SUNDAY, May 8, 2011

Guan Eng tributes the La Salle Brothers: Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng today took time off his hectic schedule to launch the memoirs of the late La Salle Bro Michael Jacques whom he lauded as an “educator of selfless service unmatched in the annals of Malaysian education.” (Malaysiakini, 7.5.11)

Awards for excellence: A TOTAL of 450 INTI International College Penang (IICP) students were given scholarships worth RM1.8mil at a scholarship and academic award presentation ceremony recently. (Star Online, 8.5.11)

Tips to stand out: OVER 120 students from 32 schools in Penang received invaluable tips on producing a quality magazine at the Star-Pizza Hut Newspaper-in-Education (NiE) Mag Inc 2011 contest workshop. (Star Online, 8.5.11)

SATURDAY, May 7, 2011

Burglar found stuck in rubbish chute: A suspected burglar, believed to be Nepalese, was found dead inside a garbage chute at a block of flats in Padang Tembak here yesterday. (Malay Mail, 7.5.11)

Municipal councils have no say in running cemeteries: Municipal coiuncils are not in the business of managing or maintaining cemeteries. That task has alway been done by religious bodies. (Free Malaysia Today, 7.5.11)

Komtar rep hails Tamil school proposal: PENANG assemblyman Ng Wei Aik has welcomed a proposal to set up a Tamil school in his Komtar constituency, reported Makkal Osai. (Star Online, 7.5.11)

Rising in Rhythm: Penang's Cities, People and Economy: Shih Chung Branch School, along Northam Road (Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah) in George Town, Penang, was a magnificent colonial-era building in the heart of town. (Brookings Institution, 7.5.11)

MTUC: High time Penang urged future investors to pay RM1,300 in monthly salary: Penang MTUC wants the state government to take the lead in championing the minimum wage issue, which has yet to be adopted by the Federal Government. (Star Online, 7.5.11)

123 foreigners nabbed in major Immigration op: A total of 123 foreigners were picked up at seven spots in Penang and Perak in a major operation by the Immigration Department. (Star Online, 7.5.11)

Perkasa Lodges Report On Meeting Of Priests In Penang: The Penang Pribumi Perkasa Negara (Perkasa) has lodged a police report against Jelutong Member of Parliament, Jeff Ooi, who is alleged to be the organiser of a meeting of priests at a hotel at Jalan Macalister last Thursday. (Bernama, 7.5.11)

FRIDAY, May 6, 2011

Housewife jailed 8 years, fined RM20,000 for striking maid: Housewife S.M. Poongavanam, 33, was jailed eight years and fined RM20,000 by the Penang Sessions Court Friday for striking her Indonesian maid Win Faidaa, 26, with a hot iron. (Star Online, 6.5.11)

Syabas, Penang General Hospital: RECENTLY, I underwent an operation at the Penang General Hospital where two stents were inserted in my heart. As I had undergone a complex by-pass operation way back in 1989, the process was a laborious and tedious one. (Star Online, 6.5.11)

Lim not convinced with canine excuse for Penang Hill train failure: Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng is not convinced that a dog caused the mechanical failure of the Penang Hill funicular train service and suspects sabotage. (Star Online, 6.5.11)

Penang Public Libraries Barred From Displaying Interlok Book: The DAP-led government has barred the displaying of the Interlok novel on book racks in Penang public libraries in protesting its use as a text book in secondary schools by the Education Ministry. (Star Online, 5.5.11)

DCM: Novel to be removed from ‘textbook’ section in library: The Interlok novel will remain in public libraries in Penang but they will be removed from the “textbook” shelves. (Star Online, 6.5.11)

Megan Poole: Uplifting Weightlifter: Chestatee High School senior Megan Poole has been to Chile to compete, and will soon travel to Malaysia. (11alive.com, 5.5.11)

THURSDAY, May 5, 2011

Team to probe Penang Hill train failure: The Penang Hill Corporation will set up a team to investigate the cause of the mechanical failure which halted the funicular train service on Tuesday evening and Wednesday. (Star Online, 5.5.11)

Run to boost awareness of organ donation: In raising awareness of organ donation, the Malaysian Society of Transplantation, Ministry of Health, Penang Amateur Athletic Association, Novartis and Rasa Sayang Resort and Spa are organising the Race Against Time -- Run For Life 2011. (New Straits Times, 4.5.11)

Crime of passion at petrol station: A woman was allegedly stabbed to death by her fiance in what is said to be a crime of passion. The drama ended with the suspect warded for consuming poison. (Star Online, 5.5.11)

Russian heroes in Battle of Penang: It was dark on the night of Oct 27, 1914 at the Penang harbour. The First World War had been raging in Europe for about four months. (Free Malaysia Today, 5.5.11)

Council Of Penang Datuk Hands Over RM65,000 Donation To Quake Victims: The Council of Penang Datuk has donated RM65,000 to the victims of Japan's deadly earthquake and tsunami. (Bernama, 5.5.11)

BN rep claims Penang govt unfair in giving school allocation: A Barisan Nasional (BN) State assemblyman yesterday claimed that the state government is not being fair in distributing the allocation to schools in the state. (Borneo Post, 5.5.11)

Set up election trust fund, govt urged: A backbencher wants the Penang Government to set up an election trust fund for campaigning to prevent corruption. (Star Online, 5.5.11)

WEDNESDAY, May 4, 2011

Penang Government Refuses To Accept Money Returned By Senior Citizens: The Penang DAP government will not keep the RM23,700 money returned by senior citizens and credited by Umno into the state government's treasury account because it was returned using the wrong channel, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said. (Bernama, 4.5.11)

Mutiara, Tambun Indah in land venture: Main Market-listed property developer, Mutiara Goodyear Development Bhd (Mutiara)'s subsidiary, Pembangunan Bandar Mutiara (PBM), has entered into a joint venture with Tambun Indah Land Bhd (Tambun) to develop 210 hectares of land in Seberang Perai, Penang. (Business Times, 4.5.11)

Inquest into lawyer’s death to be mentioned on May 20: An inquest into the death of civil lawyer Datuk S.P. Annamalai, who was stabbed four years ago, will be mentioned at a magistrate’s court on May 20. (Star Online, 4.5.11)

HEB to take over burial ground: The Hindu Endowment Board (HEB) Penang is set to take over the ownership and management of an abandoned Hindu cemetery in Batu Kawan, Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy said here today. (Free Malaysia Today, 4.5.11)

Penang Hill Railway Service Disrupted Due To Breakdown: The Penang Hill Railway service was disrupted temporarily yesterday afternoon due to a minor breakdown at one of the stations. (Bernama, 4.5.11)

Illegal Assembly Outside Penang State Assembly Building: Four Detained: Police have detained Pertubuhan Suara Anak-Anak Malaysia chairman Mohamed Ghani Abdul Jiman, and three followers, for taking part in an illegal assembly in front of the state assembly building here Tuesday. (Bernama, 3.5.11)

Penang govt rapped for failing to fulfil promises: The DAP-led Penang government was rebuked for still failing to fulfil its promises made in its election manifesto before taking over the state's administration from Barisan Nasional (BN) three years ago. (MySinchew.com, 4.5.11)

8 Thais hurt in bus crash: Twenty-eight Thai nationals had a nasty shock when the bus they were travelling in crashed into a divider and landed on its side along the North-South Expressway near the exit to the Penang Bridge. (Star Online, 4.5.11)

Penang defers tabling of FOI Bill: THE state government has deferred the tabling of the proposed state Freedom of Information (FOI) Enactment 2010 until the next state assembly sitting. (Star Online, 4.5.11)

Exco to decide on Interlok: THE state executive council will decide if it should ban Interlok from public libraries in Penang. (Star Online, 4.5.11)

TUESDAY, May 3, 2011

Public holiday draws 10,000-strong crowd at Penang Hill: The Penang Hill Corporation rushed to make changes in crowd control at the funicular train station after 10,000 people, locals and foreigners, swamped the area on a chaotic Sunday. (Star Online, 3.5.11)

NGO chief Mohamed Ghani arrested: Pertubuhan Suara Anak-anak Malaysia chairman Mohamed Ghani Abd Jiman was arrested outside the Penang legislative assembly building Tuesday. (Star Online, 3.5.11)

NGO leader calls Pakatan reps ‘pondan’: A controversial local NGO leader today slammed Pakatan Rakyat state representatives as “pondans” (transvestites) and told them to wear skirts when attending assembly sittings in future. (Free Malaysia Today, 3.5.11)

Woman slits wrists in public after tiff: A woman caused a stir when she slit her wrists in the presence of hawkers and tourists along busy Chulia Street following an argument with her boyfriend. (Star Online, 3.5.11)

MONDAY, May 2, 2011

Kudos to ASF for holding individual and team events separately: The Asian Squash Federation’s (ASF) bold move to hold the individual and team events separately for the first time has been hailed by none other than world No. 1 Nicol David. (Star Online, 2.5.11)

Free Wi-Fi A Waste And Deception, Says Gerakan Youth Chief: The free wi-fi service provided by the DAP government in Penang is a waste and a deception because it could not be fully uitilised and only available in non-strategic areas, said Gerakan Youth chief Oh Tong Keong. (Bernama, 5.2.11)

Make undersea tunnel a road and rail link: I REFER to the signing of an MOU for the construction of a sea tunnel from Gurney Drive on the island to Bagan Ajam on the mainland (“Voyage through bottom of sea” – The Star, April 30). (Star Online, 2.5.11)

PCB makers boosting production to meet increasing demand: Local and multinational printed circuit board (PCB) product companies are increasing production to meet the rising global demand despite a lower growth forecast this year. (Star Online, 2.5.11)

Penang Hindu cemetery turns political circus: Recently there has been some controversy over the old Hindu burial ground in Batu Kawan, Penang, with the Maha Mariamman temple committee holding press conferences and a so-called hunger strike in protest of my suggestion to return the property from state land reserved for Batu Kawan stadium, back to the Hindus. (Malaysiakini, 2.5.11)