Ban on heavy vehicles soon

The move to ban heavy vehicles from using the Penang Bridge during peak hours will probably take effect next month.

State Public Works, Utilities and Transportation Committee chairman Lim Hock Seng said the Works Ministry had submitted the pro- posal to the Attorney-General Chambers.

“The chambers is vetting the proposal. The ban will probably take effect next month after it has been gazetted,” he said when contacted here yesterday.

Under the move, heavy vehicles such as trailers, tankers and lorries above six tonnes will be barred from using the bridge between 6.30am and 9.30am and between 5pm and 8.30pm.

However, express buses, factory buses, ambulances, military vehicles and fire engines are exempted from the ban.

Lim said Penang Bridge Sdn Bhd (PBSB) would inform the public and put up notices at strategic locations to inform road users once the ban had been gazetted.

He said transporters could apply for a special pass from the Ma-laysian Highway Authority (MHA) to use the bridge during peak hours.

[via TheStar.]

George Town to have 3-day celebration

Fireworks will light up the night sky at the Esplanade here on July 26 as Penangites celebrate George Town's listing as a World Heritage Site.

A three-day celebration will be held within the historical enclave of the city, with cultural shows, free trishaw rides and clan jetties' visits for tourists, flower mural painting and tree planting to commemorate the occasion.

Penang Municipal Council president Datuk Zainal Rahim Seman said Friday the council was allocating about RM150,000 for the celebration which would start on July 25.

On July 26, the Yang di-Pertua Negri (TYT) Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas and the Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister will grace a cultural show at the Esplanade from 8.45pm to 11pm.

"There will be some fireworks display that night to commemorate the historic event and an acceptance of a declaration of George Town's listing by the TYT. The whole event will be held in a very traditional setting,'' Zainal told reporters after Friday's full council meeting.

[via TheStar.]

Govt to have foreign help in preserving world heritage sites

The Government will have foreign assistance in its efforts to preserve George Town and Malacca as World Heritage Sites.

According to Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Ministry Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, besides foreign help, there are also plans to cooperate with Penang and Malacca chief ministers to work on the preservation efforts.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) accorded the two cities the status Monday when the Paris-based World Heritage Council met in Quebec, Canada.

He said that the international recognition would boost the tourism industry and help the West know Malaysian culture better.

George Town and Malacca were among the eight sites chosen by Unesco as the latest World Heritage Sites. The other sites are in Croatia, France, Papua New Guinea, San Marino, Slovakia and Germany.

[via TheStar.]

No service tax at most restaurants

Restaurants earning less than RM3mil annually and are not operating from hotels no longer need to charge their customers 5% service tax.

This followed a Government’s decision which took effect on July 1. The decision was made in view of the fuel and food price increase.

[via TheStar.]

iPhone 3G reviews: It's fast, hungry, and still pretty

Mossberg of All Things Digital, David Pogue of The New York Times, and Edward Baig of USA Today were the chosen few selected to review the iPhone 3G ahead of its launch on Friday. There wasn't nearly as much suspense about the reviews this year, since we already knew the iPhone 3G was--with the exception of the faster networks, GPS, and third-party applications--essentially the same phone.


So, what was the final verdict?

Pogue: "So the iPhone 3G is a nice upgrade. It more than keeps pace with advancing technology, and new buyers will generally be delighted. But it's not so much better that it turns all those original iPhones into has-beens. Indeed, the really big deal is the iPhone 2.0 software and the App Store, neither of which requires buying a new iPhone. That twist may come as a refreshing surprise to planned-obsolescence conspiracy theorists -- and everyone who stood in line last year."

Baig: "While not everything on my wish list made it onto the new device, Apple has raised the bar with iPhone 3G. To which I offer an enthusiastic thumbs up."

Mossberg: "If you've been waiting to buy an iPhone until it dropped in price, or ran on faster cell networks, you might want to take the plunge, if you can live with the higher service costs and the weaker battery life. The same goes for those with existing iPhones who love the device but crave faster cellular data speeds. But if you already own an iPhone, and can usually use Wi-Fi for data, you probably should hold off and get the free software upgrade before deciding whether it's worth getting the new hardware."

[via CNET News]

No-contract IPhone on the Way

AT&T Mobility put some asterisks on its iPhone 3G pricing Tuesday but also revealed an interesting option coming in the future: an iPhone without a contract.

In the news release disclosing terms and monthly rates for iPhone 3G service plans, the carrier hinted at the upcoming offer without saying anything about when it will become available. Freedom will come with a price -- US$599 for an 8G-byte device and $699 for a 16G -- but this will mark the first time consumers in the U.S. are able to buy an iPhone without being tied down to a two-year contract.

The phone probably would still be locked for use only on AT&T's network, said Jupiter Research analyst Michael Gartenberg. But buyers could choose a pay-as-you-go plan for voice service -- there is no prepaid data plan from AT&T -- or just use the device as a media player and calendar and access the Web via its Wi-Fi radio. Unlike the slimmer iPod Touch, the iPhone has a camera and a small speaker. The numerous third-party applications coming to the iPhone later this month presumably also could be used without a service plan.

[via PC World.]

Apple prices Macbook Air against Lenovo’s Thinkpad X300

Cupertino (CA) - Apple quietly cut a big chunk of the price of the 64 GB SSD-equipped Macbook Air – the price dropped by 16% from about $3098 to $2598. The price of the Macbook Air with 80 GB hard drive remained at $1799.

The SSD Macbook Air is still expensive, but can now almost be considered to be a good deal when compared to other SSD notebooks currently on the market. While you can order a entry-level notebook with a 64 GB SSD from Dell for as little as $1600, compact and more stylish systems carry a hefty premium, but are getting much more interesting for a larger number of consumers.The price drop of the Macbook Air puts the notebook squarely against Lenovo’s Thinkpad X300, whose price was recently dropped by about $650 and is offered in a comparable configuration for about $2630

[via Tg Daily.]

Penang second bridge project right on schedule

The second Penang bridge will be completed in 2011 as scheduled, and the cost will be RM4.5bil.

UEM Group Berhad managing director and chief executive officer Ahmad Pardas Senin said the commonly quoted figure of RM3.6bil was only for the cost of the construction of the bridge over water.

This did not take into account the RM900mil needed to construct the 7km expressway linking it to the North South Expressway.

[via TheStar.]

MAS launches Everyday Low Fares, Wave 4

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) is extending its Everyday Low Fares (ELF) offer by launching Everyday Low Fares, Wave 4 today.

ELF Wave 4 is offering its customers more options with domestic fares from as low as RM9 and domestic travel packages from RM178.

Besides domestic travel, other routes also include attractive destinations in Asean, China, South Asia and Australia.

[via TheStar.]

Mega sale: 50% off for traffic violations!

Effective Tuesday, police would half the compound fines for traffic summonses except for those for serious offences, said Federal traffic chief Senior Asst Comm II Datuk Hamza Taib.

He said the move was to ease the burden on the lower income group after the recent price rise in petroleum and food items.

The 50% discount is applicable for those who receive the summons letters on the spot and pay them before or on the last day of the 30-day deadline.

[via TheStar.]

2nd Penang bridge deal has variable cost clause

The building cost of the second Penang bridge is expected to be higher than the estimated RM4.3bil, as the agreement includes a variable cost clause which accounts for possible increase in building material prices.

According to UEM World Bhd chairman Tan Sri Ahmad Tajuddin Ali, the RM4.3bil price tag was based on building material prices as at end-December 2007 and included the cost of land acquisition and design.

Since January, international prices of steel and cement have escalated close to 50%. Locally, the Government has also liberalised both the sectors by removing the ceiling prices of certain-related products.

[via TheStar.]

Upset Penang CM resolves to find ways to solve traffic woes

Penang will look for ways to solve traffic congestion problems on the island on its own now that the monorail and Penang Outer Ring Road projects have been deferred.
[via TheStar.]

MAS raises surcharge

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) is increasing fuel surcharge by 10% to 30% on all international sectors from 27/6/08.
[via TheStar.]

Crossing Penang Bridge feels less stressful now

The daily commute along the Penang Bridge has become less stressful for project manager Jessie Teo.

Ever since fuel prices went up early this month, she noticed there were fewer cars on the bridge.

“Though there are traffic jams at peak hours, traffic flow is smoother,” said Teo who drives to the factory on the mainland where she works.

[via TheStar.]

Petrol stations in Penang rescind ban on credit cards

Some of the 200-odd petrol stations here have started to reaccept credit cards from motorists as a method of payment after a “stand-off” of more than 15 hours.
[via TheStar.]