The devastation from at least 319 landslides meant the hill had to be shut down but through a miracle of sorts, the hill was reopened in two months, defying earlier estimates that it might have to close for at least two to three years.
Former chief minister Lim Guan Eng recently paid tribute to those who made this possible, commending them on their tremendous teamwork, dedication and passion for Penang Hill.
“It involved the sacrifice of many volunteers, government agencies and a great amount of commitment by the Penang Hill Corporation (PHC) team.
“This also proves that when a team of dedicated individuals makes a commitment to act as one, the sky is the limit.
“My gratitude goes to each and every volunteer for making this recovery process not only successful but in record time as well,” Lim, who is the Finance Minister, said at the launch of a pictorial book, “Healing Penang Hill” recently.
The pictorial book captures the aftermath of the landslides which were caused by extreme weather conditions as well as the rehabilitation activities which took place.
It records the progress in the 51 days from the day of the disaster, until the day the funicular train service restarted its operations on Dec 25.
Penang Hill Mobile Guide
Aside from the launch of the pictorial book, another highlight to Penang Hill was the launch of the Penang Hill Mobile Guide, which is part of an ongoing mission to further enhance visitors’ experience on the hill.
The key features of the mobile guide will enable users to explore and discover the various attractions on the hilltop, using Google Maps; access more details about the attractions; make use of the “hiking trail” feature; as well as allow users to upload photographs of locations that need attention by PHC or the relevant authorities.
“The mobile guide allows visitors to view points of interests on the hill, enhance visitors’ experience and allow all users to provide feedback to PHC,” Penang chief minister Chow Kon Yeow said.
The hiking trail feature has also been incorporated to accommodate requests from the hiking and cycling communities.
“Popular hiking trails are linked to Open Street Map, so hikers can refer to the map when they hike up Penang Hill.
“Hikers and cyclists may also upload any additional trails and add information through the Open Street Map.
“PHC encourages and hopes all communities will work together to protect and preserve Penang Hill,” PHC general manager Cheok Lay Leng said.