These are a few images of the northern coast of Penang Island sent to me by a worried Claire with the following message:
I really wish these photos could be added to your site to show all how beautiful Malaysia is and can be and that it is painful to see what it is becoming!
Deforestation near “The Reef”…
...and then you get this
More pictures inside
… in Chee Seng Gardens, Tanjong Bunga this is a hill slope. Floods do not happen on a hill slope unless something has gone wrong, seriously wrong. I have lived in this area for nearly 40 years and there has not been a flood due to water run-off from the hills in this manner until the recent hill-cutting exercise began. … to allow hill cutting will only make worse many areas:Residents of Chee Seng have called a meeting with their Penang State Assembly representative Teh tonight at his service centre to discuss the unending problems caused by uncontrolled hillslope development in Tg Bunga. Those of you affected by these problems and interested in participating in this meeting are thus invited to attend. Details are as follows: Date: Wednesday, 10 September 2008 Time: 9.00pm Venue: 3 Jalan Chee Swee Ee, Tanjung Bunga (DAP Service Centre) Likely attendees: Teh and @ 20 residents of Chee Seng GardensSo do realise that this is a problem and we Malaysians as a country must address it.
- landslides and hill collapse
- huge water run-off, flooding areas immediately surrounding the hill-cut area and all low lying areas below the hill
- huge amounts of siltation, drain clogging,
- (possible) loss of life, be it drowning or being buried in tons of mud slides or even hill movement as in the highland case
- sea-life destruction due to huge amounts of mud being swept into the sea (pollution) – fishermen suffer too eventually. It is a cycle of destruction.
These pictures are of the Beverly Hills project, developed by Taman Ratu, and of the Surin Apartments project, developed by Bolton Bhd – all in Tanjung Bunga, the constituency of former Chief Minister Koh Tsu Koon
Clearly, there is a need to check if the developers have complied with the conditions in the development order and to see if the retention ponds are functioning properly. If these have been flouted, the MPPP has to issue a stop-work order.
This is what Taman Ratu says about itself and its Beverly Hills project:
Welcome to Beverly Hills 11200 Your very own residential sanctuaryThe Pakatan state government must ban all hill-slope development from now on. It cannot afford to adopt a “business friendly” stance with such developers – not at the expense of residents and their surrounding environment. This is a clear-cut case of “business friendly” policies running counter to the people’s interest. A clearly upset Lim sent in this comment:Every carefully considered acquisition of an elite Beverly Hills Property speaks volumes of its proprietor. With its Mediterranean inspired resort-like architecture and landscaped surroundings, Beverly Hills 11200 is a retreat as much as it is a showpiece featuring impeccable design and development credentials.
Captivating
no single word can more appropriately describe the effervescence of our latest collection of Exclusive Residences Nestled between a rich backdrop of Hill and Sea, our selection of distinctively tailored private residences caters towards the most discerning of tastesTaman Ratu Sdn. Bhd. is a property developer with years of experience in Malaysia, with a perfect track record in sales, dedicated to enhance the living standards.
Building on the success of The Marina Tower, Twin Towers, Coastal Towers, and The Straits Regency, as the ultimate statement in stylish luxury living with the grand seaview of Ratu Mutiara, Tanjung Bungah, Penang.
Yes, all hill development should stop right now itself. The state government should not allow the Surin project or any other projects on hill slopes to be developed. This will only lead to the destruction of Penang. I appeal to PKR, don’t continue to allow what BN has allowed. I am a victim of these two recent floods, one in July and this recent one. You cannot imagine my suffering and stress.Han2 mourns the Penang he has lost and holds Koh Tsu Koon responsible:
I just moved back from KL to my own house in Batu Ferringhi and each time I pass those hill slope development projects, I can only think of human greed and the stupidity of the previous state government for approving these projects. I do not know what to make of these projects but the muddy sea water tells me all is not right. When I see Koh Tsu Koon in person, I will insist he explains his decisions to me to my satisfaction before I let him go. He ruined my Penang.
More pictures inside
Another tourist draw for Penang?: This flooded hill-slope could be one of the Wonders of the World
Floods hit the Chee Seng area near Tanjung Bunga in Penang during heavy rain over the weeked. Incredibly, even the hill-slope was flooded.
Observed a couple of residents in the area:
On 6 September 2008, at about 5.45pm during normal heavy rain (this is the rainy season), massive amounts of rain water flowed down from the hills, overflowing all drains and onto Jalan Chan Siew Teong itself. This is due to the hills being recently cut by two housing developers. As a result, the entire road became a river of about 20 feet wide and about 6 to 8 inches deep with muddy water running the entire stretch of the road.Residents living there for the last 39 years were shocked. During that period, they had never encountered such freak flooding in the housing area as the entire road is on a steep slope bordering the hills of Chee Seng Gardens. This is utterly ridiculous. A police report has been lodged against the developer responsible and a complaint has been lodged with the MPPP, but still there is no action. Most of the residents there are elderly people who cannot take action by themselves. The residents want the authorities to force the developer to do proper remedial work on the Bolton and Beverly Heights projects and to act more responsibly. In the first place, how were such projects approved on treacherous hill-slopes? Perhaps the previous BN administration can explain. Now the residents along Jalan Chan Siew Teong, Chee Seng Gargens want the authorities to pull the developers into line so that they act responsibly while developing the area. Now do you see the danger of having an administration that is too “business friendly”? The residents are not against development:
but NOT at the expense of causing trouble, nuisance and monetary loss to residents in the areas. That is all we are asking for. The time for irresponsible developer activities under the old administration – i.e. BN must end. We hope the new DAP administration can force the MPPP to serve ratepayers better by forcing the developers into responsible development.More pictures inside
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.
Went to Sg. Ara area in Penang. The main road was totally flooded. I don’t think my car is gonna start tomorrow. Was stuck in the flood…covering the height of my car tyre. Over on the mainland, BM area as usual was totally in chaos…flood everywhere.Lucky8 too reports on his not-so-lucky experience in Sungai Ara:
My place in Sungai Ara was having some flash flood … 6″- 1 foot high… need to relocate our cars to other place for parking and move things at home to a higher place as well. It lasted for about 1/2 hour plus, I guess. This morning, I could see many people cleaning their houses especially the car porch and in front of each house with a lot of mud on the road…Lucia reports from the Green Lane/Macalister Road area:
I wanted to attend the 916 forum too but due to the rain and flood, i didn’t! First time our church (in Macalister road) was flooded! (Not inside, just outside, I mean). It’s terrible! … It’s terrible that each time there is heavy downpour, flood! What was KTK doing?Lilian reports from Taman Lumba Kuda:
My place in Taman Lumba Kuda, opposite the State Mosque, next to St. Xavier’s Primary school Air Itam is flooded as well. Wanted to go to Han Chiang for the forum, got there, but the water was rising fast in the car park. After considering the risk, I left. One of my cars was already in the workshop due to a freak flood about two weeks ago. Already alerted the staff of the Adun in my area (the CM’s constituency of Air Putih-lah) and hope they find out what’s the cause.
Asked if it was true that the MPs were headed to Australia as was reported on some websites, Tiong said he had met with the sub-committee in the club arranging the trip. “However, we have yet to decide whether we should go to China or Taiwan. We have to weigh the pros and cons of these two destinations because for China, we will need to apply for visas.”
Gerakan FT chief Dr Tan Kee Kwong (photo credit: The Star) has joined PKR. He said he had lost faith in the leadership of Gerakan, Umno and the BN.
He is a former Segambut MP and son of the late ‘Mr Opposition’, Dr Tan Chee Khoon.
Has the exodus begun ahead of the lawatan sambil belajar? We wait and watch… ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin told ministry students at her former church that the United States sent troops to fight in the Iraq war on a “task that is from God.”… Palin asked the students to pray for the troops in Iraq, and noted that her eldest son, Track, was expected to be deployed there. “Our national leaders are sending them out on a task that is from God,” she said. “That’s what we have to make sure that we’re praying for, that there is a plan and that plan is God’s plan.”What utter rubbish. She should look up her bible.
Thousands of protesters rallied against the Iraq War at the Republican Convention on Monday. The thousands of protesters were almost all peaceful. I had US cable news on all day off and on, and never saw anything on it about the protests. Some teenager was pregnant, which is not their business or mine, but that was what they were talking about. Protesting the Republican Party’s warmongering and lethal corruption for the past 8 years– a record that has made it impolitick for George W. Bush to attend the conference of the party he still technically leads– now that was unworthy of public comment. A few at the rally were accused of breaking windows or throwing bottles at the police. 284 arrests were made. The press accounts suggest that in some instances police acted overly aggressively (i.e. unconstitutionally), moving in on protesters who were peaceful.
The old tram track on Penang Road
A tram expert has been spotted in Penang. Putting two and two together, I believe the proposal to bring back trams to Penang is now being given serious thought. Things seem to be moving.KUALA LUMPUR: Umno, the backbone of the ruling Barisan Nasional government, has issued a public apology over a remark made by Bukit Bendera Umno division head Datuk Ahmad Ismail during the Permatang Pauh parliamentary by-election last month. “We hope that the non-Malays will not be too disturbed with the statement and we apologise if it has incurred the sensitivities or unhappiness over the statement. “We apologise, Umno apologises although it is not our statement but it is a statement made by one of our division leaders. It is totally unwarranted and does not reflect the position and the attitude of Umno or the leadership of Umno. We regret it very much,” Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is also Umno deputy president, said here on Tuesday. In the run-up to the Permatang Pauh by-election, Ahmad had said at a ceramah that the Chinese community were mere “immigrants” in the country and thus were not entitled to be given equal rights in Malaysia.Contrast that with this article from Malaysian Insider and you will understand why the BN has lost so much support, even if some Malaysians may not really like Anwar:
(Koh Tsu Koon) was not strong enough to stop the Umno fellas. Let’s see the land cases coming up; you’ll find an Umno arm all over the place. Yes, and Guan Eng is saying, “You did not stop it.”
But check out theSun online today. In an article titled ‘Public land gone!’, Terence and Nades reported:
What was supposed to be land for facilities for the people in the up-market Bandar Utama township has ended up in private hands. All it took was for the previous members of the Selangor Executive Council to agree and for the then mentri besar to alienate the land to individuals, bodies, corporations – and even political parties…. All in all, seven parcels of land meant for public amenities have been misused…. Political parties have also got into the action and hijacked some of them. The land on which Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia (Gerakan)’s building is located was meant for a telecommunications exchange, while the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) now owns a parcel of land designated for a Tamil school.Ouch! Perhaps Keng Yaik would like to clarify. (As for the MIC, that’s a lost cause.)
The more they hammer Anwar, the more they popularise him. I was also part of it, hammering Anwar, telling all the stories about Anwar. Didn’t work. [The people responded by saying], ‘Lu kong si ha mi ah? Lu boh aneh cham ah, lu boh eong eh lang, sway lang, chau lang lai.’ (In Hokkien: ‘what are you all in BN talking about? Aren’t you so bad yourself? BN is useless, a pox on the people, and a bunch of rogues.’) I blame this purely on the arrogance, abuse of power and non-transparency of Umno, the interference of the ‘Fourth Floor’ boys who think they know best, and the inability to keep the civil servants at bay….