Penang trishaws makeover

Penang trishaws due for makeover soon

Good news for trishaw riders in the state — they will not only be “re-branded” but will soon have a place to take a shower or a short nap during the day.

State Tourism Development and Culture Committee chairman Danny Law Heng Kiang said 90 trishaws from two organisations would also be overhauled and repaired by the end of the year.

He said the exercise was made possible by the joint initiative of the state government and DiGi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd.

On the venue for riders to rest or take a shower, he said several sites in Victoria Street and Kimberley Street were being considered.

“There is only one shop in the state that does such repairs, which means it will take time to repair all the 90 trishaws.”

Currently, it costs RM30 for an hour-long tour.

News courtesy of the Star

Penang War Museum

Penang War Museum

It was at Bukit Batu Maung, on the southern part of Pulau Pinang that the battle against the invading Japanese army was lost. In the 1930, a formidable fortress was built by the British army atop Bukit Maung, to protect the island against the enemy. Manned by not only British soldiers, but also Malay and Sikh soldiers, Bukit Maung fell during an attack in which the Japanese army approached from inland, rather than from sea, as was expected by the British army.

From that day onwards, the fortress at Bukit Maung transformed into a Japanese army base with a dark history, filled with narrations of how prisoners were tortured for information to help forward the advancement of the Japanese army into Malaya. As a result, Bukit Maung, in the years following the fall of the Japanese army in 1945, the locals in the area kept well away of Bukit Maung for fear of its reputation as a place of hauntings by ghosts of dead soldiers.

The fortress was constructed over 20 acres of land, complete with underground military tunnels and ventilation shafts, ammunition bunkers, logistic centre, canon firing bays, sleeping quarters, cook houses and medical infirmary. After several years of restoration and clearing the fortress area that was covered by shrubs and growths after so many years of abandonment, the fortress was turned into the War Museum by a local Penangite, Johari Shafie three decades later.

Today, a slow walk through the fortress will fire the imagination on what once was. From the canon firing bay the Straits of Melaka is clearly visible. Although the original canons are no longer on site, it is not difficult to imagine how British, Malay and Sikh soldiers once took turn manning the canon bays day and night, guarding against enemy attach from sea. A simple, but no less remarkable section of underground tunnels – one even leads all the way to the sea, acting as an access tunnel to get to submarines – forces one to walk, or even crawl through very narrow, confined places.

Opening Hour : 9.00am to 6.00pm daily
War Museum Address: No Lot 1350 Mukim 12, Batu Maung 11960， Pulau Pinang
Tel: 04-626 5142
Rapid Penang Bus Route No: U302 / U305 / U307

-Information courtesy of Penang Online-

Penang Bridge International Marathon

Penang Bridge International Marathon 2009

Date: 22nd November 2009
Official Website: www.penangmarathon.gov.my
Contact: +604-650 5136
E-mail: admin@penangmarathon.gov.my

Rapid Penang New Fare Structure

RAPID PENANG FARE STRUCTURE
FARE STAGES	CURRENT FARES	NEW FARES
First 7 km 7.01 - 14.00 km 14.01 - 21.00 km 21.01 - 28.00 km 28.01 & Above km	Normal Fares
	RM 1.00 RM 1.50 RM 2.00 RM 2.50 RM 3.00	RM 1.40 RM 2.00 RM 2.70 RM 3.40 RM 4.00

Rapid Penang Hotline

Avoid waiting at the bus stop! Call Rapid ICIS before you leave!

Rapid ICIS Hotline: 04-2381313 (5.30am - midnight daily including Public Holidays)

‘Ecofun’ park mooted

‘Ecofun’ park mooted

IF all goes well, Penang is set to have the first-of-its-kind eco-friendly world class theme park in Teluk Bahang.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said a Penang-based company that was involved in the design and construction of the Universal Studios Theme Park in Singapore had submitted a proposal to the state government to set up an environmentally-friendly ‘Ecofun Theme Park Resort’.

He said a 12.14ha land belonging to the Penang Water Corporation located downstream near the Teluk Bahang dam would be leased out if the proposal were to be approved.

“If the green light is given, then the project will take about four years to be fully completed. The estimated cost for the theme park is RM100mil. This will boost tourism, as the park will only be 3km away from the Batu Ferringhi tourism belt.

News courtesy of The Star
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2009/8/22/north/4569851&sec=North

New Bus Fare Structure

New Bus Fare Structure
Effective 1 August 2009

Pursuant to the public announcement made by Minister in Prime Minister’s Department, Yang Berhormat Dato’ Seri Nazri Aziz in regard to the new fare structure for public transport in Peninsular Malaysia on 16 July 2009, Rapid Penang will duly comply to the new bus fare structure and for proper implementation effective 1 August 2009.

As duly approved, the new structure of bus fares in favour of Rapid Penang (for pick & drop air-con’d bus operator) would be RM0.94/first 2 kilometer (km) and RM0.094/for every subsequent kilometer. This is comparatively with the present structure of RM0.72/first 2 kilometer and RM0.072/for every subsequent kilometer.

This implies that for the first 7 kilometer bus journey, the chargeable fare would be RM1.40 (minimum bus fare) compared to the present RM1.00. Subsequently for bus journey 7.01 kilometer – 14.00 kilometer, RM2.00 (now RM1.50); 14.01 kilometer – 21.00 kilometer, RM2.70 (now RM2.00); 21.01 kilometer – 28.00 kilometer, RM3.40 (now RM2.50) and 28.01 kilometer and beyond that, RM4.00 (now RM3.00). Please refer to the attachment.

For the category of concession segment, namely Senior Citizens aged 60 and above, OKU and students in full uniformed and complete uniformed body/unit attire, Rapid Penang will continue to provide financial assistance in the form of concession fares and for these communities to enjoy discounted bus fares up to 50% of the published bus fares subject to the distance. For the first 7 kilometer, the new structure of concession fares would be RM0.70 compared to RM0.50 presently; distance of 7.01 kilometer – 14.00 kilometer, RM1.00 (now RM0.80); 14.01 kilometer – 21.00 kilometer, RM1.40 (now RM1.00); 21.00 kilometer – 28.00 kilometer, RM1.70 (now RM1.30) and 28.01 kilometer and beyond, RM2.00 (now RM1.50). Please refer to attachment.

For the first 7 km RM0.70 (now RM0.50)
7.01 km – 14.00 km, RM1.00 (now RM0.80)
14.01 km – 21.00 km, RM1.40 (now RM1.00)
21.00 km – 28.00 km, RM1.70 (now RM1.30)
28.01 km and beyond, RM2.00 (now RM1.50)

Please visit Rapid Penang website for more info
http://www.rapidpg.com.my/