Pesta Pulau Pinang 2011

Date: 28th Nov 2011 to 1st Jan 2012
Venue: Tapak Pesta, Sungai Nibong, Penang
Time: 6pm to 11.30pm
Fees: RM3 adult. RM1 children below 12

The much anticipated Pesta Pulau Pinang is back! This year it will be held from the 28th of November 2011 all the way into the new year on the 1st January 2012 from 6.00p.m to 11.30pm.

Highlights of the month-long Pesta Pulau Pinang includes free performances by specially local entertainers, an acrobatic group from China and special 3D shows. The popular Euro Fun Park will make a comeback his year with the usual rides such as Vortex, Sky Rider and the Top Gun.

visitpenang.gov

Can't really remember when was the last time i visited Penang Pesta. But it's kind of fun to visit these kind of place every now and then. Furthermore it's only once a year during school holidays. Good to bring your kids there!

Penang Starwalk 2011 results COMING UP ...stay tune !

Hello all viewers...

First of all, really sorry for not updating this blog for such a long time....pretty busy with lots of stuffs...

For those of you who are eager to search for the Penang Starwalk 2011 results which ended yesterday, please be patient and do come back to visit my blog as I will be updating all the results for all the category in the next few days...stay tune!

Cheers!

Yonex BWF World Championship 2011: A match to remember...

The picture above says it all. Our Datuk Lee Chong Wei with the teary eyes on the podium after his lost to Lin Dan of China. It was a truly greatest men single match I have ever witnessed, kudos to both men for giving out such a exciting displays with all tricky and varieties of shots.

From the news:

The pick of the days finals was, without doubt, the men’s singles clash between top seed and world No 1 Lee Chong Wei and second seed Lin Dan.

The Malaysian won the opening game 22-20 but Lin Dan hit back to take the second 21-14.

That set up a thrilling decider in which Lin Dan saved two match points before winning it 23-21 on his first match point.

The 82-minute battle between the great rivals was so draining that Chong Wei collapsed backstage with cramp and needed extensive treatment.

Congratulations to all the winners, well done LCW...keep fighting !!!

New Coins from Next Year 2012

Bank Negara will be introducing a new series of coins from early next year, replacing the current series which is 20 years old.

Meanwhile, the new series will be sold as commemorative coins from Tuesday, said Bank Negara Governor Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz on Monday.

She also said new series of notes would be issued in Septemeber but declined to elaborate on this.

She said the new coins will go into general circulation only next year to enable coin machine operators, for instance, to recalibrate their machines accordingly.

The new coins - 50sen, 20sen, 10sen and 5sen - are smaller and lighter than the current coins, with more security features.

The coins also have features that make it easier for the visually-impaired to use.

She said the coins were designed by a Malaysian and wholly minted by Bank Negara's mint in Malaysia.

Looking at the new coins, looks a bit "not that nice" compared to the old ones...nothing to hoo haa about :p

Penang Star Property Fair 2011

Time to look for bargain property investment? I don't really think so, as the market for Penang is all targeted for high end investors with big figures for every properties being exhibited...sigh...

The Star Property Fair 2011
Date: 21 – 24 July, 2011

Time: 10am - 10pm
Venue: G Hotel & Gurney Plaza

The STAR, Malaysia’s leading English daily in collaboration with Henry Butcher Malaysia Penang, will be organising its annual The Star Property Fair from 21 – 24 July, 2011. This annual property exhibition offers prospective property investors with one of the largest showcase of choice properties in Penang.

The fair promises to be more exciting this year. The exhibition will showcase new and “yet to be revealed” real estate developments and the ever popular free public forums. A round table discussion with industry is being organized as a prelude to the fair.
Since its inception in 2003, The Star’s Property Fair has continued to reinvent itself to be the most sought after event in the Northern region of Malaysia.

With new elements being introduced annually, the most prestigious fair in the Northern region never failed to dazzle both exhibitors and visitors alike.

With the overwhelming success of The Star’s Property Fair last year, the committee of the event aims higher to include different dimension to the fair.

Penang UNESCO Heritage Festival: Jazz & Heritage 22nd July 2011

Jazz & Heritage by the Northern Jazz Ensemble
Date: 22nd July 2011 (Friday)
Time: 8p.m.
Venue: Penang Town Hall, Esplanade.
Dress Code: Formal
Age 10 & above only

In conjunction of the UNESCO heritage month and Georgetown Festival 2011, the Northern Jazz Ensemble will be organizing the second edition of the Jazz & Heritage at the prestigious Town Hall on the 22nd July 2011 (Friday).

Jazz & Heritage will bring back the nostalgic memories of the music Malaysians love and listened to in the past but has long been forgotten. It will feature some of the most famous jazz classics by Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman and many more. And since this year Jazz &Heritage is going Oriental, the program will also pay tribute to the music of Teresa Teng, Chen Gexin, Yao Lee, Liu Chia Chang and other oriental folk/classic tunes, some dating back to the Qing Dynasty, of course with a jazz twist.

If you are a fan of Jazz, then you would love it. Just make sure you plan your time properly as it's a Friday night.

Penang St. Anne Frestival 2011

St Anne's Festival
Date: 22nd to 31st July 2011
Time: 7am to 9pm
Venue: St Anne's Church, Bukit Mertajam

A 9-day prayer ritual that draws many believers from all walks of life. In conjunction with the annual St Anne's feast, a Night of Candle Light Procession is usually conducted at the church grounds.

It's the time of the year again...head over to Bukit Mertajam to witness and join the crowd as they throng St Anne church for the holy festival :)

Penang MATTA Fair 22nd to 24th July 2011

Travel bugs and lovers out there, take note....the time has come, the chances are here...it's Penang MATTA fair, the time where you can have plenty of offers and discounts and wide choices to choose from for your next holiday destinations....make sure you don't miss it!

Date: 2nd ~ 4th July 2010
Time: 2rd July (5pm to 9pm), 3rd & 4th July (10am to 9pm)
Location: Penang International Sports Arena

Staged annually in Penang, MATTA (Malaysian Association of Tour & Travel Agents) Fair is a vibrant must attend three day expo. It presents a diverse range of destinations for Penang consumers at fabulous discounts.

Value added tour packages and other great travel incentives are offered at this tourism fair. Specialize travel agents will help you with flights, hotels, and ground transportation to any destinations in the world.


Total of 297 booths:

NTO:

Taiwan Visitors Association Kuala Lumpur, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Hong Kong Tourism Board, Macau Government Tourist Office, Korea Tourism Organization, Yogyakarta Tourism & Promotion Board, Tourism Malaysia - Penang, Lembaga Pembangunan Langkawi (LADA), Sabah Tourism Board, Perak Tourism, MAH Penang Chapter, Tourism Pahang, and Penang Global Tourism and more than 30 travel agents are participating in this 2010 MATTA fair.

Sparks of Broadway play

If you have time, and have the heart to help the needy, do support. This play is in aid of Mount Miriam Cancer Hospital's Needy Cancer Patient Fund.

Date: 23rd July 2011 (Saturday)

Time: 3-5pm or 8-10pm

Venue: Dewan Budaya, Universiti Sains Malaysia

Price: RM50, 80 and RM80, 100

Cable Fire Causes Massive Traffic Jam On Penang Bridge 11th July 2011

Wow, no wonder it was so jammed just now while I'm on my way back home just now. The management never improve, do they?

Hundreds of vehicles were stranded for about two hours on the entrance and exit lanes of Penang Bridge Monday after a cable caught fire.

A spokesman for Penang Bridge Sdn Bhd (PBSB) said there was massive traffic congestion as the cable fire occurred at the peak hour of 5.30pm.

He said traffic improved at 7pm after the fire was put out and repairs were done to the cable.

Penang Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) general manager Abdul Aziz Jaafar told Bernama the cable under the bridge caught fire at 5.25pm.

He said the fire did not affect electricity supply to the state as it was only a standby cable.

"The 132kV cable fire was completely put out at 6.30pm. TNB is investigating the cause," he added.

-Bernama-

New pride of Penang ?

The following article is from the Star paper today. Are you proud of it? I will be if this really solve the traffic problem, else it's nothing to hoo-haa for me.

The 24km-long second Penang bridge is 54% completed and it is on track to be completed by Nov, 2013, said former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

He said this assurance was given by the host of contractors involved in constructing the super structure linking Batu Maung on the island to Batu Kawan in Seberang Prai.

Abdullah also said that the project would also incorporate a uniquely designed technology known as High Damping Rubber Bearing (HDRB).

The RM4.5bil project is the first to use the HDRB technology which is designed to withstand the effects of earthquakes.

“HDRB is an innovative tool to protect not only the structure but also the materials and contents inside the structure,” Abdullah said.

“This feature is useful for critical structures as it can stand the test of time.

“I an also proud that the HRDB is designed by a Malaysian and like all Penangites, I am eagerly awaiting the completion of the bridge.

“The bridge will definitely be breathtaking,” he said.



He was speaking after attending a briefing session on the bridge’s progress work at the China Harbour Engineering Co Ltd (CHEC) (M) Sdn Bhd office in Batu Maung yes-terday.

Present was Jambatan Kedua Sdn Bhd managing director Datuk Dr Ismail Mohamed Taib.

Abdullah also expressed satisfaction with the progress of the construction which comprised five packages. including the RM2.2bil substructure by China-based CHEC and the RM1.5bil superstructure by Malaysia’s own UEM Builders Bhd.

The three main contractors for overland connections are Cergas Murni Sdn Bhd (for the RM67mil Batu Maung link), IJM Corp Bhd (RM350mil Batu Kawan link) and HRA Teguh Sdn Bhd (RM152mil link to North-South Highway).

The bridge is set to be the longest in South-East Asia.

Hazehaze, please go away!

I'm pretty sure I'm not the only person that complains about haze in the state since Tuesday morning. I remembered when I woke up yesterday, it's was as if the skies are still pre-dawn and going to rain anytime soon. As the day goes, the haze became thicker and thicker.

Several areas in Penang experienced moderate haze conditions Tuesday with visibility restricted to within four to six kilometres.

Based on information from the Department of Environment's official website, the records taken until 11am showed that the Air Pollution Index (API) in Seberang Jaya here was 84.

The air quality in two other areas in Perai and Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) was also at moderate levels of 70 and 71 API, respectively.

The API was taken through a 24-hour reading recorded since yesterday and the cause of the haze was due to the prevailing dry weather over the past few days.

Hopefully we will have clear skies soon :)

Walk for Sight and Sound 2011

I think I don't have to write more about this event as the details are posted in the attached pictures. This event has not been an annual event and many people from all walks of life join to spread the awareness as well as try to raise fund for the blind people.

Do join if you have the time. Lucky draws awaits lucky participants :)

This piece of news are just announced. Not sure any complications hidden or not. If it's transparent, then I do agree that this is a good news for all first time house buyers :)

Middle class Malaysians who are aspiring to buy a home will soon be able to do so once a new Government-led initiative to build apartments costing less than RM300,000 in major cities is launched this year, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Chor Chee Heung said.

The affordable housing scheme, which is an addition to the My First Home Scheme for units costing between RM100,000 and RM220,000, will see stratified units priced between RM220,000 and RM300,000 being built for those with a household income of less than RM6,000 a month and who do not yet own a house.

“The Government will do whatever it can to ensure the lower income group will have a house and the medium income group will have a chance to buy a property of their own,” he said in an interview with The Star.

Chor said the plan was for units to be between 850 sq ft and 1,000 sq ft and each apartment would have a minimum of three rooms.

The ceiling price of RM300,000 will be for units built in Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Johor Baru and the price will be lower in other parts of the country.

Robert Bosch to set up solar panel manufacturing facility in Penang Batu Kawan

This is a great piece of news. It justified why the investors and leaders in the state are stressing on producing more capable engineers :)

Stuttgart-based technology company Robert Bosch GmbH is investing RM2.2bil in a solar panel manufacturing plant in Batu Kawan, Penang, to mainly serve Asia's growing demand for solar energy.

The new plant would provide employment opportunities for 2,000 people, which would be an increase of some 40% of Robert Bosch's current workforce in the country, said Robert Bosch solar energy division head and Bosch Solar Energy AG chairman, Holger von Hebel.

He said this at a briefing yesterday following the announcement of the company's results for the financial year ended Dec 31, 2010 (FY10).

The investment comes on the heels of a recent announcement to build another manufacturing facility in Venissieux, France, to serve the southern European markets.

Von Hebel said construction of the Batu Kawan plant, to be located on an 80-acre site, would begin before the end of this year, with production to start by the end of 2013.

He said the new plant would also support and deliver components to other plants in North America and Europe.

The venture, said to be one of the largest overseas investment ever made by Robert Bosch, would further cement the global strategy of the company's photovoltaics business and presence in Asia, where solar energy demand is expected to see an average annual growth of 30% in the coming years.

“The planned facility will cover the entire value-added chain, from silicon crystals known as ingots and solar cells to the modules which can be installed on roofs or in solar power plants,” von Hebel said.

He said the plant would have an annual capacity of 800 megawatts peak (MWp) for wafers and 620MWp peak for cells. This would be on top of producing solar power plants with a total output of 640MWp and module production lines of 150MWp.

According to von Hebel, the company expect sales from the solar energy division to exceed one billion euros this year.


“The decision to build a new site in Asia reflects general developments in the global market for photovoltaics. By 2020, total installed output in the region is expected to reach some 130 gigawatts peak,” he said.

He added that the company's main plant in Arnstadt, Germany, together with the Batu Kawan plant would complement each other and help secure the future of the photovoltaics business.

Colour-coding strategy for Penang

Penang island will be divided into three colour-coded zones with the red zone designated as dirty under a blueprint proposed by the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) to make the island a cleaner place.

The two other zones are the orange and green zones (moderate and clean zones respectively).

MPPP president Patahiyah Ismail said the blueprint on the strategies and enforcement that should be employed to the council would be tabled to the state government for its approval by the end of this month.

“We realise that we need to be more efficient in enforcing the rules to make Penang island cleaner and greener,” she said when met by reporters.

She explained that the island would be divided into colour-coded zones to differentiate the amount of focus the council should be giving in improving the cleanliness as well as to monitor the progress of each zone more effectively.

“As soon as we get the green light from the state government, the implementation of the blueprint will be done immediately,” Patahiyah said after officiating the ‘Cleaner, Greener Penang Gotong-Royong Perdana’ at Straits Quay.

Hmm, sounds like a good idea. I will support whatever move that can make the island a cleaner and better place to live!

Perodua unveils new MyVi unit, priced RM43,900 to RM57,400

Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua) unveiled - the new MyVi -- an upgraded version of the best seller on Thursday night, June 16 and prices range from RM43,900 to RM57,400.

After five consecutive years as the country's best selling car, the Perodua Myvi five-door hatchback has been replaced by a new model that promises better safety, fuel efficiency and a string of new enhancements.

The new model comes in three variants -- standard, premium and elegance – and will be on display at all 178 Perodua sales and selected service outlets nationwide.

Perodua managing director Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh said the new MyVi is more than mere aesthetic improvement to the design of the successful MyVi model which was launched in May 2005.

He said it was an improved variant in terms of both looks and functionality and it has received about 10,000 orders since booking opened on June 4.

The second national carmaker expects to sell about 8,500 units monthly. The price is from RM43,900 for the standard manual transmission and RM57,400 for the elegance automatic transmission on-the-road.

While still recognisably a Myvi, the new car has a more rounded front end and is 5mm lower to improve its aerodynamics.

Buyers can choose from three grades of Standard, Premium and Elegance, and transmission type of four-speed automatic or a five-speed manual.

While maintaining almost the same size as the outgoing model, the latest Myvi now includes electric power steering, projector headlamps and a two-tone dashboard.

In keeping with current automotive trends, the new Myvi includes upgraded safety features.

Where previously only the more expensive variants featured two front airbags, this item is now included across the range.

Also standard are Isofix mounting points for child seats and a three-point seatbelt for the rear centre passenger.

Premium and Elegance grades, however, get additional safety equipment such as anti-lock braking system with electronic brakeforce distribution and brake assist.

Audio system for the Standard grade Myvi is the radio/CD type with MP3/WMA but the Premium grade features additional USB and Bluetooth support. The Elegance gets a multimedia system that comes with satellite navigation.

The 1.3-litre engine is derived from the older Myvi model but has been retuned to get an extra 4bhp for a total of 90bhp promising improved performance.

The new models come in with a new colour ; mystical purple which is available for all variants. Other colors include ebony black, medallion gray, glittering silver, pearl white and ivory white.

I think we will be seeing more and more MyVi on the road....they will dominate the local car market for at least another few years...

ASTRO price adjustment invalid !!!

Astro must seek the approval of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) before raising the price of its paid television channel services, said the Minister of Information Communication and Culture Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim.

The payment for basic services charged by Astro to its subscribers will not be changed. For whatever addition, Astro must discuss first with the MCMC before deciding to increase its service charges," he said on Wednesday night, June 15.

Rais said the ministry would discuss with Astro on the issue and the notice issued by Astro to its subscribers was considered invalid as it did not get permission from MCMC beforehand.

Astro recently announced that it would carry out a price adjustment on the packages offered effective July 11 with the subscription based on the subscribers' package selection.

Some subscribers may be charged an increase of between RM1 and RM15 per month, while some would enjoy a reduction of between RM4 and RM14.95 per month.

OK, now the minister said it's invalid....so meaning price stay the same as of now?

10 cent drop in price of RON 97 effective 16th June 2011

The price of RON97 petrol will be reduced by 10 sen effective midnight yesterday, to RM2.80 per litre.

The chairman of the Petrol Dealers Association of Malaysia (PDAM), Datuk Hashim Othman, said the drop in the price of the fuel was in line with the current world market price.

"It's good that the price drops, it can ease the burden of RON97 petrol consumers, although only 10 sen, at least there is a reduction," he told Bernama, here tonight.

Since ealy this year, the price of RON97 petrol had been increased on four occasions to reach the current price of RM2.90 per litre.

However, the price of RON95 petrol remains at RM1.90 per litre. -- BERNAMA

Can we have lower price for RON 95 as well? It's so expensive nowadays especially when there's continuous traffic jam...

The 10 banned websites by Malaysian government

This might be a few days old news, but just in case you are not aware of it, then this might be useful.

In a bid to combat piracy, the Government has declared war on filesharing websites with 10 such websites now blocked by the telecommunications industry watchdog.

The websites were among the most visited sites by Malaysians to illegally download movies.

The image is from last week's Star. So if you are a regular visitor of any of the listed 10 websites and are not able to go to the site anymore, then just be reminded it's being blocked already.

If any of you out there that has a way to bypass the blocking, please private message me! I doubt it can be done :)

10 tips to manage your credit card debt

Here's something I read from the Star yesterday that I found to be quite useful to control our credit card spending. At least I myself practised some of the ways ...


The following are 10 simple, less-dramatic ways to manage your credit card debt:

1. Credit card freeze (not literally)

2. Waive the annual service charge

3. Minimise credit card usage or use it as a last resort

4. Pay bills on time and in full

5. Take advantage of offers

6. Don’t let your points expire

7. Reduce the number of supplementaries

8. Reduce the number of cards held

9. Use a debit card or cash (don’t use credit financing)

10. Don’t spend – if you don’t need to

Hopefully readers out there find this steps useful as much as I do! Spend wisely and manage our wealth wisely !

Taxman expects to collect RM9 bln in taxes through banks...WHEN???

The Inland Revenue Board (IRB) expects to see RM9 billion in tax collections made through its agent banks this year, which would be a 10 per cent rise from the RM8.18 billion collected through banks last year.

"To date the collecting agent banks for the IRB are CIMB Bank, Public Bank, Maybank, Bank Islam, Hong Leong Bank and RHB Bank," said IRB deputy director general Mohd Sait Ahmad at a media briefing on e-payment services.

Sait said online payments were safer than cheque payments sent through ordinary mail.

Last year, it received 224,618 cheques which were sent via ordinary mail compared with 577,046 cheques through registered post, he said.

Cheques sent through mails run the risk of getting lost during delivery, he said, adding that while reports of lost payment in the banking system was less than five percent and mostly due to the carelessness of the individuals themselves. - Bernama

I want my refund back !!! It's been 2 years and all that I got from IRB after I submitted my E-Filling was letters saying they need time to check, WTH!