BALIK PULAU – An Amanah state legislator stood with Penang PAS leaders to jointly protest a state government plan to allow construction of staff quarters for migrant workers in Teluk Kumbar here.
Despite concerns over the resurgence of Covid-19, dozens of people – some notably from PAS as well as Umno and Warisan – held an hour-long protest at the site of a night market in Teluk Kumbar on the south of the island.
They wanted to highlight their disapproval of the two housing projects.
Bayan Lepas assemblyman Azrul Mahathir Aziz, a backbencher with the Pakatan Harapan (PH) state government, joined Penang PAS commissioner Muhammad Fauzi Yusoff to express objection to the projects.
“I have raised this issue at the state legislative sitting. I hope that the state government listens. This protest is driven by the community here, so I must respect their wishes. I stand in solidarity with them on this matter,” Azrul said.
Stop relying on migrant labour, focus on high-end manufacturing investments: protest leader
Muhammad Idiris Saleh, an academic with Universiti Sains Malaysia, said that there is hope that the two projects will not proceed because it is still at the one-stop centre stage and has yet to reach the full council meeting of the Penang Island City Council.
Idiris, who led the protest, said that there is a need for the state government to reconsider the projects.
“I think the Penang government is behind time. We are in the era of seeking investors for high-end manufacturing investments so that we can create high-skilled jobs.
“Having low-end investors for labour-intensive projects runs contrary to the efforts to position Penang as a hub for smart manufacturing. We cannot be dependent on migrant labour.”
Idiris opined that there is no need to have migrant workers living within the communities here, as he said they would likely trigger social ills and cause uneasiness among the people.
The protesters have also embarked on a campaign where up to 50,000 signatures will be sourced from Teluk Kumbar residents.
Penang had earlier revealed plans to construct several staff quarters for migrants as part of its efforts to improve their living conditions, following Covid-19’s impact.
Protest was a non-partisan event, says Pemikir chairman
Later, Pertubuhan Badan Pemikir Melayu Pulau Pinang chairman Datuk Muhammed Farid Saad said that this is an apolitical event, as everyone who participated were just community leaders.
“I hope that the state government looks at this issue from the standpoint of what the community wants, and that they neither side with the developers nor politicise the issue.
“It is simply about not wanting quarters for non-citizens in their neighbourhood.”
Farid, a former Umno state assemblyman for nearby Pulau Betong, said that there are indications that the state government is refusing to heed the protest calls, and that this would also invite disdain among the community.
Warisan’s Balik Pulau/Bayan Baru coordinator Goh Choon Keong said the party was present to support the aggrieved community here. – The Vibes, February 11, 2022
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