MANY Australians are interested in the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme.

This is especially so as both countries have much in common, Adelaide City Council Deputy Lord Mayor Dr Cris Magasdi said at a dinner hosted by the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) to welcome the Australian municipal council delegation in Penang on Saturday.

“I want to stress that Australia is very much a part of Asia and we share a very close bond with Malaysia, particularly Penang, which has a lot of similarities with Adelaide,” he said.

In his welcoming address, MPPP secretary Ooi Chin Loo said that among the three sister cities of George Town, Adelaide was the furthest away from George Town.

“We are nearer to our sister cities of Xiamen and Medan but clearly, physical distance is not a barrier for us to foster close relations with Adelaide,” he said.

In his address, state Local Government Committee chairman Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan said although the Light family founded both George Town and Adelaide, the latter had benefited from good town planning.

“Francis Light founded Penang but unlike his son William who arrived in Adelaide, he did not plan for wide roads that could accommodate vehicles. That is why Penangites are struggling with traffic congestion – a problem we are now trying hard to solve,” he said.

The 13 member Australian delegation was here for a five-day visit.

Source: TheStar

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