Expat Articles

STARTING OVER ...

2011-07-14T04:11:00.001-07:00

In the words of the famous, deceased John Lennon, I'm starting over ... blogging again, after a very very long break. There were many reasons for this, mostly of a personal nature, and it has taken all this time for me to get going again. So to all the people who have been checking in on and off, my sincere apologies for not updating this site, and please forgive me but do tell your friends that Helen is "starting over"!

BTW humble apologies too for the photos - the other night, whilst waiting for my cousin at the Evergreen Laurel Hotel in town, I inadvertently and rather stupidly left my trusty old camera behind somewhere and walked off without it. Obviously someone saw me do so and pounced on it as soon as I was out of sight because once I noticed a lighter handbag and went back to enquire about it, there was no trace of it and no one had handed it in to Security. Boo sucks to you. It's an old camera and not worth much, but it was a good camera and I am sad to have lost it so unceremoniously after so many years of service. I am now waiting to see which one to buy but in the meantime, am making do with a very cheap Agfa which I bought for RM299!

I'd like to kick off with my visit to one of the newest eateries in town: HAKKA TREE in Tesco Sri Tanjung Pinang. It was started by DIANA and PEGGY, two Hakka lasses (what else!) who, between them, have managed to achieve something remarkable: a pretty, charming oasis in the centre of the noisy, blaring Tesco.

Their place is situated on the first floor and they've been hard at work scouring Penang for old items of furniture including chairs and even doors, but they've done a great job.

Of course the most important thing, particularly in Penang, is the food, and although I am not Hakka myself, being purely and proudly nyonya, and therefore don't know very much about it, I think that here they've also managed to get it right. This is because Diana's mom does most of the cooking.

The menu is not extensive, but then it doesn't have to be as long as the food is good, and right at the top of the the most famous Hakka dish of all: LOI CHA (or however else you want to spell it) aka "Thunder Tea", that famous green "soup" that is used to "bind" all the other ingredients with the rice. Here it is made with mint and basil, and isn't as "medicinal" as some I've had before. It's rather an acquired taste and I have to confess it's not my first choice BUT apparently many Hakka people have gone there (probably because there are very few places in town which do it ... in fact, come to think of it, there are NONE now that Peter Lim, the son of the first Chief Minister of Penang, has closed down Hakka Connexion in Jalan Bawasah) have said it is very good.

I thought the Hakka Noodles with minced pork and Minced Pork and Salted Fish Patties were pretty delectable though, particularly with the chilli sauce made by Diana's own fair hands. They've also got Yong Tau Fu made with pork or fish.

Prices are very reasonable, and the place is clean, bright and pleasant. What more can one ask for? My very best wishes for a successful venture, girls.

2009-06-05T20:10:00.000-07:00

TRAILING PENANG - IN A NUTSHELL ... OR A TRISHAW, AS THE CASE MAY BE
Article by HELEN ONG

Long before George Town was awarded the coveted United Nations World Heritage status, Penang, or Pulau Pinang, the “Betel Nut Island”, had been attracting tourists and visitors from all over the world. The blend of different races and cultures has resulted in an eclectic and interesting community which endures to the present day. George Town’s rich and colourful past is something we can truthfully refer to as “living history”.
Just take a walk along the old part of town and you will see what I mean – we have a myriad of old temples and clan houses, shophouses and their shaded gor kha lor (five-foot ways), sometimes so crowded that pedestrians are forced onto the streets; we have churches and mosques galore. Delight in the intricate and delicate details painstakingly created by craftmen of yore, even as you revel in the everyday way of life which, despite modernity and the Internet, continues as it has for the past century or two.
If you are not used to this heat, a more civilised and conducive way is to explore all this in a trishaw. It’s rather like taking a gondola ride in Venice – a once-in-a-lifetime experience that you must try! Your journey may originate from one of many different points as these vehicles are usually strategically stationed outside hotel forecourts and tourist sites. It’s quite pleasant to slowly coast down the narrow streets of inner George Town, going from one historic site to another. Follow one of the many trails available, create your own, or leave it to the experienced trishaw rider, as, being one of our best unofficial tour guides, he will have the low-down on many of the interesting places in town. An excursion should typically take 3-4 hours, allowing you time to stop off at any place you may want a closer look at. Don’t forget a bottle of water and your suntan lotion!
If you wish to concentrate on architecture, we have many historical buildings, quite a few of which have been lovingly restored. Of course the better known ones are Cheong Fatt Tze or The Blue Mansion, the Khoo Kongsi, the Pinang Peranakan Mansion, Penang State Museum and the many in Armenian Street as mentioned by David Bowden in a recent article. Near the Esplanade (Jalan Padang Kota Lama) alone there are a fair few colonial administrative buildings. A fine example of Victorian architecture is the Penang Town Hall in Lebuh Light (Light Street) which was built in the 1880s; Fort Cornwallis, the War Memorial, and City Hall, built in the early 1900s.
In Lebuh Farquhar, just a stone’s throw away, stand the imposing High Court buildings, formerly the Supreme Court. Recently restored, the main structure was built in 1905 and is now gazetted as a historical building. Down Beach Street (Lebuh Pantai) are a host of interesting structures built to house banks, many still in use now.
We also have some amazing religious buildings, mainly built by settlers at the turn of the last century. Near Little India, the Masjid Kapitan Keling stands shoulder to shoulder with the Kuan Yin (Goddess of Mercy) Temple; not far off is the Sri Mahamariamman Temple, and a short walk away you’ll be able to see the white columns of St George’s Church. They are literally concrete testaments of how the different religions have co-existed in harmony with each other.
Penang is also unique in that some of our local artisans continue to practise their crafts as they have been doing for the past few decades. Down some of the streets, you can still see some of the masters at work, creating their own particular speciality: the joss stick maker laboriously producing hand-made prayer paraphernalia; every morning, the popiah (spring roll) skin maker manipulates a large dollop of pliable dough over a hot iron griddle, so skilfully that one blink and you’ll miss it. With a quick flick of the wrist, he produces the finest crepe imaginable.
Master calligraphers and signboard engravers continue to bend over their plaques, pen or chisel in hand, as they have done since a young age. Witness them now before these dying crafts disappear for good, as they have in other parts of the country.
Finally, no visit to Penang is complete without that famous four-letter word which begins with an “f” – yes, FOOD (whatever else could you have been thinking of). Make it a point to follow a food trail, whether you prefer hawker which of course the island is most famous for – try our lobak, assam laksa or hokkien mee – restaurant food, or any of the other culinary delights from practically every corner of the world.

(Different box please)
Traders Hotel Trishaw Tour of Heritage Sites
Traders Hotel offers a Trishaw Tour of Heritage Sites based on the UNESCO listed places of interest for RM105pp. To book the tour, non in-house guests have to confirm 24 hours in advance as well as sign the indemnity form together with the payment. Max 2 persons per trishaw. For details call 604.2622 622.

(Separate box pleaseJ)

George Town Walks and Trails
*Nanyang Heritage Sites
*Colonial Heritage Walk
*Street of Harmony Walk
*Historic Enclave Walk
Penang Food Trail
Heritage Building Trail
Chinese Kongsi Trail
Traditional (Old) Trades Trail
Muslim Heritage Trail

*Check out the free George Town World Heritage Site map available from Penang Tourism, hotels and tourist sites which is a comprehensive and convenient fold-out publication.

2009-05-09T21:09:00.001-07:00

TELUK BAHANG
Article and Photos By HELEN ONG

If you want to see what Penang (and indeed much of the rest of Malaysia) was like maybe thirty or forty years ago, when there were no shopping malls with their fast-food and designer outlets, coffee or otherwise, then head for Teluk Bahang. This sleepy little fishing village situated on the north-western tip of the island, with about 9000 inhabitants, is about 30km or a 45 minute drive from town.
Here, things are not exactly a-bustle with activity. A car goes by every so often, probably heading towards The Butterfly Farm or one of the other remote tourist sites dotted further up the road. The Rapid Penang bus 101 from the jetty comes by a couple of times an hour, depositing the odd tourist or two. It’s just another slow, hot morning in Teluk Bahang, which looks set to become another slow, hot afternoon.
Not much seems to have changed since I was a kid visiting on holiday trips, when we would rent the occasional holiday bungalow for a bit of R&R and to get away from it all with the family. Driving by, many of these now seem deserted and dilapidated, rotting away quickly under the hot tropical sun and salty air.
Granted there are now a few more shops and restaurants, some second or third generation descendants of the original proprietors; but the closure of the Mutiara Beach Resort a few years ago spelt the end of economic growth, if indeed it had any, for this quiet little hollow.
Just before the roundabout into town stands a row of five old shophouses. No one seems to know when they were built, although they may have been there for a century. If they were in George Town, there is no question that they would be given heritage status. Padmani Mirchumal runs a small hand-drawn batik boutique there, and Restoran Ibrahim, which, according to proprietor Nasinga Thullah Khan bin Abdul Samad, 58, has been operating at the site for the past 75 years. Locals and the smattering of tourists who venture there pop in for some home-made Roti Canai and curry. “This shop is part of Teluk Bahang’s history,” he told me. Opposite, a Nasi Kandar shop, part of a nationwide chain, operates 24 hours a day.
At the Foo Kee Mini Market, Ying Hwa, 70, has been serving customers for the past 40 years. The chai tiam mah (sundry shop) was started by her parents-in-law, and now she is in turn helped by her own son’s wife. They also own the petrol station next door.
“Things have changed,” she lamented. “Business is slow and we have hardly any tourists here now.”
If you drive in further in, past the Pasar Teluk Bahang (Wet Market), some newer low-cost apartment blocks have been put up, but the weather has taken its toll and what were formerly white buildings are now darkened with mould and dirt. Along the way, the odd drink or food stall lines the route, run by the family of villagers who are all trying to supplement the meagre incomes made from the primary source of employment here: fishing.
Ironically, there is actually more available to do now, what with boat trips to Monkey Beach, Pantai Kerachut and the lighthouse at Muka Head. The entrance to the Penang National Park (Taman Negara Pulau Pinang) is also located here.
This park, previously known as the Pantai Aceh Forest Reserve, boasts a host of unique wildlife and habitats. At over 1100 hectares of forest and 1380 hectares of wetlands, it is the smallest national park in Malaysia, with many different habitats including a meromictic lake (a lake in which some water remains partly or wholly unmixed with the main water mass at circulation periods), wetlands, mangroves, mudflats, coral reefs and turtle nesting beaches. If you’re lucky, you might spot some long-tailed macaques, birds like the White Bellied Sea Eagle and the Kingfisher, wild boars, civet cats, sea otters, and other mammals. Admission is free.
Most are day trips only which involve much energetic activity: walks and jungle trekking, although camping is allowed overnight if you get permission from the office and register with them.
If you turn left at the roundabout and head south up the hill, you’ll come across the 247-acre (32 hectare) Recreational Forest, one of the oldest tropical rainforests in the world. It is a park with waterfalls, fresh water pools, picnic spots and rest huts. There is also a range of outdoor activities and jungle trails. The Forestry Museum in here contains educational items specifically designed to promote the conservation of forests. Further along is the enormous Teluk Bahang Dam, site of the famous international Dragon Boat Races which are held annually. With a storage capacity of nearly 20 billion litres, the reservoir is the largest on the island.
Back in the village, the beaches are still deserted under the blazing sun, although in the evenings, a few mainly seafood restaurants open up, popular with locals and tourists alike. Apart from one or two chalets and home-stays, there isn’t much accommodation around, but there are plenty of hotels in the township of Batu Ferringhi just a few miles down the road.

(In a separate box please)
Penang National Park
Jalan Hassan Abas,Teluk Bahang, 11050 Pulau Pinang Tel: 604.881 3530/881 2016 Fax: 604.881 2016

Penang Recreational Forest
Ranger’s Office
Teluk Bahang, 11050 Pulau PinangTel: 604.885 1280

Boat Trips
Ah Chuan 6019.414 1996
Alex 6012.482 5615
Approx RM100 for pick-up and drop-off
Beach barbeque approx RM35-50 per person

2009-04-30T21:10:00.000-07:00

Article By HELEN ONG

Political squabble and economic slowdown aside, Penang’s really on the up and up. Not only has George Town gained World Heritage Status, but with the recent glad tidings that New York Times readers voted it second best destination in “The 44 places to go in 2009” ((http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/01/11/ travel/20090111_DESTINATIONS.html), we have been inundated with visitors and tourists from all over the world in the past few months.
One reason is the State Government, both past and present, together with the Ministry of Tourism, have worked hard to get Penang on the world map (check out http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=41805097413), and they appear to be doing a great job. Of course, it hasn’t hurt that Thailand has had its share of problems, so we have also benefitted from the many visitors who would otherwise have gone there.
Many who come love it, and although there have been comments made about the Pearl losing its lustre, it may be that these are from people who remember it for what it was – but as we all know, things change and nothing stays the same. No doubt there will always be problems wherever one chooses to live, but I for one remain a firm advocate of this beautiful island. Apart from the odd tsunami or two, and handbag snatchers (so please be vigilant always), Penang is still relatively stable, safe and inexpensive; the locals are friendly, and English is widely spoken.
A recent group of visitors who appear to agree with my sentiments were the British journalists that you’ve probably read about elsewhere in this publication. Their week-long trip also included a two-night detour to Penang, led by our new Group Editor Douglas Williams himself, who shared, amongst other things, something in common with them: it was also his first trip to the island. During their time here, the lucky journalists were guests of the fantastic Rasa Sayang Resort and Spa in Batu Ferringhi.
However, there’s no such thing as a free lunch, as the saying goes, and part of their first evening here included a short formal presentation by co-organisers Henry Butcher Malaysia (Penang) at the G Hotel in Gurney Drive, which was also attended by representatives of various organisations all with one thing in common: to promote Penang. Amongst the impressive list were the investPenang team headed by Wan Zailena Noordin, Dato’ Hari Nair, Vice President of MICCI, Encik Faadrul Reza bin Haji Ariffin, MAS Corporate Sales Manager, Northern Region, and Dr Suresh Kumarasamy of Gleneagles Medical Centre, together with Dato’ Seri Kamal M Hashim, Honorary Chairman of Henry Butcher Malaysia.
Our very own publisher Andy Davison kicked off with a brief welcome, after which Dato’ Lee Kah Choon, the Vice Chairman of InvestPenang spoke about “Penang – Your Next Investment Destination”. Dr Teoh Poh Huat, Director of Henry Butcher Malaysia, then whizzed through a presentation on the Penang Property Market and PI2H, a joint venture between Henry Butcher and MAS.
During the dinner at G Hotel’s coffee house The G Cafe, we were joined by none other than our Chief Minister himself, Yang Amat Berhormat (YAB) Lim Guan Eng. He seemed tired – unsurprising, considering he’s been faced by many challenges since he won the landslide election just a year ago – but his usual relaxed, friendly self.
After dinner, the Chief Minister graciously held a short press conference during which our foreign visitors were able to seek his views about why Penang is such a great place for both businesses and holidaymakers.

The next morning was spent visiting some local tourist sites and touring the E&O Property’s Tanjung Sri Pinang development. In the afternoon, they were treated to something every tourist should try at least once when they are in Penang: a trishaw ride, which will show you some of the many interesting sights in George Town at a leisurely and relaxed pace. It’s life as it was a few decades ago ... barring the heavy traffic, of course.
We’ve already been getting good press coverage back home – Tom Shields from Scotland’s leading Sunday paper “The Sunday Herald” has written two excellent, humorous pieces, one in which he mentioned G Hotel’s happening jazz bar G Spot, to which he was invited but did not attend because he could not find it ...
Richard Neville, Deputy Editor of The Press and Journal from Aberdeen in Scotland, told me that he thought Penang was fantastic. “It has a great mix of opportunity and tradition, and the way the older buildings have been preserved gives it a heritage that KL lacks. The people are very open and welcoming and quick to sing the praises of their home.”
He found YAB Lim Guan Eng “enlightening” when he said that Penang had to be more than just a tourist destination and that its future prosperity depended upon it being a place to do business as well as holiday in.
“I just hope that the right balance can be struck between development - business and residential - and keeping the homely feel of the place. Knowing the Malaysians I met on my tour, I have little fear for the future. I am sure I will bring my family back to Malaysia, and Penang in particular,” he added.
As Group Editor Douglas put it, “I love Penang! I was charmed by the place, and I enjoyed the seaside atmosphere, the rich heritage and of course the food. I can see that Penang makes a very appealing proposition and as a place to live, invest and do business in – it’s got an advanced infrastucture, educated workforce and good transport links. As a UNESCO World Heritage site, Penang is a very special place, valuable not just to Malaysia but to the whole world - I will be returning as soon as possible.”
That’s what’s so wonderful about Penang you see – we do have it all!

Proud Penang

2008-09-16T08:52:00.000-07:00

Monday 7 July was a momentous day for Penang and Melaka, as it was the day the Paris-based United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Heritage Council met in Quebec, and accorded George Town, jointly with Melaka, World Heritage Sites, putting the, on the world map.

With this award, they proudly join two other Malaysian sites: Kota Kinabalu (Sabah) and Gunung Mulu National Park in Sarawak, who achieved this honour in 2000. George Town and Melaka were among eight others – in Croatia, France, Papua New Guinea, San Marino, Slovakia and Germany – recently chosen by UNESCO.

The accolade is something that many Penangites, including the Federal and previous state governments, state agencies, individuals and NGOs like the Penang Heritage Trust have been working tirelessly towards for the past decade.

There was jubilation all round, and to celebrate the honour, Penang threw itself a three-day party, which was kicked off by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng taking a walk down George Town’s historic streets with state officials and NGO representatives.

Drums and lion dances, street parties, stage performances, exhibitions, open houses and processions were held at various sites across the island to mark the occasion. Cultural shows and dances, free trishaw rides and flower mural painting and tree plantings were held as well, and thousands of locals revelling in the event were joined by many foreign guests from all over the world including tourists from Australia, France, Holland and Britain.

The 108-hectare site within George Town is referred to as the historic centre, comprising the 18th century town grid close to the waterfront, and its historic multi-cultural neighbourhoods. The two main criteria for nomination were:

- As an outstanding example of 18th-20th century architectural ensemble of European, Chinese, Indian and Malay origins which illustrates the legacy of multi-culturalism of the Straits Settlements and mercantile history of the Straits of Melaka.
-As an outstanding example of a traditional multi-cultural settlement which best represents the culture of tolerance, peace, diversity, conflict and continuity in the face of modernization and social change.

However, what are the implications of receiving such elevated status? According to Unity, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, the listing will mean more tourist arrivals, and in fact Penang Tourism Action Council chairman Datuk Kee Phaik Cheen expects tourist arrivals to triple to six million over the next five years, and our hotels, transport and food industries will also benefit as a result.

More importantly, it will mean an increased awareness and commitment amongst locals and the government towards heritage conservation, which is welcome news. Malaysia may also receive financial aid and advice from the World Heritage Committee to help support these sites.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has already announced the formation of a state-level committee which will oversee the fulfilment and compliance of being a living heritage and cultural site.

According to Penang Heritage Trust president Dr Choong Sim Poey, more must be done to prevent heritage buildings from being left derelict or modernised into glass boxes. Steps are being taken to trace owners of dilapidated buildings, and the council is working towards keeping the town clean.

As the listing is reviewed once every three years, the city must work hard to keep the status.

About UNESCO World Heritage Sites
878 sites listed in 145 states:
- 678 cultural
- 174 natural
- 26 mixed properties

Italy has highest number with 43 sites

Among the Penang Sites Listed
City Hall
Weld Quay, Clan jetties and port area
Lebuh Aceh historical enclave and Malay Mosque
Kuan Yin Teng (Goddess of Mercy Temple), the first to be built in the state
Waterfront district including The Explanade and harbour area, Fort Cornwallis and Beach Street
Historical commercial centre
Little India
Guilds and trades precincts
Mosque and wakaf enclaves of Acheen Street and Kapitan Keling mosques
St George’s Church, Church of the Assumption, St Xavier’s Institution, Convent Light Street (the oldest girls’ school in South East Asia)
The museum and court building
Chinese clan enclaves with the Khoo, Cheah, Tan, Lim, Yap and Yeoh clan or kongsi houses.