Penang Hill funicular train would make its last trip today

GEORGE TOWN (Feb 21, 2010) : Foreign and local visitors were surprised to hear that the iconic 87-year old Penang Hill funicular train would make its last trip today, and would be replaced with a new train system. College students Tan Soo Ni and her friend Quah Sui Pheng were shocked to find out the train system will be closed for seven months beginning today (Feb22). “We woke up early morning to so that we can get tickets to go up Penang Hill,” said Tan, 19, who lives in Bukit Mertajam. “We will keep the ticket stubs as mementos,” she said.

Engineer Yousuf Al Naabi, 27, from Muscat, Oman, who is visiting Penang for the first time, said he was fortunate to ride on the train today. University undergraduate Mohd Nazrin Mohd Pauzi, 20, did not know that his ride up Penang Hill with his friends from Terengganu would be his first and last on the funicular train.

 ”I did not know work on replacing the train system would start tomorrow,” he said. The Penang Hill Funicular Railway was built in 1907 and is a cable train pulled by steel cable electrically driven with 500 volts power. Penang Public Works, Utilities and Transport Committee chairman Lim Hock Seng reportedly said recently that the new train system would take 10 minutes to ferry passengers from bottom station to top station, without needing to stop at the middle station, compared with the current 30-minute ride.

He added the new system would combine the two tracks into one and a new passing loop would be built about 100m above the present middle station. Lim said Penang Hill residents and hotel operators would operate a jeep service up the hill from the Botanical Gardens during the closure. The RM63 million project is undertaken by the Tourism Ministry and is expected to be ready by the end of the year.

Penang must arrest this

Penang is unique among the local tourist destinations. It has everything and more – culture, heritage, beach, hills and above all, fabulous food. For this reason, our family has visited Penang numerous times over the last decade and thoroughly enjoyed our experience each time.

However, our latest trip during the recent school holidays proved to be a bitter and a thoroughly forgettable experience. Much to our shock and sadness, we found Penang to have deteriorated so much that it made us to swear not to visit the ‘Pearl of the Orient’ ever again.

The first unpleasant surprise greeted us when we stepped off the aerobridge and into the Penang International Airport. An overwhelming presence of the new Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng greeted the visitors. Images of Guan Eng were everywhere; on welcoming boards, huge billboards, tourism promotional videos and brochures, posters, etc.

This made one wonder what the chief minster is trying to accomplish as this can be easily misconstrued as an attempt to build a cult of personality. Which what one of our fellow visitors, a Caucasian, was heard remarking rather sarcastically by comparing him to North Korean dictator Kim Il Sung and Tamil Nadu politicians.

Further ordeals awaited us. The trip from the airport to our hotel took us two hours instead of the usual 30 minutes as we were caught in a massive traffic jam. We later found that this snarl was caused by the closure of several key roads. There was no notification or any instructions on alternative roads to use.

Only when we finally checked in at our hotel that did we realise that the cause – a motor GP that was being held on several busy public roads. It was really irresponsible for the state authorities to conduct such events during the busy holiday season and on a Saturday morning at that. More irresponsibly, the authorities failed to provide the necessary traffic diversion arrangements thus creating massive traffic congestion and chaos.

Further unpleasant surprises awaited us. Our rental car was issued a ticket for not paying parking fees even though it was Saturday evening. Upon checking, we were told by the hotel staff that the state had quietly extended hours for traffic fees collection since the beginning of the year, from morning right up till midnight even during weekends.

All along the Batu Ferringhi area, we discovered monstrously ugly structures being built seemingly at a breakneck pace and with scant regard to Mother Nature or public safety. The famed beaches were dirty and badly maintained with the cleaners, who used to be efficient during our previous visits, nowhere to be found.

Downtown, we were dismayed to find frenzied construction work going on at various historical and heritage buildings. Some of the most valuable buildings were being turned into pubs, individual homes, show rooms, galleries, restaurants or for other business purposes.

Traffic order to seems to have broken down with illegal double and triple parking seeming to be the norm rather than an exception. In popular commercial areas such as Pulau Tikus, Weld Quay, Little India and many others, irresponsible parking and illegal businesses have made the traffic come to a standstill and driving hazardous.

At Little India, our initial joy in seeing road signs in Tamil turned to disappointment with the poor translation of the road names. The twin phenomenon of unchecked development and poor enforcement was again evident at Little India too.

What is so surprising and sad is the rapid rate of decline of Penang within the short space of two years since our last visit in December 2007. We are unsure what really caused such alarming deterioration but the Penangites we spoke to pointed their anger and fingers squarely at the new state government.

We are not familiar with the state politics to make an assessment or judgment but if the state government does not act quickly to arrest this decline, Penang and Penangites will be the biggest losers. Tourists like us will give the state a wide berth if nothing is done

Retailers producers see strong Q1 growth

GEORGE TOWN: Consumer product retailers and manufacturers in the country are expecting a strong first quarter but are, however, cautious about the second quarter.

Pensonic Holdings Bhd managing director Dixon Chew told StarBiz that the group’s domestic sales grew about 5% in the second half of 2009 versus a year earlier.

“Sales of consumer electrical and electronics products did well during the festive holidays because of the year-end bonuses. Consumers were more willing to spend due to their perception of an improving economic environment,” he said.

Pensonic’s domestic sales division was expected to perform better in the first quarter of 2010 compared with the year-ago period, he said.

However, due to the prevailing uncertainties in the global economy, the company was cautious on the second quarter, he said.

“In the US, unemployment still stands at double digit, which means the consumption power is still weak, and our manufacturing sector will be affected eventually,” Chew said. “We are cautious about undertaking expansion plans in the second half.”

On the implementation of the Asean Free Trade Area (Afta) Plus China on Jan 1, Chew said the group could now increase imports of China-made finished and semi-finished raw materials without duties for the group to do manufacturing and assembly work in Penang.

Ban Hin Bee Sdn Bhd general manager Wilson Yeoh said the company had been enjoying double-digit growth for the past two months.

“Manufacturers of our brand-name products all over Asia did not anticipate such high volume of orders during the Christmas, New Year and Chinese New Year holidays.

“The manufacturers in the Asia-Pacific were cautious when they forecast the demand for consumer household items in Malaysia for the last quarter of 2009 and the first quarter of 2010, as they were sceptical about domestic spending power.

“For the first quarter, we expect strong growth over the previous year’s corresponding quarter.

“The second quarter is expected to be slower than the first, and we anticipate sales to pick up again in the third quarter,” he said.

Ban Hin Bee is setting up two more outlets in the northern region in the second half of 2010. The leading retailer in the north has nine outlets in the country – eight in Penang and one in Kuala Lumpur.

Penang-based Star Electronics Sales & Services expects about 10% growth in sales year-on-year in the first quarter of 2010, while viewing the second quarter with caution.

“For the last two consecutive quarters of 2009, our sales had been growing at about 10% per quarter, compared with the respective quarters of 2008,” said managing director Joseph Hon. “However, there is little visibility for the second quarter.”

“We do have plans to establish seven more outlets in the Klang Valley and Selangor, as part of our strategy to tap the market in the central region.

“But this expansion exercise will be implemented only if the domestic economy continued to remain stable,” he said.

The company currently has 18 outlets in Penang and Kedah.

Meanwhile, Courts country director Chris Yong told StarBiz that the company was planning store expansion at eight locations nationwide this year after it increased its market share of consumer and digital electronics by about 8% in 2009, even as the market shrunk by 4%, due to the weak consumer sentiment during the recession.

“We have also identified 10 stores for major refurbishment, while three other stores are being planned for relocation,” he said.

Yong said that based on Courts steady market share, the company was optimistic retail consumer confidence would continue to recover.

Meanwhile, OCBC Bank (Malaysia) Bhd retail commercial banking head Wong Chee Seng said that compared with the sluggish January 2009, loan applications were higher last month.

“As the economic strength gathers momentum, we foresee greater demand for loans in the first quarter of this year.

“Aligned to the gradual improvement in domestic demand, we are also seeing improvements in loan drawdowns, by as much as 50% due to higher approval volume and larger deal sizes,” he said.

Hotel occupancies in Penang

GEORGE TOWN: Most resort and city hotels on Penang island enjoyed about 65% occupancy rate last month compared with 55% in the same period in 2009, said Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH), Penang Chapter president Marco Battistotti.

“In the final quarter of 2009, the occupancy rate at most of the 37 hotels in Penang, which are MAH members, stood at about 70%, an increase of 2% from the previous corresponding period,” he told StarBiz.

“For resort hotels, about 55% of the guests last month were from overseas while the remainder were locals,” he said. “For city hotels, about 55% of the guests were domestic travellers while the remainder were from abroad.”

Battistotti said the recently launched direct flight to Chennai, India, by AirAsia helped to secure a lot of bookings for March and April for both resort and city hotels.

“MAH will continue to work with airlines, airport authorities, and both the state and federal governments to ensure that there would be more direct flights to Penang in the future,” he said.

Battistotti said MAH was confident that occupancy rate for Penang hotels this year would hit 65% compared with about 59% in 2009.

“In Penang, there is still a need for some 3,000 more hotel rooms over the next five years. At present, there are just under 10,000 hotel rooms here,” he said.

Hard Rock Hotel Penang achieved 70% to 80% occupancy rate for December and January.

However, Golden Sands and Rasa Sayang Resorts projected a slightly different outlook for the first quarter.

“Due to slower bookings, we expect the occupancy rates at both resorts in the first quarter to fall behind the corresponding period of 2009,” said director of communications Suleiman Tunku Abdul Rahman.

“But we hope there will be a last-minute pickup in bookings, as Golden Sands has just been renovated,” he said.

Cititel Penang sales and marketing director Vincent Ng said the hotel was expecting about five-percentage point increase in the occupancy rate for the first quarter from 52% achieved in the previous corresponding quarter.

He said its first-quarter projection was based on its occupancy rate for last month, which stood at 56.9% against 50.1% in January 2009.

“The occupancy rate for the New Year holidays (Dec 31-Jan 2) closed higher at 73.8% against 56.5% recorded in the same period a year earlier.

“The occupancy rate for Chinese New Year 2010 (from the eve till the third day) is expected to pick up and we expect to close at about 80% against 70.7% in 2009,” Ng said.

Meanwhile, Hard Rock Hotel director of sales Betty Lim said the hotel had achieved 70% to 80% occupancy rate for December and January due to visitors from Finland and Australia.

“For February, we are looking at about 60% occupancy rate as we have substantial bookings from domestic visitors.

“Overall, for the first quarter, we expect to achieve a 65% occupancy rate, which is within our target,” she said.

G Hotel director of sales Kevin Cheah said the hotel expected to enjoy an occupancy rate of about 80% this month and next because of the Chinese New Year and bookings from tour groups from Chennai, India.

Free Parking for Disabled

GEORGE TOWN (Jan 14, 2010): All registered physically disabled persons in Penang will be allowed free public parking throughout the island in a new ruling, the first of its kind in the country, by the Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP).

The MPPP has decided to issue special purple car-stickers, to be renewed after two years, for disabled individuals who can drive and for guardians of those who cannot.

The ruling, which does not cover the deaf and the blind, took effect today.

Councillor Tan Hun Wooi said those who have already registered with the Social Welfare Department qualify to apply immediately. Those who have not registered yet are encouraged to do so to be eligible.

“We encourage the disabled to apply for these special stickers for their convenience,” he said. The first batch of stickers will be issued by the end of this month, he added.

Tan said this at a press conference at the Caring Society Complex here today.

The MPPP has been receiving calls to increase the number of bays for the disabled, and decided to tackle the problem by going one step further in giving out stickers for free public parking throughout the island.

Of the 11,000-odd parking bays under the MPPP, only 15 are currently reserved for the disabled.

In the meantime, the MPPP will still go ahead with plans to increase the number of disabled bays, so as to give the disabled greater convenience in finding available parking.

Tan also warned the general public not to park their vehicles in places reserved for the disabled.

Society of Disabled Persons Penang president, Teh Lay Kuan, said she was grateful to the local authorities for initiating the new purple-sticker ruling.

According to the Welfare department, there were 15,611 registered disabled people in the state.

“We often find people who are inconsiderate when they park at parking lots meant for the disabled, causing us inconvenience,” she added.

Applications for the stickers can be made at the MPPP’s office on the 15th floor of Komtar here. For details, call 04-2592130.

Penang Island Jazz Festival

The 6th Penang Island Jazz Festival 09 has begun. The festival kicked start @ G Spot with An Evening With Michelle Nicolle Quartet on Thu. They were faboulous with Michelle voice,her scatting and also the solos from her guitarist enthralls the crowd.

Meanwhile yesterday @ the G Stage Fringe Performances, the audiences …were treated to another power packed performances by G Spot Band, The First Runner up of the Young Talent Competition 09 and Ray Cheong Trio. It was absolutely fantastic with such a variety of musical interpretation from all these very talented musicians.

So don’t miss today’s Fringe Performances, Workshops, Exhibitions, Forums and the Main Event which promises and fantastic lineup of artists.

Here is today’s program:
SATURDAY, 5th DEC. 2009

EXHIBITIONS at Bayview Beach Resort
From 10.00am

“German Jazz Exhibition”
Bayview Beach Resort Lobby

A touring exhibition of rarely seen photographs from private and public archives created by the Goethe-Institut in association with Dr Wolfram Knauer, director of the Darmstadt Jazz-Institute reflecting the history of German jazz: from the Berlin jazz scene in the 1920s to post-War developments in East and West Germany to the musicians, labels and festivals of the 21st century.

“Keeping Time”: The Jazz Photography of William Ellis

Bayview Beach Resort Ballroom Foyer

“Jazz Gallery”
Bayview Beach Resort Ballroom Foyer

An Exhibition on the Festival’s collection of Posters, Photographs, Prints and Percussions.

WORKSHOPS AND FORUM

Acoustic Guitars in Harmony (Paulo Bellinati & Cristina Azuma)
Blending the Combination of Jazz, Classical and Baroque acoustic guitar techniques in Brazilian rhythmic musical flavours and styles.

Time : 10.00 am
Venue : Tropical Spice Garden, Teluk Bahang, Penang

The Voice and the Trio (Michelle Nicolle Quartet)
Jazz vocal improvisational and interpretational techniques / styles and the supporting roles of the instruments in a jazz trio setting.

Time : 12.00 Noon
Venue : Bayview Beach Resort Ballroom

The Island Jazz Forum – “Jazz and The Creative Economy”
Talk and Discussion on the promotion and delivery of jazz as an improvisational social- cultural development tool and how the music can relate to the expansion and development to the “creative-economy” benefiting musicians, music education and the local community.

Panelists : Antanas Gustys (Founder, Artistic Director, and Producer of Vilnius Jazz Festival), Jae Jin In (Founder and Artistic and Director of Jarasum International Jazz Festival), Peter Lee (Founder and Director of Hong Kong International Jazz Festival), Henk Van Leeuwen (Jazz Promoter / Tour Manager), Natasha Gerold (Jazz Promoter / Tour Manager) and others.

Time : 2.00pm
Venue : Bayview Beach Resort Ballroom

FRINGE STAGES

“G Stage” at G Hotel Lobby
3.00pm – 3.30pm – De Leon Jazz Experience
3.45pm – 4.15pm – SquareCircles
4.30pm – 5.00pm – Rhapsody

“Bayview Corner” at Bayview Beach Resort Lobby
3.00pm – 3.30pm – Winner of Jazz Festival Competition
3.45pm – 4.15pm – Unit
4.30pm – 5.00pm – High Society

“Rock Stage” at Hard Rock Hotel Poolside
3.00pm – 3.30pm – Ray Cheong Trio
3.45pm – 4.15pm – Ocean of Fire
4.30pm – 5.00pm – WGF & Ray

“JAZZ BY THE BEACH” Main Stage

6.30pm – 7.10pm Island Palm Beach Boys (Penang, Malaysia)
7.20pm – 8.00pm Buzz Bros Band (Holland)
8.10pm – 8.50pm In The Country (Norway)
9.00pm – 9.40pm Sizhukong (Taiwan)
9.50pm – 10.30pm Studnitzsky Trio (Germany)
10.40pm – 11.20pm Band of Brothers (Thailand)

Penang Jazz Event – 19th November

What’s Jazzin’ In Penang?

Penang Jazz Community in partnership with Sandy Beach Paradise & GR8 Performing Arts in conjunction with the Penang Island Jazz Festival 09 is organizing a jazz concert -”Jazz Prelude”. This concert will feature big jazz ensembles and also vocal ensembles and the lineup of performers for the concerts are: Dalat Jazz/Vocal Ensemble, Georgetown Singers, De Leon Jazz Experience, Northern Jazz Ensemble and Tonal Alchemy featuring Ray Rozells. Tickets by donation of RM10 (Students) & RM 20 (Adults) is available at Cantabile Music Studio and GR8 Performing Arts. All proceeds of the tickets will be donated to Little Penang Market. For more info on the concert and the tickets, please call Jerome Quah (017-476 7709) or Marlene (016-491158).

19th Nov, 7:30pm-10:30pm @ Sandy Beach Paradise Hotel, “Jazz Prelude”.

About G Hotel

PRESS RELEASE

G Hotel Makes its Debut as Penang’s Most Stylish Address
New Urban Icon of Ultra Modern Design
Penang, January 22, 2007 –– Ultra chic and unmistakably stylish, the newly launched G Hotel emerges as a new urban icon at Penang’s bustling Gurney Drive. With its stunning interiors and modern contemporary design, the new G Hotel boasts the most stylish address on the island.

G Hotel suffuses modernity, in terms of its bold and innovative approach. “The genesis of G is very much inspired by its location whilst the emblematic design of our logo reflects the quirkiness and welcoming nature of our living space.” said Billy Theodas, Hotel Consultant.

“It is an urban oasis for both discerning business and leisure travellers, allowing them to indulge in every imaginable comfort whilst enjoying impeccable service and ultra modern facilities.”

The energetic pulse of Penang’s most prominent boulevard outside resonates the moment one enters G Hotel. The welcoming lobby evokes a sense of grandeur that continues right through the hotel. Chic designer furniture pieces such as the ‘Spoon Chair’ by Kartell as well as Cappellini’s world renowned Felt Chair provides a feast of senses for design cognoscenti.

The G Lounge, a visual centrepiece at the grand lobby, is where all converge. Designed as an integral part of the hotel reception counter, G Lounge creates a casual feel of hip and informal environment where guests can check in and out with a drink

in hand. Jazz music and chill-out tunes exude upbeat energy and vibrancy to the whole atmosphere.

Through clever use of architecture, lightings and furniture, G Hotel manages to encapsulate contemporary simplicity with sufficient attention to detail. All 304 hotel rooms and suites feature minimalist style furniture and monochromatic colour scheme with strong modernity theme continuing into the immaculate open-concept bathrooms. Cutting-edge amenities, high-tech convenience and accessories such as flat screen TVs and iYiYi sound system are standard in-room features on executive floors.

G Hotel also offers 29 service residences for longer term stay guests, creating a “Home within Hotel” ambience with its 1 or 2 bedroom apartments. Each decorated in mix classic tones, while the designer furniture accentuates the feeling of pure comfort and homely reassurance.

G Hotel certainly knows how to pamper its guests with top-notch facilities, personalised comforts that readily transform ordinary hotel stay into memorably enjoyable ones.

“It is not just design that makes G Hotel hip. G Hotel aims to give its unsuspecting guests an unforgettable experience staying at the hotel”, quipped Theodas. “This encompasses how we treat our customers, right down to the minute detail of delivering unsurpassed quality and reliable services.”

The G Hotel represents a calming retreat within an urban sprawl. With first-class facilities including a swimming pool, spa, gym, yoga, and trend-setting restaurants, the hotel caters for any indulgence to both staying guests and visitors. Complementing facilities such as business centre, function rooms, and a cavernous grand ballroom ensure that the savvy corporate travellers’ needs are well served.

For reservations or further details on G Hotel, please contact the hotel directly at +604 2380000 or email info@ghotel.com.my.

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About G Hotel
G Hotel which opens in January 2007, is a 304-room design hotel that includes 29 serviced residences at Gurney Drive, Penang. Rich in contemporary architecture and interior design, it is poised to revolutionize the hotel industry in Malaysia. Owned and operated by G Hotel Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Etika Cekap Sdn Bhd, G Hotel is located next to the landmark Gurney Plaza Shopping Mall. G Hotel aims to deliver a refreshing guest experience through its modern facilities and impeccable service standards. Facilities include an infinity swimming pool, spa, gym, trendy lounge, restaurants and state-of-the-art ballrooms and business centre to cater to both leisure and business travellers. For more information and reservations, please contact G Hotel at +604 238 0000 or access its website at www.ghotel.com.my.

Kyzens New Facility in Penang

November 14, 2009 – NASHVILLE, TN — Kyzen opened its cleaning products facility in Malaysia, announced in the October 2009 news, Kyzen Equips Application Laboratory in Penang, Malaysia. Dato’ Lee Kah Choon, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Board of Invest Penang, honored Kyzen and its Malaysian subsidiary Kyzen Sdn. Bhd. by inaugurating the Penang, Malaysia, facility.

Kyzen Sdn. Bhd. was created 9 months ago to serve the local Malaysian and Asian electronics cleaning market, said Kyle Doyel, Kyzen president and CEO. The facility is designed to meet the needs of high-technology customers in Penang and throughout Southeast Asia with sales, technical, and training support, as well as an application and evaluation laboratory. The facility features a large-scale manufacturing capability to produce Kyzen products and began manufacturing in November. The Malaysian location is Kyzen’s 4th global facility. R. Erik Miller is Kyzen’s Asia managing director.

1st Avenue Mall

PENANG, Nov 3 (Bernama) — 1st Avenue, a RM300 million highly anticipated city centre retail mall, is expected to open in Penang in the third quarter of next year.

The mall is jointly developed by three property and retail heavyweights, namely Asian Retail Mall II Limited (ARML II), Belleview Group and Lion Group.

Pramerica Real Estate Investors (Asia) Pte Ltd, the real estate management subsidiary of US-based Prudential Financial Inc, is jointly developing 1st Avenue via its Asian real estate fund AMRL II.

DTZ Debenham Tie Leung (M) Sdn Bhd’s regional head of retail, Ungku Suseelawati Ungku Omar, said situated in the heart of Georgetown, 1st Avenue would feature seven levels of zoned shopping, providing about 400,000 square feet of retail space with 280 shops.

“The official launch which marked the start of the mall’s leasing activities, also witnessed a signing ceremony with Parkson Department Store as 1st Avenue’s anchor tenant,” she said at a news conference before the mall was officially launched by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng here on Tuesday.

Ungku Suseelawati said the lower ground floor of the mall called “Chill” would feature outlets that cater to the young with its fashion and lifestyle offerings.

She said that “Style”, occupying ground floor, would showcase high fashion clothes, accessories and beauty products, dotted with al-fresco cafes.

“One floor up on the first floor is ‘Modish’ featuring men’s apparel, sports, gadgets, kidswear and toys,” she added.

Ungku Suseelawati said “First Asia” on the second floor was designated to feature some of the best Asian lifestyles like Thai spas.

“The third floor will offer various beauty and wellness stores and shoppers can also enjoy good meals at various themed, casual and specialty restaurants,” she said.

The supermarket and foodcourt will be located on the fourth floor and the mall will also have a cineplex and karaoke lounge.

1st Avenue Mall Sdn Bhd’s director Datuk Sonny Ho said the collective expertise of Pramerica, Lion Group and Belleview Group would bring Penangites a new wave of shopping experience

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