Now that the PM has urged state governments to consider stopping all hill-slope development projects, how are the state governments in Penang and elsewhere going to respond?
Will the Penang government resort to its usual mantra: that stopping such projects will expose the state to claims of compensation?
Or will it bite the bullet and tell the developers there should be no compromise over public safety.
Must we wait for more – preventable and avoidable – tragedies before we act decisively?
Do we care more about the interests of developers?
Over in London, eco-campaigners are marching to Westminster to demand:
- the scrapping of plans for a third runway at Heathrow,
- no expansion in coal burning for power, and
- massive investment in a renewable energy revolution
Such a focus on green energy could bring in thousands of new green jobs which could come in handy in dealing with the global stag-deflation.
Does Penang have the foresight to venture into solar energy research?
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There is no need for the Penang State Government to instruct stoppage of hillslope projects. It just have to require the authorities, which I do not know if it is at the Federal or State levels to discharge their responsibilities fully in ensuring the developers submit proper evidence of engineering design that satisfy safety considerations. In Singapore, they have instituted an Accredicated Checkeer Schme to double check the professional engineers’ submissions. These are measures that governments and professional bodies can act responsibly for public safety and professional pride.
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In HK the geotechnical engineer will come every 5 years or less to carry out hillsite inspection of the building surrounding is under control. But here it is build and FORGET ALL ABOUT it. Like all buildings, the owner will change the useage and it will become a fire trap if inspections by Professional Engineers are carried out. What can Majlis do? They are carried out by Technicians or college trained TAs and not engineers.
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A country that never learned. All the hue and cry will just fade away after 100 days.
We need to wake up as a nation.
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The PM is the lamest of lame ducks these days. I almost pity his forlornness.
People around him still nod politely at what he says…but nobody pays attention anymore. People go to Najib for important matters.
More than ever before, he’s just warming the PM’s seat these days.
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as usual, no action until lives are lost
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Do we care more about the interests of developers?
Of course we care more about the interest of developers.
Why? Because some crooked developer can transfer a couple of millions (ang pau) into my foreign bank account and I can have a jolly life after that.
Then, I can buy a couple of Merc and BMW, keep a few mistresses here and there, visit several Spas in town that give good massage and “other sevices” and eat all the best food in town.
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Always the knee-jerk reactions whenever there’s tragedy. We expected more from LGE’s govt because they swept in on the wings of change; it seemed like at last the rampage of our green hills would stop. So far, not a peep or squeak. At least the new Selangor govt did better, checking hillside development. Why not Penang, where our environmental degradation is clearly at odds with heritage and tourism and all that. Very disappointed.
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What is the rational to approve CF when we have such issues later on? Did our Government authorities double check safety as their first priority? Or was it based on “La La Li Tang Pong?”
Please visit Block B at Lake View Apartment, Pandan Perdana. Kuala Lumpur. Just walk up the stairs and look at the cracks, be it on the walls or on the floor! If this building collapses one day, who will take up this responsibility of people dead/injured? The Irresponsible Developer? MPAJ? The YB? WHO???
Until this day, I am yet to get an answer. I have also written to MPAJ, Exco of Land & YB for my area. It seems to me that the person who is having the last laugh is the developer. I am sure they will still drive to work with their Mercedes even if they do decide to settle this issue later on.
I just cannot understand what is the “FORCE” behind this rational – A government officer who can make the right decision to help the people who are victims of irresponsible developers but instead prefer to take another cause of action
Why protect the irresponsible developer party when they can do the alternative?
Anyone who are victims of abusive developers, please tell us your story
Jackie
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Dear all,
To those who are victims from irresponsible developers, kindly put in your side of your story!
My main question is why protect the irresponsible developers when our government authorities can do the alternative?
I am sure that even if irresponsible developers on a later day repent and fix our problem, they would still drive to work in their BMWs.
What is the “Invisible Hand” that is so powerful that Government Authorities have to “KOW TAU” to these capitalists? Are they funding their campaign funds?
Please don’t take our lives as business decisions! The head of MPAJ should be sacked for over looking this issue that resulted in human life!
MPAJ leader, Dato’ Mohammad Yacob – How can you sleep at night? How did the CF approved from the first place? An oversight? A inheritance from predecessors?
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Asalamualaikum ,
inilah akibatnya mengacau alam semulajadi kurniaan Allah
yang sepatutnya di jaga dan di pelihara untuk kesejahteraan
manusia.
Pihak pemaju dan ahli politik sama sama untung.
Percayalah lepas 3 bulan semua kembali seperti biasa
dan akan di lupai sehingga berlaku kejadian yang tidak di ingini seterusnya.
Inilah Kerajaan Malaysia Boleh.
Ameeen.
BTW can we have a Fatwa banning Hillside development ?
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Dear Anil,
I quoted from Malaysiakini
Penang to monitor hillside development
Athi Veranggan | Dec 7, 08 5:00pm
The Penang government has issued directives to the local authority to monitor and take preventive measures, including stop-work orders, to avert a ‘Bukit Antarabangsa tragedy’ in the island state.
Shaken by the tragic events in Bukit Antarabangsa, a visibly upset Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng will request the Penang Island Municipal Council president Zainal Rahim Seman to carry out immediate inspections on hillside developments, especially in Batu Ferringhi and Penang Hill.
“The council shall issue even stop-work orders if developers were found to have flouted rules and regulations pertaining to hillside development.
“The order would allow the developers to rectify the problems and carry out remedial works, including building retention ponds, in accordance with council demands,” he told newsmen after attending the international conference entitled ‘The New Economic Vision for Penang and Malaysia’ in Georgetown’s Traders Hotel on Saturday.
The council has issued stop-work orders against developers of five hillside projects for failing to comply with local plan conditions some four months ago.
But these were revoked after the council was satisfied with the remedial works carried out by the developers.
Although Penang has not experienced major landslide tragedies in the last 11 years, the state government however, was not taking any chance.
“Just because Penang did not suffer from landslide tragedy, it does not mean there won’t be any,” he cautioned.
Warning ignored in landslide prone areas
The last major landslide to take place in Penang island was when tonnes of soil gave way and collapse from Bukit Kukus in Paya Terubong, burying and damaging at least 15 vehicles, including a factory bus, parked below the hill.
During heavy rain spells, there are frequent landslides in the hillside area along the roads linking Paya Terubong in the northeast district and Balik Pulau in southwest district of the island.
A study carried out by a geo-technical research unit under the Works Ministry about 10 years ago had earmarked the Paya Terubong-Balik Pulau hillside as a landslide prone area unsuitable for high-rise high-density township development.
Despite this warning, the Paya Terubong hill ravine is mushroomed with high-rise residential and commercial flats.
Lim said the state government was committed to achieve sustainable development that would utilise and preserve available resources for future use.
“Sustainable development is the benchmark for current and future development in this state,” he said.
Dear Anil,
If it fulfills the required safety requirement, how can you ask them to stop? If wanna bite bullet, we must prove beyond reasonable doubt these developers have faulted the existign rules.
Dear Anil,
If so, then what! Shoo them out! Must pay money you know! Hey, Penang government only has 220 million malaysian dollars in revenue. That’s also not enough. Especially Penang has a deficit of 40 million.
What the hell would you propose? You propose to raise fund to pay off these goons
Dear people,
If these developers complied to all safety regulations, the best way that I think LGE can do is as follows:
Legislate a bill that would tax these developers. double or triple the land tax. Impose environment tax. Stop new development.
Regards,
looes74
from singapore
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Living all my life in Malaysia for 55 years, it is not a surprise for me seeing another hill side housing collapsed, anybody in the construction business in Malaysia can attest to this and already get used to sub-standard building getting approval here.
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Give the government one year and they will change their mind and continue their hill side housing / building projects. Today their mantra/affirmation is to love their fellow Rakyat. Come tommorrow it is love thy family and allow hill side projects at whatever cost. Even if it means (risking) thousands of innocent lives. Doing is one thing, saying and following throught is yet another. Why?? Because it seems Saya Tak Suka Rasuah.
When we do good the blessing will come, when we do bad the bad will come to us. What goes around comes around.
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