Malaysia: Penang NGOs not happy with ‘mindless development’

The Star 5 Jun 12;

GEORGE TOWN: Penang may have been named one of Asia's most liveable cities, but two non-governmental organisations here beg to differ.

The Consumers' Association of Penang (CAP) and Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) argued that Penang was becoming unliveable due to “mindless development”.

“The kind of development that is taking place leaves no space for conservation,” said S.M. Mohamed Idris, who is president of both NGOs.

He claimed that hills were being destroyed while in places like Tanjung Tokong, the sea was being polluted by reclamation.

Yesterday, a small group of CAP and SAM members staged a 15-minute peaceful protest outside the construction site of a hillslope housing project in Bukit Gambier ahead of World Environment Day today.

Speaking to reporters later, Idris said the current number of high-rise developments was unnecessary.

“Based on our observations, we estimate that 40% to 50% of high-rise units in Penang are unoccupied,” he said.

He urged the Federal Government, state government and local authorities to halt all hillslope projects and gazette forests and mangrove areas as permanent forest reserves.

“Coastal reclamation and aquaculture activities in Penang have also contributed to the destruction of the natural coastal ecosystem. Approximately 70% of mangrove forests in the state have been destroyed by development projects.

“All these threats to the environment have led to at least 40 species of river and marine life to be endangered or extinct,” Idris said.

When contacted, state Health, Welfare, Caring Society and Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said: “We appreciate their concerns. I hope we can work together and that they provide us with their insight and help.”

Outrage over damage to environment
Looi Sue-Chern New Straits Times 7 Jun 12;

ANGRY VOICES: NGOs are calling on Penang government to ensure that proposed developments do not cause further environmental degradation

GEORGE TOWN: THE rivers are polluted and Penang's mangrove forests, beaches, hills and greenery are slowly making way for development projects.

Outraged by what is happening, the Consumers Association of Penang and Sahabat Alam Malaysia are calling on the state government to ensure that proposed developments will not cause further damage to the environment and the people's lives.

S.M. Mohamed Idris, the president of both non-governmental organisations (NGO), said Penang was still losing its greenery and facing environmental problems, despite the state government's "Cleaner and Greener" initiative, Idris, who has been fighting for the environment for 40 years, said the situation was getting worse as Penang was becoming more and more congested with "monstrous" high-rise buildings and development projects coming up around the island.

He said, in the state Environment Department's river water quality report last year, 10 rivers in Penang were classed as polluted, nine were moderately dirty and only five were clean.

Among the polluted ones were the Jawi, Air Itam, Jelutong, Pinang, Juru, and Prai rivers.

In the department's report on marine water quality last year, he said, Kuala Sungai Pinang in Jelutong, Kuala Sungai Pinang in Balik Pulau, and Kuala Sungai Prai and Kuala Sungai Juru on the mainland were high in Escherichia coli (E. Coli) bacteria, which indicated fecal contamination.

The state also faced natural coastal area destruction due to land reclamation and aquaculture activities.

He added that beaches, such as the Persiaran Gurney beach, were turning into mud flats.

"Some 70 per cent of mangrove forests here have been destroyed to make way for development projects.

Such threats endanger at least 40 river and marine species.

"We are also losing water catchment areas.

"Mud floods are occurring more frequently in villages and housing estates because of soil erosion and sedimentation from hill slope projects in places such as Balik Pulau and Bayan Lepas," said Idris.

He cited recent reports of Sungai Ara and Tanjung Bungah residents protesting against such developments.

Idris, who led members of the NGOs in an anti-hill slope development protest on Jalan Bukit Gambir here to mark World Environment Day recently, also called on the government to stop all projects on hill slopes.

The high-end condominium project, which is being developed by a Kuala Lumpur-based company, features a 31-storey condominium block with more than 140 units, a five-storey car park, a two storey open basement and seven three-storey bungalows that are expected to be ready in three years.

He said there was no need for more of these profit-driven projects which offered homes most people in Penang could not afford.

"We want our hills and agricultural land to be protected from further development and for forests and mangrove swamps to be gazetted as permanent reserve forests.

The state government and local authorities must enforce existing regulations.

"The Environment Department should also improve its education programmes to encourage public participation.

"The people must play their part to keep Penang clean and green to ensure a better life for ourselves and future generations," said Idris.