BENEATH this stone lie the remains of Francis Light Esq who first established this Island as a British Settlement. Died 21st October 1794.’
Although it is more then two centuries old, the black words are still clear on the marble grave that houses the remains of Captain Francis Light — the founder of the Prince of Wales Island.
UNLICENSED traders are cashing in on the Deepavali festive season at Little India in George Town, Penang, raising the ire of shopkeepers who are already feeling the pinch due to the economic slowdown.
The 150-odd resident traders are urging the Penang Municipal Council to take action against the unlicensed traders numbering about 20.
THE sixth Perhentian Island Challenge to be held at Pulau Perhentian Kecil, Terengganu, from Oct 9 to 11 has been changed to an individual competition instead of a team event in an effort to keep it interesting.
The challenge, organised by PIC Adventures, has so far received encouraging response with more than 500 participants registered.
It is the biggest event since its inception in 2004, when only 103 participants registered.
There are four categories — men’s elite, women’s elite, men’s novice and women’s novice — this time around.
A DOWNPOUR lasting more than three hours did not dampen the high spirits of some 700 spectators who converged on the Esplanade in George Town for the Lantern Festival on Saturday night.
Instead of a sea of colourful lanterns, there was a sea of umbrellas at the site and some events like a lion dance on stilts had to be cancelled.
A MID-Autumn Festival lantern procession will be held in Penang for a charitable cause on Saturday.
Pulau Tikus assemblyman Koay Teng Hai said the 1.5km procession would start at 7.30pm from Gurney Plaza on Kelawei Road and end at Mr. Pot Cafe on Gurney Drive at about 8.45pm.
“Funds raised will be given away to five charitable organisations,” he told a press conference.
He said children from the charitable organisations would also take part in the procession, adding that free lanterns would be given to children who register for the event.
Koay encouraged Malaysians from all races to take part in the event which was aimed at introducing and promoting Chinese culture apart from celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival which is also known as the Mooncake Festival.
Among the activities lined up are chingay performances, cultural shows, a band parade, clown performances, a magic show, dragon and lion dances, and a float procession.
Koay said 10 hawker food stalls would be set up where the procession ends.
PENANG is set to become a world-renowned medical tourism hub with Europe, the United States and Papua New Guinea emerging as new potential markets.
State Tourism Development and Culture Committee chairman Danny Law Heng Kiang said the state’s medical tourism was currently well known among regional tourists from the Asean and the Middle East markets.
He said tourists from western countries were attracted to the medical tourism industry here as they would only be paying about a fifth of the total medical costs in their respective countries.
“We plan to expand the market to cater to tourists from Europe where surgery fees are exorbitant compared to our rates.
“For instance, a tooth extraction may cost about RM6,000 in Europe while over here, the Europeans only need to pay less than RM1,000,” he told reporters at the ‘World Tourism Day’ press conference at Traders Hotel in Penang on Sunday.
State Immigration director Abdul Rahman Harun said the action was taken following the case of passengers on a Hong Kong-bound flight being stranded for 55 minutes on Sept 28 because no Immigration officers were on duty.
Titled Malay Peninsula: Old Photographs of Malaya and Singapore, the clothbound limited edition book, containing 139 photographs from the personal collection of the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, was launched by the Raja Muda of Perak, Raja Nazrin Shah.
IN an effort to promote cycling, the state government is planning to implement two dedicated bicycle lanes – one from Gurney Drive to Tanjung Bungah and another around the George Town heritage enclave.
State Local Government and Traffic Management Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said the initiative was aimed at promoting cycling as a healthy lifestyle activity and sport.
FEDERAL Government investment arm Khazanah Nasional and the Penang Municipal Council have embarked on a series of meetings to look into the possibility of turning the century-old Campbell Street Market into a heritage centre.
State Local Government and Traffic Management Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said he was informed that Khazanah was interested in turning the market into a heritage centre following Penang’s successful listing as a Unesco World Heritage Site.
THE public are invited to join the Children’s Lantern Festival Unity Night on Oct 2 at the Medan Mayang Pasir playground in Bayan Baru, Penang.
Organised by the Bayan Baru Rukun Tetangga (RT) ladies wing with the cooperation of the Bayan Baru Cultural Association, the event is from 8pm to 10pm. RT chairman Chai Tsing Boo urged all races to join in the fun.
“We hope to see Indian and Malay parents bringing their kids as this event is held to foster national unity based on the 1Malaysia concept.
“The highlight of the event will be a lantern procession led by the Penang Xuan Teik Lion Troupe around the Bayan Baru township.
“There will also be a lucky draw for the kids,” he said, adding that free lanterns, goodie bags and face masks would be distributed to all participants.
Among the activities lined up for the night are multi-cultural dance performances as well as line dancing and karaoke sessions.
For details, call 016-4208602 (Chai) or 012-4683555 (Khoo).
Another dish has joined the food fight. This time it’s laksa — especially assam laksa which is otherwise known as Penang laksa — which is close to the hearts and palates of Penangites.
Although over time, many stalls have added a ‘lemak’ version to the laksa dish, to many, Penang laksa is still the best.
This is why Penangites were curious why Penang Laksa was not included in the list of 100 types of heritage food and drinks on the National Heritage website (www.warisan.gov.my).
Tourism Malaysia has launched a new programme that allows tourists to join locals in their festive celebrations in real settings.
The Mega Familiarisation programme was launched simultaneously at six homestays nationwide in conjunction with the Hari Raya celebrations.
It saw the participation of more than 100 tourists, including media representatives from 13 countries.
Programme coordinator, Norma-hani Ahmad, who is also Tourism Malaysia senior tourism officer, said the programme was launched at the homestays in Kampung Walai Tokou (Sabah), Kampung Santubong (Sara wak), Sungai Pasu (Pahang), Kam pung Pachitan (Negri Sembilan), Kampung Seterpa (Kelantan) and Kampung Wang Tok Rendong (Kedah).
“The programme offers tourists products like experiencing the Hari Raya celebration in Malaysia,” she told reporters after welcoming 19 German tourists and media representatives from Brazil at Kampung Wang Tok Rendong yesterday.
She said the tourists were placed with adopted families at the homestays to enable then to experience village life where they would participate in various activities like making ketupat and lemang. – Bernama
From January to August, the number of tourists who visited Malaysia increased to 14.73 million from 15.38 million in the same period last year.
In the month of August alone, tourist arrivals rose by 10.4% to 2.03 million from 1.84 million last year.
Penang Tourism Development and Culture Committee chairman Danny Law Heng Kiang said a television crew from Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) was in Penang for nine days to capture the celebrations.
“There are a lot of Chinese citizens — from migrant workers to businessmen, who are working outside China,” said RTHK producer Bertha Chan Cheuk Ling in a recent press conference.
“For the first time, RTHK, an official government station, is doing special reports on these people in a number of South East Asian countries,” she said.
Chan added that simultaneous shootings for TV were conducted in other places including Malacca, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines.
She said the shooting in Penang was focused on cultural celebrations and other heritage sites in the state.
“The Hungry Ghost Festival in Penang is very attractive as it is not celebrated on such a large scale in Hong Kong.
“We don’t have so many events, activities and dinners going on at this time.
She added that her television crew also captured scenes at the 19th century Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, the Clan Jetties, the Khoo Kongsi clanhouse, Dr Sun Yat Sen’s Penang base and the Kuan Yin Teng or Goddess of Mercy Temple.
“The one-hour programme on Penang is set to air once a week for five weeks on TVB starting Dec 12,” she said.
George Town World Heritage Office head Maimunah Mohd Sharif said up to Sept 18, there had been 24 online registrations for the competition.
She said 20 of those registering were from Malaysia, two from Britain and one each from Australia and Indonesia.
Maimunah said those interested in taking part in the competition had to first register and pay the entry fee before proceeding to the second stage, when they would have to provide their designs and plans.
“The designs can be in the form of landscape, sculpture, drawings and so on,” she said here yesterday.
Details of the “Design Idea Competition: Marking the George Town Heritage Site” are available at http://www.markinggeorgetown.com.
