Howls against hill projects

As the Chief Minister, Lim Guan Eng must expect to come under scrutiny over how development in Penang, especially on the island, is shaped.

PENANGITES love the hills on the island passionately. Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng may be feeling the heat now but his predecessors from Barisan Nasional have also come under fire over hill development in the state.

The late Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu had to fend off accusations of plans to develop Penang Hill and even the late Datuk Ooi Ean Kwong, the State Assembly Speaker, was not spared. Following allegations of bribes being given for a project that would have blocked the view of the Kek Lok Si temple, he had to allow a motion to proceed in the State Assembly.

The allegation was unproven but the fact is that an ugly apartment block now stands on the foothills of the world-famous pagoda.

No sane local authority would have allowed such a structure to be put up but it did, and the state government came under shelling.

There was also a battle during the 1980s between non-governmental organisations and the state government over the loss of a heritage building belonging to the Christian mission to a prominent developer.

All these issues were prominently carried by the media and one only has to look up the archives to understand the passion of Penangites, who feel they should have a say in how the state is developed.

Penangites prefer a healthy balance between development and their leisurely pace of life. They do not want Penang to be like Kuala Lumpur but neither do they want George Town to be like Kota Baru or Shah Alam, where there is little night life.

As the Chief Minister, Lim Guan Eng must expect to come under scrutiny over how development in the state, especially on the island, is shaped.

There's no need for him to be defensive and claim that he is facing a “media lynching”, assuming there is always an agenda behind every criticism.

He only located himself to Penang after the 2008 general election and it is understandable if he is unaware of the many issues that have been fought in the past between the Penang-based non-governmental organisations and the previous state government leaders.

Some of the current senior state assemblymen and Members of Parliament were not even born in Penang and neither have they stayed long enough there to have a sense of belonging and history of the state.

There are two issues here apart from what they see as insensitive development, many Penangites are feeling the pinch from the increasing cost of property in the state, especially on the island.

Lim has said that this is also a problem in the Klang Valley and Johor Baru but he must understand that there are differences.

In the Klang Valley, for example, the return of investment from the purchase of properties is better because there is a large pool of out-of-state workers and expatriates who make up the rental market. Penang, however, does not have that you are likely to buy an apartment to live in rather than to let out.

Yes, Penang does attract its share of Malaysia My Second Home residents and also wealthy investors but the increasing number of high-end development projects does not match the real demand. But such projects do result in corresponding hikes in entry-level or mid-level properties that the majority of Penangites need.

Many Penangites living in the Klang Valley have found that prices of apartments, especially the middle and upper range, have shot up so much that their dreams of retiring in the state have become near unachievable.

Their only option is the mainland and this writer has many ex-schoolmates who have been forced to move out of the island so they can balance their household budget better. Some have children studying in Kulim where Friday is a holiday while they continue to work in Penang, and juggling this difference over family life has itself become a challenge.

Penangites understand perfectly that land is limited in Penang and reclaiming land is highly expensive. With the cost of raw materials like cement and steel on the rise, developers will try to squeeze as much into a good location to maximise profits.

In terms of location, places like Batu Ferringhi, Tanjung Bungah and Gurney Drive are highly attractive and putting up high-rise apartments seems to be a cost-efficient way for developers. And when these projects are not on reclaimed land but are hugging the surrounding hills, whether at a slope below or higher than 250ft, the impact on the hills will still be there.

You only need to compare the Google Earth pictures of the hills in Penang to see how much damage has been done.

The previous Barisan Nasional state government cannot escape criticism but the present government can revise or stop more of such projects. There is no need to be defensive and argumentative over these issues.

Penangites have always been independent-minded and have a reputation of knocking off every single Chief Minister. They are also among the most outspoken activists around, so do listen well and hard. - The Star

郑雨周与槟民联唱反调 要求禁新港山坡发展

（槟城9日讯）槟州“绿色议员”与槟州民联政府唱反调，要求严禁新港山坡发展计划。丹绒武雅区州议员郑雨周针对引起争议，招来居民反对的新港山坡地发展计划表达立场。尽管他尚未到新港山坡地发展计划现场了解，不过从谷歌地图中（Google Earth）的坡度发现，有关发展计划坐落在海拔250尺以上斜坡地带，同时涉及斜坡度超过25度的第3及第4级山坡地。
他说，尽管有关计划的发展大蓝图（Masterplan）是在前朝政府下批准，然而有关发展计划的建筑图最终还是需市政局批准，地方政府有权力加以否决。他是于周末在罗弄卡惹的迷你公园举行植树仪式后，受询时如是指出。
不过，郑雨周在此计划的立场，与州政府日前通过阿都玛力及市政局主席芭缇雅的立场相左，在此前阿都玛力及芭缇雅指出，在新港山坡的发展计划符合地方政府程序。此外，在2009年出炉截至2020年的槟州结构大蓝图规定，凡超过海拔250呎（76公尺），或25度斜度山坡地段，不被允许进行任何发展计划；不过，允许之前获得批准作为发展用途的山坡地段发展计划拥有豁免权，不须符合严格条件。针对《星报》日前在封面上的“垂死的山林”（dying hill）报道，他认为该报道有夸大其词，然而他也不否认槟州面对发展公司施加压力，寻求山坡地发展，如在其选区内有多个涉及山坡地及海岸的高楼发展计划，正寻求地方政府通过。
关注对自然生态冲击　反对高密度计划
在丹绒武雅选区，有3项山坡地发展计划寻求密度提升，包括将容积率提高至5对1（5:1），其中一项建议是将房屋计划地改为酒店计划用地，发展密度也提高至容积率提高至5对1 ，酒店高度更高达45层楼，当中的山坡地也涉及在第3及第4级斜坡地计划。郑雨周指出，在接获市政局寻求其意见后已提出反对立场，他认为，市政局的一站式图测审核中心已沦为一个检查中心（checking centre），只针对图测符合与否作出审核，反之他认为审核计划不能单凭其技术符合与否，同时要关注对自然生态的冲击。-

Bank Negara says growth on track and sticks to 4% to 5% forecast

KUALA LUMPUR: Bank Negara is maintaining its growth forecast for the country this year at 4% to 5% but is closely monitoring the ongoing debt crisis in Europe, said governor Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz.

“As of now, the prospect for moderation in growth in the global economy has already been priced in.

“But we recognise the risks that exist if Europe doesn't emerge with a solution to the evolving debt crisis that is unfolding,” Zeti said at a briefing on the Labuan Financial Services Authority's annual report 2011.

She added that should the solutions come, it would resolve many issues. Then, the growth projection would “remain intact”.

Zeti with the Labuan Financial Services Authority’s annual report 2011

However, should things get worse with deep recession taking place in Europe, all global economies would be affected, she said.

“But I would like to highlight that these are not new developments to the region. When the global economy suffered an economic contraction in 2008-2009, Malaysia was able to minimise the contraction to just over 1%,” Zeti said, adding that most countries in Asia then recovered rapidly.

Zeti said should a crisis happen again, Malaysia would be “able to emerge quickly” because the country did not have the kind of conditions prevailing in the crisis-affected countries.

Moreover, Malaysia had low unemployment, continued access to financing, low inflation rate and surplus on its balance of payment current account, she said.

“We have reserves buffer to insulate us from any impact of significant deleveraging and we have a more developed financial system that is able to intermediate the volatility that would emerge out of a major downturn,” she said.

Zeti believes that Asia would be able to rise to the challenge and emerge again to resume its growth potential.

She said the region had also become more cohesive and had come together in terms of surveillance and managing crisis, noting that it now had an integrated crisis management framework in place.

On the softer trade numbers announced recently, Zeti said: “Yes, our exports have declined but we have already priced that in. In fact, it only declined recently and we had expected the moderation to be happening earlier.

“The domestic economy is very strong. Consumption demand, private investment activity is very robust. Because of this, we are still confident it's going to be within the range (of economic growth projection).”

Asked if the current monetary policy would be maintained until year-end, she said it was reviewed at each monetary policy meeting. “The environment is very dynamic and monetary policy is a forward-looking policy.”

At its May 11 meeting, Bank Negara has kept its key interest rate at 3%. - The Star

Engineer: Absence of housing policy pushing prices up

GEORGE TOWN: The absence of a comprehensive state housing policy is the main cause for property prices escalating on Penang island, said Coalition for Good Governance Penang committee member Tan Seng Hai.

He said prices were soaring not because of inadequate supply as claimed by certain quarters.

Tan, who is an engineer, said there was no state policy to curb sub-sales, block sales and gimmicks like soft launches and staff purchases.

“The increase in the price of high-end properties will pull up property prices in the medium and lower end,” he said in a statement here yesterday.

He was commenting on a statement by Penang Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association chairman Datuk Jerry Chan that property prices on the island would escalate if housing projects on hillslopes were banned as it would result in a shortage of supply.

Tan said there was an oversupply of residential units on Penang island based on figures provided by the Statistics Department and National Property Information Centre.

When contacted, Chan said the population in Penang had tripled in the last 30 years without including foreign workforce.

“Tan could be assuming that one household or one individual owns a single property. But that is usually not the case. Many of them are tenants,” he said. - The Star

Penang CM defends hill projects

GEORGE TOWN: Lim Guan Eng has defended the Penang Government's stand in treating hillslope development, saying that it has the “most stringent” guidelines for it.

The Penang Chief Minister said the present state government had not approved a single project above 250 feet (76m) high, adding that it was the only state in Malaysia which had set such a bar.

“Penang has the most stringent guidelines for hillslope safety development in the country, crafted by Oxford-trained geotechnical engineer Prof Dr Gue See Sew, a former international chairman of the coordinating committee of Apec Engineers and president of the Institute of Engineers Malaysia,” he said in a statement yesterday.

He said that half of the 38 hillslope projects approved the last two years for heights below 76m were for open space and green areas without any building structures.

Lim took a swipe at some other states, which he said allowed development on hills above the height of 76m.

“Thirty-one development projects were approved by the previous Barisan Nasional state government on hill land above 250 feet (76m) compared to none by the present Pakatan Rakyat state government,” he added.

He said according to the Penang Municipal Council, eight projects on hills above 76m were approved from 1985 to 2004, three in 2005, 10 in 2006, eight in 2007 and two between January and March 2008.

The chief minister also addressed the issue of the rise in property prices, saying that there was also a similar rise in Johor and Kuala Lumpur.

The Star had reported on Penang's various hillslope projects and the rise in property prices in the state.

A non-governmental organisation (NGO) here has called on the state government to practise sustainable development.

Citizens Awareness Chant group adviser Yan Lee said hillslope developments would effect environmentally sensitive water catchment areas like Sungai Ara.

“Such developments require proper studies and environmental impact assessment (EIA) reports. Some projects do not require an EIA because of the development size but nonetheless, one should be done if the projects threaten the environment,” he said.

Lee said the Federal Government, through the relevant ministry, had the discretion to request an EIA in such a situation, expressing hope that such discretion would be exercised in hillslope developments here.

“A crematorium project about 1km away from the Ayer Itam Dam recently received planning permission from the Penang Municipal Council. This is an example of where the EIA report is needed, though not required.” - The Star

槟市政局拨169万 美化峇都丁宜海滩

（槟城7日讯）槟岛市政局拨款169万令吉清洁美化峇都丁宜海滩。槟州地方政府委员会主席曹观友行政议员说，槟岛市政局为了清洁峇都丁宜海滩，经拨款169万令吉，物色5家沙滩清洁承包商在每天上午7时至傍晚5时，分别清洁峇都丁宜海滩5个地区，以让游客对槟岛沙滩留下美好的印象，提升槟州国际旅游形象。曹观友是于周四下午，在槟岛市政局主办的《峇都丁宜水上活动业者培训营》结业典礼上如此透露。
水上活动业者培训营
他说，槟岛市政局为了照顾游客安全，提升水上业者的汽艇驾驶技术和水上安全常识，首度举办为期4天的水上活动业者培训营。曹观友说，共有31名峇都丁宜的水上业者参与这项由槟州海事部提供培训的集训，他们都领取了每5年更新一次的小型汽艇驾驶执照和结业文凭。这些培训者每人须缴付800令吉学费上课。
设一座公共厕所
他说，除了清洁峇都丁宜海滩，槟岛市政局也在靠近金沙酒店的峇都丁宜海滩建设一座公共厕所，目前已接近90%完工，日后该公共厕所由金沙酒店当局义务清洁打理。
添设大阳伞
曹观友说，槟岛市政局也将在峇都丁宜海滩处添设8个大阳伞，每个阳伞可提供10人遮荫歇息。他说，为了照顾游客的安全，沙滩骑马活动只限定在峇都丁宜《海湾酒店》附近的一带沙滩上，那里有12只供人骑的骏马及8个马夫服务游客。光华

槟政府物色峇六拜地段 计划打造科研中心

(槟城6日讯)为与其他先进国的科研开发“并驾齐驱”，槟州政府已物色峇六拜海边地一块2点4依格地作为打造“槟州研究、创新及科学中心”（PRISM）。
槟州首长林冠英即在商贸酒店举行的与槟城科技园的驻扎公司举行对话会仪式上如是致词，他也透露已有18家中小型公司将入驻槟城科技园的中小型工业村，槟州发展机构也将为更多的中小型公司提供土地进驻，上述中小型工业园将成为槟州政府发展槟州中小型工业的三大同步方案的其中一项，其中两项方案包括成立精明中心、成立中小型工业中心。
他表示，上述进驻的18家公司涉及精确工艺、自动化、系统整合、软件、测量仪器、度身订造系统及医药器材的设计、发展及制造，不过，他也表示，槟州发展机构将制定严格条件，以便这些公司在进驻后必须在两年限期内进行建厂计划，避免一些公司霸占土地坐等地价上升以从中牟利的情况。
首长表示，槟州政府也将仿效圣佐瑟工艺中心成立一个槟城工艺中心，这将会进一步剌激青少年对科学工艺的兴趣，间接剌激槟城的电子及电器发展。- 光华

Tax change to hit Aussie properties

SYDNEY: Foreigners are likely to cut their investments in Australia's property market after recent tax changes that will hit returns, according to The trust Co which deals with managed property investments schemes.

The federal government announced in May it would increase the withholding tax for foreign investors in managed investment trusts to 15% from 7.5%. - Reuters

38 slope projects approved in last two years

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) approved applications for hillslope developments on 38 lots on the island in the last two years, MPPP president Patahiyah Ismail said.
She added that applications on 17 lots were rejected during the same period.
Patahiyah refused to disclose where the developments were located, as some cases involved legal issues and were pending in court.
She said that in approving the applications, the council referred to a hillslope development safety guide drawn up by Oxford-trained Prof Dr Gue See Sew, a former international chairman of the coordinating committee of Apec Engineers and president of the Institute of Engineers Malaysia.
“We are considering making the slope development approvals more transparent by putting them on a website,” Patahiyah told a press conference here yesterday.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who was present, stressed that the state government had not approved any development on contours above 76m-high, except for green areas like a park.
He said he was referring to developments above 76m when he said on April 20 that hillslope projects in the state were either approved or undertaken by the previous state administration.
“Of course we have approved development on slopes, but a hill by definition must be land higher than 76m,” he said.
At an earlier event yesterday, Patahiyah said she had barred MPPP councillor Dr Lim Mah Hui (who previously said that the state government had influenced the approval of a hillslope development in Sungai Ara) from issuing statements on hillslope developments because it could be sub judice. - The Star

Revise guidelines on development, council urged

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Municipal Council should revise its guidelines on hillslope development and land usage, said Tanjung Bungah residents association member Datuk Dr Leong Yueh Kwong.
This was in view of the many landslides on the island lately, he said.
“Until the guidelines are revised, there should be a temporary halt on all hillslope projects,” said Dr Leong, the former director of the Socio-Economic & Environmental Research Institut, now known as Penang Institute.
He said the guidelines on land use should also be reviewed.
“There are many development projects in the north-east district covering areas like Paya Terubong, Air Itam, and Tanjung Bungah, which cause daily traffic congestion.
“Very soon, we will reach a point where it will not be possible to travel to Batu Ferringhi because it will take too long to get there.”
Dr Leong said it was not true that Penang did not have sufficient land.
“It's just that some of the land is not in the location that they want. It is in Balik Pulau and Seberang Prai.”
Pantai Jerejak Barisan Nasional coordinator and Penang Gerakan vice-chairman Wong Mun Hoe said the type of development supported by the state was worrying.
“It reflects a lack of planning. There's an uneven spread of construction projects on the island.”
Meanwhile, the developer of a hillslope project in Bukit Gambier, near the Universiti Sains Malaysia campus, has defended the project.
Nadayu Properties Bhd executive chairman Hamidon Abdullah said that even though the company owned 3.57ha of land, it was using only about 1.3ha.
“We identified the 76.2m line on the slope and no development will take place beyond the stipulated height. Some 1.87ha of land will be a green park.
“The project (Nadayu 290) is our first development project in Penang. We know the safety of the hillslope project,” he said. - The Star