Latest news with #BalikPulau
Malay Mail
4 hours ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
Traffic jams, sold-out hotels and durian feasts: Penang's tasty chaos as school holidays meet fruit season
GEORGE TOWN, June 2 — The much-anticipated durian season, falling during the school holidays, has once again made Penang a magnet for crowds. Thousands of visitors from across the country, as well as foreign tourists, have been flocking to the state since Thursday, the first day of the school break, with the numbers increasing steadily from Saturday to today. A Bernama survey found that not only were roads leading to Balik Pulau — an iconic destination for durian lovers in Penang — heavily congested, but nearly all major tourist spots such as Penang Hill, Padang Kota and Batu Ferringhi were also packed with visitors. According to durian seller Ahmad Salim Suhaimi, 45, the season for the 'king of fruits' in the state began earlier this month and will last until August, with Balik Pulau continuing to be a hotspot due to its reputation as a producer of premium-quality durians. 'Since Thursday, we've been receiving durian lovers, with the peak occurring from Saturday until today. More visitors, especially from within the country and from abroad — particularly Singapore — have come here to buy and eat durians, causing traffic congestion from Balik Pulau to Teluk Bahang. 'Although the durian season is just beginning and the supply isn't in full swing yet, it's expected to increase in the next one to two weeks. Still, many are visiting now because of the long weekend and school holidays,' he said, adding that he is able to sell hundreds of premium durians daily. It is said that the taste of Balik Pulau durians is uniquely distinctive, with a softer texture and richer flavour compared to durians from other states. — Bernama pic Durian lover Siti Hasmuna Rohaimi, 38, said she and her family travelled from Negeri Sembilan to Penang over the long weekend to enjoy the king of fruits in Balik Pulau. She said the taste of Balik Pulau durians is uniquely distinctive, with a softer texture and richer flavour compared to durians from other states, and that her three children also love the fruit. 'Coming directly to Balik Pulau is more satisfying because you get to enjoy fresh durians — some just fallen from the trees — with unique flavours. What's more, they're cheaper and more authentic than those sold in other states,' she said. Meanwhile, Malaysian Association of Hotels Penang Chapter chairman Datuk Tony Goh said hotel bookings across the state have been near full capacity since Friday, particularly in Batu Ferringhi and George Town, with some hotels even offering durian feast packages at orchards or in open-air settings on hotel grounds. 'The price for durian feast packages at orchards is cheaper — around RM80 to RM100 per person — because the hotels collaborate directly with orchard owners, allowing tourists to enjoy the durians either at the farms or in open areas at the hotel, such as by the beach or poolside,' he said. In addition to durians, tourists are also taking the opportunity to enjoy other attractions on the Pearl of the Orient, such as nasi kandar, street food, beaches, and popular resorts. Penang State Executive Councillor for Tourism and Creative Economy Wong Hon Wai said Penang, especially the resort area of Penang Hill, continues to draw large crowds of tourists from both within and outside the country, including Singapore, where the school holidays have also begun. 'By 6.00am, there are already queues at Penang Hill, even though the funicular train service only starts at 6.30am. The number of visitors has doubled — 8,183 on Saturday and 9,396 yesterday — compared to around 4,000 on regular days,' he said. Apart from the congested roads to Balik Pulau, the Penang Bridge and major roads around the island — especially in George Town and Batu Ferringhi — were also jammed with traffic. Armenian Street remains a popular attraction among tourists. — Bernama pic Locations such as Chew Jetty (also known as Tan Jetty), a small fishing village built over water, Armenian Street, Penang Hill, and Padang Kota are among the major tourist hotspots. — Bernama
Free Malaysia Today
3 days ago
- General
- Free Malaysia Today
Elderly man found a day after car falls down 30m slope
The Penang fire and rescue department said the man's car had veered off a road at Bukit Titi Seong, Balik Pulau, and fallen down a 30m slope. (Facebook pic) PETALING JAYA : A 78-year-old man from Gelugor, Penang, reported missing since yesterday evening, has been found in his car down a 30m slope. The Penang fire and rescue department said the man, Teh Seng Keat, was found to be physically injured and exhausted. 'He was brought up using a stretcher and sent for treatment,' the department said in a statement. Teh's daughter said in a Facebook post that her father had been missing since 5.30pm yesterday after he left a relative's house in Batu Lanchang and did not return home. He had phoned her mother this morning and said that his car fell into a ditch but he could not find his way back. The family tried to track him down using his mobile phone and was eventually told that a signal from his device was found around Jalan Baru in Balik Pulau. His car was spotted at around 3.30pm today but he was nowhere to be seen. The Penang fire and rescue department said it received information about a car that had veered off a road at Bukit Titi Seong, Balik Pulau, and fallen down a slope. The man was rescued at about 5pm. Teh's daughter said her father was semi-conscious in the hospital.
Malay Mail
25-05-2025
- Malay Mail
Penang Welfare Dept to shelter girl in abuse case if no willing relatives found
GEORGE TOWN, May 25 — The Penang Social Welfare Department (JKM) is likely to place a girl suspected of being abused by her parents under its care if no close relatives are available to look after her. State JKM director Zakaria Taib said the department is still actively tracing the Year Six student's closest relatives or next of kin who are willing to look after the girl, as they hope she can be raised within her family environment. 'The Year Six student is still receiving treatment at Penang Hospital, and efforts to locate her closest relatives willing to care for her have so far been unsuccessful. 'JKM will not force any relatives to take responsibility for her. However, if no willing relatives are found, we will place the victim in a welfare institution under JKM's supervision as a last resort,' he said when contacted today. He said the girl's 15-year-old brother has been living with their grandmother in Balik Pulau since childhood and is in good health. Zakaria added that, according to information received by the department, the girl had lived with her grandmother during her early childhood. However, due to certain circumstances, her father later took her in and became her caretaker. Previously, media reported that the police arrested a couple last Tuesday to assist in the investigation of a girl who sustained bruises and cuts on her back, believed to have been caused by caning in an incident at a house in Sungai Ara near here. — Bernama
Malay Mail
22-05-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Penang durians to get new track-and-trace system
GEORGE TOWN, May 22 — A new track-and-trace system will soon be introduced to monitor durian output in Penang, with tags attached to the fruit for greater transparency. Penang Agrotechnology, Food Security and Cooperative Development Committee chairman Fahmi Zainol said the system, developed in collaboration with MIMOS Sdn Bhd, will be rolled out from June 1 to coincide with the start of the durian season. 'This is a smart platform that was developed after we received complaints from local operators on fraud and exploitation by other irresponsible parties,' he said during his winding-up speech at the state legislative assembly. Later, he told reporters the track-and-trace system will offer end-to-end visibility from farms to retailers. 'There were many durian sellers from other states who claimed their durians are from Balik Pulau, Penang and this has affected our own local durian sellers,' he said. He added that some sellers were passing off imported durians from Thailand as Penang produce, which had negatively impacted local durian stalls and farms. This prompted the state government to introduce the system. The platform will allow real-time tracking of the origin, certification, and status of each durian, ensuring authenticity and transparency for consumers. 'This system will support verification of product certifications so there is quality assurance and transparency,' he said. He added that the system would also improve efficiency, ensure compliance with local regulations, and build consumer trust in local durian sellers. 'This is also in line with the state's efforts to strengthen the durian industry and protect the interests of local durian producers,' he said. Penang will be the first state in Malaysia to implement such a system to monitor its durian industry, although a similar system is already in use in Thailand. On durian exports, Fahmi said Penang exported a total of 67,203 kilograms of durians last year, a slight dip of 467 kilograms compared to 67,670 kilograms in 2023. He attributed the drop in exports to hot weather, which reduced yields last year. 'The higher demand for Penang durians domestically has also affected the total exports,' he said. Still, he noted that demand for Malaysian durians remained strong, boosted by the MyGAP certification, which is recognised by countries including China. 'The main countries that import durians from Malaysia are China and Singapore,' he said. Musang King (D197) and Black Thorn (orchee/D200) remain the two most popular export varieties. Penang durian producers have also continued to develop new cultivars, with two new varieties — Kim Long (D230) and Cenderawasih (D229) — registered in 2023. Asked whether the late start to this year's season would affect supply, he said the main harvest period remains between June and July, with some farms experiencing shorter seasons between December and January. 'State durian producers remained committed in ensuring adequate supply and that their farms always comply with MyGAP certification in terms of productivity and this will not impact the export market,' he said. He added that other states, such as Kedah and Perak, also contribute to the export of popular varieties like Black Thorn and Musang King. 'We have Penang farmers who have started durian farms in Perak and Kedah too,' he said.
