LCCT in Penang’s flight plan

LCCT in Penang’s flight plan



If Penang gets a low-cost carrier terminal (LCCT), it will likely be to the south of the current passenger terminal and only about 1km from the proposed islands to be reclaimed off the southern coast of Penang island.

It has been the dream of AirAsia and the Penang government to have the facility since 2007.

An inside source in AirAsia revealed that former chief minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon had given approval for AirAsia to build the LCCT on a 36ha piece of land at the coastal end of Penang International Airport in Bayan Lepas.

“But it met with resistance from the Transport Ministry then due to political reasons, and also because the plan was for the LCCT to be privately run, instead of by Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB).

“Now that there are new levels of political cooperation between the state and federal governments, it will be interesting to see if the 11-year dream can come true,” the source said.

The project was highlighted at the state assembly yesterday when Air Putih assemblyman Lim Guan Eng, who is also Finance Minister, hailed the move to have a new LCCT for Penang while debating the motion of thanks to the opening speech by Yang di-Pertua Negri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas.

Lim, speaking to reporters outside the august Hall later, said: “We are not talking about expanding the present terminal but a totally new one that will use the same runway.”

The former chief minister said Putrajaya would talk to Air­Asia and MAHB on the LCCT plan.

“While AirAsia is very much interested to help, we still need to work out the specifics of the plan,” Lim said.

He said a solution was needed be­­cause the present airport in Bayan Lepas only has the capacity to handle 6.5 million passengers a year but arrivals last year hit 7.1 million and the number was expected to increase to 7.8 million this year.

Former Jelutong MP Jeff Ooi recalled that the LCCT plan was proposed in 2007 and said if it had been done 10 years ago, Penang would have had a different future.

“Penang is well positioned to be a regional hub for international tra­vellers who fly low-cost.

“Tourists who arrive on full-­service airlines will have plenty of options to travel elsewhere on low-cost flights. So this makes Penang attractive as a prime point of visits for tourists,” he said.

On July 31, AirAsia Group chief executive officer Tan Sri Tony Fer­nandes hinted that the low-cost airline giant was looking at plans to build an LCCT in Penang.

“A new terminal will help us increase our planes from five to 16 over the next five years. This will bring in about eight million more passengers per annum into Pe­­nang,” he said after a courtesy call on Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.

He added that the plans would feature both domestic and international routes.

The current Penang International Airport is the oldest in the country, having been built in 1935 when Pe­­nang was part of the Straits Settle­ment in South-East Asia ruled by the British.

It underwent a major upgrade in 1979 to accommodate Boeing 747s, then the largest planes in the world.

The terminal saw two significant facelifts in 2009 and 2013.

~News courtesy of The Star~

Nasi Lemak

Nasi lemak is a Malay fragrant rice dish cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf. It is commonly found in Malaysia, where it is considered the national dish; it is also popular in neighbouring areas such as Singapore; Brunei, and Southern Thailand. In Indonesia it can be found in several parts of Sumatra; especially Malay realm of Riau, Riau Islands and Medan. 

Nasi lemak can also be found in the Bangsamoro region of Mindanao prepared by Filipino Moro. It is considered one of the most famous dishes for a Malay-style breakfast. It is not to be confused with nasi dagang, sold in the Malaysian east coast states of Terengganu and Kelantan, although both dishes are often served for breakfast. However, because nasi lemak can be served in a variety of ways, it is often eaten throughout the day.

~Wikipedia~

More thunderstorms expected up north

More thunderstorms expected up north

People in the northern states should brace themselves for more rain and thunderstorms over the next few days.

The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MMD) has forecast thunderstorms until tomorrow.

The state Fire and Rescue Department operations assistant director Mohd Hafiz Hafizal Timarabin said they were prepared for the bad weather.

“The MMD usually updates us four times a day about current and upcoming weather conditions.

“We have made sure that we are prepared both on the island and mainland. We have our boats, four wheelers and even a three-tonne lorry on standby.

“Instructions have been given to the Paya Terubong and Perak Road fire stations on the island, as well as the ones in Kepala Batas and Butterworth to make sure they are prepared with their boats and equipment,” Mohd Hafuz said.

The department’s operations officer Supt Nafis Aliff Abdullah said all their boats and four wheelers were in tip-top condition in case of an emergency.

“We are always prepared, especially at night. If we feel the weather is bad, we head out to monitor low-lying areas such as Datuk Keramat, Jalan P. Ramlee, Bagan Jermal and Hong Seng Estate, among others.

“We always have 160 firemen or 80% of our total manpower working, so there are always enough people on duty. We also have 30 boats and 23 four wheelers statewide,” he said.

Supt Nafis added that floods this time were not as bad as the Nov 4 and 5 floods last year.

State Public Works, Utilities and Flood Mitigation Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said many of the locations hit by flash floods in the northeast district were linked to the Sungai Pinang water catchment area.

“The problem will not be solved until the Sungai Pinang Flood Mitigation Plan is carried out. Following a discussion with the Federal Government, the flood mitigation plan has been given approval after a 20-year delay.

“We are now in the process of appointing a consultant for detailed design before appointing the contractor,” he said in a statement.

Zairil urged the people to be patient, as the infrastructure project of such a scale would take time.

Penang Welfare, Caring Society and Envi­ronment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said the state made multiple preparations, including making sure that relief centres were ready and the delivery of more boats to voluntary firemen.

“Masjid Hashim Yahya in Jalan Perak was among the relief centres opened yesterday to accommodate eight flood victims.”

Flash floods hit several areas in Penang after heavy rain throughout the night and into the wee hours of yesterday morning.

The state was hit by widespread floods on Nov 4 and 5 last year, resulting in the evacuation of 12,559 people and the loss of seven lives.

~News courtesy of The Star~

RM10 tourism tax to be maintained

RM10 tourism tax to be maintained

THE flat rate of RM10 per room per night on foreign tourists will be maintained, says Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Mohamaddin Ketapi.

“Under the new government, the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry has reviewed implementation of the tourism tax.

“From the review, the implementation of the tax by countries such as the United States, the Netherlands, Italy, Singapore and Thailand, proved that the tax has brought positive growth to the tourism sector in the long term,” he said in a written reply to Datuk Danyal Balagopal Abdullah (PH-Port Dickson).

Mohamaddin noted that Japan and Saudi Arabia had recently implemented the tourism tax.

He said the tax is expected to bring positive impact to the tourism industry through the financing of infrastructure, arts and culture. It is only applicable to foreign tourists.

~News courtesy of The Star~

Hiking trail in Balik Pulau in a sad state

Hiking trail in Balik Pulau in a sad state



Dangerous condition: A man walking on the broken planks at the Penang National Park in Teluk Bahang.

Old habits die hard in new Malaysia as seen in the garbage strewn along a hiking trail leading to the popular Teluk Kampi beach here.

Broken benches and damaged items could also be seen there.

This, plus the unkempt facilities, mar the beauty of the Penang National Park in Teluk Bahang.

Nature lovers are upset with the deplorable condition, especially those along the popular hiking trails that draw thousands of people each year.

“The resting area has also been infested with termites,” said hiker Eddie Lim yesterday.

“This is dangerous as it could collapse anytime.”

He said that it was unacceptable for the authorities not to take any action.

Teluk Bahang assemblyman Zol­kifly Md Lazim said he would visit the trail today to find out more about the conditions there.

“I am not aware of it. I will seek financial assistance from the state for immediate repairs on the facilities.

“I am sure we have the manpo­wer to do small upgrading works,” he said.

“The park comes under the Federal Government and I will also write to them for allocations.”

Gazetted on April 10, 2003, the 1.213ha national park was given a major upgrading work under the Eighth and Ninth Malaysia Plans.

The makeover transformed the Teluk Bahang entrance to the park into an impressive administration area with a modern facade comprising an office, information and registration counter as well as an interactive Interpretation Centre and Exhibition Gallery.

~News courtesy of The Star~

Roti canai

Roti canai (pronunciation: tʃanai), also known as roti cane (tʃane) or roti prata, is an Indian-influenced flatbread dish found in several countries in Asia, including Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and Singapore.

It is usually served with dal or other types of curry, but can also be cooked in a range of sweet or savoury variations made with a variety of ingredients such as sardines, meat, egg, or cheese.

Roti canai is a popular breakfast and snack dish in Malaysia, and one of the most famous examples of Malaysian Indian cuisine.

It is said that the dish was brought over from India by Indian Muslims, also known as "Mamaks" in Malaysia, and is served in mamak stalls located in both rural and urban Malaysia.

~Wikipedia~

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