All the fuss over the multilingual road signs

There's this recent furore over the use of different languages for road signs over here in Penang. I just don't see what all the blardy fuss is about.

For one thing, why can't the state government just maintain it at BM with an English translation for the tourists?

Why must be have so many different language road signs anyway?

I mean, when I go overseas, to say, Thailand, I don't see them going out of their way to include BM or even English in their road signs. It is all strange symbols to me. Only sometimes I'd see shop signboards with English on it.

And to think, Malaysians probably made up one of their largest number of tourists each year.

English is a universal language. So, add that in if you must but WTF do we need Chinese, Tamil, etc, etc, in the roadsigns? For what? Just to prove that your party is all for ALL the races? And in the process make us look like a joke?

Also the reaction from various fractions is really ridiculous. Here we are in an impending economy crisis and them leaders are crying foul over one state government's plan to place roadsigns in various languages.



I don't know about you but putting additional languages on a roadsign does not insult another language. The idea of it is stupid.

Hmm..look at the funny road names above. How do you translate those? Lemme try:

Cowshit Lane

Lorong Tahi Lembu

Gu Sai Lor (Hokkien)

Err...sorry, no tamil available, I've not taken that up yet.

Zzyzx Road

Jalan Zzyzx

Zzyzx Lor (Hokkien)

Okay. So, the conclusion is that we should name all our roads with strange unpronounceable alphabet combinations so that there is no need for translation because in the end, it'd be the same!

So, here's to:

Jalan Wtfwtt

Jalan Bsgvt

Jalan Shtbn

Jalan Wth

Easier, only problem is that people will forget how to spell the road names since they can't even pronounce it....heheheheh..

Deepavali at Little Penang Street Market

The monthly Little Penang Street Market is this weekend and in conjunction with the Festival of Lights coming up this Monday, it is themed 'Deepavali' naturally.

So, there's going to be some Deepavali cultural shows from a talk on the origins of the festival to some performances.

The Little Penang Street Market is a pretty cool bazaar full of artsy stuff and handicrafts. If you are looking for some great souvenirs, gifts, decorative items or pretty knick knacks, it's one of the best places you can check out.

However, prices are fixed so there's no bargaining here. Some of the prices here are pretty steep too but there are quite a few charity stalls so I usually buy from these knowing that the money goes to charity.

Now that they have a food section there too so you can even eat lunch there. Worth checking it out.

Where: Upper Penang Road

When: Sunday, 11am - 6pm (Every last Sunday of the month)

What: Handicrafts, art works, food, cultural events

Penangites beware of possible floods

Looks like we have wet, wet days ahead of us.

According to the meteorological department, we should expect more rain for the next week or so. Rain and thunderstorms are expected in the evenings so, be prepared.

And that's not the worse of it. Kuala Muda Dam is releasing its water periodically so the rivers on the mainland are swollen and threaten to flood nearby villages with very little rainfall.

Also, due to the wet weather in recent days, the lands in Penang are already highly saturated so it can no longer absorb water.

This means, whenever it rains, the water will flow on the surface and not be absorbed into the ground. Yes, that means, floods!

For those of you staying in the lowlands, well, remember to be on the alert and get your belongings up on high ground. Of course there is a possibility that it may not happen at all but we never know, right?

Do remember, the Air Itam Dam is also filled to capacity so even if they don't release water, there is bound to be an overflow due to this system they have had for decades (or else the dam might burst which will be worse, right?).

So, bring around an umbrella with you okay? Oh, yeah. Go buy a boat too if you stay in easily flooded areas. It would be a better mode of transport.

Looks like the second Penang bridge may be delayed AGAIN

But then I am not in the least surprised even if it is true that the second Penang bridge project were to be delayed.

In fact, I had been waiting for this announcement for quite a while already.

Lim said China Harbour had agreed to start building the foundation in November while UEM disagreed with the quoted price.

The government had offered the project to UEM for RM1.3bil but the latter asked for RM1.5bil, he added.

“With UEM enjoying close ties with political parties, it should be accepting the offer price,” he said, adding that if UEM can’t accept the offer, an open tender should be called quickly. [source]

Isn't that usual for any local mega projects especially the second Penang bridge project?

First there's this big huge hoo ha about it and loads of publicity.

They talk about the project as if it will be completed within days.

They paint pretty pictures of what the project may bring to the state and the people.

The second Penang bridge has suddenly develop this special super power where it will transform Penang's economy into a busy, bustling, growing state.

Suddenly, this structure of concrete and steel will be able to bring in investments.

It will be able to solve all traffic problems on the current bridge.

It will make all Penangites' lives better.

Short of being called the Super bridge of Penang, there is nothing this bridge won't do!

Yeah, right.

If you fell for all that crap, I guess you also believed in Superman and Spiderman and that there is really a Clark Kent working in the Daily Planet, and that grown men would dare to be seen prancing around in skintight red and blue costumes.

A bridge is a bridge is a bridge. All it will do is to let people go to the mainland. And we already have one such bridge. I don't deny that the current Penang bridge is not able to sustain the amount of traffic anymore but really, does building a second bridge actually solve the problem?

I don't know. I'm not an expert on that but say the traffic conditions increased over the years and ten years down the line, both bridges are always jammed. Then what? We build a third bridge? A fourth bridge? A fifth?

Or better still, since we are already reclaiming so many blardy foreshore land, we might as well reclaim all the way to the mainland and connect the island to the mainland for good. Then Penang will no longer be an island but a peninsular. Then we won't need anymore billion ringgit bridges.

Then the whole island will just be choked up with traffic because of easy access and an urgent lack of sustainable public transportation system.

What about the ecological impact, you ask? Heck, them politicians don't care about ecological impact. If they cared, why'd you think so much seabed land have been reclaimed? Why do you think there are so many hillslope developments causing landslides everywhere? Why do you think there are so many flash flood incidences the moment there's heavy rain?

It is all in the name of development, my friend.

As for the second Penang bridge, I don't blardy care anymore if it is delayed AGAIN. Please, tell me something new.