KL Tower Glows At Night

Simply beautiful!

Batu Ferringhi of Penang

The ever popular beach on the Penang island. Full of local and international tourists. Lots of fun and activities. Experience different gastronomical enjoyment by dining on the sandy beach.

The Charming Love Lane of Penang

Skate Park At Gurney Bay

Phase 1 of Gurney Bay is about to open to public very soon. The skate park will be one of the facilities to be enjoyed by the general public.

The Game Changer For Malaysia's Town Planning

The Malaysian state of Penang is fast becoming an IoT-Enabled Smart City modeled on the tenets of green living, strong ESG principles and sustainable economic momentum. Soon, it could be one of Southeast Asia’s hottest investment destinations.

Central to that transformation is Penang South Islands (PSI). The three-island development will help the state achieve its Penang2030 vision. By combining advanced technologies for next-generation industries with eco-friendly masterplans, PSI will raise the game for Penang as a leading investment destination for global corporations.

“The PSI Green Plan will play a vital role in making that happen,” says Chow Kon Yeow, Chief Minister of Penang. “The PSI targets a 50% reduction in CO2e emissions by 2030 compared to business as usual. Coupled with Penang’s advanced manufacturing capabilities, ESG principles will make PSI the ideal choice for global businesses to build their manufacturing hubs while meeting their sustainability targets. Especially in the electronics, medical devices and other high-end sectors where Penang already makes significant contributions.”

 

A Green Plan for the Penang South Islands

 

The PSI Green Plan promises big outcomes: 100% renewable energy for powering the Green Tech Park; a 40% reduction in urban planning emissions; a 40% reduction in non-renewable energy use from super low energy buildings with efficient cooling systems, smart features and renewable energy installations; a 70% reduction in freshwater demand from the dual-purpose sewage treatment plant, rainwater harvesting and water saving devices; and a 65% reduction in landfill waste with extensive recycling, food maceration and composting.

The plan addresses the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)1–a much-needed achievement given that Asia remains far from meeting any of the SDGs. In turn, PSI will become an advanced new ecosystem that serves as a model for the future of work, livability and sustainability around the world.

“The PSI Green Plan will accelerate the ‘greenification’ of Penang’s economy, governance and infrastructure,” the Chief Minister says. “It will enable Penang to reach its full potential as a high-income, low-carbon state that prioritizes the well-being of its people and the environment while providing a platform for innovative and sustainable-minded businesses to thrive.”

The environmentally conscious, people-first masterplan also puts pedestrians, bicycles and water transport ahead of cars. The goal is to achieve a 70:30 public-private modal share, compared with 5:95 currently. To make that happen, PSI will include 140 kilometers of bicycle and walking tracks as well as seven kilometers of navigational waterway. These transportation pathways will reduce transport-related emissions by up to 80%.

“There will be generous provision of public open spaces island-wide (900ac), including beaches, mangroves, water canal, wetlands, flood plains and bioswales enhancing the biodiversity design of the island by connecting people with greens and water,” the Chief Minister says. “It will also reduce the Urban Heat Island effect and reinforce the design resiliency towards flood, erosion and sea level rise.”

 

Expanding Penang’s Tech Legacy

 

As innovative companies gravitate to Penang, PSI will fuel growth in the state’s well-established tech manufacturing sector. Dubbed ‘the Silicon Valley of the East,’ Penang already produces 8% of global back-end semiconductor output. With end uses linked to 5G, autonomous vehicles and the IoT, chips made in Malaysia power some of today’s most innovative products, making Penang a vital link in electronics supply chains.

Where Penang was a hub for labor-intensive manufacturing decades ago, today it designs and produces high-value-added technologies, that spans everything from integrated circuits and software to embedded systems. Penang’s steady climb up in the value chain continues to attract some of the most innovative companies in the world. They are setting up Centers of Excellence, Design Centers and R&D Hubs to tap into the state’s unique advantages. In the years ahead, PSI will provide space for more companies to do the same as they move up the value chain.

In 2019, Penang drew a record MYR16.9 billion ($4.1 billion) in manufacturing investments—nearly 90% of which went to the Electrical & Electronics, machinery and equipment, and scientific and measuring equipment (including medical device) sectors. In 2020, despite the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, U.S. front-end semiconductor equipment giant Lam Research announced a USD225 million investment to build the group’s largest manufacturing facility in Batu Kawan Industrial Park. The company will join dozens of tech heavyweights including Intel, which has one of the largest silicon design centers in Penang; Micron Technology, which built a center of excellence for solid state drives in Penang; and National Instruments, which has its largest R&D facility outside of the U.S. in Penang.

“Chip-making is a very complex process that requires manufacturing expertise,” the Chief Minister says. “Through decades of hard work, Penang has developed the talent and know-how to meet the needs of technology companies around the world. PSI will build on those strengths, taking Penang’s manufacturing capabilities to the next level while taking sustainability, the environment and lifestyle into account for businesses and their employees.”

 

Source: Bloomberg.com

Penang In Fantasy World

Super talented Malaysian artist Chong Fei Giap transformed the UNESCO Worl Heritage City of George Town into a fantasy anime world. The city is located on Penang island, the tourism and manufacturing powerhouse of Malaysia.

Chong incorporated Japanese anime elements into his depiction of the urban setting of George Town. His artwork makes one relook at this popular city in a refreshed perspective. Truly creative!

Source: Chong Fei Giap Facebook

马来西亚艺术家Chong Fei Giap将世界遗产城乔治市（George Town）改造成幻想动漫世界。该城市位于马来西亚的旅游和制造业重镇槟城岛上。

Chong将日本动漫元素融入到他对乔治市（George Town）城市环境的描绘中。他的作品以崭新的视角重新审视了这座历史悠久的城市。十分有创意啊！

KL - Singapore High-Speed Rail Cancelled

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong once described the proposed KL-Singapore High-speed Rail project as a 'game changer' to the region. Sadly, the much hyped project is now cancelled following the joint-statement from both countries on the 1st of January 2021. What a terrible news to start the new year!

The stumbling block to seal the deal was mainly due to both sides were unable to reach a consensus on a number of issues. The project was initially estimated to cost about US$14.9 billion to $19.8 billion. Malaysian government seemingly wished to reduce the cost following the devastation to its economy in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The main drawcard of 350km long project is the substantial reduction in travel time to just 90 minutes compared to 4 hours by car. Official estimates show that the project could contribute about $5 billion dollars to the GDP of both Malaysia and Singapore and create more than 100,000 jobs by 2060.

The major disagreement is Malaysian government's proposed to appoint local contractors and consultants instead of having a jointly conducted open tenders process previously agreed. Singapore also cannot accept the Malaysian government's proposal to remove the third party asset company that would supply the train system and operate the railway network. As both countries have no previous experience of operating a high-speed rail network, Singapore cannot agree to the removal of the asset company.

Historically, rail projects have proved to be successful in spurring developments along the path of the networks. This project will not only benefit Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, but will serve as a powerful locomotive to bring up and stimulate developments around the various Malaysian towns along the way.

Some analysts believed that the project's termination will further erode investors' confidence towards the Malaysian government. Malaysian politics has been in an unstable situation since the Sheraton Movement Coup in February 2020.

新加坡总理李显龙曾经预测吉隆坡-新加坡高铁项目将为东南亚带来巨大好处。令人遗憾的是，在2021年1月1日两国最终宣布这个项目已被取消。新的一年却由一个坏消息开始！

双方政府无法在一些问题上达成共识。该项目最初估计耗资约149亿美元至198亿美元。由于新冠肺炎大流行，马来西亚政府似乎希望在2020年经济遭受重创后降低建筑成本。长达350公里的高铁主要吸引力在于，它将行程大幅减少至90分钟，而目前驾车则需要4小时多。官方估计显示，到2060年，该项目可为马来西亚和新加坡的GDP贡献约50亿美元，并创造10万多个就业机会。

历史告诉我们，铁路项目已成功地促进了沿网络道路的发展。该项目不仅会使吉隆坡和新加坡受益，还将会带动并刺激沿途的所有在马来西亚的各个城镇的发展。

一些分析人士就因这次事件认为，该项目的终止将进一步削弱投资者对马来西亚政府的信心。自2020年2月喜来登政变以来，马来西亚政治一直处于不稳定局面。