NGOs want local plans which they have been asking the past 20 years
Himanshu Bhatt, The Sun
May 21, 2008

GEORGE TOWN: The spate of mega-projects in Penang is driving citizens groups here to ask the new state government for local plans that have been long awaited for more than 20 years.

Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in Penang are saying that it is not enough for the state to have just a Structure Plan; the government must go beyond enforcing the Structure Plan, and draft local plans that are overdue.

To date, Penang has only one local plan - for Penang Hill - gazetted in 1997 following the popular people’s movement to protect the hill from development.

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) coordinator Mohd Nizam Mahshar said locals plans were critical as the current Structure Plan, gazetted in June last year, does not adequately address the parameters for development in specific areas.

"The Structure Plan is very vague, and it is up for interpretation," he said.

Among other things, local plans would provide very specific details on matters like land-use, environmental protection, topographical preservation, development limits and traffic management.

"We have been pushing for the local plans for years. But there is no support at all from the municipal councils."

The Structure Plan hit the spotlight recently when Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng demanded that the previous administration explain why the zoning for the area slated for the RM25 billion Penang Global City Centre had been changed from "recreation" to "new development".

Following this, the Penang Heritage Trust (PHT) called on the government to also review approval for the billion-ringgit Gurney Paragon project along Gurney Drive which comprises two blocks of 43-storey buildings and a block of 37-storey building over-shadowing heritage buildings.

The PGCC Campaign Group, a coalition of NGOs that opposed the scale and design of the PGCC, has been lobbying for local plans since last year.

Nizam said the previous state administration may have dragged its feet on the matter as it had preferred to treat the whole island’s development through one master plan.

"The local plans are more specific in detail and therefore bring limitations to development projects," he said.

"Most people do not know that the structure and local plans are legally binding. Violators can be taken to court," he added.

Penang Heritage Trust president Dr Choong Sim Poey complained that it was very difficult to obtain specific information and updates on the progress of the local plans from the government.

He said it was critical for the authorities to confer and coordinate with citizens’ groups while preparing the plans so that their views and concerns are accounted for in the final drafts.

"We would like to ensure transparency and public consultation," he said.

"The NGOs have requested for information and for us to be allowed to participate. We are still awaiting response from the government," he added.

Datuk Anwar Fazal, a former assistant secretary of the the then state municipal council and co-founder of Transparency International, said mega-projects have been "parachuted" into neighbourhoods without public consultation and feedback.

He said the situation has made it imperative for the new government to actively pursue the local plans.

"These big projects needs to be carefully reviewed before they destroy our neighbourhoods," he said, adding that that there needed to be neighbourhood advisory councils which would ensure that projects approved were in line with the local plans.