Sometimes, my timing is very freaky. Few days ago, I made a mistake of messing up my dates. I went to Jalan Sungai Pinang only to discover that I should go the next day. So, left with nothing else to do but all geared up with my camera and stuffs, I told myself not to waste a trip to town.
I drove around and saw how ugly the part of Komtar where Jalan Tek Soon/Sia Boey market was. It was around 6 pm and the sun was glaring and bright. Yet, I decided to drop my car, grab my camera and take pictures.
It is ugly in a way and yet, so beautiful if I see it from the eyes of a photographer. The sun was way too hot and way too bright so I decided to return the next morning.
I came home, feeling very disturbed that we have such a neglected part of the city, just next to Komtar. The 1st Avenue shopping mall is opening soon and yet, we have a small ‘angkong’ altar in the middle of the road.
So, I emailed to YB Ng Wei Aik, asking him about the state government’s plan for this area. The next morning, I went back to continue filming because I want to capture the other side of Komtar. Sooner or later, those buildings will disappeared.
I recalled eating laksa, fishball soup and other stuffs at the Cathay (or is it Capitol?) cinema. We used to take our Penang Yellow Bus from there. Sia Boey market used to have the cheapest economy rice and other hawker foods.
YB Ng told me to see him at Komtar the following day. Incidentally, he was calling for a press conference regarding the eviction of one of the tenant. The state is going to clear the place and like YB Ng said, maybe they will make an urban park there.
It is not the first time I hear about this urban park. Previously, the MPPP Chief, Mr. Tan Cheng Chui also told Jimmy and I that our Georgetown needs more water features. Mr. Tan is quite the fengshui guy. The other persons who told us about the park are PHT Manager, Madeline and the Trader’s Hotel GM.
So, we shall hold our breath and hope that the current state government will not be so development crazy and turn that section into an urban park. It is a big task because the Prangin Canal has to be rehabilitated, i.e made clean.
But we can hope….Do you know that earlier, the ex-CM, Koh Tsu Koon state government was supposed to move the whole administrative offices from Komtar to Bayan Mutiara? If they had done that, the whole Georgetown will die. So, yeah, we now rely on the new government to resuscitate and bring to life Georgetown.
Lilian, it’s near Capitol Cinema. Cathay Cinema is the one now occupied by Kamdar. The fishball soup and laksa stalls were actually in front of a Chinese Primary School (sorry forgotten the name).
KOMTAR is now like a white elephant, many shops have closed down. Prangin Mall is practically half occupied. I wonder with the opening of 1st Avenue, will we see the ‘demise’ of KOMTAR and further decline of Prangin Mall??
Not Kamdar but Mydin. Was it Li Tek School?
ahha, now only i know where the 1st avenue is…
btw, I was told that this mall will have grand opening tentatively on 9th Sep 2010… as we are invited to participate for this event….
oooops… i’ve been to Time Square yet….
very glad that this govt has revived this komtar. If they had moved to Mutiara, this area would have been a drug haunt. It’s coming up beautifully. Man, from the mainland, the distinguishing landmark is still komtar. With Ist Avenue and so many new joints, it will revitalise the life of surrounding Komtar. Good work by the govt.