The main contractor for the controversial Surin hill-slope condominium project in Tanjung Bunga has responded to neighbouring residents who had written in to express their unhappiness about the construction work.
The management committee of the Straits Regency complex nearby had complained about nauseating fumes, noisy generators and construction work at night.
In a tersely worded letter dated 15 October, Wabina Construction and Engineering Sdn Bhd managing director Loh Geok Beng responded that the fumes from the generators were not poisonous and that the firm had abided by Penang Municipal Council guidelines. He added that the noise from the generators and excavators was “reasonable” and “expectable” considering the work being done.
The firm denied that it had carried out work beyond permissible hours and said it would seek the Council’s permission for extended hours to carry out internal work.
The letter, which was copied to the Council, ended with a request to the Straits Regency management committee not to “create difficulties” or else Wabina would not hesitate to hold them liable for any delay in work caused by their action.
Loh @ Ooi Gan is also deputy president of the Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce (PCCC) and assistant liason officer/director of the Han Chiang School/College. He was one of the PCCC representatives in their 17 July closed-door meeting with the Chief Minister on housing industry-related issues.
The developer of the Surin project is GLM Property Development Sdn Bhd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bolton Bhd.
According to Bolton’s 2009 Annual Report, Bolton’s major shareholders include Lee Choong Lim @ Lee Tin Fook/Hopaco Properties Ltd (24 per cent indirect interest) and Bolton executive chairman Mohamed Azman Yahya (19 per cent). Azman, the former Danaharta head, also sits on the board of Khazanah and other listed firms.
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If the management committee of the Straits Regency complex had complained about nauseating fumes, noisy generators and construction work at night then the contractor should take it as a serious matter. Nauseating perfumes damages the health of the people living nearby. They can’t blame them….
The whole idea of the development is to keep the value of the property in the area. Since the Surin project been up, the value of the Costal tower and St. Regency has dropped about 20-23%. The pool of St. regency will be in the shade,the seaview gone, the congestion of the park vehicles, don’t you think we have a right to complain? we … angry because we been ripp off!!! We paid so much extra for the seaview property, so where’s our compensation now? The landscaping should go up in steps, small building infront and large building behide. The… Read more »
I can smell (something wrong) in the Surin project right from the start!
I know you’re a big boss and sound pathetic too, I wish you or the council authorities could move in Straits Regency and stay for a week or two, then you will know how we feel.
Now it’s crack and leaking in st. regency building…
Haha, LGE is not a dictator. The roles of chief minister is not Jaga the Council issues. If we are not happy, we should go to local council and/or voice our grouses to the Wakil Rakyat.
Dont we know that the chief minister also must abide the rules set by local council? This is anti LGE website?
No, this is not an anti-LGE website. This is a pro-sustainable development website.
Singapore government is a good and impartial when come to development. For example, temple, mosque or church on the way, all got to be torn down. Rebuild a new ones with better equipped and comforts. We look at the positive side of it. I dun agreed that whole Penang to be reserved as primitive sites. Even KL itself only gazetted around Jalan Tun Perak to maintain the old facet. So, pro and con is there. Let the forces be balanced and majority voices stay. If a land is gazetted for development by local council, I was told by council planner… Read more »
If the residents had not been so adamant in reelecting their ADUN time and time again in past elections, they could have avoided this problem.
When was this project approved?
Was it by the previous government or the present government?
Developers, once given the approval to build, have a target to fulfill as long as they are within council guidelines. If residents want to complain, they had better come prepared with data and specific incidents of non compliance.
How would you like if you were at the receiving end of a changing goalpost ?
I support the Gerakan K in this matter…YAAA..they r cathing up.Soon They’ll be the same.u can’t say who is who or what….
I support the Gerakan K in this matter…YAAA..they r cathing up.Soon They’ll be the same.u can’t say who is who or what….
So were any police reports made of this threat? That would be the next step in facing such an illegality, wouldn’t it? The police report should also contain any transgressions made by the contractor in operating outside their prescribed hours. As they are reasonably organised, I am sure this would not be a problem getting a nominal stakeout of the contractors in action outside their allowed operating hours. This would make better reading and proof in any proceedings. A lawsuit would be next, and file it quickly. An instruction for stop work would need the above information. An injunction might… Read more »
George Aurea,
If you are right, take this matter to the court. I believe you have done so now. Let teh court decide once & for all. That guy wanna bluff you, call his bluff
This what’s happening when the Rakyat don’t really support the current state gomen. Some have written them off and some have even come to the conclusion that PR is just the same as BN. Yup, keep on hammering the State gomen. So much so that now the powerful developers especially those BN-friendly ones that knows its days are number are stepping up the pressure to destabilize the State gomen. Thanks K. Yup, the fickle minded Rakyat deserve to get BN gomen. Birds of the same feather thing, no? And Herald deserve to lose permit! “It is very confusing. One letter… Read more »
Anil, 1. LGE and DAP seems so desperate to prove to the people of Penang that they can develop the state as good as BN. 2. The number of foreign investor going out from Penang does not help him in achieving this. 3. In his rush to prove that he is different from PAS Kelantan, he has successfully transformed DAP Penang to what is now known as Development Above People. 4. All the proper guidelines,transparency and rule of law (read :CAT) are now being push away..far far away. 5. This is why you are seeing all these “close-door” meetings being… Read more »
Bravo to DAP! You are catching up to BN standard.
I propose that those who are serious about it, get a Stop Work Order thru the legal channels if possible…
What is BN and MACC doing? UmNO also helpingthis guy?
This fella is behaving like a bully…. How can LGE let such person on the street?…
Publish the letter online if you dare.
hahaha!!! at last it come out in open.
FYI, no only the indoor stadium at han chiang…
This guy is quite powerful with black and white, if you know what I mean, that is why he can be arrogant to anyone.
Oh? Loh Geok Beng, ED of Wabina Construction and Engineering Sdn Bhd is also Deputy president of the Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce and assistant liason officer/director of the Han Chiang School/College? And the DAP held a huge (and highly successful) pre-March 8th election ceramah/rally in Han Chiang grounds, did it not? So, does this mean that Lim Guan Eng and the DAP owe the Board Members of Han Chiang School/College some return political favours? And is this why the State Government and MPPP are so lethargic about taking up action on behalf of the Tg Bungah residents? Is this… Read more »
Andrew
Gerakn/UMNO ‘s own rapid bueses spill more disel fumes and in the city centre in both KL and Penang where about 1/3 malaysians are living. Why social activist’s do not highlight them? Why Gerakan/UMNO Government Rapid buses go not go on LNG? Gerakan/UMNO Dr M sell all the gas to Japs and our competitors Sinkapore taht we have none?
“Loh Geok Beng responded that the fumes from the generators were not poisonous” – This is funny.
I love to see Loh Geok Beng breath in all the fumes for 8 hours a day for 1 week. Not more, just 1 week, 8 hours a day. It would be fun to look at his face at end of the first day.