Wat Chaiyamangalaram, Burma Lane (Lorong Burma), was founded in 1845. A Thai-style Buddhist temple that is famous for its reclining Buddha (33 m), one of the world's longest. The temple was built on a piece of land given by Queen Victoria to 4 women trustees as a gesture of goodwill to boost trading relations with Thailand. The guardian dragon and statue at the entrance are both ostentatious and spectacular.
~Info courtesy of Wikitravel~
Dhammikarama Burmese Buddhist Temple located opposite of Wat Chaiyamangalaram, Burma Lane, was founded in 1803. A pair of white elephants (sacred beasts in Buddhism) guard the entrance while within a bodhi tree and wishing pond greets the visitor.
～Info courtesy of wikitravel～
Eateries still not up to par
TWO eateries on Jalan Sungai Pinang in Penang are still not up to mark, more than four months after they failed inspections by the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP).
The council has now issued six summonses to one of the outlets and three to the other.
The offences included having dirty premises and contaminated food, placing raw material on the floor, disposing of leftover food in the drain and failing to get typhoid injection for workers.
MPPP Public Health Standing Committee alternate chairman Ong Ah Teong said the council issued both eateries with a total of 14 summonses in the last inspections on Dec 24 for various offences, including having cockroaches in the premises.
Health concerns: Ong checking the cleanliness of a container at a Chinese food outlet at Sungai Pinang
He, however, said both eateries had improved in their overall grading since then but were still below the optimum Grade A of 80 to 100 points.
He said one of the eateries only recorded a slight improvement from 41 points to 52 points while the other, which was closed for three days by the Health Ministry last month, jumped from 40.6 points to 75.5 points.
Ong said that both eateries were entitled to a 50% discount for the summonses if they settled the fines within two weeks, except for the dumping of leftover food in drains which carries a RM250 fine.
The other offences carry fines of RM20 to RM100.
He said the council had also written to the Health Ministry to request it to check four dirty eateries in Bayan Lepas and three in Air Itam.
“I urge all food outlet owners to improve and maintain the cleanliness and hygiene of their outlets.
“It is important to provide customers with clean food and good service. Don’t tarnish the name of your own outlet,” he said yesterday.
~News courtesy of The Star~
Bus park for foothill station
A parking area for buses will be created near the bottom station of the Penang Hill funicular train.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the bus park and a bridge linking it to the station was one of the first projects needed to be implemented to upgrade and improve facilities at the place and atop Penang Hill.
Lim said there was an available empty space next to a neighbouring Chinese temple about 30m away that could be used for the purpose.
“That space can accommodate 20 to 30 buses and if all goes well, we can build the bridge in the next four to five months,” he said, adding that initial estimates put the bridge cost at RM100,000 to RM150,000.
He also said he would hold a meeting tomorrow with relevant government agencies to quicken the implementation of small projects at Penang Hill.
“I am dissatisfied with the progress and have decided to intervene. People are coming to Penang Hill but many small projects have yet to get off the ground,” he said after visiting the bottom station yesterday.
Lim said on the top of the list of pertinent issues that needed to be addressed was traffic congestion at the station.
He said buses were unable to turn at the roundabout at the station’s entrance where there was only space for one or two buses to stop.
Penang Hill Corporation general manager Datuk Lee Kah Choon said the state government had promised RM40mil to develop Penang Hill over a five-year period.
“For this year, RM8.5mil has been allocated for development, out of which RM1.5mil will go into upgrading projects for the bottom station,” he said, adding that equipping an administrative office and building a shelter at the entrance courtyard were among proposed upgrading projects.
~News courtesy of The Star~
Georgetown from the plane
Hot spell likely to ease next week
THE rising temperature now is caused by reduced air humidity and rainfall in the region caused by tropical storm Aere in northern Philippines that blew hot air to the country, said Malaysian Meteorological Department (Met) weather forecasting director Saw Bun Liong.
Saw told Bernama that the current hot spell in the peninsula was only temporary and likely to ease next week.
He said the hot spell was, however, normal in May and the temperatures recorded were lower than during the same period in 1998.
The country has beem experiencing warm weather since May 6. The highest temperature recorded throughout the country since May 6 is 36.2°C.
Cooling off: Children playing at the pool at Kuala Lumpur Twin Towers due to the hot weather recently. — By AZHAR MAHFOF/The Star.
The department will continue to monitor the situation continuously round the clock and will alert the National Security Council if any action needs to be taken.
Saw advised the public to avoid open burning, reduce outdoor activities and drink a lot of water.
According to information posted on the department’s website, Malaysia is now experiencing inter-monsoon season which will last until the end of the month..
During this period the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak and Sabah will occasionally experience thunderstorms and heavy rain in the afternoon and fair weather over the eastern states of the peninsula.
Subsequently, the South-West Monsoon is expected from June to September. The South-West Mon-soon is comparatively drier throughout the country and this is attributed to relatively stable atmospheric condition due to less intense convective development.
It was also stated that the current La Nina condition is expected to continue weakening in the coming months and the weather will be back to normal by June.
The hot spell has resulted in more people staying indoors and drinking more water and switching on the air-conditioners.
Electrical product retailers like Courts and Harvey Norman confirmed that they had recorded an increase in sale of air-conditioners in recent weeks.
Consumers are spoilt for choice as the retailers are running promotions by air-conditioner brands like Panasonic, York, Mitsubishi and LG.
A spokesman from the Seri Andalas Fire and Rescue Department in Klang said they had received instructions to monitor the Kampung Johan Setia area, which is prone to peat fires during a drought and farmers conducting open burning of jungle waste.
“We have yet to receive any complaints about fires in the area.
“But the department has recorded fewer forest fires this year compared with previous years because we have taken early preventive measures and carry out regular monitoring,” he said.
At press time, Puncak Niaga Holdings Bhd could not be contacted for comments on the water level at the dams in Sungai Langat, Klang Gates and Tasik Subang.
~News courtesy of The Star~
Drinks to cost the same despite sugar price increase, say restaurant operators
GEORGE TOWN: Muslim restaurants will not be increasing the prices of their drinks although sugar now costs an extra 20 sen per kilo.
Malaysian Muslim Restaurant Owners Association (Presma) president Noorul Hassan Saul Hameed said its 3,700 members would not increase the prices of drinks.
“We can easily absorb the cost,” he said yesterday.
He said restaurant operators had already reduced the amount of sugar in drinks following the Government's call for the public to consume less sugar.
“Our customers are also asking for less sugar in their drinks,” he added.
Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry secretary-general Datuk Mohd Zain Mohd Dom had announced that the price of coarse and fine sugar would be increased by 20 sen to RM2.30 per kilo.
Coffeeshops in Sibu have also pledged to maintain the prices of their drinks for the time being.
However, Sibu Coffeeshop and Restaurant Owners Association chairman Tong Ing Kok said it would have to consider any appeal from members for a price increase.
“The prices of other ingredients for drinks such as condensed milk, evaporated milk and coffee powder have also increased,” he added.
Tong said the per-carton price of condensed milk had increased from RM124.40 to about RM148 and evaporated milk from RM105.80 to about RM127.
He added that the price of coffee powder had increased from RM17 to RM22 per kilo.
“With or without a price increase, I strongly urge our members to maintain standards and not reduce the quality of their drinks, which can result in them losing customers,” he said, advising members to comply with the association's price list on drinks.
Malaysian Chinese Food Consumers Association vice-chairman Chia Yuk Koay said he had not received any feedback from his members on the sugar price increase.
~News courtesy of The Star~
