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Are you concerned about Tg Bunga hill-slope projects?

Anil Netto
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6

Are you worried by what you see, each time you go past the hillslopes of Tanjung Bunga?

George, one of the flood victims in Chee Seng Gardens, says:

… 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:

  • 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.

So do realise that this is a problem and we Malaysians as a country must address it.

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 Gardens

Say NO to racial politics

Anil Netto
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Everyone seems to be worried about the way issues of race have shot to the forefront as 16 Sept nears.

Certain politicians are using the oldest trick in the book to whip up support: the manipulation of racial issues to appeal to base, primordial sentiments.

We must reject such bankrupt politicians – or better still, ignore them. When I was a kid, my mother told me if anyone calls you names or tries to rile you up, just ignore them. And you know what? It worked. Those who do that thrive on getting an angry response from you. But if you act like it doesn’t matter what they say – if you show them that it doesn’t affect you one bit – they walk away disappointed that their taunting didn’t work.

Similarly, if there is one thing a politician fears or hates more than losing public support, it is to be ignored completely by the public and by the media and to be rendered irrelevant.

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Abad Naluri to appeal MPPP’s rejection of PGCC

Anil Netto
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Equine Capital has informed Bursa Malaysia of the following:

On 22 August, Equine’s associate company, Abad Naluri, the developer of the Penang Global City Centre, received a letter from the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) dated 18 August 2008 advising the company that its proposed development plans for the Penang Global City Centre Project had been rejected.

Abad Naluri is currently in the process of appealing the MPPP’s decision, addressing the various points and concerns raised by the MPPP.

Gosh, they don’t give up, do they? Hello, it’s supposed to be dead and buried, remember?

Antares has this timely reminder for us:

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Here’s why Penang should ban hill-slope development

Anil Netto
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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 sanctuary

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 tastes

Taman 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.

The 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:

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

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Amazing sight – ever seen a flooded hill-slope?

Anil Netto
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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

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Why is Penang turning into the Venice of the East?

Anil Netto
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17

The floods in Penang last night created a lot of hardship and frustration. Let’s take a look at some of the root causes of the recurrent floods in Penang:

  • Concrete jungle development increases surface run-off
  • Hill cutting and hill-slope development
  • Indiscriminate development and lack of green open spaces
  • Poor drainage/clogging of drains
  • Poor planning and oversight by the previous BN administration
  • Climate change and rising sea levels?

Some of you have a good idea of what’s causing these repeated floods. But first, let’s hear from Dalbinder Singh Gill, who recounts his nightmare last night. He also discovers a little-known highway development:

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.

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Floods submerge parts of Penang

Anil Netto
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Floods hit parts of Penang late this evening after continuous rain over the last 18 hours.  Twenty house in the Pulau Betong area were submerged.

A newspaper editor told me he was wading in waist-deep to chest-high waters in the Jalan P Ramlee area. Some parts are submerged in five feet of water. “It’s the worst flood here since 1995,” he said.

Francis Light School has been turned into a relief centre. About 250 families in the P Ramlee/Perak Road area are being provided with food and rations.  It is now drizzling and the floods appear to be receding.

Meanwhile, about 2,000 affected residents in Balik Pulau are refusing to evacuate, but no action has been taken as flood waters are receding.

The Teluk Kumbar to Balik Pulau road is blocked; and it will take several hours for it to be reopened.

Crotalus reports from Sungai Ara:

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.

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All my bags are packed – but to China, Taiwan or Oz?

Anil Netto
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39

One more day to go for the scheduled study trip, but they are still not sure where they are heading. It’s scheduled to start from tomorrow-lah!

Perhaps all they want is just to get those BN MPs out of the country for a while. The official term for this trip is “educational agricultural field trip”. Meanwhile, Anwar has gone off for his own lawatan kerja to Indonesia – and he is still insisting the defections are on track.

Barisan Back-benchers’ Club chairman Tiong King Sing is quoted in The Star as saying:

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.”

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FT Gerakan chief joins PKR

Anil Netto
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16

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…

Latest on Penang mega projects

Anil Netto
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3

This is the latest status of all the mega projects in Penang. These remarks are based on the Prime Minister’s reply to a question raised by the Penang Chief Minister in Parliament on 20 August 2008.

What the first three projects have in common is that the financial models were all messed up.

My comments and recommendations, for what they are worth, are in italics.

Second Penang Bridge: Federal government now studying the financial model put forward by Syarikat Jambatan Kedua Pulau Pinang Sdn Bhd, a wholly owned federal government subsidiary, based on a new bridge model. (I guess they messed up with the earlier financial model.) It is also drafting terms and conditions of a concession agreement before starting negotiations with the company. (Sounds like right hand going to negotiate with left hand.)

To cut a long story short: Still under study.

My recommendation: The cost has nearly doubled to RM5 billion. Turn it into a shorter rail link at a different location and allow the Penang State Government to hold a majority stake in the company.

Penang Outer Ring Road (Porr): Supposed to have been built under build-operate-transfer privatisation model. But not feasible without strong federal government support or high tolls. Federal government now facing financial constraints so unable to use development expenditure under the Five-Year Malaysia Plan to implement it. But project may be considered if private companies are interested.

To cut a long story short: No federal government funding.

My recommendation: Scrap it because of environmental concerns and future congestion. Move away from private vehicle ownership and introduce an integrated public transport system.

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