Penang - The Expat Group

Transcription

enang
P
April - May 2013
Where World Cultures and History Come Alive
Botanic Renaissance
Penang’s Gardens Get a Facelift
Bird’s-Eye View
George Town from the Air
ISSN 2289-358X
04
Sweet Smell of Success
Penang’s Premier Perfumer
2 Penang International
Penang International 3
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W
e are now beginning our second year of publishing Penang
International. We have been encouraged by the response to the
magazine and are planning to expand the issues in the coming
months. It’s been particularly gratifying to engage with locally
owned boutique hotels and cafés who have agreed to place
our magazine in their businesses, helping to extend our reach
beyond our own subscriber base.
As the magazine continues to develop and flourish, it might
simply be considered a reflection of Penang’s own growth and
success. Whether as an enjoyable travel destination, a place to
raise a family, or a wonderful island on which to retire, Penang
is beloved by residents and tourists alike, and with good reason.
My own family and I always enjoy our getaway trips to Penang.
Though there’s no shortage of traffic on the island at times, for
some reason, being in Penang feels altogether removed from the
urban chaos of Malaysia’s capital!
We recently hosted, along with the International Women’s
Association, a most enjoyable Mingle at the Park Royal hotel.
We had a great turnout, and despite some uncooperative
weather, those in attendance had an excellent time. Our Mingles
are incredibly popular in KL, and as they get more and more
established in Penang, we’re finding the response to be much
the same. Look for more great Mingles to come.
When we talk to people from the island about what they find so
appealing about Penang, their answers tend to follow a similar
form: the food, the climate, the location, and the people. In
any place, it is always the people who bring the most joy and
we meet a few of them in this issue, from a native son of the
island who spent his university years in France learning the
art of perfumery to a pair of talented photographers. We even
show you the work of another photographer who uses remotecontrolled flying machines to take aerial photos of Penang!
We chat with a British expat who has come to George Town to
reinvigorate the Botanic Gardens, and we have an afternoon visit
with a Penang local who has managed to earn an appointment
as the French Consul General.
As usual, we also take you exploring to the areas near Penang,
including Langkawi, Ipoh, and even the story of a day trip
across the Penang bridge over to the mainland.
Whether you’re making a life for yourself in Penang,
or just stopping in for a visit, we hope you’ll find our
publication enjoyable and useful.
J. An
Andrew Davison (Publisher)
co n ten ts
12 20
16 26
36
Around Penang
07
Notes from the Island: A Day Trip to the Mainland
10
Events
12
Penang Mingle at Park Royal
14
Penang People
22
Tea with the Consul: The French Connection
32
Langkawi: The Jewel of Kedah | Sailing the Islands
of Langkawi
50
Map and Attractions
Features
Penang
16
The Pursuit of Personal Photography
20
New Man at the Gardens
24
Penang as a Presidency
26
Rebranding the Past
30
Medan: The Penang of Sumatra?
36
Photo Essay: Above Penang
40
Profile: Scent of Nostalgia
45
The Ideal Retirement Home
April - May 2013
Where World Cultures and History Come Alive
Botanic Renaissance
Penang’s Gardens Get a Facelift
Bird’s-Eye View
ISSN 2289-358X
04
Sweet Smell of Success
Penang’s Premier Perfumer
Cover:
Penang Flaming to the Top
by Wong Toong Sin
PHOTOS: PETER HO
The IWA welcomes
its newest
member country
RUSSIA
Notes from the Island
You will probably bump into Frances around George Town,
so do stop and say hello or drop her a virtual greeting by
emailing her on frances@theexpatgroup.com.
SOMETIMES WE PENANGITES forget
about the main land, the great body of
peninsula Malaysia, because there’s so much
happening on our small island. Now and
again, it’s good to take a trip away to gain a
bit of perspective. So a friend and I decided
to take advantage of Malaysia’s fine road
network and go for a spontaneous Sunday
jaunt. We took the old crossing – the ferry
to Butterworth – which gives you more of a
feeling of leaving the island.
In the old days when Penang was a dutyfree port, a customs official would ask
each car as it left the ferry whether the
occupants had any dutiable articles because
Penang had free port status up until 1969.
It has recently been suggested that Penang
become a duty-free port again and I
mused out loud that it would be difficult
to monitor because of the volume of cars
which cross on the bridge (and the soonto-be-opened second bridge). “Nonsense,”
my friend and driver for the day declared
roundly. “They do it in Gibraltar, which
has a land crossing with Spain, and it’s very
efficient. Actually Penang and Gibraltar have
a lot in common. And getting the duty-free
status would really boost Penang’s economy
in all sorts of ways.”
Once across the water, we headed for
Taiping, one of Malaysia’s hill cities, with
its rich heritage. In the old days, it was a
stopping-off place for colonials seeking the
cool air in the bungalows picturesquely
situated on Maxwell’s Hill (Bukit Larut)
which overlooks the town. Nowadays, one
of the great draw cards for modern Taiping
is the zoo. There is an island on the famous
Taiping Lake devoted to orang utans and they
are said to be some of the friendliest and
most intelligent orang utans in the world.
One of the things people mention in the
same breath as the name Taiping is the lake
A Day Trip to
the Mainland
gardens. Arriving at the green outskirts of
the town there were plenty of signposts to
various hotels but none to the lake. I took
a guess and said confidently (because I
have learnt that as a navigator it is best to
give the driver unambiguous instructions
even if wrong), “Follow the signs to the
Hotel Panorama.” In my mind’s eye, it
would offer a panoramic view of the lake
and have a delightful terrace upon which
to take afternoon tea. Sadly, this was not
the case and we found ourselves going
into the centre of the town, a square grid
of interlocking streets. But unlike George
Town’s now-crowded thoroughfares, these
were wide and airy. We passed the shuttered
Kapitan’s Shop, which proudly declared that
it bought “old stuff and antique items.”
bamboo fronds. Not a natural lake, it was
actually formed of abandoned tin mining
pits. One cannot imagine a more spectacular
transformation from industrial wasteland
to willow pattern charm. We drove down
a marvellous avenue of exquisite rainforest
trees, some so old that their lichen-covered
branches were actually dipping into the
lake. A fleet of pedalos, constructed in
the shape of rather chunky swans, were
chugging to and fro. People were sitting and
pedalling in what would be, anatomically
speaking, the intestines of the bird, with
a great canopy of snowy feathers over
them as a protective, one supposes, against
inclement weather. Of course Taiping is the
rain capital of Malaysia, and whilst we were
there it did thunder down.
The arcades of gorgeous old shop houses,
some really in need of renovation and
some struggling along, did remind me
of George Town before it started its steep
upward climb after the granting of heritage
status in 2008. Taiping is still a working
town, though its fortunes, derived from
tin mining and rubber tree planting, are
no longer its economic drivers. We found
a building that looked as if it had been
recently restored and promised history and
a coffee shop. But alas, it was closed, though
it’s normally open on a Sunday. “There was
a wedding yesterday,” the curator gravely
explained. Nothing more to say really.
Really hungry now, we headed back into
the town for some lunch and noticed that
Kapitan’s antique shop was now open.
Despite the lure of “old stuff,” we decided
to eat first at the Peace Hotel. Peace of
course refers to the name Taiping which
means Great Peace in Chinese, but it is
doubtful whether they had any rooms.
The simple local food was quite delicious
but was more extraordinary was the art
nouveau décor. A long panel tile depicted
a bas-relief peacock, its multi-coloured tail
flowing down the wall. A frieze of tiled
birds ran round the eating area and the
entrance was guarded by a gorgeous golden
lion’s head. These treasures were treated
quite casually; in fact, the lion’s mouth was
used to hold plastic bags.
There are some fine old buildings, such
as the King Edward VII’s school and the
Museum, which are in good condition. The
New Club (perhaps the name needs revising
for it was built in 1892) has excellent
premises but no customers. Suddenly
we found ourselves at the lakeside. I was
expecting something more like the grand
sweep of Kandy’s Lake, in the highlands of
Sri Lanka, but Taiping’s lake is a series of
picturesque vignettes, framed in reflected
Although we searched in vain for Kapitan’s
we never found it. Instead we did find the
Hotel Panorama, right in the centre of
town, without any panorama at all. Such is
Taiping, a town which always manages to
surprise the visitor. But it was nice to get
back to the familiar green hills of Penang
after a long day away.
events
13
April
14
April
Thai Water Festival
(Songkran)
This traditional Thai festival will be
celebrated by the Thai community in
Penang at the Wat Chayamangkalaram
Temple in Lorong Burma, Pulau Tikus.
Devotees splash water over each other to
wash away bad luck. Starts at 9 am.
1
April
April Fool’s Day Pyjama
Party 7pm to 10pm
Come dressed in your best... pyjamas for
an evening of light-hearted fun at Sigi’s Bar
& Grill on the Beach, Golden Sands Resort,
Batu Ferringhi. RM29.00++ per person
(inclusive of a glass of mocktail, finger
food, entertainment by resident band).
There will be a special appearance by the
resort mascot, Polly the Parrot.
8
April
Workshop on Emotional
Intelligence
Lynne Leahy will
give a seminar
on this very
important topic
at the IWA from
9-30 to 12.
Contact Penny at
the IWA office
(04-898-2540) or
email: info@iwa-penang.info.
9
April
Sundowners at Seven
Terraces
Places are limited for this exclusive venue
at which cocktails and tapas will be served.
Contact Penny at the IWA office (04-8982540) or email: info@iwa-penang.info.
10
April
Coffee Morning at the
IWA Club House.
A chance to meet and mingle with friends
old and new. Contact Penny at the IWA
office (04-898-2540) or email: info@iwapenang.info.
Ride for Sight 2013
10 am -6pm
The annual Ride for Sight raises much
needed funds for St Nicholas Home for the
Blind. The course begins and ends at Straits
Quay taking in Kelawai Road, Pulau Tikus
and George Town. Some of the visually
impaired residents will have the chance to
join on tandems aided by a sighted rider.
More details www.snh.org.my
by the Malaysian Association of Tour and
Travel Agents is a vibrant event for all
would-be travellers as discounts and special
offers will be available to a wide variety of
exciting destinations. It will be held at PISA
(Penang International Sports Arenas) from
11am to 9 pm each day.
18
20
April 6-11pm
26
April
April
IWA AGM
After a year of change for the
IWA, there’s a chance to review progress
and explore what lies ahead for this
venerable Penang institution. The AGM will
be held in the comfortable surroundings
of the new function rooms at the E & O
Hotel. Open to members only, it costs RM
85 to include coffee and a delicious lunch.
It is essential to book, so contact Penny at
the IWA office (04-898-2540) or email:
info@iwa-penang.info.
19
Vasakhi Open House
Times Square is the location
for this Sikh harvest festival which is
celebrated with singing and dancing in
a carnival-like atmosphere. It gives a rare
glimpse into the way of life and religious
beliefs of the Sikh community.
Film Night
IWA Clubhouse.
April
Blind Champagne
Tasting at That Little
Wine Bar
How good is your palate? Come and find
out at our blind champagne tasting evening.
We will try five different champagnes and
quality sparkling wines at a range of price
levels. At the end we will reveal their names
and prices – you may be surprised! Tapas
will be served. RM188 per person. Book via
info@thatlittlewinebar.com.
19
-21 April
MATTA Fair
This three-day expo organised
3
May
Solo Art Exhibition
“Characters” by Nalidsa
Sukprasert - Opening 8pm.
Exhibition continues until 16 May (daily
10am-6pm) at 2 Gallery, 27 Bangkok Lane,
10250 George Town, Penang. Nalidsa is a
young artist from Thailand who divides
her time between Penang and Bangkok.
Her bold, uncompromising work is already
attracting the interest of international
collectors.
11
9
-10 May
Bread Baking Class at
Irrawaddy Fine Foods
the wines! Tapas will be served. RM98 per
person. Book your space by emailing info@
thatlittlewinebar.com.
In this 2-morning workshop, Chef
Tommes will be showing you how to bake
perfect bread of several different kinds
(rolls, focaccia, pretzels and more). You
will be making bread yourself, including
letting the dough prove overnight, which
is why it is over 2 days (Thursday and
Friday mornings, 9am-12.30pm). The cost
is RM 200 per person. Book via info@
thatlittlewinebar.com.
May
MGS Penang’s
Sommernachtsball
The Malaysian-German Society’s
Sommernachtsball has become an annual
event of great interest to all ball-lovers
in Penang. This year it will be held in the
elegant and glamorous Grand Ballroom of
the E&O Hotel, beginning at 7 pm with a
sparkling wine reception (sponsored by
The Wine Shop) and continuing with a
delicious Eastern-Western Buffet-Dinner,
entertainment and dancing.
Dress code is formal. Tickets at RM 210 for
members of the Society and at RM 230 for
non-members are available at the
MGS office at250B, Jalan Air Itam, 10460
Penang. Tel./Fax 04-2296853. Email:
office@mgs.org.my.
24
May
Wesak Day
10
May
Blind Wine Tasting –
New and Old World
Wines at That Little Wine Bar
How good is your palate? Come and find
out at our blind wine tasting evening. We
will try five different quality red wines
from the old world and new world, and
our sommelier will help us pick out and
describe the differences and similarities.
At the end of the tasting, we will reveal
This day celebrates Buddha’s
birthday, enlightenment, and achievement
of Nirvana and will be celebrated in Penang
at the Malaysian Buddhist Association in
Burma Road. Monks will chant from the
Buddhist sutras, doves will be released as an
act of charity and there will be free food,
candle-lit processions and meditation.
15
-16 May
International Lion
Dance on Stilts
Competition
Teams from all over Malaysia will battle
out this exciting competition for the most
original and creative lion dance on stilts.
Daily from 10 am at the Han Chiang
Stadium.
penang mingle
BY: FRANCES WILKS
Sundowner Mingle by
the Sea at the Park Royal
ALTHOUGH THE HEAVENS opened at the recent
Expat/IWA Mingle, rain didn’t stop play. A delightful
sunset cocktail had been planned for the Mingle, an
event co-hosted by the Expat Group (which publishes
Penang International) and the IWA (the International
Women’s Organisation of Penang). It started well,
with an elaborate buffet and a bar all set out in the
Park Royal’s lovely seaside gardens.
The guests were just starting to arrive when the
some dark clouds, perhaps under the impression that
they, too, had received an invitation, showed up. Then
the first drops of rain. In my mind’s eye, I saw the buffet
collapsing in chaos, with plates flying everywhere as
the guests ran helter-skelter for cover. Nothing could
have been further from the reality. The General Manager,
Francois Sigrist, calmly made a single phone call and
the staff of the Park Royal moved with well-trained
professional precision and deftly moved everything and
everyone inside. Within seconds the bar (so essential at
events like these) was up and running and the buffet
recreated in all its perfection. It was so smoothly done
that I am not sure that everyone realised that the venue
had been changed!
After our last Mingle, it didn’t seem possible that
the food could be bettered. But I think the Park Royal
managed it. There were dips and crudités, samosas,
pizza slices, small sausages, mushroom puffs, and tarts.
There was even dessert, including chocolate mousse
and fresh fruit. It’s definitely worth checking out as a
venue for dinner, or a drink by the sea.
The wine was sponsored by the Wine Shop and both
the red and the white were delicious. As well as selling
excellently priced, high quality wines, the Wine Shop in
Pulau Tikus is a great place for lunch or dinner as they
have a selection of imported European cheeses and cold
cuts which are without equal in Penang.
One of the best things about Mingles is that there’s
a chance to meet and talk to people you haven’t met.
Often you see business cards being exchanged as well
as animated conversations and new friendship being
formed. This time, members of the Malaysian-German
Association joined the Mingle. Pauline Harwood, who
runs modelling training courses for people of all ages,
was there, and took some of the pictures of the evening.
Latest Mingle information on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/pages/Penang-International-Mingles
The new Business Development and Sales
Manager, Rebekah Macdonald was present,
with her husband Stuart, who works for the
Penang Institute’s Penang Think Tank. I met
an interesting couple who have a jewellery
business where they collect seashells from
the shore and craft them into exquisite oneoff pieces.
Josh Lee kindly donated two bottles
of his new perfume, George Town, as
prizes, and two well-known members of
the community won a bottle each. The
treasurer of the IWA, Jenny Ng, who is a
realtor as well as an accountant won one,
and Douglas Fox, who can be seen driving
his 1934 Lagonda around Penang, won the
other. Fortunately the perfume is unisex,
otherwise Douglas would have had to give
his prize to Marlene, his wife who runs the
IWA Choir and is very prominent in the
Penang Music scene. Perhaps they shared it!
Although the Mingles are aimed at
expats, all are welcome. There were even
a couple of local people who had heard
about it through Facebook. When I say all
are welcome, that doesn’t include the rain
clouds of course!
The Park Royal Resort, Batu Ferringhi
Beach, 11100 Batu Ferringhi,
Penang. 04-881 1133
If you would like to sign up for Park
Royal’s special offers and discounts, please
email enquiry.prpen@parkroyalhotels.com.
The Wine Shop, 15,
Lintang Burma, Penang,
10250, Pulau Pinang,
10250 Penang.
04-226 0331
penang people
In Their Own Words...
Many expats choose to make Penang their home for a variety of reasons. Here, we
give them the chance to talk about what brought them to this charming island and
why they have chosen to stay.
Francois Sigrist
Francois Sigrist is a long-time resident in
Asia and has lived in Penang and Langkawi
on and off for twenty years.You can catch up
with Francois at the Park Royal Resort in
Batu Ferringhi where he is the GM. He was
the host for the recent Expat/IWA Mingles
held there.
Work brought me to Penang in the first
place. After having been transferred from
Switzerland to Bangkok in 1988, I moved to
Kuala Lumpur before the beautiful island of
Penang in 1994.
and tastes of food cooked and eaten on the
street. Another of the things that expats
and visitors alike enjoy is the great multicultural environment and the way all races
and ethnicities meet and mingle in Penang.
My family has been based in Penang, mainly
due the school for the children as most of
the time as I was traveling due to my work
location in Hanoi and then Langkawi. In fact
I was in Langkawi for six years. Penang is
for me a ‘big village’ – it has the advantages
of a big city but the interaction of a small
village; everyone knows each other! Really
it is small but there’s a lot going on and it’s
very accessible for everyone.
One of the things I live about living in
Penang is that it’s still safe, and that you are
only a short flight from any major capital in
the region. It’s still affordable (but I don’t
know for how long) and still pretty close
to nature. Of course there are downsides: I
am not a fan of motorbike noise and their
kamikaze driving habits!
Honestly, before I came to Malaysia I had
no much idea of what it looked like. In my
mind I saw a large land covered with a dense
wild jungle where Jim Thomson disappeared
all those years ago. Kuala Lumpur was at the
time pretty small and with so many fewer
buildings and less sophistication.
But Penang has changed as well. Bloomed
is the word I would use to describe what’s
happened here over the last few years. Real
estate has really expanded, in some areas
perhaps too much, but it is probably the
price of civilization and development. One
thing which is great, is that George Town
is now protected from being destroyed
because of the granting of UNESCO World
Heritage status and it is now just a question
of time to see the old city to become a
major pole of attraction for our island. Our
beautiful and lovely wild nature, in the
north of the island, of course, is the other
pole of attraction.
I find the streets of George Town to be
iconic. I love the sound of a spatula
scratching the bottom of the wok when
cooking char kuey teow and the rich aromas
There are so many things a visitor must
see when they visit Penang it would take
a lifetime of visits to see them all! But top
of my list is George Town with its fantastic
heritage, The National Park at Teluk Bahang
and Turtle Beach.
There’s so much delicious food in Penang
it’s hard to choose a top three but my
favorite restaurants are:
• Uncle Zack by the beach at Park Royal
Penang which has a fantastic setting and
great food (I said it not because I work
here, but because it is true!)
• Spasso’s at Straits Quay for their great
quality steak.
• Tsunami Village, which is a simple café,
great seafood on beach front, very local
and relaxing atmosphere.
I do miss the four seasons of Europe with
their changes. I also miss certain foods
which are hard to get or unavailable
here and the organization and order of a
developed country. But it’s more than made
up for by the food, the climate, the heritage,
the nature and, of course, my friends here...
some expats, but probably the majority are
Malaysians.
courses arriving together. However, this is a
small price to pay for such delicious food.
If you’re visiting an office or a shopping
mall, or especially a cinema, for the first
time, let me give you one piece of advice.
Bring a shawl or a cardigan as some of
them are freezing! I don’t know why they
turn the air-conditioning up so high. I
love the climate of Penang but sometimes
the humidity is very high which can make
you very uncomfortable, not to mention
dripping wet, but I certainly prefer this to
the cold weather.
Pauline Harwood
Pauline is a former model who now runs
a modelling academy in Penang. But she
doesn’t just teach young men and women to
model, she holds regular soirees for “vibrant
ladies in their prime,” fun events which build
confidence and well-being.You can catch
up with Pauline at one of these or on her
website www.phmodelsacademy.com.
I came to Penang, as many people do, on
the recommendation of friends who live
here half the year. After living in Spain for a
number of years, I decided to try Malaysia.
I had no idea what it would be like, but
having been here for over three years, I find
I really enjoy the lifestyle in Penang.
I like the diversity and richness of the
different cultures, as well as the genuine
friendliness of the people. Penang has
changed quite a lot since I came here. One
of the really good new things is PenangPac
(the theatre at Straits Quay) has opened. I
love the theatre and enjoy going to most
of their performances. I like walking round
George Town taking photos and watching
the heritage sites being developed in
creative ways, as well as noticing the everchanging skyline of Penang itself. You’re
never far from the sea, which has its own
beauty and rhythms, and we have some
great shopping malls, which I like to visit.
One of the less attractive features of life here
is the way they that they transport babies
and children on motorcycles. Sometimes
my heart is in my mouth when I see two or
three children on one bike and the driver
weaving in and out of traffic. I also find
that no matter how nicely I ask or explain
in restaurants that I would like my food in
a certain order, e.g., starter, main course,
then dessert, they almost invariably manage
to get it mixed up with starters and main
There’s so much to see here. You have to
take a trishaw around George Town and
explore the little streets. Walk around the
Chulia Street/Love Lane area and look at the
buildings and street art – it’s really amazing.
Go up to Batu Ferringhi an enjoy beach life.
Take a boat to Monkey Island. Have a beer
in one of the beach bars and watch the sun
go down. Truly Lovely. Penang Hill is a great
place to have a panoramic view of all of
the island. Walk up if you have a few hours
spare and of course if you are fit enough!
My favorite restaurants in Penang include:
• That Little Wine Bar, because it’s relaxing
and great place to make new friends.
• Ferringhi Gardens, which has such a
beautiful setting with waterfalls and fish
ponds and all manner of flowers and
plants, including orchids. It is so nice just
to be there – almost a mini jungle – and
the food is good as well.
• Steak & Frits, 23 Love Lane, for the steak
with chips I love the meat from here.
They only serve steak, but it is delicious.
• House of Udang Galah for their fresh
freshwater prawns and Chinese food,
as well as their aromatic Duck and
Homemade Yam and Vegetable Ring.
• Passage Through India, Good Indian
food. I especially like the vegetarian
dishes.
I am renting but maybe one day I will buy
if the prices come down.
I would say my friends are pretty evenly
split between expats and local Malaysians.
I have met some lovely people through my
business and other expat friends. I do miss
my family from my home country, but I
don’t miss the weather. I don’t think I could
ever live in the UK again as I could not
stand the cold winters! I truly feel Penang is
my home now.
people
The Pursuit of
Personal Photography
Photography involves elements of skill, but when it comes to capturing people, particularly in those
special, personal moments, it becomes an art form. Pamela Nowicka talks to a pair of talented
Penangites whose paths crossed unexpectedly and led them to a unique creative partnership.
YOU KNOW YOU’RE good when other
people say you’re good. The applause of a
crowd, or the approving words of a parent,
even scoring lots of “likes” on Facebook
tells you something. So when Lucas Low,
a young engineer, started putting photos
of company events and his travels on the
company intranet, he was surprised at the
response. “People appreciated them, even
colleagues who I’d never talked to before
said they were very nice photos.”
Now a successful photographer, and, with
his partner, Joyce See Kai Xin, part of
Lucas + Joyce Photoworks, Lucas looks back
and considers this the start of his journey to
become a professional.
Requests to take family photos in exchange
for a free dinner followed. “I felt really
good, making people happy,” recalls Lucas
of the start-up days. “I thought, maybe I can
go professional and do this for the rest of
my life.”
Lucas’s partner, Joyce See Kai Xin, came to
photography from a different perspective. “I
used to do a lot of art and craft, calligraphy,
handmade products, zakka stuff, and I
started to appreciate photography. I got a
proper camera while I was working for a
multinational and started snapping.”
As with Lucas, positive feedback played a
key role in her aspirations. “I like doing
macro shots, shooting tiny things. My
cousin said it wasn’t about technical
knowledge, but about composition. He said
I had an eye for good composition. I just
snapped what was in front of me.”
And it was their mutual love of
photography that brought the two young
Penangites together. Recalls Lucas, “We met
through [photo-hosting site] Flikr. We’d
both taken a photograph of a butterfly –
same species, same angle, same point of
view, though hers was portrait and mine
was landscape. It amazed me how someone
could shoot from the same point of view. I
thought she’d stolen it,” he smiles.
Contact on Flikr led to meetings in Penang
when Lucas returned from stints working
in Italy and Dubai, and a professional and
personal partnership developed. Comments
Joyce, “My corporate life made me think
whether I wanted to live like that forever,
but in the Asian community it’s not normal
to think that a career in the arts can work.
It’s like, if you’re not a doctor, an engineer,
or a lawyer, you’re doomed!”
The young couple started by
photographing relatives’ kids in Ipoh, then
came a request from an ex-colleague in
the Philippines to take wedding photos.
Undeterred by a 36-hour journey, involving
missed flights, buses, and taxis, the young
couple embarked on a marathon 15-hour
photography session. “It was amazing,
really fun,” says Joyce. “You could feel the
love. People were really celebrating. I cried
when I photographed them exchanging
rings. They cried, too.”
And the couple’s trademark naturalistic,
people-oriented approach was evident from
the outset.
“We danced together with them while
taking photos. People were very natural
with us. It was so fun. The next day I was
like a dead lump,” recalls Joyce.
“We don’t do heavy editing,” says Lucas,
“we keep it as natural as possible. I always
look at the emotions, facial expression, the
way they interact.”
people
Joyce concurs: “A photo should bring out a
story, reflect the personality.”
“It’s a test of interpersonal skills,” comments
Lucas. “You don’t want people to have a sour
face, so you crack a silly joke and snap at the
right moment.”
Lucas and Joyce are making a name for
themselves both in Penang and further afield
due as much to their creativity and eye for the
unusual as to their technical abilities. And their
eyes are firmly set on the future. “Our biggest
dream is to work for Nat Geo [National
Geographic magazine],” says Joyce. “It’s the
pinnacle of photography,” agrees Lucas. “The
closest we’ve got was attending a seminar
organised by Nat Geo at Queensbay Mall. We
got shortlisted.”
The young couple are committed to their ideal
of photojournalism. “We don’t mind getting
dirty or going to dangerous places. We enjoy
taking photos of old men, not models,” says
Lucas. “We like to understand the story behind
the photos. We try to talk to people before
photographing them. Once we were yelled at
by a man in the fish market. We learned you
cannot be selfish taking photos of people. You
have to understand their situation.”
“You can sense it from the body language,”
says Joyce. “Living in George Town is a bonus
for us. We have a strong interest in its culture
and the people living here. We thought of
following a roti seller pedalling round George
Town for a day. At some point, the old heritage
will go. Some things in George Town are not
permanent and we feel a responsibility to
document them. A few years ago I was involved in a photographic
survey here. It made me realise how much of a jewel of heritage is
here. I want to share that with people.”
“It’s not just about making it beautiful, it’s about telling a story,”
asserts Lucas. “We’re really glad that photography has brought us to
meet all kinds of people, from people on the streets to big bosses.”
Joyce agrees. “We’ve met some amazing people and learned a lot
from them. They’ve trained us to become better people with
open hearts.”
Looking at the photographs covering the walls of Tofu, the boutique
traveller guest house the couple runs, gives a clear sense of the
artistry and commitment shown by the couple.
Any tips on how to capture those stunning images? “Either you shoot
and smile, or smile and shoot,” says Lucas. “Don’t use them as a
guinea pig,” warns Joyce. “You can only take one or two shots.”
Look, smile, shoot. The mantra of photography, Lucas and Joyce style.
To learn more, or to contact these talented photographers, find them on
Facebook: www.facebook.com/lucas-joyce-photoworks, or call
+6016 415 0757/+6016 433 2306.
nature
Canon ball tree flower
New Man at the Gardens
Penang’s cherished Botanic Gardens are enjoying a shake-up thanks to the British expert flown over
to lend a helping hand to this flourishing green space. Frances Wilks meets the man hoping to
further improve this wonderful public facility.
days, you could drive through the Gardens
iin your car, a bit like a safari park, while
tthe monkeys jumped onto the bonnet,
m
messed around with the wing mirrors,
and frequently snapped the elastic of
a windscreen wiper just for their own
amusement. It’s completely different now:
cars are not allowed and walkers and
jjoggers enjoy the cool tranquillity of the
great trees and well-kept lawns.
Helping Hand
H
Stewart
THE BOTANIC GARDENS are one of the
oldest attractions of Penang, but they do
go by various names. Sometimes they are
known as the Waterfall Gardens because
they are set in an amphitheatre of hills
under the cascades of the great waterfall of
Penang. When I was a child, however, they
were often called the Monkey Gardens, a
name you don’t hear nowadays. In those
D
Despite
the improvements already made
tto the Gardens, there is still work to be
done to raise the Botanic Gardens to
truly international status, which is one
of the reasons why Stewart Henchie has
come over from Britain to spend a year
in Penang. Formerly Assistant Curator at
the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew (UK),
Stewart is passionate about the necessity
for documenting the collection and
making sure that all the specimens are
labelled correctly. Even more important, in
his view, is the need to train staff and give
them confidence in their decision-making
and management skills. “They’re pretty
good at their jobs,” Stewart commends,
“but they need to know that they are,
which is what I hope I can show them
over the next few months.”
As we walk around the gardens, Stewart
tells me that there had been several botanic
gardens in Penang before this one. “In a
way, they were an offshoot of colonialism,”
he explains. “They were established in
quite a few places to collect useful plants
and seeds which could be commercially
exploited. The seeds were taken to Kew
and propagated. Often the results were sent
to other botanic gardens, which is why
you’ve got trees from West Africa and India
growing here.” The Gardens was also a
nursery for many of the heritage trees that
now line Penang’s roads.
Tall trees
on the Burma-Siam Railway, and torpedoes
were assembled in the area where the
orchid house now stands. Though most of
the wartime clutter had been cleared by
the 1950s, many of the important dried
herbarium specimens were transferred to
Singapore, and the gardens became more of
a public park than a true botanical garden.
White-eyed monkey peeks out
of a bamboo grove
Old and New
The current garden was established in the
late 19th century by Charles Curtis, who
found it to be a wonderful place to grow
plants from all over the world. It’s similar
to the Singapore Botanic Gardens, with
which it has always had strong links, but
the Penang Botanic Gardens boasts an even
better climate because of the hills and the
high rainfall. Curtis laid out the walks and
designed the planting of the trees, and it
flourished until the time of the Second
World War.
During the Japanese occupation, one of the
Superintendents of the Gardens perished
But things have been changing for the
better. A new administrative office is about
to open which will allow the old building
to be turned into a herbarium for scientific
study. Stewart explains the importance of
establishing a type specimen collection so
that each plant can be measured against
the purest form of the type. There will also
be a poetically-named “spirit collection”
of orchids and other plants; since orchids
cannot be dried, they have to be preserved
in alcohol.
Penang Life
Stewart is here in Penang with his wife,
and they are both enjoying their time. “It’s
a bit like doing VSO (Voluntary Service
Overseas),” he comments, “but when
you’re retired. The climate’s great and the
lifestyle very relaxing. I like the way you
don’t have to go out for a meal like you
would in Britain. You can just pop out to
eat.” The couple have worked their way
through many of the hawker stalls in their
neighbourhood, and they love the vibrant
multi-cultural life of the island.
Canon ball tree
Stewart’s advice to potential visitors of the
Gardens is to visit often, as things change,
and look around to see what’s in flower.
During my visit, he points out the dramatic
orange red flowers of the Cannonball Tree
(Couroupita guianensis), so called because when
the tree’s large seeds drop, they make a
sound a bit like cannon fire. He shows me
the blooms of a gorgeous Rhodesian Teak
tree (Baikiaea insignis) – white frilly petals
surrounding a yellow centre, rather like a
delicately fried egg.
He has one final piece of advice for
visitors – please don’t feed the monkeys.
“We’ll always have monkeys in the gardens
but there are too many and they can be
aggressive,” he warns. “Some of them
would return to their natural habitat if they
weren’t fed.” It’s just as well, then, that
the Monkey Gardens have faded forever
in the public’s mind to be replaced by an
increasingly beautiful and well-maintained
botanic gardens.
The Penang Botanic Gardens is open every day from
5am to 9 pm and entry is free. The Friends of the
Botanic Gardens hold regular walks and guided tours,
and the gardens will be the venue for the World Music
Festival in Penang 30-31 March.
The Gardens Shop is open daily and refreshments are
available within.The park can also rent ornamental
plants and arrange group tours.Visit www.
botanicalgardens.penang.gov.my for more details.
tea with the consul
The French Connection
In this instalment of our continuing series, Tea with the Consul, Manveen Maan catches up with
Teoh Seng Aun, a local who has become well-trusted and respected enough within the French expat
community to be appointed Honorary Consul General of France in Penang.
I started off with engineering then switched
to German and European Studies. Languages
are my forte,” he says.
The manager of a precision engineering
company (Nexus Technology Sdn. Bhd.)
today, Teoh wears many hats, as he also
teaches English part-time: “My area
of specialisation is vocational English.
Not many people know I am a certified
language teacher.”
HOW DOES ONE become a consul to
a country to which he or she does not
belong? The answer to that question is an
intriguing one.
Teoh Seng Aun, the Honorary Consul
General of France in Penang, recounts
his path to his current position. “I was
recommended by the outgoing Honorary
Consul, Datuk Lubna Jumabhoy,” the native
Penangite says. A lifelong member of the
Alliance Française Penang, Teoh muses that
his popularity within the French expat
circle paved the way for him to achieve
Consul General status. “I think I was chosen
because people were comfortable with me,”
he says. “Trust is very important when you
are in this role.”
Currently in the early stages of his second
five-year term as consul, Teoh is optimistic
about his future within this capacity. “I will
probably stay on for another term. I’m 54
this year. The age limit for this role is 70, so
time is on my side,” he laughs.
As the French Consul, it is only natural
for Teoh to be closely involved with all
that is France-related in the region. “I’m
basically on standby for instructions from
the Embassy,” he explains. “The French
nationals residing here mainly see me
about housing and immigration matters,
like if they need to get their passports
renewed and the like. Many call up seeking
more information on events, travel, safety,
accommodation, and so on.”
As the French consul, Teoh’s duties
encompass a large spectrum. “It is most
definitely a full-time role,” he stresses. “As a
consul, I am required to provide assistance
to French nationals in the northwestern
region of the peninsula. I also have to be on
call 24/7 in case someone needs help at any
given point.”
So close is his relationship with the
community, Teoh reveals that all the
French nationals in Penang have access to
his cellphone number and office phone
number. “I am in an official position to
help those in need, so they should be able
to reach me at any time,” he says matterof-factly.
Teoh’s journey to consul started way back in
his university days in Wisconsin, USA where
he was first exposed to the French language.
A stint in Switzerland on an exchange
programme heightened his love for it and
he returned to university in the US, wanting
to learn more. “I actually have a degree in
German Studies,” he explains. “At university,
Indeed, there have been many times when
Teoh has had to wake up in the middle
of the night to help someone with a
problem or let another crash on his couch,
all in the name of work. “I once received
a call from a couple who were mugged
and badly injured. So I drove them to the
French Embassy in KL to get their papers
and documents organised, and then I took
them to the hospital as the woman was five
months pregnant,” he says.
In another instance, Teoh provided support
to a Frenchman who was hospitalized
for attempting to take his own life. “This
man’s wife had left him and he spiralled
into a very depressive state, but last I
checked, he was doing well. I think he
has even gotten married again,” he says.
“Of course life as a consul is not always
so hectic. I might go a few weeks with
nothing to do, it all depends.”
Despite all the things that could possibly go
wrong, Teoh says that thus far, things have
been smooth sailing, due to a variety of
reasons. “Being very patient helps. You must
be able to drop all other activities in order
to accommodate someone else,” he says. “I
also receive much assistance from Malaysian
authorities and the French Embassy in KL.”
With all these added duties, Teoh sticks to
a tried and tested routine for unwinding in
his down time: “I read a lot. I also make it
a point to spend weekends with my wife.
I do not get to see her much during the
work week, as I am usually only home
after 10pm.”
The work of a consul is not always serious
business. Teoh tells us that there are many
events organised throughout the year
where everyone lets their hair down and
has a good time. “On Bastille Day (France’s
independence day) every year we have a
potluck at the Alliance Française. We also
have the French Music Festival and the
French Film Festival,” he notes. “All these
events are well received by the community.
Whether they are Francophiles, locals
or expats, we get about 80 to 100 people
attending these events yearly, which
is huge.”
Whether he is attending events, helping the
community, or organising festivals, it is just
all in a day’s work for Teoh.
history
Penang as a Presidency
Much ink has been spilt over Penang’s heritage, but what
was the key to the island’s history during its most formative
years? Join Kat Fatland as she retraces the steps of an
author whose curiosity about Penang’s past led him on a
lifetime of discovery.
IN THE EARLY MONTHS of 1977, author
Marcus Langdon, a young backpacker in the
middle of a two-year jaunt across Asia and
the Middle East, landed on the little island of
Penang. In those days, nothing obscured the
skyline except for the island’s hilly backbone:
KOMTAR was just a skeleton of construction;
only quiet kampungs and atap lean-tos dotted the
shores of Batu Ferringhi. The island itself could
shor
only be accessed from the mainland by ferry.
he wandered George Town’s city streets,
As h
Marcus became immediately interested in the
Mar
cacophonous blend of cultures intermingling
caco
within every facet of life. The contrast between
with
mos
mosque and temple, the warm scent of the joss
sticks against the fragrance of freshly ground
stick
spice, evoked the same curiosities many of
spic
us ffeel while walking through the city today:
what made George Town what it is today? What
wha
common thread of history might these
com
cult
cultures share?
Two decades later, while researching his family’s
genealogy and ties to his home of Melbourne,
gen
Langdon found he had a direct connection to
Lang
Pena
Penang: an ancestor named George Porter. In the
early 1820s, Porter worked as an employee of
the British East India Company. He was working
as an overseer of the Botanic Gardens in Calcutta,
one of the company’s presidencies, when he was
calle
called to Penang, another presidency, to collect
plant samples. During his 13-year stay, Porter
plan
filled
lle positions for the company as needed,
actin
acting as superintendent of a small Botanic
Gard
Garden and later as the headmaster of the Penang
Free School. Porter eventually acquired enough
wealth as a Beach Street merchant to relocate to
wea
Australia and become a pioneer of the city of
Aust
Mel
Melbourne. A family rumour suggested he once
own
owned half of that city: interesting fodder for
Lang
Langdon indeed. But Marcus soon found himself
drawn away from his original subject matter
draw
and into a topic of research that would soon
con
consume the next decade of his life:
How did the tiny island of Penang rise to such
importance to be called a Presidency?
imp
A SStruggle for Control
For most readers, the question’s topic sounds
rather obscure: what does a Presidency mean in
rath
this context? But as Langdon’s research shows,
in uence. In the ensuing years, tensions
infl
r
rose
so high between these warring
c
countries
that the British government
c
confi
rmed Light’s rationale for leasing the
i
island:
just 20 years after its founding,
P
Penang
became a Presidency.
Marcus
it’s because of this title that Penang is what
it is today.
By the late 1700s, the British East
India Company had elevated three of
its largest trading centres in India to
presidencies, namely Madras, Calcutta,
and Bombay. The status of presidency
granted these ports certain autonomous
control. Each presidency had its own
governor and council, which allowed for
greater efficiency in both business and
administrative dealings. After all, this was
an era where any question that arose had
to be sent by way of a boat-trip back to
Britain; answers might not come for a year
or more.
Meanwhile, hundreds of miles away, a
British trader and sailor named Francis
Light was working out an arrangement
with the Sultan of Kedah, who owned
Pulau Pinang. The Sultan agreed to lease his
island to the British East India Company
in exchange for protection from the
Siamese and Burmese, who were constantly
threatening to take over his spread of land
in northern Malaya. Apart from being a
good rest stop on the trade route between
Britain and China, Light found the island’s
strategic placement in the Strait of Malacca
a convenient location for curtailing the
Dutch and the French in their quest to gain
more regional
L
Light,
who saw Penang’s potential,
beckoned traders from nearby nations to
settle in on the island, promising them
free grants of land. Although Light died
in 1794, before he could see the island rise
to such importance, regional traders and
merchants continued to settle there long
afterward. The island’s new status also drew
settlers, with its promise of a strong British
defence should anything happen. Thus,
the island grew into a flourishing centre
of commerce and trade and a hub for the
British navy, who kept a watchful eye out
for any detractors.
A Lasting Legacy
Penang’s rise to a Presidency changed the
very fabric of the island, both culturally
and tangibly, in ways that can still be seen
and felt today. The city’s cultural heritage,
much of which began during this era,
is on display on every corner. It’s easy to
picture the shop houses hosting traders and
merchants alike, fine-tuning their products
that would come to define the family
business for decades, or to picture the men
whose names now reside on the city’s street
signs meeting with one another at the old
Government House and Suffolk House to
talk business and politics. Certainly, the
island has changed, but much of what
makes it special now could surely be felt
even then.
Penang held onto its presidency status for
just 25 years. Tensions between France and
Britain began to ease just a few years after
the island was granted its title. On the
trading side of things, Britain’s East India
tr
Company was in great debt even before
C
LLight leased Penang from the Sultan of
Kedah. As the British Government took a
K
greater
interest in the company, their trade
g
monopoly
in the region was curtailed.
m
By
B 1830, the Company saw no reason to
maintain
Penang’s status as a presidency
m
any
a longer, and the title was abolished.
But
B the story of what happened during
those 25 years and immediately
previously to them remains an integral
piece of Penang’s history: a piece that has
not yet been touched upon in detail by
any scholar or researcher until now.
Keeping in mind that these 25 years were
arguably the island’s most formative, it’s
easy to see how Langdon got wrapped up in
the early history of Penang. For the greater
part of the last ten years, he’s worked
tirelessly to compile all of the pieces of this
story into a book that the history shelves
have long been without. His final product,
Penang,The Fourth Presidency of India 1805-1830 is
a compilation of letters, records and images
that allow the reader to piece together an
image of Penang as it once was, and how
the island’s culture came together out of the
most unusual of circumstances.
The first volume of three, subtitled Ships,
Men and Mansions delves into great detail
in each of its four main subject matters,
always connecting them back to the
greater historical context. In this book,
readers can peruse the writings of Francis
Light, discover the story behind the
Suffolk House and who built it, and find
out why only two ships were ever built
on an island that rose to a Presidency
created partly for the reason of building
a naval dockyard. Throughout his work,
Langdon has endeavored not to narrate
the Island’s history, but to record it as it
actually happened. The result is a lucidlywritten account of the rapid rise of Penang,
complete with interesting and little-known
facts about the island as well as facts widely
known but never fully explained.
Langdon’s research has shifted Penang’s
appeal from sensory to historical. He now
lives in a Penang different from the Penang
he visited over three decades ago as a young
man, and certainly different from the one
most of us reside in now. The Penang he
sees in his mind’s-eye resembles the one
that existed two centuries ago. He walks
the streets and sees the shop houses and
buildings as they once were: structures as
unique and varied as the people that built
and lived within them, on an island whose
history, in all its brief glory, still draws on
the curiosities of visitors and locals alike.
With his newly-published book, he now
passes this privilege on to his readers,
allowing them access into the deeply
engrossing and expansive history of the rise
of Penang, the Fourth Presidency of India.
Penang:The Fourth Presidency of India 18051830, published by Areca Books, is on sale for
RM150 at all major bookseller outlets.
PHOTO CREDITS: CAROLYN O’DONNELL
travel
Ipoh Train Station
Rebranding the Past
It’s just a short drive from Penang, so join travel photojournalist
David Bowden as he wanders around old-town Ipoh and discovers
how the past is being preserved with a modern-day twist.
I’M NOT REALLY sure of Ipoh’s tourism profile. Most tourists probably hurtle past it on their way south
to Kuala Lumpur and few expats would consider it as a destination for a weekend escape. However,
all that appears to be slowly changing and recent developments could soon see it included on many
people’s travel itineraries, especially as it is just a one-hour drive south from Penang.
Historical Influences
Ipoh’s reputation as a tin town is well established but, taken on its own, tin is hardly a reason to visit
what is Malaysia’s third-largest city after the capital and Penang. It cannot be ignored, however, that Ipoh
was largely built on the strength of tin, discovered here in the 19th century. The deposits found in the
area made some people in Perak’s Kinta Valley very wealthy, as testified by its many large bungalows in
certain parts of the city.
Aerial of rooftops of old Ipoh shoplots
The old hotel within the station also
appears to have closed, but hopefully a
white knight will appear to take charge of
a renovation programme and restore it to
its former glory. The former hotel was once
the place to stay in Ipoh and surely a hive of
activity in the heyday when railways ruled
Malaysia’s public transportation network.
The Royal Ipoh Club is located just past the
High Court building. It overlooks extensive
playing fields and the Tudor-style clubhouse
is built in a similar style to the Royal
Selangor Club in KL.
The importance of a nation’s heritage
has been recognised in Penang with the
rejuvenation and restoration of many of
George Town’s old buildings. Likewise,
a closer look at Ipoh’s historic old town
reveals many fascinating aspects of the city’s
past and of the wealth that was generated
after tin was discovered.
Arguably the finest building in the city
is the train station, it was built in the
mid-1800s along the lines of Moghul
architecture, though much of the interior
has been modernised. Developments
continue, naturally, and the former gardens
in front of the station have been fenced
off, with little indication of what is going
on behind the fence. One can only hope
that whatever the development is will be
sympathetic with the station’s appealing
architecture.
Red walls Qatrynka Room Indulgence Living Ipoh
Opposite the Royal Ipoh Club, on Jalan S.
P. Seenivasagam, the imposing three-storey
St Michael’s School is another historical
building of national significance. The school
features decorated gables and wide-arched
verandas running the length of the building.
Ipoh is also famous for its rounded
limestone hills which ring the city. Some
caves have been converted into Buddhist
and Hindu shrines with Sam Poh Tong,
located 7km south of Ipoh, notable as the
district’s largest cave temple. It’s worth
the short detour here to admire the
colourful temple’s architecture and to
buy some pomelos from one of the many
nearby stalls.
Indulgent Living
There is no shortage of accommodation in
the city but very little attains international
standards. Things are changing though with
Indulgence Restaurant and Living leading
the charge in offering creative food, fine
wines, and boutique accommodation that
will pleasantly surprise most guests.
Restaurant Indulgence Ipoh
I can recall, several years ago, attending
a hospitality awards ceremony in which
Indulgence carried off several awards and
joined in with most who attended in being
astounded that a property in Ipoh could
win anything, let alone national awards.
Determined to find out how this was
possible, I visited the restaurant soon
afterwards and was immediately impressed
with the culinary creativity plus the chic
and luxurious surroundings of the boutique
hotel located above the restaurant.
Julie Song is the inspirational force driving
Indulgence, but she is supported by an
travel
Interior, Burps & Giggles Ipoh
Interior, Burps & Giggles Ipoh
Library behind Interior Burps & Giggles
excellent team who provide attentive,
informed, and professional service.
The seven themed rooms in the hotel
are luxurious in their décor, comfort,
and styling. No two rooms are the same,
so it is important to check the internet
before booking to match the room with
your requirements. Contemporary styling
is important these days and each room
includes the essentials of travel such as
rainforest shower, mini-bar, flat-screen
television, and Wi-Fi.
Quirky Café
Nothing moves too quickly in Ipoh, but
maybe that is changing. The recent opening
of Burps & Giggles café in Ipoh’s historic
heart clearly indicates that things are on the
move. While Penang has championed the
rejuvenation of heritage buildings, Burps &
Giggles could be a sign that things are about
to follow suit in Ipoh.
Not surprisingly, Julie Song is involved in
this wonderfully quirky café that combines
luscious coffees, pintxos, wines, and
creatively presented comfort dishes in
two adjoining rejuvenated shoplots. My
companion on my most recent visit was
an old Ipoh boy who became so excited in
seeing his former barber shop now offering
Wagyu beef pattie burgers, chicken and pea
pies, banana crêpes, and a bottle or two
of Joseph Drouhin Pouilly-Fuissé from an
enticing wine list.
This neighbourhood lifestyle hub is owned
by five Ipoh natives who banded together to
not only save the adjoining Sekeping Kong
Heng coffeeshop from development, but to
rejuvenate it into a café, art gallery, library,
boutique hotel, and courtyards.
Upon closer inspection, I realised that very
little had been changed in the complex – in
Burps & Giggles, walls had been scraped
back here and there to reveal multiple layers
of paint, tree roots enveloped some walls
as they do in Angkor’s famous Ta Prohm
Temple, and darkened timber beams remain
exposed. However amongst all this are
flashes of modernity – a colourful lounge
here, a modern mural of Marilyn Munroe
there, and a funky piece of recycled art
work in the corner. Bits and pieces from the
property have been reused and recycled,
with colourful pendulous light shades,
doors being used for tables, and tables
being recycled into artistic sculptures.
At the rear of Burps & Giggles, visitors
squeeze through a narrow opening in the
fence to drop into the art gallery, boutique
hotel, and library belonging to Sekeping
Kong Heng. This all adds to the maze-like
effect of the adjoining old buildings and
to its charm. I found myself regularly
wondering “what is behind that?” or “what is that
over there?” All very distracting while sipping
on some of Malaysia’s finest coffee and
nibbling on delicious crêpes.
I also discovered that this was just the
beginning of the site’s rejuvenation. There
are plans for Benjamin Yong’s outfit (Ben’s)
to open soon, as well as a craft shop,
cooking classes, and a live music venue.
For those who have never been to Ipoh,
there is really a lot to see. You can obtain a
guidebook or pamphlet on Ipoh’s heritage
trail from the Kinta Heritage Group and
set off for a weekend of admiring the city’s
historic sites without compromising on
life’s little indulgences.
Getting There
While most visitors will drive to
Ipoh, another possibility is to travel
on the train using the ERL, which
operates several daily services
from Butterworth. The ride is very
comfortable in modern coaches and
train speeds that approach 150km/
hour on certain sections of the track.
Those who use the train will arrive
in the ornate Ipoh Train Station. The
building’s grandeur is best admired
once you step back to look at the
exterior.
Contacts
Indulgence Restaurant and Living
14 Jalan Raja Dihilir
T: 05.255 7051
W: www.indulgencerestaurant.com
Burps & Giggles
93 & 95 Jalan Sultan Yussuf
T: 05.242 6188
W: www.allegraessentials.com
Sekeping Kong Heng
75 Jalan Panglima
T: 05.227 2745
W: www.sekeping.com
Kinta Heritage Group
The group produces some excellent
heritage resources such as trail
notes. These are available in the Ipoh
Tourist Information Centre, Ground
Floor, Ipoh City Council Office, Jalan
Bandar; 05.208 3155.
travel
Medan: The Penang of Sumatra?
Frances Wilks visited Medan recently and discovered some of the historical similarities and links
between the capital of North Sumatra and the Pearl of the Orient.
ONE OF THE JOYS OF living in Penang is the realisation that nowhere
in Southeast Asia is very far away, so there are many potential choices
for a short break or long weekend. Medan, a mere hour’s hop across
the water in Indonesia, sometimes called the Penang of Sumatra,
could be an excellent choice. Although Medan is usually seen as place
of passage on the way to Sumatra’s landscape treasures, the interior
mountains and the scenic Lake Toba, it really should be thought of as a
destination in its own right.
The Blue Mansion in Penang
On arrival at Polonia Airport in Medan, you find yourself an instant
millionaire but since a cup of coffee costs you 20,000 rupiah, you
sadly realise that you will quickly work your way through your
fortune! It’s also advisable to take US$25 with you in cash to pay the
visa-on-arrival fee to Indonesia, as, if you attempt to pay in any other
currency, you will find that you receive an extremely unfavourable
rate of exchange. You also have to remember to keep 75,000 rupiah
for your departure tax when leaving Indonesia. Despite this rather
off-putting and unwelcoming bureaucracy, the people of Medan are
friendly and laid-back, often taking time and effort to help a stranded
At the Tjong a Fie Mansion
Tjong a Fie's grandson
branched out into the banking sector, and
also into road and house construction and
was made the China Kapitan, or head of
the Chinese Community. He also built a
fine house, which echoes his uncle’s Blue
Mansion but on a rather smaller scale,
known as the Tjong a Fie Mansion. By the
time Tjong a Fie died in 1921, he was so
well-known that most of Medan came to
his funeral.
tourist to their destination. Hotel choice
is very wide from backpackers’ hostels to
plush five-star establishments and there are
lots of cafes and restaurants to tempt the
hungry traveller.
Like Penang, Medan grew from humble
village beginnings, only really taking off
in the nineteenth century when the Dutch
colonists of the time established tobacco
plantations in the surrounding area. Medan
became a trading place for tobacco and
other crops and because the new plantations
required manpower, there was an influx of
Chinese labour from South China, much as
there was in Penang. These new immigrants
needed to be organised and an energetic
young Chinese entrepreneur, Tjong a Fie,
was just the man to take on such a task.
Interestingly, he was the nephew of a
famous Penang Chinese merchant, Cheong
Fatt Tze, who built the Blue Mansion in
George Town, now a boutique hotel.
Born in 1860, in Guandong province,
Tjong a Fie came to Medan at the age of 17
and quickly established himself as a trusted
friend and loyal servant of the local Sultan
of Deli. This opened doors and, before long,
Tjong a Fie was bringing skilled labour
in from both Penang and China as well as
running plantations. In his middle age, he
His last surviving grandson, Jan Tjong looks
after the mansion, which is now open to
the public, with his sister, Mimi. “I am
proud of my grandfather’s achievements.
He was a broad-minded man, who created
links between people and groups and thus
became very successful. Although the house
he built is a national treasure, it still hasn’t
got heritage status, which is my hope and
dream to achieve.”
The mansion itself is set in a tranquil
garden off the bustling Kesawan Square in
the centre of Medan, opposite the famous
old Tip Top Café, with its many Dutch
and Indonesian treats. Like Penang’s Blue
Mansion it is designed around several
courtyards which create light and air.
Constructed in 1900, it is in the Asian Art
Deco Style with many Peranakan features,
such as the red and gold carved wooden
screen which separates the public part of
the house from the more private space. It
also has two ancestral altars, a reminder of
the family’s deep roots in China. There are
hand-painted ceilings upon which birds
and flowers weave enchanting patterns as
well as imported floor tiles from a Venetian
palace. There are many photographs from
Tjong a Fie’s adventurous life (he was
married three times, and his last wife
came from Ayer Itam in Penang) as well as
artefacts and furniture of the period.
Although Medan and Penang have historical
connections, they don’t look at all alike.
Medan is much more sprawling than
Penang where space is limited. The streets
are broader than those of George Town
and the local transport, a motorbike with
sidecar attachment for the fare to sit in, ply
their noisy trade. They are fast – if a little
nerve-wracking – and amusingly covered in
recycled plastic advertisement banners and
so you may find yourself being propelled
along the street advertising the local
whisky! In a way Medan’s slightly neglected
buildings with their crumbling plaster
and peeling paint (in sharp contrast to the
glossily restored shophouses in George
Town) are very reminiscent of townscapes
in Sri Lanka. Upon reflection, despite the
historical links between the two cities,
Medan is perhaps more the Colombo than
the Penang of Sumatra.
Paintec ceiling in the mansion
Langkawi: The Jewel of Kedah
BY TC GERRARD • WWW.THEISLANDDRUM.COM
Sailing the Islands of Langkawi
THERE ARE 101 ISLANDS which make up the Langkawi archipelago at the
northern entrance of the Straits of Malacca where it meets the Andaman Sea.
Pulau Langkawi is the largest of these islands, and with more than 65,000
residents, is the most populous, as well. Cruising sailors have long found the
calm waters and secluded anchorages a mariner’s paradise. With the growth of
the tourism industry, so too has there been growth in the yachting community.
There are now three marinas here, namely Rebak Island, the Royal Langkawi
Yacht Club in Kuah, and the Telaga Harbour Marina. All offer modern facilities
for the berthing of sailing and motor vessels so that now even the land-bound
traveller can enjoy sipping a cool beverage, having a meal, and looking out over
the vessels berthed in the harbour or anchored out in the bay.
In January, the Royal Langkawi Yacht Club hosted the 11th RLYC International
Regatta which attracted hundreds of sailors from all over the world to
embrace not only the competitive sport of sailboat racing, but the beautiful
and sometimes challenging waters of the Langkawi Archipelago. For five days,
44 boats in 10 classes raced in the Bass
Harbour channel and the offshore courses.
The Expat Group, which publishes The
Expat magazine and Penang International
magazine, were the proud sponsors of the
Warisan Duyong in the Ocean Rover class this
year. The Warisan Duyong is a 60-foot, 33-ton,
traditional wooden ketch that was built by
the famous Malaysian shipyard on Palau
Duyong in the state of Terengganu. The
Warisan Duyong is one of the most popular
vessels in Tropical Charters’ fleet based in
Langkawi. The traditional lines and alltimber construction leads one to believe
this vessel is older than she actually is. Built
in 2009, this is the second RYLC Regatta to
have the vessel as a competitor.
Crewed by Dutch, American, and Malaysian
sailors, the Warisan Duyong struggled with
extremely light air conditions throughout
the five days of racing to come in third
in its class. The five days of racing drew
spectators and sailing enthusiasts from
all over the island to watch both the
professional mega-sleds, one-design boats,
and the more diverse cruising catamarans
and mono-hulls. The light air that persisted
throughout the competition resulted in
cancelled races and long delays in starting
times. However, this did nothing to dampen
the spirits of the sailing crews, racing
committee staff, or spectators. Every evening
was still buoyed by celebratory dinners and
awards ceremonies and the camaraderie of
all those who participated.
A regatta is an event that exemplifies sailing,
and the skill of the skippers, tacticians, and
crew. For those who are not experienced
sailors, it encapsulates the romance and
spirit of sailing. But sailing is not just about
racing and competition. It is about an
experience that brings the individual into
a closer relationship with the maritime
environment and the power and beauty of
the sea.
Langkawi and its surrounding islands
cannot be fully experienced without time
spent exploring the small coves, secluded
beaches, and the surrounding sea by boat.
And there are many options from which the
visitor can choose to do just this.
There are day and evening charters on both
traditional and modern vessels that offer the
non-sailing public a seafaring experience.
Departing the harbour, you can sail around
the surrounding islands while the crew
takes care of your every need. Cocktails and
cold beverages are served while you enjoy
the sound of the water rushing by the hull
and the sun and sea. Day cruises include
a trek ashore to a secluded beach for an
amazing meal of local and international
cuisine. Snorkeling, kayaking, and jungle
trekking are all options to enhance your
cruising adventure and there is the allpopular saltwater Jacuzzi. This is created by
towing a large rope net alongside or behind
the boat as it makes its way across the sea.
You can even relax in the net as the water
bubbles and flows around you while
having your favourite beverage served by
the attentive crew.
horizon. For the more adventurous, there
are charter vessels that offer overnight or
multi-day excursions around Langkawi
and beyond into Thailand and all the way
to Phuket. These boats can accommodate
eight passengers, typically with all meals
and equipment included in the price. If
you dream of sailing from island to island,
spending leisurely days on a remote beach,
and escaping the hectic pace of life ashore,
this may be an option to consider.
There also numerous small boat operators in
Langkawi which offer island-hopping trips
every day of the week. The knowledgeable
skippers take on a small powerboat in and
Evening or sunset cruises offer a similar
meal onboard as you sail around the
islands and then out to the open sea to
watch the sun as it slowly sinks below the
Langkawi: The Jewel of Kedah
about the islands that surround the main
island of Langkawi. Every boat captain has
his own favourite islands and secluded spots
to show you. So no two trips are the same
and if you have someplace or something
that you particularly want to see, you
should not hesitate to ask the skipper.
For day and evening cruises, Tropical
Charters, Crystal Yachts, Blue Water
Sailing, and Stardust Cruises all offer their
individual experiences. Smaller cruise
operators such as Rampant Sailing and
Edu-Cat Sailing cater to smaller groups and
offer a more intimate experience. Sunsail
is an international boat charter company
with vessels berthed at the Royal Langkawi
Yacht Club. They offer the experienced
sailor a bareboat or non-skippered charters
for a day, a week, or more. They can also
arrange for a skippered charter leaving
you to relax and enjoy the world of sailing
without having to be burdened with the
responsibility of running the boat.
If you are visiting Langkawi and want to
experience its beauty and diversity by sea
put aside part of your holiday budget aside
for a cruising experience. It will be an
adventure that you will always remember.
The charter companies mentioned here can be found
on the internet or you can read more and make an
inquiry by visiting www.theislanddrum.com. Island
hopping can be arranged through one of the many
travel agents once you arrive.
LAGUNA APARTMENTS
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Email: sales@lagunalangkawi.info
Tel: 04 953 3108 / 012 468 1980
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2000 Jalan Kuala Muda, Mukim Padang Matsirat,
07100 Langkawi, Malaysia
photo essay
Above Penang
RALF TOUBY, originally from Germany, has lived in Penang for nearly eight years with his wife, Yvonne, and their four children. His day job
is as Asia Pacific General Manger for a German Company, Vötsch, who make environmental test chambers. But his passion is making movies.
One day he had a brainwave, what about putting a camera on a drone helicopter, or flycam, and taking pictures above Penang? Then he could
combine flying and filmmaking.
“My first attempts with a quadracopter weren’t completely successful. Actually I crashed the machine twice,” he says ruefully. “But then I
invested in a more sophisticated machine, with eight revolving blades, an octocopter, which is much easier to fly and will go exactly where
I tell it. It can hover and follow a course I set with GPS. I control the flycam from the ground and have produced several films which are
available on YouTube.”
Despite a pretty full professional schedule, Ralf is available for making the odd film to order (contact him on flycam@outlook.com for more
details) but his main motivation is his love of Penang. “It’s a great place to live, it’s relaxed, and easy-going and the people are so genuinely
friendly,” he says. “I lived in Singapore for five years before coming here, but it felt artificial compared with Penang.”
Kek Lok See
The Buddhist temple at Ayer Itam has been a popular Penang icon since it was built
in the early years of the last century. It is actually still being built. Ralf’s images
capture the natural setting and the drama of the many buildings that make up the
temple.
By day
The great statue of the Goddess of Mercy towers above the temple complex.
By night
During Chinese New Year the temple is lit up with a million
twinkling lights.
This is George Town as only the birds see it. In the foreground are the streets of shop houses and in background, the landmark KOMTAR,
which houses government offices above the slightly antiquated Prangin shopping mall. In the far distance, you can see the hills of Penang.
photo essay
Mosques and Minarets
The Floating Mosque in Tanjong Bunga doesn’t actually float on the sea but it is in fact supported by stilts driven
into the sandy beach.
The Kapitan Keling Mosque
was built in the 19th century
by Indian Muslim traders in Pitt
Street (now Jalan Masjid Kapitan
Keling). The arched octagon
under the dome of the minaret
was where the muezzin would
call the faithful to prayer.
You can see more of Ralf’s work on You Tube
www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pEKvdEr3w8
Gurney Drive
Named for Sri Henry Gurney, the British governor who was assassinated on the road to Fraser’s Hill during the Emergency of the 1950’s,
Gurney Drive has gone through several transformations. Once a sleepy seaside road with pleasant villas situated on it, it is now home to a large
shopping mall, Gurney Plaza, and the soon to be opened new Gurney Paragon.
The seagull sculptures which adorn the Gurney Drive Roundabout laook quite different from the air than they do from the ground!
profile
Scent Of Nostalgia
The fragrance of a place often evokes memories, and with that in mind, Penang
native Josh Lee has embarked on a journey to tell the story of his hometown in
scent rather than in word or song. Manveen Maan has a chat with the ebullient
fragrance master and catches a whiff of something amazing.
IT HAS BEEN SAID that a scent can unlock
and bring back memories. As the creator
of the world’s first heritage city fragrance,
this is exactly what perfumier Josh Lee is
counting on.
A unisex fragrance aimed at tourists and
locals alike, the George Town Eau de Toilette is
Josh’s first foray into “heritage scents.” After
failing to find a suitable souvenir for his
friends at the end of their Malaysian holiday,
Josh decided to create his own gift, one that
would be unique to his country. “I wanted
my friends to remember Penang long after
their visit,” he says. “That was when I came
up with the idea of a fragrance based on the
heritage of Penang. When I realised such a
product was not available, I decided to make
it myself.”
After gaining a place in ISIPCA (Versailles,
France), the top perfumery school in
France, Josh learnt how to create and
formulate perfumes, from expert fragrance
makers and historians. Upon completing
his tutelage, this former chemistry
graduate returned to Malaysia armed with
a veritable taskforce of perfume-concocting
knowledge. “It was such a great experience.
I learnt about more than 200 ingredients
that are often used to concoct perfumes,
and the impact they have in a perfume
formulation,” he says. “I also learnt to
memorise the smell of each ingredient and
how to create different type of perfumes
from the aromatic, oriental, fruity, and
floral families.”
Having been lucky enough to have always
been surrounded by different kinds of
scents, Josh felt Penang was the perfect
location to name a heritage perfume after.
“When I was in France, I discovered there
were many perfume brands based on cities,
such as YSL Paris and Burberry London.
Malaysia had none of these so I thought
it would be great to come up with one
specific to Penang, due to its rich and varied
history,” he says.
S
Seeking
inspiration from his
s
surroundings,
Josh embarked on a
y
year-long
research project to come
u with the perfect blend of smells.
up
T talented scent master did not
This
h to go very far to find a muse for
have
his fragrance. Digging into memories
from his school days, Josh found an
array of distinctive smells he knew
he wanted to incorporate. “I went to
a 160-year-old heritage school (St.
Xavier) that was right next to the
ocean. I would sit in class and get
intoxicated by the smell of the sea. It was
refreshing, cooling, and just a wee bit salty,”
he says.
“Every perfume has a story,” he explains
further. “George Town used to be a popular
trading port for spices. Imagine a merchant
in colonial times sitting at the jetty at dawn,
drinking bergamot tea, and waiting for
the ships carrying spices to arrive. Now
imagine that the ship has docked and the
aroma of spices fills the air as they unload
the goods. Then the merchant takes a walk
through the hibiscus bushes that surround
the wooden colonial homes. All these scents
are uniquely George Town. “
Classified as a citrus aromatic fragrance,
it is understand to see how Josh has used
the components to create a tropical,
refreshing mixture. “The scent starts with
the freshness of bergamot and green tea
in aquatic tones of seawater. Followed by
a spicy kick of cardamom and cinnamon,
it eventually leads to a crisp and luminous
floral heart of rose and hibiscus,” he states.
“The sharp notes of the spices are then
softened by a base of sandalwood, musk,
and patchouli. Much like the story behind
it, George Town EDT evokes a sense of
warmth and nostalgia.”
Surprisingly, Josh reveals that creating the
physical product was not only the easiest
part of the project, it was actually the
quickest. “The most challenging part is
coming up with a fragrance profile. Once
that is done, the physical creation follows
quite quickly,” he discloses. “In a perfume,
there are three types of notes – the top
note, heart note, and base note. Depending
on the volatility, some components emerge
quicker than base notes. Base notes are
heavier and last longer which is why the
smell keeps changing. ”
geometrically-shaped glass bottle displays
the sea-like, aqua green colour of the
perfume and is topped off with a wooden
cap, symbolising the heavy use of wood in
heritage buildings. Housed in a box made
from recycled paper, the packaging carries
a distinctly rustic feel. “The fragrance box
is really unique,” he says. “It has pictures of
heritage buildings in Penang on it including
City Hall, Khoo Kongsi Temple, Queen
Victoria Memorial Clock Tower, and St
Anne’s Church. “
So what is in store for this gifted scent
master? “More heritage fragrances!” he
laughs. “I want to promote the culture of
Malaysia and I think a heritage perfume
is an interesting way of doing that. When
tourists travel they love to shop and
perfume is something people buy all the
time – what better way is there to promote
Malaysia than through a scent you can wear
time and time again?”
Particularly adept at creating unisex
fragrances, it comes as no surprise that
Josh’s future projects are likely to involve
a mix of lighter and heavier scents: “My
fragrance will always be based on Malaysian
culture and heritage, with both floral and
woody scents. I would also like to create a
Peranakan or Nyonya perfume. I think they
are uniquely Malaysian – from their culture,
to their food, to the way the dress.”
Always up for a challenge, the everadventurous Josh is not one to play by a set
of rules when it comes to crafting timeless
fragrances. “I want to be able to create
perfumes that will continue to live for many
years to come. When Chanel No.5 was
created in 1924, it was a scent like no other
– completely distinctive, yet its popularity
never waned and it is still very much in
demand today,” he says. “Perfume is an art,
there are no limitations.”
Once he had the make of the perfume
down pat, Josh focused on the design
and packaging of the fragrance. The
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The new address is 70B Jln Tg Tokong,
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Dalat International School educates children in preschool to grade 12. With more than 500 students from 27
nations, Dalat is a leader in international education. The school offers an American, college-preparatory,
biblical worldview curriculum, and its academic and boarding programs are fully accredited.
Dalat International School Tanjung Bunga, 11200 Penang, Malaysia
1IPOFt'BYt&NBJMJOGP!EBMBUPSH
www.dalat.org
mm2h
The Ideal Retirement Home
Penang has long been favoured by Malaysians for its
great food, island lifestyle, and engaging blend of local
traditions, colonial heritage, and modern conveniences.
As editor Chad Merchant discovers, the rest of the
world is finding out about Penang’s appeal, too.
IT WON’T COME as a great surprise
to residents of Penang, but this popular
Malaysian island has found itself
increasingly on the world’s radar, not least
for its appeal as a great place to retire.
Recently, Kiplinger, a well-respected US
publication, published an article, “Eight
Great Places to Retire Abroad” and named
George Town in the short list of favoured
cities. (Kiplinger specialises in personal
finance and business forecasting, and they
also provide advice on retirement, taxes,
investment, real estate, and more.)
“There is a charm and bustle to George
Town, the capital of the Malaysian state of
Penang,” the article stated. “A UNESCO
World Heritage Site, Malaysia’s oldest city is
known for its rich history, but also its street
food and intriguing architecture.”
The article goes on to say that Malaysia’s
relatively low cost of living added
significantly to Penang’s appeal as a
retirement home. “Malaysia came in third,
behind only Thailand and the Philippines,
in the Global Retirement Index in terms of
lowest living costs. An American couple
can get along extremely well on $1,500
a month.”
Though Penangites faced with recent sticker
shock at the soaring cost of property may
balk at the prospect of living “extremely
well” on what amounts to less than
RM4,700 a month, not all retirees are keen
to buy property, and outside of that, it’s
hard to dispute that the cost of living in
Penang is quite reasonable.
The article also cites the quality and cost
of healthcare in Malaysia as a significant
incentive to retirees looking to make their
home overseas, noting that foreigners
routinely travel to Malaysia for quality
medical and dental care at affordable prices.
George Town has several hospitals and
major clinics, bolstering the city’s appeal.
The success of the Malaysia
My Second Home programme
must surely be seen as a major
catalyst to Penang’s popularity.
Since the programme’s
inception about a decade
ago, nearly 20,000 foreigners
have taken advantage of the
incentives and many have
settled in Penang. British expat
Gurdy Brewer minces no
words about it: “If it hadn’t
been for MM2H,” she says,
“we wouldn’t have come
here.” She and her husband
Richard moved to Penang
with their MM2H visas in
hand back in 2008 and haven’t
looked back. “Living here with
MM2H is a privilege,” Richard
declares. “This is our home
and we’ve made it
our home.”
German nationals Dr and
Mrs Mark Wolfgang feel
similarly after spending three years in
Penang as MM2Hers, and love their life
here. “Malaysia attracted us because of its
multinational and multicultural society,
its central location within Southeast Asia,
its well-developed health system and
infrastructure, the variety of tasty food, and,
of course, because it has a warm climate all
year, as well as tropical flora and fauna!”
It should also be noted that, in the Kiplinger
report, George Town was the only city in
Asia named as a top retirement destination.
Since the publication is largely – though
not exclusively – geared towards Americans,
many of the cities named are in Central
America, as “ease of travel back to the US”
is named among their selection criteria.
That simply makes the honour accorded all
the more special: Penang surely couldn’t
have scored very well on travelling easily
back to America, and yet it still overcame
this with strong scores in other categories
and put this charming island solidly in t
he list.
Apart from Kiplinger’s selection, Penang
was also recently chosen by International Living
magazine as one of the most affordable
and enjoyable retirement locations in the
world. Again, the favourable climate, quality
affordable medical care, and great food
were noted as some of Penang’s
considerable strengths.
That publication’s 2013 Global Retirement
Index, which determines through
numerous criteria the top 22 retirement
destinations in the world, placed Malaysia
in third place, behind Central American
pacesetters Ecuador and Panama. Of note,
the only other Asian countries to place on
this list were Thailand and the Philippines,
in 9th and 15th places, respectively.
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KNEE AND FOOT/ANKLE pain are very common conditions.
Common causes are the incorrect biomechanics of the foot, flat feet,
incorrect foot wear, and high heels, causing extra strain on the knee
joint and surrounding soft tissues. Both being weight-bearing joints,
the chances of injury are greater.
Feet are a biological masterpiece. They have to withstand tremendous
pressure during walking, jogging, and sprinting. Flat feet are a very
common condition, which can often go unnoticed. Flat feet can be a
cause of ankle and knee pain and even lower back pain. Flat feet are
also a common cause of bunions (boney projection at the big toe).
Ankle pain is often due to an ankle sprain but can also be caused
by ankle instability (ligament laxity from repetitive sprains),
arthritis, gout, tendonitis, fracture, nerve compression (tarsal tunnel
syndrome), infection, and poor structural alignment of the leg or
foot. Ankle pain can be associated with swelling, stiffness, redness,
and warmth in the involved area. The symptoms can vary from a dull
ache to a sharp intense pain that occurs upon bearing weight and
ankle motion.
Knee pain is a very common condition. Understanding what is
causing your knee pain is paramount: How old are you? Was there
a traumatic event? Where is the pain located? Did the symptoms
develop suddenly or over time? Once these questions are answered,
you can begin to investigate the symptoms. Putting the symptoms
together with the history and some simple diagnostic imaging
leads to a proper diagnosis. The following are some of the common
knee symptoms: popping, grinding, locking, instability, swelling,
and redness.
Proper evaluation and treatment are key to avoiding chronic
problems, potentially very disruptive to your quality of life. Flat feet,
bowed, or knock knees all can cause knee pain, hip pain and back
pain. Early detection can prevent further damage.
Due to the advanced knowledge of biomechanics, joint structure and
muscles, chiropractic has helped many patients with this condition.
TAGS Spine and Joint Specialists™ forms the first truly Integrated
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Our approach to spine and joint problems is patient-focused.
We recognize that patients want to enjoy pain-free lives as well
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for surgery or procedures that don’t necessarily offer the most
modern scientific of solutions. By providing non-drug, non-invasive
treatments first, we are able to help more people. For the percentage
of patients suffering from conditions that require invasive
approaches or surgery, we have partnered with some of Malaysia’s
top minimally invasive surgeons to provide minimally invasive
surgery for the spine, and injections including PRP for other joints.
Don’t delay. Call us and come in for a check-up…
advertorial
An Enclave of
Excellence
With six themed landscapes over 25 hectares, the exclusive
Ferringhi Residence is a resort-like living experience like none
other in Penang.
PENANG HAS GLOBAL appeal, and this
bustling Malaysian island is experiencing
a growth and transformation like never
before, cherishing its rich heritage while
simultaneously embracing the future. For
a privileged few, top-notch residential
offerings on the island are catering to an
increased demand for luxury, serenity,
space, convenience, and security. Indeed,
it’s a difficult balancing act to offer all
these in a well-planned and well-managed
development, but the uncompromising
new Ferringhi Residence has achieved a
remarkable degree of success doing just this.
Developed by the award-winning Mah
Sing Group, Ferringhi Residence offers an
uncommon opportunity to homeowners
and investors who seek something
different… an oasis of tranquillity in the
heart of the desirable Batu Ferrighi area on
the island’s north coast.
This idyllic green enclave will ultimately
comprise three precincts, including Condo
Villas, Town Villas, and Hillside Villas
and Resort Condominiums. In Precinct
One, Emaryl Condo Villas were launched
in January. These Condo Villas offer an
unprecedented degree of low-density
luxury living in Batu Ferringhi. With only
ten condos per block – and just two on
each floor – the key concept here is space.
Each Condo Villa has a front and rear façade
facing outdoors, and the units themselves
offer from 140m2 to 163m2 (1,507 sq ft
to 1,752 sq ft), embracing the popular
open-plan concept that brings the living
and dining areas together in one great
space. Each unit offers three bedrooms plus
another room which can be converted as the
owner desires.
The open plan of the Condo Villas is
further enhanced by high ceilings and large
windows, allowing natural light to fill the
rooms. The units are fitted and finished
to international standards, and a host of
upgrades and conveniences are offered to
enhance and round out the luxury living
standard of Ferringhi Residence.
Outside the individual units, however,
is another reason to consider Ferringhi
Residence. There is an infinity pool, a
gymnasium, a lifestyle café, and a children’s
playground, all housed in an attractive and
modern clubhouse. Beyond these facilities,
there are meandering walking paths and
cycling paths, too. The sense of openness
in the park-like setting is magnificent, and
the greenery and beautiful landscaping
contributes to a sense of calm and wellbeing. Truly, this is a marvellous place to
call home.
The enclave has been built around six
different landscape themes: Eco Street,
Flying Carpet, Infinity Pool, Paddy Terrace,
Scent Trail, and Water Lounge. Each of these
unique themes stimulates the senses in a
subtly different and distinct manner. And
once you’re comfortably ensconced within
the Ferringhi Residence enclave, the outside
world seems to vanish.
“Here, you feel as if you are living away
from the hustle and bustle of city life,” says
Mah Sing Group’s Chief Operating Officer,
Teh Heng Chong. “But actually, Ferringhi
Residence is central to major amenities.”
He continues, citing examples of the
community’s convenience: “The gated and
guarded enclave is just 500 metres from the
famous Uplands International School, only
one kilometre from Holiday Inn Resort and
Batu Ferringhi Beach, 15 kilometres from
George Town, and just 35 kilometres from
Penang International Airport.”
This sanctuary-like amalgamation of
water, greenery, pathways, and spacious
residences in such a highly sought-after
location alongside the beautiful beaches
of Batu Ferringhi is just the latest stunning
achievement by Mah Sing Group. Serenity
and spaciousness meet security and
convenience in an ideal Penang location…
that’s Ferringhi Residence, a rewarding and
enviable place to call home for those who
recognise quality of life as the ultimate
achievement.
For further details on this
master-planned freehold
development, please contact Mah
Sing Group, No. 1 Southbay City,
Jalan Permatang Damar Laut,
11960 Bayan Lepas, Penang.
Tel: +604 6288 188.
Email: ferringhi.residence@
mahsing.com.my. Website:
www.ferringhi-residence.com.my
N
Naza Talyya
Shangri-la’s
Penang
Paradise
Rasa Sayang
Resort & Spa Flamingo By Sandy
Tanjung Bunga
The Beach Beach
Beach Resort
Penang
G Hotel
Resort
Holiday Inn
Copthorne
Island Plaza
Resort
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Floating
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Orchid
Parkroyal
Gurney
Mosque
Golden
To
Penang /
<<
Plaza
Penang
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T
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Toy Musuem nju
& B o Batu
Lone Resort
a
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WAT CHAYAMANGKALARAM
KEK LOK SI
TEMPLE
GEORGE TOWN
SWETTENHAM PIER
DHARMIKARAMA
BURMESE TEMPLE
Penang Turf Club (Golf Section)
PENANG HILL
d
Gurney Drive
Penang
Times Square
SUFFOLK
HOUSE
Roa
TAMAN PERBANDARAN
(Penang Municipal Park)
TANJONG CITY
MARINA
Komtar
/Prangin Mall
Ferry
Air Itam
NINE EMPEROR
GODS TEMPLE
pre
s
Air Itam Dam
Ex
PERAI
Jelu
ton
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Jelutong
TROPICAL
FRUIT FARM
Homestay
Mengkuang
Titi
BUTTERWORTH
sw
ay
P. RAMLEE’S
STATE
HOUSE
MOSQUE
Rin
g
Teluk
Bahang
Dam
Forest Rec.
Park &
Museum
uter
FOREST
RECREATION PARK
AND MUSEUM
Sri Sayang
Resort
Hydro Majestic Hotel
Penang
National
Park
Butterfly
Farm
WATERFALL
PENANG HILLTOP TEMPLE
BOTANIC
Gurney
GARDENS
Plaza
PENANG BUTTERFLY FARM
Jala
Butte
rwor
th O
PENANG
NATIONAL PARK
Feringg
Tropical
Spice Garden
al
n Jerm
Homestay
Teluk Bahang
Pantai Kerachut
i
Jln Batu
lu
Te
Baga
Tanjung
Tokong
Island
Plaza
Teluk Kampi
anju
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kB
TROPICAL
SPICE GARDEN
Meromictic Lake
PENANG
BIRD PARK
Tesco Extra
Sunway Carnival Mall
Sunway Seberang Jaya Hotel
Safira Country Club
Pearl View Hotel
Balik Pulau
Mengkuang
Dam
Carrefour
MegaMall
Pinang
Gelugor
Homestay
Kampung Jalan
Baharu
Bertam Golf
Resort
Jalan
Teluk Bahang
Jetty Fishing
Village
Bayview
Beach
Resort
FLOATING
MOSQUE
Tanjung Bunga
Batu Feringgi
Teluk Duyung
(Monkey Beach)
Evergreen Northam
All
Laurel
Suites
Hotel
Gurney
Hotel
BUKIT
MERTAJAM
Hotel Summit
& Shopping
Centre
Tesco
Universiti Sains
Malaysia
Taman Awam
Metropolitan Relau
Equatorial
Hotel
Eastin
Hotel
Penang
Tesco Extra
Kompleks
Bukit Jambul
Vistana Hotel
Bukit Jambul
Country Club
Queensbay
Mall
Penang
Bridge
ST. ANNE’S
CHURCH
Jerejak
Resort & Spa
Sunshine Square
Taman Rimba
Bukit Mertajam
Auto-City
Juru
Sungai Nibong
Bus Terminal
Homestay
Sg. Semilang/Juru
sway
SNAKE
TEMPLE
Lep
a
Kompleks
Tabung Haji
Ba
yan
Homestay
Pulau Betong
s Ex
pres
Bayan Lepas
Pulau
Betong
Batu Maung
Fishing Village
N
Pulau
Gedung
WAR MUSEUM
Proposed
2nd Penang
Bridge (Open Nov 2013)
Pulau Rimau
Pulau
Aman
Homestay
Pulau Aman
Bukit
Tambun
Batu
Musang
Jetty
Batu
Kawan
Homestay
Sg. Chenaam
SUNGAI CHENAAM
Bukit Jawi
Golf
Resort
Homestay
Sg. Duri
TAMAN RIMBA
Legend
Highway / Expressway
Principal Road
Golf Resort
Hotel
Shopping Centre
Airport
Tourist Information Centre
Homestay
For enquiries, call Kopel (Koperasi
Pelancongan Pulau Pinang Bhd)
Tel: 04-250 5502
TO FIREFLY BUKIT PANCHOR
SANCTUARY
(SUNGAI KERIAN)
Homestay
Sg. Setar
This map is the property of Penang Tourism Development and Culture.Visitors can get their free copy at the Tourism Office at Penang International Airport or at the Penang Heritage Centre on 116-118 Acheen Street.
– Thailand’s traditional New Year’s
Day – which is celebrated in April.
The temple’s serene surroundings
feature a Bodhi tree, wishing pond
and pagoda.
1 Wat Chayamangkalaram
Wat Chayamangkalaram is a Thai
Buddhist temple built in 1845 on
land granted by Queen Victoria as
a gesture of goodwill to Thailand.
The temple has one of the largest
Reclining Buddha statues in the
world. Spectacular to behold, the
statue is completely gold-plated
and measures 33 metres in length.
You can also appreciate the
magniÀcent craftsmanship in the
exquisite statues of Devas and
other mythical creatures located
on the temple grounds. Open daily
6.00am – 5.30pm
2 Dharmikarama Burmese Temple
Located on Lorong Burma, this
Burmese temple is the favoured
venue for the Songkran festivities
Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion
3 Swettenham Pier
Built in 1904, Swettenham Pier
used to be one of the busiest
trading ports back in the days
when Penang was a trading
hub. At present it has been
redeveloped into a terminal for
large cruise ships and other boats.
The new terminal has facilities
for shipping and cruise passenger
arrivals and departures.
4 P. Ramlee’s House
This landmark commemorates the
late larger-than-life comedian,
actor, singer, composer and Àlm
director P. Ramlee. It chronicles
his life history as well as
showcases personal memorabilia.
Open daily 10.00am – 5.30pm.
5 State Mosque
The State Mosque is one of
the most beautiful mosques
in the country. Construction
of the mosque began in 1976
and was completed in 1980.
Elegant and iconic, the mosque
is located on 45 hectares land,
easily accommodating 5,000
worshippers. Open from 9.00am
– 5.30pm, visitors must dress
appropriately and remove shoes
before entering. Permission to
enter must be obtained from
mosque ofÀcials.
6 Suffolk House
The Suffolk House was built in
the 1780s on a vast estate owned
by the founder of Penang (then
Prince of Wales Island), Captain
Francis Light. Considered the
Àrst “great house of Penang”,
the Suffolk House was named
after Light’s birthplace: Suffolk,
England. The unique mansion
features authentic Anglo-Indian
architecture, which earned it a
special recognition from UNESCO.
The structure has gone through
many stages of restoration
spanning over 40 years. Today,
part of the mansion has been
converted into an upscale
restaurant.
7 Air Itam Dam
Opened in 1962, the dam is a
popular recreational and picnic
venue. It is located on gentle
hillocks, next to Penang Hill. The
dam commands panoramic views
of the island and George Town.
8 Kek Lok Si Temple
Kek Lok Si means ‘Temple of
Supreme Bliss’. Construction
began in 1890, with the
completion of its seven-storey
handcrafted “Pagoda of Ten
Thousand Buddhas” in 1930.
The pagoda is considered one
of Penang’s most beautiful
architectural wonders with its
Chinese octagonal base, Thai
middle tier and Burmese crown. A
30.2m Kuan Yin bronze statue was
completed in 2002. Open daily
9.00am – 6.00pm.
9 Penang Hill
Penang hill offers a panoramic
view of the city, 830m above
sea level. Getting to the top is
half the fun with a choice of
hiking or travelling in a funicular
train. At the summit, there is a
Áower garden, a mini bird park,
bungalows and guest houses.
Funicular train schedule: 6.30am
–9.15pm (Monday - Thursday,
Sunday) 6.30am – 11.15pm (Friday
& Saturday)
10 Taman Perbandaran (Penang
Municipal Park)
The Penang Municipal Park is a
recreational park designed for
active youths. Built in the 1970’s
on quarry land, the park was
called Penang Youth Park. Today,
the park is a popular sports and
lifestyle venue with a skating rink,
outdoor auditorium for open-air
festivals and concerts and a water
park. Open daily 7.00am-7.00pm
11 Penang Botanic Gardens
The 30-hectare Botanic Gardens
is a popular park among locals for
its refreshing ambience. It was
created in 1884 by the British
to collect botanical specimens
from the surrounding hills. Two
must-see attractions are the
Japanese Garden and the Bamboo
Setum within the arboretum. The
annual international Áoral fest
draws throngs of people with its
colourful and magniÀcent displays.
12 Waterfall Hilltop Temple
Dedicated to the deity Murugan,
the Balathandayuthapani Temple is
one of the oldest Hindu temples in
Penang. Originally, it was located
within the Botanic Gardens but
was later moved to its present
hilltop location at the beginning
of the 20th century. The temple is
the last destination for the annual
Thaipusam festival.
14 Batu Feringgi
Batu Feringgi is one of Penang’s
most popular beaches and has
drawn tourists over the years to
its sandy banks. Along this winding
stretch of beach, you will Ànd a
host of attractions from ocean
sports, parasailing, horse riding
and even a night bazaar!
15 Tropical Spice Garden
The garden is a picturesque
oasis, home to over 500 exotic
varieties of plants. Its undulating
landscaped trails invite visitors to
go on a mesmerising, refreshing
discovery. Open daily 9.00am –
6.00pm.
16 Penang National Park
For nature lovers, the national
park is the place to be. Exciting
rainforest trails take one on a
journey of beauty. Thrill seekers
should head for the canopy walk;
hovering 15m above the ground,
the 250m long walk will give you
a rare experience. The pristine
beaches of Teluk Duyung, Muka
Head and Pantai Kerachut are also
a popular attraction. The park is
home to a meromictic lake and
is also a nesting site for turtles.
17 Teluk Bahang Dam
Located off the northern cape
of Penang Island, the dam was
completed in 1999. Its scenic
surroundings are a favourite picnic
spot for locals. The dam has been
the dramatic stage for the annual
Penang International Dragon Boat
Festival races since 2002.
18 Penang ButterÁy Farm
The name may seem like a
misnomer as there are more than
butterÁies living here. The farm
has over 3000 living specimens
from over 50 species of rare
and exotic butterÁies, frogs,
scorpions and other insects. Open
on weekdays 9.00am – 5.00pm,
weekends 9.00am – 6.00pm.
19 Forest Recreation Park and
13 Floating Mosque
Malaysia’s Àrst Áoating mosque is
located along the scenic stretch of
Tanjung Bunga. Accommodating up
to 1,500 worshippers, the mosque
features a blend of local and
Middle Eastern architecture with a
seven-storey minaret. There is an
open space for visitors to sea-gaze
peacefully.
Museum
The forestry museum is an
education centre on the forestry
sector and how it plays an
important role in the socialeconomic development of
Malaysia. Explore the breathtaking
100-acre landscaped park and
encounter beautiful Áoras and
faunas. Dormitories are available
should you opt to spend the
night there. Open daily 9.00am –
5.00pm
20 Tropical Fruit Farm
Created with the intention of
preserving Malaysia’s green
heritage, the 25-acre tropical
fruit farm opened in 1993. The
farm has more than 250 types of
tropical and sub-tropical fruits
from around the world. Visitors
visit the farm to sample the fruits
and take in the breathtaking
vistas.
21 Taman Awan Metropolitan
Relau
The park was opened in 2003 as
an agro-tourism site. It is the
second largest recreational park
on Penang Island with facilities
for jungle trekking, mountain
biking, hiking, outdoor games,
and jogging, and it also offers a
children’s playground.
22 Bukit Jambul Country Club
Located on the sprawling greens
of the Bukit Jambul Country Club,
this world class golf course offers
formidable fairways and greens
surrounded by rock passages and
dense jungle. Its stunning 18 hole
5,763 meter, par 72 golf course
was designed by Robert Trent
Jones Jr., a noted golf course
architect and son of legendary golf
course designer Rees Jones.
26 War Museum
The Penang War Museum is built
on the remnants of an old British
fort which defended Penang’s
coast from attack. The museum
is a memorial to those who died
defending the country as well
as aims to be an educational
centre about life in Penang during
World War II. It features old war
relics and depicts the lifestyle of
soldiers in those times. Open daily
9.00am – 6.00pm
33 Auto-City Juru
Auto-City is one of Penang’s
most prominent lifestyle venues.
Opened in 2003, it is a massive
automobile show arena for
prestigious carmakers. With its
vast array of restaurants and
regular festivals and events, the
City is a hotspot for leisure and
entertainment.
23 Universiti Sains Malaysia
(USM) Museum and Art Gallery
There is a diverse collection of
Baba Nyonya and Malay artifacts,
textiles, prints, traditional
jewellery and Malay daggers as
well as a collection of paintings in
this gallery. Open Tues-Thurs, SatSun 9.00am – 6.00pm, Fri 9.00am
– 12.15pm / 2.45pm – 6.00pm.
24 Snake Temple
Built in 1850, the snake temple
– also known as the Temple of
Azure Cloud – is dedicated to
Chor Soo Kong, a priest who was
believed to have extraordinary
healing powers. According to
local folklore, a religious man
offered the venomous pit vipers
shelter from danger and since
then, they have stayed in safety
of the temple. Open daily 6.00am
– 7.00pm.
25 Batu Maung Fishing Village
The Batu Maung Àshing village is
a close-knit community located
at Penang Island’s southeastern
tip. It is famed for a mysterious
giant footprint on a boulder at the
beach. Known as Tapak Gedembai,
the origins of the footprint differ
among the different communities:
the Chinese believe the footprint
was left by Admiral Cheng Ho,
while Indians believe it was the
footprint of the monkey god
Hanuman and Malays believe it
belonged to a Áeeing giant.
34 Batu Musang Jetty
Completed in 2007, the Batu
Musang Jetty was built to improve
the means of transportation of the
local residents of Pulau Aman and
neighbouring Pulau Gedung to and
from the mainland. Conceptually
designed to blend with the
surrounding Áora and fauna, the
jetty is equipped with food and
drink stalls, toilets, waiting hall
and also spacious parking lots.
Surrounded by untouched lush
greenery, the jetty has been a
favourite spot amongst the locals
for camping, picnics and Àshing
activities.
35 FireÁy Sanctuary
Behold the rare enchanting sight
of ÀreÁies along the Sungai Kerian
riverbank with a morning or sunset
cruise. Other exotic activities you
could try are octopus catching,
bat cave exploration and visiting
Penang’s largest sea Àsh cage
farm.
36 Taman Rimba Bukit Panchor
Opened in 1963, the 8-hectare
park is located in the southern
part of Seberang Perai. It offers
a popular camping site under a
canopy of indigenous trees and
plants, while the bat caves are a
major tourist attraction. Chalets
are available for those who are
interested in staying.
JE
L
O
UT
NG
EX
P
S
RE
SW
AY
This map is the property of Penang Tourism Development and Culture.Visitors can get their free copy at the Tourism Office at Penang International Airport or at the Penang Heritage Centre on 116-118 Acheen Street.
1 City Hall
Built in 1903, this is the
headquarters of the Penang
Island Municipal Council. A
World War 1 monument for
fallen soldiers is also located
here.
2 Town Hall
This was the social venue for
Penang’s elite back in the 1880s.
It’s classic colonial elegance
was the backdrop for a scene in
the movie Anna and the King.
Located nearby is an ornate
fountain which was presented
to the public of Penang by Koh
Seang Tat in 1883.
3 Dewan Sri Penang
This community hall is a popular
venue for local and international
art exhibitions, orchestras,
expositions and festivals.
4 Penang Art Gallery
The Penang Art Gallery was
ofÀcially opened in 1964. The
gallery showcases outstanding
Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion
works by local and international
artists including those from
Japan and Thailand. Open MonSat, 9am-5pm.
5 Esplanade
The Esplanade is a seafront
promenade bordering an open
Àeld where festivals and events
are often held. Located along
this winding stretch are a War
Memorial to fallen soldiers,
a hawker food court and the
ancient Fort Cornwallis.
6 Fort Cornwallis
Built when Captain Francis Light
Àrst landed on Penang, this
ancient sentinel of George Town
stands guard over the island’s
cape. Visiting hours are MonSat, 9am-6pm daily.
7 Queen Victoria Memorial
Clock Tower
The 60-foot clock tower,
commissioned by the wealthy
Cheah Chen Eok, was built in
1897 to commemorate Queen
Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee.
Each foot represents a year in
the Queen’s reign.
8 State Assembly Buildings
These exquisite 19th century
buildings were formerly the
Police Court and are now the
venue for State Assemblies.
9 The Cathedral of the
Assumption
The Church was established
by Father Garnault along
Church Street. It moved to its
present site in 1861. In 1955,
it was awarded the status of a
Cathedral.
10 Penang State Museum
Almost destroyed in World War
II bombing, this building houses
a plethora of Penang historic
artefacts.
11 St George’s Church
Built between 1817 and 1818, it
is said to be the oldest Anglican
church in Southeast Asia.
12 Goddess of Mercy Temple
This popular temple is dedicated
to Kuan Yin, the Goddess of
Mercy. The Àrst foundation was
laid in 1728 by Chinese settlers
and completed in 1800.
13 Mahamariamman Temple
Built in 1883, it is the oldest
Hindu temple in George Town.
It began as a humble Hindu
shrine dedicated to Sri Muthu
Mariamman. A distinctive
feature of the temple is its
gopuram with 38 exquisitely
carved Hindu deities.
14 Teochew Temple
A prime example of Teochew
architecture, the temple was
built in 1855 and moved to
its present site in 1870. In
2006, the temple received the
Award of the Merit UNESCO
Asia-Pacific for Culture
Heritage Conservation. The
temple is also known as the
Han Jiang Teochew Ancestral
Temple.
7
23
26
Useful Addresses
Consuls and Consulates
Honorary British Consul
Rob Hawkins. Tel: 04.337 5336
Website: http://ukinmalaysia.
fco.gov.uk/en
10
11
15
17
18 Masjid Melayu Lebuh Acheh
The mosque was founded by
Tengku Syed Hussain bin Abdul
Rahman Aideed in 1808 for the
early Hadhrami Arab settlers.
To this day, the descendants
of those families live in the
19th century bungalows that
surround the mosque.
19 Islamic Museum
(Syed Al-Attas Mansion)
Built in 1860, this elegant home
was once the proud abode of
Syed Mohammad Al-Attas, a
prominent Achehnese merchant
who was a stalwart supporter of
the Achehnese struggle against
the Dutch. The home has been
converted into an Islamic
Museum to educate the public
on the heritage of Penang’s
Muslim community. Visiting
hours are 9am-5.30pm daily,
closed on Tuesday.
20 The Pinang Peranakan
Mansion
This old mansion, former home
of Kapitan Chung Keng Kwee,
showcases over 1,000 antiques
and collectibles depicting the
life of the Straits Chinese,
or Peranakan as they were
locally known. Visiting hours
are 9.30am-5pm (Mondays
to Fridays), 9.30am-3pm
(Saturdays), closed on Sundays
and public holidays.
15 Kapitan Keling Mosque
21 Little India
Founded in 1801, it is the
largest historic mosque
in George Town. Designed
in Moghul architecture, it
features beautiful minarets
and domes.
This little quarter of South
Indian culture is where early
Indian immigrants settled down
to make Penang their home. It is
the island’s epicentre of Indian
music, savoury cuisine, exotic
spices and authentic goods.
16 Cheah Kongsi
This clan temple features classic
Chinese architecture with the
surprising addition of British lion
heads on the temple. The lions
symbolise the Straits Chinese
loyalty to the British colonial
powers. The Cheah Clan is one
of the oldest Hokkien clans
in Penang. The temple was
completed in the 1870s. Visiting
hours are 9am - 5pm daily.
17 Khoo Kongsi
Completed around 1906,
the temple belongs to
the Khoo Kongsi clan. The
temple features Àne Chinese
architecture and craftsmanship.
Visiting hours are 9am-5pm
daily.
22 Tanjong City Marina
Malaysia’s Àrst inner city marina
is open to the public. Spanning
1.6ha, the marina, formerly
known as the Church Street Pier,
is adjacent to the Penang ferry
terminal.
23 Penang Ferry Service
Penang Ferry began operations
in 1920, making it the oldest
ferry service in Malaysia. These
iconic ferries ply the route
between the Seberang Perai
mainland and Penang Island,
carrying both passengers and
vehicles.
24 Clan Jetties
Located along the Weld Quay
are Penang’s historical clan
jetties, home to families of
traders, Àshermen and dock
workers. Built during the 19th
century, these traditional houses
are built over the sea on stilts
and are connected by wooden
walkways.
25 Upper Penang Road
A bustling lifestyle enclave
comprising bistros, cafes, local
coffee shops, clubs and pubs,
restaurants, handicraft and
cultural stores, clothing shops,
hotels and much more!
26 Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion
The ‘Blue Mansion’, former
home of tycoon Cheong Fatt
Tze, has been used as a
location for various movies and
television series. Guided tours
are available daily at 11am and
3pm.
27 Bengali Mosque
The mosque was founded in
1803 and built on land granted
by the East India Company.
28 Hainan Temple
The temple, founded in 1866, is
dedicated to the patron saint of
seafarers, the goddess Mar Chor.
The present building was built in
1895, restored in 1995. Visiting
hours are from 8am-8pm daily.
29 Campbell Street
Campbell Street is well known
for its traditional Chinese
medicinal shops, Indian
boutiques and other stores
selling merchandise. The famous
Campbell Street Market, built
in 1900, is where you could
procure fresh fruits, seafood
and meats.
30 KOMTAR
Built in 1978, Kompleks Tun
Abdul Razak (KOMTAR) is
Penang’s tallest building, rising
65 storeys. Named after the late
Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak
bin Hussein, the complex is a
shopping mall, business hub and
the home to the Penang’s State
Government.
31 Gurney Drive
Named after Sir Henry Gurney,
a High Commissioner of
Malaysia, this seafront
promenade is famous for its
open air hawker court and
Gurney Plaza, an upscale mall
with international boutiques.
Indonesia Consulate, Penang
467, Jalan Burma, P.O. Box 502,
10350 Penang. Tel: 04.227 412
Email: fakar@pc.jaring.my
Consulate-General of Japan
in Penang, Malaysia
Level 28, Menara BHL,
51 Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah,
10050 Penang. Tel: 04.226 3030
E-mail: CGJP@japancon.com.my
International Organisations
Alliance Francaise
46, Jalan Phuah Hin Leong,
10050 Penang
Tel: 4.227 6008 / 228 9719
British Council
Wisma Great Eastern Suite 3A.
1 & 3A.2, 25 Light Street,10200
Penang. Tel: 04.263 0330
E-mail: penang@britishcouncil.
org.my
IWA (International Women’s
Association)
16 Jalan Tan Jit Seng, Hillside,
Tanjung Bungah, 11200 Penang
Tel/Fax: 04.898 2540
E-mail: info@iwa-penang.info
MGS - Malaysian-German
Society
250B, Jalan Air Itam, 10460
Penang. Tel/Fax: 04. 229 6853
Email: ofÀce@mgs-penang.com
Penang Japanese Association
256 Jalan Air Itam, 10460 Penang
Tel: 04.229 6853
www.pja.org.my
Penang Irish Association
Tel: 012 229 6853
Email: penangpia@gmail.com
Private Hospitals
Gleneagles Hospital
1 Jalan Pangkor, 10050 Penang
Tel: Main 04.227.6111, A&E
04.220 2108
Island Hospital
308 Jalan Macalister, 10450
Georgetown, Penang
Tel: 04.228 8222
Loh Guan Lye Hospital
238 Jalan Macalister,
Georgetown, 10400 Georgetown,
Penang. Tel: 04.238 8888,
Emergency Hotline 04.226 6911
Penang Adventist Hospital
465, Jalan Burma, 10350 Penang
Tel: 04.222 7200
Utilities
TNB (Electricity)
Tingkat 17, Wisma TNB, 30,
Jalan Anson, 10400 Penang
Tel: 04.222 4000 (TNB careline
15451)
TM (telephone and internet)
Jalan Burmah, 10050
Georgetown, Penang
Hotline: 100
“Did we miss
anything?”
The most important
thing to me?
Is to have a smooth and
worry-free relocation
“The experience is never easy, but we
must say that the effectiveness, efficiency
and courtesy of the Crown people in
both places made a huge difference!”
~USA to Switzerland
Crown service offerings include:
s International & Domestic Shipment
s Transit Insurance
s Immigration & Legalization
s Home Search
s School Search
s Global Passport Intercultural Training
Tel: (60) 4 645 1166
penang@crownrelo.com
crownrelo.com/malaysia
Well Connected. Worldwide.TM
ELITE PROPERTIES E(3)0969
Tel : 04-6588199 (o) Fax : 04-6588193
www.eliteproperties.com.my
TO LET / FOR SALE
The COVE, Tanjung Bungah
•
•
•
•
•
•
Furnished
Spacious and Fully Seaview
6 bedrooms
Built-up approx. 6,000 sqft
Asking Rental RM11,000/month neg.
Asking Price RM3.2 mil
FOR SALE
18@Medan York
•
•
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•
3 Storey Gated & Guarded Bungalow
3 units (balance 2 units available)
Built-up from 3750 sqft
Land area from 5300 sqft
Asking Price RM3.2 mil onwards
We also have units at Fettes Residences, Skyhome,
Skyhome, Straits Quay, LOOC, Gurney
Beach, Sri Pangkor,
Pangkor, Silverton, Central Park, Platino,
Platino, Baystar and many others
FACTORY/ WAREHOUSE
FOR SALE / TO LET
1) Location Penang Island
Sale – Built-up ~ 60k ft2
Asking Price : RM18.5mil
2) Location Prai/ Bkt Minyak
Rent – Built-up ~ 94k ft2 (or half)
Asking Rental : RM1.30psf
Contact Ms Genny Tse
H/P 012-473 8860
elite@eliteproperties.com.my

Penang - The Expat Group

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