No smoking at heritage site

No smoking at heritage site

FROM Aug 1, the George Town Unesco World Heritage Site here will be gazetted as a smoke-free zone.

State Environment, Health, Welfare and Caring Society Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said a working paper on the matter would be sent to the Health Ministry before the end of the month.

Phee, who is also Cigarette Smoke-Free Penang (Penbar) chairman, said if all goes according to plan, the no-smoking zone for George Town Unesco World Heritage Site would be enforced from Aug 1.

He said after it is gazetted, the various authorities, including the State Health Department, would conduct campaigns to create greater awareness on the smoke-free zone for the heritage site.

“Penbar has also formed a task force comprising the various authorities, including the police, state Islamic Religious Department and Health Department, to carry out enforcement work,” he said yesterday.

Phee also said Penbar would introduce new signages for smoke-free zones soon.

The signages would include the amount for compounds, fines and jail term besides the no-smoking reminder.

Offenders face the maximum compound of RM5,000. They could also be liable to a maximum fine of RM10,000 or two years’ jail.

The latest setting up of a smoke-free zone in the heritage site will bring to seven the total number of no-smoking areas in the state capital.

The other areas are Botanical Garden, Youth Park, Air Itam dam, Mengkuang and Teluk Bahang dams and Ampang Jajar Municipal Park.

They were gazetted as smoke-free zones on Oct 2, 2012.

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

Nasi Kandar Beratur is worth the queue

Nasi Kandar Beratur is worth the queue

Is Nasi Kandar Beratur, also known as Restoran Nasi Kandar Liyaqat Ali, worth the queue?

The long line of people in front of the stall would suggest that the answer is "yes".

Although wedged in the alley between Masjid Kapitan Keling and a shop, the stall is not hard to find.

A queue of customers waiting for it to open at 10pm is a common sight.

Nasi Kandar Beratur, which moved into its present premises in 1943, has long been renowned for halal Indian-Muslim food.

Its recipes have remained unchanged through the years.

For supper, the stall offers a mouth-watering array of dishes such as fish head, salted egg, deep-fried chicken, squid, fish roe, mutton, eggs, large prawns, fish, eggs in various styles and vegetables.

One popular item is the spicy beef curry, where the meat is slow cooked in a black sauce. Milder dishes are the fish curry, mutton curry and prawn curry. The mutton curry is rich and creamy while the prawn curry is light and fragrant.

The stall's version of chicken curry has the chicken marinated in spices and lightly fried before it is cooked in curry. Many like its spicy kick and aroma.

For vegetables, go for the blanched ladies' fingers, cabbage stir-fried in turmeric and brinjal cooked with chilli.

A plate of nasi kandar is traditionally served drenched with a combination of kuah, or gravy. All the flavours and aromas blended together certainly work to whet the appetite.

Be sure to get a glass of air sirap ros, or rose syrup. The ice-cold rose-flavoured drink is a good complement to the nasi kandar.

The food is enjoyed by locals and visitors to the state, all of whom are willing to stand in a long queue for the food.

The stall is open from 10pm to 9am daily.

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

Visitors undaunted by RM3 levy

Visitors undaunted by RM3 levy

A NEWLY-introduced levy on hotel rooms in Penang aimed at improving the state's collection from the tourism industry has drawn a mixed reaction from domestic and foreign tourists.

Many hotel guests checking out were unaware of the levy, which become effective on June 1, on their hotel stays.

"There is a levy? I just booked four rooms from a booking website. The front office staff at the hotel reception did not tell me anything about it," said a hotel guest who wanted to be known only as Chong.

Chong, who arrived at the hotel in Gurney Drive from Puchong, Selangor, together with 12 family members, said she did not notice the sign put up by the hotel.

"I think RM3 levy a night is okay. However, since I booked four rooms, it is going to be a bit expensive for three nights," she said.

Mariam Abdullah Abbas, 28, said she was aware of the levy, but felt that the middle-income groups would most feel the pinch.

"It is costly to go for a vacation overseas but now travelling locally is expensive too," said the legal adviser from Ipoh.

For David Mclaurin, 36, the amount was small and he did not mind paying it for a good cause.

"RM3 is not much, it is a small price for us to pay," said the Australian. The levy is imposed on some 200 rated hotels in the state by the Penang Island Municipal Council, as announced in the state budget earlier this year.

One to three-star hotel rooms, including budget hotels, guest houses, hostels and dormitories are charged RM2 per room per night, while those rated four star and above are charged RM3 per room per night.

The council sent out circulars earlier this year warning that hotels that did not obey the rule risk having their operating licences revoked under Section 107(1) of the Local Government Act 1976.

Under the act, a local authority in the granting of any licence may set a fee for any trade, occupation or premises in respect of which the licence is granted.

Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) Penang chapter chairman Dr Mary Ann Harris said the levy collection had gone on smoothly for its member hotels.

"There has been no issue so far. Most websites, especially those under MAH and individual hotels, have put up a notice to inform about the levy and included it in the price list," she said.

Shangri-La's Rasa Sayang Resort and Spa communication director Suleiman Tunku Abdul Rahman said there had been no complaints on the levy.

"It is business as usual and there have been no complaints from guests," he said.

With Visit Malaysia Year 2014 in full swing, travel agents, tourist guides and hotels had expressed concern that the levy might discourage visitors.

The levy, originally suggested to be from RM1 to RM5, was supposed to have started in March, as announced in the State Legislative Assembly in November last year. It was postponed to this month due to objections from hotels. Currently, Penang has 72 star-rated hotels and 100 non-rated lodgings with about 14,700 rooms.


Star-rated hotels in Penang have put up notices to inform guests of the levy imposed.

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~