Malaysia aims to introduce homestay program for tourists starting March next year and tourists can live with local families, local newspaper the New Straits Times said on Monday.

 

The homestay program will be introduced in Kampung Baru, the oldest Malay residential area in Kuala Lumpur, with a pilot project involving 10 houses, the report said.

 

Titiwangsa MP (Member of Parliament) Astaman Abdul Aziz said due to its strategic location, Kampung Baru would be a great place for a homestay program.

 

"We are in the final stages of identifying the suitable houses," he said at the launch of the 50th Merdeka Month Program here on Sunday.

 

The selected homes would have to be a traditional Malay house and not a modern home and if the program was successful, it would be expanded to Kampung Auk Keramat, a large zone in the Titiwangsa constituency, he said.

 

During the launch, 50 volunteers arranged nasi lemak (famous dish in Malaysia) packets on tables that were lined up over 837 meters. The attempt to arrange the "Longest Nasi Lemak" involved 10,306 packets of the food.

 

The nasi lemak were later distributed to the people who attended the launch.

 

(Xinhua News Agency September 15, 2007)