Apollo Market - Penang's Biggest Market

December 16, 2011
New roof after 30 years
Star

Better facility: The new roofing at Apollo Market on Jalan Raja Uda, Butterworth.

PENANG’s biggest market — Apollo Market — on Jalan Raja Uda has been given a facelift with new roofing installed at two of its three segments.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said he channelled RM185,000 from his Bagan Member of Parliament’s allocation funds towards the project, which was recently completed.

“For the last 30 years, there had been no renovation work done to this market, despite it being the biggest in the state.

“I have asked the Seberang Prai Municipal Council to get a quota- tion for new roofing to be installed at the market’s third segment by Chinese New Year next month,” he said after visiting the market on Wednesday.

Lim said there were about 500 hawkers trading there.

He said he was pleased with work on the roofing, adding that the hawkers no longer needed to worry about leaking roofs during a downpour.

Jalan Raja Uda turned into lantern wonderland

January 13, 2011
Star

THE 3.5km-long Jalan Raja Uda in Penang has been turned into a fairyland of lights with more than 10,000 red silk lanterns illuminating the road in conjunction with Chinese New Year.

The lights were switched on by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng at 8pm to the delight of the crowd who had gathered at the makeshift stage near the hawker centre.

While they clapped and shouted in joy, motorists travelling along the street honked to show their happiness during the event on Sunday.

“The lights were sponsored by the private sector and several individuals,” he said.

Lim said the government was seeking the help of the private sector to decorate streets for other festi- vals like Hari Raya Puasa, Deepavali and Christmas as he wanted the state to be cleaner, greener and also brighter.

The initiative is a joint effort by the state government and the Guan Yin Dou Mu Gong Temple in Raja Uda, which found the sponsors.

Also present were state executive councillor Lim Hock Seng, Bagan Dalam assemblyman S.A. Tanasekharan, municipal councillors and temple committee chairman Datuk Chin Poh Chye.

Chin said the lights would be switched on from 7pm to 7am daily until March 4.

He said officials from the Malaysia Guinness Book of Records would be visiting the place to determine the Streets of Most Number of Lanterns record.

He added that the cost of lighting the lanterns for about two months was estimated at RM60,000.

More than 15 volunteers, grouped into three categories, had used mini skylifts to install the lanterns.