03 December 2012 | last updated at 10:58PM
More than reduced use of plastic bags needed
By Looi Sue Chern
THERE have been many changes in Penang in the last four years and nine months. Some are nice and others, not so nice.
There have been more social and community programmes such as big cultural festivals going on in town on the weekends that draw people by the thousands.
Such activities have given new life to the inner city of George Town, which was once quite "dead" after office hours with people preferring to spend their time in malls.
There are also mass gotong-royong programmes on beaches and in the World Heritage Site.
More trees have been planted around the city in line with the state government's Cleaner and Greener Penang initiative.
The streets are also noticeably cleaner, but only on the island. The level of cleanliness on the mainland has been the same, more or less. The roadside landscaping and maintenance of public infrastructure there also need a lot of work.
With the focus on going green, plastic shopping bags in Penang are no longer free at malls, eateries and many other retail outlets that support the state's no plastic-bag initiative.
Plastic bags now cost 20 sen each for those who forget to bring along their own shopping bags.
It may take a while to see its positive effects but it is a good move to copy countries such as Japan, which introduced the move.
Bicycles are also back in fashion, even in Penang's hot and sometimes unpredictable weather. Some streets in the city have bicycle lanes, even though the roads are already a little narrow.
Cycling has gained enough popularity in recent times that many lucky draws come with at least a prize of one bicycle.
There are other changes that may have made some Penangites feel good about their state, like the free Wi-Fi (when it is accessible), the move to refurbish and rejuvenate the town's old icons such as Komtar and the Chowrasta Market, and the RM100 for senior citizens and newborn babies.
Although they are all good and popular, Penang seems to be still waiting for something bigger to happen -- a change so great that people will be saying "now that's what we were talking about".
Penang has not experienced anything like that yet, even though the people have heard enough about the vision for the state to become an international city and destination of choice for investors and the like.
Despite all those dreams, there is still no Local Plan to clearly map out and control development.
There is still no transport master plan in place to solve worsening traffic problems on the island.
There is also no blueprint to show how Penang will grow in the next few years. The best we have now seem to be drafts.
While the people wait for the plans, land is being used for new residential and commercial projects, including a number of posh ones that the average Penangite cannot afford.
The scenario has, of late, raised questions on who are buying up Penang's properties and for what purpose.
Folk living near the city and local non-governmental organisations are also dreading the new density guideline that allows each development to have up to 87 units per acre (0.4ha) and questioning why the state did not hold a public consultation on the matter.
They are also wondering which areas the guideline will apply to and whether the existing infrastructures, like roads and drainage systems, can support the increase in the population of people and cars.
There are many questions but few satisfying answers.
Things are not bad in Penang. They are just "lacking".
It will certainly takes much more than words, some nice little changes and a car-free Sundays to live up to the expectations of Penangites.
