Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong confirmed today that Penang would have to bid adieu to its old ferries, despite a promise made by Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz in the Dewan Rakyat.

The ferries will make way for the “safer, faster and cheaper-to-maintain” water buses (to carry passengers) and lighters (to carry motorcycles), expected to arrive by mid-2022.

In a statement, Wee said that while many had expressed regret over the doing away of old ferries, passenger safety was paramount and hence a newer generation of ferries had to be put into service.

“It is undeniable that the service carries an intangible cultural and heritage value for many Malaysians who enjoy the trip.

“Several quarters have expressed regret with the decision although it is aimed at making the Penang ferry service safer, faster and less prone to unsustainable maintenance costs.

“Costs have been spiking at least once a month with the existing 47-year-old ferries (as repairs had to be done).

“It was a considered decision to modernise the ferry fleet. We want to avoid unwanted incidents and inconveniences that may occur.

“I have again explained to Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow on the federal government’s plan to replace the existing ferries to optimise the safety, sustainability and security of the passenger ferry fleet.

“We want to ensure the service continues to be enjoyed by both locals and tourists,” Wee said.

Tengku Zafrul had said earlier that the ferry services would continue, with a total of RM30 million allocated by the government — to be released in two tranches in 2021 and 2022.

Recently, it was announced that port operator Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB) would spend RM30 million on its end to upgrade ferry terminals on the island and mainland, and acquire three water buses and two motorcycle transporters. This would replace the current ferry service in mid-2022.

Cars will be barred from using the ferries from Jan 1, with one old ferry being used only for motorcycles. Until the new water buses and lighters arrive, passengers will be ferried using speedboat ferries, similar to the ones used in Langkawi.

In a separate statement, PPSB said pedestrians will not be charged any fee to use the speedboat ferries for two weeks, beginning Jan 1.

Currently, pedestrians pay RM1.20 for a two-way ride on the ferry.

Source: FreeMalaysiaToday.com

Penang has emerged as the first state to enforce the installation of fibre optic communication infrastructure as a basic utility equivalent to water and electricity supplies.

State public works, utilities and flood mitigation committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said it was now compulsory for developers to instal fibre optic telecommunications infrastructure in new buildings and development projects in the state.

The matter was decided in the state executive council meeting on Dec 17, he said in a statement.

In line with the Penang 2030 vision, he said the Penang government is committed to ensuring the provision of high quality and comprehensive digital infrastructure to meet the needs of the new normal and support the catalyst of digital economy in the state.

“Under the state’s strategic Penang Connectivity Master Plan, the state government has outlined the need to instal permanent communication infrastructure to become part of the required basic infrastructure provisions under By-Laws 25 and 27 of the Uniform Building By-Laws 1984 at the local council level.”

He said the decision to make the installation of fibre optic infrastructure compulsory was to support the use of high-speed internet since the copper-based internet is no longer relevant now.

“This is in line with the aspiration of the Federal Government through the implementation of the digital infrastructure plan, namely the National Digital Network or better known as Jendela, ” he said.

He added, the enforcement of this new policy is not only the main enabler in achieving gigabit speed or becoming the first Gigabit State in Malaysia but would also expedite the process of implementing 5G technology to be realised soon.

“With the implementation of this policy, Penang will not only be able to provide extensive high-speed broadband services to its people, but it would also spur the digital economy sector as an essential future industry for our state, ” he said.

Source: Bernama

Hunza Properties Berhad and Simon Electric yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to commemorate a project that has been awarded to the latter for the deployment and provision of Smart Home System, Home Switches and Sockets for the first smart integrated residential development in Penang, MUZE @ Penang International Commercial City (PICC).

The ceremony, which was held via live streaming from both Penang and Shanghai due to the international travel restriction, signifies an important milestone for PICC as it further reinforces Hunza’s commitment towards building a high quality, value added product for its stakeholders. Simon Electric’s smart solutions have been implemented in high profile projects around the world such as Beijing National Stadium (China), the iconic Moscow Kremlin (Russia), Marriott Auditorium Hotel Madrid (Spain) and Saigon Airport Plaza (Vietnam).

On this significant occasion, Dato’ Khor Siang Gin (the Group Managing Director of Hunza Properties Berhad) said, “This collaboration does not only reflect our development philosophy, but it is also a testament of our commitment to introduce a smart and modern lifestyle to the PICC community. Simon Electric’s professional touch will undeniably add value to the living environment in MUZE @ PICC, and it plays well into PICC’s ecosystem as a smart city. It is our aspiration for PICC to be a game-changer in future-oriented development here in Penang.”

Mr. Jack Zhu, the President of Simon Electric Asia Pacific who represented Simon Electric in the virtual ceremony commented that, “Owners of MUZE @ PICC will be able to enjoy greater convenience and better control of their homes through the various life-enriching technologies such as IoT (Internet of Things), our primary Smart Home System and so much more. We look forward to bring a future-oriented living to Penang, which has long been known as one of the most liveable cities in Asia and the Silicon Valley of the East.”

Both Hunza and Simon Electric will be looking to leverage each other’s core competencies as well as strengths in developing high quality residences with state-of-the-art smart home system that will become a benchmark for the local real estate industry.

Hunza Properties Berhad was represented by Dato’ Khor Siang Gin while Mr. Jack Zhu signed the MoU on behalf of Simon Electric. The Company’s Founder and Executive Adviser, Dato’ Seri Khor Teng Tong, The Board of Directors of Hunza Properties Berhad (Ms. Khor San Leng, Ms. Khor Tze Ming, Ms. Lily Tan and Ms. Lee Kooi Foon) were also present during the virtual ceremony together with Mr. Juan Gallardo, the Head of Marketing for Simon Asia Pacific.

Find out more about Muze@PICC

M Vista @ Southbay virtual tour

Get your dream home at M Vista in Penang Island with only RM11 booking fee. Plus, it also comes with free SPA and loan legal fees. Grab a unit now before it’s gone! This campaign will run until 31 Dec 2020.

Call Mah Sing now at 04-2913109 for more details. You may also register your interest using the form below.

Proposed affordable housing (Type A & B) by Prisma Bumiraya Sdn. Bhd. at Balik Pulau in Penang Island. The project is located on a 2.5-acres land along Jalan Sungai Rusa, about 3km north of Botanica.CT township by MTT Properties. While is it about 30 minutes drive to most parts of the island, several essential amenities are accessible within a 3km radius. This includes schools, market, groceries mart, banks and eateries.

This development comprises two 12 and 10-storey blocks, offering a total of 246 type A (low-cost) and type B (low-medium-cost) units.

READ MORE ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING:

• Full list of affordable housing in Penang
• Eligibility and the requirement of buying affordable housing

Project Name: (to be confirmed)
Location : Balik Pulau
Property Type : Low-cost & low-medium cost housing
Built-up Size: 650 & 700 sq.ft.
Total Units : 123 (low-cost), 123 (low-medium-cost)
Land Tenure : (to be confirmed)
Indicative Price : RM42,000, RM72,500
Developer: Prisma Bumiraya Sdn. Bhd. (Pearl Ocean)

Location Map:

DISCLAIMER: This article is solely based on research done using publicly available data. This is not an advertisement. Any claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a project or service should be verified with the developer, provider or party in question.