Songkran will attract tourists

'Songkran will attract tourists'

THE state government will propose that a national-level Songkran festival be held in the state.

Menteri Besar Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir said Kedah would submit its proposal to the Tourism and Culture Ministry for the inaugural event to be held next February in Pendang, here.

He said Kedah was the best state to host the event as it had the biggest Siamese population in the country.

"The event will eventually have a good economic impact on the state as it will draw tourists, especially from Thailand," he said at the launch of the Loy Krathong festival at Pedu Siamese Watt in Kampung Tanjung Pedu, here, recently.

Shrieks of joy filled the air as 2,500 people of the Siamese community celebrated with thousands of lotus-shaped krathong afloat in Sungai Pedu.

Loy means "to float" while krathong is the lotus-shaped vessel, traditionally made of woven banana leaves. The modern version is made of polystyrene and coloured paper.

It is said that the krathong will carry bad luck away and bring good luck.

The crowd was treated to traditional Siamese music and dance, and mouthwatering Siamese food.

Loy Krathong is celebrated annually to thank water goddess Phra Mae Khongkha for the use of water in daily life. It is celebrated during the full moon of the 12th lunar month of the Thai calendar.

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

无车族不便 米都急需市内巴士

张开笔： 无车族不便 米都急需市内巴士



亚罗士打市内没有巴士服务， 无车族需要公共交通设施。

吉打州政府受促探讨亚罗士打市区内没有公共巴士服务问题，无车族面对缺乏公共交通设施的不便。

可象征式收费

行动党哥打达鲁阿曼区州议员张开笔希望州政府关注人民在衣食住行的基本硬体需求，提供公共交通的基本设施，尤其是活在赤贫线上的人民只有摩托车，没有汽车，需要乘搭巴士。

他今日与行动党德卡区州议员陈国耀在吉打行动党总部召开记者会上对州议会回应有关亚罗士打市内公共交通受到忽略提问表示只提供城镇巴士而不是市内巴士的答复感到失望。

～以上新闻转载自南洋商报～

从沙敦市往玻州双溪峇都巴辖‧建议闢地底隧道

从沙敦市往玻州双溪峇都巴辖‧建议闢地底隧道

为促进玻璃市及泰南沙敦（Satun）的经济发展，玻璃市州政府及沙敦市政府於14年前已初步同意兴建衔接两地的通道，惟工程建议书两度遭驳回。



为促进玻璃市及泰南沙敦的经济发展，衔接两地通道的工程建议书两度遭驳回，舒默及工程师提出第三项工程建议，即从沙敦市通往玻璃市双溪峇都巴辖建设地底隧道。（图：星洲日报）

沙敦前市长舒默前天（19日）与工程师，再向玻璃市州政府提呈第三项工程建议，即从沙敦市通往玻璃市双溪峇都巴辖建设地底隧道。

在此之前，沙敦市政府与工程师先后提呈2份工程设计建议书：第一项建议是，从沙敦通往玻璃市港口，主要衔接为大桥道路；第二项建议则是，从沙敦通往旺吉輦。

舒默说，现有通往玻璃市及沙敦的唯一路段，即首府加央至沙敦市，全长80公里，若这座地底隧道建竣后，只有22公里长，当中包括6.5公里隧道。

舒默：有助拉近马泰关係

舒默解释，17.75公里是在泰国境內，4.25公里属於马来西亚境內，而当中6.5公里长的隧道分为3.1公里属泰国，3.4公里属大马。

“至於经费方面，是由马泰双方负责在各別境內的工程花费，而开发隧道是这项工程中耗资最高的费用，每公里斥资约10万令吉。”

舒默坦言，若这座隧道建成后，將缩短行程距离与时间，相信有助於拉近两国人民的关係与往来，同时也將为带来后续的成效，譬如吸引更多游客往来玻璃市及沙敦。

盼玻州大臣考虑

舒默已向玻璃市州务大臣阿兹兰及政府说明，有必要推动第三项工程建议书的重要性，再者，这项工程与早前的2项工程建议，属对环境破坏最低的一项，值得考虑。

他说，泰方在这项工程中，仍在等待环境局的审批，一旦获得批准后，將会立刻提呈给泰国中央政府。

“至於大马方面，则须由阿兹兰与团队来向中央政府提呈建议。”

～以上新闻转载自星洲日报～

Rehabilitating Pulau Payar

Rehabilitating Pulau Payar

Pulau Payar will be closed for at least three weeks next year to rehabilitate the island and ensure that coral bleaching, which affected the island in 2010, will not recur.

Malaysia Marine Parks Department director-general Dr Sukarno Wagiman disclosed this during an island clean-up recently.

Sukarno said tourist arrivals on the island have returned to normal, at 200,000 since 2010, but he is concerned about the number of visitors, which is too big for the island to handle.

In the long run, he said, there will be environment degradation.

Sukarno said that Pulau Sipadan, one of the world's top diving site, allows only 120 visitors a day.

"It is fortunate that Langkawi Department Authority (Lada) has put aside RM94,000 this year and RM144,000 for next year to keep the island clean and free from pollution."

During the clean-up which involved Pantai Damai, Pantai Wangi, and the beach in front of the Department of Marine Parks Pulau Payar, over 10 huge bags of rubbish were collected, and even an old television set.

More than 120 fishermen from Kedah and Labuan took part in the clean-up. They were joined by visitors to the island.

Sukarno said during the clean-up, the fishermen were also taught how to look after fish fry before they were released into the ocean. Similar programmes have also been organised for other marine parks. There were also programmes to clean up the seabed.

Sukarno said he would be discussing with the state government, local tourism businessmen, and agencies related to conservation to make sure Pulau Payar remains a pristine destination for tourists.



Fishermen and Department of Marine Parks Pulau Payar staff participating in a programme to clean up the island. Pic by Rahmat Othman

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

Happy Deepavali 屠妖节快乐！