Chinese New Year Celebration this Weekend Feb 27-28th

Latest Events - MyPenang CNY Reunion celebration

Title:
MyPenang CNY Reunion celebration
When:
27.02.2010 - 28.02.2010 17.00 h - 23.00 h
Where:
Esplanade, Penang - George Town

Time: 5pm to 11pm
Organizer: Penang State Government
Tel: 604-650 5136

Music + Local Food + Bazaar + Concert + Midnight Party

MY PENANG CNY Reunion Celebration 2010 & 'Chap Goh Meh' Celebration jointly organized by the Penang State Government and go international and co-hosted by MY Astro.

This Chap Goh Meh ( 15th Night)  full moon... get ready for a colossal event in the heart of Penang Heritage city...
今年的元宵节，大家准备好于槟城旧关仔角庆祝这盛大的节日!

Over two days on 27 & 28 Feb 2010, MYPENANG REUNION celebration & full moon street party will be the playground for friends, relatives and visitors. Experience a truly Malaysian Chinese New Year with an exciting line-up of artistes from Taiwan and Malaysia! There's something for EVERYONE.

-- 27 Feb 2010 --
5pm-1am @ Esplanade Penang
It begins with vendor stalls kick starting at 5pm followed by a 45-minute MYPENANG Variety Show featuring for the first time, Nyonya PohChu and Bahku Hokkien Rapper, KO-AI. Soon after, catch Astro's young & energetic MYFM radio DJs on centrestage and welcome celebrity entertainers from Taiwan and hot Malaysian stars: popular rock duo from Taiwan Y2J 神木与瞳 (pic below) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVeZCOhXQIA, Cindy Yen 袁咏琳, Genie 卓文宣, Thomas Jack 东于哲, Danell Lee 李桀汉, Chen Keat Yoke 曾洁钰, Alvin钟健桦, Juztin Lan Kah Fai 刘界辉, Astro battleground 舞极限 as well as the entire MYFM radio DJ troupe! It's going to be fun fun fun! Get your 2-day festival pass for entry!

Then, at the stroke of midnight, adjourn to G Hotel for a full moon party unlike any other in Penang featuring Lap Sap's BLINK and XU as well as DJ Goldfish for a FIRST collaboration between the three - GBX. It's gonna be crazy!



Program for 27th Feb:
5.00pm - MYPENANG Bazaar opens
7.00pm - Emcee (MYFM DJ) welcomes all!
7.30pm - Arrival of Penang State Chief Minister
7.45pm - MYPENANG Variety Show (DEJAVU magicians)
MYPENANG Variety Show (Nyonya PohChu & KOAI)
MYPENANG Variety Show (Datin Mei Lin singing performance 2 songs)
MYPENANG Variety Show (9yr old boy singing performance 2 songs)
8.4 5pm - Nyonya PohChu & KOAI welcome MYFM DJs
9.00pm - Launch Gambit by Astro Battleground (6 mins dance)
MYFM Stage (3 ASQ sing CNY Song)
MYFM Stage (Juztin Lau Kah Fai - 2 songs)
MYFM Stage (Cindy Yen - 2 songs solo + 1 duet with Danell Lee)
MYFM Stage (Ah Yoke - 2 songs solo)
MYFM Stage (Alvin - 2 songs solo)
MYFM Stage (Thomas & Jack - 2 songs)
MYFM Stage (Genie - 2 songs)
MYFM Stage (Danell Lee - 2 songs)
MYFM Stage (5x DJs - 1 CNY song)
MYFM Stage (Y2J - 3 songs)
MYFM Stage (Closing by 5x DJs and all artistes and Variety Show)

-- 28 Feb 2010 --
5pm - 11pm @ Esplanade Penang is Chap Goh Meh!
Throw the traditional mandarin orange if you're still single, ladies! Otherwise kick your heels back and enjoy the 80s Schooldays Party co-organised by REDfm's DJs. Love songs dominate this Chinese Valentine's day.

Program for 28th Feb:

5.00pm - Welcome to My Penang Reunion CNY Celebration - Doppelganger Acoustic Showcase
7.00pm - Dondang Sayang in front of City Hall
8.00pm - Kompang, Gamelan and Caklempang music by Sek Tunku Abdul Rahman from Nibong Tebal

8.30pm - Malay Cultural Dance

8.40pm - Speech by Chief Minister of Penang
Cultural Dance
RedFM DJ and local celebrities Royce an Ah Yoke (Tiger Woohoo actors) - at the main stage
Nyonya PohChu & KOAI welcome REDFM DJs - Nisha & Adrian - at the main stage
10.30pm - Lion Dance on stilts in front of City Hall

11.00pm - Fireworks

7pm to 10.30pm - traditional throwing of orange activities at beach front
** crowd invited to Town Hall


[[[ BUY FESTIVAL PASS ]]]

Purchase of one Ang Pow of RM12-00 will entitle you to a free drink and a lucky draw.
Tickets can be purchased at the following location:
• Guang Ming office at 67 Macalister Road (12pm-6pm)
• Crepe Cottage at 77A Gurney Drive (8pm-11pm)
• Queensbay Mall at Penang Tourism Booth (12pm-6pm)
• G Hotel at Gurney Drive (12pm-6pm)

Why is our EPF Dividend so low? How to beat inflation with these puny rates?

The Employee Provident Fund (EPF) rate is getting lower and lower to around 4-5%.  With inflation rate at least ~3%, our actual interest gain is actually 1-2%.  How to retire when you get returns this low?  I say, better to pull some of your money from your EPF account to invest in Mutual Funds or the ASW2020, which gives better returns ( albeit with slightly higher risk). Let's see how much we are getting for Yr 2009.
Some helpful links below:
Link to approved Fund Mgrs: http://www.kwsp.gov.my/index.php?hdl=bin&rp=751 
Link for Retirement Calculation : http://www.asnb.com.my/webfinancialcalculator/Retirement/Retirement.aspx?culture=en-GB
Year - Dividend
2009            ??

2008	4.5
2007	5.8
2006	5.15
2005	5
2004	4.75
2003	4.5
2002	4.25
2001	5
2000	6
1999	6.84
1998	6.7
1997	6.7
1996	7.7
1995	7.5
1988 - 1994	8
1983 - 1987	8.5

http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/20100207204755/Article/index_html

Penang Government Portal for Enquiries and Complaints

I would like to share with you all my experiences using the Penang Gov't portal for the public to direct their enquiries and complaints with regards to anything, e.g. traffic, noise, bad services,...etc. So far,  since started using it, I find that they do followup  on your enquiries,  and respond to you fairly quickly.
The website is http://epintas.penang.gov.my/ .   Below are some pictorial examples taken from the website. You need to register yourself before you use it.

Malaysian Drivers... Driving like Motorcylists

Lawless behaviour of motorists shocks JPJ chief ( from The Star)

PUTRAJAYA: Road Transport Department (JPJ) director-general Datuk Solah Mat Hassan thought he had seen it all — but no, some motorists still continue to surprise him with their reckless behaviour on the road.

On his way from Kota Baru to Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday during the ongoing Ops Sikap XXI, he managed to photograph 93 cars blatantly flouting traffic rules.

“The drivers either overtook along double lines or jumped queue using the emergency lane.

“Some even used the road shoulder. I cannot imagine the kind of catastrophe that could have happened if there were people on it (road shoulder),” he told a press conference yesterday.

He added that he also alerted his officers to stop two cars and slap the drivers with summonses because they were “driving way too dangerously”.

Solah said that between Feb 8 and Wednesday, 2,968 photographs were taken of motorists committing various offences, including failure to stop at traffic lights, overtaking along double lines, jumping queue and using the emergency lane, drivers using their handphones and failure to buckle up or motorcyclists who failed to put on a helmet.

“The photographs were taken by my undercover officers, by the public and me.

“We have proof that these people committed road offences; there is no way they can deny it. We will slap them with the maximum fine of RM300,” he said.

However, JPJ officers caught only three heavy vehicles travelling during the Feb 12 and Feb 13 ban period. Of the 5,000 buses checked, only 11 failed tyre and brake tests while two drivers tested positive for drug abuse.

“With the long holidays coming to an end, I am pleading to road users to be mindful and patient. I also urge the public to play their role in capturing photos of vehicles flouting the law, so that we can take action against the drivers.

“The JPJ needs the public’s help so that reckless drivers will not get away unpunished,” he said, adding that photos could be emailed to aduan@jpj.gov.my.

Very disturbing if this is true... A leopard cannot change its spots.

Racist Umno Youth propaganda in London   ( from MalaysiaKini website)

Ahmad Naim
Feb 11, 10
5:42pm

Hi, my name is Ahmad Naim, and I am a first year student in the UK. I write about my experience last weekend in London where I overhead a discussion by Umno Youth leaders.A student in the UK is exposed to many experiences. The apolitical learn to be political, the apathetic become aware, the previously anti-social join student-run clubs and harness talents they never knew they had.
And beyond these positive developments, I learnt a few days ago that a first-year student such as myself can also find that the Malaysian Dream can be stomped upon even in a land that teaches us the values of democracy, freedom and equality.
I learnt of the impending arrival in London of a large delegation of Umno leaders from a few friends from Kelab Umno London. There was to be a private session between the delegation and Kelab Umno leaders/members. For the record, I had contemplated joining the club which swore to be run solely for the purposes of the welfare of Malay(sian) students in the British capital.
But ever the student I am, procrastination is my middle name. In any case, I was not overly keen to meet with the Umno delegation which included the Umno secretary Datuk Rauf (something) and around six or seven Umno Youth exco members (some look like post-graduate students, so I cannot tell the difference) and ladies.
However, because food was on my mind I decided to accompany my friends headed down to the Malaysian Students Department, or MSD (located next to Malaysia Hall) anyway.
Respecting the private nature of the discussion, I sat outside the modest room housed by the MSD gobbling away (self-paid) while the session was being held. Unknown to those inside the room, much said in there was audible to those sitting near the back partition. The window overlooking Queensborough Terrace where MSD is located also makes it quite easy to look into the hall.
Armed with a book, I tried reading while sipping a 'teh tarik' but I couldn't seem to bring my mind to concentrate on reading. Disturbing words of racist politics could be heard coming through the cracks of the partition.
The only person to take the stage was the quite sizeable Umno secretary Rauf whilst the Umno Youth exco members also fielded questions from the floor. I wasn't eavesdropping but the booming voices – especially those of Rauf and one Umno Youth member by the name of Megat – made it quite easy to make out the racist remarks which were spilling out of their primary orifice.
In his rant, Rauf called non-Malays 'bangsa asing' who were trampling on the Malays in 'Tanah Melayu'. I remember a direct quote, 'Jangan biarkan bangsa asing pijak kepala kita' as though the non-Malays were interested in little else than seeing Malays fail for their sinister, selfish goals.
There was also a vigorous defense of Nasir Safar's recent comments against non-Malays which branded non-Malays as beggars and prostitutes. According to one Umno Youth exco member present, those comments were not at all racist but quite contrarily 'just facts'. My oh my, I saw a Chinese couple next to me trying to tune out the words and focus on their meals.
Throughout the session, non-Malays were treated as the enemy and whilst they did praise Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, there was no mention of '1Malaysia', unity or multiracial nation- building.
During some moments in the session, they sounded nothing less than Vikings on the path to war – an Umno Youth exco said something to the effect of Umno willing to fight to the death against threats made by non-Malays. These threats were, strangely enough, never detailed.
Regardless, what I found most disturbing was the fact that these individuals, by all accounts, are (I think) high-ranking Umno leaders. Rauf, for all intents and purposes, as I Googled, is the COO of Umno. Whatever one thinks of Umno's sloganeering via '1Malaysia', the fact is that if even these individuals cannot help but promote the diametric opposite to what '1Malaysia' is supposed to entail, then what hope is there for Umno and BN?
As much as what Najib says and does counts above all else, it is most shameful that his generals are doing their best to derail the Malaysian Dream. Najib's decision to fire his aide only last week was commendable but he was just an aide. Will he take similar measures against people with positions in the party who speak out against '1Malaysia'?
I may be just a kid yet, but if Najib is to succeed as a reformist, then he must make sure the entire – or at least much of the party – follows suit. Otherwise, even the son of a lifelong Umno member will think twice about voting BN. Sigh. Shaken I was despite not sitting in at the meeting. Umno propaganda is indeed powerful.

Yao Si Ting... Lovely Voice ( Get her latest "VOICE" album)

Since Valentine is coming soon which coincidentally falls on the same day as Chinese New Year,  here's a suggested album to get from Yao Si Ting, a Chinese singer from Guangzhou. Cost at Popular Book Store is ~ RM$38.

You can listen to an excerpt of one of her songs titled " Only Love" from YouTube...

Cross Country Race in Penang on February 28th

Penang Cross Country Race which is sponsored by the the KSK Bayan Lepas and Penang Amateur Athletic Association (PAAA). The trail is about 6km long, and you will be going thru hilly areas, vegetable gardens, traditional villages, fishing villages, coastal and country roads. Please download the entry form from this link: http://dunbayanlepas.googlegroups.com/web/BORANG%20MDPP%202010ms2%20copy.jpg?gda=YA9n_VsAAAAYXbPL0Z15fsB1jRckOSFs2hnIxQegTHzeThPw_Y6SbA6EULru8tV31e814jqFGEFpUhQF7MXvUq9C7cJ36A6LakFd6A0b7jxjcMolY2mGPAZF2vdCvKU-TDZpFtcP-AU&hl=en
 There will be accomodations that can be arranged nearby for those from outstation.
 Closing date for entries February 19, 2010. For more information, you can find it on http://kskbayanlepas.blogspot.com/ ( it is in Malay but u can use Google Translation)

Wish List#2: Traffic Management

For a small island as Penang, traffic management could be better.  There are a few fundamental traffic management flaws that I see that makes the traffic worse:
a.  Too many traffic lights; it just slows traffic.. Use more U-turns instead for traffic that wants to cross to the other side.
b.  No proper "ring" highways roads that provides the main artery for traffic flow. Just imagine a hwy that circles around, and with exit points to the main towns, e.g. Air Itam, George Town, Gelugor, Bayan Baru,...etc.
c.  No proper bike lanes since Penang has lots of motorbikes
d. Too many illegal parking that blocks traffic flow... Police not showing their presence.

One example of constant traffic jam and provides bad reflection of Penang as whole especially for outstation visitors, is the main hwy that winds towards Jalan Mesjid Negeri, near Tesco.  Visitors driving in to Penang via the bridge will get bottled up here when heading towards the northwest part of the island.
The main reason for the messy jam is the traffic light at Jalan Delima and 2-to-1 lane merge at the underpass.  Whose bright idea was this, since this is a major artery road to the north?  If Penang road network is liken to a human blood circulation system, the human will get a "heart attack" with all the clogs  in the systems.
May I propose a solution to this longstanding issue? Remove the traffic light at Jalan Delima and provide U-turns for traffic that needs to exit or enter Jalan Delima.

For now, complaints on traffic jams in George Town can be made to the operations control room of the George Town police headquarters at 04-2181880.