GEORGE TOWN – Padi fields, Malay villages and anything with heritage value on the mainland must be preserved amid the state government’s push for development, said Penang opposition chief Datuk Muhamad Yusoff Mohd Noor.
The Sg Dua assemblyman said heritage should not be sacrificed for the sake of development and modernisation.
“There are 100ha of padi fields in my constituency, farmers, the Air Hitam Dalam forest, villages and Sg Prai, which run through my constituency. I will make sure that these are not removed in the name of development.
“I am not against development. I understand that it is important to plan for the future, but unnecessary and unwanted projects will destroy the land and nature.”
The Seberang Prai local plan will be the master document setting out the framework for the mainland’s development for the next 10 years. Public feedback for the plan has been postponed to July 9.
“I am also against reclamation in the Bagan Ajam coastal area, as I want the beauty of the sandy beach to be preserved for future generations,” said Yusoff.
He said he is meeting his constituents later this week to discuss the matter.
Telok Air Tawar rep Mustafa Kamal Ahmad supports the call to preserve and upgrade traditional Malay villages on the mainland.
“I want my constituency to remain intact, without major changes. My only request is to have a market in Jalan Tunku Putra, Telok Air Tawar. I’ve identified a 0.4ha site for this proposed project.
“At present, residents need to travel to Bagan Ajam or Kepala Batas to buy vegetables and meat.”
Penang Former City Councillors’ Association chairman Teoh Seang Hooi said Seberang Prai, which attained city status years ago, needs a convention hall of international standards that can hold 10,000 people.
“We do not have such a facility to match our city status, so I suggest that there be a convention hall in Seberang Prai Tengah or Batu Kawan,” said the ex-Seberang Prai city councillor.
Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow has said the state’s future lies in the mainland.
Bukit Tengah assemblyman Gooi Hsiao Leung in a statement earlier asked that the state government, in the local plan, focus on disadvantaged and marginalised neighbourhoods.
He urged the Seberang Prai City Council to prioritise and upgrade infrastructure and assets that serve communities in neighbourhoods outside the development corridors highlighted in the plan.
He said investing in the building, maintenance and upgrading of such assets, such as open spaces, playgrounds, parks, jogging tracks, basketball and sepak takraw courts, community centres and multipurpose halls, is much needed and will highly benefit residents.
“These assets are greatest in number and most utilised by the local communities. They are where people interact and connect with one another.” – The Vibes, June 10, 2021
