No rush for free chicken
By PRISCILLA DIELENBERG
The Star, 29 Mar 2006

PENANG: The much-anticipated rush for free food did not materialise at the Anson Road market when free chicken meals were served there. 

Instead some 250 people, mostly the elderly, queued up patiently and were served deep-fried, roasted, steamed or curry chicken by the traders.  

The dishes were snapped up in 30 minutes. 

There was much laughter and teasing from those present, with calls of “Pai tui, pai tui, lai chiak kei, mien lui. (Hokkien for queue up, queue up, come and eat chicken, it’s free.) 

The RM1,500 “chicken party” yesterday was organised by the Anson Road Market Traders Association and the Anson Road Market Tua Pek Kong Temple Association.  

Komtar assemblyman Lim Gim Soon, who attended the event, said the party was held to allay fears about the bird flu. 

He urged Penangites not to avoid eating chicken.  

On Monday, Malacca chicken traders gave away 400 chickens to be consumed by the people. Some 1,000 people turned up and the chickens were gone in under 10 minutes. 

Anson Road Market Traders Association chairman Loo Lean Liew said the income of poultry sellers had been badly affected by the bird flu scare, with a more than 50% drop in business reported. 

Rumours worsened the situation, he said, adding that he had received more than 20 calls from his constituents over the past week about dead birds. 

Lim said he had also received complaints of people feeding pigeons. He advised them to stop doing it.