GEORGE TOWN: The public can view all documents relating to hill land development on Penang island from Monday.
The documents will be available at Komtar for viewing for two weeks, state Local Government and Traffic Management Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said.
“All relevant documents pertaining to projects involving land above 250ft from 2006 onwards will be declassified.
“The documents include working papers and minutes of meetings,” he told a press conference here yesterday.
Chow said the state government was bound by existing policies and guidelines created by the previous administration but was “committed to bolstering them to better safeguard public interest”.
He said under the Penang Structure Plan 2020 that was gazetted in 2007, “special projects” were not defined.
He said “special projects” was an escape clause for development in areas exceeding 250ft and on hillslopes with gradients of more than 25 degrees.
“In 2009, we defined special projects' as projects approved prior to the adoption of the plan and those on land zoned for residential use.
“The increase of approvals for projects above 250ft did not start with us. In 2006 and 2007, 18 such projects were approved.
“Approvals given by us after 2008 were only for amendments to plans approved previously,” he said.
On why the state government could not impose new guidelines after coming into power, Chow said it would be pointless as the developer could always revert to the plan that was approved by the previous administration.
The public wanting to view the documents at Bilik Perdana, Level 4, Komtar, must make an appointment with the council's development planning department by calling 04-259 2020. - The Star
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