Cheong Fatt Tze building is featured on Lonely Planet list

GEORGE TOWN: The Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion here has been named one of the world's top 10 greatest mansions and grand houses by popular travel guide Lonely Planet.
The grand dwelling, often dubbed the Blue Mansion due to its vivid colour, is one of only two buildings in Asia to make the list.
The other is the Marble Palace mansion in Kolkata, India.
Others that made the list include the Villa d'Este in Italy, England's Castle Howard that provided the backdrop for the television and cinema adaptation of Brideshead Revisted, famed 16th-century Chateau de Chambord in France and the Catherine Palace in Russia.
The United States was the only country with two venues making the list Fallingwater in the woods of Pennsylvania and Beauport House in Massachusetts while Australia and Ireland rounded up the grandest homes list with Werribee Mansion in Melbourne and the 13th-century Powerscourt Estate in the Wicklow Mountains respectively.

True blue: The Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion in Penang. The historical structure was also featured as the title picture for the Lonely Planet list.

The Lonely Planet list was reprinted last Sunday by the Fox News website, which chose the Blue Mansion as its story's main picture.
This latest accreditation follows several other prestigious awards already given to the mansion, including a Unesco “Most Excellent” Heritage Conservation Award in 2000, an Asean Tourism Association Excellence Award for Best Asean Cultural Preservation Effort in 2004 and the Malaysian National Architectural Award For Conservation in 1995.
The mansion was built in the late 19th- century by Cheong Fatt Tze, a self-made wealthy Chinese merchant.
Loh-Lim Lin Lee, who bought and restored the dwelling with husband Laurence Loh in the late 1980s to 1990s, said the mansion received some 2,000 visitors every month.

Granny a true friend to victims of domestic violence

Victims of domestic violence who are unable to stand up for themselves against their aggressors are turning to grandmother S. Thanaletchumi for help and advice.

The 72-year-old retired teacher, who operates from her house with a monthly mobile allowance of RM80 from a non-profit organisation, listens and counsels them.
Her advice is usually for them to lodge police reports.
“I have come across so many women who feel that being beaten up by their spouses or their in-laws is part of what a woman faces in a marriage,” she said.
“Some have endured torture for several years due to poverty and lack of education.”
She added that in one case, not only did a man beat up his wife, he also encouraged their young son to join in.
Thanaletchumi, who gets an average of three calls a day, said she does not have any formal method to deal with the issues.

Businessman awarded for eco-friendly practices in biofuel firm

A local businessman who hopes to inspire others to be more eco-friendly has received an award for his efforts.

Global Green Synergy managing director Joseph Lim Heng Ee (pic), 37, said he hoped the Junior Chamber International Creative Young Entrepreneur Award (JCI CYEA) 2011 he has received would encourage others.
“The things that people are unwilling to do, I will do.
“This has driven me to accomplish what I have and I hope my passion will inspire others to be more green in their businesses too,” said Lim.
He said his company also provided training to orang asli to reduce their open burning and produce organic compost from agricultural waste.
“This award is to honour young entrepreneurs for the success and creativity in developing their businesses,” said JCI organising chairman Steward Lee
He said the three winners would go on to compete in the international round at the World JCI CYEA 2011 in Belgium.
The other winners are Ban Lee Hin Engineering and Construction Sdn Bhd chairman Datuk Tony Looi Chee Hong and Kian Classic Design Sdn Bhd CEO Kenny Yiap Kian Wee.

Minimum wage soon - Changes to Act undertaken to protect workers

Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam said the amendments to the Employment Act were being undertaken to protect workers but unfortunately some have seen the move differently. “We are taking positive steps to address the issues, especially regarding the contractors of labour, where there is an abuse of workers.
“We want to address this as well as other issues on social security and safety,” he said.
Speaking to reporters after presenting appointment letters to 25 members to the National Wage Consultative Council, he said the ministry had set up a committee which included representatives of the workers and employers to look into the problems and how to manage it better.
“At the moment, this (contractors of labour) is totally unmanaged and there is a lot of abuse,” he said.
Dr Subramaniam said there was some confusion over the amendments for contractors of labour to be registered with the Human Resources Ministry.
“This was done at the request of the National Union of Plantation Workers, who have been asking for this for a very long time because of massive abuse of workers in the plantation sector.
“The whole Act is actually to protect workers but some allege that it will formalise outsourcing and reduce permanent jobs,” he said.
Dr Subramaniam said the Government wanted to move ahead and hoped all parties would understand and assist in the objective of ensuring that workers got correct representation and their welfare protected.

The Government hopes to announce the minimum wage for workers before year-end, Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam said here. He said the newly set-up National Wages Consultative Council (NWCC) was entrusted to come out with recommendations on a minimum wage within two and a half months.
Speaking to reporters after presenting appointment letters to 25 members of the independent NWCC, he said a technical committee had already undertaken an exhaustive study on wages in the country.
“The NWCC has all the information. There is no need for them to start afresh.
“They must make decisions based on the information given to them from today,” he said, adding that a figure for the minimum wage had also been arrived at.
Dr Subramaniam said it was up to the council to look at the figure from their perspective and make the decision.
The NWCC Bill, which was gazetted on Sept 15 and came into effect on Sept 23, empowers the council to decide on a minimum wage and also undertake studies.
Former Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Steve Shim Lip Kiong is the NWCC chairman and former Human Resources Ministry secretary-general Datuk Dr Syed Mohamad Syed Abdul Kadir his deputy.
The council will have six members each representing workers and employers, five from other sectors and five from the Government. It will be assisted by a secretary.
On the proposal to extend the retirement age of workers in the private sector, Dr Subramaniam said discussions were still on-going.
“In principle, both the Malaysian Trades Union Congress, employers and the Government have agreed that we can go ahead to implement a retirement age for the private sector but the exact age is still under discussion,” he said.
Dr Subramaniam said the Malaysian Employers Federation had given its views and these were being looked into by the ministry.

Be confident of succeeding based on capabilities, PM tells Malays

The Malay community should not depend on the Government's protection if they want to be dignified and respected, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. He urged the Malays to have the courage and confidence to succeed based on their outstanding capabilities.
"These are the characteristics of the 21st century Malay.
"Such Malays would achieve success not because of the protection of the Government but because of their outstanding abilities," he said after launching the United Malay Economic Action Council (MTEM) here Thursday.
The group is a coalition of 63 Malay non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that promotes sustainable economic development of the Malay community.

Chinese groups back plan to ban shark hunting

Chinese groups here have come out in support of the proposed ban on shark hunting by the Sabah government. Malaysia Chinese Food Consumer Association vice-chairman Wilson Chia said shark hunting is a cruel act and his association fully supports the ban.
He said the association also discouraged the community from choosing shark fin soup as the main course during functions.
“The dish can easily be replaced with abalone or prawns,” he said.
The Federation of Chinese Associations Malaysia deputy secretary-general Dr Chin Yew Sin welcomed the proposed ban and called on the Chinese community to also support the move.
“We have hundreds of other dishes to choose from besides shark fin soup,” he said, adding that restaurants also had various substitutes for the delicacy.
Malaysian Nature Society urged the state government to not just ban shark hunting but the consumption of shark fin soup as well.
“We hope Sabah will serve as an example for other states,” said its head of communications Andrew Sebastian, adding that it had been campaigning against the consumption of shark fin since 2007.
Malaysian Animal Welfare Society president Shenaaz Khan called for the hunting ban to be extended to other wildlife as well.
She said many people would not consume shark fin if they were aware of how shark fins were obtained.
“The fishermen just cut off the shark’s fins before throwing the animal back into the sea to die,” she said, adding that many restaurants were becoming more environmentally conscious and had taken the delicacy off their menus.

Amend Penal Code to deter graft in civil service

The Penal Code should be amended to give it more bite to punish civil servants who are involved in corrupt practices, said an anti-graft panel member. The light sentences imposed on offenders now had not deterred government personnel from being involved in corruption, said Malay­sian Anti-Corruption Commission Consultation and Prevention of Corruption Panel (PPPR) member Prof Dr Chin Yew Sin.
Speaking at the ‘Sepagi Bersama Mentri Besar Perak’ programme yesterday, Dr Chin said the government must also improve its administrative mechanisms to simplify the licensing processes and the issuance of letters of approval to avoid corruption.
Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Kadir, before opening the event, said the state government had introduced one-stop centres in major state agencies such as the land offices, district offices and local authorities as part of its effort to strengthen the civil service and public service delivery system.