By Zulfikar Aziz
I attended last Sunday’s town hall session for residents to raise their concerns about the plan to rehabilitate the Jelutong landfill in Penang and recycle the material as topsoil for reclamation along the coast nearby.
From what I understand and observe, the area is already facing tremendous traffic congestion.
Many high-rise projects there have been carried out since 2008. This means the state or local government has received a huge amount in fees from property owners and perhaps developers.
The correct thing for the government to do is to show its appreciation for the huge revenue received by doing the following:
- Rehabilitate the landfill safely as soon as possible
- Convert the landfill to a public park
- Turn down any mixed development on the landfill after rehabilitation
- Convert the area into a public park
- Cancel the reclamation on the coast adjacent to the landfill
- Gazette Middle Bank as a Penang state marine sanctuary
Zulfikar Aziz is a Penang-based activist committed to the political empowerment of the people of Penang and good governance in the state.
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- Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
- Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
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- Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
Penang is very rapidly developing into a concrete high rise jungle and every available green or vacant land a high rise is popping up.Reclamation projects and
condos are obscurring direct sea views
We have an aging population and a younger population that loves the out doors and activities You just have to go to youth park or botanical gardens and realise that on busy peak hours it is no longer like those good old days.Now it is like walking jogging thru human traffic.
We need more natural parks like preserved forests and not concrete parks.
In my opinion Karpal Singh Drive should be maintained and the old dump site converted into a public park.
The quality of life of penang must be maintained.