What Patrick Lim didn’t show us: The missing 35 towers

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PGCC from Batu Gantong

Holy shmoly! What the…

So PGCC master planner Nasrine Seraji claims I misquoted her and took her comments out of context. She was reported as saying that those comments were made four years ago and that no slides or pictures were shown on my blog post, which she claims was also not in the context of her conference.

But those comments were published by Canada.com last November, less than a year ago. Take a look at my original post here, where you can also find the link to her full original Canada.com interview (which doesn’t contain any pictures and slides either) and then you decide if I misquoted her and put her views out of context.

You want to talk about not giving the full picture and putting things out of context? Patrick Lim, Fox Communication and the mainstream media have been misleading the public by telling us only about the “iconic” crooked twin towers. (One of them is 66 storeys high by the way, almost similar to Komtar, that ugly protrusion in the centre of George Town.)

They have not shown the public what the other 35 towers on the site would look like. (Yes, I have recounted – there will be 37 towers in all, almost all of them over 40 storeys high.) The above view (which is actually a cut-out model done to scale on the actual plan – minus the Fox gloss) is what my late grandma and my late dad will see from Batu Gantong. (The crooked towers are at the top left and Scotland Road is on the right at the bottom.) Not a pretty sight.

In fact, the two crooked towers will be lost and almost hidden in the maze of three dozen other towers!

By the way, most of these towers will have five-storey car parks. That’s right, thousands of car-park lots. And don’t forget the Penang Outer Ring Road passing behind the crooked towers. “Zero-carbon” city, huh?

And the view below is what the well-heeled residents of Jesselton will see from their tranquil and peaceful neighbourhood. (This time, the crooked towers are on the right.)

You still want to talk about putting things out of context and not giving the full picture?

Are Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi and Chief Minister Koh Tsu Koon aware of this monumental folly, which they are pushing for fast-track approval?

PGCC from Jesselton

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Damian
Damian
11 Sep 2008 12.56pm

I bet Penangites are thanking God that they voted the DAP in! God Almighty! what a few morally bankrupt politicians ably aided and abetted by ruthless businessmen will do for money! I am sure there is common law out there somewhere that makes it a crime against humanity or the environment or civil society or something to even attempt such destruction! The present government ought to find a way to prosecute those responsible for the proposed PGCC project. The people must demand that legal and procedural mechanisms be put in place to prevent such monstrous development from ever taking place… Read more »

WildEcho
WildEcho
24 Mar 2008 11.48pm

I suggest the State government takes over the Global City Centre project and turn it into a public iconic project, an international competition for best ideas and design should be called with open tender, of course the present owner will be invited to participate or opt out with a reasonable profit.This will surely guarantees that the yearly state fiscal deficits can easily be wiped out from the surplus that can be generated, after all the existing developer has forecasted a return of (if I am not mistaken) R20 Billion over 15 years, i.e.approximately R1.33 billion per annum on a prorated… Read more »

born2reign
born2reign
9 Apr 2008 1.43pm

Danielchan and Alan, You did not mean you want a high COST of living, you want a high STANDARD of living, clean air and water, no pollution to environment and food, designated gardens and parks, good working hours, transport system, low inflation and friendly community. Can someone clarify whether Malaysia/state govt employs professional town planners, for I understand that Singapore actually engage foreign town planners from developed countries to design their country. I hope the current CM will revamp the entire town planning objectives and strategies, start by looking at the needs of the people – engage the locals in… Read more »

kenneth chong
kenneth chong
17 Mar 2008 11.07pm

Mr Netto,for twenty years i have been away from my birthplace,your report has told of the rape and pillaging of the Pearl of theOrient by greed and corrupted civil bureaucrats supposedly elected to serve the Penangites.When will it ever stop,now i can understand why Messrs Lim Keng Yaik,MCA and the rest of the Gerakan hierachy have been dumped unceremoniously by the electorate.Also it does great reading if some investigative report was to be done on the Port Klang FZ and the MCA involvement was brought to the public attention,oh dont forget to mention the so called resignation of the Federal… Read more »

bennymat7
bennymat7
20 Mar 2008 7.45am

Holy…. what a monster looking project! Thank God Opposition is in control.
Imagine how ugly Penang will look if Patrick Lim had his way ?
Corruption rear its ugly head !

doggone
doggone
21 Mar 2008 4.18pm

Talk about Suharto’s last stand. Is this multiple erections a tribute to that Sleepy wonder we so abhor?

Had that project been built, Penang would finally be known as the ‘Peril of the Orient.’

wong soon kien
wong soon kien
25 Mar 2008 4.56pm

The present Gov must act professionally on the matter. First is to look at the project and impose reasonable conditions for the benefit of the people of Penang and at the same time promote development. Lets make this place the main attraction for the people of Penang and the tourist. Open it up for competition to get the best design and get on with the project.

Yeemeeyoh
Yeemeeyoh
1 Jan 2008 5.26pm

Koh Tsu Koon has scrxxed Penang for long enough.
Make no mistake, we want him out this next election. Its about time Penangites do a 1969 again and throw out this corrupt and gutless government. Make sure he knows that he is no longer wanted in the Penang Government and he is not even wanted in Penang. Go – live in the stables in Patrick Lim’s Equine Park.

danielchan
danielchan
28 Mar 2008 6.01pm

how does one balance between the need for physical infrastructure development and the need for personal/society/environment concerns? new gov walking on thin ice as at is but i pray well-intentioned penangites will do all they can to assist the new gov by highlighting local penang issues; which may otherwise escape their attetion. one unshakeable truth is that the MAJORITY of residents in penang acknowledge that the new gov, if not anything, is much more dependable than the previous one. it may not save, or mean, a lot in the bigger scheme of things,but the recent cancellation of those proton perdanas… Read more »

daniel
daniel
30 Mar 2008 11.04pm

hi alan, higher living standards, in the malaysian sense, more often that not, are equated to the ever-present state of physical possessions (e.g. taller buildings, flashier cars, bigger concrete homes [as opposed to more greefields] etc….). i’d root for a development of the mind/soul/body of a person, or a more caring attitude towards mother nature, anytime over those materialistic considerations.but can most of us stomach it?i can.but then again,i may be a dreamer. your questions are valid (as if they need me to validify them, hahaha). back to the main heading here (re: 35 buildings), these are part of what… Read more »

alan
alan
30 Mar 2008 3.49am

What is the point of all this developments without due concern for the welfare of the people?

What is the point of having a high cost of living when we are having a low quality of living?

pakshah
24 Dec 2007 1.52pm

Dreadful ,dreadful.
Penangites didn’t ask for this. Shame on Penangites Tsu Koon and Abdullah.

arifabdull
16 Sep 2007 12.55am

nampak macam batu nesanlah, hehehehee!

MAHAGURU58
15 Sep 2007 11.32pm

Anil,

This is serious man. You must help save Penang.

I suggest you get Raja Petra Kamarudin to post this in his http://www.malaysia-today.net

The exposure will surely open up all the people’s eyes!

I will refer to this in mine. Can I copy the details and photos from here?

Sure, go ahead, mahaguru!

CHP
CHP
15 Sep 2007 3.18pm

Oh my goodness…in the 2nd picture, the whole area looks like a cemetery with the towers as tombstones! What on earth are they thinking?!?

kj
kj
18 Sep 2007 9.05pm

is it confirmed that all 37 blocks of buildings are at least 40-story high towers?
From the website of asymptote (http://www.asymptote.net/), the main architectural firm of this project, and another website (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=505570), most of the development comprises of low rise buildings which are maybe 5-7 stories high, and only 6 or 7 tall towers for hotels and condominiums. the model in the above pictures are made by who anyway?