Another dose of hill-slope flooding(!) in Chee Seng Garden and noise pollution from a construction site near Straits Regency leave residents frustrated over the slow response from the MPPP to their complaints.
The floods in Penang last night created a lot of hardship and frustration. Let’s take a look at some of the root causes of the recurrent floods in Penang:
- Concrete jungle development increases surface run-off
- Hill cutting and hill-slope development
- Indiscriminate development and lack of green open spaces
- Poor drainage/clogging of drains
- Poor planning and oversight by the previous BN administration
- Climate change and rising sea levels?
Some of you have a good idea of what’s causing these repeated floods. But first, let’s hear from Dalbinder Singh Gill, who recounts his nightmare last night. He also discovers a little-known highway development:
I used the Jalan Tun Sardon road back to Bayan Lepas as the road from Batu Feringgi to Tanjung Tokong was closed due to a fallen tree. It took our 5-star authorities 90 minutes to clear one tree. WOW. I decided to U-turn and go up back. I should have stopped at a friend’s place but no, I used the road through Teluk Bahang-Balik Pulau-Bayan Lepas. I went through eight major landslides and eight major flood areas. Yes, I suffered (from the) massive floods. Having a big Bomba station up in Batu Feringgi-Teluk Bahang area is no use if the authorities do not know how to do its work. DAM IT!! In fact at certain strecthes we as drivers got down from our vehicles with umbrellas bracing through strong winds to clear some debris leaving small space for us to pass through as we dare not U-Turn or just stay there as we were fearing more rocks and trees and debris (after-rape products) to fall. Yet the newspapers reported that the authorities were busy clearing them up. Bulls*** or maybe not at the time when i was using that road.
Now I personally know how the rakyat are suffering. Yes, I had to pass urine in my water bottle thanks to our 5-star public toilet system and its locations. Along those roads, a major highway is being built. Isn’t the normal land road enough? Sounds like the previous government was making money behind closed doors like building this highway through the outskirts so nobody knows and the rakyat wont make noise as well especially those from the kampung whose voices are far from being heard. Yes, good way of making money. Our environment has been raped. Let’s do something: saying no to the reclamation of land is the first step.
