THE PENANG WALKABOUTS MEMBERS DAY
SPEECH BY THE CHIEF MINISTER OF PENANG YAB CHOW KON YEOW
FOR THE PENANG WALKABOUTS MEMBERS DAY
HELD IN CONJUNCTION WITH GEORGE TOWN WORLD HERITAGE CITY CELEBRATIONS 2023
7 July 2023
New World Park
Welcome to the inaugural Penang Walkabouts Members Day. First and foremost, thank you for inviting me to join you all and share this joyous moment of this one-of-a-kind gathering. It is a great honour to be here and a pleasure to see many familiar faces again.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site in 2008, the oldest part of George Town reflects the city's character in the past and present. According to UNESCO, George Town represents an exceptional example of a multicultural trading town in Southeast Asia, forged from the mercantile and civilization exchanges of Malay, Chinese, Indian and European influences.
Certainly, Penang is where modernity and preservation converge, but it's the people who splash colour and vibrancy across the state, making us proud of our diversity. Everyone – from the young to the old, whether Penang-born or having chosen to build new lives here – has all contributed to the progress, harmony and diversity of our state.
Hence, we will continue our efforts and commitment to realize the Penang2030 Vision and its Phase 2: Accelerating Penang2030 for the benefit of our people.
I am proud to announce that we have achieved 47 percent of the Penang2030 Vision's strategic initiatives. A total of 210 projects and programmes have been carried out or are currently being implemented.
The Penang2030 Vision recognises the value of family to achieve a "Family-Focused, Green and Smart State that Inspires the Nation". Complementing this aspect of the Vision is the much-anticipated Gurney Bay project, which upon completion of its Priority 1 phase in July this year, will offer a children's play area, skate park, viewing deck, public toilets, promenade, hawker stalls, retail spaces, recreation park, hawker kiosks, open car park, and a reclamation area for water bodies.
The Penang2030 Vision also aims to ensure balanced development between the Island and Seberang Perai. As such, the State Government remains consistent in transforming Seberang Perai as the new economic, human capital, infrastructure, and tourism hub, as well as a location that offers an excellent quality of life to all its residents so that the people in Seberang Perai can enjoy the development and prosperity of the state. The Citadines Prai Penang, which has been rebranded, along with Sky Residence Prai and Bertam Resort, are now ready to accommodate the growing number of visitors to the mainland while providing more job opportunities.
On the heritage front, the Penang State Government remains steadfast in safeguarding our heritage sites, preserving them for future generations. The State Government had also spent RM13 million to upgrade the Esplanade walkway, now accessible to the public. The Penang State Government has also spent RM20 million to restore the moats at Fort Cornwallis, which will be completed and opened to the public by 2025.
Furthermore, the state has allocated RM1.5 million to convert the restored storerooms of the fort into a mini gallery, and it is expected to be completed in August this year.
The century-old British-Siamese Boundary Stone in Pinang Tunggal has also been restored, and we have begun the process to repatriate the Guar Kepah skeletons from the Netherlands. They will be placed at the Guar Kepah Archaeological Gallery in Kepala Batas, which is still under construction and is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2024.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Since the launch of the LovePENANG campaign in June 2022, several programmes have been held to strengthen our community spirit and goodwill. We have seen the positive impact of these programmes, one of which is the realisation that Penangites are forever united by our love for Penang. This initiative, the Penang Walkabouts Members Day, celebrates the LovePENANG spirit.
Created in 2016 by Robert Teh, the Penang Walkabouts Facebook group promotes the elements that unite us all: our food, culture, tradition, and our united love for Penang. For years, group members post helpful information about all things Penang, delivering the spirit of unity, regardless of ethnicity, religion, or political inclinations. The love and care shown through this group, which now consists of 45,000 members from 100 countries worldwide, are truly inspiring.
To everyone, thank you for showing up today with your family and friends, standing united for the values we hold dear, for the vision of progress we share, and for the state we love. Thank you for all things – big and small – that make up this wonderful state we call home.