BALIK PULAU: Residents of Kampung Genting here are relieved after plans to acquire their land for the building of a women’s university were called off.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the Asian Women’s Leadership University (AWLU) Project had agreed to a 40ha land in Jalan Pondok Upeh here instead.
“We had initially offered them the plot in Jalan Pondok Upeh, along with areas in Batu Kawan, but they rejected them and chose Kampung Genting,” he told Kampung Genting residents at the South-East District and Land Office here yesterday.
“We made a final appeal to them after a meeting with the residents earlier this month and fortunately, a win-win situation was reached.”
Lim said that he understood the grouses of the 90-odd landowners, who would have been affected, as much of the area represented land that had been passed down through generations.
The Pondok Upeh site consists of 40ha state land and no acquisition or dislocation of residents would be needed, he said.
Lim said that a state gazette for the acquisition of the Kampung Genting land would be allowed to lapse when it expires on Aug 5.
“AWLU is a world-renowned institution of higher learning from the United States that is famed for its liberal arts and leadership curriculum.
“Although they have been offered other sites, they have chosen Malaysia as their host country and Penang as the location for their campus.
“Their presence here will greatly benefit the future of our children and make a name not only for Penang, but the whole country,” Lim said.
He said the not-for-profit project was a Federal Government initiative that had the support of the state and was expected to bring in RM492mil in investments and create 190 high-value jobs.
According to AWLU Project’s website, the campus is scheduled to open in September 2015. - The Star
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