Group wants answers from all candidates

A local civil society group has issued an open letter to all Pakatan Rakyat and Barisan Nasional candidates seeking their views on pressing issues affecting Penangites, especially the islanders.

In its online open letter, Citizen Awareness Chant Group said it welcomes the candidates to provide their feedback, views and stance on issues ranging from high-density housing projects to car parks in the state, especially areas within city perimeters and its suburbs.

“We represent residents who are concerned about their neighbourhood and want answers,” said the group in its e-statement to the press today.

The group said it wanted both sets of candidates contesting 13 federal and 40 state seats to furnish their views on the following issues.

Tanjong Bungah

1. A 40-storey apartment block, next to Tanjong Bungah Hotel, in which neighbouring residents did not receive any objection notice.

2. A high-rise project on the beach opposite the Moonlight Bay project.

3. The illegally reclaimed land at the old Tanjong Club, next to Penang Swimming Club.

Pulau Tikus

1. On the Moulmein Rise project, why the island municipal council (MPPP) allowed land conversion from residential to commercial when surrounding areas are all residential plots and the project was not fronting the main road.

2. MPPP approved this project as a “small office home office” (Soho) development. In essence, the developer is entitled to commercial density but can sell units for residential purpose. Does that mean a neighbour can purchase a unit in the project and use it as a retail shop/karaoke/cafe? After all, it is a commercial title.

3. Since MPPP has allowed Soho project on this land, does that mean the developer need not comply with open space and affordable housing guidelines? Where is the developer’s contribution to low-cost housing?

4. Why has MPPP not made the traffic impact assessment report public? What are the recommendations?

5. The developer promised public car parks, where the fees are at reasonable prices. Has the MPPP imposed a condition on the developer that the public car park will be handed over to the council to manage?

6. Where is the temporary car park for the markets while the project is under construction?

7. What is going to happen when the management committee takes over pursuant to the Strata Title Act given that the developer would then no longer have control.

8. Why is there no service road for this project?

9. Why some residents did not receive notice to object pursuant to the Town & Country Planning Act.

10. Has MPPP instructed the developer to conduct a dilapidation survey for the buildings surrounding the project and the costs to be borne by the developer prior to the start of the construction works? This is very important for the residents, because when piling starts and if their homes are damaged, the developer will not be able to dispute that damage was caused by their piling works. (Contact the Architect Centre http://www.architectcentre.com.my/ac/p1.asp?id=1)

11. Dilapidation survey should be done for houses surrounding the project by the developer. The developer has done the survey for only one block apartment.

Sungai Ara hillslope project

1. Despite the Penang Structure Plan (PSP) been gazetted since June 28, 2007, to prevent any risk of landslides and soil erosion by prohibiting any development on hill height exceeding 250 ft above sea level and slope gradient exceeding 25 degrees, MPPP has granted the planning approval without even making any site inspection and even allowed the developer to excise out the hill land under the Land Conservation Act 1960 in order to circumvent the restriction of such land status.

2. The MPPP has not been sensitive to the residents’ objections to this massive hill development despite the fact that Penang has been identified as one of the landslide-prone areas.

3. There are many proven history of landslides and soil erosions on hills that have caused loss of lives and properties in Malaysia, which has prompted the PSP strict guidelines to be gazetted. But the authorities had disregarded these prohibition and granted the planning approval at the expense and risks of the residents living on the foothill.

4. It is of public interest that this massive hill project that comprised 14 blocks of condominiums ranging from nine to 18-storey including multi-storey car parks to be built at the edge of the hill slopes be cancelled as the state government and the appeals board cannot risk the residents’ lives and also the environmental damage for the greed of the developer.

Padang Kota

1. Swiftlets in the heritage area

2. Problem of flooding in the Pykett , Khawsimbee, Westland, Padang Victoria loops.

4. Chowrasta Market renewal: will the street market be taken away?

Kebun Bunga

1. Penang Sports Club (PSC) extension of lease for existing land used by the club.

2. Penang Turf Club (PTC) height control and density of the upcoming development

Air Itam

1. A columbarium at Savoy Gardens not more than a km from the Air Itam dam.

For all constituencies

1. In relation to expert reports, have an environment impact assessment (EIA) or a Traffic Impact Assessment report (TIA).

2. The current practice is for the developer to pay and appoint the consultant. We are of the opinion that this practice is not conducive to an unbiased report. What would you propose or implement to ensure more independence in the reports produced?

3. Soho: allowing developers to build using commercial density but selling units as residential, a loophole indeed.

4. What about affordable housing requirements and open space requirements?

5. Car parking requirements by local councils – a car park lot per unit for residential and a car park lot per 1,000 sq ft for commercial projects. Is this sufficient?

6. What about visitors’ car parks?