Thousands turn up at open house

The Star, Monday, September 21, 2011

BUKIT MERTAJAM: Thousands of people turned up for the national-level Malaysia Aidilfitri-Merdeka Open House 2011 despite intermittent showers prior to the event.

Many of them walked almost 2km from where the hundreds of chartered buses were parked to the venue at SMK Guar Perahu in Penanti here.

There was a political feel to the event which began at 11am yesterday as the party flags and streamers of Umno, Barisan Nasional, PAS, PKR and DAP dotted the 4km stretch of Jalan Kubang Semang to the school.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who was touched by the overwhelming turnout, commented on the matter in his speech.

“I was greeted by many flags, some navy blue, some sea blue and many others which felt like as if it was going to be elections tomorrow. Actually, we are gathered here not because of pilihan raya (election) but to celebrate Hari Raya with everyone,” he said.

Najib thanked Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and state exco members for attending the event, saying that despite their political differences, they shared a common goal to further develop the nation.

“We have not isolated Penang because of political differences. We want development to be carried out in a fair and equal manner. This shows that we value the voices of the people,” he said.

Besides being treated to an array of food, the crowd was entertained by local artistes such as Datuk M. Nasir, Datuk David Arumugam, Uji Rashid, Jaclyn Victor and Calvin Lau.

Lee Buck Hoe, 67, from Parit Buntar, who proudly showed photos that he took with several former prime ministers, said he wanted to present a pictorial memento to Najib.

Najib also took time to visit the country's first woman constable Bedah Mohamed, 91.

Bedah said she joined the force at the age of 30 and was based at a camp in Nibong Tebal

Many visitors ever-present at The Star’s annual exhibition

Sunday July 24, 2011

GEORGE TOWN: A number of visitors to The Star Property Fair 2011 are regulars who return year after year. Among them were university senior lecturer Dr Chai Kok Soon, 38, and his wife, sales director Lee Ning Ju, 34, who brought along their son Kah Xiang, four, and daughter Kah Wei, two. Dr Chai said they had already invested in several properties in Penang and Singapore. “We are not looking for anything in particular, we just want to understand the market right now, what the trend is like,” said Lee.

“People are worried about the property prices which are quite high now. But it looks like the prices are still going up,” said Dr Chai. Businessman M. Shanker, 34, said property prices were about 30% to 40% higher than when he visited the fair last year. He said he had previously bought a condominium as an investment and was now looking for landed property, preferably a bungalow.

Manager Saw Heng Soo, 55, who also visited the fair last year, said property prices had gone up by about 20% to 30% per sqft this year.

“I'm looking at terrace houses but I prefer corner lots as they feel more like semi-detached units,” he said. Saw said he had bought a landed property in Paya Terubong but was looking for something in the Queensbay area as he expected property prices there to appreciate faster.

Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Chor Chee Heung was among the VIPs who visited the four-day fair held at Level 2 of G Hotel and the ground floor of Gurney Plaza here.

Chor, who is also MCA vice-president, was accompanied by Star Publications (M) Bhd deputy group chief editor (I) David Yeoh and local MCA leaders during his visit on Friday.

The fair, in its ninth edition, is organised by The Star in collaboration with Henry Butcher Malaysia (Penang) Sdn Bhd and is touted as Penang's premier property expo.

There are 36 exhibitors, including IJM Land, Ivory Properties Group, Belleview Group, DNP Land Sdn Bhd, Nusmetro Venture (Pg) Sdn Bhd, Sunway Grand Sdn Bhd, Mah Sing Group Bhd, MTT Properties and Development Sdn Bhd, Reka Indah Development (Pg) Sdn Bhd, Ideal Property Sdn Bhd, SP Setia and Boon Siew Group (BSG Property).

Other exhibitors include Plenitude Heights Sdn Bhd, Triental Land Sdn Bhd, GD Development Sdn Bhd, Lone Pine Group of Companies, ResCom Asia Sdn Bhd, Capitawealth International Sdn Bhd, KPWG International Sdn Bhd, Tambun Indah Development Sdn Bhd, Bukit Kiara Properties Sdn Bhd, E&O Bhd and Jalin Realty.

Henry Butcher is also featuring projects by Magna Putih Sdn Bhd and several properties in Australia and England by various developers. A popular feature of the fair is the series of talks related to property, investment, financing, law, heritage and feng shui held in the stage area at the new wing of Gurney Plaza and in Salon III and IV at G Hotel.

Visitors stand a chance to win prizes totalling RM30,000 in the “Surf, Click & Win” contest sponsored by IJM Land. Ten prizes are up for grabs, including a 32-inch Samsung LCD television, Acer Iconia Tabs, Samsung Galaxy Tabs and Parkson vouchers.

To participate, cut out the “Surf, Click & Win” coupon in The Star.

There is also a cut-out coupon in The Star for redemption of a mystery gift each at The Star circulation booth on the ground floor of Gurney Plaza's new wing on a first-come-first-served basis. Hong Leong Bank Bhd is sponsoring RM5,000 worth of mystery gifts. The fair, open from 10am to 10pm, ends today. Entry is free.

State BN touches base with the grassroots

StarMetro, Thursday July 21, 2011

IN a bid to encourage Penangites to be more environmentally friendly, the state Barisan Nasional gave out 500 biodegradable bags to Air Itam market goers during its weekly walkabouts.

State Umno chief Datuk Zainal Abidin Osman, who led the walkabout, said the event was meant to foster closer relationship between the state Barisan committee and the people, and to listen to their problems and dilemma.

Twenty grassroots members joined this walkabout. It was the fourth one, with the other three earlier held in the Bayan Baru, Jelutong and Nibong Tebal constituencies.

Also present at the walkabout were Barisan information chief Datuk Dr Loga Bala Mohan and MCA adviser Datuk Koay Kar Huah, who is also Bukit Gelugor Barisan coordinator. The state Barisan committee will be giving out 50,000 biodegradable bags during the walkabouts which is to be held every Monday for 13 consecutive weeks covering each parliamentary constituency.