Monday, August 31, 2009

Hungry Ghost Festival(中元节)

































This is the 7th month of Chinese lunar calendar, it is Ghost Month for Taoism, but month of Joy for Buddhism. The Hungry Ghost Festival(中元节)is celebrated on the 15th night of the 7th lunar month by Chinese believer of Taoism in many countries. Penang Hockkian called it Phor Thor. Buddhist also celebrated the festival, they called it Ulambana. The 15th day of 7th month is the festival of Buddha's joyful day. In Tang Dynasty, it was reported that both Taoists and Buddhist celebrated the two festivals together. It is also known as Chinese Halloween by some. The 2009 festival is on September 2nd of the 7th month which is between August 19th to September 18th 2009.

This is the time , when the street in Penang suddenly having the Chinese opera stages build up at the street; the Chinese opera of Hokkien dialect , Teochew dialect and Cantonese dialect started to appear. Most of Hokkien Chinese Opera troupe are from China, Teochew are from China or Thailand, and Cantonese may be from Hong Kong, China or local. The local Chinese opera troupe is rare now. Some street may also having puppet show, or modern dance and song troupe to celebrate at night.

























































































































































































































































For further reading of this Malaysian festival, please read the article " Ghost Festival", from www.wikipedia.org.

Merdeka Day

Happy Birthday, Malaysia.

You are now 52 years

A golden age nation, should be mature and wise.....

An example for the other newer nations or 3rd world nations, in upholding of democracy, human right, legal integrity, racial relationship, religion freedom....

Malaysian boleh,

ONE Malaysia, ONE Malaysian...

Merdeka, merdeka, ....

31-8-1957.......

Happy birthday, Malaysia.

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Jalan Khoo Sian Ewe- another abandoned road

Jalan Khoo Sian Ewe or Khoo Sian Ewe Road( 邱善佑路) is a small short lane between Burmah Road and Jalan Phee Choon.



The lane is named after Khoo Sian Ewe(1886-1964, 邱善佑), who is a philanthropic land owner, he owned the land located on both side of the road.

Khoo Sian Ewe is the second son of Kapitan China Khoo Chew Teong from Sumatra. He took over some his father's estates, and quickly climbed up the ladder and become leader in the Chinese community. He was the President of Penang Chinese Town Hall(1927-1964) and President of Chinese Chamber of Commerce(1933-1941). He was made a JP(or Justice of Peace) in 1920, and Municipal Commissioner, until the Japanese Occupation in 1941. He was a member of the Straits Settlements Legislative Council from 1934 until 1941. He was also knighted the CBE or Commander of the British Empire in 1954.

The Majestic or Thye Hwa cinema(大华戏院) was built by him. He also helped two of his Hainanese cook who are brothers , to establish a restaurant named Loke Thye Kee Restaurant. Khoo Sian Ewe helped his cooks to realise their ambition of having ownership of a restaurant.

The late Honorable Khoo Sian Ewe, C.B.E.,O.B.E., J.P., also donated 4 cottages in memory of his beloved wife, the late Mdm. Lee Sim Neoh,to Silver Jubilee Home for the Aged(槟城双溪赖银禧老人院 ).














邱善佑
邱善佑(1886一1964),一八八六年十月廿七日出 生於马六甲,在槟城大英义学攻读,离校後即襄助父业,成为槟城大实业家。历任平章会馆协信理(一九二二至一九六四)会长(一九二七至一九六四)、中华总商会正会长(一九三三至四一年)、华人参事局参事、保良局主席、工部局议员、中央医院委员、华侨仁善会发起人兼会长、益善社、邱善佑奖学基金、龙山堂邱公司 (家长)、绍德堂邱公司、敦敬堂邱公司(主席)、邱氏家族会(主席)、金兰社、宝珠社、宝福社(社长)等社团信理员、大英义学校友会主席、英华校友会名誉 会长、大英义学董事、中华中小学董事长、锺灵中学名誉校董、孔教会、漳州会馆、中华游泳公会等团体发起人兼会长、中华体育会副会长、羽球公会发起人之一、 首届主席、首任赞助人(一九二六年)、商业俱乐部主席、海峡殖民地立法议会非官吏议员(一九三四至一九四一年)、平糶局局长、伦敦皇家艺术协会会员等职。喬治市市政局市議員. 曾先後荣膺太平局绅(一九二0年)、英帝国勋章0.B.E,(一九三九年)、英帝国勋爵C.B.K(一九五四年)。大华戏院原称邱善佑战院,座落於邱善佑路右侧。住宅在槟榔律一号(吴文向承建)。妻李玉太,系李绵忠独生女,亦系星洲及本屿万兴号轮船公司东主邱忠道外孙女。善佑卒於一九六四年一月廿四日。(郑永美)
(source: http://penangmedia.com)

1951年12月的喬治市市政局議員局部選舉,是英殖民地政府為表示崇尚民主制的第一個步驟,用以緩和馬來亞各政黨要求走向自治的壓力。這也是馬來亞聯合邦有史以來的第一個議會選舉。 在過去,凡是議員都是委任的,雖然各有關代表性的團體可推薦候選人;例如戰後由英政府委任的市議員有平章會館的王學才醫生、英屬海峽殖民地華人公會的李長景醫生、檳城海峽殖民地公會的古密、檳城西商會的馬丁、檳城中華總商會的林耀椿,政府直接委任的有7人,包括邱善佑,全部12人。12月1日喬治市政局選舉,原任市議員被割愛的有:邱善佑、王如山、林耀椿.

位于槟州总警局旁的邱善佑路,在战前及七、八十年代曾经是非常热闹的地方。这里拥有老槟城最怀念的大华戏院,在传统大型戏院的辉煌年代,邱善佑路挤满了影迷,还有生意火红的街边小贩、加上附近住满人的战前屋,一片歌舞升平。

自从具有71年历史的大华戏院在12年前关闭,以及屋租统制法令在2000年废除后,邱善佑路就失去光彩。媒体曾经报导有财团欲收购该附近地区,准备打造成综合商业中心,但至今未有下文。















The mosque, Masjid Titi Papan (established in 1893)is having Friday prayer today















The view toward Burma Road















The right entrance(left from Burma Road). This is the point where Prangin Canal used to reach. The canal was once reached Jalan Transfer(the street was created in 1867), where a plank bridge (or titi papan) across it.















The only shop located here, and still open.A tailor shop.




















The rear view of the Loke Thye Kee Restaurant. The back view is KOMTAR.




















The side of Majestic cinema(大华戏院) at left corner of Jalan Khoo Sian Ewe















The dipiladated state of the cinema.














The side view of the Majestic cinema(大华戏院)















The window of the colonial shop houses















The row of shop houses which had closed

Jalan Phee Choon(丕焌路)-an abandoned road

The Majestic or Tye Hwa Cinema




















The Majestic cinema had closed















Majestic or Tye Hwa cinema
















The upper floor of the cinema















The side of the cinema at Khoo Sian Ewe Road





















The Majestic Cinema main entrance



















The side entrance of the cinema




















Looking back, we are pity that the road was abandoned.




















The view from Penang Road T- junction.















The view toward Penang Road,opposite is Kimberley Street.















Some corner for the tired legs...















The entrance from Penang Road is closed















A little beautification at the entrance of the road from Penang Road















Only birds are left......

Jalan Phee Choon

Phee Choon Road or Jalan Phee Choon(丕焌路/碧春路) is named after a local personality Lim Phee Choon,who together with Foo Thye Sin, and Ong At Tye were appointed as commissioner to probe Penang Riots of 1867. Lim Phee Choon and Foo Thye Sin was made Justice of Peace(JP) in 1872.

The Road(actually a side lane) is located between Transfer Road and Penang Road, just beside the Penang Police State Head Quarter. The famous land mark of the road was Majestic cinema, which used to show Chinese movie produced by Hong Kong producers which are pro-Chinese communists. The movies produced by Great Wall and Dragon and Phoenix. The cinema building is owned by Khoo Sian Ewe, it is called Khoo Sian Ewe Theatre. A road beside the cinema was named after him. The cinema was opened in 1926, it was the first cinema to film Chinese movie with sound track. The cinema had closed. The whole street is now abandoned. The road is now an eye sore to Penang Heritage city status, where the colonial shophouses were left in a dilapidated state.

Is that any law in Penang to ensure that the property owner will maintain the properties owned by them, so not to adversely affect the image of the city? Why MPPP keep a close eyes on the dilapidated buildings? It is a pity that the row of colonial shop houses are left to be subject to nature's wear and tear.

漸被遺忘的街道- 丕竣路
2004-2-22 15:08:29
Reposting, author unknown

曾經擁有輝煌時期,如今只成爲靜悄悄的一條道路,丕竣路目前最主要的“任務”只是作爲停車場。

丕竣路位于調和路與槟榔律之間,毗鄰爲邱善佑路,而位于邱善佑路與丕竣路轉角處的新大華戲院,在當時曾帶動當地的經濟蓬勃發展,戲院外擠滿了售賣零食與水果的小販攤格,當觀衆前來觀賞電影時,攤子的生意就會非常好。

另外,在新大華戲院對面的茶餐室也是受到來觀看電影的觀衆光顧,是以有得看又有得吃的地方,自然而然吸引了人潮,茶餐室的生意也越來越旺。

但是,自1997年6月16日新大華戲院停映之後,丕竣路與邱善佑路即面對1百80度的轉變,從輝煌走向沒落,以致面對逐漸成爲被遺忘的街道。

如今,從調和路轉入丕竣路的路口,是不會見到“Jalan Phee Choon”的路牌的,而在從丕竣路要轉出槟榔律的路口擁有一個隱蔽的路牌,路牌被雜草給遮蔽了。

此外,從丕竣路要轉出槟榔律的路口也已被封閉,是以丕竣路已不能成爲“完整”的一條道路,因爲再不能直通,而只是作爲一個停車場,只有特定目的的公衆人士才會前往。

位于丕竣路的住家並不多,只有約10數間,加上在屋租統治法令廢除後所帶來的影響,很多住戶紛紛遷離,以致丕竣路有趨向成爲空巷。

李丕俊簡史
李丕俊爲李心鈃之子(19世紀中葉),在李心鈃的衆多哲嗣中,丕耀、丕淵及丕竣具是當時槟華社會的翹楚。李心鈃爲家族性公冢李成茂園的創始人。李成茂園爲華族私冢之一,約成立于鹹豐六年(1856年)之前,迄今已有1百40余年的曆史。

1967年槟城大暴動時,李丕俊擔任海峽殖民地政府調查委員,也擔任過槟城監獄巡查員,並在1872年,李丕俊與辜上達、胡泰興三人同時被委任爲太平局紳(JP),被譽爲槟城開埠後第一批獲委是項榮耀的華人。

李丕俊爲當日泉系領袖李丕耀、丕铨的兄弟;胡泰興爲客幫的活躍分子,他們都對“邦客械鬥”事件的調解居功至偉。因此,丕竣路(Phee Choon Road)及四條路(Tye Sin Street),分別爲紀念他倆而命名。

槟州總警局--四方樓
因結構爲四方設計,而被槟州華人稱爲四方樓的槟州總警局,在1996年7月時盛傳將被發展成一個現代化的商業中心,此外,據悉當時在該局隔鄰之地段,包括樂台居與新大華戲院一帶已被金鑽集團收購以待發展成爲酒店與現代商場綜合中心。

當 時,傳聞本地一間生意當紅的發展公司已向政府伸出觸角,以發展這塊位于鬧市的黃金地,而在發展列車的開動下,盛傳政府有意脫售該地予私人界發展,據悉當時 本地的一家著名發展財團獲取這塊黃金地的機會很高,雙方相信也已展開洽談。而當時該地皮的價值估計介于1億多至2億令吉之間。

然而,後來也許是受到經濟風暴的影響,再也沒有續聞,而槟州總警局也依然屹立至今。

新大華戲院
擁有71年悠久曆史的新大華戲院在97年6月16日正式停映,曾經繁華一時的新大華戲院帶動邱善佑路與丕竣路一帶的興旺。

當然,在當時新大華戲院有其吸引觀衆的特色,即該院並沒有使用冷氣,而是以兩把大風扇置于院內,也能致使院內“風涼水冷”。

此外,新大華戲院也帶動當地的經濟繁榮,很多住家都把客廳用來充當停放摩托車的地方,給予前來觀賞電影者帶來方便。

後來,由于迷你戲院的崛起,成爲年輕人的新寵,主宰了槟城電影業,槟城多達20余間的傳統戲院被迫關閉,新大華戲院也是其中之一間。

茶餐室-槟榔律著名煎蕊-嬷嬷檔
在新大華戲院的營業時期,其對面的茶餐室也獲分一杯羹,前來觀賞電影的觀衆都會“就地解決”,在該茶餐室享用食物。

當新大華戲院關閉後,茶餐室也被殃及池魚,失去了食客,所以也必須關閉,而由槟榔律著名煎蕊取代,過後,槟榔律著名煎蕊由于地勢的關系,生意並沒有比茶餐室好,是以再改爲嬷嬷檔。

而今,講起“新大華嬷嬷檔”這個自創名詞,是年輕人都非常熟悉的,因爲一到夜晚,該處就坐滿了人。




















The corner shop which was once a Mamak restaurant















The Penang State Police HQ, a side entrance




















The side view of Majesty Cinema at Jalan Phee Choon




















The window with the outgrowth of trees




















One of the side entrance to cinema
















Side view of Majestic Cinema















The side view of the cinema building , with the side entrance















One of the door at the double storey shop house/residential building















The dilapidated shop houses















The roof top with the outgrowth of the trees, which will destroyed the building soon.




















The close view of dipiladated house















The view of the upper floor















The view of the window with the tree, growing strong...




















The 5 foot way















The side view of police station















The view of the road from Transfer Road















Look at the big tree, the interior of the row of d/s houses/shophouses must had been in the bad shape for some time. It is a mockery to Penang Heritage city status....















The view of dilapidated houses at the right entrance from Transfer Road















The side pedestrian pavement beside police station. Left entrance from Transfer Road.