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Thursday 10 December 2015

World Internet Conference to be held Dec 16~18 2015 Wuzhen China



Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the upcoming Second World Internet Conference (WIC) in the river town of Wuzhen in east China's Zhejiang Province, an official announced on Wednesday.

Xi is expected to deliver a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the conference, which is scheduled to be held between Dec. 16 and 18, said Lu Wei, minister in charge of the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), at a press conference.

More than 2,000 attendees from over 120 countries and regions will participate in the conference, with foreign guests accounting for roughly half, Lu said.

Conference participants include representatives of governments, international organizations, Internet companies, academics, experts, think tanks and foreign and domestic college students.

The representatives also include the prime ministers of Russia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, as well as senior officials from the United Nations, Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, Apple, Microsoft, Nokia, Lenovo, Alibaba, Baidu and Tencent.

The conference will cover 22 topics, including Internet cultural transmission, Internet innovation and development, digital economy cooperation, Internet technology standards and cyber space management.

Ten sub-forums will be held during the conference on topics such as the "Internet Plus" strategy, digital China and Internet innovation.

An expo and more than 80 press conferences will be held during the second WIC, showcasing cutting-edge technology and the latest achievements from about 260 enterprises from all over the world.

Local officials from Zhejiang Province praised the changes the WIC has brought to Wuzhen and provincial economic development. They vowed to provide high-quality services for the conference.

Lu also defended the CAC's role in Internet management when responding to questions about access to some foreign websites, saying their business activities should abide by China's laws and regulations.

"China adheres to reform and opening up to the outside world," said Lu, adding that "for those foreign firms that want to enter China, there is a basic rule: they must abide by Chinese laws and regulations."

Lu proposed joint efforts to build a "peaceful, safe and transparent" Internet for the welfare of people worldwide.

Guo Weimin, deputy head of the State Council Information Office (SCIO), said the SCIO will provide on-the-spot press release service during the second WIC.

The conference will be co-hosted by the CAC and Zhejiang provincial government.

The first WIC was held in Wuzhen in November last year.

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Tuesday 8 December 2015

Being constantly connected online has bad consequences: harming memory, make you stupid

How much is too much?: Studies have found that Internet is harming our memory, especially short-term or working memory

How Smart Phones Make You Stupid - Consumer Association of Penang (CAP)



Being constantly connected to the digital world has its consequences - setting the rules with social media

In order to have a more harmonious marriage, H and I have decided that we need some rules.

Recently, we came up with Rule No. 1: You can only repeat something once.

It’s been really helpful in keeping the nagging level of our marriage down. In the past, we would nag at each other quite a bit.

It has worked so well, we thought we should introduce more rules.

A few weeks back, he suggested Rule No. 2: No Googling and checking of e-mail at the dining table and just before we sleep.

I baulked.

What a ridiculous rule, I said. It’ll be impossible for me to agree to it and it’s not fair because it’s targeted at me.

How can I not be checking my e-mail all the time, I continued. I am a journalist. I must know what’s happening and I must be contactable 24/7. What if a story breaks? I need to know at once. I was, of course, exaggerating my own importance.

The world and the newsroom chug along just fine whether or not I am online. My bosses don’t expect me to be constantly connected (I think).

I was using work as an excuse. An excuse for an affliction I am finally coming around to acknowledging, but which H has noticed for some time: I have an addiction.

I have an addiction to Googling, to my smartphone, to my iPad, to being connected to the digital world.

My phone follows me everywhere I go. I sleep with it inches away from my pillow and my nights (as well as his) are punctuated with beeps, blips and pings from the many message notifications streaming in.

I check my phone goodness knows how many times a day, to look at my e-mail, WhatsApp, Telegram, Twitter, Facebook, Vine, Instagram and a few other apps.

When I’m at the cinema, I’m one of those irritating people whose phone screen lights up during a movie because I’m checking it.

I literally break out in a cold sweat when I misplace my phone.

At home, I walk around not only with my phone, but also my tablet.

I am addicted to Googling on my iPad. I can spend an entire day in bed just Googling (oh, bliss). Sometimes, when the Wi-Fi speed is acting up, I Google on both my phone and tablet at the same time, just in case one gets to the information I want quicker.

“You’re addicted,” H says.

“I’m not,” I say. “It’s my job. I am not addicted. I know when to stop.”

To prove my point, I went onto Google (of course) to try out some are-you-an-Internet-addict tests.

The most helpful article I came across was in Yahoo by Dr James Roberts, a professor of marketing at Baylor University in Texas in the United States.

He explained that anything that can produce pleasure in our brain has the potential of becoming addictive and what makes something an addiction is when we lose control.

Research, he said, has identified “six signs” of any type of substance or behavioural addiction.

These signs relate to issues connected to salience, mood modification, tolerance, withdrawal, conflict and relapse. I have a problem. But the situation isn’t that dire, I’d like to think.

Still, I shouldn’t be complacent. It can’t be pleasant living with someone who doesn’t give you her full attention because her nose is always stuck in a screen. It is also rude.

At work, I have got into the bad habit of not looking at colleagues I’m talking to because I’m also typing away on my phone or computer.

At meetings when I’m just the slightest bit bored, I find it hard to resist reaching for my phone and checking my e-mail, which is impolite to the person who’s speaking.

My attachment to my devices can be dangerous – I walk and text a lot. The intense and constant staring at screens is causing eye strain.

Studies have also found that the Internet is harming our memory, especially short-term or working memory.

Information overload and distractions – hallmarks of Internet surfing – make it harder to retain information in our brains.

When we know a digital device holds information for us, we are also less likely to remember it ourselves. It has been years since I memorised anyone’s telephone number. I’m not even sure I can do it now.

Having so much information at my fingertips has made my brain lazy and mushy.Google makes you feel clever when you really aren’t.

Also, while social media like Facebook have been praised for bringing people closer, they can in fact isolate us when we use them in place of face-to-face interactions.

As for H and me, I think I should agree to some version of Rule No. 2 if I want a happier marriage.

Totally no Googling and checking of e-mail at the dining table and just before we sleep might not be doable.

But I can live with “less” Googling and checking of e-mail. One step at a time

By Sumiko Tan The Straits Times/Asia News Network

Sunday 6 December 2015

Nabbed Briton in Malaysia among five terror suspects, married 12 times

KUALA LUMPUR: A part-time English teacher from Britain who fought as an al-Qaeda militant in Afghanistan and Bosnia, is among the latest group of five men arrested for being involved in Islamic State (IS) and other terror groups.

Bukit Aman Special Branch Counter Terrorism Division nabbed the 44-year-old Briton together with a 25-year-old Bangladeshi, a 29-year-old Nigerian, a 31-year-old Indonesian and a 59-year-old Malaysian, who is also a Rela member, in a series of raids in Selangor, Kelantan, Johor and here between Nov 16 and Dec 1.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said the British national, a Muslim convert who had been under surveillance for some time, was arrested in Jalan Duta on Nov 16.

“He fought in Afghanistan and Bosnia after joining al-Qaeda. He was working as a part-time English teacher in Penang and we have been monitoring him closely,” the IGP said.

The Nigerian, who had been using his guise as a student in a private college in Petaling Jaya for his terrorism-related activities, was arrested a day later.

Investigators believe that he is actively connected to terror groups in Africa.

Both the Briton and Nigerian have since been deported.

The three other suspects, an Indonesian, a Bangladeshi and a Malaysian, are believed to have links to the IS.

The Indonesian, identified as the leader of the cell, was nabbed on Dec 1 in Benut, Pontian, where he was working as a mechanic.

The IGP said the man had performed the bai’ah (pledge of loyalty) to IS’ “Caliph” Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi via Facebook in mid 2014.

“We also believe that he is one of the main persons recruiting and sending trained militants to Syria. We suspect that he has been arranging travels for IS followers in Malaysia and other South-East Asian countries,” he added.

It was learnt that the Indonesian had direct connections with known Malaysian militants, including former “The Ukays” band drummer Akil Zainal.

Akil, a Universiti Teknologi Mara graduate, was among the first batch of Malaysians who went to Syria and publicly declared support for militant groups.

The two other cell members, the Malaysian and the Bangladeshi, were arrested in Kota Baru and Klang respectively.

At a separate event, the IGP said Bukit Aman would always be on the alert with threats from the IS and other terror groups.

“We will not compromise when it comes to security. Every action will be taken to prevent bad things from happening in this country,” he said.

The IGP said terror groups, including the IS would not be allowed to gain a foothold in Malaysia, he added.

Asked whether any of the suspects had been planning to launch attacks in Malaysia, he said that was their main agenda.

Nabbed Terrorist Married 12 Times

KUALA LUMPUR: The British national nabbed along with four others for involvement in terrorism activities has a reputation of being a Casanova besides his militant tendencies.

The man has so far married 12 women, including five from Malaysia.

His other past and present wives are from the United Kingdom, Bosnia, Germany, Philippines and Indonesia.

“You could call him a Casanova terrorist,” a source told The Star.

“We have not come across a terrorist who has married so many women. He has been busy on the terror front but his love life is interesting as well.”

Apparently, his modus operandi has been to marry the women and divorce them after a few years.

“He is also suspected of duping the women into marriage for their money,” the source said.

It was learnt that a general manager of a bank was among his former Malaysian wives.

The man, who worked as a part-time English teacher in Penang, had been travelling in and out of Malaysia since 1998.

The authorities suspect that the Briton, who had been interacting with students, could be the head of a sleeper cell for the al-Qaeda in the country.

Source: The Star/Asia News Network

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Friday 4 December 2015

‘Spin doctors’, public relations gurus in today's political world - an uneasy with online news

Uneasy with the age of spin


The old guard feel uncomfortable with the instant availability of online news and views that might be critical of them or their allies.

UMNO is probably one of the largest political parties in the world relative to the country’s population – with three million members in a country of around 30 million, its members account for almost 10% of the population.

So it came as a surprise that the party’s secretary-general announced that media would not be invited to cover this year’s party general assembly unless they “behaved” themselves.

He has since rescinded this order, but the permanent gripe that the Umno establishment has against some online news portals is that the portals allegedly like to “spin” stories and statements made by senior party-members and ministers, much to the chagrin of the nation’s top leaders.

So what is “spin”?

Spin is a weapon generally employed on a daily basis by politicians, opinion-makers and large corporations with the help of public relations gurus (“spin doctors”) who put out the desired image or message in such a way that the client will be favourably received by the public.

Edward Bernays is called the “father of public relations” for his success at presenting smoking and drinking as acceptable social behaviour in the early part of the 20th century, and he was in fact a spin doctor par excellence who openly talked of manipulating the public mind.

Spin doctoring is readily apparent in the United States political scene where debates are held by competing presidential candidates: both sides will claim victory and their spin doctors will go full throttle to selectively present the respective candidate’s winning points.

It’s also spin if the desired result of the exercise is to paint a negative picture of one’s target; either way, spin is usually associated with deceptive or manipulative tactics, but this is not always the case.

Spin can be disingenuous but not necessarily false: selectively presenting facts and quotes that support one’s position is spin, and it is the same as putting large photographs of certain leaders on the front pages of national newspapers to project a positive image.

Everyone engages in spin – some crudely – while others do so with more finesse, but everyone is actively spinning these days.

My wife’s constant complaint is that Malaysiakini uses a picture of me showing me in an angry mood, gesticulating about something, which she feels does not truly represent my persona.

Here, Malaysiakini could either be unconcerned about how I look (and why should it be?) or it might want to portray me as an angry man without a cause. If it is the latter, then it’s spin.

That said, spin is less effective in the age of the Internet than it was in the old days when a political party had a monopoly over the media. Back then, it was an arduous task for dissenters to make themselves heard, simply because they had no platform to do so.

Now, in the era of social media, the old order feels uncomfortable with the instant availability of online news and views that might be critical of them or their allies.

The old guard do not know how to deal with this new phenomenon, which is why they complain incessantly about the Opposition’s “spin”.

The truth is that every political organisation, large or small, uses spin to maximise its impact on the voting public.

Spin is par for the course in today’s political world and it’s not something we should complain about.

If the level of news reporting and journalistic integrity has stooped too low – if fair reporting has suffered because journalists resort to unethical practices such as plagiarism or manufacturing stories – then the solution would be to set up a Press Council to guarantee that minimum standards of professional excellence are maintained.

News organisations that flout the rules of such a council could be fined, while other measures can be taken to improve news reporting – that is, positive measures – because the unending threats to sue newspapers and online portals for incorrect statements and negative reporting is a waste of the court’s time.

Also, banning newspapers and online media from attending any political assembly is not the answer.

Instead, politicians should learn to be a little thick-skinned: after all, it’s part of the business to be attacked and made fun of, and to be misquoted or selectively quoted in a deceptive way.

If we are going to sue and issue threats every time an opponent opens his or her mouth, no work of serving the people and formulating good policies will ever be done.

Our politicians will be quarrelling and threatening one another for every small mistake, deliberate or otherwise, and if this is allowed to continue, the public will be disenchanted even more by the lack of quality leadership in Malaysia.

A serious change in attitude – a paradigm shift, of sorts – is necessary on the part of our political leaders to avoid this endless bickering and name-calling.

Politicians should learn to regard their opponents as a vital and necessary part of the democratic system that they all claim to uphold, and they should learn to live in harmony with one another as far as possible so that real work can get done.

There is no point taking the hard line over trivialities unless we want to dispense with democracy altogether: running a democracy is never as easy or comfortable as ruling with an iron fist.

It’s so much easier to rule North Korea or Saudi Arabia if you are the top dog there, but if you want democracy to continue, then a little discomfort – a little spin here and there – is a necessary part of political life which really shouldn’t bother anyone too much.

By Zaid Ibrahim All kinds of everything The Star/Asia News Network

Former de facto Law Minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim (carbofree@gmail.com) is now a legal consultant. The views expressed here are entirely his own


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Good plan needed to drain water from flood-hit areas PENANG’S drainage system is unable to cope with heavy rain falling within a short ...

Thursday 3 December 2015

Penang flood aftermath: design pump system needed to drain out water, fix funding snag ...

Good plan needed to drain water from flood-hit areas

PENANG’S drainage system is unable to cope with heavy rain falling within a short period of time, said state Local Government, Traffic Management and Flood Mitigation Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow.

He said the cause of flooding in the state on Sunday night was due to the “very heavy and continuous downpour”.

“In Teluk Kumbar, the occurrence of flash floods can only be remedied by the installation of a more efficient pump system with a higher capacity to drain the water out from the affected area during high tides and rain.

“At the moment, a consultant has already been appointed to come up with the design in a few months for a RM3mil project to upgrade the pump system. Hopefully by the second half of next year, the tender can be called to appoint the contractor to carry out the installation.

“A detailed design is also being drawn up for a RM7.5mil flood mitigation project, approved by the state, in order to upgrade the drainage of Sungai Nipah, Sungai Teluk Kumbar and Sungai Relau,” he said at the launching of the ‘Pedestrian is King’ campaign at Town Hall yesterday.

Chow added that the Irrigation and Drainage Department (DID) had also ordered a developer to clear the clogged drains at its project site in Batu Maung that had allegedly caused a mudslide.

He said the areas affected by the downpour from 7.30pm onwards were Sungai Tiram, Relau, Teluk Kumbar, Bandar Baru Bayan, Kampung Seronok and Batu Maung as well as roads including Jalan Mahsuri, Jalan Tengah and Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah.

“The Sungai Ara catchment also recorded 80mm of rain water in a hour. It would be a different outcome if the 80mm downfall took place over two to three hours, instead of within an hour which made the effect more pronounced,” said Chow.

The categorisation of rainfall intensity exceeding 60mm in one hour is considered very heavy according to the DID.

Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin urged the state government to immediately implement the southwest district flood mitigation masterplan.

“Developers from southwest district have been contributing to flood mitigation funds. Residents also pay their quit rent diligently.

“It is only fair to start using these drainage contribution funds to upgrade drainage infrastructures within the area,” he said.

Call to fix Penang’s flood funding snag


PENANG will carry improvements on the drainage and irrigation systems if it had the money, said state Local Government, Traffic Management and Flood Mitigation Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow.

“In the 11th Malaysia Plan, we applied for more than RM800mil worth of projects but none was approved.

“If we have the money, we will, of course, conduct works on Sungai Pinang, Sungai Junjung, Teluk Kumbar and other places,” he told a press conference at 1st Avenue Mall yesterday.

Commenting on the drainage system in the southwest district that was built in the 70s, Chow asked that funds be given so the state could replace the antiquated system.

“Drainage and irrigation is a joint responsibility of the state and the Federal Governments, moreover, the Irrigation and Drainage Department (DID) is a federal agency.”

Meanwhile, state Housing Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo said it was imperative that Sungai Pinang be deepened and widened as scheduled under Phase II of the flood mitigation project.

“The rainy season has started and we need to start work on the second phase as it involves the areas most effected by flood.

“I sent Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar a letter dated Dec 1 to ask for the funds for the project (to be released),” Jagdeep, the representative for the constituency, told a press conference.

“The state has done its part and relocated the residents in Sungai Pinang.

“We want the Federal Government to be committed to carry out the RM450mil Sungai Pinang Phase II flood mitigation project.”

Under Phase 1 of the project, the river was widened and deepened from Kampung Rawa to the Dhoby Ghaut bridge.

Phase 2 involves, among others, relocating residents to make way for the project and the rehabilitation of the entire river.

Other flood mitigation projects involve Sungai Juru and its basin (RM80mil) as well as restoration works for Sungai Jawi (RM40mil), Sungai Perai (RM35mil) and their basins.

The projects for Bayan Lepas are estimated to cost RM153mil, Sungai Perai (RM35.4mil) and Sungai Kechil in south Seberang Prai (RM12mil).

Odd job worker Nurjan Md Shabdin, whose house is near Sungai Pinang, said she has experienced flooding as high as chest level during the 50 years that she has lived there.

“There are still snakes and monitor lizards that swim into our houses during the floods. My appliances and mattresses have had to be replaced many times,” she said.

Hammad Noor Abdullah, 41, who has lived there since he was 14, said he had to carry his school uniform in a bag and swim to school when the are was flooded.

“I am hoping the Phase II project is carried out and the village is finally free from floods,” he said.

On a separate matter, Chow said the state government had formed a steering committee and four sub- committees to implement the Penang Transport Master Plan.

“We have the Legal and Finance, Technical, Land Use, and the Strategic Communication committees which I head.”

When asked what the plans were for Eastern & Oriental Bhd’s 131 acres of reclaimed offshore land of Gurney Drive for the STP Phase 2, he said the plans had yet to be finalised.

“Part of it will be given to Ewein Zenith Sdn Bhd and there will be a road, green area, linear park and low-density commercial buildings. It’s just a concept now.”

Chow did not rule out a public consultation on the works should there be a need. Reclamation works on the land is expected to start this month.

Separately, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng claimed that the Federal Government had sidelined the state.

“Penang has been excluded from the Budget over the years and several projects have also been cancelled.

“The state’s application of RM805mil for flood mitigation projects was rejected and promises to build an LRT system to reduce traffic on the roads have not been fulfilled,” Lim said.

“The request for an upgrade of the Penang International Airport was also not given serious consideration.

“I hope the promise to build a multi-storey car park to increase parking capacity at the airport will not become an empty promise,” Lim said in a press statement.

Coping with flood aftermath


Flood water flowing onto the lane in front of the arrival hall of Penang international Airport in Bayan Lepas.

SPRING-CLEANING was the order of the day throughout Penang due to the extraordinary downpour that lasted more than 10 hours and inundated many areas.
Residents living in Permatang Damar Laut Road felt the full brunt of Mother Nature as their houses were filled with mud after the flood.

About 50 residents held a demonstration, blaming the upgrading works along the road for their plight.

“The project has a poor flood mitigation system. Each time it rains, residents know the area will flood,” said housewife Hasiah Md Isa, 57.

Resident Zulkifli Abdullah, 63, said contractors should dig drains alongside their project.

According to Bayan Baru Umno division chief Datuk Mansor Musa, who was present at the demonstration, the Public Works Department (JKR) is undertaking the project.

“We have contacted JKR along with the contractor in charge of this project, asking them to visit the site and explain the situation. It is important for them to identify the cause of the problem.

“We are now requesting that the contractor pay compensation to the residents affected,” he said.

Kampung Sungai Tiram resident Zaliha Yaacob, 28, said the family spent a sleepless night moving their belongings from the rising water.

“We always expect a flood when it rains but we did not expect it to be this bad,” she said while clearing the mess at her home.

Business owner Lau Kok Peng, 60, was also busy cleaning his popular coffee shop.

“It’s a good thing my shop closes on Monday but there’s a lot of work to do,” he said.

In Teluk Kumbar, 44 flood victims from 12 families have left the evacuation centre for home.

Operations officer Lt Muhammad Aizat Abdul Ghani said flood victims began seeking shelter at the Dewan Perda Kampung Masjid Teluk Kumbar from 8.55pm on Sunday.

“They are from Kampung Sulup, Kampung Nelayan and Kampung Seronok.

“They received sufficient supplies from the Welfare Department during their overnight stay,” he said.

On Sunday evening, heavy rain lashed the island and mainland, inundating several low-lying areas.

Traffic came to a crawl as motorists sought safer routes out of flooded roads.

The state recorded 80mm of rain water in an hour from 7.30pm.

Penang Fire and Rescue operation centre head Y. Anbarasan said rescue personnel, including a boat unit, were dispatched as soon as the first flood distress call was received at 9.32pm.

“At 5.10am (yesterday), we evacuated 37 flood victims from 11 families to Dewan Perda Kampung Masjid Teluk Kumbar.

“There were no landslides but two trees fell in Tasek Gelugor and one in Batu Uban,” he said.

At the Pesta site in Sungai Nibong, ankle-deep water forced some operators to close shop early.

Other flooded areas on the island included Jalan Tengah in Bayan Baru, Bukit Jambul, Relau and Batu Maung.

Penang Island City Council Urban Services Department director Mubarak Junus said about 40 staff members were dispatched to help clean up the mud in affected areas including Permatang Damar Laut, Jalan Kampung Bukit and around the Penang Snake Temple in Bayan Lepas.

“We’ve also deployed backup squads to help clean up the roads and drains, and two teams to help in the garbage collection,” he said.

On the mainland, the worst affected areas were Permatang Tinggi as the river bund there broke, causing water from the river to flow into Kampung Permatang Tinggi, Taman Usaha, Taman Usaha Jaya and Taman Pewira.

Seberang Prai Municipal Council president Datuk Maimunah Mohd Sharif said a special squad and six response teams were dispatched to the affected areas on Sunday night.

“Some of the team members stayed until 1am (yesterday) while some stayed on until 3am to monitor the situation. No residents were evicted,” she said.

She said Seberang Prai district received an average 50mm of rainfall.

The Meteorological Department forecasts cloudy mornings followed by thunderstorms in the afternoons and evenings every day for the entire week until Sunday.

A spokesman from the department said the north-east monsoon would cause the northern region of peninsular Malaysia to receive heavy rainfall late in the day until the end of this month.

Also affected was the Penang International Airport which saw the driveway outside the arrival hall flooded.

When contacted, Penang International Airport senior manager Mohd Ariff Jaafar said there was not much discruption to the airport.

“The prior RM1.5mil flood mitigation project involving the installation of an on-site detention tank helped decrease the water during flash floods.

“There was backflow of water from a monsoon drain for two hours in the evening.

“The volume of water increased to about 69mm at 8pm but the water cleared up in less than 30 minutes,” he said in a text message.

Rainy day for commuters

Long journey home: Cars moving at a snail’s pace along the SPICE indoor stadium in Jalan Tun Dr Awang in Bayan Lepas.

GEORGE TOWN: A torrential downpour which lasted about 90 minutes caused flash floods in several areas in Bayan Baru, Bayan Lepas and Relau near here.

Among the worst affected roads yesterday were stretches of Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah, Jalan Tengah and Jalan Mahsuri.

Many vehicles were stalled in the flood waters which rose to about knee high at some places following the heavy rain which began at about 6.30pm.

The situation was so bad at one point that a stretch of Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah in Bayan Lepas was temporarily closed off to traffic in both directions which worsened the traffic congestion already faced by road users.

Among the places where motorists were caught in traffic jams lasting for more than an hour were Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah and Jalan Tun Dr Awang.

The driveway outside the Penang International Airport’s arrival hall and the roundabout leading to the airport were also flooded, causing vehicles to move at a snail’s pace. Some people could have missed their flights due to the floods and traffic congestion.

The Penang Pesta ground was also hit by the floods. The annual fair began on Saturday.

Penang Works Committee chairman Lim Hock Seng, when contacted, said the rainwater could not flow off quickly enough due to the high volume from the heavy rain.

“The drains are also clogged by rubbish. The Penang Island City Council, Public Works Department and Drainage and Irrigation Department are looking into the matter,” he said.

Among the villages flooded were Kampung Sulup in Teluk Kumbar and Kampung Sungai Tiram in Bayan Lepas where the waters rose up to about 0.6m high.

Kampung Sungai Tiram villager Zaliha Yaakob, 28, urged the authorities to solve the flood woes in the village.

Source: The Star/Asia News Network

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