Wednesday 28 March 2012

Fwd: Article by Judy Cheng-Hopkins appeared in The Star, Tuesday March 27, 2012

From: "Penang Heritage Trust (PHT)" <info@pht.org.my>

Date: March 28, 2012 10:38:33 AM GMT+08:00

To: "Penang Heritage Trust (PHT)" <info@pht.org.my>

Subject: Article by Judy Cheng-Hopkins appeared in The Star, Tuesday March 27, 2012

Reply-To: info@pht.org.my

This article by Judy Cheng-Hopkins appeared in The Star, Tuesday March 27, 2012. Please scroll down to read the text of the article. Judy Cheng-Hopkins hails from Penang and is now the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support and has over 30 years experience in key UN organisations. She was the guest of honour at our recent Penang Heritage Trust fundraising dinner.

Penang Heritage Trust
26 Lebuh Gereja

George Town, UNESCO World Heritage Site
10200 Penang, Malaysia.
Tel: 6-04- 264 2631

Fax: 6-04- 262 8421
Website: www.pht.org.my

Fwd: MPPP 's Technical Review Panel 2012

From: Noorhanis Bt Noordin <hanis@mppp.gov.my>;

Cc: Patahiyah Bt Ismail <hiyah@mppp.gov.my>; Ang Aing Thye <atang@mppp.gov.my>;
Subject: MPPP 's Technical Review Panel
Sent: Sat, Mar 24, 2012 2:34:25 PM

Tuan,

Email tuan kepada Puan YDP MPPP berkaitan perkara ini adalah dirujuk.

Untuk makluman tuan, ahli Technical Review Panel (TRP) MPPP adalah dilantik oleh pihak Kerajaan Negeri Pulau Pinang dan TRP ini telah mula bersidang di peringkat MPPP mulai tahun 2010.

Di antara bidang tugas TRP ialah untuk meneliti dan memberi ulasan/pandangan/perakuan terhadap permohonan pelan pembangunan dan Laporan Impak yang dikemukakan kepada MPPP yang terletak di dalam Tapak Warisan Dunia George Town dan di atas lot yang bersempadan (berhadapan) dengan Tapak Warisan, berdasarkan aspek dan kriteria di antaranya - technical excellence, innovation, use of materials, sustainability, contribution to community/public space, scale, eco features, compatibility with existing built heritage & intangible culture, contribution to the continuum of the heritage, cultural & social impact dan sebagainya.

Untuk tahun 2012 ini, pihak Kerajaan Negeri telah membuat keputusan melantik pihak berikut sebagai ahli panel TRP 2012:-

1. Ir. Ang Aing Thye – Pengerusi
Setiausaha Perbandaran, Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang

2. Puan Lim Chooi Ping – Pengerusi Gantian 1
Pmk. Pengurus Besar, George Town World Heritage Incorporated

3. Prof. Dr. A. Ghafar Ahmad
Timbalan Pesuruhjaya Warisan Jabatan Warisan Negara

4. Encik Teh Lai Heng
Ahli Majlis, Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang

5. Y.M. Tengku Dato' Idaura binti Tengku Ibrahim
Perunding Warisan

6. Yg. Bhg. Dato' Ar. Jong East Full
Perunding

7. Ar. Nik Rahiman bin Nik Mohd Taib,
Wakil Pertubuhan Arkitek Malaysia (Cawangan Utara)

8. Ar. Michael Ong Chin Keong,
Wakil Pertubuhan Perancang Malaysia (Cawangan Utara)

9. Ir. Dr. Tan Kim Hor
Wakil Institut Jurutera Malaysia (Bab Utara)

10. En. E. Gnasegaran
Wakil Jawatankuasa Peguam Pulau Pinang

Diharap maklumat di atas dapat membantu tuan. Kerjasama semua pihak dari semasa ke semasa adalah dihargai.

Regards
-hanis-
Noorhanis bt. Haji Noordin
Jabatan Warisan
Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang
Tel 604-2592009/2259
hanis@mppp.gov.my

Tuesday 27 March 2012

Chow kon yeow half day forum

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17 December 2011 | last updated at 11:48pm

Stakeholders show they mean business

By Melissa Darlyne Chow 0 comments

Stakeholders in Penang are becoming increasingly vocal. As a recent forum would testify, these stakeholders, including non-governmental organisations (NGOs), concerned citizens and residents associations, are not afraid to stand up and speak out on issues that concern them -- be it land reclamation, heritage, high density development or traffic congestion.

A half-day forum, called the Penang Consultative Forum, was held recently to discuss land reclamation and other issues.

It was organised by the state government and attended by interested stakeholders and the relevant authorities.

The Town and Country Planning Department, the state Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID), and the Department of Environment (DoE) gave their presentations.

The forum was chaired by state Local Government and Traffic Management committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow.

The issue of land reclamation, including the first phase of the Seri Tanjung Pinang project which was raised more than once, was discussed extensively.

Questions were raised by the stakeholders with regards to the negative effects of reclamation, if any, and who would be responsible -- the developer, local council or state government.

The issue of the siltation of Gurney Drive was also brought up. Participants wanted to know whether the Seri Tanjung Pinang project was at fault.

A DoE representative said the environmental impact assessment (EIA) carried out for the project only covered the Tanjung Pinan area, while a separate EIA was done for Gurney Drive.

She said other factors, including the illegal dumping of mud by dredging contractors had also contributed to the siltation problem. As such, Tanjung Pinang could not be blamed solely for the siltation problem.

The DID representative said one way to deal with the problem of accretion and siltation at the promenade was to reclaim a stretch there to improve the flow of the current.

Stakeholders also raised issues such as high density development, swiftlets, traffic situation, illegal demolition of buildings and the Special Area Plan for the George Town World Heritage Zone.

The stakeholders clearly mean business. Their plan to "occupy" Penang Town Hall to demonstrate their displeasure with the Penang Island Municipal Council shows just that. It shows that the authorities cannot bulldoze their way through. They cannot turn a blind eye or a deaf ear to the views of the stakeholders.

Fwd: 20 Lebuhraya Pykett Penang Illegal demolition of building

Begin forwarded message:

From: chowkonyeow@penang.gov.my
Date: February 17, 2011 12:27:48 GMT+08:00
To: "yan lee" <leeyan.c@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: 20 Lebuhraya Pykett Penang Illegal demolition of building
Reply-To: chowkonyeow@penang.gov.my

Yes MPPP has issued the order last week
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device via Vodafone-Celcom Mobile.

-----Original Message-----
From: yan lee <leeyan.c@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2011 11:48:04
To: <chowkonyeow@penang.gov.my>; YDP MPPP<hiyah@mppp.gov.my>
Cc: <limguaneng@penang.gov.my>; Yew Tung Seang<tsyew@mppp.gov.my>; Noorhanis Bt Noordin<hanis@mppp.gov.my>; Shamiah Binti Haji Bilal<shbilal@mppp.gov.my>; Penang Heritage Trust<info@pht.org.my>
Subject: Re: 20 Lebuhraya Pykett Penang Illegal demolition of building

YB Chow

My neighbours are enquiring as to whether an order had been issued by
MPPP for the land owners of 20 Pykett Avenue to rebuild the illegaly
demolished bungalow pursuant to section 27 of the Town & Country
Planning Act.

We were informed at the meeting mentioned below that MPPP was going to
issue the NOTICES on the 1/2/11.

Please advise.

Regards

On Wed, Feb 2, 2011 at 6:05 PM, Yan Lee <leeyan.c@gmail.com> wrote:

मेरे ipad से भेजा

On Jan 27, 2011, at 16:14, yan lee <leeyan.c@gmail.com> wrote:

Dear sirs

Last night the residents of Pykett, Westland and Khaw Sim Bee area had
a dialogue with the state government , led by YB CHOW and MPPPs'
senior personnel.

They were kind enough to meet us the rakyat and share what is
happening with the abovementioned property.

The stand is clear, the small fine is going to send the wrong message
to all developers in town, especially now that we are a UNESCO
Heritage city.

MPPP informed us that action will be taken against the land owner. As
a matter of PUBLIC INTEREST as the prices of land increases, the small
fines or even monetary penalty do not work as a deterrent. All
Planning Permission for the abovementioned land is currently frozen.
Be a deterrent if planning permission for the land can be suspended
for a period of 10 years or more.

Our State government has done us proud, standing up to corporate
entities who are wealthy, powerful and well connected.

We also highlighted that this area is prone to flooding and a Traffic
Impact Assesment study must be undertaken, as this development is in
between 2 main arterial route from town to Tanjung Bungah, namely
Burma Road and Macalister Road. 2 main points in our comprehensive
objection document filed with MPPP.

What raised eyebrows was that when we were informed of the new State
policy, which may allow density of areas which has 30 units per acre
be increased to 87 units per acre. I stand corrected on this, as I do
not recall reading about this in the press. Some of the residence
highlighted that they have been living in this area for some 40 to 50
years. It has always been double storey houses in this area now an
application for planning permission is being made for 4 towers 30
storey each. This is double the height of the TNB offices on Anson
Road a commercial area.

Our question to the landowner is why not build landed, terrace houses,
semi-D's and/or bungalows, maybe out of towners don't know we in
Penang love and can pay for landed properties. A high end GATED and
GUARDED development in town, valuable !!

The RULE OF LAW must prevail.

Thank you for a new Malaysia

Yan Lee
Penang BOY
Resident of Pykett
0124846682

--
dihantar dari iPad saya

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dihantar dari iPad saya

Monday 26 March 2012

Illegal demolition - Need to ensure smooth project flow in Penang 26 March 2012 NST

Emailing: NST on development n demolition

At the expense of our HERITAGE ?? - Need to ensure smooth project flows in Penang

Monday, March 26, 2012, 07.42 AM

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Need to ensure smooth project flows in Penang

Published: 2012/03/26

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AS DEVELOPMENT issues continue to take centre stage in Penang and concerns rise over how fast and furious the face of the island state appears to change, a noticeable gap among some stakeholders has become apparent.

In one corner, stands certain public-interest groups who claim that public consultation is wanting where mega projects are presented by the state authorities.

In the other corner are corporate players - made up mainly of property and infrastructure developers - who have been making a bee-line for a piece of the action in Penang.

Right smack in the middle are the local authorities which, in recent times, have ended up as the punching bag for the public when a heritage building is torn down, or a major project has been approved with what seemingly involves a minimum or lack of public feedback and consultation.

The local council has also been accused more than once, of placing the interest of businessmen ahead of ratepayers' when approving projects.

Property developers have repeatedly found themselves dragged into controversy for supposedly displaying scant respect for heritage structures or disregarding the environment when carrying out a project.

Despite obtaining necessary approvals to tear down sometimes very valuable heritage properties to make way for their project, these companies find themselves incurring the wrath of heritage activists and angry public.

These situations sometimes end up causing endless delays to a project as developers and public interest groups come head-on, and the absence of an effective "referee" - most often state authorities - only ends up in making things worse, instead of being resolved.

When Penang-based property developer Hunza Properties Bhd paid a premium to purchase a piece of land fronting Gurney Drive in Pulau Tikus, the company found itself in a face-off with the Penang Heritage Trust (PHT) which feared for the safety of the historic St Joseph's Noviative, which is located on the land which Hunza had bought.

Hunza kept to its word that it would not destroy the building and proceeded to spend millions in hiring a conservation expert and going to great lengths to ensure that the two-storey building, which also served as home to international school Uplands, stands proud and returned to its somewhat original, albeit "glossy" look.

In recent times, other developers such as Mah Sing Group Bhd have come under scrutiny for reportedly demolishing a colonial-era bungalow in George Town illegally, prior to getting approval from the local council to do so and make way for a high-end project in the area.

The local council took the matter to court after a public outcry and the company was fined RM6,000 by the George Town magistrate's court for demolishing without a permit.

A common thread which appears to be seen when property developers are made into "villains" by the public, is when projects which they consider to be of public interest are "messed" with.

What often begs the question when these issues get the attention of the media and public at large, is whether public interest groups take the trouble to learn more about companies and what their plans are for projects. Since most of these companies are public listed and subject to public disclosure, a lot of information can be gleaned from simply checking their announcements to Bursa Malaysia.

By getting a "heads-up" of these plans, groups will have more time to express any reservations about projects and not wait till development and building plans are approved, before starting to make noise and sometimes, unreasonable demands.

Meanwhile, developers and firms involved in projects which are to affect the public should engage stakeholders like non-governmental organisations so that both parties can better understand each other before launching into any "attacks".

In ensuring that sustainable development takes priority over other factors, the Penang municipal council can see to it that adequate representation from NGOs can be seen in its Technical Review Panel. The review panel is currently said to be represented more by businessmen than public interest groups.

By doing so, many issues and concerns can be addressed and resolved (if needed) at the onset of a proposed project, instead of having numerous disruptions take centre stage and end up only as time and money-wasters.

Saturday 24 March 2012

‘Mafia developers’ control Penang

'Mafia developers' control Penang

Athi Shankar

| March 24, 2012

A consumer association takes the state government to task for allowing these developers to turn the state into an exclusive place for the affluent.

GEORGE TOWN: A consumer association leader has claimed that "mafia developers" have usurped Penang to turn the island into an exclusive place for the affluent.

Consumers Association of Subang and Shah Alam (CASSA) president Jacob George said this had triggered an exodus of the lower income people from their home state.

"Secret deals are done not only here but in Singapore and Hong Kong to turn Penang island exclusively for the rich. It's clear that mafia developers have taken over Penang," he alleged.

He slammed the Pakatan Rakyat state government for letting this happen unabated.

George blasted Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng for caving in freely to the demands of property developers, who were bent on turning the island into an elitist dwelling.

"The state government is doing nothing about the displacement of communities taking place right under their noses," he told a press conference here.

He said CASSA received numerous complaints from helpless local residents about the wrongdoings in the state, especially on the island.

He said the association's ground study revealed that the developers virtually control and dictate all happenings in Penang.

"They even announce policy decisions," he added.

George pointed to a 2009 news report on a property developer announcing the state government's decision to raise density for property development.

He was amazed that the state government could allow a developer to usurp its power to make the important announcement.

"It clearly shows developers dictate and manipulate policies in Penang," he added.

The CASSA president challenged the state government to prove developers' boast that "higher density would lead to lower property prices."

He called on Lim's government to address the pressing issue instead of bragging about rosy statistics to show the state's high investments and cash reserves.

Culture of fear

He accused Lim of promoting a culture of fear by slapping legal notices against or even insulting and humiliating those who voiced out against his government on the lack of public consultation in development plans.

George said massive development projects were taking place despite complaints from residents like in the Gurney Drive vicinity

He criticised the authorities for turning a deaf ear to numerous complaints regarding late night construction works.

He claimed that residents were threatened and intimidated openly for lodging reports instead of getting help from the authorities.

For the first time in their history, George said, Penangites were being forced to keep their mouth shut.

He said the vocal Penang NGOs were also being shut out and not consulted by the state government on issues of public interest.

"The state government seems to think that the vision for Penang should be what Lim thinks it should be and not what the people want it to be. It's time for the people to regain their power and stop the state government from having a free way," he added.