Tanjong Bunga Residents' Association: 02/01/2016

Sunday, February 21, 2016

Tg Bungah hillslopes stripped for projects

By Audrey Dermawan - 21 February 2016
GEORGE TOWN: At least two hillslopes are being stripped for development projects in Tanjung Bungah.

Signboards put up at the sites revealed that one was for road- works in Jalan Solok Tanjung Bungah while the other was for a 50-storey affordable housing project in Lorong Lembah Permai.

Checks by the New Sunday Times on Friday, accompanied by Tanjung Bungah assemblyman Teh Yee Cheu, showed earthworks were in full swing at the project sites.

Heavy machinery was also spotted.

Teh said although the projects were being carried out at less than 76m above sea level, their steepness raised concerns. Bald patches, not covered by plastic sheets, were visible from a distance.

He said earthworks in Jalan Solok Tanjung Bungah started two months ago while those in Lorong Lembah Permai started four months ago.

“Other than myself, the Tanjung Bunga residents’ association also objected to the projects 10 years ago.

“Following the brouhaha, things went quiet for a while. It looks like the projects are in full swing.

“We hope the authorities will minimise the impact of the construction on the surrounding areas.”

Teh questioned whether there was a guarantee that the earthworks would not affect residents of Chee Seng Garden.

“Have we forgotten how the residents there were affected by mud floods on Sept 6, 2008, after nearby hills were stripped by two developers?

“It was the first time the neighbourhood was flooded in four decades. “Can we be sure that when it rains, mud water from the construction site will not flow downhill and flood the houses at the bottom? The bald patch at the hill is visible.”

Teh lamented how the skyline from Tanjung Bungah to Batu Ferringhi had changed. He said there were no fewer than 50 high-rise buildings in the stretch with nearly 10 projects pending approval.

“I dread to think of what will happen in the event of a downpour, which can lead to a landslide.”

In his statement during the Tanjung Bungah residents’ association’s annual general meeting, which is available online, chairman Datuk Renji Sathiah said the residents of Tanjung Bungah and their neighbouring communities had seen an acceleration in the deterioration of the environment in the past year.

“The main cause of this is that the state government favours developers over the concerns of those whose quality of life is affected by the degradation of the environment.”

Renji said development, illegal constructions, massive land reclamations without environmental impact assessments and the controversial Penang Traffic Master Plan were key issues facing the people of Tanjung Bungah and Penang.

“We must counter these threats to the environment and to our quality of life.

“But to do so, we need your support and commitment.

“Regrettably, here in our neighbourhood and elsewhere in Penang, people seem to react only when faced with a problem on their doorstep.

“This has to change if we are to show solidarity on matters impacting the community.”

http://www.nst.com.my/news/2016/02/128633/tg-bungah-hillslopes-stripped-projects

By Audrey Dermawan - 21 February 2016 @ 11:00 AM

Read More : http://www.nst.com.my/news/2016/02/128633/tg-bungah-hillslopes-stripped-projects

Two PKR assemblymen axed from Penang GLCs

GEORGE TOWN: Two Penang PKR assemblymen, who abstained from voting against a land reclamation motion put forward by Umno last November, have had their positions in state government-linked companies (GLCs) terminated.

Penang PKR whip Ong Chin Wen, who is also the Bukit Tengah assemblyman, has been sacked from his director’s posts in Penang Invest and Island Golf Properties Bhd, a subsidiary company of Penang Development Corporation.

Sharing the same fate is Kebun Bunga assemblyman Cheah Kah Peng who has been terminated from his director’s position in Penang Hill Corporation (PHC).

Ong and Cheah were among five PKR backbenchers who had abstained from voting against the motion which had called for public hearings for land reclamation and suspension of all new reclamation plans until oceanic, environmental and social impact studies were carried out.

The three other PKR backbenchers are Dr Norlela Ariffin (Penanti), Dr T. Jayabalan (Batu Uban) and Lee Khai Loon (Machang Bubuk).

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who heads the two GLCs, has yet to issue an official statement on the sacking of the assemblymen.
Ong, when contacted, said he would issue a statement regarding the matter soon.

PHC general manager Dr Lawrence Khoo has, meanwhile, confirmed Cheah’s sacking.

He said Cheah was terminated from the position during the last board meeting, which was held two weeks ago.

Cheah could not be reached for comment.

http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2016/02/20/pkr-reps-sacked-from-glcs/

See TBRA's previous statement for more background:

TBRA Press-Release Hurray for Teh !

Saturday, February 13, 2016

Chairman's Statement - TBRA AGM 2016

Statement of Dato’ Renji Sathiah, Chairman

Tanjung Bunga Residents Association

2016 TBRA AGM, 13th April, 2016

In the past year the residents of Tanjung Bunga and neighbouring communities, as well as in Penang in general, have witnessed an acceleration in the deterioation of the environment. The main driver of this is the fact that the state government clearly favours developers over the concerns of all those whose quality of life is impacted by the degradation of the environment.

In Tanjung Bungah there were two major threats in 2015. One was the huge project, comprising three high towers off Jalan Sungai Kelian, bordering on the DEE condominium in the heart of Tanjung Bunga. The condominium residents organised a press conference which was well supported and attended. The TBRA joined in this effort and I wrote to the Mayor expressing our deep concern over the development and its ramifications. The Mayor’s response was to ask the developer to lower the height of the building but, regrettably, the density was maintained. The second was the proposal and call for tenders by the Penang Development Council for the reclamation of 20 acres of land and the construction of a marina between the One Tanjung condominium and the Penang Swimming Club. The TBRA organised a demonstration against this proposal, which was well supported, in front of One Tanjung. The TBRA’s objections to the project were also made known to the Mayor in my letter. We have also been trying to work with the Penang Swimming Club, which will be seriously impacted by this project, to work on a joint response. To date there are no indications that the PDC proposal is still being considered. Possibly, in view of the major reclamation works planned for Tanjung Tokong and on the south coast, the state authorities may have decided to withhold this exercise. We will, however, remain vigilant.

We also face a number of other issues: pointless construction of pavements and barriers in different parts of Tanjung Bungah, benefitting contractors and ignoring the protests of affected locals; the growing increase of traffic caused by over-development on the hillsides between Tanjung Bungah and Batu Ferringhi, including heavy construction in Batu Ferringhi itself and massive projects in Jalan Permai; a worsening of security in the neighbourhood and the persisting dengue problem.

The TBRA conducted a survey last year amongst its members and other Tanjung Bungah residents which provided useful insights into residents’ concerns.

The very important issue of the status of Tanjung Bungah as a secondary corridor and not a primary corridor based on a major discrepancy in the second Penang Structure Plan, which had Tanjung Bungah classified as a primary development corridor in a diagram when the text showed it as a secondary corridor, remains unresolved. The developers, it appears, have been given free rein as there is no gazetted Local Plan.

The good news is the revival of the Penang Forum, which took on the issue of illegal hill slope construction in a “Save the Hills” campaign. A public forum was held with about 300 participants, followed by a meeting with the Chief Minister to discuss his claims that the Penang Forum was uninformed and misled by the opposition and the media. It was an exhaustive meeting with the Forum producing compelling evidence that the current state government had approved some of these projects. The Forum argued that the state was not legally obliged to renew earlier applications and could have imposed new conditions on them and that there was no legal basis for compensation as claimed by the state. The Chief Minister has suggested that the Forum’s experts meet with their state counterparts on these issues.

Of great significance was the Appeal Board’s judgement on the appeal made by residents in Sungai Ara against a 600 home project on the hillside next to where they lived. The Board ruled that this “Special Project” ( used to justify what would not be normally allowed under law) did not fall under the legal definition i.e that it is only for limited development and in the public interest. Furthermore, the MBPP did not have the authority to approve such projects. This landmark ruling provides grounds for challenges to other such projects.

The TBRA would like to work with other residents associations in Penang to put pressure on the authorities to respond to peoples’ concerns and to support the efforts of the Penang Forum.

Overdevelopment, illegal construction, massive land reclamations without rigorous and credible environmental impact assessments and now a controversial Penang Traffic Master Plan, recently announced by the government, are the key issues facing us in Tanjung Bungah and Penang as a whole. We must counter these threats to the environment and to our quality of life but to do so we need your support and commitment. Regrettably, here in our neighbourhood and elsewhere in Penang, people seem to only react when faced with a problem on their doorstep. This has to change if we are to become truly effective by showing solidarity on matters impacting on the community as a whole.

[This document is also available here in document format: https://goo.gl/qCs9eH]

Monday, February 01, 2016

Recent Photos of Developments Viewed from Infinity

Photos taken by a resident from Infinity apartment:

Behind the market. Before Concord Garden

https://goo.gl/u5rfyQ

To the right (West) of TAR College and behind Villa Permai and Taman Sri Setia

https://goo.gl/PZHPP0

Leader Garden and Chee Seng Garden in the far background

Behind Chee Seng Garden

https://goo.gl/rZoIuV

About Tanjong Bunga

Join us!! Become a Member!!!

click image to enlarge
Maps of Tanjung Bungah
Facebook Page: TBRA2015

The town of Tanjong Bunga (sometimes spelled Tanjung Bungah) situated on the north coast of Penang Island means Cape of flowers in Malay. It has a gently undulating topography that rises from the sea of Tanjong Bunga bay. Like all coastal settlements on the island, it started as a fishing village and later grew into a township. Tanjong Bunga was developed in the 1960s with single storey terrace houses, semi-detached houses and bungalows. It was home to many of the personnel from the Royal Australian Air Force who were then serving in Penang.

The surrounding hills and the proximity to the beaches have made Tanjong Bunga a choice residential area. The tree-lined and turfed roadsides, house gardens and hedges are the characteristics of the garden suburban town.

To-day it is home to about 30,000 population and growing with many high rise apartments and condominium sprouting all over. Residents are concerned about developments threatening the hillslopes, scenic seaside and tranquil greenery.