ADELAIDE Mayor Dr Jane Lomax-Smith said she would support a proposal for direct flights between Penang and her city as it would greatly benefit them, especially in terms of tourism.
The proposal was made by former state exco Yeoh Soon Hin, who said it would boost Penang’s image as a popular tourist destination.
Dr Lomax-Smith was speaking during a special zoom teleconference with George Town Mayor Datuk Anthony Rajendran to mark the 50th George Town-Adelaide sister city celebrations.
“If it is successful, it would be the first time Penang would enjoy a direct link to a city in Australia, which has seen a sizeable number of Malaysians settling there in the past two decades,” she said.
The 2016 Census of the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed there were 138,363 Malaysians living in Australia, making up about 2% of the total population of about 26 million.
Dr Lomax-Smith said Penang has a high safety rating, easy access, and a high standard of hospitality to complement its tourism attractions.
She also spoke on Penang leveraging Adelaide’s strengths in education, sustainable practices and renewable energy.
Dr Lomax-Smith pointed out Malaysian street food was readily available in Adelaide as a gastronomic staple in the city.
She expressed support for Penang’s climate resilience cause, and was impressed by the Penang Island City Council’s commitment towards environment, social and governance practices.
While expressing his gratitude to Dr Lomax-Smith, Rajendran said the two cities must foster closer bonds in the fields of education, tourism, technology and good governance.
He also touched on how Penang, as a Unesco World Heritage Site, could work with Adelaide, which is acclaimed as a Unesco City of Music.
Rajendran said as Penang was looking to improve its creative economy, Adelaide would be a suitable example from which to learn. – The Vibes, November 27, 2023.
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