Disposable 'Eye'
Today, members from the media will be brought to experience the spectacle of the 60-metre high 'Eye on Malaysia' Ferris wheel in the run-up to the launch of Visit Malaysia Year 2007 at Taman Tasik Titiwangsa, Kuala Lumpur, tomorrow.
LensaPress photos by Jeff Ooi. More higher resolution pictures in LensaMalaysia.
However, it's not sure whether The Eye, built at a cost of RM30 million, will stay on or be disposed when VMY is over.
Earlier, Tourism Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said discussions are still ongoing whether the structure would remain a permanent feature after the VMY.
Built over a tight schedule of three weeks, the safety standard of The Eye has caught on as an issue among Malaysian public.
However, Jereon Nijpels, project director of MST AD Suria Sdn Bhd, told Bernama that the 400-tonne Ferris wheel was built using a combination of technologies from Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands, and that the company would ensure the safety of the public and its staff was given top priority.
Whatever it is, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will meet The Eye tomorrow night and, at a click of a button, will light up the Ferris wheel to start the celebrations. He will then take a slow 45-minute ride on the wheel, alongside dignitaries on the 42 gondolas, to see the breath-taking view of the Kuala Lumpur skyline, an event that will be telecast live.
'Bad Press'
Despite some bad press in the international media, VMY 2007 targets to attract 20.1 million tourists and over RM44 billion in revenue. It is also to pave the way for 24 million tourists by 2010.
Meanwhile, MST AD Suria executive director Widyanty Yusope said they expected to attract 24,000 people per day to ride the giant wheel when it opens to the public this Sunday from 10am to 10pm. Ticket prices for regular gondolas are RM15 for adults and RM8 for children. VIP gondolas will cost more.
BTW, I heard a Niamah on The Eye.
Comments
Well....folks, another red mark for Malaysia...please read : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6228125.stm
Posted by: tiban![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jeffooi.com/nav-commenters.gif)
|
January 5, 2007 07:52 AM
You said : "However, it's not sure whether The Eye, built at a cost of RM30, will stay on or to be disposed when VMY is over."
I think you meat RM 30 million Jeff...or else, can i order a pair of EYE please....
gmuitnys
Posted by: gmuitnys![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jeffooi.com/nav-commenters.gif)
|
January 5, 2007 08:18 AM
You said : "However, it's not sure whether The Eye, built at a cost of RM30, will stay on or to be disposed when VMY is over."
I think you meant RM 30 million Jeff...or else, can i order a pair of EYE please....
gmuitnys
Posted by: gmuitnys![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jeffooi.com/nav-commenters.gif)
|
January 5, 2007 08:19 AM
all that bad press... it's not only what's in newspapers, it's also what folks who have been here go back and tell their friends.
our politicians are stupid enough to think that their statements in the press are enough to quell the fear. however, no one gives a rat's ass about Malaysian politicians and their comments, to be honest.
and even for us, if any wanker can handcuff us and take us to some bloody lockup for an alleged offense, then what's there to say? i read about kids being dragged out of nightclubs and what not. why? every kid wants to live out his/her teen years enjoying the "young" things.. who are the police to crucify them for it?
people holding hands get harrassed. i was having a picnic with the missus at lake gardens once and realized some pricks were spying on us from behind bushes. i chased the life out of those bastards, but what will a foreigner do in a foreign country?
this country has a problem. forget foreginers, we citizens are harrassed on a daily basis. what foreigner?! really la.... no other word but "niamah". bloody government should show some balls and wrest back some control from the rouge departments. make Malaysians feel at home and everything else with come easy.
stupid monkeys...
Posted by: bryant![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jeffooi.com/nav-commenters.gif)
|
January 5, 2007 09:23 AM
why can't we have something original, instead of always copying what others are having???
Posted by: taiko_besar![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jeffooi.com/nav-commenters.gif)
|
January 5, 2007 09:38 AM
Well, take a look for more Bolehland copycat example by howsy : 50 Years of Nationhood: The Quest To Become UK's 5th Country?.
Posted by: moo_t![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jeffooi.com/nav-commenters.gif)
|
January 5, 2007 10:16 AM
is this the beginning of the big fall with megalomaniac projects?
Posted by: aku anak malaysia![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jeffooi.com/nav-commenters.gif)
|
January 5, 2007 10:22 AM
it'S a coded message bro...
THEY (the govt) is WATCHING US!!!!!!
LET US NOT FORGET, with the BIG EYE...
Eye-say man.
Posted by: freelunch2020![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jeffooi.com/nav-commenters.gif)
|
January 5, 2007 11:18 AM
"Meanwhile, MST AD Suria executive director Widyanty Yusope said they expected to attract 24,000 people per day to ride the giant wheel when it opens to the public this Sunday from 10am to 10pm."
If each ride would take about 45mins (that's how long Pak Lah's ride would take), they would be able to run about 16 rides per day,non-stop, if they operate for 12 hours (10am to 10pm). With 42 gondolas X 8 passengers per gondola (as stated in All Malaysia.info) X 16 trips, all they can manage is a 5376 passengers capacity. A far cry from the expected 24,000 per day, unless each ride is much shorter than the said 45mins. Any one can verify?
Posted by: daniel![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jeffooi.com/nav-commenters.gif)
|
January 5, 2007 03:08 PM
At present day, anybody ever heard of tourists RUSHING to another country to experience a Ferris Wheel? If this is specially made for VMY, it is a stupid decision, as good as throwing money away. Throwing into somebody's pocket?
Anyway, this is out of proportion and unnecessary.
daniel's analysis above is a very good proof that these people are totally out of touch with reality. LIE AND LIE LIKE NOBODY'S BUSINESS! Can we still believe anything they say? I started to doubt every words out of the mainstream media already, even the weather's forecast pages!
Posted by: hasilox![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jeffooi.com/nav-commenters.gif)
|
January 5, 2007 05:16 PM
Hazy time got discount ah?
Posted by: eantautjk![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jeffooi.com/nav-commenters.gif)
|
January 5, 2007 05:54 PM
One more thing, if my assumptions above are correct, at RM15 per adult ride X 5376 X 365 days, the gross income at full capacity , every single day of VMY2007 is RM29,439,075. That is less than the amount of RM30 million spent to build the structure, notwithstanding operating expenses.
Posted by: daniel![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jeffooi.com/nav-commenters.gif)
|
January 5, 2007 05:56 PM
The comparable one is "The Wheel of Manchester"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/content/articles/2004/10/27/wheel_of_manchester_facts_feature.shtml
The only feature difference is that the Manchester one carry 6 per gondola vs 8 people for this one. But, Manchester one cost Euro 5 million (RM23 million) but, this one RM30 million. Again, mysterious millions!
Dispose after VMY? If this is rented, then, it make sense. But, having paid in FULL(actually more?)...WHY???
Posted by: hasilox![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jeffooi.com/nav-commenters.gif)
|
January 5, 2007 06:55 PM
Wheel Of Fortune for the company spinning it, but then may be not...remember Highland Tower?
Posted by: cyleow![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jeffooi.com/nav-commenters.gif)
|
January 6, 2007 07:06 AM
"why can't we have something original, instead of always copying what others are having???"
Hmmmm....how about making teh tarik and playing batu seremban in space sounds? Surely these have to be a first?...sucks some unpatriotic Malaysians have shot these down :-)
Posted by: merdeka![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jeffooi.com/nav-commenters.gif)
|
January 6, 2007 09:39 PM
do you know the havoc to the traffic in Setapak and Jln Genting Kelang area this "open eye" event had caused in the weekend??
Sigh!
Posted by: nuggyn![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jeffooi.com/nav-commenters.gif)
|
January 9, 2007 05:04 PM