A REAL-TIME location tracking system will be used for the first time during the annual St Anne’s Feast in Bukit Mertajam, Penang, a festival that has been celebrated since the parish was established in 1846.
Introduced by Digital Penang, the GPS-based system allows the public to monitor the live location and route of the procession floats via an online platform at https://gqr.sh/wEwV.
Digital Penang said in a statement that this marks the first time a live GPS tracking system will be deployed for the historic St Anne’s Feast procession. The initiative aims to help spectators along the route track the procession’s progress in real time and stay updated on its latest movements.
According to the announcement, the procession will begin at 8.30pm on Saturday, July 25.
Digital Penang said the digital service not only enhances convenience for participants and visitors but also demonstrates how technology can be applied to large-scale religious and cultural events to improve event management and public information dissemination.
The St Anne’s Feast, which began as a small local celebration, has grown over the decades into one of the region’s largest Catholic pilgrimages. While the feast has been celebrated annually since 1846, it developed into a major international pilgrimage beginning in 1918 under the leadership of Father Michael Seet.
Meanwhile, to facilitate the candlelight procession and ensure the celebrations proceed smoothly, police will implement phased road closures and traffic diversions at several locations in Bukit Mertajam from July 25 to 26.
Central Seberang Perai district police chief ACP Nik Amiruddin said in a statement that this year’s St Anne’s Feast is expected to attract a large number of pilgrims and worshippers. As such, traffic control measures will be enforced throughout the celebration to ensure smooth traffic flow.
The first phase of road closures will be in effect from 9am on July 25 until 2pm on July 26. The affected stretch is Jalan Kulim, from the Caltex petrol station to the traffic light intersection at Taman Bukit Indah.
Motorists travelling from Kulim towards Bukit Mertajam are advised to use Jalan Rozhan to reach Bukit Mertajam and Bukit Minyak. Alternatively, they may travel via Jalan Sepakat, Jalan Muhibbah, and Jalan Kampung Baru.
Those travelling from Bukit Mertajam towards Kulim are advised to divert via Jalan Kampung Baru to Jalan Berjaya and Jalan Song Ban Kheng, or travel through Alma and Bukit Minyak. Motorists may also use Jalan Kampung Baru, pass through Taman B and Bukit Indah, before rejoining Jalan Kulim.
ACP Nik Amiruddin added that additional phased road closures will be enforced from 7pm to 11pm on July 25 along Jalan Kampung Baru and Jalan Berjaya to facilitate the St Anne’s candlelight procession and ensure it proceeds safely.
“All affected roads are expected to be fully reopened by 2pm on July 26,” ACP Nik Amiruddin said.
He urged road users to plan their journeys and use designated alternative routes to avoid traffic congestion.