Art & Culture Festival for Penang

It was one of the least publicized public events during Pesta Penang 2008 month (29 Nov - 31 Dec '08), and held on Sunday evening of the 14th of December, at one of the most unexpected venue - deep in a low-cost residential area of Sungai Ara (third biggest town in Penang after Georgetown and Butterworth - in terms of population)...

But it was a festive nite indeed for the residents of Desaria Sri Merpati and visitors, with performance by popular artist like Nassier Wahab, and folks musical and dance show including Ghazal, Boria, Tarian Rampaian Melayu Tradisional, Chinese & Indian Dance and Fireworks show.

Officiation for "Program Merakyatkan Seni Budaya dan Festival Kesenian Rakyat 2008" was done by YB Dato' Seri Dr Hilmi bin Haji Yahaya, State Assemblyman (ADUN) for Teluk Bahang, one of the three ADUNs for Balik Pulau parliamentary or Southwest District of Penang (although Sungai Ara is supposedly in the Bayan Baru parliamentary district). Also presence were Syed Amerruddin Syed Ahmad and Sr. Muhammad Farid Saad, the other two ADUNs of Balik Pulau. The hosting VIPs were Puan Fariza binti Ahmad, Assistant Director of Art & Culture Dept of Penang and En. Abdul Rahim bin Mohamed Sultan, Chairman of KRT Taman Desaria Sri Merpati.



The event was closed by a finale performance involving all performers on site:



Other public events in Penang during the same weekend include Karnival Mesra Rakyat @ Pasar Awam Balik Pulau, Starwalk Carnival @ PISA, Seminar Usahawan Rakyat @ Dewan Budaya USM, Mr Pesta Muscle Beach @ Tanjung Bungah and Ping Pong Competition @ Pesta Penang in addition to on-going events including Pesta Penang @ Sg. Nibong (with appearances by Hilmi Gimik, Zizan Nin and Datuk SMS), TenPin Bowling @ Prai (12-20dec08), and Red Bull Power Grind Extreme Games @ Taman Perbandaran (14-17dec08).

[It seems that the term "rakyat" being aggresively used by both sides of the Malaysian politics - Barisan Nasional that's leading the federal government and Pakatan Rakyat that's leading the state government (as well as by non-political entities) to attract the crowd nowadays]

Penang This Week (7-13 DEC 2008)

Penang's hotel dilemma
Straits Times, Singapore - Dec 13, 2008
Georgetown faces this dilemma after it has been reported that Penang's capital may lose its newly attained status as a Unesco World Heritage site if four ...
Penang CM: ‘If you don’t want water rebate, write to us’ Malaysia Star
Penang should get more funds Malaysia Star
all 5 news articles »

No blanket ban on hillside projects in Penang Malaysia Star, Malaysia - Dec 13, 2008 GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Government will not introduce a blanket state-wide ban on hillside projects, state Local Government, Traffic Management and ...

Penang to provide free Internet access in 2 years
Malaysia Today, Malaysia - Dec 13, 2008
by Yong Min Wei, The Edge Penang will go ahead with its WiFi project despite health concerns and expects the entire state to have free Internet access ...

The Star

Prizes and fun await walkers
Malaysia Star, Malaysia - 12 Dec 2008
By ANTHONY TAN PENANG Starwalk 2008 participants have every reason to complete the 10km event tomorrow within two hours. Waiting for them after they finish ...
Collect your numbers and T-shirts Malaysia Star
Gnow is emcee again Malaysia Star
all 3 news articles »

The Star

UNDP-UPEN Launch “Making Penang Accessible” Sin Chew Jit Poh, Malaysia - Dec 12, 2008 The launch of Making Penang Accessible was attended by stakeholders from Penang society. (Photo courtesy: LILEI CHOW/ UNDP) James George Chacko, ... Disabled, elderly to enjoy better rides in Penang New Straits Times 12-12-2008:- Full audit of Penang’s public transport facilities The Edge Daily Making public transport accessible to the disabled Malaysia Star all 4 news articles »

Penang’s free internet projects move forward TeleGeography, DC - Dec 12, 2008 Malaysian news source The Edge Daily is reporting that the free Wi-Fi internet project in Penang will proceed, despite opposition to the scheme expressing ... 12-12-2008: Penang to provide free Internet access in 2 years The Edge Daily Higher Domestic Investments Crucial To Boost State Economic Growth ... Bernama Free WiFi for Penangites next week Malaysia Star New Straits Times all 9 news articles »

Malaysia Star

Two-day fest in Penang a real blast for fans of music genre The Star, Malaysia - Dec 12, 2008 FEW would argue that the Penang Island Jazz Festival has grown from strength-to-strength. This festival, now in its fifth edition, has put Penang on the ...

Microchip Theft From Air Cargo Complex Solved Bernama, Malaysia - - Dec 12, 2008 PENANG, Dec 12 (Bernama) -- The theft of microchips from a multinational company's godown at the Air Cargo Complex at Batu Maung two years ago has been ... RM47 mil Intel heist solved, but none charged The Sun Daily all 5 news articles »

Multitest, Everett Charles merge chip tester activities EE Times Deutschland, Germany - Dec 12, 2008 The company with development centers in Rosenheim, Bangalore (India), and Penang (Malaysia) has achieved sales of about € 80 million (about $108 million) ... Multitest to merge with Everett Charles Test & Measurement World all 3 news articles »

Malaysia Star

Thousands pack counter The Star, Malaysia - Dec 12, 2008 THOUSANDS of eager Penang Starwalk 2008 participants thronged the Penang International Sports Arena (PISA) yesterday to pick up their goody bags, ...

Lau: Govt has no say over signboard languages The Star, Malaysia - Dec 12, 2008 In Penang, the Bahasa words on signboards were bigger than the other languages and this gave priority to the national language while other languages were ...

Scrutinise universities’ expenditure, says Liew
The Star, Malaysia - Dec 12, 2008
Liew was speaking to reporters after presenting a mock cheque of RM62,450 from KDU College Penang to a representative of its former staff Leng Kavern, ...

UEM accepts Penang's RM1.3b contract offer to co-build 2nd Bridge
The Sun Daily- Dec 11, 2008
UEM Builders Bhd has finally accepted Penang government's offer of a RM1.3 billion contract to co-build the Penang Second Bridge after they were given ...

Penang to make public transport disabled-friendly by 2010
The Star- Dec 11, 2008
GEORGE TOWN: Penang will be the first Malaysian state to conduct a full audit of its public transport facilities while it develops a comprehensive blueprint ...Related Articles »

Fire destroys seven shops at Penang heritage site
The Star- Dec 11, 2008
PENANG: Seven shops situated at the World Heritage Site in Lebuh Armenian were destroyed in a fire early Thursday, causing damage estimated at RM600,000. ...

RM8b made in 9 months, says Guan Eng
New Straits Times- Dec 11, 2008
By Melissa Darlyne Chownews@nst.com.my GEORGE TOWN: Penang has managed to reverse a declining flow of investments with an inflow of RM8 billion in the first ...

MUHYIDDIN: By-election crucial test for BN’s consolidation process
New Straits Times- Dec 11, 2008
He said the by-election would be different from that of the Permatang Pauh in August because unlike Permatang Pauh, which was won by the opposition in the ...Related Articles »

Snatch theft victim run over by lorry
New Straits Times- Dec 11, 2008
By S. Arulldasnews@nst.com.my BUKIT MERTAJAM: A 58- year-old woman was killed when she was run over by a lorry after falling in front of the vehicle when ...Related Articles »

Not the time to point fingers, says Anwar
AsiaOne- Dec 10, 2008
BUKIT MERTAJAM, MALAYSIA: Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has called on all parties to stop the blame game over the Bukit Antarabangsa landslide ...Related Articles »

Lawmakers, special board to check new anti-graft body
The Malaysian Insider- Dec 10, 2008
In an immediate reaction, Liew Chin Tong (DAP-Bukit Bendera) pointed out that this was not the same as a parliamentary committee. “A parliamentary committee ...

Cops yet to arrest arsonists
New Straits Times- Dec 09, 2008
BUKIT MERTAJAM: Police have recorded statements from six members of the Jaringan Rakyat Tertindas (Jerit) whose bicycles were torched at Wisma Yayasan in ...

Anwar: We don't need another landslide report
ireport- Dec 09, 2008
asked the Permatang Pauh MP to journalists at Penanti's Yayasan Aman in his constituency in the Penang mainland today. "The state authorities are ...

Pasar tani helps boost farmers’ income
The Star- Dec 09, 2008
... entrepreneurship and diversify their products,” he said after launching a special pasar tani in conjunction with Aidil Adha in Tasek Gelugor recently. ...

Pas: Mosque has heritage site value
New Straits Times- Dec 08, 2008
GEORGE TOWN: Masjid Jamek Batu Uban, Penang's oldest mosque, should be recognised as a world heritage site, said Pas Bayan Baru chairman Dr Mujahid Yusof ...

Sonia Menon Crowned Miss Pesta Pulau Pinang
Oneindia- Dec 08, 2008
The college student won won Miss Pesta Pulau Pinang 2008 title along with two other totles of ' the Miss Best Catwalk Step' and 'Miss Best Personality' ...

Penang to monitor hillside development
Malaysia Kini- Dec 07, 2008
During heavy rain spells, there are frequent landslides in the hillside area along the roads linking Paya Terubong in the northeast district and Balik Pulau ...Related Articles »

Penang Buang Duit (Ayaq)!

"No point giving water rebates..." - exactly what I thought when I first heard of this other big stunt from Lim Guan Eng's state government, many months ago! How twisted can a plan from this "kalut"/clueless no-a-real-Penangite Chief Minister can be after another stunt of all waiving MPPP fines immediately after a sudden office takeover back in March this year? And of course, his most recent useless activities that revolve around multi-language road signs that wasted countless of his paid working hours up to touring Bukit Bintang area in Kuala Lumpur etc. - more and more talk, but lacks real usable actions after nearly seven months in office...

As a Penang-born citizen who still live in and love this state of Malaysia, I can give 10s of reason why this rebate idea is an utmost STUPIDITY and VERY DECEIVING... For a start, why giving cash to supposedly "low cost homes" owners/residents (many of whom can afford luxury cars up to even a a Benz!) when there are tens of thousands Penang residents who don't even posses his or her own house!

Bravo to Datuk Azhar for speaking out, LOUDLY, finally... I now know that these senses I've been having about YAB Lim Guan Eng (whom I've stumbled upon quite a few times including watching him personally in action at the Parliament Building), despite the rather strong support from the man's obsesses supporters during the past couple days event at Traders Hotel, are not unique to just me.

Read The Star Online's piece published yesterday:

NIBONG TEBAL: The state government has been accused of using the wrong approach to eradicate poverty in the state.

Penang Regional Development Authority (Perda) chairman Datuk Azhar Ibrahim said instead of helping the 2,000-odd hardcore poor and poor families, the state government would waste RM17mil in water rebates to some 170,000 families in the state.

“I do not see the logic of giving water rebates to 170,000 families in Penang as part of the state measures to help poor families.

“Based on the latest statistics, there are only 494 hardcore poor families and 1,500 poor families of all races in Penang.

“So why is the state government wasting RM17mil of the state’s money to 170,000 families who are not poor. Where is the logic?” he asked.

Azhar who is also Opposition leader told this to reporters Friday after launching a catfish-rearing project at Kampung Indera Timbalan in Simpang Ampat, here.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng Lim had said that the state government was making efforts to ensure that Penang would be free of hardcore poor and poor families by March next year.

Azhar said ever since Pakatan Rakyat took over the state government, the state had not moved forward as its leaders were busy politicking and finding fault with the previous state government.

He said the state government should prepare to brace of the worse next year when the economic recession set in.

Azhar said the catfish-rearing project was one of the four core programmes introduced by Perda to help poor people earn extra income.

( "No point giving water rebates, Penang told" - ZULKIFLY MOHAMAD, The Star Onlne, 5 DEC 2008)

p/s: Yes I know that Guan Eng can be right on certain things, but the question is: Is Lim Guan Eng the Chief Minister of Penang (and its State Assemblyman) first, or is he just leveraging this lucky post as a stepping stone for his dream on Prime Ministership at the burdens of Penangites - just as previous top men of Federal government from the northern region like Tun Mahathir, Pak Lah and Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim? What have these clowns really done to average Penangites and Kedahans respectively? Used them again, and again?

And if Mr CM insists on being an MP or PM-aspirant first, perhaps he should consider working real hard NOW to bring back a fully-recognized city status for Bandaraya (Pulau) Pinang (Pinang/Tanjong City, inclusive of the George Town UNESCO heritage city), to be administrated by a fully-able and more dedicated Datuk Bandar (mayor), and while he's busy with multi-language road names, try working to rename Seberang Perai (consisting of three of the five Penang districts SPU, SPT & SPS) into Seberang Pinang to reduce the ages of confusion for the locals and visitors alike -- Then only can Penangites be proud again to be at the place to be in Malaysia!

Spotlighting Fairus...

The battles of critics continue, and now they are no longer just within the ruling Barisan National party which suffered its worst election loss in decades just months ago. The finger-pointing, claims and denials etc. brouhahas now infect the Pakatan Rakyat too, which now controls five of the thirteen states of Malaysia, generally its biggest achivement so far.

This time, the young Yang Berhormat from Penanti, Seberang Perai, Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin is in a hot pan. Check out the back-to-back news excepts on the blogged Deputy Chief Minister of Penang (presumably by blogspot user Rezal Huzairi, and also by another anonymous blogger at mfairuskhairuddin.wordpress.com, archiving press clips), just this week:-

Former officers say Penang DCM incompetent
Malaysia Kini, Malaysia - 10 hours ago
Embattled Deputy Chief Minister of Penang Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin is in the spotlight again. This time over the resignation of six members of his ...

Rising to the challenge Malaysia Star, Malaysia - 10 hours ago ... took over the hot seat on Friday from Penang Deputy Chief Minister I Mohd Fairus Khairuddin, who resigned from the post last month. ...

Not even banners with CM's photo spared Malaysia Star, Malaysia - Dec 2, 2008 Also present was Deputy Chief Minister I Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin, who is the state Religious Affairs Committee chairman.

Anwar: No Offer Of Deputy Chief Minister Post To Arif Shah Bernama, Malaysia - Dec 2, 2008 Asked about the alleged under-performance of Penang Deputy Chief Minister I Mohamad Fairuz Khairuddin, Anwar said the work performance of all PKR leaders ...

Penang Deputy CM: I am not being replaced The Malaysian Insider, Malaysia - Nov 30, 2008 GEORGE TOWN, Dec 1 - Penang Deputy Chief Minister I Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin today ruled out talk that the PKR leadership is replacing him soon. ...

Deputy CM Mohd Fairus quashes replacement rumours Malaysia Star, Malaysia - Nov 30, 2008 By CHRISTINA CHIN GEORGE TOWN: Penang’s Deputy Chief Minister I Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin quashed rumours that he is being replaced, claiming that the PKR ...

CM: Let PKR deal with Fairus Malaysia Star, Malaysia - Nov 30, 2008 SHAH ALAM: The fate of Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin as Penang’s Deputy Chief Minister I lies in the hands of the PKR leadership. The Penanti assemblyman is ...

Lim: No plans for reshuffle in Penang New Straits Times, Malaysia - Nov 30, 2008 Lim said the position of Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin as deputy chief minister I was unchanged as he had not received any word from Parti Keadilan Rakyat, ...

No Plan To Reshuffle State Exco - Guan Eng
Bernama, Malaysia - Nov 30, 2008
He was responding to rumours that Deputy Chief Minister I Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) would be dropped and Seberang Jaya ...

More at Google News...

The short bio on mfairus blogspot portrays how Fairus, although at a rather young age of 32 is no small kid on the block. He already has five children, posseses a Masters Degree, academic background in politics, management and Islamic law from three universities including one in the United Kingdom, has had extensive work experience in corporations and has held several past political posts -- all of which that average 40-year olds could still be struggling to achieve:

MOHAMMAD FAIRUS BIN KHAIRUDDIN, anak kelahiran Guar Perahu, Kubang Semang adalah cucu bekas Penghulu Guar Perahu Abdullah bin Din ( Tok Wan Lah ). Berumur 32 tahun, telah dianugerahkan lima cahaya mata tiga lelaki dan dua perempuan hasil perkongsian hidup dengan Puan Nurusa’adah Jelani. Beliau memiliki Ijazah Sarjana “Strategic & Defence Studies, Ijazah Sarjana (MBA) “Strategic Management”, United Kingdom, Ijazah Sarjana Muda “Political Science – International Relations, Universiti Islam Antarabangsa dan Sijil Pengajian Syariah, Universti Malaya. Mohammad Fairus memulakan kerjaya awal dengan menyertai beberapa organisasi korperat gergasi tempatan dan antarabangsa antaranya Hong Leong Assurance, Franklin Covey Malaysia, Ford Motor Company Malaysia, Uni Asia Life Assurance Bhd sebelum akhirnya menjadi perunding bebas. JAWATAN DALAM PARTI • Naib Ketua Angkatan Muda Bahagian Selayang • Ketua Penerangan Bahagian Selayang • AJK Biro Pembangunan Strategi dan Integrasi Nasional Pusat.

Although described as a trustworthy person by people who knows him (including many friends of mine), I wonder how he could be quickly selected by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng judging from his lack of experience in the state of Penang, having spent most of his time elsewhere (which CM Lim Guan Eng himself did, and is still doing too!). In fact, Fairus seems to be jumping places and companies too many, and too quickly all these years -- it is only natural that Fairus' time in his current top government post in Penang is up, and it's time to move on elsewhere, again! And perhaps, Fairus should start spending time writing his own blogs instead of having others filling up the posts for him - try getting assistance from peers like YB Yusmadi (Balik Pulau MP), YB Jeff Ooi (Jelutong MP) and of the course the famous Penang-born YB Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim (Permatang Pauh MP).

Wait, if Fairus is not too popular for his own constituents, how about YB Prof Dr P. Ramasamy from Perai, the Deputy Chief Minister II, who's even more unheard of all these months?

And while the blames seem to be pointing to Fairus at this time, I'd think that Guan Eng should take the bigger blame for not being able to appoint the right people as his much needed deputies, while he's been busy with road signs, fighting for justices, playing accountants and lawyers game etc., most of which, outside of Penang... (and forgot to administrate the state properly).