Tuesday, 30 August 2011
Saturday, 27 August 2011
Cheaper group tickets for Penang Hill
Cheaper group tickets for Penang Hill visitors
VISITORS who come to Penang Hill in large groups will now be able to purchase funicular train tickets at a cheaper price.
Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said groups of a minimum of 10 visitors in the same price category would receive a 20% discount.
“The Penang Hill Corporation (PHC) board has just approved this decision and it is effective immediately,” Lim told at a press conference at his office in Komtar.
PHC general manager Datuk Lee Kah Choon said the move was to encourage tour agents to bring tourists to Penang Hill.
“A separate ticket counter will be opened for groups (at the bottom station) and tickets bought are only valid on the day of purchase,” he said.
Lee added that the operating hours for the funicular train would be extended during the Hari Raya period to give visitors a longer time to enjoy the scenery.
Trains will run two hours longer from 6.30am to 11pm from the first day of Hari Raya until Sept 4.
For more information, call visit www.penanghill.gov.my or call PHC at 04-8288880.
~News courtesy of The Star~
VISITORS who come to Penang Hill in large groups will now be able to purchase funicular train tickets at a cheaper price.
Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said groups of a minimum of 10 visitors in the same price category would receive a 20% discount.
“The Penang Hill Corporation (PHC) board has just approved this decision and it is effective immediately,” Lim told at a press conference at his office in Komtar.
PHC general manager Datuk Lee Kah Choon said the move was to encourage tour agents to bring tourists to Penang Hill.
“A separate ticket counter will be opened for groups (at the bottom station) and tickets bought are only valid on the day of purchase,” he said.
Lee added that the operating hours for the funicular train would be extended during the Hari Raya period to give visitors a longer time to enjoy the scenery.
Trains will run two hours longer from 6.30am to 11pm from the first day of Hari Raya until Sept 4.
For more information, call visit www.penanghill.gov.my or call PHC at 04-8288880.
~News courtesy of The Star~
Wednesday, 24 August 2011
More room for ferry passengers
More room for ferry passengers
PENANG Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB) has converted part of a ferry’s top portion, which was originally used to transport cars, to accommodate passengers.
Its chief executive officer Datuk Ahmad Ibnihajar said the conversion of the ferry was an addition to the three passenger ferries.
“A total of 120 passengers can be seated in the converted area while the two rows next to it can still cater to cars.
“This way, more people can take the ferries but the conversion also sees a loss of about RM150 for every trip as each floor can originally take up to 32 cars but that has been halved,” he said after distributing the Jalur Gemilang to ferry passengers at the Weld Quay ferry terminal yesterday.
Each round trip for cars costs RM7.70 while passengers pay RM1.20.
Ahmad also said depending on the demand, PPSB will consider adding extra ferries during the Hari Raya festive season.
“On normal days, there are only an average of 3,000 passengers but on festive seasons, the number can rise to 6,000.
“The ferry service is the second choice for motorists if the Penang Bridge is jammed. We currently have eight ferries,” he said.
PPSB ferry head Fisnol Mahmud, who was also present, said the converted ferry started operation on Monday.
~News courtesy of The Star~
PENANG Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB) has converted part of a ferry’s top portion, which was originally used to transport cars, to accommodate passengers.
Its chief executive officer Datuk Ahmad Ibnihajar said the conversion of the ferry was an addition to the three passenger ferries.
“A total of 120 passengers can be seated in the converted area while the two rows next to it can still cater to cars.
“This way, more people can take the ferries but the conversion also sees a loss of about RM150 for every trip as each floor can originally take up to 32 cars but that has been halved,” he said after distributing the Jalur Gemilang to ferry passengers at the Weld Quay ferry terminal yesterday.
Each round trip for cars costs RM7.70 while passengers pay RM1.20.
Ahmad also said depending on the demand, PPSB will consider adding extra ferries during the Hari Raya festive season.
“On normal days, there are only an average of 3,000 passengers but on festive seasons, the number can rise to 6,000.
“The ferry service is the second choice for motorists if the Penang Bridge is jammed. We currently have eight ferries,” he said.
PPSB ferry head Fisnol Mahmud, who was also present, said the converted ferry started operation on Monday.
~News courtesy of The Star~
Tuesday, 23 August 2011
End of the line for train stop
End of the line for train stop
The 44-year-old Butterworth Railway Station will soon be pulled down to make way for a multi-million-ringgit state-of-the-art replacement.
The old station was officially closed on Aug 5 and is now replaced with a temporary station located about 30m away, next to the KTM Bhd (KTMB) parcel office.
When contacted in Kuala Lumpur, KTMB corporate communications senior manager Mohd Fazil Ismail said the new building was expected to be completed by first quarter of next year.
“The new station will be equipped with CCTV cameras for better security as well as facilities for the disabled.
“Construction work on the new station will go in tandem with the Ipoh-Padang Besar electrified double track project, which is expected to be ready by 2014,” he said yesterday.
The old station, which was opened by the country’s fourth Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the late Tuanku Ismail Nasiruddin Shah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Zainal Abidin, in 1967, is also the only station in Malaysia with a 0km distance meter.
The 0km distance meter indicates that this is the beginning of the rail distance calculation for trains that head north for Padang Besar and south for Singapore.
An employee at the station said two cranes were used to shift a 1936 steam engine locomotive and a shunting locomotive head from the station’s old entrance to the opposite of the temporary station.
The fully air-conditioned temporary station has a ticketing counter, two VIP rooms, a room for the stationmaster, police beat, surau and toilets.
Commuter Teoh Teik Wah, 60, said he was surprised to find the old station closed, noting that there was no prior notice about it in the media.
His wife Lee Kan Sean, 67, said she had been taking the train to visit her family in Kuala Lumpur for the past 50 years, noting that the old station evoked a nostalgic feeling in her.
Factory supervisor L. Munusamy, 48, said he waited outside the old station for almost an hour on Sunday night to fetch his relatives, only to find out later that they had arrived at the temporary station.
“The new platform at the temporary station is barely 4m-wide which is almost half the size of the old platform.
“Although it has a high aluminium roofing, part of platform is wet whenever there is a heavy downpour,” he said.
Money changer-cum-book stall operator Mohamed Sirajuddin Abu Mohd, 38, said many passengers complained of having to walk in the rain and sun for nearly 30m between the sheltered overhead pedestrian bridge outside the old station and the temporary station.
“Car parking facilities are also inadequate as the parking area outside the station has become smaller following land acquisition for the new station project.
“I spent about RM40,000 to construct a temporary shop outside the station, which was completed in June,” he said, adding that he still had to pay rental to KTMB for the temporary trading site.
~News courtesy of The Star~
The 44-year-old Butterworth Railway Station will soon be pulled down to make way for a multi-million-ringgit state-of-the-art replacement.
The old station was officially closed on Aug 5 and is now replaced with a temporary station located about 30m away, next to the KTM Bhd (KTMB) parcel office.
When contacted in Kuala Lumpur, KTMB corporate communications senior manager Mohd Fazil Ismail said the new building was expected to be completed by first quarter of next year.
“The new station will be equipped with CCTV cameras for better security as well as facilities for the disabled.
“Construction work on the new station will go in tandem with the Ipoh-Padang Besar electrified double track project, which is expected to be ready by 2014,” he said yesterday.
The old station, which was opened by the country’s fourth Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the late Tuanku Ismail Nasiruddin Shah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Zainal Abidin, in 1967, is also the only station in Malaysia with a 0km distance meter.
The 0km distance meter indicates that this is the beginning of the rail distance calculation for trains that head north for Padang Besar and south for Singapore.
An employee at the station said two cranes were used to shift a 1936 steam engine locomotive and a shunting locomotive head from the station’s old entrance to the opposite of the temporary station.
The fully air-conditioned temporary station has a ticketing counter, two VIP rooms, a room for the stationmaster, police beat, surau and toilets.
Commuter Teoh Teik Wah, 60, said he was surprised to find the old station closed, noting that there was no prior notice about it in the media.
His wife Lee Kan Sean, 67, said she had been taking the train to visit her family in Kuala Lumpur for the past 50 years, noting that the old station evoked a nostalgic feeling in her.
Factory supervisor L. Munusamy, 48, said he waited outside the old station for almost an hour on Sunday night to fetch his relatives, only to find out later that they had arrived at the temporary station.
“The new platform at the temporary station is barely 4m-wide which is almost half the size of the old platform.
“Although it has a high aluminium roofing, part of platform is wet whenever there is a heavy downpour,” he said.
Money changer-cum-book stall operator Mohamed Sirajuddin Abu Mohd, 38, said many passengers complained of having to walk in the rain and sun for nearly 30m between the sheltered overhead pedestrian bridge outside the old station and the temporary station.
“Car parking facilities are also inadequate as the parking area outside the station has become smaller following land acquisition for the new station project.
“I spent about RM40,000 to construct a temporary shop outside the station, which was completed in June,” he said, adding that he still had to pay rental to KTMB for the temporary trading site.
~News courtesy of The Star~
Thursday, 11 August 2011
Penang Hill to get better facilities soon
Penang Hill to get better facilities soon
PENANG Hill and its surrounding localities will be upgraded at a cost of RM8.6mil as part of efforts to ease the traffic congestion there during the peak season and to provide a sheltered walkway for visitors.
Penang Hill Corporation (PHC) general manager Datuk Lee Kah Choon said it would be done in three phases.
The first phase comprises three projects while the other two phases are still in planning stages.
“The three projects are the building of shelters for the bottom and hilltop funicular railway stations and a walkway linking the bottom station to a neighbouring Chinese temple car park, which is under-utilised at the moment,” said Lee at a press conference on Tuesday.
The bottom station’s centre court will have shelters installed and it will also be done for the hilltop area.
A sheltered walkway will be built on the hilltop, leading to the promenade near the Bellevue Hotel.
“This will allow the visitors to take in the scenic view in a comfortable atmosphere. Currently, there are no proper shelters and it inconveniences the visitors, when it rains or when it is hot. The shelters will provide cover while at the same time provide an unobstructed view of the hill with proper ventilation,” said Lee.
“We will also build a sheltered walkway (less than 100m) linking the bottom station to a nearby temple car park. This means we will have more car park sites and two entrance points to the bottom station.”
This would ease the current traffic and crowd congestion, especially during the peak period, Lee said.
Penang Development Corporation’s consultancy head Khairil Faizi Abdul Majid said that the projects were expected to be completed within six months.
~News courtesy of The Star~
PENANG Hill and its surrounding localities will be upgraded at a cost of RM8.6mil as part of efforts to ease the traffic congestion there during the peak season and to provide a sheltered walkway for visitors.
Penang Hill Corporation (PHC) general manager Datuk Lee Kah Choon said it would be done in three phases.
The first phase comprises three projects while the other two phases are still in planning stages.
“The three projects are the building of shelters for the bottom and hilltop funicular railway stations and a walkway linking the bottom station to a neighbouring Chinese temple car park, which is under-utilised at the moment,” said Lee at a press conference on Tuesday.
The bottom station’s centre court will have shelters installed and it will also be done for the hilltop area.
A sheltered walkway will be built on the hilltop, leading to the promenade near the Bellevue Hotel.
“This will allow the visitors to take in the scenic view in a comfortable atmosphere. Currently, there are no proper shelters and it inconveniences the visitors, when it rains or when it is hot. The shelters will provide cover while at the same time provide an unobstructed view of the hill with proper ventilation,” said Lee.
“We will also build a sheltered walkway (less than 100m) linking the bottom station to a nearby temple car park. This means we will have more car park sites and two entrance points to the bottom station.”
This would ease the current traffic and crowd congestion, especially during the peak period, Lee said.
Penang Development Corporation’s consultancy head Khairil Faizi Abdul Majid said that the projects were expected to be completed within six months.
~News courtesy of The Star~
Monday, 8 August 2011
Showcase of Chinese artifacts
Showcase of Chinese artifacts dazzles visitors
BEAUTIFUL pottery and porcelain provided a visual feast for visitors as they entered the Han Chiang Chinese Heritage Centre on Jalan Lim Lean Teng in Penang.
More than 100 items including jade jewellery, calligraphy and paintings were on display at the four- day antique and artifacts exhibition which started on July 29.
Lecca Poh, 47, was spotted on the last day of the exhibition together with her son Alex Ooi and Alex’s schoolmate, Lim Shao Wei, both 11.
“The children wanted to visit the exhibition following encouragement from their headmaster,” she said.
“This is an eye-opening experience as we learnt a lot about Chinese culture through the artifacts.
“We also learnt more of Penang’s history via the old photos on display,” she said.
Feast for the eyes: (From left) Alex, Poh and Shao Wei admiring the paintings at the antique and artifacts exhibition
Lau Seong Leng, 47, a collector of pottery, came back a second time as he could not get enough of the exhibition after his first visit.
“The exhibition exposes visitors to rare antique Chinese porcelain and artifacts.
“Overall, I gained knowledge from the exhibition and the public talk conducted by Han Chiang College,” he said.
The exhibition was jointly organised by the Malaysian Chinese Cultural Society, Malaysian Chinese Artifact Association and Han Chiang College.
It received an overwhelming response as 500 visitors turned up.
Six exhibitors from Malaysia and China as well as six artists from China participated in the event.
～News courtesy of The Star～
BEAUTIFUL pottery and porcelain provided a visual feast for visitors as they entered the Han Chiang Chinese Heritage Centre on Jalan Lim Lean Teng in Penang.
More than 100 items including jade jewellery, calligraphy and paintings were on display at the four- day antique and artifacts exhibition which started on July 29.
Lecca Poh, 47, was spotted on the last day of the exhibition together with her son Alex Ooi and Alex’s schoolmate, Lim Shao Wei, both 11.
“The children wanted to visit the exhibition following encouragement from their headmaster,” she said.
“This is an eye-opening experience as we learnt a lot about Chinese culture through the artifacts.
“We also learnt more of Penang’s history via the old photos on display,” she said.
Feast for the eyes: (From left) Alex, Poh and Shao Wei admiring the paintings at the antique and artifacts exhibition
Lau Seong Leng, 47, a collector of pottery, came back a second time as he could not get enough of the exhibition after his first visit.
“The exhibition exposes visitors to rare antique Chinese porcelain and artifacts.
“Overall, I gained knowledge from the exhibition and the public talk conducted by Han Chiang College,” he said.
The exhibition was jointly organised by the Malaysian Chinese Cultural Society, Malaysian Chinese Artifact Association and Han Chiang College.
It received an overwhelming response as 500 visitors turned up.
Six exhibitors from Malaysia and China as well as six artists from China participated in the event.
～News courtesy of The Star～
Friday, 5 August 2011
Wednesday, 3 August 2011
Promote tourism and education, state urged
Promote tourism and education, state urged
PENANG should look into promoting its tourism and also positioning itself as an education hub, said a prominent foreign-trained academician.
Datuk Dr Woo Wing Thye, a professor in Economics at the University of California, said both fields were appealing to the growing Chinese market.
He added that Penang and the nor- thern states in China shared many things in common, especially the food and environment.
“Penang is a great place for institutions of higher learning.
The lecture was the first of the ‘Penang in Asia’ lecture series organised by Socio- economic and Environmental Research Institute (Seri).
Dr Woo said the state was an ideal spot for winter vacation, adding that people also like to try out exotic food in exotic surroundings.
He also said high salaries were not the only reason why talented Malaysians re-fused to return upon graduation over- seas.
“Money is not everything. Some people decided to stay overseas because they want something secure for their children and family members,” he said.
Also present was Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.
～News courtesy of The Star～
PENANG should look into promoting its tourism and also positioning itself as an education hub, said a prominent foreign-trained academician.
Datuk Dr Woo Wing Thye, a professor in Economics at the University of California, said both fields were appealing to the growing Chinese market.
He added that Penang and the nor- thern states in China shared many things in common, especially the food and environment.
“Penang is a great place for institutions of higher learning.
The lecture was the first of the ‘Penang in Asia’ lecture series organised by Socio- economic and Environmental Research Institute (Seri).
Dr Woo said the state was an ideal spot for winter vacation, adding that people also like to try out exotic food in exotic surroundings.
He also said high salaries were not the only reason why talented Malaysians re-fused to return upon graduation over- seas.
“Money is not everything. Some people decided to stay overseas because they want something secure for their children and family members,” he said.
Also present was Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.
～News courtesy of The Star～
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