ILLUMINATION OF KOMTAR IN SOLIDARITY WITH OSAKA PREFECTURE AGAINST COVID-19

SPEECH BY THE CHIEF MINISTER OF PENANG YAB CHOW KON YEOW

IN SOLIDARITY WITH OSAKA PREFECTURE AGAINST COVID-19.

JUNE 12, 2020 | 8PM

 

YB YEOH SOON HIN

PENANG STATE EXCO FOR TOURISM, ARTS, CULTURE AND HERITAGE

HIS EXCELLENCY MR SHINICHIRO KANOYA

CONSUL-GENERAL OF JAPAN IN PENANG, MALAYSIA

DISTINGUISHED GUESTS

MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN

 

Good evening everyone.

Thank you for joining us here to witness the illumination of Komtar in solidarity with Osaka Prefecture against Covid-19.

For the coming one month, every evening from 8pm onwards, we will be seeing Komtar lighted up for two hours in symbolic colours reflecting the current situation of Covid-19 in Penang.

Just like Osaka’s Symbolic Tsutenkaku Tower and Tower of the Sun, the initiative is now undertaken by the Penang State Government in a spirited show of solidarity against Covid-19 together with the government and people of Osaka as a risk communication method with the public as part of our COVID-19 response.

In early May, when Osaka was in the phase of moving forward to reopening businesses, the government of Osaka determined its own criteria to ease restrictions or to tighten restrictions in case of a second wave outbreak. As part of this initiative, Osaka began to illuminate the city’s symbolic towers to reflect the current local situation of COVID-19 as a communication tool with its people.

The Penang State Government, in a solidarity move, would mirror the approach to raise public awareness in line with Penang’s long-standing relationship with Japan.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Saudara Yeoh for initiating this project and facilitating the arrangements with the Consulate-General of Japan in Penang.

This is a form of public communication method to educate the community especially in our effort to achieve recovery and return to normalcy under the recovery movement control order (RMCO). It also serves as a reminder for us to be vigilant and adhere to SOPs and guidelines to ensure that we can continuously retain our green zone status.

According to the Ministry of Health, red zones are defined as districts with 41 and above new confirmed COVID-19 cases, yellow zones for districts between one to 40 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, while green zones have zero new confirmed COVID-19 cases for the last two weeks.

Penang will be adhering to these standards, and flash green, yellow or red as per MOH standards to indicate our confirmed and updated Covid-19 cases.

With the reopening of relevant sectors permissible under the recovery movement control order (RMCO), it is most crucial for everyone to be part of the mission in keeping Penang safe, and above all, to keep our family and loved ones safe.

Thank you.