Skip to main content

Penang trishaw: long wait for customers

It has been said that a holiday in Penang would be incomplete without an old fashion ride in Penang trishaw. The beca, as locals call the Penang trishaw, allows visitors to explore parts of the island at a leisurely pace and in an eco-friendly fashion.


But all is not well in the beca sector. A chat with beca riders revealed that the current economic recession is affecting business. Fewer visitors to the island are taking the vehicle to see the sights. Time was when hordes of tourists from all over the world particularly Taiwan, Japan and Europe would go for a drive.


Beca riders made between RM30 and RM40 daily before the current downturn. They consider themselves fortunate if they took home between RM10 and RM30 today. For many riders this is their only source of income and they are saddened by the situation now.

These days beca riders have plenty of free time. 

Plastic flowers such as this one add colour to the beca.

Comments

justmytwocents said…
It is really sad that these beca riders, at their ripe old age, have no other avenue to turn to but to rely on what's been feeding their families for decades. I don't think they can try other jobs because their area of specialization has become etched into their lives. Plus, they would not still be working if their children can support them.
FAEZAH ISMAIL said…
Thank you. I totally agree with you.
AthirahYusuh said…
Hi, may I know which street in Penang I could find these beca riders? I'm organizing a trip for 40 students and am planning to include a beca ride.

Regards,
Athirah.
FAEZAH ISMAIL said…
Hi, I am sorry for this delay. I have been away. Thanks for dropping by here. You can find many beca riders parked near Cititel Hotel which is located within Upper Penang Road. Good luck!

Popular Posts

A spot of rural tranquillity in Ipoh

Your nerves are frayed and you need a dose of pleasingly rustic ambience without having to leave the city. There is such a spot for you, if you are in Ipoh. All you need to do is head for a block of flats called Kinta Heights in Pekan Lama, Ipoh, Perak, which is next to the Kinta River, one of the main branches of the Perak River. Unbelievable, as it may seem, there are several nasi kandar outlets and sundry shops in the vicinity, set in the greenery, with a view and a walking path. I suggest that you have lunch at Ramli Nasi Kandar and after that, take a very short walk to the river bank for your rural retreat. You might be motivated to spend 10 minutes or more in total silence and tranquillity. This is the place I go to again and again. Ramli Nasi Kandar is next to the sundry shop A short bridge to the river bank  You will feel irritated by people putting litter on the ground but I refuse to allow that to distract me. There is a 'Do not litter' notice her

Rediscovering the traditional Malaysian Indian kitchen

I love this artwork (acrylic on canvas) by Jayashree Ramasamy @Jay, who has captured the mood of the traditional Malaysian Indian kitchen. Jay recalls her grandmother preparing meals for the family in a room which was equipped with ancestral cooking utensils and that was the inspiration for this painting. For more of Jay's creations head for the National Art Gallery where 'The Story Telling' exhibition is now being held (April 14 to May 15, 2011).  'The Story Telling' is a group exhibition showcasing the creations of four emerging artists including Jay from the Symbols Art Club . The other three artists are Kathiravan Subramaniam, Rohini Indran and Mohana Kumara Velu @ Mona Kv. Each work of art is a story that the artist tells about his or her personal experiences and observations of daily life. The launch this afternoon was in conjunction with the Tamil New Year today. 'Food is Served' by Kathiravan Subramaniam. The rationale: 'We may have diff

In the waiting room

People are always waiting for something. They could be waiting for the train, an opportunity, promises to be fulfilled or the return of a loved one. But "what does waiting mean in our lives and what is life without waiting?" That question was posed by Danny Castillones Sillada in his article "What is Life without Waiting?" (The Metaphysics of Waiting). The passing of the old year demands another round of gloomy introspection and Sillada's article came at the right time, given the value of waiting in our lives. "Waiting," he explains, is "an emotional and mental state, which is preconditioned to anticipate someone or something to arrive at a particular time and place". Sillada tells us that there are two types of waiting: empirical and metaphysical. The empirical form of waiting is "where the certainty of the waited and the occurrence of event are tangibly expected to happen within a particular time and place of the waite