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.

Rain, rain, go away

By WINNIE YEOH

Only one of the two lanes in Jalan Tun Sardon is currently opened to the public as repair work is underway to build retaining wall and gabion wall to prevent further landslides.

RESIDENTS in Balik Pulau, Penang, are living in fear every time it rains.

Landslides, uprooted trees and water gushing from the hillslopes are a common sight.

Jalan Tun Sardon and Jalan Teluk Kumbar also turn hazardous when it rains.

The rain last week caused several parts of the roads to sink.

The residents said they had no choice but to use the roads which led to Bayan Lepas and George Town.

Thousands of motorists take this route daily to get to their workplace.

Yusoff Hassan, 48, from Sungai Burung, Balik Pulau, said he would be in a dilemma when it rained as he had to travel on Jalan Tun Sardon to get to his workplace in Batu Maung.

“Fortunately, heavy rain on Hari Raya eve was not as serious as the previous one and one of the lanes on Jalan Tun Sardon was still open to the public.

“The landslides early September forced the road to close.

"I had to go round the island through Teluk Bahang, passing George Town to go to work and another round to go home after work,” he said.

Another motorist who wished to be known only as Pak Wan from Pondok Upeh said it was dangerous to travel on Jalan Teluk Kumbar, especially at night.

“It is dark at night and the water gushing from the hills would cause several huge potholes on the road. I ran into a pothole that caused one of my tyres to puncture last week,” he said.

For fisherman Lim Teik Seng who lives in Bayan Lepas, travelling to Balik Pulau for his daily subsidised fuel through Jalan Teluk Kumbar was risky as the bumpy ride would cause his petrol container to fall.

“There was once when my container fell in the middle of the road and a van ran over it.

“The empty container costs me RM25 and the petrol costs me RM28.60. I really hope the autho-rity can fix up the problems soon so we could travel more safely,” he said.

Road contractor Amir Propel said repair work on the road was expected to be completed in a couple of days.

“We are filling the sinkholes with rocks, red earth and granite. We will lay the premix so that the road can be opened to the public soon,” he said, adding that it would take another week to complete building the retaining wall and gabion wall on Jalan Tun Sardon.

He said many huge boulders had been removed from several sections of Jalan Tun Sardon.

Heavy rain last week caused landslides which damaged parts of Jalan Tun Sardon and Jalan Teluk Kumbar.

Presently only one lane on both roads is open to the public.

SOURCE: The Star Malaysia (Online), Sat, 11 OCT 2008

Consensus ('Muafakat') @Balik Pulau

BALIK Pulau MP Yusmadi Yusoff wants to give an infusion of new life to his constituency by launching a project known as Consensus @Balik Pulau (Muafakat@Balik Pulau).

He said the project was designed to improve the livelihood of the locals.

He was currently working on the initial stage of the project.

“I have to finalise the support system, get the right people to work with me on the project and also collect sufficient information regarding the local socio-economic pattern,’’ he said at his Hari Raya Open House held at the Balik Pulau Public Facilitator and Information Parliamentary Community Centre grounds recently.

Yusmadi said he had set up a People’s Academy (Akademi Rakyat) where locals could attend legal literacy classes and youth religious classes weekly.

“I want to focus on community empowerment and capacity building for the locals so as to equip them with basic knowledge and other skills."

“Apart from this, I want to create an environment to nurture a harmonious relationship among the different races in the community,’’ he added.

He said the open house was put together by villagers from Kampung Jalan Bharu and Kampung Sungai Burong.

“The open house reveals the true muhibbah (goodwill) spirit as locals of all races come together and contribute by providing food and other assistance,’’ he said.

Some 3,000 people attended the open house held from 11am to 4pm.

SOURCE: The Star Malaysia (Online), MP launches project to improve locals’ livelihood (Monday, 6 OCT 2008)

Salam Aidilfitri dari Balik Pulau

Eid Mubarak to all those celebrating the 'winning day' of 1 Syawal 1429H (end of the full fasting and tarawih month of Ramadan) and along with Muslims, celebrate the joyous occassion of strong brotherhood, friendship, unity and forgiveness...

Berhati-hati di jalan raya khususnya di Jalan Air Itam-Balik Pulau dan Teluk Kumbar-Genting di musim hujan ini - Pandu Cermat Jiwa Selamat. Utamakan keluarga anda yang tersayang dan sentiasa bertawakkal dengan usaha yang bersungguh-sungguh!

Pohonan ampun maaf dari kami sidang editor di BalikPulau.org...