Cable car project proposed

Cable car project proposed

DEVOTEES going up the Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani hilltop temple in Jalan Kebun Bunga, Penang, will get to enjoy a panoramic view and have a tireless journey up the temple following a proposal for a cable car project.

Temple committee chairman P. Kuvenaraju said the proposal was raised following the closure of the road up the temple and concerns about the elderly devotees having problems walking up the 514 steps.

He said the project would cover 500 metres from the foot of the hill up to the temple.

“Besides serving as an alternative way up the temple for the devotees, the cable car will also be helpful in daily needs such as getting bananas and food up the hill as we do not have enough manpower to help out,” he told a press conference before visiting the proposed cable car project site in Jalan Kebun Bunga recently.

Panaromic alternative: The proposed cable car project will be built at the foothill of the Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani hilltop temple in Jalan Kebun Bunga, Penang.

Kuvenaraju said the committee had received an offer from a foreign company to install the cable car.

However, he said Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng was eager that there be an open tender for the project.

“The whole project, including the tender matters and other relevant procedures, is expected to be completed in the next one and half years,” he said.

Lim, who was also present, said the company carrying out the project, would be chosen based on the best profit sharing percentage offered to the temple, the shortest leasing term and most importantly, experience in installing, managing and operating the cable car.

He added that the selected company would have to bear the cost of construction but it would make its revenue through the sale of tickets.

Lim said the state was expected to announce the chosen company for the project in January.

The RM9mil hilltop temple completed in June this year, is believed to be the largest Lord Murugan temple outside India.

~News courtesy of The Star~

2nd bridge to ease congestion

Penang second bridge to ease congestion on first bridge by up to 30%

The Penang Second Bridge, now under construction, is expected to ease traffic congestion of the first bridge by 20 to 30 percent.

Jambatan Kedua Sdn Bnd (JKSB) Public Relations and Communications adviser, Datuk Mohammad Salleh Rafie said the existing congestion problem would be reduced when the second bridge is ready in September next year.

He was met by reporters at a seminar with the Information, Communications and Culture Ministry's Penang Coordinating Committee on the progress of the Penang Second Bridge project.

Some 100,000 vehicles use the existing bridge daily to travel between the mainland and the island, with heavy traffic congestion during the peak hours.

Mohammad Salleh said the completion of the second bridge would further spur development, especially industries, in Seberang Perai Selatan on the mainland.

The RM4.5bil Penang Second Bridge spanning 23.5 km with 16.9 km over the sea, will link Batu Kawan on the mainland and Batu Maung on the island. - Bernama

~News courtesy of The Star~

Enjoy the best of fine dining at chic bistro

Enjoy the best of fine dining at chic bistro in Bay Avenue

PRIMED for those who appreciate the finer things in life, Vino Vino Bistro represents a confluence of worlds where seemingly contrasting elements strike a harmonious, culinary chord.

The swanky establishment, located in Bay Avenue near Queensbay Mall, Penang, finds pre-eminence in its distinctive yet unlikely juxtaposition of time-honoured western staples with dainty, eastern flavours.

As its moniker implies, juices of the vine and prized spirits are its forte. But the most surprising aspect is what it dovetails with — contemporary Japanese cuisine, in particular, Yakitori.

The skewered meats, seafood and vegetables are a best seller, mainly because they are done the right way. They are cooked over a grill lined with a special compacted type of charcoal.

As executive sous chef Steven Kong explains, the embers maintain a constant, moderate temperature that ensures everything is cooked evenly, without being overly charred, thus remaining tender and juicy.

Infused with a distinctive aroma, the skewers’ appeal also lies in their simplicity.

Among the comprehensive selection, the Tebasaki (chicken wings) is perhaps the most popular.

Crispy on the outside and tenderly moist on the inside, it is so good that one helping is never enough.

Equally great are the Sunagimo (chicken gizzard), Kaki Kushi (oysters), Momo (chicken thigh), Bonjiri (bishop’s nose), Sasami Mentai Mayo (chicken fillet with fish roe mayonnaise) and Tsukune Cheese (chicken meat balls with cheese).

Regardless of the order, the Yakitori skewers make a great complement for Vino Vino’s vast selection of around 500 wine labels and 30 types of single malt and blended whiskies.

It is a unique pairing that pleases the palate.

Apart from the Tapas-like bites, the outlet also features a good selection of delicacies from the Land of the Rising Sun, which ranges from sushi to udon, and ramen to rice dishes.

Connoisseurs will find the Assorted Sashimi Platter, which may feature salmon, tuna, yellowtail and cold water sweet prawns, among others, a delightful burst of fresh, aquatic flavours.

On Tuesdays and Fridays, there is a 30% discount on the raw fish selection.

Among the more modern creations is the Wasabi Cheese Smoked Duck, which comprises delicate slivers, to be lathered with the special horseradish-based spread and eaten with crackers.

Another, the Burger Cheese, is a hearty slab of ground beef and chicken, oozing with melted cheese.

All these also go well with any of the premium Japanese sake and shochu lineup.

Currently, the outlet offers affordable lunch and dinner sets, priced from RM17++ and RM29++ respectively.

There is also a Buy-2-Free-1 promotion for red and white wine, available in different sized portions by the glass. These are dispensed from their automated Vino Tech system, which utilises argon, an inert gas, to keep opened bottles fresh for up to 21 days.

Located at Block H-10-1, Lorong Bayan Indah 2 at Bay Avenue in Bayan Lepas, the bistro seats up to 40 pax and also has a karaoke room upstairs for those who would like to belt out a few numbers after meals.

Opening hours are from noon to midnight (Monday to Saturday), and from 5pm to midnight on Sunday. For more information, look up Vino Vino Bistro on Facebook, or call 04-6459922 for reservations.

~News courtesy of The Star~

Hawker museum for Penang

A tribute to hawkers, Hawker museum for Penang in the offing, says Chang Yeow

A hawker museum will be set up here to reflect the state’s appreciation of this group of people for making Penang food famous globally.

The museum would be a reality should Barisan Nasional regain control of the state in the coming general election, said Penang Barisan chairman Teng Chang Yeow.

Teng said that the museum would showcase the role the hawkers played in turning Penang into an internationally recognised food pa-radise.

“Neither Barisan nor Pakatan Rakyat should claim credit when the state’s hawker food was listed by a global travel website as the third best global street food destination. Praise should be accorded to the hawkers themselves,” he said.

In a posting dated July 21 on VirtualTourist.com, a write-up with a Los Angeles deadline entitled ‘Travel Picks: Top 10 cities for street food’, Penang emerged third behind Singapore while Bangkok was first.

The proposed museum would feature the historical facet of hawkers in the past 60 years.

“It is important to educate the younger generation and foreign tourists about the hard work and contribution of our hawkers here,” he said during a ceramah session organised by Barisan Nasional Jelutong division last night.

The three-hour ceramah which addressed several pressing issues such as the increase in property prices and traffic congestion.

~News courtesy of The Star~

Chowrasta Market: One step closer to new look

One step closer to new look

THE proposed upgrading of the Chowrasta Market in George Town has taken a step towards reality.

The Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) has approved a budget of RM12.07mil for the project, said its financial management sub-committee alternate chairman Tan Hun Wooi.

He said the project’s architect would have to submit the paperwork for the project in a month or two.

Tan was, however, unable to say when the project would start as the paperwork had to be reviewed after submission.

“The project is expected to be completed in three years after work starts,” he said at an MPPP full council meeting at the City Hall yesterday.

It was reported earlier that the market would sport a refreshing new look under the project which, among others, would include a five-storey car park with 153 parking bays.

Other proposals include travelators, a small bank with automated teller machines, a post office and an urban farm on the rooftop where hydroponic plants could be grown.

The original Chowrasta Market was built in 1890 by the George Town Municipal Council and was last upgraded in 1961.

On another matter, MPPP councillor Muhammad Sabri Md Osman said the road heading from Jalan Sekolah La Salle towards Jalan Lumba Kuda via Jalan Kuda would be turned into a one-way street from Monday to Friday (6.30am to 8am and 12.30pm to 2pm) to alleviate traffic congestion.

“Part of Jalan Ibbetson (from the junction of Jalan Grove) to the entrance of SM Teknik Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra will also be turned into a one-way street during the same periods,” he said.

He said a three-month trial of the one-way street system on the two roads would be implemented from next month.

~News courtesy of The Star~

Japanese touch to street market

Japanese touch to street market

THE Japanese expatriate community will be showcasing their homeland’s traditional arts, craft and food at the Little Penang Street Market (LPSM) in Upper Penang Road on March 25.

There will also be a cosplay competition and a photography exhibition on the earthquake and tsunami tragedy that hit Japan last year on March 11.

Japanese pottery will be on sale and visitors will also be treated to a demonstration on how to make udon noodles.

The cosplay competition, which is limited to 15 participants, will see the winner walk away with RM500.

The LPSM that day is in remembrance of the first year anniversary of the tsunami tragedy, held in the spirit of ‘kizuna’, which means bond of friendship in Japanese.

The LPSM will be held from 10am to 5pm.

For more information, contact 017-4290806 or e-mail www.littlepenang.com.my

~News courtesy of The Star~

Flood woes at airport will be over soon

Flood woes at airport will be over soon

THE flood problems at the Penang International Airport will soon be over once work on the main terminal’s water discharge point is completed.

An airport spokesman said expansion work of the discharge point was expected to be completed in a month’s time.

He said underground pipes and electrical cables needed to be moved before the expansion work could be carried out.

The spokesman said the current discharge outlet was too narrow and was causing the level of rainwater in the area to rise each time it rained heavily.

“Besides that, the location of the airport which is at a low-lying area, is also a contributing factor to the flood problems,” he said.

The spokesman also said a report was submitted to the Transport Ministry about the situation.


Slight delay: The expansion work at the Penang International Airport is 3% behind schedule

He was responding to an online portal report that the airport is in a ‘state of distress’.

In the report, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng claimed that it ‘flooded’ up to one inch at the airport terminal each time it rained heavily due to ‘defective’ expansion project that was being carried out at the airport.

Lim had also sent a letter together with photographs of the situation to Transport Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha.

On the progress of the airport’s expansion work, the spokesman said it was 3% behind schedule.

“However, we believe we can still catch up as it is only a slight delay,” he said

He added that the delay was due to ongoing renovation works at the main terminal.

“We want to ensure that airport operations remain smooth and will not cause inconvenience to the passengers,” he added.

~News courtesy of The Star~