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Monday December 19, 2011

Councillor among 30 in protest

By FONG KEE SOON keesoon@thestar.com.my

Loud and clear: The group protesting outside the City Hall Building in Penang yesterday.

GEORGE TOWN: A Penang municipal councillor was among 30 people including representatives of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) who staged a protest against the council over several issues.

Dr Lim Mah Hui, who represents the NGOs in the council, sided with the group which staged a protest lasting 30 minutes outside the City Hall building at the Esplanade.

The protesters, who carried placards and banners, said they were unhappy with the pace of development on Penang island, claiming that approvals of development projects were haphazard.

Dr Lim, who is Penang Institute (formerly known as the Socio-Economic and Environ-ment Research Institute) senior fellow, said the council should be more responsive to public feedback.

"There is definitely room for improvement. The council could be lackadaisical due to lack of input from the public," he said.

The group claimed they were representing an informal network of some 40 Penang-based NGOs and 14 resident associations. They said a number of representatives were unable to attend the protest for various reasons.

The group had earlier in the day attended a public forum on Development and Good Governance at the Caring Society Complex.

The group's spokesman Dr Khim Pa, who represented Green Voters, an NGO pushing for sustainable development, said they would submit their list of "demands" and suggestions to the council soon.

Another protester B. Suresh Kumar, 35, who stays in Savoy Garden in Air Itam, hoped the council would be more transparent and accountable in its development guidelines and planning procedures.