What Hot in Penang This Week (11-17 JAN 2009)

activist actually affairs air airasia allocates american arm atrocities batu bernama bhd boost boycott boycotting british buck building butterworth cables carrier cause chief claim dismisses economic employees eng forum gerakan goods government guan immediately israeli jan lcct lim looking low-cost maipp minister political rm100 road signs state tenaga today tourism

Bernama Malaysia Star New Straits Times The Edge Daily The Malaysian Insider The Sun Daily istockAnalyst.com (press release)

Malaysia

100 Employees In Penang May Lose Jobs Bernama, Malaysia - 17 Jan 2009 PENANG, Jan 16 (Bernama) -- Penang is feeling the impact of the global economic meltdown, with the state government expecting about 100 employees in various ... 16-01-2009: Penang has no intention of boycotting US goods The Edge Daily 16-01-2009: MNCs in Penang pledge not to lay off workers The Edge Daily We Don't Practise Double Standards - Guan Eng Bernama all 5 news articles »

'Penang won't boycott American goods' New Straits Times, Malaysia - 17 Jan 2009 GEORGE TOWN: Penang will not boycott goods from the United States over its support of the Israeli incursion into the Gaza Strip, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng ...

16-01-2009: Tenaga allocates RM81m to upgrade cables in Penang The Edge Daily, Malaysia - 17 Jan 2009 Tenaga is also working with the state government’s investment arm Penang Development Corporation (PDC) to put up a RM100 million transmission main intake ... RM100m Power Boost for Batu Kawan Industries istockAnalyst.com (press release) all 2 news articles »

Activist Makes Forum Political Bernama, Malaysia - 17 Jan 2009 PENANG, Jan 16 (Bernama) -- Penang Umno today slammed political activist, Hishammudin Rais, for misusing a forum on Israeli atrocities in Palestine on Jan ...

Malaysia Star

They stretched their dollars for a good cause Malaysia Star, Malaysia - 17 Jan 2009 As leader of the Penang-based Hai San Secret Society during the tin mining era of 1800-1900 in British Malaya, the Chinese towkay was a renowned millionaire ...

Gerakan: Put up road signs immediately The Sun Daily, Malaysia - 17 Jan 2009 PENANG (Jan 16, 2009): Penang Gerakan wants the state government to immediately put up multi-lingual road signs in Georgetown, especially at the heritage ...

AirAsia lobbies Penang for LCCT New Straits Times, Malaysia - 14 Jan 2009 By Marina Emmanuelmarinae@nst.com.my PENANG: Low-cost carrier AirAsia Bhd is looking at Penang as a potential hub for a low-cost carrier terminal (LCCT). ...

MAIPP Dismisses Claim Najib Failed On Promise Bernama, Malaysia - 17 Jan 2009 BUTTERWORTH, Jan 16 (Bernama) -- The Penang Islamic Affairs Council (MAIPP) today dismissed a claim in a political organ that Deputy Prime Minister Datuk ... Permatang Pauh’s mosques, suraus to get RM4.18mil next week Malaysia Star all 2 news articles »

Penang’s new growth engine — Tourism The Malaysian Insider, Malaysia - 15 Jan 2009 By Lee Wei Lian KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 15 — With economic prospects looking gloomier by the day, Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng has turned to tourism to be ... 15-01-2009: No point having majestic building if services in shambles The Edge Daily Guan Eng warns subversive civil servants The Sun Daily MPSP Given Two Months To Buck Up Bernama Sun2Surf all 8 news articles »

16-01-2009: A landslide victory for PAS in KT?
The Edge Daily, Malaysia - 17 Jan 2009
For the 2008 general election, I told him there was so much electricity in the air in Penang, it feels like DAP could actually win the state. ...

Penang gets 10 free lawyers to defend suit on multi-lingual roadsigns
The Sun Daily, Malaysia - 14 Jan 2009
GEORGE TOWN (Jan 14, 2009) : The Penang government has appointed 10 lawyers, headed by Karpal Singh, to defend it against a legal attempt by a Pahang-based ...
Penang Engages 10 Lawyers To Defend Suit Over Road Signs Bernama
all 4 news articles »

28000 porn discs seized New Straits Times, Malaysia - 17 Jan 2009 GEORGE TOWN: Penang police seized almost 28000 pornographic and more than 320000 pirated optical discs worth about RM2.1 million last year. ...

Famous Australian football club coming to Penang New Straits Times, Malaysia - 13 Jan 2009 Malaysia will get a huge tourism publicity boost when the famous Carlton Football Club officials and players make a three-day leisure visit to Penang from ...

'Ditch polystyrene boxes on Thaipusam' New Straits Times, Malaysia - 17 Jan 2009 GEORGE TOWN: The Consumers' Association of Penang yesterday called on the public to stop using polystyrene containers, especially during Thaipusam, ...

Metro Watch Malaysia Star, Malaysia - 15 Jan 2009 For details, contact Penang NUTP chairman Lim Ming Tzong at 019-4806723. The second animal in the Chinese horoscope, the Cow, will ‘moo’ into Midlands Park ...

‘Many still forget to buckle up’ Malaysia Star, Malaysia - 15 Jan 2009 It was organised by the university’s Security Depart-ment and Penang Road Safety Department (JKJR). The officials handed out leaflets and car stickers at ...

Tenaga plans RM200 mil investment in Penang The Nut Graph, Malaysia - 15 Jan 2009 PENANG, 15 Jan 2009: Tenaga Nasional Berhad (Tenaga) plans to invest about RM200 million to upgrade electricty supply to Penang to meet the power needs of ...

Stop-Work Order Can Only Make Things Worse - IEM Bernama, Malaysia - 17 Jan 2009 Its Penang chairman Lim Kok Khong said the project sites should instead be monitored even more closely, especially its temporary facilities. ...

14-01-2009: Penang activates employment and retraining scheme The Edge Daily, Malaysia - 14 Jan 2009 by Regina William GEORGE TOWN: The Penang state government has activated the employment and retraining mechanism with an initial allocation of RM10 million ... No govt funds for open house New Straits Times 14-01-2009: No funds for Penang CNY bash The Edge Daily all 3 news articles »

Johara, Kim Clinch Gold For Penang
Bernama, Malaysia - 13 Jan 2009
PETALING JAYA, Jan 13 (Bernama) -- The pair of Johara Johari and Kim Eun Jung knocked down 2469 pinfalls in the women's doubles event to give Penang their ...

Penang Govt Will Emphasise Thrift, Says Lim
Bernama, Malaysia - 13 Jan 2009
PENANG, Jan 13 (Bernama) -- The Penang government will not provide allocations to associations to organise activities, including certain festivities, ...
Penang poised to gain more investments Business Times - Malaysia
Penang Seeks RM500-million Aid From Federal Govt Bernama
all 8 news articles »

Malaysia Star

OCBC gives Penang branch a new look Malaysia Star, Malaysia - 13 Jan 2009 OCBC Bank (Malaysia) Bhd recently unveiled the new look to their Beach Street branch in Penang — the first of its branches in the northern region to sport ...

16-01-2009: Just one good package will do, says Razaleigh The Edge Daily, Malaysia - 17 Jan 2009 Meanwhile, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng told the conference that as the state was not expecting large investments this year, it would focus on certain ...

Malaysia Star

Sweet, confusing Penang island Malaysia Star, Malaysia - 9 Jan 2009 No sooner was it said than done, my wife and I were motoring up the highway, past Ipoh, and heading for Penang bridge, and the seven ringgit toll. ...

Eun Jung and Johara strike gold for Penang New Straits Times, Malaysia - 13 Jan 2009 The Penang pair were second and 25 pins behind leaders Cheryl Cheong-Sharon Koh of Kuala Lumpur after five games, but Johara and Eun Jung then shot a ...

Voice of America

Prabakaran no more in Vanni Asian Tribune, Thailand - 17 Jan 2009 They speculated that he might be either in some coastal area in between Kerala and Tamil Nadu, or else in Penang, Malaysia. When asked why Malaysia, ... 'Don’t forget Sri Lanka, other conflicts' Malaysia Star Save Sri Lankan Tamils from Genocides - Deputy Premier in ... TamilEelamNews.com all 1,105 news articles »

Serving up prosperity delights Malaysia Star, Malaysia - 15 Jan 2009 By HELEN ONG ALTHOUGH the Four Seasons Tea House in Jalan Terengganu, Penang, began (and indeed is still referred to) as a tea house which served food, ...

Chinese neighbours join in Ponggal festivities Malaysia Star, Malaysia - 15 Jan 2009 By K.KASTURI DEWI OCTOGENARIAN M. Karuppiah and his family who own cattle at Kampung Buah Pala in Bukit Gelugor, Penang, celebrated Mattu Ponggal yesterday ...

New kidney dialysis centre for the poor Malaysia Star, Malaysia - 15 Jan 2009 During his presentation on kidney care, NFK (Penang branch) chairman Dr Ong Yoke Meng identified diabetes as the main cause of kidney failure. ...

No Further Action Against 3000 NS Dodgers
Bernama, Malaysia - 15 Jan 2009
PENANG, Jan 15 (Bernama) -- The National Service Training Programme (PLKN) Department has decided not to take any action against about 3000 dodgers who ...

Another airport terminal soon...

PENANG: Low-cost carrier AirAsia Bhd is looking at Penang as a potential hub for a low-cost carrier terminal (LCCT). It is learnt that group chief executive officer Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes made a case to the Penang government to build the terminal and the authorities are keen on his proposal.

Sources said the proposed LCCT in Penang would be independent from the budget air terminal that AirAsia wants to build in Labu, Negri Sembilan.

The proposed Penang terminal has been priced at RM120 million, excluding the cost of land, said sources.

At a presentation made on Tuesday to Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, elected representatives, industrialists along with selected government and quasi-government agencies in Penang, Fernandes did not indicate how much land was needed for the LCCT.
However, he proposed two sites which are aligned with the Penang International Airport at Bayan Lepas. The land, however, does not belong to the state government.

During the briefing at Lim's office at Kompleks Tun Abdul Razak in George Town, Fernandes stressed the need for AirAsia to find sufficient parking bays at night for his aircraft and the fact that there would be a problem soon when the airline took delivery of additional planes.

"By offering point-to-point flights from various hubs, AirAsia will be able to solve its parking issue while Penang will benefit via the coverage of direct flights serviced by AirAsia," said a source.

Apart from Malaysia Airlines, which offers direct international flights from Penang to selected destinations, other carriers using the airport include AirAsia, Cathay Pacific, Thai Airways International, Lion Air, Singapore Airlines, China Southern Airlines, China Airlines, Firefly, Kartika Airlines and Sriwijaya Air.

AirAsia began flying into Penang in 2002 and offers direct flights to cities in Thailand and Indonesia.

Fernandes declined to comment on the matter, while Lim could not be reached.

In 2007, the Penang government gave conditional approval to LC Airfields Sdn Bhd to set up a low-cost carrier terminal on the island.

Business Times had reported that the proposed LCCT would likely be sited north of the passenger terminal building in Bayan Lepas, and that AirAsia had asked for rights to be the licensed operator of the new terminal in order to keep costs low.

The Penang International Airport was expanded in 2001 to accommodate an annual capacity of five million passengers.

In reality, the airport can accommodate only slightly more than three million passengers a year because space meant for transit passengers has been leased to duty-free shops.

SOURCE: NST Online - AirAsia lobbies Penang for LCCT

Penang is in the New York Times' List of 44 Places to Go in 2009

Penang has not only made it to this prestigious list that was first published online on January 11th, 2009, but the 22nd-ranked place by the Times (and the only place in Malaysia in this year's list noted specifically on its "Foodie and Frugal" features) is currently being voted as the 2nd most recommended by its online readers - behind only to Beirut, and Sorry Melaka...**, try again next time!! ;)

If you're a Penangite, or Malaysian where ever you are, or if you love Penang no matter where you are from, welcome to contribute an additional vote to this one special place... ;) Go to this New York Times web page to vote or read more: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/01/11/travel/20090111_DESTINATIONS.html - the list was compiled by Seth Sherwood and Gisela Williams.

** Penang is the second smallest state in Malaysia, mainly consisting of an island filled with nice beaches and classic 18th and early 19th century buildings, and a strip of highly developed land on the mainland of the Malaysian peninsular. George Town, the capital 'city' of Penang, situated in the north-east tip of Penang Island has been recently accepted into the famed UNESCO's World Heritage Site List (along with Melaka as "the Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca").

What's Hot in Penang This Week (4-10 JAN 2009)

acknowledges aggression agreed almost animals attack barisan bernama besar bhd bridge built bull buses called carrier caused ceasefire celebration chief efforts forum gaza george government govt guan hold israeli jan lcct lim guan eng mpsp officer order pasted project rapid sri state stop sufferings town two waters will withdraws work

Bernama Malaysia Star MarketWatch (press release) New Straits Times The Edge Daily The Malaysian Insider

Malaysia

Palestinian Sufferings Pasted On Rapid Penang Buses Bernama, Malaysia - 10 Jan 2009 PENANG, Jan 10 (Bernama) -- Rapid Penang Sdn Bhd (Rapid Penang) pasted pictures showing the sufferings caused by the Israeli aggression on Palestine on two ...

Malaysia Star

Sweet, confusing Penang island Malaysia Star, Malaysia - 10 Jan 2009 No sooner was it said than done, my wife and I were motoring up the highway, past Ipoh, and heading for Penang bridge, and the seven ringgit toll. ...

Don't Dismiss PR Government's Efforts To Lure Investors - Lim Bernama, Malaysia - 10 Jan 2009 PENANG, Jan 10 (Bernama) -- Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said today International Trade and Industry Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin should not ... Lim acknowledges Barisan govt’s investment efforts Malaysia Star Show proof of RM10bil FDI, Guan Eng told Malaysia Star all 5 news articles »

Penang Govt To Punish MPSP Officer Bernama, Malaysia - 8 Jan 2009 PENANG, Jan 8 (Bernama) -- Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the state government would penalise a Seberang Prai Municipal Council (MPSP) officer who ...

Malaysia Star

Penang CNY do on Feb 1 Malaysia Star, Malaysia - 7 Jan 2009 A BULL named Wang Niu, which means ‘prosperous bull’ in Mandarin, will be the mascot of Penang’s Chinese New Year Cultural & Heritage Celebration 2009 to be ... Penang: No special session on Gaza onslaught The Malaysian Insider all 2 news articles »

Gory death in Penang waters New Straits Times, Malaysia - 8 Jan 2009 "I think the dolphin might have lost its way and entered Penang waters. It's weird... so many sea animals seem to be turning up dead. ...

Gaza Under Siege: Penang to hold forum New Straits Times, Malaysia - 8 Jan 2009 GEORGE TOWN: The state government will hold an open forum to discuss Israel's invasion of the Gaza Strip at Dewan Sri Pinang here on Wednesday. ...

08-01-2009: Penang deserves LCCT, says Lim The Edge Daily, Malaysia - 7 Jan 2009 by Regina William GEORGE TOWN: Instead of having two low-cost carrier terminals (LCCT) almost right next to each other, there should be one built in Penang, ...

Penang Withdraws Stop-Work Order To MMC-Gamuda JV Bernama, Malaysia - 7 Jan 2009 PENANG, Jan 7 (Bernama) -- The Penang government has agreed to withdraw an order to stop work on the Ipoh-Padang Besar railway double-track project after ... DJ Penang Lifts Stop Work Order On Rail Project - Bernama MarketWatch (press release) all 6 news articles »

Malaysians stand united against Israel’s Gaza attack
Malaysia Star, Malaysia - 10 Jan 2009
Also present was Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who called for an immediate ceasefire and withdrawal of Israeli troops. During the demostration ...