Tanjong Bunga residents are alarmed by inconsistencies in the Penang Structure Plan for their area that could lead to more congestion and construction projects. They claim that, under the previous administration, the diagram in the Plan was unilaterally re-zoned as a high-density ‘Primary Corridor’; the Plan had earlier been displayed for public scrutiny with the diagram showing Tanjung Bunga as a ‘Secondary Corridor’.
This distinction is crucial as the permissible density for a Secondary Corridor zone is 6-15 (max) homes per acre whereas for a Primary Corridor, there is no limit, say the residents. They assert that this classification is a policy matter which the present state government could easily rectify.
The Tanjung Bunga Residents Association points out the following:
a. The text within the gazetted Penang State Structure Plan indicates that Tg Bunga is in the Secondary Corridor.
b. The diagram and text during the display to the public in 2006 did indicate that Tg Bunga was in the Secondary Corridor.
c. The diagram was subsequently (and unilaterally) changed by the State Planning Committee on 12 Feb 2007 to put Tg Bunga into the Primary Corridor. This diagram is thus irregular and goes against the spirit of the Town and Country Planning Act.
d. This unilaterally changed diagram has many inconsistencies i.e.
– The changes done on 12 Feb 2007 in reclassifying Tg Bunga to Primary Corridor have not been gazetted.
– It’s illustration and legend are inconsistent – with one illustrating Tg. Bunga in Primary Corridor while the other stating it is in the Secondary Corridor.
– It was changed unillaterally by the State Planning Committee after the display period, and the change to shift Tg Bunga into the Primary Corridor was never displayed subsequently for public feedback.
– The Town and Country Planning Act requires feedback after amendments.
– The Town and Country Planning Act does state that the text takes precedence over any diagrams which are meant for illustration for understanding.
e. The letter issued by the Planning Department dated 29 June 2009 does support the contention of ‘c’ above as well as shows a map that is different from that as presented in the State Structure Plan
f. The infrastructure of Tg Bunga Cannot cope with/take the increase in human population and building density should it be put in the Primary Corridor. Infrastructure from roads, water, power, government services, schools, medical services, police and emergency services and commercial zones cannot cope with the increase in human density.
g. Any attempt to increase road, transport and buildings in Tg Bunga as a Primary Corridor will result in more hill Cutting thus causing more siltation and pollution, thus endangering human lives due to Class III and Class IV hill slope cutting.
h. It is irresponsible of the state government to put Tg Bunga in the Primary Corridor when it has no financial capacity nor capability to enhance the basic infrasturcture of Tg Bunga into a Primary Corridor standard to cope with the large increase in human density/growth….
i. Finally, whether the state government recognises Tg Bunga as being within the Primary or Secondary Corridor is a policy matter, and they need not rely on the unsound and incorrect advice given by the State Legal Advisor. In fact, we pointed out that the Legal Advisor has no grounds (except to fall on the incorrect diagram as unilaterally changed on 12 Feb 2007) to give such advice, and we questioned the motive for such bad advice.
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You and Gerakan/MCA can do – sell off for chip price and even makan the PKFZ. Even CM said his hands are tie, you have no IQ …
looes74
You are right..we should look at the root cause here and it is nothing but Mr Cheap Minister himself. If as the CM he cannot do the right thing claiming his hands are tied and facing blockages, then I would gladly buy him an one way ticket for him and Betty back to Melaka. He should just let Anwar become the CM.
Dawsheng,
You are right if simply blaming the previous administration is not good. However, we need to know the root cause. Without root cause, you can’t solve thr problems. It’s that the case, no need to prosecute the pepetrators in PKFZ scandals. Whatever has done has done if that’s what you mean
Problems don’t just happen like that. There is always an string events leading to the problems happened.
Hi Anil…what happened to the site ? I can't see any comments at all ??
Is there a public complains bureau or department where Penangites can email or leave their comments stating their ideas or displeasure?
In the old days, I used to fax my complaints or comments directing to Dr Koh’s office. His private secretary would normally respond and take the necessary corrective actions.
Of course it’ll be a disaster politically for LGE and DAP, and for that matter PR to keep blaming the previous administration for anything that goes wrong in Penang and Malaysia, it has to go beyond that. But we have to be practical and realistic, it’s never easy to treat a chronic disease, there is no simple solution for the problems we are facing. Furthermore We have responsibility to make sure LGE does not become a Cheap Minister, it ‘ll be too late if realize he is one, we don’t really have a choice.
please dont build anything new near my already crowded place. but if you do, allow me to book first.
if any of you dont approve of any new developments, then dont buy any yourselves. see if your grandchildrens will curse you in the near future.
as for our elected gomen, show me an alternative instead of just bitching.
Who said that there is no affodable home for Penang therefore we need high density development. Either you are here to mislead or you are not from Penang. You can buy a 3 room Apt/Cond of 700 sqft at only RM45000 at Taman Terubong Indah. Or may a 549 sqf flat at Green Garden with RM 26,785.00 only. Or may a les sthan high density flat of 1,410 sqft at Taman Terubong Indah with RM 58,320.00. Or a real high density flat of 470 sqft at Krystal Heights, Island Glades only RM 54,800.00. Those are what I called high-density low… Read more »
LGE this and that. The complains never stop. Everyone has something to say about something. Nothing to solve the problems. Just a lot of batter, nothing concrete. Like I said earlier, everyone being self-centered as usual. Guys, when you elect someone to run your company (your constituency in this respect). You give him the authority to wheel and deal. Just let the man do his job! For peat sake, give him some working space. I wonder where your incessant noise was during KTK tenure. Why no … then?? I am not saying you have no say here. Just wait for… Read more »
Superman and it is what most people expect one perosn to do.He is not just the CM for Local plans and certainly he is not GOD who knows everything and he is just a rookie CM. He is just being to learn and the amount of information as what Gerakan/MCA has done with UMNO is piled up to the heavens. Just to know the misdeeds take time and this will take away time from doing the actual job. Anyway it is good the the rakyat knows from PR how gerakan/mca has misdeed the State because they are in power for… Read more »
Looes74 Thanks but no thanks for your offer of Singapore style “Socialism”. Though these folks of Tj Bunga, Tj Tokong and Bt ferringhi are rich, they are not robbers or criminals for LGE to treat them unfairly. We dont expect LGE to behave like a dictator but more like a responsible leader. If Khalid Ibrahim a former housing developer can be sensible and responsible about development and ban hillslope development and other destructive practices, why not our Cheap Minister ? In case of Tanjung Bungah (his administration is trying to) to fool Penangites to mislead them to believe that the… Read more »
Do not expect LGE to be a savior for poor rakyat and good government. Most ridiculous news I’ve ever known is LGE’s right-hand man said Penang government cannot terminate the contracts of under-perfomed garbage collectors for fear of Fed government is taking over such service. http://www.thesundaily.com/article.cfm?id=38234 Why the Selangor PR government got gut and courage to change contractors, but not in Penang? LGE and his gang are so creative to find such excuse to blame central government for their own fault in Batu Maung garbage disposal blunder. Michael Jackson is the king of pop, while LGE is the king of… Read more »
Where is our local plans? It has been more than 10 years since 1998, all the 25 plans are still not ready. Yes KTK is sucked. How about LGE? When will all the local plans be ready?
GUESS , judging by the comments here, there are many who prefer a none performing states , stagnant states like in Perak (after the backdoor took over) or in Perlis, or in Terrenganu or in Melaka.
No developement, good for everyone. Govt just sit & play dumb. Best way buy their way in..just play sponsor eh.
Let the talk a lot like OngES do the planning without offending other folks who vote for progress.
Andrew, You know the song “Internationale”. That was the song still sung in socialist parties including DAP. DAP is still a member of Socialist International. That makes DAP a socialist. Of course, Anil (Anarchist, not terrorist out in creating chaos) can attest to that too. Of course, I & most probably Anil disagrees with few lines in the “Internationale”. Something to do with one’s faith in God Tanjung Bungah folks are definitely bourgeois. Middle class folks don’t stay in houses in Tanjong Bungah. They stay in appartments Khenthoths, Those are arguments by pompous bourgeois attitudes such as those by Tanjong… Read more »
It is shocking how many Penangites who were staunchly opposed such wanton and irresponsible development during KTK’s time now has suddenly having a change of mind and turned into cheerleaders for LGE and his Condos, Apartments and Towers (CAT) government. It is silly to claim that LGE is bound by OSA since he has selectively released meetings minutes of previous exco when it suited him (ex. in KBP case). Remember this is the same chap who promised to introduce a FIA (Freedom of Information Act). I am sorry but it is idiotic to claim that more development will make housing… Read more »
How much can the coastal road to BATU FERRINGHI be extended. The PORR don’t even dare to dream about it. That defined the limited capacity of built for the whole areas. Further high density development will deteriorate the social economic aspect of the people there. LGE doesn’t has any transport plan for the North East district nor the whole Penang. All he want is to build and build. Build for what? How he going to meet the needs and aspirations of people who live and work there, consistent with the sustainable needs of the natural environment, he never spell it… Read more »
This is a typical case of zoning policies run amok. To ask LGE, who profess a pragmatic capitalist line, to right the wrong of the past so that public good prevail, is as hard as asking one to change his religion. (Capitalism is a form of religion;->)) The best excuse he can give is to blame the previous state government. He will also cite the lack of the professional technical resources as another reason. Did he has any plan to build up local capacity. No! He will cite the lack of budgets as another excuse. Our politicians may tell the… Read more »
Tanjung Bungah, especially the E&O and Hillside areas are fast becoming or already is an exclusive area for the rich. The house prices there are now in the millions and they are all very well done up. Houses over there are now out of the reach of 90% ordinary Malaysians. Luxury cars are plying the roads.
That is probably why the Tanjung Bungah folks are complaining as they have high standards and expectations, besides being educated and that is understandable.
So Andrew..why r u the only 1 laughing. So to say ur UMNO/Gerakan party is a socialist party eh? Oh by the way..u r in disguise, easily identifiable an UMNO chap.
Two points I want to make: 1. The Chief Minister is not a planner by profession. Politicians have too much regard for their planning skills. Look at any fine example of a well-planned city, and see that it required a knowledge and deftness beyond the skills of planning wanna-bes. Penang’s so-called Planning Depts, both at State and Municipal levels, don’t do any real urban planning. You even have economic planning graduates entrusted with trying to visualise and plan the physical city. Civil and structural engineers at MPPP are entrusted with trying to manage the city’s traffic. 2. Be that as… Read more »
Increasing the density of housing projects is just one of the ways to sacrifice some quality of life for the residents in exchange for more affordable housing. High density only affects low end apartments while those luxurious or high end condominiums would continue to remain low density for those who can afford. However, many home buyers cannot visualise density and may be misled into signing up for an apartment they may later regret. Thus, I hope (i) The state government could come out with density figures for popular or landmark projects for the general public to discern. (ii) Make it… Read more »
This is the price the residents of Tanjung Bungah pay for their folly.
For umpteen years, they voted in Koh Tsu Koon as their state assemblyman.
Go seek accountability from that political eunuch. After all, he is still a politician and an active one at that.
Kampung Buah Pala land grab is now history. So he should have recovered from his sore throat.
It is rather alarming how people can change and start hammering their own elected government after such a short time. Might I remind you all there is the OSA (Official Secrets Act) that LGE has to adhere to. Breaking it is just like breaking his oat of office. There are matters that cannot be revealed to us. I wonder how these people would react if they saw the ‘big picture’. I have no remedy to this problem. Just a point of view, that we people expect progress but not at our expense. Let the other people bear the cost of… Read more »
@ Andrew It’s those kinds of empty “arguments” like “leave if you don’t like” that discourages people from having an intellectual discourse with you, and instead wishes to “bash” you, at least online, so to speak. When you have capital, and when you start to invest, you becomes a business owner – the same group of people you are currently demonising. When you lack government support and facilitation in your business, I’m not sure how far you go. And Tanjung Bungah being middle class? Please.. And I don’t mean that in any derogatory way to people of any other loose… Read more »