Homestay in Pulau Betong, Balik Pulau

Homestay programme for five more villages

By ZULKIFLY MOHAMAD

THE Penang Regional Development Authority (Perda) has identified five more villages in the state for its homestay programme.

Perda chairman Datuk Hilmi Abdul Rashid said the villages were located at Teluk Bahang, Pulau Betong and Jalan Baru in Balik Pulau, Sungai Chenaam in Nibong Tebal and Sungai Semilang in Juru.

He said the Rural and Regional Development Ministry would allocate, through Perda, RM100,000 to each village for the programme.

“The homestay programme in these villages will start early next year,” he said in an interview.

Hilmi said the allocation would be spent to improve basic amenities in the participating villages, including signage, landscaping, multi-purpose halls, streetlightings and roads.

He said several attractions would also be introduced in the villages such as steam bath, traditional massage and stalls selling handicrafts.

He said the homestay programme would enable residents in the villages to earn extra in-come.

“They can sell handicrafts and traditional cakes or earn extra money through stage performances and kompang, wau (kite) and top spinning demonstrations for tourists,” Hilmi added.

He said those participating in the homestay programme would get income by renting rooms at between RM60 and RM120 per room which are rates decided Koperasi Pelabuhan (Kopel).

Kopel, which is chaired by Pulau Betong assemblyman Muhammad Farid Saad, will manage the homestay programme.

Hilmi said the Mengkuang Titi homestay programme had proven that it could be successful if it was well managed and promoted.

More than 8,000 tourists, including those from the United States, Japan, Saudi Arabia and Britain, had stayed in Mengkuang Titi under the programme.

SOURCE: The Star Malaysia (Metro)

p/s: Pulau Betong Village, not the Pulau Betong Island ;)

More broadband hotspots coming to Balik Pulau...

MCMC to kick-start Penang-Kulim broadband

PENANG: The government and several telecommunications companies will undertake a broadband project connecting Penang and Kulim, with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) spearheading the initative.

It was learnt that the MCMC will be forking out some RM20 million as the initial investment for the project.

The project would link about 100 free wired and wireless hotspots in Balik Pulau, Batu Ferringhi and Bayan Lepas on the island, and Kepala Batas, Bukit Mertajam, Batu Kawan and Nibong Tebal on the mainland and the Kulim Hi-Tech Park in Kedah.

Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon said yesterday the systems for the project would be installed by year-end to enhance connectivity in Cyber Cities and Cyber Centres in Penang and Kulim.

Bayan Lepas, Bertam and Batu Kawan have been designated as Penang Cyber Cities, while the proposed Penang Global City Centre (PGCC) and Komtar are designated as Cyber Centres.

Speaking to reporters after a Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) conference here, Koh said the broadband project was based on a survey conducted in Kulim and Penang three years ago under the National Broadband Plan.

“We use this opportunity because Penang is small with a population density that is high enough for us to drive a targeted 90% broadband coverage in the state.

“With WiMAX attaining more stability now, I believe that we should be able to achieve that target coverage by 2010,” Koh said.

Household broadband penetration rate in Penang increased from 14.3% in 2005 to 20.5% in 2006, and 21.3% in the first quarter of 2007.

SOURCE: The Edge Daily