Padi Museum to star in seven-day carnival

Padi Museum to star in seven-day carnival

Kedah State Museum will hold a seven-day carnival to promote Padi Museum, beginning Nov 11.

State Sports and Youth, Culture and Heritage and Non-Governmental Organisations Committee chairman Aminuddin Omar said the main objective of the carnival was to attract more visitors to the museum, the only one of its kind in the country.

"Visitors will have the chance to experience and learn about the life of a farmer and the rice cultivation process.

"Apart from Padi Museum, we have also invited museums from Penang, Perak, Kelantan and Malacca to take part in the carnival," he said at a press conference recently.

Aminuddin said the "Karnival 7 Hari 7 Malam Muzium Padi" was expected to attract some 100,000 Malaysians and visitors from Thailand and Singapore.

"This is the third year the state museum board is organising the carnival. It is open to all from 9am to 11pm.

"This year, apart from the stalls and exhibition, there is a talk session with former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad," he said.

He said there would be various activities at the carnival.

These include a colouring contest and telematches for children, exhibitions on museums in Malaysia, "Citarasa 1Malaysia" stalls, a cooking competition, Bendang Soccer, a karaoke competition, charity event and lucky draw.

There will be also performances by local artistes as well as a talk by Khazim Elias Al-Hafiz.

The menteri besar is expected to open the carnival on Nov 12.

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

玻港口码头往浮罗交怡岛 每天1趟载车渡轮

玻港口码头往浮罗交怡岛　每天1趟载车渡轮


■ 玻州港口载车渡轮3日起开始启用，为要驾车前往浮罗交怡旅行的大家庭及游客带来无限方便。

从玻璃市港口【Kuala Perlis】码头带车越海到浮罗交怡岛不再是梦！9月3日开始，每天设有一趟渡轮，从玻璃市港口载车进岛，为玻州人民及自驾游旅客带来方便。

这项服务是由Langkawi Roro客船公司所提供，渡轮内部可以承载约45辆汽车或11辆巴士；渡轮第二层则准备了提供乘客们休息的冷气座位，共有180张椅子和备有救生衣 ，第３层则是露天的甲板座位。

玻璃市交通事务委员会主席沙比里说，载车渡轮服务配套非常适合大家庭乘坐，尤其是需要带着幼小孩子的家庭，在渡轮上，行李暂放在车里，一家人可以到第二层的乘客位子舒服地歇息，过了2小时后即可到达目的地，过程方便又增添旅游乐趣。

他也表示，玻璃市港口是全马第3个州拥有带车越海的渡轮，加上地理环境的优势与潜能，相信玻港口肯定发展神速，崛起成为重要的商贸中枢及经济繁荣的海港城市。

他提及，由于玻州港口海口多处不时会遇上海床搁浅的状态，于是每天渡轮的川行时间有异，民众如避免白跑一趟，就需先拨电话04-9669881或电邮langkawiroro@yahoo.com向有关当局询问。

～以上新闻转载自光华日报～

延长征收10%附加费 长巴车资变相起价

延长征收10%附加费 长巴车资变相起价

长途巴士业者要求车票调涨30%未有定案又遇柴油涨价，陆路公共交通委员会（SPAD）宣布，考虑到燃油涨价营运成本将提高，允许长途巴士继续征收10%的附加费，直到当局宣布新收费为止。

附加费原订今天停收

长途巴士业者获准在开斋节期间征收10%的附加费措施，原定于明天结束。该委员会这项宣布，形同巴士车资变相涨价。

泛马巴士业者公会是在政府宣布燃油涨价后，致函陆路公共交通委员会要求延长征收10%附加费措施。

该委员会之前是在6月中旬宣布，同意让巴士业者在开斋节期间收取长途快车票10%附加费，有效期限从7月8日至9月8日为止，包括全部现有的长途快车班次及因应佳节需求而推出的额外班车。

柴油上一次调涨零售价，是2010年12月4日。政府是在本月3日调涨RON95汽油和柴油每公升零售价20仙，使RON95每公升售价涨为2令吉10仙，而柴油是2令吉。

调涨车票年底决定

这也是近年来，政府首次因为柴油价格上涨，允许长途巴士业者延长原本只限佳节期间征收车票附加费的措施。

泛马巴士业者协会（PMBOA）原本是要求长途快车票涨价30%，不过陆路公共交通委员会拒绝，只允许在佳节期间给予两个月征收10%附加费，而调涨车票事宜将在年底有决定。

陆路公共交通委员会今日发文告说，尽管政府调涨燃油费，但长途巴士车票价格目前不会涨价，当局将会宣布新收费。 该会表明，研究长途巴士收费的工作处于最后阶段，该委员会确保即将宣布的新收费不会对人民和业者构成负担。

～以上新闻转载自南洋商报～

Happy national day！

Happy national day！国庆日快乐！

Turn war bunkers into attractions

Turn war bunkers into attractions

The Historical Society of Malaysia says WW2 bunkers in Kedah can become tourist attractions

The Historical Society of Malaysia is urging the state government to initiate a programme to rehabilitate and turn World War 2 bunkers into heritage tourism attractions.

Its Kedah chapter chairman Datuk Wan Shamsudin Mohd Yusof said the association had identified 26 bunkers in Alor Star, Bukit Pinang and Sungai Petani which had the potential to be turned into historical sites.

He said the bunkers had become an eyesore and some had been turned into dumping sites or become breeding grounds for mosquitoes and poisonous reptiles.

"The WW2 bunkers have precious historical value.

"We hope the state government will take the initiative to rehabilitate the structures and turn them into tourist attractions," he said.

Wan Shamsudin said the association was worried that the bunkers would be eroded in time and forgotten by the public.

One of the villagers of Hutan Kampung, Firdaus Othman, 18, said the bunkers had potential to become tourism products for the state.

He said, about two months ago, a group of tourist from Europe had visited the bunkers in the area.

"It is a waste if we do not value these historical structures," he added.

State Tourism, Energy, Indian and Siamese Affairs and Islamic Religious Committee chairman Mohd Rawi Abd Hamid said a plan to rehabilitate and conserve the bunkers was already in the pipeline.

He said work to rehabilitate the bunkers would be starting soon and they would be turned into tourism products.

"Besides the war bunkers, we have also identified other structures that have the potential to be turned into heritage tourism attractions such as old houses and buildings which have national historical value," added Rawi.



Firdaus Othman (right) said European tourists visited WW2 bunkers in Hutan Kampung about two months ago.

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

Govt promises better bus service

Govt promises better bus service

Authorities in Kedah to adopt both short and long-term solutions for commuters

The state government has vowed to solve the public transport woes in Kedah.

State Education, Transportation and Public Works committee chairman Datuk Tajul Urus Mat Zain said the new state administration, which assumed office in May, was aware of the people's grouses on the poor public transport service.

Tajul Urus said the state government would adopt both short and long-term solutions to improve the situation.

"We are aware of the issue. The state government has been receiving complaints from the public.

"We will discuss the issue with Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) to formulate a long-term plan to resolve this matter," he said.

Tajul Urus said the plan would also improve public transport service in the rural areas.

The move is welcomed by commuters who hope their transport woes would end soon.

A Streets check at several bus stops in the city showed that the public transport system in Alor Star is plagued with inefficiency and lacks integration.

Many bus stops do not have signboards to guide commuters on bus routes, frequency and time of arrivals.

As such, commuters, particularly those from the outskirts, are forced to wait for long hours for their bus.

Nuratiqah Markhasan, 14, who travels by bus to school everyday, said the irregular stage bus service has caused her to arrive late at school.

"I have no idea when the bus arrives. Sometimes, I have to wait for an hour, making me late for school.

"We need more buses to reduce the waiting time," said the Form Two student who has walk for about 15 minutes to reach the nearest bus stop from her home.

Her sentiment was shared by another commuter, Kamariah Ibrahim, 74, who said the bus frequency needs to improve.

"I have to wait for an hour to reach a destination which takes only a 10-minute drive. It is a sheer waste of time but I have no option," she said.

Kamariah hoped the state government would soon come out with a sound solution for all. Another frustrated passenger, Salleh Janai, 75, said the public bus transport is unreliable.

"I do not own a vehicle. The only way I can reach town to work is by using public transport but the bus service is poor," said Salleh.



Passengers waiting for buses at Shahab Perdana, the main bus hub in Alor Star.

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

Selamat Hari Raya