SEREMBAN – Only one of 13 resorts operating in Pantai Hill here has obtained planning approval and been subsequently certified by the Seremban City Council (MBS), the Negri Sembilan State Legislative Assembly was told today.
State Urban Well-being, Housing, Local Government and New Villages Committee chairman Teo Kok Seong said the only resort that obtained the approval is Dusun Resort, owned by Halen Marion Todd.
“The other 12 resort operators (that have yet to obtain planning approval) must comply with the conditions set and submit the plan to be approved and certified,” he said at an oral question-and-answer session.
He said this in reply to a question from Ng Chin Tsai (PH-Temiang), who wanted to know the names of resort operators in the Pantai Hill area and whether these operators met the conditions set by the local authority to operate.
Answering Ng's supplementary question on the area of each resort and their period of operation, Teo (PH-Bahau) said some resorts on Pantai Hill have been operating for more than 20 years without permission from the state government and local authority.
“After the menteri besar's visit to the area, we decided to legalise these resorts to ensure that all those operating hill resorts have a licence, and we need to make sure those who stay there are also insured.
“What we need to emphasise is that, on behalf of the state government and local authorities, we need to make sure that the structure of the building is safe and that is a challenge for all of us but we are trying our best.
“The resort operators have given their cooperation. However, not all the land there are developed as a resorts; some are built for residential purposes,” he said.
He said the legalisation process is ongoing and if the building structure is deemed safe, the state government will allow them to operate as the area is one of the top tourist attractions in Negri Sembilan. – Bernama, December 1, 2020
