The rich flavours of Penang return to Edge

Heritage of Penang has made a comeback at Pan Pacific Singapore’s award-winning buffet restaurant, Edge. Till 20 September 2026, Edge celebrates the flavours of Penang in an exclusive dinner buffet in collaboration with four Penang hawker legends: 

- Chef Toon Chin Hye, Founder and Head Chef of Ah Soon Fried Oyster

- Chef Tan Pow Lai, Master Artisan and Wholesaler of Tan Kee Poh Piah

- Chef Tan Kim Chong, a respected figure on authentic Nyonya cuisine

- Chef Kong Chee Thiam, who specialises in traditional Southeast Asian street desserts

Working together with Executive Chef Andy Oh and his culinary team, these four legends will be preparing the signature dishes that have made them beloved names in Penang's vibrant food scene. With over 40 years of experience each, Chef Toon showcases his fried oyster omelette, which has earned him both local and international acclaim, while Chef Kim Chong brings the bold, aromatic flavours of Peranakan cuisine to the table with his Nyonya otah, Nyona curry kapitan, and Nyonya perut ikan.

Meanwhile, drawing on more than five decades of craftsmanship, Chef Pow Lai prepares fresh handmade popiah, distinguished by its delicately hand-rolled popiah skins. Rounding off this celebrated lineup is Chef Kong, whose signature apam balik, also known as min jiang kueh, has been drawing a loyal following at Northam Beach Café in Penang for over a decade.

Complementing these specialities are Chef Andy’s own culinary tributes to Penang’s rich hawker heritage. His signature Penang white curry noodle with pork blood curd features a rich coconut broth paired with house-made sambal from the region, along with prawn, cuttlefish, cockles, and taupok, for a deeply satisfying, flavourful bowl. Equally irresistible is his signature char kway teow, stirfried over intense heat to achieve wok hei. 

Beyond these signature dishes, guests can enjoy a selection of Penang favourites that capture the island’s rich culinary heritage, such as Nyonya mango kerabu, loh bak (five-spice pork roll), char moi (wok-fried porridge with crispy pork belly), assam pedas fish with lady finger, too kar chor (braised pork trotter with black vinegar), inchi kabin (Nyonya-style deepfried chicken), and much more. The indulgence continues with Penang-inspired sweet treats, including muah chee, Penang tau sar piah, durian crepe, Penang cendol, and pickled nutmeg.

Alongside these Penang specialities, guests can also look forward to Edge’s extensive international buffet spread, featuring classic osso bucco, pan-seared sustainable salmon with fennel purée, seafood bouillabaisse, slow-roasted prime rib with Yorkshire pudding, chicken and mushroom roulade, marinated giant squid, and much more. For a sweet finale, enjoy the raspberry rose gâteau, cherry almond strudel, lemon pistachio cake, and Cream cheese pecan brownie.

Source: Pan Pacific Singapore. Savour authentic Penang specialties at Edge.

Details 

Heritage of Penang at Edge 

Ends 20 September 2026
Available for dinner from 6 pm - 10 pm
S$118++ per adult | Inclusive of free flow of soft drinks

View the Heritage of Penang digital menu at https://www.menu-ppsin.panpacific.com/heritage-of-penang-2026

For reservations, please call +65 6826 8240 or email dining.ppsin@panpacific.com.

Hashtags: #PanPacificSingapore, #EdgeSG, #ShareYourMoments

*Prices quoted are in Singapore dollars, and are subject to service charge and prevailing government taxes.  

Uber Malaysia suspends surge pricing during Penang floods

In light of the ongoing flood situation in Penang, Malaysia, Uber Malaysia has decided to temporarily suspend surge pricing and cancellation fees to aid riders needing transportation out of affected flood areas.

"We're also reminding riders that there will be limited driver-partners on the app, as they too are among those affected by the floods," said a spokesperson from Uber Malaysia.

"Kindly continue to stay updated with government announcements and stay safe during this time."

Source: Uber Malaysia. Uber Malaysia suspends surge pricing due to floods in Penang.

Food and Hotel Penang returns for second round

Source: FHP 2016 website.

The second edition of Food and Hotel Penang (FHP 2016) is set to cement its position as the definitive trade-only platform for the northern region of Malaysia. The event will feature a hosted buyer programme and provide access to key decision makers in the food and hospitality industries both in Penang and neighbouring states of the north, such as Kedah, Perak and Perlis.

FHP has the support of the Penang state government and the Malaysian Association of Hotels, and aims to improve on the statistics from the exhibition in 2014, when 240 companies from 30 countries participated.

"Having played host to more than 2,000 trade visitors from 17 countries, in addition to 240 participating companies from 30 countries and two International Group Pavilions, this event is the only F&B related trade show in Malaysia’s Northern region. It has also certainly established itself in Penang and for the hospitality industry as a whole," said Lim Guan Eng, Chief Minister of Penang, in a statement on the FHP website. 

"Given the success of that inaugural event, I am confident that FHP 2016 will be even bigger and better, surpassing the success of its forerunner, with so much more to offer." 

FHP 2016 is organised by Malaysian Exhibition Services, and marketed worldwide by Singapore-based International Expo Management and London-based Overseas Exhibition Services. These companies are all members of the Allworld Exhibitions Alliance of exhibition organisers, managers and consultants.

Interested?

FHP will run from 15 to 17 November 2016, at the Straits Quay Convention Centre, Penang, Malaysia. 

Book a stand

Preregister to attend

Read the WorkSmart Asia blog posts about:

Office pantry ideas from FHA2016
The FHA2016 roundup
Epson hospitality and retail solutions at FHA2016

New food launches at FoodAsia2016

How Singapore food manufacturers strategise for success

What's new at FHA2016

AirAsia adds Penang-Yangon flights

AirAsia has introduced direct flights between Penang and Yangon, Myanmar, marking the 7th international destination from the airline’s northern hub. Other international connectivity available directly from Penang include flights to Ho Chi Minh City, Singapore, Medan, Jakarta, Surabaya and Bangkok.

The new route will is thrice-weekly, and commences operations on 22 March 2016. The flight schedule for Penang, Malaysia (PEN) – Yangon, Myanmar (RGN):

Route	Flight No	Departure	Arrival	Flight Frequency
PEN - RGN	AK 1508	1200	1245	Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday
RGN - PEN	AK 1509	1310	1700	Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday

Note: All times depicted are local time at respective destinations.

Spencer Lee, Head of Commercial for AirAsia Berhad says, “We are committed to grow our network and serve the ASEAN community better, apart from strengthening our secondary hubs in Malaysia. The introduction of this new route from Penang to another Indochina city reiterates that commitment, as we will also be celebrating the inaugural flight from Penang to Ho Chi Minh City at the end of this month.

“Yangon, which is Myanmar’s largest city is becoming an increasingly popular leisure destination among travellers in the region. We are confident that the direct connectivity between both cities will stimulate leisure and business activities, as this will be Malaysia’s second direct flight into Yangon.” 

Interested?

To celebrate the new route, AirAsia is offering promotional all-in fares from as low as RM99* one-way. Flight bookings can be made online at airasia.com from 13 January through 24 January 2016 and guests will be able to travel from 22 March 2016 until 5 February 2017. Bookings can also be made through AirAsia’s mobile apps on iPhone and Android devices, as well as AirAsia’s mobile site mobile.airasia.com.

*Promotional all-in fares quotes are for one-way travel only inclusive of taxes. Terms and conditions apply.

AirAsia to add direct flights between Penang and Ho Chi Minh from January 2016

Low-cost airline AirAsia is introducing direct flights from its international hub in Penang, Malaysia to the capital city of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City. The move strengthens the airline’s inter-ASEAN connectivity.

Spencer Lee, Head of Commercial for AirAsia said, “We strive to continue bringing Malaysia closer to our neighbouring cities by connecting more dots within ASEAN region. Penang is one of our important hubs, and we recognise its great tourism potential.. this new direct flight from Penang to Ho Chi Minh City signifies our commitment in establishing enhanced connectivity for the people from both cities.”

The Penang – Ho Chi Minh City route is flown four times a week and is scheduled to begin on 25 January 2016. AirAsia also flies direct to Ho Chi Minh City from Kuala Lumpur with five flights a day and three flights a week from Johor Bahru.

Flight Schedule for Penang (PEN) – Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) (commencing 25 January 2016):

Route	Flight No	Dep	Arr	Frequency
PEN - SGN	AK 1502	1220	1305	Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday
SGN - PEN	AK 1503	1335	1615	Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday

Interested?

Bookings are open for the flights today online, via AirAsia’s mobile app on iPhone and Android devices, as well as the mobile site. BIG members also will be able to redeem their flights for the Penang – Ho Chi Minh City route at airasiabig.com.

DHL Global Forwarding rolls out pan-Asian road freight network

DHL Global Forwarding, a provider of air, sea and road freight services in Europe and Asia, has rolled out an integrated road freight network that links five key Asian cities - Singapore, Penang, Bangkok, Hanoi and Shenzhen. The new service taps the acceleration of road freight growth in Asia Pacific which is forecast at a CAGR of 8.3% from 2014 to 2019 and expected to drive the sector to a value of US$822 billion by the end of 2019*.

Source: DHL.

Delivered under DHL AsiaConnect's Less-than-Truckload (LTL) service, the interconnecting five-city service offers a seamless interconnecting delivery service with improved time and cost efficiencies and assures a consistent level of service quality regardless of the destination. DHL AsiaConnect was launched in 2011 connecting Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand and now links to the existing Vietnam-China connection.

Road freight offers a viable alternative to other transportation modes, providing a more cost-effective option than air freight as well as faster shipment than sea freight. For instance, the transit time for ocean freight between Shenzhen and Bangkok takes around 13 days while the road freight option only takes five days. In comparison, air freight takes a shorter transit time of four days but will cost significantly more. There are daily departures from five cities and a sample of the transit time is as follows: 

Singapore to Penang: One day
Bangkok to Hanoi: Three days
Shenzhen to Hanoi: Two days
Shenzhen to Bangkok: Five days
Penang to Shenzhen: Six days

The five-city interconnecting road freight network comes at a time when China's One Belt, One Road² initiative is taking shape and expected to strengthen cross-border economic ties in markets between Europe and Asia. Specifically, the land-based Silk Road Economic Belt aims to enhance economic cohesiveness through infrastructure and wider trade links across the markets between Europe and Asia while the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road is oriented towards ASEAN, putting DHL's integrated five-city road freight network in good stead to tap the growth potential of the One Belt, One Road strategy.

"DHL's integrated road freight network touches five crucial Asian markets - Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and China - which are expected to play prominent roles in China's One Belt, One Road and other initiatives in the region such as the ASEAN Economic Community," said Kelvin Leung, CEO, DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific. 

"Across the region, the total GDP of all 10 ASEAN countries combined was US$2.4 trillion³ in 2013 while China's GDP alone was US$10.3 trillion⁴ in 2014. ASEAN's global trade hit US$2.51 trillion³ in 2013 and China consistently appears among the top five trade partners for ASEAN members⁵. We are confident that intra-Asia trade will continue to grow and our road freight network stands ready to support the potential trade expansion from these initiatives." 

DHL's integrated road freight network will be advantageous for upcoming economic initiatives promoting trade and integration, having laid the groundwork that already links key Asian markets. For example, the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC)⁶ which is set to be established by the end of 2015, aims to create a single ASEAN market and production base facilitated by bilateral trade agreements and financial policies. The blueprint encompasses cross-border cooperation in various focus areas including capacity building, enhanced infrastructure and communication connectivity, and the development of electronic transactions. Brought to fruition, AEC will lead to a thriving ASEAN region amid the free movement of goods, services, investment and skilled labour.

DHL's multimodal network includes air, rail, road and sea, is positioned to support trade expansions across different regions. DHL's road freight network features GPS-equipped trucks to ensure customer goods are monitored for safety and tracked every step of the way, providing complete supply chain visibility. Road vehicles are also armed with anti-hijacking tools and are constantly in touch 24x7 with DHL's Command Center, which will be alerted immediately should the need arise. 

1 http://www.marketresearch.com/MarketLine-v3883/Road-Freight-Asia-Pacific-8748345
2 NDRC, China
3 ASEAN key indicators
4 The World Bank
5 USCC
6 ASEAN

Penang gets 4G LTE services from Digi

Digi launches 4G LTE in Penang, bringing quality, high-speed Internet to more Malaysians. From left: Digi’s Chief Network Officer Kesavan Sivabalan, Siew Chee Kong, Digi’s Head of Northern Region, Ismail Othman, Regional Head of SKMM Northern, Albern Murty, Digi’s Chief Executive Officer, and YB Chow Kon Yeow, Penang State Executive Councillor for Local Government, Traffic Management and Flood Mitigation.

Digi Telecommunications (Digi) has introduced expanded LTE services in Penang, enabling more Malaysians in the north of the peninsula to enjoy the benefits of consistent, high-speed Internet connectivity.

Officiating the launch, YB Chow Kon Yeow, Penang State Executive Councillor for Local Government, Traffic Management and Flood Mitigation said the state government appreciates Digi’s commitment to provide affordable access to high quality telecommunications services in the state, including the latest LTE services.

“We welcome Digi's efforts to bring fast, reliable mobile Internet services to Penangites, and opening up new ways for them to benefit from greater access to knowledge, information and economic prospects. In Penang, Internet on-the-go benefits not only residents but also tourists who will enjoy having consistent, high-speed Internet connectivity to help them navigate our historic streets and learn about Penang with the variety of mobile apps available. The introduction of LTE services like these support our ambitions for greater digital inclusion within the state, and drive the development of a progressive, digitally savvy Penang,” Chow said.

Albern Murty, Digi's Chief Executive Officer said, "As the fastest growing LTE network in the country, we will not decrease our momentum in enabling mobile internet connectivity for every Malaysian. Our focus is to ensure every customer, regardless of Internet experience, will have access to quality, relevant and affordable Internet services. We are offering 4G LTE services via a wide range of affordable smartphone bundles to fit different usage patterns."

In Penang, Digi has a 3G footprint of 99% and LTE population coverage of 66% with plans to expand to more areas in Perak, Perlis and Kedah. Digi's LTE services are currently also available in the Klang Valley, Johor Bahru, Kuantan, Kota Kinabalu, Tawau, Labuan, Kuching, Miri, Bintulu, Langkawi, Kampar and Port Dickson.

Digi sponsors customers for Earth Hour 2015 Night Walk

Source: Digi Telecommunications.

Digi Telecommunications is sponsoring 200 customers to participate in the WWF-Malaysia Earth Hour 2015 Night Walk in Penang and Sunway Pyramid, which will be held in conjunction with the upcoming Earth Hour 2015 celebration on 28 March 2015.

As the corporate sponsor for the Night Walk@Sunway, Digi has contributed RM35,000 to fund WWF-Malaysia for their environmental conservation projects.

There will be 200 walk packs at RM60 each sponsored for Digi customers - 100 for Night Walk@Sunway and another 100 for Night Walk@Penang. Interested customers can start registering online at www.digi.com.my/earthhour. Registration is on a first come first served basis and successful registrants will be notified via email.

“For the past seven years, Digi has been actively supporting Earth Hour’s call to action for everyone to take personal accountability for their impact on the planet. They can start by making behavioural changes to facilitate a more sustainable lifestyle,” said Philip Ling, Digi’s Corporate Responsibility Manager.

Earth Hour is a global environmental initiative held in partnership with WWF. Individuals, businesses, governments and communities are invited to turn off their lights for one hour to show their support for environmentally sustainable action. The Earth Hour 2015 Night Walk in Penang and Sunway Pyramid is organised in partnership with the respective state government and mall authority, and it is to be held concurrent to the Earth Hour celebration.

Air Asia offers free Penang travel guide

Budget airline Air Asia has published a travel guide for the island of Penang that can be downloaded for free.

Source: Air Asia e-DM.

Penang in Malaysia is well known for its unique cuisine, UNESCO World Heritage-listed George Town, and Peranakan culture. The guide can help event organisers plan visits there, and covers:

• Food
• Art, Heritage, Crafts & Cafés
• Lifestyle & Nature
• Getting Around
• Calendar of Events

Download the guide here. Base fares for the four flights daily from Singapore to Penang, at the time of writing, cost S$5. The promotion ends 7 September.