Visitors taking photos with Visit Malaysia 2026 mascots Wira and Manja, and dancers dressed in colourful costumes at the Star Karnival Cuti-Cuti Malaysia (SKCCM) at the Paradigm Mall Convention Centre in Johor Baru.
JOHOR BARU: From Terengganu to Sarawak, visitors got to indulge in mouth-watering local flavours under one roof at the Star Karnival Cuti-Cuti Malaysia (SKCCM).
Held at the Paradigm Mall Convention Centre, the three-day carnival wowed visitors not just with exclusive travel deals but also a variety of food to sample and buy.
Syakila Ramil, who visited the event with her friend Yasmin Abdul Aziz, said they enjoyed trying out new food such as karipap pusing daging salai (curry puffs with smoked beef) from one of the booths from Segamat, Johor.
“Daging salai masak lemak cili api is a well-known dish from Negri Sembilan, and this is our first time hearing about smoked meat in curry puff,s so we had to give it a try.
“It was surprisingly delicious as the smoky flavour was not too overpowering with the flaky puff pastry combination. We plan to purchase some frozen ones to take home to share with our families,” said the 24-year-old event coordinator.
For Yasmin, 26, the carnival also gave her the opportunity to try one of her favourite snacks - kek lapis all the way from Sarawak.
“I like that there are many booths that offer food from different states, so we get the real, authentic taste at bargain prices.
“There was fresh kerepok lekor from Terengganu that was fried on the spot. A stall also offered different kinds of ready-to-eat sambal, some of which I had never heard of before, so those were also quite interesting to try,” she added.
Tielapizs and Mateen Food Industry operators Hariayati Abu Samah (centre) and her team brought kek lapis of various flavours and other titbits from Sarawak to the Star Karnival Cuti-Cuti Malaysia (SKCCM) at the Paradigm Mall Convention Centre in Johor Baru.
One of SKCCM’s participating vendors, Hariayati Abu Samah, said their kek lapis of various flavours and other titbits were a hit among visitors.
“My team brought the products all the way from Sarawak to give visitors a chance to sample them and hopefully attract them to visit our home state.
“To ensure we keep our food as authentic as possible, we also brought our own pots and pans and rented a homestay throughout the carnival so we could make our laksa Sarawak broth from scratch with the freshest ingredients,” she added.
Hariayati, who has two booths at the event - Tielapizs and Mateen Food Industry - said they are also offering additional discounts and bundle deals on the last day of the carnival on Sunday (Nov 9), with budget kek lapis flavours going for RM14 from the usual RM20 each.
Doris Wee
Meanwhile, visitor Doris Wee, 72, said she aims to book a holiday package for Melaka to bring her non-governmental organisation group for an appreciation trip soon.
“I am the advisor of the Breast Cancer Support Group Johor Baru, and we just concluded 16 roadshows around Johor in October, so we are planning a trip soon as a token of appreciation for around 30 people.
“We are also considering a trip by the electric train service to Kluang and to other destinations, so we decided to stop by the carnival to get some travel inspiration,” she said.
AJ Borneo Tour and Travel business development manager Asif Ansary said many visitors were eager to learn more about Sabah and Sarawak, particularly their diverse cultures and wildlife attractions.
“Locals were especially curious about cultural highlights, while Singaporean visitors showed more interest in wildlife and asked which destinations would allow them to see the most within a short trip.
“Our company promotes Sarawak and Sabah as ideal destinations for nature, culture and adventure as both states are famous for their wildlife and natural beauty.
“Some species, such as the proboscis monkey, are unique to Borneo, and visitors can also see wild orangutans in their natural habitat, making it both an adventurous and relaxing experience,” he said.
The SKCCM Johor event, held from Friday (Nov 7) to today (Nov 9), is jointly organised by Tourism Malaysia and Star Media Group to promote domestic travel and celebrate Malaysia’s cultural diversity through interactive experiences, heritage food, performances and exclusive travel deals.
Visitors can explore about 70 booths by travel agencies, hotels, resorts, theme parks, tourist attractions, homestay operators, as well as local craft and food product vendors from 10am to 10pm.
The carnival has already been successfully held in Pahang, Selangor, Sarawak and Penang before coming to Johor. SKCCM will be making its next stop at Imago Mall, Kota Kinabalu in Sabah from Nov 14 to 16.
