Penang Forum is concerned to hear about extensive ‘redevelopment’ plans for Pulau Jerejak, a prized natural asset and green lung for the state.
The corporate ‘takeover’ of Penang Island’s eastern coastline
Bit by bit, relentlessly, large stretches of the coastline of the eastern half of Penang Island have been handed over or sold to property developers, who are planning mostly higher-end projects.
The strong fencing (albeit temporary) in the photo above may be seen as a metaphor for the way coastal stretches are now being hived off to private interests.
The latest is Pulau Jerejak, part of which is now going to be closely associated with Ideal Property and Uda Holdings.
Just tram it!
Penang Forum, a civil society coalition of Penang-based NGOs and concerned individuals, has come up with a new video in its persistent campaign call for a ‘Better, Cheaper, Faster’ Penang transport masterplan as an alternative to the over-the-top RM46bn proposal put up by SRS Consortium.
The Chinese version below:
Floods, landslide, partial road collapse after latest downpour in Penang
After a heavy downpour in Penang, more havoc. This road collaspse is around 50 metres from the back door of the Tropical Spice Garden in northern Penang Island. Stress marks were spotted in 2015 along other stretches of the road further north in nearby Batu Ferringhi.
A landslide also struck the area at 5.30am.
MBPP continues operations to clear obstructed pavements
Not long ago, while walking along a dim ‘five-foot way’ in town, my knee struck against a parked motorbike in the shadows. “Ouch! Man, that hurt,” I thought to myself, with none-too-pleasant thoughts about the person who had parked the bike there and the council for allowing such things to continue happening.
Penang Forum launches Penang Hills Watch online crowd-sourcing mapping initiative
Now everyone can report hill clearing activities using Whatspp or email! Penang Forum held a press conference this morning to launch the Penang Hills Watch initiative.
Purported ‘suicide note’ that went viral reveals pressure, despair felt by some
This suicide at the second Penang bridge startled many not least due to the reported message purportedly left behind by the victim on Facebook. This statement by Parit Buntar MP Mujahid Yusof is worth pondering on.
Flash floods hit Farlim, state mosque area
Flash floods submerged Jalan Thean Teik in Farlim in front of All Seasons after a heavy downpour this evening. The areas around the state mosque, the Turf Club area and Jalan P Ramlee were also affected.
Welcome to the new ‘Thean Teik River’.
Newspaper deliveries slump; Gurney Drive going green?
Today, I met someone I know who delivers newpapers to homes in his neighbourhood in Penang every morning on a part-time basis. He told me he used to deliver about 170-180 newspapers on his daily rounds about two years ago. Nowadays, that figure has fallen to around 80.
From 87 units per acre density to 128 units per acre!
I am not sure what is going on here. The state government has announced that the “87 units per acre guideline, after deliberation with all stakeholders, will be replaced by a new guideline of 128 units per acre, whereby the units developed under this guideline cannot be less than 900 square feet and cannot be priced less than RM400,000…”