Reveal details of Bayan Lepas coastal projects, state government told
GEORGE TOWN: Penangites should not be kept in the dark over talk of land reclamation along the Bayan Lepas coastal area.
Pantai Jerejak Barisan Nasional coordinator Wong Mun Hoe urged the state government to “come clean” on its dealings with Boustead Holdings.
“The reclamation of 40ha is estimated to be worth RM400mil without taking into account the sales profits — it doesn’t take a super accountant to do the maths and see that the compensation amount does not make economic sense,” he said.
Pantai Jerejak assemblyman Sim Tze Tzin had earlier said the state government was forced into a negotiation with Boustead after the company was required to scale down the height of the high-rise Royal Bintang Hotel which was approved for construction in the Unesco World Heritage zone under the previous state government.
Wong said residents of the area were in the dark as they did not know what development would be taking place in their own backyard.
“They may face a development tsunami and yet remain unaware of what’s going on until it’s too late to do anything.
“Where are the much touted CAT (competency, accountability, transparency) values?” he asked at a press conference in Bayan Lepas yesterday.
Wong alleged that Sim knew about the reclamation offer since May but he did not engage the residents here.
Bayan Baru Barisan coordinator David Yim Boon Leong, who was present, asked the state government to reveal whether any traffic and environmental impact assessment report had been conducted before the land reclamation offer was made to Boustead.
“There are other alternatives. Offering so much land for reclamation would impact the whole of Pantai Jerejak,” he said.
On Wednesday, State Local Government and Traffic Management Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow reportedly said the state government had proposed compensation in kind in the form of reclamation rights but negotiations on alternatives were still ongoing.
On Oct 3, some 350 residents living in six condominiums and houses along Persiaran Bayan Indah in Bayan Lepas held a peaceful protest and press conference following information they received on reclamation plans for the area by a developer.
They want the seafront in the Bayan Bay area to be spared of any future land reclamation projects.
Bayan Bay Residents’ Action Committee chairperson Sharifah Hamidah said the residents were not against development but were more concerned about the quality of life.
Source: The Star
It’s understandable because future developments, it will block the
view of Baystar and Gold Coast condominiums.
Iam pretty confuse if somebody from BN is trying to play a hero role here. The building plan of boustead hotel was approved by them, knowingly Penang is filing for heritage status at the sametime which would require height limit enforcement. Totally short-sighted, and inefficient as what normally a “previous” government capable of doing. When the rocket government took over, knowing that they will not have any fund from federal for the compensation, they decided to compromise with the reclamation proposal. Of course at that time i believe property is not yet boom and price wise it could be justificable. Federal government should stop complaining and playing the political games and bear the responsibility and just fork out this small 60mil for the compensation, this will show some sincerity and not treating the penangites like a bloody un-educated fool.
What is development? Development is to get an empty land build with concrete stucture for useful purpose. I don’t think there is any problem to have landfill there and build more houses there, probably need to build more LMC. Is there any law saying someone can’t block our ‘view’?
it was ok when Goldcoast blocks Villa Emas View, now they are about to be blocked, start to create drama, anyway looking forward to buy the property from Boustead with nice sea view