The Star LED Art Sculpture

I had a chance to visit The Star LED sculpture which is a recent attraction at Jalan Raja Uda, Butterwoth, Penang designed by Ong Jun Hao in conjunction with Urban Xchange 2015. It was launched on 7 November 2015. This star-shaped art installation is set in an abandoned building along Jalan Pusat Perniagaan Raja Uda 1, taking centre stage among rows of shophouses and flats within the commercial area of Jalan Raja Uda, Butterworth.

The objective is part of urban renewal of Butterworth through creating a new community art space. The 3-storey high art installation appears as if light emanates from inside the building and the light is able to penetrate through the solid thick concrete floor slab of the abandoned building.

This dazzling LED light display along with occasional performances, markets and music concerts plays a pivotal role as a new community space, which helps rejuvenates and revitalise the existing dead space behind the newly-built shopwhouses along Jalan Raja Uda. This art installation illuminates a previously abandoned building and quiet dark alley, creating a vibrant urban landmark which draws many visitors. Recently, Penang state government also launched Bamboo Square at the open area next to the art installation, decorated with planted bamboos and illuminated with mini red lanterns and red ribbon wishing tree as part of the Chinese New Year celebration. 

How to get there

The Star LED sculpture is located at Jalan Pusat Perniagaan Raja Uda 1, off Jalan Raja Uda, Butterworth, behind Coffee Venture. Entrance is free for all visitors. 

Berapit Hill Thai Buddhist Temple

Berapit Hill Thai Buddhist Monastery (known in Chinese as Chanxiu Jingshe 禅修静舍) is located up on the western slopes of the Bukit Mertajam hill in Seberang Perai, Penang Island. This temple is rather well known among the locals but not tourists out of town. This monastery can be accessed by a 25-minute hike from the car park at the bottom of the hill. A pair of running shoes and a bottle of water is highly recommended as it is going to be a steep hike up the asphalt and concrete path through the dense jungle. The other Buddhist monastery is Vivekavana Solitude Grove which can be accessed through the same concrete path located at a higher elevation compared to this Thai monastery. 

Upon reaching the Thai monastery there is a large statue of a sitting Buddha and the main prayer hall. Several shrines dedicated to Luang Phor Tuad and Na Tuk Kong are also located next to the main prayer hall. If you continue hiking, you will reach the 5-tier pagoda and the meditation pavilion overlooking hill below with panoramic views of Bukit Mertajam town and Penang Island in the distance. Also located next to the pagoda are Phra Prom shrine and a large statue of a standing Buddha flanked by two elephant statues. 

View of Bukit Mertajam hill from the car park

Asphalt path leading to the hill

View of the temple from the bottom of the hill

Junction at midway along the concrete hilly path. To get to the Berapit Thai Buddhist Temple, take a left turn. Take a right turn and you will reach Vivekavana Solitude Grove. 

Sitting Buddha statue next to main prayer hall 

Miniature Buddha statues in the main prayer hall

View of Bukit Mertajam hill from the monastery

Telecommunications tower atop the summit of the hill 

View atop the pagoda

Panoramic view from the pagoda

Panoramic view of Bukit Mertajam town and Penang Bridge

Panoramic view of Seberang Perai and Penang Island

Pagoda at the monastery

View of the pagoda and the hill below

Panoramic view of Bukit Mertajam, Seberang Perai and Penang Island. 

Statue of the standing Buddha 

How to get there

Unfortunately there is no signboard leading to the Berapit Hill Thai Buddhist Monastery. To reach there from Bukit Mertajam town, drive along Jalan Berapit. After passing SJKC Jit Sin and SMK Berapit and before you reach the Berapit wet market on your right-hand side, turn right into Taman Pearl which then leads you to a residential road. Turn right into Tingkat Berapit 4, then turn left into Lorong Berapit 1 before turning right into Tingkat Berapit 7. You will see a car park behind the residential area where you can park your car before you ascend the hilly path leading to the monastery. 

D.O. Hill Recreational Park

Taman Rekreasi PBAPP Bukit D.O. (D.O. Hill Recreational Park) is a recreational park and green lung in the heart of Bukit Mertajam in Seberang Perai, Penang. The park can be accessed from Jalan Sri Bukit either via Jalan Permai or Jalan Chan Ewe Pin. The park was recently upgraded by the Penang state government with added facilities such as outdoor gym, jogging track, reflexology path and gazebos. You can see Penang Island and Prai from the summit of the hill. The park has ample parking space and popular with locals especially working adults and retirees. However I do feel that the authorities should create more parks around Seberang Perai area to cater the growing population. 

View from the summit of the hill

View from the summit of the hill

Jogging track at the park 

difference of A2 Hosting and IX Web Hosting

Focus on Urban Growth in Penang

Originally published in the The Star newspaper on January 6, 2011: http://www.thestar.com.my/story.aspx/?file=%2f2011%2f1%2f6%2ffocus%2f7741164&sec=focus 

Malaysia is currently a developing nation. Infrastructural development is required to cope with the ever increasing population. It does not take a genius to predict that Malaysia has to develop to achieve a developed nation status. Particularly in Penang, development is crucial as it needs to vie with different parts of the region to become a top tourist destination.

As a Penangite, I certainly feel that Penang certainly needs an alternative mode of development to cope with prevalent problems that lead to environmental issues such as traffic congestion and flash floods.

Rapid development does not necessarily hinders protection of environment. One should not stereotype building construction and development as means of destruction of the pristine natural landscape of Penang Island.

Residents of Penang are void of living standards of a developed urban living such as efficient public transportation. Penangites are currently more car-dependent as there is no high-capacity mass rapid transportation system unlike Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Malacca and any other mega cities of the world. Proposals of constructing a monorail train system in Penang were recently scrapped due to political and economical reasons.

Without proper urban planning, housing development would become decentralized. With increased usage of private transportation, decreased efficiency of the city due to traffic congestion may occur and more pollution, which in turn increased consumption of energy and emission of greenhouse gases.

While preserving its natural landscape, the Penang Government should develop the urban conurbation by implementing key development zones by phases to control from extension into the urban fringe. This includes identifying, managing and preserving heritage zones and ecological zones.

Development should comprise balancing population growth between Penang Island and Seberang Perai. Residents moving from Penang Island to Seberang Perai should be encouraged to reduce congestion.

Increase green lungs and parks in inner urban areas to reduce fragmentation; in other words, prevent isolation of habitat of flora and fauna.

Increase population density by introducing transportation corridors, whereby development concentrates along these corridors to have easy access to public transport.

Proper management concerning urban development by co-operation between Penang state government, Penang Municipal Council, Seberang Perai Municipal Council, NGOs and citizens would achieve higher standards of living, public transport accessibility, housing affordability and environmental sustainability.

I reiterate that development does not really inhibit environmental sustainability. The ban of plastic bags is a lauded move by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng as a first step towards a cleaner and greener Penang. 

History of Bukit Mertajam

Briefly translated and modified from source: 王琛发 (2008), 大山脚历史，Zoom Penang. URL: http://zoompg.com.my/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=32, retrieved 19 June 2012. 

Brief History

Bukit Mertajam is town in the Malaysian state of Penang, located in Central Seberang Perai, with the Chinese community forming the majority of the total population. Jit Sin High School is one of the top performing schools in Malaysia. The town is also famed for the St. Anne’s Catholic Church, with its annual St. Anne’s Novena and Feast being held every year at the end of July which attracts thousands of devotees from all around the country.

As a major town in Central Seberang Perai, Bukit Mertajam serves as one of the many economic hubs in the northern region.

Hundred years ago, Bukit Mertajam is merely a barren wasteland filled with wild animals and swampy marshlands infested with crocodiles.

Although so far there is no complete written record on the early settlement of Bukit Mertajam, archeologists had recently discovered much evidence on the antiquity of the town.

According to archeological findings, there has been early settlement of Bukit Mertajam some 1500 years ago in the 5^th century based on the discovery of the Cherok Tokun Relics, which is a stone tablet carved with ancient Sanskrit writings, which is now displayed in the church grounds of the St. Anne’s Church along Kulim Road.

Based on the early Chinese settlers of Bukit Mertajam, the urban planning of the old section of the town was established in 1886 by the Hock Teik Cheng Sin temple community, with the Pek Kong Temple as a town core while the shops, markets and bazaars radiating around the temple.

The Hock Teik Cheng Sin Temple along Pasar Road not only serves as a centre for Chinese folk religious worship, but also functions as an administrative body for the Chinese community, which consists of four clan associations. At that time, the temple community is responsible for the economic and social welfare of the Chinese community including schools, graveyards, events, social activities, and properties.

The Chinese community in Bukit Mertajam is mostly from the Teochew clan. They hail mostly from Huizhou, Guangdong, China and speaks the Teochew dialect. The Teochews once made up nearly half of the total population in Seberang Perai.

Antiquity

In the Malay archipelago during the 1^st and 6^th century is known as the Indian cultural era in which Malay kingdoms at that time embraced Hinduism. Evidence arising from the discovery of the Cheork Tokun Relics has shown that the early settlers of Bukit Mertajam have Hindu influence.

The Indians have long discovered the Malay Peninsula. In Indian literature which is known as the Ramayana text, they had referred to the Malay Peninsula as Suvarnabhumi (Land of Gold). During the 3rd century AD, the Indians begin to trade in the Malay Archipelago regions. These traders are mainly from the Southern Indian kingdom of Chola and Pallava. Soon the Kedah plain has large influences of Hinduism and Buddhism with the construction of many temples and candis. Kedah kingdom had been the trading hub and centre of Hindu civilization in the Malay Archipelago region. Paddy is mainly cultivated in Bukit Mertajam during that period.

The region of Bukit Mertajam is followed by Thai influence during the 18^th century. During this era, Bukit Mertajam existed as a quaint Malay village which is based on paddy cultivation. However, these villagers were either persecuted by the Siamese or had fled.

Early Discovery

According to the Huizhou clan association, the town’s history can be traced back to 1822 when the immigrants from Huizhou begin to settle in Penang, involving in farming. Agriculture was once a major industry in Penang.

When Sir Francis Light discovered Penang in 1786, Penang has become a centre for spice trade in the East Indies to supply the European market. Then there was a ten-year conflict between the Dutch and the British in South-east Asia. In order to dominate the spice trade and prevent from further and supply disruptions, the British has started the cultivation of spice in British colonial settlements like Province Wellesley.

Major Forbes Ross MacDonald was the superintendent of Prince of Wales Island (Penang Island) in 1799. In his report, he brought in the Huizhou people and assisted them by providing transportation to travel to Penang from their homeland, land for cultivation, housing and social welfare. This has opened up the floodgates for more Chinese to venture into farming in Province Wellesley. At that time, many people in the Huizhou region in China suffered from famine, drought and violence due to land disputes. People from Huizhou came to Penang to look for greener pastures.

In June 1800, the Huizhou people began to settle within the vicinity of the present day Bukit Mertajam. Earlier in that year, the first Lieutenant-Governor of Prince of Wales Island, Sir George Alexander William Leith, had negotiated a further treaty with the Sultan of Kedah for the cession for a strip of land in Kedah in the mainland which is later known as Province Wellesley. Province Wellesley is named after Richard Wellesley, the Governor-General of India.

Before East India Company gained control of Province Wellesley, the Chinese had already begun their sugarcane plantation in Batu Kawan. In 1800, seeing the high demand of herbs and spices in Europe, the British had encouraged the residents of Bukit Mertajam to grow various spices such as pepper, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. Besides agriculture, the residents of Bukit Mertajam begin to engage in alternative income such as quarrying.

It is known that during the 19^th century Bukit Mertajam is the largest producer of granite in the Northern region. At that time, the quarrying areas in the town are the areas surrounding St. Anne’s Church and Berapit. Granite was used to construct the Penang prison in the island. They were transported by ferrying the rocks across the sea. Huizhou people had been dominating the granite quarrying industry until the Second World War.

During the 1930’s the Chinese began mass plantation of sugarcane in Bukit Mertajam as a source of sucrose to be exported to England. Sugarcane plantations are concentrated in key areas in Bukit Mertajam surrounding the town area and Bukit Mertajam High School near the railway tracks.

The rivers and streams that flow from the Bukit Mertajam hill into the low plains are now replaced by the large urban drainage systems to cope with the large amount of storm water. Around the newly built temple which is constructed along the river bank, the Huizhou people first settled as farmers in hilly terrains, farming lands, as well as hills. The marketplace is established with hillocks surrounding the valley with the river flowing through the centre.

The region surrounding Bukit Mertajam during the spice trade era in the 19^th century is only accessible by boat and junk. Sungai Juru and Sungai Rambai was the main transportation waterway in the town, with Sungai Rambai and Padang Lalang regions were the main harbour that served the town. There was no land transportation that connects the town, except mud roads that lead to Butterworth. Therefore, all trades and products such as spices and granites have to be transported through the river.

Early Development

Records have shown the demographics of Seberang Perai in 1861, which at that time has a total population of 64000. Ethnic breakdown is as follows: Europeans 76, Malays 56236, Chinese 7204, Indians 3515 and Siamese 186. Majority of Malays settle in the northern portion of Seberang Perai as fisherman and farmers, while the Bengalis involve in the livestock industry. Many Chinese conduct business in the town areas, especially in Bukit Mertajam.

In 1899, rubber plantation has replaced the sugarcane plantation. During that time, the railway system that connects Prai, Nibong Tebal and Bukit Mertajam has been completed. The railway track which connects Kuala Lumpur and Singapore has been completed in 1909, making railway as the main transportation system. In 1914, rubber is the main production in Bukit Mertajam.

With the rapid development and improvement of the transportation system, the population of the town increased dramatically. The first Malay vernacular school was set up in 1800 in Cherok Tokun. Another Malay school was opened in Sungai Rambai 3 years later. The first Chinese vernacular school, Jit Sin School, was opened in 3 March 1918. Jit Sin School was first established by the Hock Teik Cheng Sin Temple committee along Jalan Pasar. Hock Teik Cheng Sin had purchased 120,000 dollars worth of land for the building of the school. Bukit Mertajam High School was first opened in 1927, the Convent school was founded in 1931, while Kim Sen School was established in 1939.

The first motorcar in Bukit Mertajam was in 1920. By 1930, there are 15 private motorcars owned by the residents of Bukit Mertajam.

Development had been slow before the Second World War. In 18 December 1941, the Japanese troops attacked Pearl Harbour with Indochina as their military base. Japanese troops first landed in Kota Bharu, Songkhla and Pattani by sea in the same year and then travelled by land to conquer Malaya. 

On 17^th December Japanese troops conquered Penang, and at the same time Bukit Mertajam was also affected. Before the British retreat in 1941 the railway station in Bukit Mertajam had been blown up. The railway station was constructed again in 1942 by the Japanese and uses Bukit Mertajam High School as a military base. At that time, Bukit Mertajam High School was forced to close down.

After the Second World War had ended in 1945, Bukit Mertajam had been a thriving town with bustling of business activities and trade. Development was rapid. Entertainment such as Cinemas and theatres and were opened between 1956 and 1957.

There is significant urbanisation of the town in 1957 which started as a village and later developed into a major urban area. Recent development is followed by establishment of new townships such as Taman Sri Rambai, Taman Kota Permai, Taman Desa Damai, Taman Alma, Taman Sentosa, Taman Bukit and Taman Tenang and Taman Mutiara.

The new hospital along Kulim Road was built in 1960; the new post office was built in 1968, while the new train station was built in 1983.

Today, Bukit Mertajam is one of the trading and economic hubs in the northern region in Peninsular Malaysia. 

Water Taxis In Penang

In view of the introduction of water taxis in Penang, the fellow Penangites are able to travel around Penang island and mainland faster if that takes off by the end of next year.

According to Penang Port Commission (PPC) chairman Tan Cheng Liang, who had suggested the idea, the coastal points are Bagan Ajam, Butterworth, Pulau Aman and Nibong Tebal which is on the mainland, Teluk Bahang, Tanjung Bungah, Tanjung Tokong, Weld Quay, Pantai Jerejak and Batu Maung on the island.

She added that the Federal Government, especially the Prime Minister, had approved the project in sync with the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER).

Water taxis has been operated by many major cities around the world, include Amsterdam, Auckland, Bangkok, Brisbane, Capetown, Chicago, Copenhagen, Dubai, Hamburg, Istanbul, Kobe, London, Manila, New York, Osaka, Oslo, Paris, Rotterdam, Seoul, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo, Vancouver and Venice. Penang would be the first in Malaysia to have its very own water taxi.

I actually pledge in full support, as these water taxis is another form of efficient public transport which saves travel time for those people who are travelling from the mainland to the island. These commuters would not have to take the trouble to face traffic jams on the Penang Bridge which sometimes would take 45 minutes to get to the island, especially during peak hours.

Water taxis would be very useful to those who travel from Nibong Tebal or Bagan Ajam to Batu Ferringhi, which the usual journey either drive along the bridge or take a ferry and then a bus takes more than 2 hours.

With the implementation of the water taxi, they serve as an alternative public transport as it will ease the traffic congestion on roads and highways, especially on the Penang bridge. In this way, a proportion of travelling commuters would be diverted to water taxis.

Water taxis would also be useful as it also provides new job opportunities and boost the tourism industry.

Currently, the mainland and the South Seberang Perai district are deliberately being cut off from Penang island as not many tourists who visited Penang had even step on the mainland soil just to catch a glimpse of several tourism areas on the mainland, namely Pulau Aman, Bukit Tambun village, fireflies and food haven in Nibong Tebal.

However, there are several conditions to be considered before implementing the project. Feedback from residents living along the coast on whether the water taxis is a necessity to the residents should be considered, or otherwise, if the idea is mooted but the residents are showing their displeasure, then the water taxis facility would be gone to waste and the company who run the water taxis would end up losing money and gone bankrupt.

Besides that, environmental-friendly water taxis should be considered so as not to have any environmental impact. Jetties or pick-up points should be built in such a way that it would not bring any geographical impact. Furthermore, water taxi pick-up points are to be built at high population density areas and easily accessible to bus stops, convenience stores, tourist attractions, towns or roads. This is to improve the popularity of the routes.

Source: The Star online "Penang To Have Water Taxis" (updated 15 July 2009)