Sprightly octogenarian finds joy in serving tourists

Sprightly octogenarian finds joy in serving tourists

AT the age of 85, Pheh Seow Joo could just step back in life.

But she will not lay back on her lazy chair and watch from her shophouse the hustle and bustle of Armenian Street which is her home for decades.

Armenian Street is fast gaining popularity among tourists — foreign and local alike who come to admire the architecture and rustic the old buildings radiate.

Instead of relaxing and enjoying the view, Pheh wants a little piece of the action.

“Come on. Help me with these boxes of souvenirs and T-shirts. We need to put them on our five-foot way and start our business,” called the mother of eight to her middle-aged daughter.

It was a Saturday and tourists would throng Armenian Street in droves. Pheh readies herself for a day of brisk business as she takes out an array of Penang-themed souvenirs and arranged it on a table.

Her age does not limit her movement. She worked fast to put together T-shirts and floral-print pants on hangers and placed them on rows of clothes racks.

Many of the attractive coloured T-shirts depict popular mural images such as Little Children On A Bicycle. There are also those in Hokkien words such as BoJio and Buey Tahan, which are popular among youngsters.

Pheh’s energetic character would even put youths to shame. She tirelessly recommends T-shirts of various designs and colours to a steady stream of customers.

Delighted to serve customers, Pheh offers a smile to all although some may not purchase her goods.

If one is not keen on a T-shirt, Pheh happily offers mineral water or the traditional tube ice cream to quench her customer’s thirst.

“I’m happy to be spending my free time selling T-shirts and ice creams to people. It keeps me occupied and I love meeting new people.

“After George Town got listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2008, tourism started to pick up here. It got better when the 3D murals starting popping out. Pedestrian traffic increased and people noticed the beauty of Armenian Street, thanks to the murals by Ernest Zacharevic.

“That’s when I got to open a stall with my daughter about a year ago. Things got better for me after my rented home here was refurbished to our comfort,” she said.

Her son, Leow Lim Hsu Kuang, 57, said he has never seen his mother happier and the sight of tourists sparked her idea on starting a business.

“My mother is 85, yet she was very gung-ho about it. She wakes up every day with such enthusiasm for the ‘working’ hours ahead of her. She jolts us to help her with all the merchandise.

“The house restoration also gave her the excitement. We have lived here for 60 years, renting this place from the Hock Teik Cheng Sin Temple.

“Our home was dilapidated and we forked out a lot of money to repair it. Then came Think City’s Physical Upgrading project in 2011 which helped us do repairs on the roof and the wooden structures.

“The project had kept the rental here low at RM400 a month which we are grateful for,” he said.

Leow said his granduncle and late father used to run a charcoal factory at the front portion of their home. The family business ended after their passing.

However, they still distribute charcoal, sourced externally, to the people living in Armenian Street.

“My mother is very happy manning the stall. Just like how this quiet street became busy, so did my mother’s life.”

Streets met Pheh on a busy and rainy day but it did not stop her from working.

In the middle of the interview, the reporter requested to take several pictures of her, which the latter obliged.

After taking a few shots, Pheh brushed her hair using fingers and asked in Hokkien, “Do I look pretty?”


Tourists throng the Armenian Street to purchase souvenirs.

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

Penang Hill car park ready in February

Penang Hill car park ready in February

The Penang Hill multi-storey car park will open to the public by Chinese New Year next February.

PDC Consultancy Sdn Bhd general manager Datuk Rosli Jaafar said the car park, located at the entrance of the Penang Hill Railway lower station, would be awarded a certificate of completion and compliance from the relevant authorities by then.

Rosli said the physical structure of the eight-storey car park had been fully completed.

“The spanking new premises will cater for the influx of tourists locally and abroad during the Lunar New Year.

“It is aimed at addressing the parking woes by visitors to Penang Hill, especially during the festivities,” said Rosli during a media tour to update the progress of the car park in Air Itam here last Sunday.

He said PDC would wait for the utility companies to connect water and power supply before opening the premises to the public.

Rosli added that the contractor had failed to complete the project within the deadline.

The completion date was extended three times, with the last extension granted until Sept 25.

“The contractor was fined a RM5,000 penalty per day, known as liquidated and ascertained damages (LAD) with effect from Sept 26 until its completion next February,” he said.

The extension earlier this year was given after contractors discovered an underground boulder and the big stone was broken into smaller pieces using chemicals as explosives could not be used because homes were located nearby.

A total of 305 parking lots are available for vehicles while 182 lots are reserved for motorcycles.

Among the features of the car park is the commercial area on the ground floor, including 11 stalls, a food court and an alfresco area.

The car park is also fitted with disabled-friendly ramps with direct access to a passenger lift.

Also present in the media tour were Tanjung member of parliament Ng Wei Aik and Jawi assemblyman Soon Lip Chee.


The eight-storey car park has 305 parking lots.

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

Sunset at Penang Bridge

Malls launch free shuttle service

Malls launch free shuttle service

GURNEY Plaza and Gurney Paragon Mall, two popular shopping malls here, have introduced a free Rapid Penang loop shuttle bus service.

The service, which is fully sponsored by the two malls, offers transport between the two malls and around the Pulau Tikus area.

It is also expected to reduce traffic congestion near and around the malls, especially during peak hours and holidays.

From 8am to 11pm daily, the shuttle bus will make a total of 16 trips hourly.

It starts at Gurney Plaza and makes 19 stops along the way in Jalan Kelawai, Jalan Bagan Jermal, Jalan Burmah and Jalan Pangkor, and ends at Gurney Paragon Mall.

The bus in blue and purple is easily recognisable and distinct from the regular Rapid Penang, which is in blue and yellow.

Pulau Tikus assemblyman Yap Soo Huey, who helped initiate a two-month trial of the shuttle service last year, said the bus connected Pulau Tikus with the two malls.

“People can now park their car in Pulau Tikus and take the bus to the malls or the other way around.“

“This will give more convenience to drivers who would be able to save time looking and waiting for a place to park.

“They can also take in the sights in Pulau Tikus, especially the Wat Chayamangkalaram and Dhammikarama Siamese and Burmese temples, and sample the famous hawker food before or after visiting the malls,” she said after launching the shuttle service with state Local Government and Traffic Management committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow in Jalan Kelawai recently.

Yap praised the two malls for making the effort to ease the traffic congestion in the area and encouraging people to use public transport.

“We are trying to promote public transport with the aim of reducing air and noise pollution as well as traffic congestion,”” she said.


Chow Kon Yeow (left), Yap Soo Huey (second from left) and Rapid Penang chief operating officer Major (rtd) Mohd Shukri Abdul Rahman (fourth from left) launch the new service.

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Adha

Holidaymakers head for Penang Hill

Holidaymakers head for Penang Hill

PENANG Hill has long held its own as a favourite destination for tourists on the island.

During the school holidays, thousands of visitors thronged the hill, one of the oldest colonial hill stations in the country.

At the foothill is the small town of Ayer Itam, which was jammed with vehicles from all over the country, as holidaymakers came to ride the funicular.

The atmosphere was carnival-like, with families having a good time. They made a beeline for the ticket counters, snapping pictures at every opportunity.

Up on the hill, the food court was packed and business operators were overwhelmed with orders.

Visitors also packed the souvenir shops looking for mementoes.

A Penang Hill Corporation spokesman said that the company’s employees were prepared to handle large crowds.

“We try to ensure that there is a train every 15 minutes so that visitors do not have to wait long.

“We organise activities on the hill such as performances and games to keep the visitors entertained,” she said, adding that there were twice as many visitors during the school holidays.


Families pose for pictures at the entrance of the train station before riding the funicular up the hill.

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

Phuket and Penang become twin cities

Phuket and Penang become twin cities

Phuket Town and George Town in Penang, Malaysia, became official twin cities after signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at Phuket City Hall today.

Inspired by the two cities’ long-established historical relationship, the decision was seen as an important move in facilitating the exchange of expertise in areas of tourism, business and cultural heritage (story here).

“Both cities have agreed to establish a joint committee comprising government, business and civil society representatives which will oversee the implementation of projects, programs and activities,” said Phuket City Mayor Somjai Suwansupana.

“The committee will meet once a year in either Penang or Phuket and will cooperate in areas of city management and governance, trade, investment, social development, education and cultural heritage.”

The signing ceremony was also attended by Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut and Dato’ Patahiyah binti Ismail, president of the Municipal Council of Penang Island.

~News courtesy of Phuket Gazette~