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