BALIK PULAU – The proposal for Penang to have more than two local councils has again cropped up with former Balik Pulau MP Yusmadi Yusoff saying that this will better serve ratepayers.
He added that the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) is struggling to meet the expectations of the larger district of Balik Pulau, which is being developed, and the adjoining historical district of George Town, in terms of housing, traffic management and environmental concerns.
He said many ratepayers in Balik Pulau have to walk some distance to discard their household waste because the council does not deploy adequate rubbish collection workers to the interior of the district.
“While many regard Balik Pulau as a backwater, the presence of more development projects here compared to the better-known northeast (George Town) district cannot be overlooked,” he told The Vibes.
He said there are some quarters who want George Town to be conserved but to do that also requires more attention from the council, so it is more effective to split MBPP into two.
“When there are two councils on the island, the specific federal grants for services would also double and eventually, the people will benefit from better council services.”
He also said that the districts on the mainland (Prai) would also need to have more councils to serve them due to the rapid development they now experience.
“It will be tough for the Seberang Prai City Council to meet the needs and demands there. It is the largest locality in the country.”
The idea of having more than one local council on the island was mooted in the 1990s by then Balik Pulau MP Nungsari Ahmad Radhi.
State executive councillor Datuk Abdul Halim Hussein, who is the Batu Maung assemblyman, lent his voice in support of the change.
Two councils on the island can better serve the people, he said, adding that anything that turns out to be good for the people needs to be supported.
The Balik Pulau district runs from some parts of the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone to the Penang International Airport in Bayan Lepas to the seafood haunts in Teluk Kumbar and the durian orchards in Balik Pulau as well as part of the Batu Ferringhi tourism belt in Teluk Bahang.
MBPP president Datuk Yew Tung Seang and state exco for local government Jagdeep Singh Deo could not be reached for comment. – The Vibes, February 23, 2023
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