Get ready for a day of fun, excitement and exclusive rewards at The Rimbun Open Day! Happening on 12 July (11am–5pm), this grand sales gallery opening by PTL Properties invites you to enjoy entertaining performances, family-friendly activities, lucky draws and the chance to discover your dream home in Bukit Mertajam.

More than just a property showcase, this event offers more fun by bringing an exciting day out for the entire family. The visitors can get to meet and greet their favorite KOLs – Sai, Vikram, Zomic, Lucas, and Kahmun, and at the same time, take part in other fun activities such as a lion dance performance, a visit from the God of Wealth, stand-up comedy performances, feeding alpacas, giant board games, among others.

Visitors will also have a chance of winning some lucky draw prizes total worth RM30,000, while those who purchase the property at the event automatically become eligible for the Book & Win Lucky Draw.

Register Now: https://forms.gle/gGYhum4zQQmteaaw5

A rare opportunity for affordable landed homes

Besides the festivities, guests can tour the newly opened sales gallery and find out more about The Rimbun, a freehold gated and guarded townhouse development in Bukit Mertajam with homes priced below RM400,000.

Designed to provide practical living spaces for young families, the homes feature three bedrooms and two bathrooms, with built-up sizes ranging from 981 sq ft to 1,250 sq ft, offering layouts that maximise space and comfort.

Beyond affordability, residents can look forward to features often associated with higher-end developments, including:

• Gated and guarded community with 24-hour security
• Resort-style clubhouse facilities
• EV charging point readiness
• Family-oriented community planning
• Freehold ownership

Event Details

Date: 12 July 2026 (Sunday)
Time: 11:00am – 5:00pm
Venue:
The Rimbun by PTL Properties (Google Map / Waze)
3285, Lorong Perwira 7,
14100 Bukit Mertajam, Pulau Pinang

A row of eight heritage shophouses along Lebuh Aceh is set to be transformed into a vibrant Cultural Heritage Hub (CH2) under a RM10 million restoration initiative aimed at strengthening heritage conservation while promoting the creative economy within George Town’s UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Launched in conjunction with the 18th anniversary of George Town’s inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the project is spearheaded by George Town World Heritage Incorporated (GTWHI) through a collaboration between the Penang state government and the private sector. State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai described the initiative as a significant milestone in demonstrating how public-private partnerships can successfully preserve heritage assets while creating new opportunities for cultural, social and economic activities.

The project involves eight Category II heritage buildings along Lebuh Aceh, comprising seven Early Penang-style shophouses and one Southern Chinese Eclectic-style building. Owned by Lim Kongsi Toon Pun Tong and leased to GTWHI in 2024, the properties will be restored over the next two years. Upon completion, the development will serve as a centre for heritage appreciation, creative industries and community engagement, reinforcing George Town’s position as a living heritage city.

Designed by architect Johnny Ooi with placemaking as its central concept, the restored buildings will be adapted into spaces that encourage creativity, collaboration and cultural exchange while retaining their historical character. Plans include activating the rear lane into a communal public space, improving connectivity between the buildings and creating gathering spaces for both residents and visitors.

The completed CH2 development will feature three key components: the George Town UNESCO World Heritage Site Interpretive Centre, offering exhibitions and interactive displays on the city’s history and architecture; the Creative Economy Incubation Centre, providing mentorship and support for heritage-inspired entrepreneurs and creative practitioners; and the Cultural Practitioner Interactive Space, which will host exhibitions, workshops, seminars and community programmes.

GTWHI general manager Dr Ang Ming Chee said the organisation is seeking RM10 million in funding and welcomed contributions from corporations, organisations and individuals. She noted that the project presents an opportunity for the private sector to support heritage conservation while contributing to the continued vitality of George Town’s World Heritage status. GTWHI has already invested approximately RM1.8 million in preliminary stabilisation and repair works on the previously fire-damaged buildings.

Penang continues to reinforce its reputation as Malaysia’s leading medical tourism destination, accounting for approximately 45% of the country’s total medical tourism revenue in 2025. The achievement comes as Malaysia was ranked the world’s sixth-best medical tourism destination in the latest 2026 Global Top 10 Medical Tourism Destinations ranking by Travel And Tour World.

State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said Malaysia’s strong international standing reflects the country’s internationally accredited hospitals, English-speaking healthcare professionals, modern medical technology, competitive treatment costs and sustained government support for the sector.

The country’s medical tourism industry recorded robust growth in 2025, with revenue increasing 23.2% year-on-year from RM2.72 billion to RM3.35 billion. International patient arrivals also rose 15.6%, reaching 1.85 million compared with 1.6 million in 2024.

Penang continued to outperform other states, with its 16 participating private hospitals treating 527,176 foreign patients in 2025, a 25.9% increase from 418,608 a year earlier. Medical tourism revenue generated by the state climbed 26.6% to RM1.14 billion, up from RM898.07 million in 2024.

According to Wong, Penang’s success is underpinned by its ability to deliver internationally recognised healthcare services at competitive prices, offering substantial cost savings compared to destinations such as Singapore and many Western countries. Beyond healthcare quality, the state’s well-developed medical tourism ecosystem also provides convenient access to accommodation, transportation and tourism attractions, making it an attractive destination for overseas patients.

He also highlighted Penang’s multilingual environment as a key advantage. In addition to Malay and English, healthcare providers and the local community are able to communicate in Mandarin, Tamil and various Chinese dialects including Hokkien, Teochew, Hakka and Cantonese.

This linguistic diversity is particularly beneficial for Indonesian patients, Penang’s largest medical tourism market, as the similarities between Bahasa Malaysia and Bahasa Indonesia, together with the widespread use of Hokkien, help minimise language barriers and enhance the overall patient experience.

About Queens Residences 3

The third phase of the Queens Waterfront development by Ideal Property Group (also known as Q3), situated near Queensbay in Penang. Positioned strategically on reclaimed seafront land directly opposite Queensbay Mall, it’s an expansion of the successful Q1 and Q2. The new phase of development will introduce another 532 residential units, offering a choice of five different layouts ranging from 950 sq.ft. to 1,400 sq.ft.

Find out more about Queens Residences 3

Penang is strengthening its water supply infrastructure in South Seberang Perai (SPS) through a series of completed and upcoming projects aimed at meeting rising demand and improving long-term reliability.

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, who also chairs the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP), said two key projects have already been completed under the state’s short- and medium-term strategy. These include the 6.4 million litres per day (MLD) Compact Water Treatment Plant (WTP) at Sungai Kerian and the Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) plant at the Bukit Panchor Water Treatment Plant. Speaking during a site visit to both facilities, Chow said the projects are helping to address water supply challenges in the district while supporting future growth.

Further capacity expansion is already in the pipeline. An 80 MLD Water Treatment Plant at Sungai Kerian is expected to be operational by 2027 under a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model, while a larger 114 MLD treatment plant is targeted for completion by 2030 as part of the Water Contingency Plan 2030. The RM600 million plan comprises eight water infrastructure projects, with the appointment of the contractor for the 114 MLD facility expected by the end of this year.

Once the new treatment plants are commissioned, treated water for SPS will be sourced directly from Sungai Kerian instead of being transmitted from the Sungai Dua Water Treatment Plant in North Seberang Perai. This will allow water currently channelled to SPS from Sungai Dua to be redirected to better serve North and Central Seberang Perai, improving the overall efficiency of the state’s water distribution network.

PBAPP chief executive officer Datuk K. Pathmanathan said the 6.4 MLD Compact WTP has been operating since March last year, supplying treated water to about 4,000 consumers in the surrounding area as an interim solution to meet growing demand. He added that the new facilities under the Water Contingency Plan 2030 will play a vital role in strengthening water supply resilience as Penang continues to experience rapid industrial, commercial and population growth.