Kek Lok Si all aglow to greet CNY

Kek Lok Si all aglow to greet CNY

Visitors soaking in the sights of the brightly lit Kek Lok Si Temple in Air Itam, Penang.

The 122-year-old Kek Lok Si Temple in Air Itam turned into an fairyland of sorts as thousands of colourful lanterns set the temple aglow.

An air of festivity pervaded the temple’s official lighting ceremony as thousands of visitors flocked from near and far to witness the annual event aimed at welcoming the Chinese New Year which falls on Sunday.

Red and yellow lanterns as well as multi-coloured LED bulbs at the temple pagoda and its lower station were lit after a chanting ceremony, and the offering of joss sticks and incense to deities, led by temple abbot Rev Datuk Seri Seck Jit Heng.

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng officiated the ceremony at 7pm yesterday.

Dark clouds and a drizzle at the start of the ceremony did not deter visitors from witnessing the ceremony to usher in the Year of the Snake.

Visitors were also treated to an exhilarating fireworks display while shutterbugs tried to get the best picture angle for their shots.

Temple trustee Datuk Steven Ooi said the temple will be lit up for a month until March 9.

“Starting from Chinese New Year eve on Saturday until Chap Goh Meh (the last day of Chinese New Year) on Feb 24, the temple will be open to the public from 8.30am until midnight.

“After the 15th day, the temple will be open from 8.30am to 10pm until March 9,” he added.

~News courtesy of The Star~

A touch of old Shanghai

A touch of old Shanghai

One for the album: (From right) Lim Poh Hang, 50, dressed as the God of Wealth, taking a picture of his friends Yang Yi (God of Health), 45, and Tan Aik Hiang (God of Prosperity), 46, at the lighting ceremony.

IT IS all beginning to look very festive in the George Town heritage enclave as work is now under way for the annual Chinese New Year Cultural and Heritage Celebration.

For starters, the over nine-metre high grey and white arch decorated with gold lanterns and a red flowerball in Jalan Mesjid Kapitan Keling is 90% completed.

The streets are also adorned with 1,200 bright red lanterns of various sizes.

Organising committee chairperson Winnie Teh Lay Hong said the decorations, especially on the arch, would reflect a ‘Shanghai style’ to bring people back to the 1950s colonial era.

“We want the young people learn about the history of their grandparents and ancestors.

“We want the young to know how their ancestors came from China to Penang or elsewhere in Malaysia to work and live,” she said during the lighting up ceremony of the arch and lanterns on Wednesday.

Arch of success: Media personnel, organising committee members and onlookers waiting for the lighting ceremony to begin at Jalan Mesjid Kapitan Keling in George Town, Penang.

She added that the lanterns would be lighted daily from 7pm to midnight until Chap Goh Meh.

“The setting up of the decorations will begin on the third day of Chinese New Year,” she said.

The event is jointly organised by the Penang Chinese Clan Council, Penang Clan Associations Youth Committee and the Penang Govern-ment.

It will be held from 3pm to midnight on Feb 16.

Some 10,000 people are expected to attend the celebrations and admission is free.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who was present to officiate at the lighting ceremony, said the event had been held annually for the past five years.

“It is not easy to organise such an event, in terms of financial resources,” he said.

It is learnt that preparations for the event came up to a cost of RM600,000.

Some of the expenses were covered by E & O Hotel, cruise liner operator Star Cruises and the state government.

The Gods of Wealth, Health and Prosperity and a lion dance performance welcomed Lim who later went on a short walkabout in the area.

~News courtesy of The Star~

Magical world of lanterns

Magical world of lanterns

All set up: Rows of lanterns hanging at the Kek Lok Si Temple in Penang.

COME Feb 9, the 122-year-old Kek Lok Si temple in Air Itam will transform into a beautiful fairyland of lights to usher in the Year of the Snake.

Temple trustee Datuk Steven Ooi said the temple would be lit up for a month until March 9.

The lighting up ceremony however, will be held on Feb 6 when the lights at the temple pagoda and the lower station will be switched on.

Ooi said that on Feb 6, the lanterns and LED lamps will be lighted up at 7pm after a chanting ceremony.

“We expect more tourists to flock to the temple this year to witness the spectacular fusion of modern and traditional lighting,” he said.

Festive look: Workers adding the finishing touches to the temple decorations. Work to decorate the temple is expected to be finished by Feb 5.

For the first 15 days of Chinese New Year beginning Feb 10, the temple will be open to the public from 8.30am until midnight.

The sea of lights at the temple will be turned on from dusk until dawn for the first three days (Feb 10 to 12) of Chinese New Year and on the eighth day (Feb 17) to observe the annual Thnee Kong Seh (Jade Emperor’s birthday).

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng will officiate at the lighting up ceremony on Feb 6.

Like in previous years, devotees can donate between RM50 to RM2,000 for the lanterns. The sum will be used the temple’s upkeep.

The public can visit the temple to register for the lighting-up ceremony. For details, call 04-8283317.

~News courtesy of The Star~

Happy new year 2013!

Happy new year 2013!

Bus and ferry companies go extra mile

Bus and ferry companies go extra mile for passengers

RAPID Penang will be extending its operation hours for certain routes until 2am tomorrow, in view of the various New Year’s Eve countdown celebrations tonight.

Its commercial and communications manager Mohd Tajudin Mohd Kassim said the extension of the operation hours till after midnight was to cater to the needs of the public, who will be attending various events all over the state to celebrate the New Year.

He said 17 bus routes on the island and mainland would be extended until 1.30am or 2am.

Buses that will operate until 1.30am are plying these routes:

202 (Weld Quay to Paya Terubong) and 203 (Weld Quay to Air Itam);

301 (Weld Quay to Relau) and 303 (Weld Quay to Bukit Gedong);

401 (Weld Quay to Balik Pulau via Bayan Baru);

601 (Penang Sentral to Kepala Batas);

801 (Penang Sentral to Nibong Tebal) and 802 (Bukit Mertajam to Nibong Tebal).

Buses that will operate until 2am are:

101 (Weld Quay to Teluk Bahang);

302 (Weld Quay to Batu Maung via Jalan Bukit Gambir), 304 (Gurney to Bukit Gedong) and 307 (Weld Quay to Batu Maung via Bayan Baru);

401E (Weld Quay to Balik Pulau via Queensbay);

502 (Weld Quay to Balik Pulau via Paya Terubong);

701 (Penang Sentral to Bukit Mertajam via Megamal), 702 (Pe-nang Sentral to Bukit Mertajam via Ampang Jajar) and 703 (Penang Sentral to Seberang Jaya).

For the timetable, visit http://www.rapidpg.com.my/ or its Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/rapidpgfans.

Penang Port Sdn Bhd has decided to provide ferry services for over 43 hours from 5.20am today.

Its ferry services unit head Fisnol Mahmud said the ferry services would start at the normal operation hour of 5.20am from the Sultan Abdul Halim Ferry Terminal in Butterworth today.

“We anticipate a huge crowd on Dec 31, hence we are extending our operation hours until the last ferry departs from the Pengkalan Raja Tun Uda ferry terminal in Weld Quay at 1am on Jan 2,” he said when contacted yesterday.

He added that the extension of the operation hours would depend on the traffic volume of those using the ferry services.

~News courtesy of The Star~

All set to welcome Snake Year

All set to welcome Snake Year

PENANG plans to usher in the New Year with a splash. The Penang Chinese New Year Cultural and Heritage Celebration 2013 promises to be a colourful event.

State Town and Country Planning, Housing and Arts Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said the event would be held on Feb 16 from 3pm until midnight and it was estimated to attract more than 100,000 locals and foreigners alike.

“It will be organised by the Penang Chinese Clan Council and Clan Association Youth Committee Penang.

“The state government fully supports the celebration as a platform for the young to understand olden traditions.

“There will be 13 stage and cultural performances that will be held at the George Town Unesco World Heritage Site including Armenian Street, Ah Quee Street, Chulia Street, Masjid Kapitan Keling, Poh Hock Seah, Yap Kongsi, Khoo Kongsi and Dr Sun Yat Sen Penang Base,” he said.

During the press conference, Wong added that several performances had been incorporated into the celebration to mark the Year of the Snake.

“Visitors can check out a stage show telling the famous Chinese tale ‘Legend of the White Snake’ plus a snake show,” he explained.

Other highlights are handicraft demonstrations, calligraphy and Chinese martial arts.

Wong said that with the event less than a month away, the organisers had beefed up online publicity via http://www.facebook.com/penangcny and http://penangclan.blogspot.com/.

~News courtesy of The Star~

A merry musical countdown

A merry musical countdown

FANS of Taiwanese music are in for a treat as a host of superstars from Taipei will help usher in the New Year at Penang Times Square in style.

The Chin Ho Plaza will welcome some big hitters in the Taiwan music industry including popular Taiwanese singer/ actor/ host and leader of the 5566 music group, Tony Sun, Chang Chieh and Cheng Po Fu as well as music groups Mars and Xiao Yu Zhou (Little Space in English).

The event will kick off at 8.30pm on Dec 31 with M2Club singer Prince serenading the audience.

Then comes the Zumbathon session to keep the crowd pumping before European superstars Daniela and Jacob take over the mike.

It will be a non-stop flow of music in the run-up to the countdown as Soju Room resident band Crush Crew Project will appear in their striking New Year outfits to entertain the crowd.

A few lucky shoppers will also be selected on stage to play some games and win mystery prizes during intervals.

The highlight of the night will be at the stroke of midnight when all performers, together with the invited guests, take to the stage for a 10-second countdown to ring in the New Year.

A firework display is also scheduled.

For details, call 04-2109020, or visit www.penangtimessquare.com or www.facebook.com/penangtimessquare.

~News courtesy of The Star~