New crane flips during delivery at Tuas Port, no casualties (VIDEO)
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore and port operator PSA Singapore both said the incident occurred around 1.20pm on June 15 while the crane was being delivered to a non-operational berth.
'All operational berths remain fully accessible and port activities are not affected,' they said in a joint media statement yesterday.
An investigation is underway to find out the cause, they added.
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Free Malaysia Today
6 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Kedah airport runway closed after ‘incident' with air force aircraft
In May, the Alor Setar airport's runway was also forced to close after an air force fighter jet skidded on its nose while landing. (KLIA2 pic) PETALING JAYA : The runway of Sultan Abdul Halim Airport in Kedah has been temporarily closed after an incident involving an air force aircraft at around 11.30am. Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd said the runway was closed to help with the removal of the aircraft and for 'clearing works'. 'A notice to airmen has been issued by the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia, and the closure is expected to remain in effect until 4pm today. 'Passengers are advised to check with their respective airlines for the latest flight updates,' it said in a Facebook post. It is not immediately clear what had occurred. In May, the Alor Setar airport's runway was also forced to close after an air force fighter jet skidded on its nose while landing. The pilot did not suffer any injuries in the incident.
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- Malay Mail
Inside Penang's Loo Pun Hong, the oldest Cantonese carpentry guild in South-east Asia
GEORGE TOWN, Aug 17 — Over 224 years ago, when migrants from China's Kwangtung province first arrived in Penang, many sought the help of local associations to find lodging and work. This led to the establishment of various district- and trade-based guilds to help newcomers settle. Among them was Loo Pun Hong, a carpenters' guild established in 1801 on Penang Street to support the growing number of carpenters from Kwangtung (also spelt Guangdong today). The guild became a vital hub where skilled craftsmen took in apprentices, training them in woodworking while providing shelter. New arrivals from Kwangtung could seek shelter here while picking up a skill, said Loo Pun Hong president Chong Cheok Henn. 'They would undergo apprenticeships with master carpenters and be provided with lodging, he explained, adding that the guild would help the apprentices find jobs once their training was complete. The main prayer hall at Loo Pun Hong. — Picture by Opalyn Mok From guild to sacred temple The carpenters of that era revered Lo Pan, the Chinese patron saint of their trade, and soon began collecting funds to build a temple in his honour. Lo Pan, also known as Lu Ban, was a master architect, engineer, and inventor during China's Zhou Dynasty. Construction of the temple at its current site on Love Lane began in 1855 and was completed in 1886. 'It took many years to complete as it involved manual construction, all done by Loo Pun Hong's own members,' Chong explained. The temple was named in honour of Lo Pan (Loo Pun being a spelling variation), while 'hong' signifies a workshop or an establishment of traditional craftsmanship. The patron saint of carpentry and contractors, Lo Pan dominates the main prayer at Loo Pun Hong. — Picture by Opalyn Mok A large statue of Lo Pan, flanked by his assistants, dominates the main prayer hall. Each year, the temple celebrates the deity's birthday on the 13th day of the sixth lunar month, a tradition that has recently been revived with a grand street parade every three years staring in 2019. 'We held the second parade in 2023 after the pandemic and we are planning to hold a third one next year,' Chong said. The gilded palanquins to transport the statues of deities during street parades. — Picture by Opalyn Mok A showcase of craftsmanship The 139-year-old temple itself is a testament to the guild's artistry. Though it has undergone several restorations, it retains much of its original build and intricate woodwork. The latest restoration works, funded by the state government and George Town World Heritage Inc, were completed last year. On the roof, a classic Cantonese 'Bogu Ridge' is decorated with ceramic ornaments: an orb symbolising good fortune, fish-dragons for outstanding achievement, bats for luck, and peonies for wealth. Loo Pun Hong featured a Cantonese Bogu Ridge decorated with ceramic or plaster ornaments on its roof. — Picture by Opalyn Mok Inside, the newly established Lu Ban Master Memorial Hall on the second floor showcases the temple's antique woodwork and furniture. Open to visitors for a small donation of RM5, the hall features golden wood carvings, ceremonial weapons, and gilded palanquins. Chong said a lot of the antique furniture was previously auctioned off to raise funds for the temple, so they are now very careful with preserving those that still remain. The gilded carved works showcased in the Lu Ban Master Memorial Hall. — Picture by Opalyn Mok Welcoming a modern audience Recognising its status as the only Lo Pan Temple in Malaysia and a growing tourist attraction, the temple committee has made efforts to cater to non-Chinese visitors. Visitors who wish to pay homage to Lo Pan and the other resident deities in the temple will also be guided by a clear numbering system, with instructions on how many joss sticks to place and the name of the deity, written in English and Chinese next to the incense burners. The number system starts with the Jade Emperor or Heavenly Deity, with the large incense burner at the main entrance of the temple, to be followed by the two stone lions guarding the entrance, the Thai Pak Koong (Deity of Earth and Prosperity), Lo Pan, an Inner Heavenly Deity in the inner hall, the Great Emperor Huaguang (a Taoist war deity), the god of earth, the kitchen god and finally Dato Kong (a localised deity) outside the gates of the temple. A showcase of gilded woodwork at the Lu Ban Master Memorial Hall. — Picture by Opalyn Mok Loo Pun Hong secretary Chun Kah Choon said they are in the process of updating their social media with English translations. 'Sometimes the nuances of some phrases are lost in translation and it could lead to misunderstandings, so, we have to be very careful about it,' he noted. While the deity may not be common in most households today, Chong said many Chinese carpenters and contractors still maintain altars for Lo Pan in their workshops. Loo Pun Hong is open to the public from 8am to 5pm daily. Loo Pun Hong president Chong Cheok Henn (centre), vice president Lee Kong Sheong (right) and secretary Chun Kah Choon (left). — Picture by Opalyn Mok
Malay Mail
4 days ago
- Malay Mail
Beyond Hokkien: The lesser-known communities that shaped George Town
GEORGE TOWN, Aug 16 — Penang may be known for its Hokkien-speaking community, but in reality, only half of the ethnic Chinese here are Hokkiens. The rest come from a rich tapestry of backgrounds, including Cantonese, Hakka, Teochew, Hainanese, Hockchew, Shanghainese and Guangxi. As Chinese migrants arrived in Penang in the 18th century, they began to form enclaves of communities that spoke the same language, including forming provincial-based associations to assist fellow migrants from the same districts in China. Among the first Chinese migrants to come to Penang from the 18th to the early 19th century were the regionally-based Chinese merchants, including some Baba Nyonya from Melaka, a community of 500 people led by Koh Lay Huan from Kuala Muda, and indentured workers from Fujian and Guangdong who spoke Hokkien and Cantonese. The second wave of arrivals, from the early 19th to the early 20th century, were Chinese coolies from southern China, representing the main dialect groups of Hokkien, Cantonese, Teochew, Hakka, and Hainanese. The popular provinces that the Chinese migrants came from. — Map courtesy of Clement Liang According to Penang Heritage Trust (PHT) president Clement Liang, the main street for the early Chinese settlements was China Street, which was known as 'tua kay' (main road). He said the Goddess of Mercy Temple and the Chinese Chamber of Commerce were strategically located at the junction, facing the sea for good fengshui. The secondary axis for the Chinese settlements was King Street, where many of the clan temples and provincial associations were located. At that time, the Cantonese-speaking migrants lived around the Pitt Street, Bishop Street, Church Street, King Street, China Street and Penang Street enclave. Penang Street, where the Kwangtung and Tengchow Association was located, was also known locally as 'kwangtung kay' (Guangdong Street). Intersecting with the Cantonese enclave is the Hakka enclave, which spreads from Church Street to King Street, Queen Street and China Street. The Hokkien area covered a larger area as there were more Hokkien-speaking migrants at the time, and the community was largely spread out across the inner city. Interestingly, all three enclaves also intersected with Little India. Meanwhile, the Teochew enclave is located slightly further away nearer to Carnavon Street and Chulia Street. A map showing the different enclaves in George Town during the late 18th to 19th century. — Map Courtesy of Clement Liang. Liang said over the years, these communities shifted and slowly spread out all over the state, but there were still small pockets of the different communities in George Town. 'There were the dim sum shops by the Cantonese communities in Cintra Street and also the goldsmith shops along Campbell Street,' he said. The medicine halls and pawn shops around town were mostly owned by the Hakka people, while the Teochew were merchants and petty traders. 'The Hainanese arrived later than the other groups so they ended up mostly as cooks for European and wealthy Chinese households,' he said. He said at that time, the wealthy Chinese households were merchants, revenue farmers dealing in opium, gambling and alcohol, financiers of coolie labour recruitment, and traders who owned shops, shophouses, godowns and trading vessels. However, the majority of the Chinese migrants worked for wages. The Cantonese were commonly carpenters, farmers, goldsmiths and brick makers, while the Hokkiens were merchants, tailors, shopkeepers and coolies. As for the Hakkas, they were merchants, traders, farmers and fishermen. Liang noted that the numbers of the different dialect groups have dwindled over the years, due to relocation and lower birth rates. Fading dialects According to him, currently, 50 per cent of the population are Hokkien, 15 per cent are Cantonese, 10 per cent are Hakka, 15 per cent are Teochew, five per cent are Hainanese, and the remaining five per cent consist of Hockchew, Shanghainese, and Guangxi. 'Sadly, not many of them can speak their mother tongue due to the adoption of Mandarin as the main Chinese language in education since the 1970s,' he said. He added that very few can speak Hockchew, Shanghainese, Guangxi, and Hainanese now. 'Maybe only the older generation can speak it, but once they are gone, these languages will be forgotten,' he said. This isn't only happening in Penang. The original districts of these dialect groups in China are also losing touch with their languages due to the adoption of Mandarin. Realising the importance of keeping their mother tongue alive, Liang shared that local associations such as the Penang Hakka Association have started offering online Hakka classes to encourage the younger generation to learn the language. 'Some of the associations are trying to organise events where they use mainly their mother tongue,' he said. Even though Hokkien used to be the lingua franca in Penang—spoken even by other ethnic groups like the Malays and Indians—Liang said it is slowly dying too. The people of Guangdong and Tengchow Contrary to popular assumptions, the people who arrived from the Guangdong (also spelled Kwangtung) province in China were not all Cantonese-speaking. The Kwangtung and Tengchow Association along Penang Street. — Picture by Opalyn Mok President of the Kwangtung and Tengchow Association, Datuk Lio Chee Yeong, said the people from Guangdong, previously known as Canton, also spoke Hakka, Hainanese and Teochew. 'Most people assume that if you originated from Guangdong, you must be Cantonese but this is a misconception,' he said. He said the migrants from Guangdong who came to Penang were from different districts in the province and spoke different dialects. They eventually formed provincial-based associations according to the dialects they spoke and these associations are now under the Kwangtung and Tengchow Association as the umbrella body. 'The Cantonese were from districts such as Nanhai, Chongqing, Samsui, Tong An, Xinhui, Soon Tuck, Phun Yue, Siew Heng Foo, Choong San and Toishan Ninyong,' he said. The Hakkas were from Fooi Chew, Taipu, Yong Ting, Tsen Lung, Kar Yin and Tengchow. 'Tengchow and Yong Ting were not from the Guangdong province but since they spoke Hakka, so they joined under our association as they can communicate with the other Hakka associations,' he said. The Teochew and Hainanese communities were small, so they each formed a single association, the Teochew Association and the Hainan Association, respectively, he added. Early schools With the formation of these different provincial associations, members also began setting up schools to provide education for their children. Education was important among the Chinese communities and at a time before Mandarin was popularised here, the schools they set up taught lessons in their own mother tongue, such as Hokkien, Cantonese, Hakka and Teochew. The Toishan Ninyang Wooi Kwon, who spoke Xinning (now known as Toishan), used to have a school at their association on King Street, but it was soon closed. Meanwhile, some of the other schools started by the various associations remain open to this day. The Hakka established Shih Chung School in 1908, and today, the main school has been converted into a special education primary school, with a branch also in Sungai Nibong. The Hainanese set up Aik Hua School on Muntri Street and recently, it was relocated to a new building outside the inner city, in Sungai Ara. The Ng Fook Thong Temple, built in 1898 on Chulia Street is recorded to have the first Cantonese school in Malaysia. The school has since moved and was renamed as SJKC Shang Wu in Air Itam. The Teochew Association, along with businessman Lim Lean Teng, founded Han Chiang School in 1919 and today, it has expanded to include a private secondary school and a university-college. All of the primary schools today are national-type schools under the Education Ministry and students are taught Mandarin, Malay and English.
