So Long... Farewell Penang Ferry Service

As the year draw to a close, we bid farewell to 2020 and also the historical Penang Ferry Service, which will make its last trip today, ferrying both vehicles and passengers to and from Penang to Butterworth.

The ferry service, which started off as a passenger-only service by Quah Beng Kee and his four siblings in 1894, was later upgraded to became a vehicle and passenger service in 1925.

The operations of the ferries were later taken over in 1924 by Penang Port Sdn Bhd., a subsidiary of the Penang Port Commission (formerly Penang Harbour Board), and in 2017, it was then transferred from Penang Port Sdn. Bhd. to the Malaysian government owned Prasarana Malaysia for a token sum of RM1 and rebranded as Rapid Ferry.

I remember as a kid all the ferries were painted yellow and it was a joy when we crossed the straits as we would get down from the car to watch jellyfishes bobbing in the sea as the ferry passed by. 

Later on these ferries were given a coat of multicoloured paint (as in the picture taken in 2014) and in 2017, some of these iconic ferries even had attractions of Penang painted on them!

The iconic Penang Ferry (Pulau Angsa) as seen in 2014 from the Hean Boo Thean floating
temple in Weld Quay, Penang.

 

Alas the ferry service will come to an end as 2020 closes... and this Penang iconic monument with 125 years of service history will be relegated to mere mentions in history books and our fond memories of the past. Farewell to our beloved Penang Ferry!

Menurun....

Menurun or going in trance is part and parcel of the practice of Datuk Kong (Keramat) worship by Chinese Malaysians. It is the one of the ways in which devotees can communicate with the deity or keramat, and this process of  menurun or 'inviting' the keramat to possess the body of the spirit medium entails the generous burning of kemenyan (Styrax benzoin) that at times can leave the entire scene whitewashed in kemenyan smoke!

As the deity or keramat can be a local saint, or tree spirit or even past rulers of the land, the appearance of the mediums in trance with these deities are different, reflecting the origin of the deity summoned. Once the deity has 'arrived' in the body of the spirit medium, they would be dressed accordingly, and served with the deity's favourite beverage or smokes before any consultation session starts.

With each of the keramat being a different individual, the spirit medium upon being possessed by them will also take on a particular mannerism and characteristics associated with the deity; those are supposed to be possessed by an old saint will suddenly have shaky hands and need to walk with a cane, others being possessed by local spirits of wild animals will violently growl and grunt and act like the animal spirit, whilst those that are previous rulers will take on a regal and distinguished appearance and countenance.

Something old.. Something new - the Merdeka 118

Something new is beginning to stand up in kuala Lumpur - the Merdeka 118 tower. As of middle of this year, it is the tallest construction site in the world. When completed, it will be the world's second tallest skyscraper.

The Merdeka 118 tower under construction as seen from an old part of KL (the Zhong Shan
building in Kg. Attap).