Penang – Multicultural And So Diversified!

It has been said that the true character of a place is defined by its people. If that is true, then Penang’s myriad cultural identity must be her most fascinating aspect. Despite the growing pains that accompany modern development, Penang’s multi-ethnic communities have managed to preserve to a remarkable degree their traditional way of life, particularly with respect to the observance of cultural and religious festivities, among other things.

Penangites are among the most hospitable people in the world – there is always an excuse for a smile, time for a welcome, and willingness to lend a helping hand. Enriched by various ethnic communities co-existing in harmony, Penang is blessed with a multi-faceted culture brought about by the integration of the many races which form its population, with each community making its unique contribution.

Penang’s multi-cultural composition ensures a succession of colourful, exciting festivals and celebrations that are unrivalled anywhere else in the world. Considering the number of special events, festivals, celebrations, gods and deities’ birthdays and religious occasions among the three main race groups (Malays, Chinese and Indians) when one big celebration is finished, another is just about to begin.

Penangites are always game for an excuse to celebrate and feast, and there is much enthusiasm, painstaking preparation and merry-making all year round. Thus, Penang sees a kaleidoscope of festivals and celebrations which seems to last the entire year. Possibly nowhere else in the world is there an open-door policy like Malaysia’s for religious festivals. Friends of other faiths, whether they be from across the street or across the world, are welcomed into the homes and cultures of celebrants for a short time as their respective religious event is observed. As these festivals are religious in nature, visitors should always remember to accord them the proper respect, in terms of dressing and behaviour. Despite the distinct ethnic and cultural differences among the various communities, Penangites have developed a sensitivity for, and an understanding of each other. Born of mutual respect for traditions, the high level of culutral and religious tolerance which abounds, never fails to astound visitors. In many ways, the cultural wealth of Penang can be found in the rich festivals of its people.

One of the rare belives of most Penangites is in the Hungry Ghosts festival It is believed that the Hungry Ghosts must be appeased in order to get good fortune and luck in their lives so they set out food and entertain them. An Array of food is offered, puppet shows and street operas are performed on many makeshift altars and stages along the roads in George Town.

Prayers are offered to the dead and offerings of food such as chicken, vegetables, fruits, bean curd, white rice, bowls of noodles, sweetmeats, cakes and other treats are placed at street corners and along roadsides to appease the spirits. You will find food offerings on street corners all over Penang during the Hungry Ghosts Month.

The Chinese leave these offerings to discourage the Ghosts from entering their homes and causing trouble or bringing bad luck.

Trading web to Malaysian Internet

Malaysia as we know they have nice people and nice city landscape like popular Putra Jaya and Kuala Lumpur on north beautiful beach in penang and the east Tioman Island. Malaysia as we know today aggressively promoting its tourism product to the world. But when we talk about Malaysian business over the internet we have no idea about this community.

Yesterday I receive an email from my corporate manager to visit this site. As I start browsing the first thing I look at the header online Business Community | Trading | Supplier | Retailer | Reseller | trading portal. I wonder how this company reacts to competitive online business today with the long header I mean no identity.

Well when look at the content surprisingly they have good design, it’s simple but interesting. With 27 category listing for job and vacancy, accessories, beauty, biz opportunity, electrical product, manufacturing, rent and to let, and others I think www.timestreets.com is same like Alibaba but different approach only for Malaysian.

Well the features is a same like Alibaba on past year, with the concept on internet shopping mall they have good effort on putting Reuters news at TimesPR NewsWire News Feed at the middle of the page.

Other service that they have is forum board discussion and free PRweb. Timestreets PRweb is another services, you can submit any article about product review or press release to this PRWeb. Even I don’t know much how this PRweb can help your business but when I search any term some of these articles are listing at first page on Google search.

There is little part that they can improve like, web positioning, improve web experience with animation and offer free stuff to subscriber.

Creating a successful Internet presence involves much more than designing a great web site or having the “perfect” product. Listing your web site with the Search Engines is their first step; however, timestreets must not solely rely on the Search Engines to bring traffic.

Timestreets.com must design a complete promotional strategy and work it every day. If you’re launching a new web site, your first step will be to submit your site to the Search Engines and Directories.

A good way to organize promotions is to set up a web page, for your personal use, that will contain your complete strategy. This page should be stored on your hard drive and not uploaded to your server. Your page should contain four sections.

1. Daily Promotions
2. Weekly Promotions
3. Monthly Promotions
4. Miscellaneous Promotions
Promoting timestreets.com web site offline is another great way to increase its traffic. Below are several resources to implement:

Place ads in newspapers, magazines, on the radio, or on TV. Other technique promotions might include paying for traffic, text and banner advertising. Once they implemented this promotional strategy and continuously work it each day, They will be amazed with the results of this efforts. Consistency will be the key to driving massive traffic to timestreets.com.

Anyway for the small company like them, I wish they have a good success in 2008. If they success to promoting its trading portal it must be big bust for Malaysian company on the net.

An Indian wedding at Parit Buntar, Malaysia

David is a friend of mine. I met him some months ago when I passed his house. David invited me to stay with the story he was a cyclist himself. And thus, I had time on myself, I joined him. David showed me his photos of his journeys over Malaysia and Thailand.

One day David called me with the announcement his son would be get married and I was invited. Since David is Indian, this was an excellent way to experience a Malaysian Indian wedding ceremony.

The whole wedding ceremony would take days. When I came to David’s house, it was just before the bride would be collected. David lives in Parit Buntar, about 45 km from Penang. The bride had to be collected in Taiping, about 50 km the other way. A long row of cars went to Taiping. However, the groom was not allowed to join. The bride had to be collected by the father, David.

After arrival in Taiping at the house of the family of the bride the women brought all kinds of sweets and fruits inside. These sweets are carefully prepared and were put on the floor of the living room. A ceremony started with a priest who spoke to both fathers and the bride and some offerings where made.

Then all of the quests were offered some food. There wasn’t too much time because the bride had to be taken away before 6pm and we arrived at about 4pm. 6pm was considered to be the best time and bring good luck to the future marriage. The bride would be taken to relatives in Parit Buntar since the marriage itself would happen the next day.

I slept that night in a hotel instead of in David’s house. Later David told me it had to be like that because the ladies were busy with hair and make-up the whole night. In the morning David picked me up from the hotel and we went to the hall where the wedding would take place.

It could not have been taken place in the original hall since the roof has been blown off some weeks earlier. The replacement hall however was also big and enough. David told me that after the ceremony there would be a lunch. There were about 1200 people expected.

The ceremony started with the groom. Together with a friend they went through a series of rituals. Vegetables, fruits, oil and many other things were used. This part of the ceremony took some time. Then the Suresh left the stage, it was literally a stage, to make room for the bride who was now taken to the priest.

The bride went through the same ceremony. At last groom and bride came together at the stage where the final part of the ceremony took place.
And while all this happened, the lunch had started off. It was of course all great Indian food. People were waiting in long rows to collect their food. Once finished your lunch, you were expected to make space for the newcomers.

Inside the hall the ceremony was still going strong. There were two musicians hired. One was blowing a horn, the other played tabla. And it was very loud. How Suresh and his new wife could hear the priest was a little miracle.
After the ceremony it was time to congratulate the happy couple. Photos had to made and more photos were made. And it became that there wasn’t even enough food for the guests. The had quite some more people showed up then expected.

It was time for a series of pictures with friends and relatives. For both families this was the first child to be married. And in that case it had to be a big celebration. And you can believe me, it was a big celebration. As I said, there were more then 1200 at the wedding itself. But at night the party at David’s house continued.

Many of David and Suresh’s friends who had not been able to attend the wedding showed up now. Most of these friends were Chinese. They couldn’t be there because the wedding took place at the same moment as an important Chinese temple festival.

However, at night they were free and about 200 more people showed up to congratulate Suresh and his new wed wife. But if you think that was the end of the festivities, you’re wrong. The brides family too had a party for the friends and relatives who couldn’t attend the wedding itself. So the next day we moved to Taiping where Suresh and his bride gave us a warm welcome.

Again, like at the wedding and at David’s house the food was excellent. It was this night to we could eat meat. The first days of the wedding procedures it is forbidden to eat meat for the bride and groom but after the wedding meat is back on the menu. At the bride’s house we had excellent chicken and mutton together with a spicy salad, dahl and vegetables.

David now was dressed in western clothes while his wife was wearing another beautiful sari. I had stopped by that time counting how many saries she had changed but I still recognized how beautiful she looked. Here’s a picture of Suresh and his wife with David’s whole family.

I can only say this was to me a life experience I would not have wanted to miss. For all of you who have never experienced such an event, have a look at a selection of photos I made during the days of the wedding.

Peter van der Lans
www.pulau-pangkor.com

Novel excerpts: Thrillers

Cholitz Directive

Prologue

A high level secretive meeting is being held at the conference room of Raffles hotel attended by the upper echelons of those in charge of safeguarding Singapore’s peace and stability. The meeting is headed by the supreme commander of Singapore’s defense, the Minister of Defense himself. At his sides and downward are the Deputy Commander and the generals that comprise the entire Singapore Army. There is even one general in the meeting acting as the secretary whose task is to take down the minutes. The meeting is so secret, so black that most of the aide-de-camps of such obscenely powerful men; with ranks no less than captains through to colonels are forbidden to know even a hint of the issues to be discussed.

Sipping cognac while waiting for the main man, the atmosphere was a jovial, lighthearted one with the men slapping one another’s backs and telling jokes.

A clicking rush of wind, the conference doors opened and Samuel Tan, Minister of Defense walked briskly to the head of the oval table. Instantly the generals snapped to attention and abruptly the atmosphere became solemn. Settling down quickly in his seat and wasting no time, he pointed to Major General Jerry Soh, Head of Intelligence and Clandestine operations.

“Sir,” He began,” it’s confirmed. Malaysia and Thailand is preparing a major assault on Singapore.” Murmurs began to break out among the men. “We have detected anomalous movement of military hardware between the borders of the two countries. We have unconfirmed reports on the involvement of a mysterious third party. The location of the main base of the joint forces has been set on the plains of Penang. The main base is supported by smaller camps scattered around Malaysia and critical key installations like the Communications building and air force bases.”

“I understand,” replied Samuel Tan. “General Bernard, recall all the reservists immediately with the excuse of a surprise large scale exercise. The public must not learn of this. Business must go on as usual as far as possible. We must strike first. I expect all of you to draw out your plans for your respective units by the week’s end.”

Lieutenant General Jeremy Ang Commandant of the Commando units spoke confidently,” We will spearhead the preemptive strike, Sir. We will spread panic and chaos among the enemy and if possible leave them ripe for mop-up for the rest

Penang street food