority of Thailand launched the "Amazing Thailand Grand Sale" in June at all shopping centres and department stores.

Malaysia -- World Class Sports to bring in more tourists…..The Malaysia World Grand Prix Formula One and the World Cup Golf '99 are among the sports events which are expected to draw a considerable number of tourists into the country and generate good income for the tourism industry this year.

The Grand Prix will take place on Oct 17 at the Sepang Intl Circuit and the World Cup Golf will be played at the Mines Resort City between Nov. 18-21. At a sports tourism seminar held recently, it was announced that another 250 sports events have been lined up this year in line with 1999 as the Sports & Recreational Year. The Grand Prix event is expected to take up 2,000 hotel rooms, with 13,000 tickets already sold abroad. 64 players representing 32 countries will take part in the World Cup Golf '99. To date, some 4,500 bookings have been made in conjunction with the event.

Malaysia -- Newly appointed Culture, Arts and Tourism Minister Datuk Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir intends to go all out to boost domestic tourism. The ministry will also be drawing up comprehensive plans for inculcating the habit of holidaying in the country among Malaysians. "Given today's living standards, Malaysians can well afford to go on vacation at least once a year. They should emulate the habits of people in developed countries who save up to enable them to take a yearly holiday," he said.

He said tour agencies must play their part in promoting tourism - for example by packaging tour destinations, which include highland areas and the seaside. Family-oriented and adventure holidays as well as eco-tourism for the environmentally conscious all offer distinct possibilities for stepping up domestic tourism, he added.

According to my observations, local tour agencies are more interested in luring Malaysians overseas than getting them to travel at home. They should start emphasising local destinations. If we can attract foreigners to visit our country, why can't they (the tour operators) promote the same interest among Malaysians?

· Hotels" F&B outlets still doing roaring business….The Malaysian eating and entertaining culture reflects favourably in the bottomline of hotels" food and beverage (F&B) outlets, with most of them charting encouraging business even during the worst of economic conditions. Most of the all-day dining cafes are filled to the brim during lunch hours, while those speciality restaurants continue to receive bookings for various functions or celebrations.

"In many of the hotels, food and beverage revenues are often higher than the rooms revenue",- said Palace of the Golden Horses general manager Jamal Hussain. He said in eight months of a year, F&B charted stronger revenue than room, with a good 50% 60% contributed by the banquet, catering and convention business.

Sheraton Imperial hotel public relations director Sarjani Manap said people may cut their travelling during the difficult times, but eating out remains very much of the entertaining culture. She said people would always find reasons to "celebrate and makan", be it promotions, birthdays, or just meeting friends and colleagues.

Sarjani said Sheraton Imperial's restaurants have performed well throughout the economic doldrums and it was expected to be even better with the economic recovery. Jamal said most people prefer hotel restaurants than freestanding restaurants for entertaining and to celebrate something special. (The Star dated May 24, 1999)

Pangkor -- The trend continues with massive downturn in business from Taiwan/Hong Kong/South East Asia areas owing to difficult market conditions and JE Pig epidemic effect continue. Several initiatives have been put into place to improve booking patterns.

Dhaka -- Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister of Bangladesh Engineer Mosharraf Hossain announced in Parliament that the government has a plan to set up Sonargaon Hotel Chain in six tourism spots of the country. The plan is likely to be implemented within next one and a half-year’s time in Cox’s Bazar, the Sunderbans, Kuakata, Rangamati, Khagrachari and Bandarban. The Minister said the tourism sector would be re-organized and steps to be taken to develop the tourism spots jointly by the public and private sectors. The minister also said that the government would provide all out support to the private sector for developing the spots for tourism.

Manila -- SUMMER OFFER: Executive Room US$80++ (Single/ Double) inclusive full buffet breakfast, local calls, use of gym, sauna, Jacuzzi and Swimming pool, 24-Hour Butler Service, Valid from June 15 to September 30, 1999 . . . SUITE SURPRISE: Pacific Suite Room US$140++ (Single/ Double) Executive Suite Room US$180++ (Single/ Double) inclusive full buffet breakfast, pre-dinner cocktails, 2 pieces laundry per day, local calls, personalized pager, use of the gym, sauna, Jacuzzi, swimming pool, 24 hour Butler Service. Valid from June 01 to September 30, 1999

Yokohama -- The "Pan Pacific Summer Ladies" was created to attract the younger female market during summertime with rates from \11,500 per person for double occupancy. The "Pan Pacific Breeze" on the other hand is for couples or families, offering rates are from \12,000 per person for double occupancy. Subject to applicable tax, service charge included.) Benefits for both packages are: 1) A choice of complimentary ticket per person, from Cosmo World Ferris Wheel ticket, Landmark Sky Garden ticket, Yokohama Museum of Art ticket or Sea bus round tickets from Minato Mirai to Yokohama station or Yamashita Park. 2)Upgrading 2 pairs daily by lottery to Ocean Suite.(An Executive Triple Room for triple occupancy) valid from Monday through Thursday only. 3) A Special discount ticket valid from Monday through Thursday from January - March, 2000, for \15,000, subject to service charge and applicable tax. 4)Late checkout till 12:00 noon. 5) A discount ticket for hotel restaurants valid from Monday through Thursday. In addition, the "Pan Pacific Summer Ladies" plan includes a transparent summer bag per person and choice from breakfast, dessert buffet, afternoon tea or summer cocktail with hors d'oeuvre. The "Pan Pacific Breeze" includes special gift for children and choice of breakfast or lunch with dessert buffet. Both packages are valid from July 16 to September 30, 1999. . . The "Pan Pacific Milky Way" highlights a 30-minute evening cruise with a complimentary cocktail served in ship. The ship sails around under the Bay Bridge, passes by Ferris Wheel, and Yamashita Park, overlooking the fashionably illuminated Cosmo World Amusement Park. Valid from July 15th to October 31st, with some block-out dates. The rates start from \34,000 for a double or twin.

KL -- Pacific Plus Package with rates starting from RM230 nett per night valid until December 31, 1999 inclusive of full American breakfast, RM48 food credit per day (on Friday, Saturday and Sunday only) and late check out. . . A School Holiday Package priced at RM160 nett inclusive of American buffet breakfast, up to 2 children under 12 years old sharing parents room stay free, breakfast free. Valid from May 1, 1999 until June 30, 1999.

Dhaka -- The hotel celebrates the historic win of Bangladesh Cricket Team against the former Cricket World Champion Pakistan and Scotland Team in World Cup Cricket ’99 in England. To mark this great occasion, the hotel planned events and offered 50% discount in five outlets of the hotel. Savvy – the beauty & barber salon offered all its services of ladies make-over, facial, hair cut etc. as well as gent’s services with 50% discount. . .The Cricket Celebration Package for Locals and Resident Expatriates were also introduced on the occasion. On June 4 & 5, 1999, locals and resident expatriates enjoyed the Deluxe Room for only US$ 50++ for two nights highest. This package included complimentary breakfast and use of the Health Club & Swimming Pool during their stay. 18 room nights were sold on June 4 & 5, 1999 with total revenue of Tk. 47,073, which is equivalent to US$ 966.

Palau -- The islands in Pacific hold the South Pacific Games once every four years. This big event took place in Guam from May 29 to June 12, 1999. Palau participated in this event for the first time in history, and we are proud the following PPR Associates who were fortunate to be selected as members of the Palau Team: . . Grace Ngirmechaet (Retail Manager) was in the ladies' softball team, Bennett Ruluked (Preventive Maintenance) was in the men's canoe paddlers. . .As an ongoing contribution to the community, we have been actively accepting Internship Program requests from the local community college. Two students will join the Maintenance Department for a period of three months. This critical part of their learning experience will determine whether they will be able to graduate college or not. . . On June 21, we will be allowing for the first time, 11 students from various high schools in Palau to enter our workplace and observe. This concept is similar to job shadowing. This brand new program was initiated by the Minister of Education and will run until the end of July. The resort is happy to be one of the prestigious employers in Palau to participate in this program as part of our contribution to the local community.

Singapore -- The hotel team hosted 11 final year students from the Ngee Ann Polytechnic for a 2-day/1-night experience at the hotel. The project, organised by the Polytechnic, offered the students an insight and some first hand experiences of hotel operations. They visited housekeeping, front office, which included Service One, reception, reservations and concierge, as well as the main kitchen and the five outlet kitchens. The students were fascinated with the exposure and enjoyed the experience

Manila -- Lea Villanueva, Director for People Innovation, has already started the screening for the Youth Career Development Programme. Screening and interviews were done in Olongapo City, a province in the north, and Cebu, located in the far south of the Philippines. . . A mini-workshop on F & B Service was conducted by associate Dave Banez, in Pangarap Shelter for Street Children. This is upon the invitation of one of the non-government organizations working with Pangarap Shelter.

Glenmarie -- The Community Care Committee with Jenny Abdullah, (Dir. of Business Development) visited an old folk's home in Klang, in conjunction with Mother's & Father's Day. The 30 occupants were on hand to welcome the team, who presented them with blankets, pillows, slippers, rice cooker & an electric kettle. Snacks and a cake from the hotel were also given to the home.

Yokohama -- Kanagawa Newspaper invited GM Mr. Nejat Sarp to write a regular industry column. For this month, he wrote about the Japanese culture, which is dedicated to provide the ultimate hospitality in their daily lives. However, he feels that it has been very much focused on domestic relationships without preparing itself for the future when the world would become easily accessible. The possibility to attract guests who wish to visit Japan from overseas markets would be possible if and when Japan puts priority in making services more user friendly to overseas guests, especially English speaking guests, which will also be essential to host the 2002 World Cup.

Johor Bahru -- In conjunction with the E-Run, the hotel has organized weekly aerobics sessions for the public at the Istana Gardens. Conducted by instructors from Clark Hatch, the aerobics session is held every Monday and is free to the public. A large number of people have been turning up for the sessions since they began in late May. The public can also take the opportunity to sign up for the E-Run on the spot. The E-Run is the largest mass participation event of its kind in the state and will be held on July 18th.

Bangkok -- The opening ceremony of the 1999 UNICEF Youth Career Development Programme was recently held. The total number of students for this year is 35.

KL -- The hotel co-sponsored a Travel Fashion High Tea organised by Projek Lebuhraya Utara-Selatan Berhad (PLUS) to raise funds for the Women's Aid Organisation and Cancerlink. The hotel sponsored food and beverage at cost inclusive of cutleries and professional waiters for the occasion. The fashion show was launched by Yang Amat Berbahagia Datin Seri Dr Siti Hasmah Haji Mohd Ali (wife of the Prime Minister) in her capacity as BAKTI president, and attended by other cabinet ministers" wives.

Mauna Lani -- The annual visitor industry charity walk saw a collection of over US$37,000. The hotel's associates also collected the most money per associate on the Big Island. In preparation for the event, associates also participated in a food/bake to help funds for non-profit organisations. They prepared scrumptious cakes, cookies and ethnic foods.

KL -- Light bulbs along the corridors of the Pacific Floors and staircase of the podium block have been changed to energy saving bulbs.

Palau -- A new city, the "Clam City" has emerged in the waterfront of our Resort. This was a result of a series of clam planting days where guests are active participants. They select their clams and the Recreation Team assists them to plant them in this designated area called Clam City. The guests then receive a special certificate. The feedback has been favourable with guests assuring the team that they will return to visit their clams. The Palau Community is very happy for what the resort is doing to preserve and enrich its marine life.

Tokyu Corporation started to engage in this Y2K problem as early as April 1996. Our basic policy then was to make all the new information systems Y2K compliant. We see Y2K problem as not just a computer problem but an important management assignment to secure safety and continue our business.

In August 1998 we identified all the systems that were crucial for our operation and checked if they were Y2K compliant. Actions were taken at this time by our own people to check the Ichigo Main Computer Center.

In September 1998 our government specified in their Y2K action plan, fields that are especially important and need serious attention. In the list were transportation, information service, and hospital & medical service, which our group companies are involved in. We will focus on these field as our priority but we as a company will also recognize our public obligation and every department will focus on the problem as their own problem to minimize the affect to our customers. By doing so we will live our group slogan "To establish a trustful and loving Tokyu Brand".

From January to March 1999 the second investigation was done to check with the manufacturer and supplier of every systems if the systems are all Y2K compliant and requested for a warrantee. Also contingency plans were made to overcome any problem if it occurs.

On May 1999 "Y2K Countermeasure Committee" was established. The function of this committee is as follows;

• Create basic policy for Y2K contingency plan
• Approve the contingency plans
• Manage the progress of the company
• Create basic policy of offering information to the public

By the end of June 1999, the third investigation must be finished where all the contingency plans must go through a trial run to see if it can work properly. If the plan does not work it has no meaning. Also we must check if our business partners have completed their countermeasures towards the Y2K problem.

Below is TKK’s basic policy for Y2K contingency plan.

Implementing "Securing Safety", "Providing Accurate Information", and "Prompt Reaction to a Situation" as our guidelines, we will do all within our power to guard against the Y2K issue in order to maintain our customary level of service.

1. "Securing Safety"

This applies to all customers who enjoy services offered by the many businesses we are engaged in, not just to our customers who utilise our railways and medical facilities.

2. "Providing Accurate Information"

Prepare well in advance for eventualities to help prevent a crisis and, in the event a critical situation should arise, provide accurate information to customers at all times to eliminate potential confusion.

3. "Prompt Reaction to a Situation"

In the event of a contingency, care for our customers is our first priority; act promptly so as to avoid making customers feel uncomfortable.

If you would like to know anything about Tokyu Corporation please e-mail me at:

kazuyoshi.shimojima@tkk.tokyu.co.jp