Market to get new facilities

Market to get new facilities

UPGRADING of the Chowrasta Market Complex in Penang Road, Pe-nang, has started and is expected to be completed by March 2015.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng believes after the makeover, it will not only be a market of excellent facilities but also a symbolic one.

“The upgraded market will definitely be a proud monument for not only the area’s residents but also for every Penangite.

“Once the RM12.1 mil upgrading work is completed, the complex will see a return of its former glory days.

“It will be equipped with modern facilities as it is the state government’s wish to see Penang achieve an international status,” he said.

Penang Municipal Council secretary Ang Aing Thye said the council had studied the area before deciding to upgrade the market.

“One of the problems is traffic congestion caused by roadside peddlers along Jalan Chowrasta, Jalan Kuala Kangsar and Lebuh Tamil.

“As a result, the market will be upgraded with a total of 123 parking lots in its complex to solve the problem,” he said, adding that illegal parking also contributed to the congestion problem.

After the upgrading is completed, the two-storey complex will have a total 229 lots for vendors.

~News courtesy of The Star~

Tourists unfazed by the haze

Tourists unfazed by the haze

FRENCH tourists Emmanuel Kurtz, 23, and Jonathan Perras, 26, arrived in Penang on a tandem bicycle, unperturbed by the hazy weather.

The duo, who arrived on Monday after a pit-stop in Ipoh, hoped they would be able to pick up recipes from each country on their cross-country cycling tour from France to China.

“Our tandem bicycle is called The Cooking Bike. We want to pick up recipes from various countries we visit and share them with our family and friends back in France when we return,” said Perras.

When asked whether the haze would affect their journey, the duo said it would not.

“We read about the haze in the newspapers, but it won’t stop us,” said Perras when met at the Tanjung Bungah beach.



Wheel power Kurtz (right) and Perras riding on their tandem bicycle in Tanjung Bungah, Penang.

“We don’t see any problem, and we will continue with our journey to Thailand in a few days’ time. We are going to cycle through Southeast Asia and then to China,” said Kurtz.

They began their adventure in France in January, and have since travelled to Turkey, India, Nepal and are now in Penang, cycling through several countries and flying to others.

The duo’s journey can be tracked at www.thecookingbike.com or their Facebook page titled The Cooking Bike.

Also in Penang were some 120 secondary students from SMA Maahad Al-Ehya Asshariff in Semanggol, Perak, who were unperturbed by the blurred skyline that was covered in thick haze on their one-day trip to Penang yesterday.

Despite the surge in the Air Pollutant Index in Penang, the group was happily taking photos without any face masks.

Meanwhile, the Penang Government would start distributing 200,000 pieces of three-layer surgical masks through the local assemblymen today.

State Welfare, Caring Society and Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said priority would be given to primary school pupils, pregnant women and senior citizens.

~News courtesy of The Star~

Haze @ Penang

Penang to consider enlarging state art gallery

Penang to consider enlarging state art gallery

THE Penang Government will consider refurbishing and enlarging the state art gallery in Dewan Sri Pinang here, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said.

He said he would ask gallery board chairman Wong Hon Wai to liaise with state secretary Datuk Farizan Darus to look into the matter.

Lim said it was difficult to have a permanent building to house the gallery as it involved a lot of money.

He said this at the launching of the Artist’s Favourite II directory at Cititel Hotel on Friday night.

Gallery committee chairman Tang Hon Yin had earlier voiced the grouses of artists and art lovers who were unhappy that the gallery was tucked away in an inconspicuous small corner of Dewan Sri Pinang.

“We hope that the state government can have a new purpose-built art gallery,” he told the 200-odd people who attended the launching of the directory which features selected artworks of 173 artists who were born in or actively produced their work in Penang.

Lim, accompanied by Tang and Wong, launched the 200-page magazine which is priced at RM40 each.

The crowd was earlier entertained by a 16-member musical group called Kumpulan Dendang Anak.

~News courtesy of The Star~

Six heritage walks

Six heritage walks

THE halcyon days of Chulia Street, one of George Town’s oldest thoroughfares, and the rich experiences of its residents will be retold in ‘Cherita Lebuh Chulia’ from June 29 to July 7.

The community oral history project, organised in conjunction with the 5th anniversary of the city’s Unesco World Heritage Site listing, will chronicle how life was along the historic street between 1945 and 1970.

Collective memories of long-time residents will be presented in various means such as video documentaries, guided walks, comic books, interactive exhibitions and life-sized installations.

There are fascinating tales of snail-paced trams plying the street, coolies camping along the five-foot ways, children playing kites and men smoking opium in wooden huts, among others.

Project curator Kuah Li Feng said Chulia Street had a diverse community comprising mainly of the Chinese and Indian-Muslims who ran various trades and businesses.

The street, among the earliest laid out in George Town by Francis Light, was first known as Malabar Street. In 1798, it was changed to Chulia Street in reference to the old Chola kingdom of India.

Both names indicated a predominant South Indian community of settlers in the early days, but by the 19th century, it was home to a multi-cultural community and became the main route for various festivals and processions.

“The activities on Chulia Street from the 1940s up till 1970, its golden years after the Second World War and prior to the abolition of Penang’s Free Port status, are etched in the minds of many long-time residents,” Kuah told a press conference yesterday.

The programme highlights start with the Cherita Living Room exhibition at the Penang Malay Art Gallery at 167, Chulia Street, open daily from 10am to 6pm. It will feature an interactive map where users can share their own experiences of Chulia Street, videos and printed panels.

Look out for the Cherita Lebuh Chulia comics with informative illustrations which will be sold at RM10 each at the gallery.

Cherita Moments will feature 10 life-sized cutouts placed at various spots along the street. Depicting familiar events, they are titled Delivery Man, Operation Duty Free, Come to the Parade, On The Move, More Than A Ride, Memory Keepers, Go Fly Kite, Full House, The Notorious Area and Healing Power.

In Cherita TV, there will be special screenings of short Chulia Street documentaries at four selected coffee shops — the Ros Mutiara Restaurant, Sai Lam Kopitiam, Pak Hock Kopitiam and A&A Cafe — where residents share their memories and experiences on camera.

All three events above are open to the public and will be from June 29 to July 7.

Project manager Lim Chung Wei urged the public to come and learn about these untold stories, and gain a better understanding and appreciation of the historic street.

“We can then remember how Chulia Street and George Town used to be like,” he said.

The final component, Cherita Walk and Talk, is a series of specially designed guided walks that bring participants up close with local residents. There are six walks, to be held on June 29, July 5 and July 6 at 10am and 2.30pm each day.

Each walk is limited to 15 participants, and the organisers encourage only those with some experience or knowledge about Chulia Street to join. There is a fee of RM15 per person, inclusive of the comic book. Those interested may call 017-5081140 to register.

Cherita Lebuh Chulia is organised by George Town World Heritage Incorporated which will also be holding the two-day heritage celebrations on July 6 and 7 to commemorate the 5th anniversary of the inscription of George Town as a Unesco World Heritage Site.

There will be a showcase of traditional arts, crafts and cuisines of Penang’s local communities in Armenian Strret and its vicinity during the celebrations.

~News courtesy of The Star~

Comic take on local history a tourism boost to heritage site

Comic take on local history a tourism boost to heritage site

FIFTY-two witty steel rod caricatures now welcome visitors who are strolling around the George Town Unesco World Heritage Site.

Among the new funny works that have compelled people to stare at the wall is the ‘Too Salty’ sculpture at Green Hall.

Spotted giggling while she was snapping a picture of herself on her smartphone, Lim Lee Ying, 16, said the sculpture with the witty ‘Dei... cut down on salt! Hair thinning... dah?’ chat bubble, caught her attention.

The sculpture explains the salt trading activities there in the old days as the Tamils refer to Green Hall as “Uppukaran Teru” or Salt Traders’ Street.

“I was walking to the bus stop nearby when I saw the sculpture. I snapped a photo to show my dad who is paranoid about losing his hair yet he loves salty food,” she said yesterday.

Another interesting piece is ‘Spy’ in Lebuh Cintra, depicting the area’s risque reputation.



Just can't resist: Tourists are attracted to the sculpture 'Double Role' in Chulia Street Ghaut.

The speech bubble explains how up until 1909, the police doubled as George Town's firefighters.

The presence of Japanese camera shops there led many to suspect that it was a hub for covert spying activities in the early 20th century.

Holidaymaker K. Rajoo, 42, from Johor, said the sculptures were an interesting way to educate the public about local history.

“It is better than reading about the past from a booklet and the language is colloquial, which makes it funny,” he said, adding that the sculptures lacked publicity.

“Its’ a pity because when I asked the hotel receptionist what are the must-see attractions, she never told me about these sculptures,” he said.

While the ‘Chingay’ sculpture in Pengkalan Weld pays tribute to the gravity-defying art form first performed here in 1919 during deity processions, the ‘Temple Day’ installation in Muda Lane depicts how the more-than-two-century-old Goddess of Mercy Temple is always packed with devotees during the first and fifteenth day of every lunar month.



Educational: A student having a closer look at the humorous 'Too Salty' in Green Hall, Penang. The sculpture explains the history of the place and its significance to the community.

The birthplace of Ahmad Rashid Talu in Lumut Lane, the first person to write an original Malay novel with a local setting and local characters, is marked with the “Born Novelist” sculpture.

The five are among 27 new ones that were put up recently.

The other new ones are Cannon Hole (Cannon Street), Main Street (Chulia Street), Kandar (Lebuh Ah Quee), Double Role (Chulia Street Ghaut), Yeoh Only (Chulia Street Ghaut), Rotan (Lebuh Chulia), Beca (Chulia Lane), Mahjong (Stewart Lane), Gold Teeth (Queen Street), Quiet Please (Church Street), High Counter (Carnarvon Street), Then & Now (Armenian Street), Shorn Hair (Sungai Ujong Road), Budget Hotels (Chulia Street), Gedung Rumput (Queen Street), No More Red Tape (Transfer Road), Retail Paradise (Campbell Street), Ironsmith (Tok Aka Lane), Pilgrims (Acheen Street Ghaut), Roti Benggali (Lebuh King), Ah Quee? (Lebuh Ah Quee) and Duck (Lorong Che Em).

‘Sculpture At Work’ spokesman Vincent Leong said the company finished installing a total of 52 sculptures two months ago.

Made using steel rods coated with special paint to prevent rust, the concept of the sculptures was inspired by the voices of the people.

The sculptures were erected at various heritage spots in the city under the ‘Marking George Town’ project to create awareness about the historical and cultural identity of the local sites in the city.

Among the creative cartoonists involved were Baba Chuah, Lefty Julian Kam, Reggie Lee and Tan Mun Kian. The total cost of the project was RM1mil.

A Kuala Lumpur-based company ‘Sculpture At Work’ won the ‘Marking George Town – An Idea Competition’ for a Unesco World Heritage Site’ contest in April, 2010.

This is for designing the sculptures.

The other sculptures, Narrowest Five Foot Way, Win-Win Situation, Kopi ‘O’, No Plastic Bag, Property, Untrained Parakeet, Mr Five Foot Way, Wrong Tree, Where’s My Husband?, Limousine, Waterway, Escape, Bullock Cart Wheel, Cow and Fish, Labourer to Trader, One Leg Kicks All, Too Hot, Jimmy Choo, Same Taste Same Look, 3 Generations, Ting Ting Thong, Rope Style, Procession, Tok Tok Mee and Too Narrow have been drawing attention since they were put up in stages three years ago.

~News courtesy of The Star~

Komtar

Landmark of Georgetown, Penang

King of fruits beckons

King of fruits beckons



Star attraction: Workers preparing the giant durian and other tropical fruit replicas for Durian Durian 2.0 at Penang Times Square in George Town, Penang.

CALLING all lovers of the King of Fruits. The Durian Durian 2.0 Festival is set to kick off tomorrow at the Penang Times Square in Jalan Datuk Keramat.

Back for the second consecutive year, the three-week festival will see various types of the best durians such as ‘Kun Poh Ang Bak’, ‘Hor Lor’ and ‘Red Prawn’ being showcased.

Ivory Properties Group Bhd corporate communications manager Ann Tan said among the new feature in this year’s festival was a stall selling a wide variety of local fruits besides durians.

“A giant durian replica has been erected in front of the mall’s water fountain just like last year to welcome visitors to the festival.

“However, this year we have added some other replicas of other local fruits too,” she said when contacted yesterday, adding that the exact number of vendors for the festival would be confirmed soon.

Tan said a Durian Eating Challenge would take place on the first and second day (Saturday and Sunday) from 2pm to 3pm at the Chin Ho Plaza.
v “The durian eating challenge will also take place again on June 23 from 3pm to 4pm at the same venue.

“There is also the Durian King Competition 2013 on June 30 from 1pm to 3pm,” she said.

Tan added that besides having the opportunity to taste the best durians and local fruits all under one roof, visitors who participate in the Durian Thorns Counting Contest from June 15 to June 27 also stand a chance to win a grand prize of a three nights Phuket-Krabi Cruise for two in an Oceanview Stateroom onboard the SuperStar Libra worth RM5,800.

Durian-related products such as durian coffee and durian ice-cream will also be sold during the festival.

“Other activities include Charity Batik Painting, Durian Art Attack, Durian Durian 2.0 Colouring Contest, Durian Clay Art, Durian Art Attack and Durian Face Painting which will be available on different days throughout the festival,” added Tan. The event is open from 11am to 9pm daily. Details, call 04-2109020.

~News courtesy of The Star~

From medical hall to heritage inn

From medical hall to heritage inn

A TRADITIONAL Chinese medical hall turned heritage inn in the heart of George Town in Penang provides guests with a rare glimpse into the old-world charm of the building.

The newly restored Ren i Tang, located in 82-A, Penang Street, used to be the Yin Oi Tong Chinese Medical Hall which occupied three shoplots for 124 years.

The shoplots, which are pre-war houses belonging to the Cheah Kongsi, are now managed by Green Buildings Sdn Bhd.

As explained on its website, the name ‘Ren i Tang’ is the phonetic spelling of Yin Oi Tong in Mandarin, which is ‘The Hall of Benevolence’ when translated.

Opened for business in April this year after a two-year restoration, the inn is strategically located in the Unesco World Heritage site and just a walking distance to popular tourist spots and other heritage buildings in inner George Town.

The inn’s proprietor Eu Yeok Siew said the restoration cost more than RM2mil.

She said the objective was not only to restore the building but also to encourage people to see how they can recycle the things that they have.

“This is a recycling and conservation project. Eighty percent of the wood in the building is made of recycled timber.

“The wooden furniture in the hotel is made from the wood that was left in the building or those found in scrapyards.

“We also reused the old items left behind such as old bottles and newspapers and turned them into quirky decorations,” she said yesterday at the building.

Eu, who is also Green Buildings director, added that the ground floor was retained as a ‘trading area’ with Bistro Tang serving breakfast for guests and is open to the public for lunch and dinner.

“The second and third floors have been converted into 17 guest rooms,” she said.

She added that with its air well, the premises are filled with natural lighting and good ventilation.

She said a museum showing items and herbs left behind by Yin Oi Tong was in progress, and is expected to be open in August.

“We have invited Yin Oi Tong Medical Hall to take up a unit on the ground floor.

“They are now operating in Paya Terubong but they would like to come back here as they have a lot of loyal customers,” she said.

It was previously reported that Yin Oi Tong was forced to move out of the three shoplots as it could not sustain the business.

The medical hall, which was set up by Chinese immigrants who came to Malaya, was initially based in Pitt Street before it moved to Penang Street.

In 2009, several non-governmental organisations such as the Cultural Heritage Advisory Team and Penang Heritage Trust, as well as heritage researcher Tan Yeow Wooi, had joined hands to try to preserve the building’s traditional usage as a medical hall.

~News courtesy of The Star~

Chance to see Penang after dark

Chance to see Penang after dark

THE public will have the opportunity to get a closer look at the nightlife in the George Town heritage enclave in Penang in a 5km night walk on July 6.

The Heritage Family Nite Trail, organised by Bank Simpanan Nasional’s Sports and Welfare Club, will start at 9.15pm from the Esplanade.

Participants will be able to view the nightlife along roads with heritage and cultural attractions such as Leith Street, Muntri Street, Love Lane, Chulia Street and Queen Street along the 5km route.

“It will be a wonderful opportunity for families to come out in the evening and check out what the oldest part of George Town looks like at night,” said organising chairman Wan Mohd Razali Wan Jamal in Penang recently.

He said police would provide ample traffic control to ensure that participants would be able to enjoy the walk safely.

“We have also invited welfare organisations to bring along the physically handicapped. Our bank staff members will help push their wheelchairs,” he said, adding that 5,000 people were expected to join the walk.

The walk will be preceded by exhibitions by government and non-governmental organisations at the Esplanade from 5pm. There will also be free general health screening for the public.

There will also be a Festival of Dances event at the Esplanade at 9.15pm where cultural dances by the Culture and Arts Department and boria performances by SMK Permatang Tok Jaya will be staged.

The organisers have also prepared commemorative T-shirts, goodie bags and a lucky draw for participants.

Registration forms for the walk are available at all BSN branches in Penang and at www.facebook.com/bsnheritagewalk. Entry is RM10 per person. The closing date for entries is Saturday.

~News courtesy of The Star~

Ben’s Vintage Toy Museum

Three generations of toys Ben’s Vintage Toy Museum displays some pretty unique items indeed



Back to the past: Visitor Jasmine Chai Jia Min, 23, admiring a robot on display at the Museum in Lebuh Acheh.

TUCKED in a quiet nook in Lebuh Acheh, George Town, is an intriguing vintage toy museum with over 10,000 toys.

Run by a father and son team, Ben’s Vintage Toy Museum carries vintage toys from as early as the 1800s up to 1995.

Malik Ben Junior, 21, the curator and manager of the museum said the museum was the brainchild of his father, Ben.

“My father had the idea to put together our family collection of toys that was started by my late grand-father.

“My late grandfather used to be a sailor and he picked up toys from the various countries he visited during his voyages,” said Malik.

He said that the family collection, together with some toys purchased from avid collectors, made up the museum.

“The oldest toy in the museum is the Victorian Era Triangle Horse which is handcrafted from wood. It was made in the 1800s,” he said.

Malik said that most of the toys in the museum were still in working condition.



Walk down memory lane: Visitors admiring the toys at Ben's Vintage Toy Museum in Lebuh Acheh, George Town.

“Visitors can even try out some of the toys such as the pinball console from the 1960s,” he said.

Among the many attractive vintage toys on display at the museum are a Penny Farthing bicycle from 1860, and original wind-up Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse dolls from 1930.

There are even vintage superhero comics from the 1950s.

He said that many of his visitors, particularly adults, have expressed happiness at seeing toys that they played with during their childhood.

“Some even cannot hold back their tears as they recall their childhood memories upon seeing the toys,” he said.

“This is why we came up with the idea for the museum, to spread the joy and happiness that toys can bring. It is a walk down memory lane for the parents while the children can learn about toys that their parents played with,” he said.

Ben’s Toy Museum is open from 10am to 6pm daily except Fridays when it is open from 3pm to 6pm, and Mondays when it is closed.

Visitors are charged an entry fee of RM6 for adults and RM3 for children.

~News courtesy of The Star~

Fest kicks off in colourful style

Fest kicks off in colourful style

The George Town Festival 2013 which promises to be a feast of the arts got under way last night.

The month-long festival’s opening ceremony in Esplanade began with drums played by a group of six members along with two conductors.

The group clad in striking orange T-shirts guided some 100 spectators to play along with the instruments provided to them such as the kompang and sita drum.



Blast of culture: Visitors to the first day of the George Town Festival watching a kite taking off above the Esplanade Field.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng joined in to play a drum in the 10-minute session which was held to display the rich diver-sity of Penang.

Later, Lim accompanied the Yang di-Pertua Negri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas to fly the state’s official kite.

The traditional wau bulan together with other colourful kites in all shapes and sizes dotted the skies to the delight of spectators.

Minutes later, a giant yellow kite in the shape of an octopus also took to the skies.

Enjoying the merry atmosphere were festival director Joe Sidek, Seberang Prai Municipal Council president Maimunah Mohd Sharif and Penang Municipal Council head Datuk Patahiyah Ismail.

Earlier, both local and foreigners flocked to the venue, drawn in by the number of huge kites flying above the open field.

The kites, which were provided by the Asean Kite Council, were brought in from Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia.

Children were awed by the designs of the different kites. One kite, depicting a dragon named Zulu, was brought in from Indonesia.

A kite-making workshop for those who registered prior to the festival was held.

There was also a drum circle learning workshop where participants were given a lesson on playing the percussion by a group of percussionists.

The carnival mood went on with a group of stilt walkers entertaining the crowd with their performances.

~News courtesy of The Star~

Festival in full bloom with orchids, bonsais

Festival in full bloom with orchids, bonsais

Everything is coming up roses for the annual Penang Floral Festival where the “stars” of the show are the orchid, bonsai and adenium.

About 50,000 visitors are expected to attend the eight-day festival at the Penang Botanic Gardens’ car park area in Jalan Kebun Bunga from now till June 9.

With the theme “Penang Floral Paradise”, the festival will feature, among others, 57 classes of orchids.

“In total, we have about 900 orchid plants of various species and hybrids, brought in by orchid growers and enthusiasts from all over the country,” said Federation of Malaya Orchid Society vice-president Tony Tan.

“There will also be orchid shows on certain days of the festival and talks by our experts on how to grow and manage the plants,” he said at the Gardens yesterday.

The Friends of the Penang Botanic Gardens will hold a Nature Education Programme daily during the festival from 9am to noon at the Gardens’ car park, hawkers’ complex and Botanika Outreach.

The activities include canvas shopping bag printing, T-shirt printing and a children’s programme.

There will also be talks on plants as well as methods to regrow plants and composting techniques.

T-shirts, canvas bags, fertilisers, leaf crafts, quilled cards and painted glass bottles will also be on sale.

The Penang Floral Festival 2013 is open from 9am to 7pm daily. Admission is free.

The festival is jointly organised by the state Tourism Office, Penang Art Society (Bonsai and Suiseki Division), Federation of Malaya Orchid Society and the Penang Botanic Gardens.

~News courtesy of The Star~

Fast becoming a city of murals

Fast becoming a city of murals

GEORGE TOWN is fast becoming a city of murals as 13 more paintings are being drawn on a 50.3m stretch of wall along Magazine Road in the city.

The series of murals will, among others, depict what Penang looked like in the olden days and impressions of the state’s future.

Art teacher Jim Oo Chun Hee, 26, who is among those who initiated the mural project as an effort to exhibit the art of Penang, said the project began in June last year and was expected to be fully completed in a year.

He said he had gotten permission from the Penang Municipal Council to paint on the wall as the premises inside belonged to the council which uses it as a recycling centre.

He said the project has been dubbed the ‘Great Wall in Penang’.

“This project is done voluntarily. We have help from friends and art students. It is a place for us to paint and relax.

“The wall here used to be dirty, cracked and bare. We fixed it up, painted it all white and now there will be paintings of Penang for all to see.

“I am from Butterworth and I will come to paint here during weekdays. When the paintings are all done, we will add 3D features to all of them,” Oo said on Thursday.

Equator Academy of Art student Seow Kar Liang, 20, who was painting part of the mural, said he wanted to help out as art was his passion.

“It is also a project which makes Penang art alive,” he said, adding that he got to know of the project through friends.

The first three paintings which are expected to be finished in two weeks depict activities at the Goddess of Mercy Temple in Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling. Work on the other paintings are in progress.

Besides the murals in Magazine Road, Oo also has mural and 3D art projects at the Penang Botanic Gardens, Armenian Street and a narrow back lane between Bank Negara Malaysia and the AIA building in Bishop Street.

The 3D feature at the gardens is that of a cobra while at Armenian Street, it is an image of the head of the lion used in the Chinese lion dance. The one at the back lane is an image of Tan Tong Tong, a minstrel who was popular in the past. Oo said only the lion head mural was still incomplete.

Other murals which have been painted in the city included those by Lithuanian street artist Ernest Zacharevic, 26, and local artist Louis Gan Yee Loong, 25, from Balik Pulau.

Three artists are also currently creating twelve 3D street art murals in the city in conjunction with the George Town Festival 2013 which will be held from June 7 to July 7. Cats are the main subject matter of the 3D paintings which the artists hope will inspire the public to stop animal cruelty.

~News courtesy of The Star~