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More buses to cover more routes

By NIK KHUSAIRI IBRAHIM

ALTHOUGH Rapid Penang operations will not be profitable, the Finance Ministry will continue to provide more buses to serve as many routes.

Finance Ministry parliamentary secretary Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya said the 150 buses allocated under the first and second phases were enough to provide extensive coverage, especially on the mainland.

“We will also look into providing more buses to cover as many routes as possible.

“The government will ensure Rapid Penang provides efficient services for the benefit of the people.

“It will continue servicing the non-profitable routes as the ultimate aim is to provide greater accessibility for the people,” he said.

Dr Hilmi, who is also Balik Pulau MP, said this after distributing flyers on Rapid Penang schedules and routes in Pekan Kongsi in Balik Pulau yesterday.

Info time: Muhammad Farid briefing Fang Sit Mooi on Rapid Penang bus routes in the presence of Dr Hilmi.

Also present was Pulau Betong assemblyman Muhammad Farid Saad.

Dr Hilmi and his team walked for about two kilometres from Pekan Kongsi to the new bus station in Jalan Tun Sardon to distribute the flyers.

Later, they hopped onto a Rapid Penang coach plying the Balik Pulau town.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will launch the Rapid Penang bus services tomorrow.

Dr Hilmi said even RapidKL was not making profit.

“But train services are benefiting from RapidKL services.

“We will look into ways of cross-subsidising Rapid Penang services through such integrated public transportation services,” he said.

Noting that routes plied by Rapid Penang were not complete, Dr Hilmi said more areas would be covered after the second phase of implementation in December.

“Our aim is to ensure the outskirts are also well-connected,” he said, adding that request for more routes would be studied on case-by-case basis.

Muhammad Farid said he would request Rapid Penang to service the Balik Pulau-Paya Terubong route.

Rapid Penang would be plying from Balik Pulau to George Town through Bayan Baru. It will also be plying Balik Pulau-Teluk Bahang and Balik Pulau Pantai Aceh routes.

SOURCE: The Star Online (North)

A drying trade

By DAPHNE LING

A fisherman and his wife give a little insight into their livelihood of catching shrimp and turning them into heh bee – a difficult and laborious task – that is likely to die out with them.

HEH sek liao (The prawns are cooked)”, booms the baritone voice of 58-year-old fisherman Lim Chang Hoah, as his wife Yeoh King Yong fishes the prawns out with a net from the boiler.

It is about an hour past noon, and the sun is shining brightly overhead in Kampung Sungai Pinang, Balik Pulau, Penang. In a corner, the couple’s dog is gently snoozing. Out of the corner of my eye, I see a sleek black cat trotting off with a tiny fish in its mouth, its tail in the air.

“No problem,” Lim says laughing, gesturing towards the cat. There are many cats in the area, all well-fed, and the kind-hearted Lims have no qualms about sharing that day’s catch with the kampung cats, none of which “belongs” to them.

Kampung Sungai Pinang in Balik Pulau, Penang, is home to fishing families who make heh bee, dried shrimp used in Malay, Chinese and Nyonya cooking.

Lim and I are sitting on small, wooden stools in the cool shade of his zinc-roof workplace. Behind us, his old sampan, now fitted with a motor, bobs in the waters.

The weather-beaten face of this man is very wrinkled, and as he speaks about the work that he has been doing since he was a mere 16-year-old, I can almost feel myself sitting in the sampan out at sea with him.

As if reading my thoughts, he wags his finger at me “Beh sai qi. Jin hong hiam (You cannot go. It’s very dangerous)”.

The eldest boy and second in a family of five, Lim is the only member of the family to follow in the footsteps of his father, and his grandfather before that. From the time of his grandfather, the Lims have been specialising in catching shrimp to be made into heh bee (dried shrimp).

He proceeds to show me the nets which he uses to catch the shrimp, colloquially known as the pompang. The pompang is a popular shrimp (and sometimes, fish) catching net used in the waters of Malaysia. Unlike trawl nets, the pompang is mostly used at river mouths, or waters nearer to shore. The catch is smaller compared with more commercialised methods of fishing.

Shrimp fisherman 58-year-old Lim Chang Hoah and wife Yeoh King Yong who are among the few people left who make heh bee on Balik Pulau, Penang.

The pompang that Lim uses has mesh of different sizes: the smallest being 0.5 inches (1.25cm), found at the end of the net; the largest, six inches (15cm), which is found at the head of the net.

“ Wa si liak sae boi heh. Heh bee bo tua chiak si ma? (I catch shrimp. Dried prawns are not big, right?),” he says, laughing, upon seeing the incredulous look on my face at the size of the mesh.

A typical day for Lim starts at around 6.30am. The time when he actually leaves for the sea depends on the tide and wind, but generally, each day is later than the previous by a half hour or so. He usually goes out to sea daily (with another worker) for 10 days in a row, and takes a break for about a week. This cycle is repeated throughout the year. This is because shrimp fishing is highly dependent on the tides.

He usually goes out to collect the day’s catch at about 1.30 pm.

“Wa eh chaboh lang tan tiao khiuk heh (My wife waits at home to collect the shrimp from the net),” says Lim, gesturing fondly to Yeoh.

The shrimps are then washed, and boiled for about 20 minutes. The cooked shrimp are then scattered on the cleaned pavement to be dried. This takes up to 6-8 hours on an average day, and bad weather spells disaster for this fishing family as the prawns will become bad from the moisture.

“Eighty per cent, Lim says when I asked how dry the prawns must be to be taken in.

Lim’s RM4,000 shell-separator machine he bought 10 years ago has saved him from the laborious task of deshelling prawns by hand.

After the shrimp are dried satisfactorily, they are then put into a shell-separator machine. The RM4,000 machine, bought 10 years ago, has proven to be a worthwhile investment.

“ Ku si, wa ka-ki pak (I used to do the work)”, says Lim, bringing out a pink bag from inside the cupboard. Before the machine, Lim had to manually de-shell the shrimp by hammering the shrimp-filled bag on the floor an average of 80 times.

Lim grade the dried prawns according to size by sieving them four times.

If you think that would take eternity, guess again, for Lim quipped: “80 second nia! (Only 80 seconds!)”.

The de-shelled shrimp are then put through four different sieves of various mesh sizes. The result is four different grades of shrimp, according to size. The dried shrimp are supplied to wholesalers in the nearby vicinity.

As I finger the worn-out sieves, I see the same black cat back for his second fish, this one slightly bigger than the first. I reach out to stroke the sleek fur, and receive a swipe of the claws in return; evidently, kitty thinks I am out to steal his share of the tiny fish.

The Lims roar with laughter: “Mai ka ee sio chiou (Don’t fight with the cat).”

By now, the sun is in a very homicidal mood. We retreat to the back of the house where the Sungai Pinang runs, and our conversation continues. The Lims, it turns out, have five grown up children. None of their two sons and three daughters, however, will be continuing in their father’s footsteps.

In all honesty, I expect Lim to be sad that his children will not be following in his footsteps. After all, his first love has always been the sea. But he says he has no regrets over that; he has not passed on his skills because the work is difficult, dangerous and sometimes unprofitable.

One event that stands out in the Lims’ mind is the 2004 tsunami. Their livelihood was affected by the change in tides and it brought home the dangers associated with the water, and the general fear the public has with the sea-faring trade.

“ Jin khang kor (Very difficult),” says the husband, “jin hong hiam (very dangerous)”, says the wife.

He treasures his love affair with the sea, but accepts that times have changed and his children need to move to greener pastures for the sake of themselves and their future families.

Yeoh scattering cooked prawns out to dry to remove 80% of the moisture.

For that, he and his wife insisted their children all had a solid education as “ Bo thak cheak, beh tahn chiak tong keem (without an education, you cannot survive nowadays)”.

As Yeoh says: “ Wa lang sayang chi lei khang-khui, tapi knia thiuk-thiuk ka sayang (We love what we do, but we love our children more)”.

As I bade the warm and friendly couple goodbye, Yeoh calls to my retreating back: “ Ae ki soon kia, thak cheak (Remember to study, little grandchild)”.

For the Lims, who must believe they have read the signs, the future is not out at sea anymore.

Family of fisherfolk

AT Kampung Sungai Pinang, there is a small community of fishing families (Yeoh King Yong, wife of a fisherman, estimates the number to be 15) specialising in catching shrimp to be made into heh bee, the much sought after dried shrimp that is used in Malay, Chinese and Nyonya cooking.

Most of these fishermen were out to sea during my visit, and their wives were patiently waiting for their return to help in the harvesting of the tiny shrimps.

It was a heartening sight to see the wives welcoming their husbands safely home from the sea, and how the couple would then work hand-in-hand to harvest and process the catch of the day.

In KSP, the cry “Wa tnui lai liao (I’m home!)” is a celebration of a safe journey, a victory cry against the elements, and an acknowledgement of a day’s hard work.

But their days are numbered as many families have not passed on the skills to their offspring. Many young adults have opted to leave the village and work in fields a lot less dangerous than the open sea. One cannot help but wonder if the supply of our beloved heh bee may one day dry up. That's something no one really has the answer.

I guess, however, that if things continue the way they are, the heh bee industry will become a trade of the past. Only time will tell.

SOURCE: The Star Online (Lifestyle)

PM Wants Women Entrepreneurs To Show Commitment In Business

BALIK PULAU -- Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi wants women entrepreneurs in the country to show commitment in their business undertakings and avoid the tendency to give up halfway, as exemplified by the Malay adage "hangat-hangat tahi ayam".

The prime minister said showing strong commitment in the beginning before losing steam later on would not help them achieve success.

"They should work hard and be patient if they want to be successful and able to penetrate the international market," he said when launching a carnival for women entrepreneurs organised by the Penang Wanita Umno here today.

Abdullah noted that the success of many women after having to go through the ups and downs of the business world could be attributed to their perseverance.

This, he said, was reflected in the large number of women who were able to repay loans obtained from the Entrepreneurial Group Economic Fund (Tekun) compared to men.

Abdullah said he was proud of Penang Wanita Umno's success in organising the carnival and its strategies to market items produced by the women folk to reach a wider market.

The prime minister described efforts to bring women entrepreneurs to greater heights as timely given that the country would be celebrating its 50th independence anniversary.

He was glad that women in the country were taking steps to empower themselves and becoming successful professionals and businesswomen.

"The move to market products made by the villagers could also benefit single mothers to enable them to support their families," he added.

-- BERNAMA


PM Launches Brandname For Products Of Penang Women Entrepreneurs

BALIK PULAU -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today launched 25 products of Penang women entrepreneurs under the "Cinoni" brand which are targeted at both the domestic and international markets.

The launch took place at the Penang Women Entrepreneurs Carnival organised by the state Wanita Umno at the Balik Pulau Sports Complex here.

Among the products under the brand are spices for cooking nasi kandar, herbal oil, aromatherapy soap, Tambun biscuits, Mami Tanjung pickle, local fruit juices and preserved tropical flowers.

According to organising chairperson Datuk Jahara Hamid, Jeramayang Sdn Bhd has been set up to market the Cinoni products, initially at the Mydin and Sunshine supermarket chains throughout the country.

Later more products will be marketed under the Cinoni brand, she added.

Besides off the shelf sales, the products are also suitable to make up hampers and as corporate gifts that symbolise Penang, Jahara said.

Wanita Umno, according to her, will extend the Cinoni brand to products made by women in 13 parliamentary constituencies in Penang.

It will also cooperate with other Barisan Nasional component parties in including under the Cinoni brand the products of their women entrepreneurs.

"Although the word cinoni isn't in the dictionary, for us in Penang it portrays something cute and beautiful," she added.

-- BERNAMA

Last-minute rush to put up Rapid Penang hub

Brand new: The newly-built bus terminal at Jalan Tun Sardon near Balik Pulau town.

Read the full news article at The Star Online (North).

More photos showcasing the new market complex and nearby facilities were posted on 15 JUNE 2007 and here's the slideshow of more photos:-

PM Expected To Launch Penang Women Entrepreneurs' Product Brand

PENANG, July 23 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is expected to launch the brand name of products produced by Penang women entrepreneurs this Saturday.

State Youth and Sports, Women, Family and Community Development Committee chairman, Datuk Jahara Hamid said 15 products would use the label.

The launching would be held at the Penang Rural Women Entrepreneurs' Carnival to be held at the Balik Pulau Sports Complex.

"The launching by the Prime Minister is important because it could draw more women to become entrepreneurs," she told reporters here today.

The one-day carnival, themed "Success and Hope, Women the Catalyst of People's Economy", is organised by the State Women's Movement and Penang Barisan Nasional in conjunction with the country's 50th independence celebration.

Jahara said all products produced by rural women in Penang would be labelled under one name to ensure quality and authenticity.

Abdullah is also expected to witness the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Penang Wanita Umno and Mydin Wholesale which will be the main distributor of the products.

The items include food and handicraft which will be displayed at some of the 100 stalls at the carnival.

-- BERNAMA

PM to launch ‘Made in Penang’ brand name

THE brand name of a range of ‘Made in Penang’ products will be launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi at the Rural Women Entrepreneur Carnival in Balik Pulau, Penang on Saturday.

“The range comprising between 10 and 15 products is made up of Penang’s best cottage industry products. They include nasi kandar spices, nutmeg juice and souvenirs,” said the carnival organising chairman Datuk Jahara Hamid.

Many cottage industry operators did not know how to market and package their products effectively, she told a press conference in Komtar yesterday.

“Heeding the Prime Minister’s call to make our items more value-added, we came up with this effort,” she said, adding the brand name would be revealed during the launch.

Jahara who is also Penang Youth, Sports, Women Develop-ment and Community Committee chairman, said the state would sign a memorandum of understanding with the operator of Mydin outlets to distribute the products.

About 15,000 visitors are expected to throng the carnival, which is being organised in conjunction with the 50th Merdeka celebration.

Abdullah will also present special awards to four female entrepreneurs from the state during the event at the Balik Pulau Sports Complex.

The carnival will showcase 100 booths, mostly selling local products. There will also be a host of activities, including family karaoke competition, jigsaw puzzle contest, floral arrangement contest and family counselling service.

The event will be held from 7.30am to 4pm. Admission is free.

Permandangan Indah Balik Pulau

Permandangan Indah Balik Pulau
Originally uploaded by fizi_isma

Wah! We didn't know there's a huge settlement of people at the back of the island.... ;) [you should have seen the lights of the new Balik Pulau on evenings/nights -- it's like Los Angeles, hehe...]

Fizi Izma photo blogged some of the sceneries of Balik Pulau at a flickr album documenting family trip to Anjung Indah (peak of Bukit Penara/Hutan Simpan Bukit Relau and nearby attractions...

Organic way of staying healthy

By HELEN ONG

FARMER Lui Teik Hock, 42, is so passionate about eradicating pesticides and chemical fertilizers from his diet that he started his own organic farm.

The 1.8ha Comfort Organic Farm at Jalan Hen Lean Fong, Sungai Pinang, Balik Pulau, produces nearly 30 varieties of organic fruits and vegetables for shops on the island and mainland like Bukit Mertajam, Kulim and Sungai Petani.

Prices are fixed to help offset overheads.

Read the whole article at The Star Online (North)

Curious for look at accused

BALIK PULAU: More than 150 people gathered at the magistrate’s court here yesterday morning to catch a glimpse of Jess Teh and her boyfriend Ong Chee Leong.

There were a couple of false alarms.

At 9.45am, a court policeman shouted “Tanjung, Tanjung” (indicating that the case would be heard in town) and some left the premises to go to the George Town court. Most, however, stayed back and the crowd grew bigger.

At 10.40am, someone shouted “lai liao” (in Hokkien, “they are here”) when they saw a police van but it did not head towards the court.

Five minutes later, a heavily tinted van drove into the court premises and part of the crowd surged after it.

A plainclothes policeman stuck his hand out of the window to gesture that it was

an unrelated case and the crowd laughed at its misplaced excitement when three drug detainees were escorted from the van.

Two housewives from Bukit Kecil, Sungai Pinang, said they woke up early and quickly finished their housework so that they could come and see what the couple looked like and how they behaved.

“We took a sapu van to get here as we don’t know how to drive,” said Wong Ah Lan, 60.

“We are busybodies,” said her neighbour who only gave her name as Yin, 47.

They met a friend, Kok Yin Lan, 56, from Pulau Betong who went there with three other women from her area.

”This is my second time here. I came today because I heard that Ying Ying’s grandparents would be present and I wanted to see what they looked like in person,” she said.

In George Town, Ooi Eng Chew sat alone in a corner outside a magistrate's courtroom, the pain of having lost his little daughter etched on his face.

Ooi, 29, seemed to be in a daze and sat silently with his arms crossed, and only answered watching brief counsel Jagdeep Singh Deo when the latter asked him some questions.

After Teh and her boyfriend Ong, both 28, were brought into the Northam Tower court at 2.41pm, Ooi entered the courtroom and took a seat in the front row of the public gallery.

Throughout the proceedings, he stared blankly ahead and at one point even locked eyes with Ong who had turned back to look at the public gallery.

Jagdeep Singh said Ooi had instructed him to write to the Deputy Public Prosecutor’s office for the return of Ying Ying’s remains so that he could give his daughter a proper funeral.

Related Stories:
Mum, boyfriend charged over child's death

SOURCE: The Star Online (Nation)

Related/earlier articles:-

• Remand order extended for Jess Teh and boyfriend
• Jess Teh and Ong Chee Leong’s remand order extended
• DPP’s office to decide tomorrow (20jul07)
• Ying Ying murder case: Mother, boyfriend charged

Putting Penang on world map again

By NOOR HAYATI

WOOD artist Katsumi Mukai has once again made it possible for Penang to be featured on Japan’s number one television station – Fuji TV Channel 8.

Two years ago, his participation among 50 Asian artists in Penang Sculpture Trail Project made it to the station’s prime time news broadcast on New Year’s Eve, said Kuala Lumpur-based Fuji TV correspondent Shura Natalia Mohd Tajudin.

The three-minute news clip then showed the progress of Mukai’s two-month work on a giant wood sculpture called “The winds of Penang” and a map of Penang to enlighten viewers on the whereabouts of this unique project.

Shura shared a copy of the news clip with Mukai and The Star recently when she was in Penang covering Mukai’s second project called “Brilliant Forest” for Fuji TV.

My forest:Huge and small sculptures - they dominate artist Katsumi Mukai's Brilliant Forest project in Penang.

Slow and steady:Mukai teaching Shura the way to make an egg sculpture stand.

Mukai spent four months at a newly set-up artist retreat at the mid-hill of Bukit Penara in Balik Pulau for the second project.

He was in the first batch of four artists privileged to be in the ABN AMRO – Malihom Artist-in-Resident (AiR) Programme under Wawasan Open University, Penang.

At the retreat, in the middle of a fruit farm and surrounded by the abundant greenery, hills and valleys of the island’s south-west, Mukai created 23 huge wood sculptures and some 40 smaller pieces.

The farm workers helped him in his project, he said, adding that he now considered himself a Penangite after having stayed on the island on four occasions since 2005.

Mukai welcomes public participation in his art work.

“People will appreciate it better when they not only get to see the sculpture but also shape, chisel and hammer pieces out of it.

“My dream now is to sculpt 100 of the big pieces and install them like a forest playground where children can run, climb, hide, play and have fun among them,” he said,

Mukai left Penang recently. He has projects lined up in Armenia in September.

In November, he will be back in Fukushima, Japan, for a collaborative work with a German stone artist.

The Bukit Penara retreat is hos- ting a second batch of resident artists until Dec 31.

They include Indonesian sculptor/painter Teguh Ostenric and Chan Kok Hooi, a painter from Kuala Lumpur. Details are available at www.malihom-air.org

SOURCE: The Star Online (North)

PM tells Muslims: Preserve brotherhood

(Ed: Yesterday's after-khutbah speech by Pak Lah at the Masjid)

Penang: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi wants Muslims in the country to preserve the Islamic brotherhood that has prevailed all along to ensure continued harmony.

He said they should avoid conflicts and work together to bring the community and nation to greater heights.

The matter should be pursued vigorously as any disunity among them would only hamper their progress, he said.

"My grandfather (Abdullah Fahim)'s advice to the Malays was that they are Muslims who belonged to the Shafie sect.

"Now we follow the Ahli Sunnah Wal Jamaah teachings and in reality there is not much difference between the two because the religion is the same and so too the practices," he said when speaking to some 3,000 people who performed their Friday prayers at the Al-Mukhtar Mosque in Balik Pulau, here.

He told the congregation of how foreign leaders were in awe of Malaysia for being able to preserve peace and harmony among its multi-racial population.

"Former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in giving a talk in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday night, said in his country there were frequent inter-religious conflicts and accusations that Islam is a violent and extreme religion," he said.

Abdullah said this was not the case in Malaysia because of the understanding that existed among the various races.

The Prime Minister said through the Islam Hadhari (civilisational Islam) concept which emphasises moderation, Malaysia managed to accomplish great progress in various endeavours for the benefit of the people.

"Although Kofi Annan's country (Ghana) achieved independence much earlier than us, we are two or three times more advanced than that country because of the understanding we (Malaysians of all races) had," he said.

Abdullah also said the independence the nation had been enjoying for 50 years should be valued and that each citizen must do his or her part to preserve harmony and contribute to the growth of the nation.- Bernama

Muafakat ummah elak kehancuran negara: PM

Oleh Fazli Abdullah Faiza Zainudin

BALIK PULAU: Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi mengingatkan umat Islam sentiasa memelihara persaudaraan dengan mengukuhkan permuafakatan bagi mengelakkan perselisihan yang boleh menghancurkan negara.

Perdana Menteri berkata, permuafakatan dan kerjasama amat penting kerana semua umat Islam adalah bersaudara dan berpegang kuat kepada ajaran agama, walaupun berlainan fahaman.

“Tanpa kerjasama dan muafakat, kita tidak akan maju dan berkembang. Jadi kita kena muafakat kerana masing-masing tidak boleh hidup seorang diri.

“Dalam Islam, perpaduan amat penting kerana seluruh umatnya dianggap bersaudara,” katanya dalam ucapan ringkas selepas menunaikan solat Jumaat di Masjid Al-Mukhtar di sini, semalam.

Selepas majlis itu, Perdana Menteri bersama pemimpin Umno negeri termasuk Timbalan Pengerusi Badan Perhubungan Umno Pulau Pinang, Datuk Seri Abdul Rashid Abdullah menyertai kira-kira 1,000 orang pada majlis jamuan rakyat di pekarangan masjid.

Turut hadir Setiausaha Parlimen Kementerian Kewangan, Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya yang juga Ketua Umno Bahagian Balik Pulau.

Terdahulu, Abdullah yang juga Pengerusi Badan Perhubungan Umno Pulau Pinang mempengerusikan mesyuarat Umno negeri, di Kompleks Sukan, di sini.

Perdana Menteri berkata, Allahyarham datuknya, Abdullah Fahim pernah berpesan bahawa Melayu itu agamanya Islam dan mengikut Mazhab Imam Shafie.

“Ketika ini, kita mengikut Ahli Sunnah Wal Jamaah dan sebenarnya kedua-duanya tiada beza kerana agama dan amalannya sama. Oleh itu, kita mesti berpegang kuat kepada agama.

“Seseorang itu tiada perbezaan, baik agama dan amalannya, semuanya sama, yang kita usahakan selama ini adalah untuk mengukuhkan perpaduan antara kita,” katanya.

Abdullah turut memberi contoh negara lain seperti Ghana yang berlaku pergaduhan antara agama sehingga masyarakat dunia menganggap Islam sebagai agama yang ganas dan melampau.

Katanya, walaupun negara itu merdeka lima bulan lebih awal daripada Malaysia, negara ini lebih maju tiga empat kali ganda daripada negara berkenaan.

“Bekas Setiausaha Agung Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB), Kofi Annan, dalam ucapannya di Kuala Lumpur malam tadi (kelmarin) berkata, di negaranya (Ghana) sering berlaku pergaduhan antara agama,” katanya.

Perdana Menteri berkata, kerajaan memperkenalkan Islam Hadhari yang semua aspek berteraskan kepada kesederhanaan, termasuk prinsip pembangunan ummah yang menanamkan aspek kecintaan keamanan dan kedamaian.

“Kita tidak mahu pergaduhan, kita mahu menuju zaman kecemerlangan dan menerusi pendekatan ini, kita dapat bangunkan negara dengan aman,” katanya.

Another related article on The Star Online: "Preserve spirit of brotherhood"

Abdullah Chairs Penang UMNO Liaison Meeting

PENANG (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi chaired the Penang Umno liaison meeting at the Balik Pulau Sports Complex here Friday.

The prime minister was received by deputy state Umno liaison chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Rashid Abdullah, secretary Datuk Azhar Ibrahim and Balik Pulau Umno division head Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya upon arrival at the complex at 9.45am.

This is the first time that the meeting is held in Balik Pulau.

Abdullah is scheduled to perform Friday prayers at the southwest district mosque here at noon and have lunch with the people in the mosque compound before returning to the federal capital in the late afternoon.

-- BERNAMA

Technician claims assault by police

AN air-conditioning technician has alleged that he was wrongly arrested and beaten up by a group of about 10 policemen at the Balik Pulau police station in Penang.

Fam Li Hor, 21, said he was at home in Pulau Betong, sleeping at about 11.30pm last Thursday when a group of 12 men called at his house.

“They identified themselves as policemen from Nibong Tebal,” he said.

Li Hor said his brother Raymond Fam Li Seong, 27, opened the door for them. “They woke me up and I was roughly grabbed by the nape and my hands were handcuffed to the back,” Li Hor said.

“When my brother asked the policemen why they wanted to arrest me, the policemen in plainclothes reacted by handcuffing him, too,” he said.

Rough treatment:Li Hor demonstrating how he was manhandled by police.

“The police officers refused to show us their authority cards, arrest or search warrants,” he said.

The brothers claimed that the police officers conducted a search of the house, then took both of them and Li Hor’s Proton Satria car to the Balik Pulau police station.

There, Raymond claimed that while he was ordered to wait out-side a room, his brother was “blindfolded and beaten up by about 10 police officers during the interrogation process.”

Li Hor said: “The policemen kept asking me to mengaku (confess), I didn’t even know what have I done. I was kicked, slapped and threatened by the policemen for not confessing.”

The brothers were later transferred to the Nibong Tebal police station. Raymond claimed that a robbery victim there told police that Li Hor was not involved in the robbery case and the brothers were subsequently released on police bail at noon the following day.

“While sending us back home, the police officers explained to us that we had been detained as my car was similar to the car used in the robbery, right down to the model, colour and registration number,” Li Hor said.

He said he lodged a police report at the Balik Pulau police station on July 8.

The brothers were speaking at a press conference at the Gerakan service bureau yesterday. Bureau chief Looi Swee Cheang said the party would assist Li Hor in making an official complaint to the state police.

When contacted, Balik Pulau Deputy OCPD Deputy Supt Lai Fah Hin said he was aware of the incident and had instructed that a full investigation be carried out.

SOURCE: The Star Online (North)

The Quest for Balik Pulau Durian

Many a times, I have heard people saying how great and extraordinary durians from Balik Pulau are, and that Balik Pulau durian is the best in Penang (and in Malaysia?).

I was already in Penang during the durian season last year, but had not even eaten one single piece of Balik Pulau durian. This year (finally!), I had it all in a durian buffet.

Read the full recollection at Coffee4all / Journey by words.

ADVERTORIAL: Merdeka offer from the (hi-tech) land of deroyans and panoramic views to all Penangites & Malaysians:

We here at 1OASIS.NET, a nine-year participant in the MULTI-TRILLION dollar e-commerce industry from the small northern town of Sintok , Kedah (& Balik Pulau, Penang), would like to advocate more Malaysians to reap the BENEFITS of professional web presence for tapping the huge GLOCAL MARKET.

To CELEBRATE our nation's 50-YEAR of MERDEKA next month in August, 1OASIS.NET is offering its BEST OFFER to-date for EVERYONE from Malaysia.

50% OFF August Hosting Fees from Already Low Prices!
e.g. SAVE up to RM28 in August for our 10-GB Corporate Package

If you'd complete any NEW ORDER of our web hosting packages as featured at www.1oasis.net STARTING 7/7/07 until 29 JUL 2007, we'll refund 50% of your prepaid monthly fee for ONE MONTH, within 31 DAYS of your paid order (during the month of August, before 31 AUG 2007).

Our hosting plans start at just RM8/month.
Our email plans start at just RM2.88/month.

And our .com & .net DOMAIN names are still RM29/yr (not RM50).
[ SAVE RM21 or more INSTANTLY, everyday! ]

EXTRA BONUS: With a full-year prepayment of any hosting plan, the .com/net/org/biz/info domain ordered during the same period will also be 100% FREE!
(To be refunded along with your hosting discount)
GET CASH BACK UP TO RM 50 OR MORE IN AUGUST 2007!

Enjoy our NEWLY UPGRADED hosting features:-

• Storage from 1,000 - 10,000 MB
• 99.9% network uptime
• Windows and Linux Supported
• PHP, Perl, Python, ASP, .NET, DLLs, Ruby on Rails and more
• Access, MySQL, MS SQL, FrontPage, Real Audio/Video & more
• Optional Powerful virus-free, anti-spam email accounts (1-100)
• Optional Dedicated IP for SSL etc.
• Complete Flexibility: You can build your own package and upgrade/downgrade your package anytime.

PowerTools (Included with Linux Hosting Only)

• Free Image Gallery: Have a powerful web-based image gallery management system to boost traffic on your website. We give you 4images - the most popular gallery management tool on the web! Its dynamic features include comment system, user registration and management, password protected administration area with browser-based upload, HTML templates for page layout and design, search engine and a lot more.
  
  
• Free Forum: PhpBB is a high powered, fully scalable, and highly customizable Open Source bulletin board package. With a user-friendly interface, simple and straightforward administration panel, and helpful FAQ, phpBB is the ideal free community solution for all web sites.
  
  
• Free Blogware: Wordpress is a state-of-the-art semantic personal publishing platform with a focus on aesthetics, web standards, and usability. Wordpress is a excellent open-source and free blogging software that should sooner or later take over all its competitors.
  
  
• Free Content Management Systems: A Content Management System (CMS) is a software system that manages computer files, image media,audio files, electronic documents and web content. The idea behind a CMS is to make these files available inter-office, as well as over the web. Content management systems are often used for storing, controlling, versioning, and publishing industry-specific documentation such as news articles, operators' manuals, technical manuals, sales guides, and marketing brochures.
  
  
  • Joomla: This includes features such as page caching to improve performance, RSS feeds, printable versions of pages, news flashes, blogs, polls, website searching, and language internationalization.
    
    
  • NucleusCMS: Nucleus makes use of a callback function which has led to a plugin system that has inspired somewhere in the order of 50 to 100 distinct plugins.
    
    
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• Free Shopping Cart: Shopping cart is software used in e-commerce to assist people making purchases online. The software allows online shopping customers to "place" items in the cart. Upon "checkout" the software typically calculates a total for the order including shipping and handling (i.e. postage and packing) and taxes, if applicable.
  
  
  • osCommerce is an Open Source based online shop e-commerce solution that is available for free under the GNU General Public License.

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50 Years of Independence: Malaysiaku Gemilang!

Regards,

Team 1Oasis .Net Hosting

• WEB: www.1oasis.net
• VOICE: +6016-4-1OASIS
• FAX: +60-4-8666-769 | + 1 877 TELCO-US
• SUPPORT from a LOCAL TOO: Nasir from Balik Pulau with a local phone number...
  

"Celebrating our NINTH YEAR offering Web Hosting service"

PS: DIY Linux Plesk Pro web & email hosting account with 1000-MB space available for just RM60/year -- inquire for more details. (offer above does not apply for this plan)

PPS: Virtual/Semi & Full Celeron/P4/C2D Dedicated Server Running Linux/Windows (with optional Plesk/Cpanel) account with 10-GB to 2x300-GB storage (with optional RAID-1 setup) and 500-GB to 2-TB monthly transfer or more also available from under RM120/month. Server comes with 24x7 physical security, network monitoring and email+phone+web SUPPORT. ASSISTED PLAN available for RM350/mth. INQUIRE for details/custom quote.

NOTE: Cash back will be disbursed via PayPal (preferred) or to your Maybank account (if requested).

ANSARA Balik Pulau Reunion (7/7/07)

Details:-

• Date: 7 July 2007 (Saturday)
• Venue: MRSM Balik Pulau, Pulau Pinang
• Time: 7.45pm - 10.00pm (Reunion Dinner)
• Transportation and accommodation: DIY

Ticket Structure:-

• Ex-students SPM 2000 and below: RM100 per pax
• Ex-students SPM 2001-2006 : RM60 per pax
• Spouse/Partner: RM50 per pax
• Children (above 2 years old): RM25 per pax

Event Programme:-

* 2.00pm Career talk with current students
* 4.30pm Friendly football/hockey/telematch
* 7.30pm Registration for dinner
* 8.00pm Welcome Remarks by MC
* 8.05pm Speech by MRSMBP Principal
* 8.10pm Speech by ANSARA/organising committee representative
* 8.20pm Dinner commences
* 8.45pm Lucky Draw I
* 9.15pm Lucky Draw II
* 9.45pm Lucky Draw III
* 10.30pm Ends

IMPORTANT

Please remit your payment to the following banking details:

• Name : FATEN FUAD M.H. RAFIE
• Tel (Mobile) : +60124055657
• Email: BPreunion2007@...
• Bank : CIMB
• Account No : 07080063607528

Please SMS or email the bank-in slip/transmission number to the above for confirmation of seats. Your RSVP will only be confirmed upon clearance of payment.

Thanks,
Ijah Amran


For more information, contact:

1. Ijah Amran - No calls. Please email only (ijah@...)
2. Faten Fuad (Aten) -0124055657
3. Syed Zainurdini - 0124882444
4. Eyna Amir - 0164975813

More of Balik Pulau in Pictures...

Balik Pulau on Sunset - from evelation (From Flickr user kairilf)

Rocks at Balik Pulau (From Flickr user Ke Wynn)

Masjid Balik Pulau (From Flickr user hidupku)

Pulau Betong, Pulau Pinang (From Flickr user Ela!ne)

Silversmith in Balik Pulau (From Flickr user myram/nais)

Sunrise in Balik Pulau (From Flickr user limkahsoon)

Honda Civic lined up, on the midway of Jalan Tun Sardon's (four miles away from Relau junction and four more miles to go to Balik Pulau 'midvalley'), with engines revving and preparing for invasion, prior to speeding up through the treacherous & sloppy hills of Balik Pulau. They demanded Durian & Laksa...

Eh, Mat Salleh or what this guy in yellow shirt (I know this true BP guy btw -- He goes to school with me!)?? See more pictures at Bernard Chan's -- blogged his trip to Anjung Indah (observatory point at the peak of Bkt Relau) and Kongsi town (heart of Balik Pulau).