10 theSun | MONDAY JULY 13 2009

RM30m
upgrade for Carnival to raise funds
Puduraya
terminal
UDA Holdings Bhd will upgrade and refurbish
for needy children
the 33-year-old Puduraya bus station in Kuala THE REAL One Malaysia Fun Weekend
Lumpur and hopes to recover the investment in – a charity carnival – will be held on Aug
the next five to six years, its managing director 8 and 9 to raise funds to provide quality
Datuk Jaafar Abu Hassan said recently. education for underprivileged children.
He told a media briefing RM30.3 million was The carnival, to be held at Stadium
needed for the project which would be imple- Putra, Bukit Jalil, is organised by REAL
mented in three stages. Foundation, a non-profit charity organi-
The company has channelled RM5.3 million sation, in collaboration with the REAL
for the first phase while the government would Education Group.
inject RM25 million. The event will showcase perform-
The first phase, which includes painting the ances from Alleycats, Sons of Adam and
entire building and upgrading the anti-fire sys- Jump, a world-renowned Korean martial
tem, footways and air-conditioners in the waiting arts group that infuses comedy in its
area, is expected to be completed in September, performances.
he said. The weekend carnival will be filled Sim (left)
The second phase would include upgrading with activities, games, street perform- and Lai
the lift system, building new ticket counters on ances, food bazaars and live entertain- (second
the first floor and a food court on the roof top. ment. from left)
The basement exhaust fan will also be re- The family event will also feature during the
placed. multiple game stalls and children can launch.
The whole refurbishment is expected to be take part in futsal tournament.
completed by end of 2010. An exhibition on the importance of
Asked if Uda Holdings would raise shoplot education for the younger generation as well as the REAL Kids Talent Quest 2009 as teachers, students, retirees or anyone
rentals after the refurbishment competition will be held. who is able and willing to provide alter-
is completed, Jaafar said: “It may ALFA International College will also native forms of education and knowledge
increase but even if it increases, be setting up a special creativity corner to little minds,” he said.
it would take into consideration for a recycling competition. Sim said there are many children who
the current economic climate as REAL Education Group founder Sim cannot afford good education.
well as the sales that could be Quan Seng said all the proceeds of the Meanwhile, Welfare Department
generated. weekend will go directly to REAL Foun- deputy director-general (planning) Lai
“Certainly any increase would dation for the development of their new Poh Guat said the weekend event is more
be staggered looking at their initiative, the “2nd Chance Programme.” than just a carnival.
(the tenants) capacity to pay,” he “The programme has a singular mis- “It will be one of the biggest, most
added. sion to provide education to underprivi- entertaining carnivals in August,” she
Currently, the rental rates are leged children and orphans. said, praising the organisers at REAL
between RM700 and RM1,000 per “Under the programme, REAL Edu- Foundation for the initiative to launch
unit. – Bernama cation will seek relevant resources such the 2nd Chance Programme.

M-bike tunnel to be closed till Nov 30

THE motorcycle tunnel near Jalan Pantai Baru
on the Petaling Jaya-Kuala Lumpur route will be
closed from today till Nov 30 to facilitate repair of
a sewerage pipe.
Lingkaran Trans Kota Sdn Bhd (Litrak) commu-
nications department head Bhavani Krishna Iyer
said the repair would be undertaken by contractor
ERINCO Sdn Bhd.
“During the closure, motorcyclists will be
diverted onto the Federal Highway. Temporary
traffic management will be implemented during
the closure and signages will be erected to guide
road users on the alternative route,” she said in
a statement.
“SPRINT apologises for any inconvenience to
road users.
For inquiries, call the LDP Helpline at 03-7494
7333. – Bernama
Stay away from festival if unwell
by Bernard Cheah
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
IN view of the influenza
A(H1N1) pandemic, the Japa-
nese consulate in Penang has
advised those who are not feel-
ing well to stay away from the
Bon Odori Festival to be held at
the Esplanade in George Town
on July 18.
Consul-General of Japan
Hideaki Hoshi said the advice
is part of preventive measures
that have to be taken to ensure
the disease does not spread,
as some tens of thousands of
people are expected to turn up
for the event.
“The organising committee
seeks the public’s cooperation
in refraining from attending the
event if they develop flu-like
symptoms, fever, cough or sore
throat,” said Hoshi, a member
of the organising committee.
“If you are well and attend-
ing, do not feel alarmed at see-
ing some people wearing face
masks as this is a preventive
measure,” he said. “Wearing a
face mask does not imply that
the person is infected.”
Face masks will be sold at
the site which will also have
a help-desk manned by the
Penang Health Department
to assist patrons who are not
feeling well, Hoshi told a press
conference on the Bon Odori
Festival.
State tourism development
committee chairman Danny
Law Heng Kiang, who was
also present, said although the
turnout this year might not hit
the target of 50,000 people as
planned, the festival will go
on.
“Due to the good response
last year, we are having about
80 booths offering Japanese
food, art and craft, games and
other things this year, com-
pared with only 65 booths last
year,” he said.
Visitors present would be
able to see fireworks, Japanese
dances and performances by
local arts groups as well as a
Japanese performance troupe.
The festival will be held from
6pm to 11pm.

Temporary bus depot for RapidPenang

by Bernard Cheah
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
GEORGE TOWN: A temporary
bus depot for RapidPenang will
be set up along Weld Quay by
the end of September.
RapidPenang chief executive
officer Azhar Ahmad said the
company had submitted plans
to the Penang Island Municipal
Council (MPPP) to build the
depot on a 0.77ha land.
“This is an effort to improve
and increase public transporta-
tion efficiency here and to
ensure smooth dispatch of bus
services,” he said.
The temporary depot, which
will be the company’s fourth
following the setting up of
others in Tanjung Bungah, Balik
Pulau and Nibong Tebal, would
accommodate up to 20 Rapid-
Penang buses.
Azhar said the temporary
bus depot would have a simple
design and more conducive,
with trees planted around it and
improved facilities.
“It will be greener and
cleaner compared to other
bus depots you have seen,” he
told newsmen at the site of the
temporary depot beside Wisma
KGN in Weld Quay recently.
Azhar said that besides the
construction of the temporary
bus depot, upgrading works
have been carried out at the
RapidPenang bus terminal in Sg
Nibong, to increase its current
capacity from 90 buses to 160
buses.
The expansion plans for Rap-
idPenang is under the allocation
of the second stimulus plan
announced by Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak this
year.
Also present at the press
conference were State Traf-
fic Management Committee
chairman Chow Kon Yeow and
Pengkalan Kota assemblyman
Lau Keng Ee.
Chow expressed hope that
the works for the temporary
bus-depot can be carried out
as soon as possible.