Concerns on Penang hillside projects recorded

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government will take preventive measures including issuing stop-work orders for hillside developments in the wake of the landslide tragedy that killed at least three people at Bukit Antarabangsa, Selangor, early Saturday morning.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said on Saturday he would personally request Penang Municipal Council president Datuk Zainal Rahim Seman view and inspect the hillside areas again, especially those in Batu Ferringhi.

“About three to four months ago, the council had issued stop-work orders against developers of five hillside projects for failing to comply with certain conditions imposed by the council.

“That order was recently lifted after the developers concerned had carried out remedial works on the land,’’ he told reporters at a press conference after the two-day “New Economic Vision for Penang and Malaysia’’ international forum here.

He was commenting on the landslide tragedy at Bukit Antarabangsa which left three dead and 15 people injured (as of 3pm Saturday).

Lim expressed shock over the incident and extended his condolences to those who had lost their family members in the tragedy.

He said so far there have been no other problems concerning hillside development projects in Penang but “this doesn’t mean there won’t be any’’.

He said the issue was not about landslides occurring at hillslopes but what was important was achieving sustainable development, which was to use resources in a manner that it would still be available in the future.

“Achieving sustainable development should be the benchmark in any development that takes place,’’ he said.

Zainal Rahim when contacted said the council’s inspection included hillsides where no development was taking place.

“The council inspects all hillside development projects and hilly areas including those in Balik Pulau and Teluk Kumbar every week without fail and a report is submitted to the Chief Minister,’’ he said.

He added that at the moment, the development at hillsides were under control and developers were complying with the council’s conditions.

“If any developer is found to have flouted any condition, a stop-work order is issued immediately until they take remedial measures such as taking care of the slope or building a retention pond is done,’’ he said.

Zainal Rahim said the council also wrote letters to owners of hilly lands to notify them of any irregularities on their land.

(K. KASTURI DEWI. "Penang to take preventive measures for hillside projects", The Star Online - 6 DEC 2008)

Inkubator telur ayam

SUNGAI RUSA – Tidak mudah berputus asa dan bekerja keras membuatkan, Awang @ Mansor Mat Hassan, 62 mampu tersenyum bangga apabila melihat usahanya kini berbaloi.

Mansor merupakan penternak ayam piru terbesar di sekitar Balik Pulau.

Dia yang sudah 20 tahun berkecimpung dalam bidang perniagaan itu telah melalui segala rintangan dan halangan untuk berjaya.

"Saya mula berjinak–jinak dalam dunia perniagaan setelah bersara daripada tentera dengan memulakan penternakan ayam daging berbekalkan modal RM196,000.

"Bagaimanapun, tidak lama lepas itu, perniagaan tergendala seketika apabila isteri kurang sihat membuatkan saya lebih menumpukan perhatian terhadap keluarga," katanya.

Sesudah itu, dia mula menjual nasi dan lauk-pauk menggunakan bekalan ayam daging yang ada ketika itu, iaitu kira-kira 500 ekor.

"Saya memang gunakan bekalan ayam yang ada kerana berhasrat untuk memulakan perniagaan ayam piru.

"Niat bagaimanapun terbantut bila harga anak ayam piru mencecah RM8 hingga RM9 seekor," katanya.

Menurutnya, dia mula berkira–kira kerana pada tahun 80-an, harga sebegitu dianggap mahal.

"Memang saya tidak mampu membeli banyak ayam piru dengan harga sebegitu. Bagaimanapun, tiba–tiba muncul idea untuk menghasilkan inkubator penetasan (hatchery incubator) sendiri.

"Saya mula merangka idea dan dengan bantuan anak, kami sama–sama berbincang dan membentuk idea untuk menghasilkannya.

"Saya sendiri yang menghasilkan inkubator tersebut. Di dalamnya terdapat mentol lampu yang menyala selama 24 jam, dan kipas kecil untuk peredaran udara," katanya.

Selain itu ujarnya, terdapat juga termometer yang akan memantau suhu inkubator agar sesuai dengan jenis telur.

Pelbagai jenis telur spesies unggas yang boleh digunakan seperti telur angsa, puyuh, merak dan ayam piru. Proses penetasan pula berbeza–beza mengikut jenis telur.

"Alhamdulillah, inkubator penetasan ini mula mendapat perhatian penduduk kampung apabila telur yang dieramkan berjaya menetas dengan bantuan inkubator tersebut.

"Setiap inkubator akan dicatat tarikh mula pengeraman dan tarikh dijangka akan menetas agar memudahkan pemantauan dibuat," katanya.

Sejak itu, Mansor mula menetaskan telur ayam kampung sebanyak 15 biji dan semakin meningkat dari hari ke hari.

Dia terus menambah bilangan inkubator kerana yang sedia ada tidak dapat menampung penetasan telur yang semakin meningkat.

SOURCE: Sinar Harian - Cipta alat eram telur ayam

Community Fasalitators

Balik Pulau MP-elect, YB Yusmadi Yusof publishes the following list of appointed community fasalitators on his blog yusmadiyusoff.blogspot.com (as his liason representatives due to his commitment in Kuala Lumpur during on-going parliamentary sessions from Monday until Thursday):-

PEMUDAHCARA-PEMUDAHCARA MASYARAKAT PARLIMEN BALIK PULAU

Memandangkan sesi Parlimen di Kuala Lumpur berlansung [sic] dari Isnin hingga Khamis, saya berada di kawasan 3 hari seminggu (Jumaat, Sabtu dan Ahad):-

(Pejabat)
Pusat Pemudahcara & Maklumat Masyarakat (PPMM)
739, MK D, Jalan Bahru, 11000 Balik Pulau
Pulau Pinang.
E-Mail: parlimen53@yahoo.com

(Lawatan Kerja Mingguan)
DUN Pulau Betong
Hari: Jumaat
Jam: 9.30 pagi - 11.30 pagi
Tempat: Pusat Pemudahcara Masyarakat & Maklumat (PPMM), Kg. Jalan Bharu
Pemudahcara Masyarakat:
Rohaizan Saad (Tel: 012-4143191)
Edward @ Ah Chun (Tel: 0194704499)
Cikgu Bashah (Tel: 012-4223900

DUN Teluk Bahang
Hari: Sabtu
Jam: 9.30 pagi - 11.30 pagi
Tempat: Dewan JKKK Teluk Bahang
Pemudahcara Masyarakat:
Rohaizan Saad Tel: 012-4143191
Ismail Pak Don Tel: 013-5186989

DUN Bayan Lepas
Hari: Ahad
Tempat: Dewan JKKK Bayan Lepas
Pemudahcara Masyarakat:
Hazril Hassan (Tel: 012-4751739)

Untuk maklumat dan bantuan mengenai Parlimen Balik Pulau sila hubungi mereka yang berikut:-

Rohaizad Saad
Pemudahcara Masyarakat
Hal-Ehwal Masyarakat DUN Pulau Betong & Teluk Bahang
Tel: 012-4143191
E-mail: parlimen53@yahoo.com

Hazril Hassan
Pemudahcara Masyarakat
Hal-Ehwal Politik dan Masyarakat
DUN Bayan Lepas
Tel: 012-4751739
E-mail: hazril.hassan@gmail.com

Kamarulzaman
Pemudahcara Masyarakat
Hal Ehwal Parlimen & Koordinator Program
Tel: 0196009823
E-mail kamarul75@yahoo.com

Halil Hamid
Pemudahcara Masyarakat
Tugasan Khas
Tel: 012-4548641

Or you may also contact YB Yusmadi directly via email at yusmadi.yusoff@gmail.com

So, for constituents of Balik Pulau, be sure to maximize availability of above platform to ensure that your concerns are taken care of, and expedited accordingly.

Balik Pulau getting entrepreneurial...

Gerak Usahawan (an "entrepreneurial movement" programme) is an annual carnival (seminar and expositions) supported by the Malaysian Ministry of Entrepreneur & Cooperative Development (MeCD), geared as a platform for entrepreneurs to learn (from successful ones) and network among each other. This year, BP-ites is getting a taste of their own at the neighborhoods for the first time, this weekend (29-30nov08) -- with previous Gerak Usahawan having been held in Bayan Baru (@Penang International Sports Arena - PISA, July 2006) and Kepala Batas (@ Dewan Milenium, August 2007), some 20+ and 40+ minutes away respectively by driving from this remote town of Balik Pulau.

What a better time for Balik Pulau having seen aggresive development in its local commerce scene, with a new market complex and a brand new Rapid Penang bus hub opened just late last year, and just months ago, seeing for the first time, chain restaurants like Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) and Kassim Mustafa (KM) opened in town! In fact, in recent weeks, more locals are seen to have opened new eateries including at Simpang Empat (Genting), Taman Sri Indah and near Rapid Penang bus hub, perhaps to supplement their monthly income due to recent price hikes for food and other necessities.

Not minding the brouhahas off the change in local (state) government, affecting even the organizing party for this year's Gerak Usahawan, shifted from state-owned Penang Development Corporation (PDC) to the newly set up Majlis Pembangunan Usahawan Daerah (MPUD - District Entrepreneur Development Council), entrepreneurs ("wira usaha" = "heroes", according to Indonesians) are all out to save the day, to protect local economy, if not global's. [Note however that PDC will still be running a booth at the venue this time, showing its support to the local entrepreneurs via its own set of entrepreneur development programmes].

And the local group to watch is Kelab Usahawan Sosial Balik Pulau (KUSBP) or Social Entrepreneurs Club of Balik Pulau (SECBP) with its base at the Pusat Internet Desa Balik Pulau (Rural Internet Centre - PIDBP), poised to catalyze economic and social development in the Southwestern District of Pulau Pinang by promoting and nurturing entrepreneurship skills & passions among the locals:



KUSBP is presently facilitated by Pusat Internet Desa (PID) Balik Pulau as supported by the Ministry of Energy, Water & Telecommunications (KTAK) and assisted by KTAK-appointed Warisan Global Sdn Bhd. For this event, two of Warisan Global staff are present to assist the PID and KUS teams. Visit them at Booth #C10 (in front of the main entrance of Municipal Council (MPPP)'s office) this weekend, Saturday & Sunday, 29th until 30th of November 2008, 9am until 7pm.


Gerak Usahawan 2008 will be officiated by Minister of Entrepreneur & Cooperative Development, Yang Berhormat Dato' Noh bin Haji Omar.

If this will be your first time to Balik Pulau, just drive/ride a bike along the curvacious and hilly Tun Sardon Road via Relau/Sungai Ara or Paya Terubong and once you reach the bottom end from the peak of Anjung Indah Observatory point, you'll see the white tents and the huge market complex (the largest in Penang!) on your right side of the road.

If you'll be on foot, just take a Rapid Penang bus #U401 or #401E from Weld Quay Jetty (ferry stop)/Komtar or other buses (Rapid Penang or Yellow Bus) from any bus stop on the island, and it'll take you through a 60-90 minute ride either from/via Teluk Bahang, Ayer Itam or Teluk Kumbar all the way to the Balik Pulau bus hub, situated just next to the new market complex/site for the Gerak Usahawan event -- BTW, if you need to find out how soon will a Rapid Penang bus reach you at a bus stop, call this number: 04-2381313 (Control Room).

Here's a Google map of Balik Pulau:-


To catch up on this event (posts, photos etc.), live on your mobiles, visit http://m.balikpulau.org

BP-ites participated in the inaugural Global Entrepreneurship Week

The event... (Global Entrepreneurship Week -- biggest celebration ever on "entrepreneurship", as held in 77 countries, with 13,000 activities including by over 100 partners in Malaysia during the week of 17th until 23rd of November 2008):


The photos with Balik Pulau young entrepreneurs and would-be entrepreneurs hosting own activities throughout "The Week" as well as coming down to Universiti Sains Malaysia during the final showcase day in Penang on 22nd of November 2008:-










Keep the spirit on... Join Kelab Usahawan Sosial (Social Entrepreneurs Club) TODAY:

To register, visit any one of the 42 Pusat Internet Desa (PIDs), including one of the two in Penang, located at Pejabat Pos Balik Pulau, Pekan Kongsi, Daerah Barat Daya (DBD), Pulau Pinang and Tasek Gelugor, Seberang Perai Tengah (SPT). Get benefits including membership with PID (monthly bulletins, discounted computer/internet access, workshops, seminars, retailed items etc.) and Health Club of Balik Pulau.