‘Kit Siang was against Penang Hill development’

GEORGE TOWN: Barisan Nasional lawmakers have expressed concern over the loss of Penang’s hills and sea to development.

Addressing the state legislative assembly sitting yesterday, state opposition leader Datuk Jahara Hamid said many of the state’s hills had been flattened, and its sea reclaimed, all in the name of development.

Pointing to a proposal to develop Penang Hill, Jahara (BN-Teluk Air Tawar) reminded the state government that such a proposal was met with strong resistance by various quarters in the past.

She said even Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s (DAP-Air Putih) father, Lim Kit Siang, had objected to plans to develop the hill then, by former chief minister Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu.

“I understand that a Request For Proposal (RFP) will be called for Penang Hill.

“As far as I am concerned, Lim (Guan Eng)’s father had strongly objected to such a proposal even while I was still studying.

“Isn’t this against his father’s actions and an irony of what his father had opposed then, more so with Guan Eng helming the Penang Hill Corporation?

“If there are plans to develop Penang Hill, it will only disappoint Penangites and I am sure they will oppose it at all costs. Penangites will not want to lose their hill to development,” she said.

Jahara said due to Kit Siang’s strong opposition then, along with non-governmental organisations (NGOs), development plans for Penang Hill were shelved altogether.

That particular episode also saw Kit Siang defeating Dr Lim in the 1990 general election, due to the rejection of the Penang Hill development by the electorate of Penang.

Jahara said Penang Hill was already an attraction in itself, having drawn 1.6 million visitors, adding that there was no need for further development on the hill.

“The authorities should think of other ways to manage this product without affecting its ecology, which is rich in flora and fauna,” she said.

It was reported that there was a RFP for a 300-room hotel on Penang Hill.

Meanwhile, Jahara said the same also applied to Pulau Jerejak, which meant that any development should be eco-friendly and did not affect the environment.

“I remember asking about plans to gazette Pulau Jerejak as a forest reserve in the previous sitting.

“It looks like there is ‘udang di sebalik batu (hidden agenda)’ on the part of the state government, looking at the recent development plans for Pulau Jerejak.

“Why didn’t the state government announce the plans then since it was planned for the last three years?

“We are indeed losing one after another of our priceless natural assets.”