Penang budget rises nearly 50%

The Penang government has proposed an almost 50% rise in the state budget to RM713.79 million for 2010 from RM477.24 million for this year.


Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who presented the Supply Bill, said operating expenditure would climb by 22% or RM72.8 million to RM404.02 million from RM331.2 million while development expenditure would increase by 104.13% or RM193.73 million to RM379.77 million from RM186.04 million.


Lim, however, expressed confidence there would be a surplus for 2009 and 2010 as achieved by the state government in 2008 of RM87.99 million.


More money needed! Somehow I read from another report saying that the state government managed to save a BIG sum of amount to various cost saving projects...Good job! Keep up the marvelous efforts...

My 1st Badminton session in 3 weeks !!!

Hmm, when was the last time i stopped playing badminton for such a long period of time? I can hardly remember. The only lucky guess that I can come up with is back in 2005 when first came back to Penang after my studies. Before that, I only get to play once a while when we can find enough members.

So for the first time since 2005, I did actually stop badminton for almost 3 weeks!!! I myself cannot imagine that I went through it. I stopped badminton for the whole month of Nov for Wed session due to the training that I needed so badly for my PBIM09 run. For my Sat's session, 2 weeks ago I skipped for the Tanjung 10km Run and again last weeks for the Penang Bridge International Marathon 2009. So last Sat was the first session in 3 long weeks for me.

The result? I feel GREAT getting to play with my Sat members and catching up with them again. It wasn't a really tiring session even though I had my regular hiking on the very same morning; probably because we have extra 2 guests as well as the full rest I had for the whole week after the PBIM09 run. Just wanna say, I'm glad that I can continue back my favourite game :)

ps: I'm not a very good badminton guy, I just like to play the sport :P

Completion of Octagon Pavilion of Kek Lok Si's Kuan Yin

THE Goddess of Mercy (Kuan Yin) statue at the Kek Lok Si Temple in Air Itam is now lighted up following the installation of spotlights by workers rushing to complete the 20-storey pavilion.

Spotlights have been put up in some areas as work is being done round-the-clock to complete the top of the octagonal pavilion where nine pagodas will be installed.

If you are living in the Ayer Itam area like I do, you can see now that the banners are everywhere to inform the public that the grand opening of the pavilion will be on the 6th Dec 2009.

Temple trustee Datuk Steven Ooi said he was confident that construction works would be completed ahead of the pavilion’s grand opening ceremony on Dec 6.He said workers occasionally test out the decorative lights in the pavilion, which may be listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the tallest in the world.

The three-tiered 60.9m roof pavilion, which is supported by 16 granite pillars, serves as a canopy to shelter the 30.2m-tall bronze statue of Kuan Yin.

The cost of the pavilion is RM40 million while the bronze Kuan Yin statue, which was completed and unveiled in 2002, costs RM30 million.

The grand opening of the pavilion will also mark the 118th anniversary of the Penang Kek Lok Si Temple, which is expected to be attended by more than 10,000 people.

This is really coming to age. From my house, I can see how from the very 1st day the statue of Kuan Yin being built, assembled, painted and now the pavilion being built day by day. Every night when I go to sleep, I saw lights of workers doing ironing and metal works and again in the early morning of 6+am when I woke up for work. I was thinking....are they humans or robots? As time goes by, I came to understand that they need to rush for the grand openings coming soon, and YES, they are human after all since they have been working on shifts....thankfully!

Let's hope this will further boost up our state's tourism, but please do take care of the cleanliness as well as the well being of residents living nearby like me :)

Pesta Pulau Pinang : 21st Nov - 31st Dec 2009

Saturday, 21 November 2009 to Thursday, 31 December 2009
Venue: Tapak Pesta, Sungai Nibong
Organizer: Penang State Government
Tel: 04-2623505
Operation hours: 6pm to 11.30pm

A month-long fun fair with rides, games and a trade exhibition to cater for the whole family. The event actually started last Saturday, but you can always pick the date to go based on your preferred show on respective date :)

Schedule for Pesta Pulau Pinang:
21st Nov 2009 - Concert Dangdut - Band Chadni
22nd Nov 2009 - Artist: Deb Gab C
23rd Nov 2009 - Hip Hop Night / Abaracadabra
24th Nov 2009 -Band MPSBS
25th Nov 2009 - Concert Malam 60-an SP Group
26th Nov 2009 - Nasyid: Kumpulan Saujana
27th Nov 2009 - Local Artist: Fire Bird
28th Nov 2009 - Presenting Artists: Dkna, Rini, Aiza, Aril AF / Band Pengiring
29th Nov 2009 - Malam Perasmian Pesta Pulau Pinang 2009
30th Nov 2009 - Cultural Performance - Kebudayaan SUMUT Pemeintah Kabupaten Serdang Bedagai
1st Dec 2009 - Shanghai International Troupe & Cultural Performance by Kebudayaan SUMUT
2nd Dec 2009 - Bintang Pesta (Saringan)
3rd Dec 2009 - Concert Tom Tom Bak (First Step & The Young)
4th Dec 2009 - Chinese Singing Contest (Final)
5th Dec 2009 - Bintang Kecil RTM Pesta 2009 (Saringan)
6th Dec 2009 - Bintang Kecil RTM Pesta 2009 (Final)
7th Dec 2009 - Local Artists
8th Dec 2009 - Traditional Boria performance
9th Dec 2009 - Traditional Boria performance
10th Dec 2009 - Traditional Boria performance
11th Dec 2009 - Bintang Pesta (Saringan)
12th Dec 2009 - Artist: Kumpulan Spider
13th Dec 2009 - Artist: Helmi The Gimik / Band Pengiing
14th Dec 2009 - Traditinal Singing and modern pertandingn Kugiran Maksak Pulau Pinang
15th Dec 2009 - Traditinal Singing and modern pertandingn Kugiran Maksak Pulau Pinang
16th Dec 2009 - Cultural Keudayaan Pemerintah Kabupaten Labuhan Batu, Sumatera Utara
17th Dec 2009 - Nasyid: Kumpulan Hijjaz & Persembahan Kebudayaan Pemerintah Kabupaten Labuhan Batu, Sumatera Utara
18th Dec 2009 - P Ramlee Broadway
19th Dec 2009 - Festival Combat Sports
20th Dec 2009 - Local Artists
21st Dec 2009 - Festival Silat
22nd Dec 2009 - Bintang Pesta 2009 (Semi Final)
23rd Dec 2009 - Bintang Pesta 2009 (Final)
24th Dec 2009 - Presenting Artist: Nabil
25th Dec 2009 - Preseting Artists: Wings
26th Dec 2009 - Presenting Artists: Hujan / Band Pengiring
27th Dec 2009 - Presenting Artists: Farahwahida, Zehra, Kat Mentor, Pija Mentor / Band Pengiring
28th Dec 2009 - Presenting Artists: Mila
29th Dec 2009 - Presenting Artists: Kristal & Butterfly
30th Dec 2009 - Presenting Artists: Ani, Shikin, Haiza, Mama/Rini / 2 Irama
31st Dec 2009 - Presenting ARtist: Bunkface & XPDC

Charity Walk with TYT : 29th Nov 2009

Charity Walk With TYT
Date: 29 November 2009 (Sunday)

Time: 7:15am

Venue: Botanical Garden

Distance: 1km

Telephone: 012-4882419

From some blogs and report, you'll get a chance to win some lucky draws in the form of air flights - 5 tickets to Medan, Phuket, Langkawi, Subang and Acheh complimentary from Firefly.

If you are too free and want a slow morning walk, why not? :)

5th Penang International 12 Hours Walk : 9th - 10th Jan 2010

Date: 9 January 2010 ~ 8pm 10 January 2010 ~ 8am

Venue: Esplanade, Georgetown, Penang

Distance: How far you do within 12hour.

Category: 6 category - 3 for men and 3 for women.

I joined this event back in 2006. It was rm40 per entry that time, but these year it's only rm20. Somehow this so called International event is a bit let down due to lack of sponsorship and not so well-organized back then. Hopefully this time around can be a good and nice event :)

Penang Beach Carnival 2009 : Penang Beach Run @ 28 Nov 2009

Date: 28 Nov 2009

Time: 7:30am

Venue: Golden Sands, Batu Ferringhi

Distance: 10km

Website: www.msnpp.com.my

This run is part of the Beach Carnival 2009 in Penang. But be careful though, running on the sands can easily injured your leg if you don't land your foot properly. Good luck and enjoy the fun!