The Penang state government has responded to a front-page ‘media lynching’ by The Star over property development on hills/hill-slopes in Penang.
The state government says no projects have been approved since GE 2008 at heights more than 250 feet above sea level. If that’s true, then well done.
In the interest of transparency, the Penang government should also provide the list of the 38 hill-slope projects (along with their maximum gradients) it says were approved over the last two years. (What about the last four years?) In particular, were all such projects since 2008 in compliance with the guideline prohibiting property development on slopes steeper than 25 degrees in gradient?
Here is the statement from Guan Eng in full:
31 Development Projects Approved By the Previous BN State Government On Hill Land Above 250 Feet Compared To None By The PR State Government.
The media lynching of Penang PR State Government continues unabated
with another front-page story by The Star highlighting the rising property prices in Penang. Whilst no one disputes the rising property prices in Penang, why is it that a similar rise in property prices in BN-controlled states such as Johor and the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur have gone unnoticed and not given front-page treatment by the Star.The Penang state government wishes to unreservedly condemn the Star for false reporting against Penang yesterday with its sensational headline of “The Dying Hills”. The hills in Penang are not dying because the present Penang PR state government has not approved a single project above 250 feet. Penang has the most stringent guidelines for hillslope safety development in the country crafted by Oxford-trained geotechnical engineer Prof Dr Gue See Sew, a former international chairman of the coordinating committee of Apec Engineers and president of the Institute of Engineers Malaysia.
Further Penang is the only state in Malaysia which bars any development on hills above 250 ft. Why then did the Star not highlight that other BN states allows development on hills above the height of 250 feet? Why did The Star refuse to publish that the present PR state government had not approved a single development order for hills above the height of 250 feet?
31 development projects were approved by the previous BN state government on hill land above 250 feet as compard to none by the present PR state government. According to Yang di Pertua MPPP Architect Patahiyah binti Ismail, there were 8 projects approved on hill land above 250 feet between 1985-2004, whilst 3 were approved in 2005, 10 in 2006, 8 in 2007 and 2 between January to March 2008.
The present PR state government did not approve a single development project above 250 ft. Even the 38 hill-slope projects approved the last 2 years for heights below 250 ft, half of of them are for open space and green areas without any building structures.
The Penang state government regrets that this stringent adherence to hillslope safety guidelines has been manipulated into a political attack against PR when other states with a clearly worse record are left off the hook. Hopefully those who are interested in fairplay would listen with an open mind and not allow themselves to be used by the BN agenda in view of the coming general elections.
LIM GUAN ENG
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See Dr jia jia in action image he is a grown up now.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BTyogDXueo&w=400
this one hopefully not yet censored
too bad , the part which residents questioned him which state government approved the project was just censored.
Tunglang, You ask for it. It is in youtube!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BTyogDXueo&w=400
Ah Soon Kor, since now you have explained so my appreciation and thanks that you had done much !!!
Please pardon as at that time i was a suckling babe and i never once believed in BN !!!
However, it is real puzzling how come from campaigning for LGE when he was in jail and now suddenly as if he is your number one enemy ??? Tak paham la !!!
Whatever, Ah Kor, i wish you well !!!
Forewarn! lgE, please stop the blaming game and learn to swallow the bitter pill…
In a dialog session with Sg Ara resident today, as usual lgE blame the previous state government for the approval of hillslope development. This round lgE was caught pant down when he was rebuked by sg ara residents that the Sunway City project at sungai ara was approved by the MPPP in March 2012 not before 2008. lgE who is also the exco with land portfolio, was surprised to learn that the project at Sungai Ara is 250ft above sea level after reading news reports from newspapers. lgE was furious and banged the table and accused KTK administration for the… Read more »
Ah Soon Kor, Got any evidential video of this heaty session? Do some hard work. If possible, play it right here to perpetually shut the mouths of the smart alecs cum digital bodeks. The truth may hurt some or many (vice-versa), but better do it now than play hid & seek & blame game. Thumb up or thumb down in anilnetto has no probable opinion effect on discerning readers or those who are on the scenes. Not even desktop-glued trollers of anything distortion can do the damage or perception change. Also many of us got no time to furnish every… Read more »
hillside development
For the last 4 years, we have witnessed how lgE mess aroung with our shoreline, development density, plot ration, hillslope development. The reason why lgE does not touch the flat land above 250ft hill, it is because the NLC specifically prohibit it.
Now lgE willing to give in to Rehda by compromising on hillslope development and distorted the fact to fool guys like Anil who know nut about hillslope development.
Ah Soon Kor, much as i would like to respect you as my elder and your vast knowledge about things but you seem good only at barking at Lim Guan Eng !!! Ah Kor, i think you must be very familiar with Coastal Tower and a few more blocks inside the area (opposite the floating mosque, Tg Bungah/Batu Ferringhi). Someone wrote before it is a place awaiting for disaster to happen. The proximity between one block to the other is so close and too near to each other for comfort. And, the fact is, those blocks of apartments were built… Read more »
Don’t use past history as an excuse. Don’t tell me that I have no right to critise lgE if I didn’t attack KTK. Ask Anil what kind of trouble me,. my brother and BK Ong ever created for KTK and Gerakan. Where are you to witness all this? In your dream?
When I campaigned for your idol when he was in Kajang jail, where are you? Nights after nights from one place to another, only a couple of us, the activists out to fight for justice. Where are you? When the number of polices and the police trucks were more than us, where are you? You want to ask me where am i, ask the special branch, see if any of them know me or not. When i was invited to the police hq and questioned by police over my activities, where are you? You didn’t even that I am one… Read more »
Calm down, Ah Soon Kor. Some smart alec know nothing about Penang, yet has the bile of a censor like Kementerian or Lembaga this or that to comment & rebuke others (with no due commonsense and respect as so called fact-based writer if ever) as if LGE is his blood brother & genetic-linked hybrid. What a total hallucination! The fact (no need to photostat evidential pictures) is you did what you did when some blokes could be still sucking milk from mother’s breast (an assumed fact I can’t furnish here with examples lest Anil censors the breast feeding pictures). I… Read more »
Tunglang, you should learn to ignore the smart alec. All this while I never bother to reply or response to this type of non-sense. Who is spinning and distorting facts, let the readers judge! My comments are quite long, as I realised that almost all the readers never understand the issues at hand. This is time for them to learn from a different opinion. So when someone claim that they have the most stringent guidelines, I just show my version of guidelines and ask a simply question. Can you meet any of the guidelines? So why jump up and down… Read more »
Don’t complain too, those day you voted for KTK and BN! You thought I don’t know???????
Ah soon, you are just a pathetic soul. Ranting on and on shamelessly even when proven you have your facts mixed up. If you had any credibility or guts, go write it in the papers or put in an official complaint.
Instead you spend you hours regurgitating the same old drivel and condemning LGE. Joker. Angry lonely and bitter old man.
So easy for some to make generalized statements without the responsibility of providing facts or proof.
Ask one of the present exco member, did I ever bring him to see the Coastal Tower! Where are you?
Forget to tell you, English is not my mother tongue. it took me many moons to learn before i am capable of writing anything! That explained why I hardly write anything in English before 2004. By the way, you can’t see my writing in Mandarin, I was writing for someone and published under the name of someone else. To the extend, that the special branch finally found me in USM ipoh branch campus. So who are you to ask me, where am i?????
No need to tell us. From your dodgy grammar and childish posting, we can all deduce you were not English ed.
bTW, no one interested in you so called past experience. SB probably looked you up because they suspected an unhinged mind or a nut case who might do harm. The fact that you were not detained meant they saw you more of a loony nuisance than a serious threat.
Ah Soon Kor, you have done more ‘daring’ & respectable things than Ostrich Boh Lan Hoot & cohorts & one PJ smart alec who has nothing better to do on earth than to bring down others’ reputation based on reading others’ past comments, some of which BTW were not furnished with B&W evidences but yet that smart alec by breaking his own fact-support principles has the bile of a bodek-wannabe to quote as his own gathered ‘facts’ for his personality-rebuking ammunition. If what I said (metaphorically) about O’ Blady banks do not exist in real life, yet being an eager… Read more »
A lesson for you to watch what you post! Big mouths often let the cat out of the bag. In your case, by your own admission you messed up your finances. Instead of taking responsibility, you go on and on with your inane rants against banks and credit cards. What’s next? When you slip and fall, you blame the floor for being slippery? When lost for words and unable to answer , what is your response? Another dose of nonsensical gibberish …blardy this…blardy that. YOu write like an 8 year old. Yet all to eager to have your say about… Read more »
All the while asking for facts, but doesn’t know what is a metaphor, what is a fact. Quick to jump to conclusion … What is now, what is history. You can’t differentiate.
You are the … fool. Using other’s history to justify your incompetent discourse with real malice. Don’t blame others, don’t spew venoms. For your faulty discourse with others.
Go Google O’Blady Bank. And open an account if you like it.
My life is of no concern to you. Unless you want to send me money.
You are free to challenge me, in whatever form. Wait for you.
Its all about u right? Maybe you should reflect back on why after all the sacrifice no one seems to appreciate. Dig deep and be truthful.
I saved more human lives than you can ever image. … you don’t even know who are you dealing with.
More tall tales from a kopitiam hero with delusions of grandeur. Please spare us your drivel. Such intelligence and vision, yet resigned to filling your days on someone else’s blog. Wannabe…
Want to know where this 250ft story came from? Read the following article. Penang should allow more reclamation to address land shortage By Regina William of The Edge Malaysia Friday, 10 December 2010 15:00 GEORGE TOWN: The state government should allow more reclamation, higher plot ratio, development above 250 feet in certain areas and development of other parts of the island to address the current land shortage for property development. Penang Real Estate and Housing Developers Association (Rehda) chairman Datuk Jerry Chan said with land scarcity on the island, land prices have “hit the roof”. “Developers are being branded as… Read more »
Who are we catering to in the name of housing needs? Among the basic needs of jobs, food, clothing & a roof over our heads, the housing need has been allowed to become a richie’s need according to the fancies of developers. Social class ‘caste system’ has become the guiding mantra of Penang zoning & planning of abodes influenced by developers. PDC, do you still agree to such corrupted fancies? Where has your mission & vision (gone wrong?)? This is unacceptable, socially irresponsible & environmentally disastrous to say the least. Remember this: housing is one of the basic/primary needs of… Read more »
The development along the North Coastal Area mainly Batu Ferringhi does not reflect the planning and design of a coastal town that should have been the character and identity for the area. The numerous hill side development here are mainly residential areas whereas Batu Ferringhi needs a town centre that showcases as an environmentally friendly town, like incorporating a public park as a green lung and pedestrian access to cater for the expanding residential population and tourist influx. The beach front will always remain but the town would need to reinvent itself, less it may forever remain a sleepy hollow.… Read more »
The northern coastal area from Tanjung Bungah till Batu Feringghi & Teluk Bahang are preferred by the rich & famous for their total exclusivity of privacy than a township of congestion & no privacy. Their demand is reflected by the type of housing development of bungalows & super-high end condos which precisely cater to these private lifestyle than say Bayan Baru link-houses &b flats of accessible neighborliness. Eden Ferringhi may come close to a mini township but still the privacy preference defeats such purpose of a thriving township of business, cars, people & noise. The more quiet, the better is… Read more »
Why should the ‘richie’ dictate what is best for a place. The locals in Batu Ferringhi are the true community that have strive and toil here before the ‘richie’ invaded the place through such schemes as the MM2H.
The locals deserve better than what is avalable now since it is here that they live, earn a living and raising
their families. To let developers decide on whats best to be develop here is a total cop out. Planners and the relevent authorities have to devise a better master plan before things get out of hand.
You are certainly right about development in that area. It has never been balanced and cheap and basic facilities such as pedestrian paths aren’t even satisfactory despite them being important to the average and poorer segments of society. Yet you get high end luxury homes being built. Take a walk out of the homes and you find illegal restaurants by the roadside, illegal parking attendants and stall operators who think they own the road as well.
PDC may/should have the answers for a proper township in the northern coast. The existing Teluk Bahang mini ‘town’ with greater flatland is great potential for a mixed-developed township to cater to all strata of society, not solely to the richie. Also, a proposed theme park nearby can add to this township attraction & provide jobs for locals. Other tourism related businesses can enhance the economic prospect of such a township. Still, the traffic infrastructure has to be improved first. Public transport, wider coastal roads & traffic dispersal network are some primary issues to consider to cater to township needs.… Read more »
Since 308, Rehda has been lobbied for the relaxation on the restriction on development over flat land of hill above 250ft. lgE dare to take the risk due to the restriction from NLC over 250ft hill top development.
lgE’s attempt to use this episode to misled the people to cover his (alleged) abuse of power on hillside development proved once again that he is as worst as KTK or BN.
Instead of coming out with full disclosure, LGE comes out swinging with yet again with bucketful of spins and misinformations. I have never heard of this 250ft limit before. LGE has not disclosed this guideline to the public before this and wonder if this ever been gazetted. Furthermore I have my doubts on the logic of 250 ft limit without considering other geological and environmental factors. I have done some research on the Prof and he has a very impressive credentials. I remember reading LGE annoucing the formation of a panel of experts with Prof Gue leading it back in… Read more »
WHAT THE HELL
Experiential on the Hill: Highland Towers today. It still feels like a dream home sanctuary, verdant green trees breathing out pure oxygen like ShangriLa’s air space. Chirping birds to wake up your sleepy senses in the cool predawn. Clear blue sky 360º all round. Sunrise, sunset. Privacy at every turn, in every home. But in reality, this is no longer a dream abode anymore. It was a home on an emerald hill high in the sky turned nightmarish some 19 years ago. It is now empty of warm living souls, void of happy voices, cold & damp with dark whispering… Read more »
One of the bad practices of lgE is to mess around with the development density with total disregard to his own policy. lgE should show us how he controls the amount of development that is allowed by limiting density and intensity of development – the minimum land area required for each house – and by limiting the maximum floor area of each house. Limiting the floor area or size of a house is important for several reasons: • Large houses are more visible and therefore create greater adverse visual impacts. • Large houses cover more land area, therefore requiring more… Read more »
If lgE has nothing to hide, he should bar all the fact to show Penangites that all the hillslope development approved by him meet the following requirement: 1) Ensure that the projects are of high qualit. 2. Ensure that projects are designed to fit with and avoid the site constraints. 3. Minimize the potential for geologic failures, fires, and floods that result from or adversely impact new development. 4. Maintain the natural appearance of the hillsides from all vantage points including the valley floor. 5. Protect ridgelines from development. 6. Maximize contiguous natural open space. 7. Maintain the rural, natural,… Read more »
why and who approve hill development
The developers have the answers but they won’t tell you until they have built, sold & profited excessively from all existing inches of forested hills in Penang Island.
Perhaps, we the common 99% have no say in what is good for Penang housing.
PJ folks, don’t kacau in this state issue.
Please lah, since when do you represent the people of Penang? Shameless attention seeker.
Just because you are financially messed up and unable to afford doesn’t mean the world has to stop.
Dear Anill Netto,
Where is the location of the farmland in Teluk Bahang for the proposed scout camp site?
Dear Mr Netto,
Do you know where the proposed camp site for the scouts will be at?
Sorry, I haven’t heard anything about this.
Nobody read The Star for serious news.
Only read it if you need to find materials for your stand-up comedy like Patrick Teoh has done.
http://www.niamah.com/2012/06/my-shaky-debut-at-stand-up-comedy.html
Surely the current state government can veto these projects? While the current government prides itself in being environmental loving, several recent issues have made me quite sceptical. What about other environmental issue such as the beaches (Batu Ferringhi) and Monkey Beach? Read the paper today, the government and MPPP plan on building 8 gazebos on the beach. That’s 8 more permenant structures on the beachfront of our beloved Batu Ferringhi. As if the current massage gazebos aren’t enough of an eyesore. Apparently, this is to appease the watersports operators…I don’t get it. This is a bad idea.. Not sure if… Read more »
A veto you say? A veto is to be used only if it is provided by law. In this case, does the CM of Penang have unbridled veto powers?
You talk without regard to reality. As if the CM is all powerful and able to disregard all legal and regulatory provisions. If you are shallow minded enough to assume such, it is no wonder the MSM continues to hoodwink the public!
Sze Toh, your last para makes the point !!!
To stop all the hill projects, we need to amend the law first.
Will everyone agree to it ?
At least Pakatan government stick to the law and not like BN government, blatan abuse of the law so as to make profits for some people in high places and some scrumbs for some. Enough said.
Amend the existing laws for the developers’ greedy needs or for the 99% local Penangites?
My2Home stakes can take a backseat as a non issue of no social or economic advantage.
The fact-based, antic-based point is: You must be too keen to be ‘officially conferred’ Anilnetto.com Self-Appointed (S)ensor Of Facts First (its acronym is self-censored). Here’s to your long-awaited conferment for your long unrecognized hard work of facts-scanning & rebuking of others since 2011! If you are also a free-time loyar tak burok (which I have to opine readily but without the how-to-get-this-supposed-fact on earth), you are welcomed here to provide ‘a cuppa’ of legal service & fact-filled advice 24/7/365 at any inner-city George Town kopitiam in Penang to anyone of us who may (in your hallucination) get into trouble for… Read more »
Sze Tho, you are right that if the gov now revokes or bans projects which were already approved, they risk being challenged legally in court and may end up having to pay a penalty. However, the state still has to identify the many projects around which are deemed dangerous and revoke the approval even if it was granted by the previous gov. It would be a grave mistake to allow a dangerous project to continue out of fear of legal challenges. If we had loved ones living below these slopes, we too would halt these projects. Lives are more important… Read more »
Precisely my point. You are way too liberal in labelling them as “dangerous projects”. What is your basis? Any facts would be helpful….not assumptions. if the project has breached regulatory requirements , action can be taken. Of course! But you cannot assert that projects be cancelled or approval revoked because you “feel alarmed” “suspect” or have suspicions. Gov cannot revoke a valid business venture or project on such emotional grounds. Any decision made has to be by the law. If the requirements are met, rules complied with, who are you to demand this and that? Are you opinions more important… Read more »
I was referring to the projects which were approved by the previous government but who were allowed to continue under the new gov because of fear of legal challenges. The new gov with the help of a professor has determined that anything above 250ft and above a 25 degree gradient is not safe. LGE adds that his admin has not approved any such project but many which are currently in the pipeline were approved by previous gov and he cannot stop it because there may be penalties. I know he is speaking the truth. All me and tunglang are saying… Read more »
Commonsense should rule & prevail in the clear minds of those with entrusted authorities. We are not asking for legal troubles, but caring concern for the safety of those under the harbinger shadows of “Highland Tower v2” in Penang. Rules are man-made, but we are not to be straitjacketed ‘helplessly’ in the name of business legality above civilian safety. What is our brain for (making the right choices)? Let me ask you the intellectually smart alec: If your hill neighbor is allowed to build a mini Tower of Babel in his backyard (already) approved by some legal authorities, dead or… Read more »
Again, you miss the point. Who are you to dictate to others without facts and valid basis? Cancel projects and revoke approval because in your opinion( in all your so called wisdom ) believes it to be “dangerous” and “inappropriate”. Smart Alecs are people like you who make claims but provide no basis to back it up. What happens when you revoke approval or veto a project without legal or scientific grounds? You get sued. And the court will probably rule and order you to be given approval and damages. Of course easy for kopi tiam loyar buruks like yourself… Read more »
Keep away your foulish language, smart alec!
Otherwise go to Komtar Tower and shout out loud your points!
No need to thumb down others opinions with insisting of facts.
Can you tell/show us for a fact (prove it) that you are born smart? Prove it with pictures, lab scans or whatever your … proves.
The purpose of Anil’s blog is to share with us citizens the ‘hidden’ going-ons, which otherwise are censored from the public. The public are invited, voluntarily to voice their personal opinion at some risks, without the caveat of providing any form of facts which will overload or take time to furnish a simple discussion. Who as readers has time to scan all facts unlike one smart alec who seemingly has all the time in PJ to do so. Anil, do you agree? Please clarify for the sake all contributors who has time or no time to comment with facts &… Read more »
Everyone is free to voice an opinion here as long as its not blatant untruths or in abusive language.
You are of course free to disagree, but please be civil when disagreeing. No need to make personal attacks against any of the commenters.
Foul language you say? It seems you have a fondness for exaggeration and making things up Tung Lang.
Anil: in any discussion & disagreement, opposing views are to be expected. NOT conjecture and repeated assumptions based on a biased view.
In tUng Lang’s case, he should be ready to take criticism as readily as he dishes it out . Hiding behind a lot of irrelevant gibberish when he is caught pants down or cry mommy when he gets hit for it.
No one has a monopoly on comments.
Actually, I think most times everyone has a ‘biased’ view, based on his/her worldview, perspective and selection/omission of facts/context/setting.
Gaduh-gaduh is part of life la… Anil is the fairest of all !!!
Yes, people are bias most of the time.
I think Sze Tho is quite right to say that Tunglung loves exaggeration.
Maybe Tunglung is a poet la !!!
But Sze Tho, i think your tone is a bit heavy on Kevin la. I know Kevin meant it good.
Let’s make peace !!!
Kevin: It is well and good for all concerned to express our individual disagreement to certain projects. We each have our own views and I bear no malice towards you for that. Having said that, we should all be responsible in our comments. If we are to make accusations that projects are dangerous or to accuse someone of being corrupt, at the very least we should give reasonable cause or basis. This can be done in 3-4 brief sentences. ( unlike some empty vessels like TL and Ah Soon who frequently tell tall tales and exaggerate ) After all, the… Read more »
I have foreboding nightmares for my sanctuary Pantai Keracut. Though it is under State National Park, anything can happen in the name of eco-tourism & cosmopolitan itch. This secluded beach front need to be swept clean of any man-made structure by another tsunami! Otherwise, made it more ghastly, deadly haunted for those bent on profiteering from developing even an inch of it! FYI, Pantai Keracut is ‘protected’ by a Harimau ‘penunggu’, a forest demonic entity which I believe has claimed a stake on this estate before men stepped foot on Pulo Panang. No wildcat’s paws could match the size of… Read more »
above 250 ft and specified gradient slope degrees must be the criteria to uphold :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ml921tHz3v0&w=400
The blame game on pre-308 or post-308 will start, but in the interest of Penangites, ban all or any itchy developer from stepping foot on our hills, whether zero feet or 250 ft and above. Don’t wait until an environmental disaster happens & then conveniently, gamely blame on The Almighty! There should be an enacted law for criminal murder against developers, contractors, architects, civil engineers & surveyors in the event of lost of lives & properties caused by environmental disasters resulting from irresponsible, greed-induced development. Are we waiting for Highland Towers v2 to reenact in Penang Island? There seems to… Read more »
This may be a rare occasion but I have to agree with Eu Soon today. Humans can plan and create the most stringent guidelines but even the best engineers are not God. Nature is unpredictable. As long as there is a slope of sufficient gradient a disaster could occur regardless of the height of project. One cannot for instance guarantee that a slope that is 200ft is safe from landslides. People may be happy so long as nothing happens and all is well but when a disaster occurs, who will be able to stop it? Who will be responsible? Will… Read more »
250 ft is about 30 storey high buildings from mean sea level. If Penang is like Cape Town or Capital of Tibet, when the whole city cannot be built is only a guide line. What happen if the slope is of angle 20.1 degree? Does it means no structure even a Doghouse or Chicken farm structure can be built?
kingkong, you are very clever !!!
Well done LGE.