‘REVEAL PLANS FOR STATE LAND’
Chant wants to know whether 2 plots of land will be transferred to CMI
THE Citizens Awareness Chant Group (Chant) is urging the Penang government to come clean on whether it intends to transfer two plots of state land to Chief Minister Incorporated (CMI).
One of the plots is prime land measuring 3.2ha bordering Lebuhraya Codrington, Lengkok Burma and Jalan Burma, while the other plot is on Penang Hill, where the unused Convalescent Bungalow sits.
While rumours are rife that the plot of land on Penang Hill will be used to build a 200 to 300-bed hotel, it is not known what the other piece of land will be used for.
Chant adviser Yan Lee said he had obtained information about the proposed transfer of both plots of land to CMI, and wanted the state government to clarify the matter.
“We don’t want what happened to the Peel Avenue land to also happen to the two plots of land. In the Peel Avenue saga, Chant also exposed that the Penang government had transferred the prime state land to CMI and later sold it to a third party for a development project without public consultation.
“So now, we want to ask the Penang government whether the two plots of land will be transferred to CMI, and if yes, for what purpose? It seems more and more plots of land have been transferred to CMI.
“If the state government has nothing to hide, why not come clean on the matter? The (plots of) land belong to the rakyat and we have every right to know their status and use,” he said at the 3.2ha plot.
Checks by the New Straits Times showed that the green lung is surrounded by houses and a temple.
Yan said he had written to the state government seeking an explanation, but to no avail.
“Everyone is well aware that Penang has no local plan and it is paramount that public consultations are held.”
It was reported that state opposition leader Datuk Jahara Hamid had told the state legislative assembly sitting in November last year that she was made to understand that a request for proposal would be called for Penang Hill.
She had asked if there were plans to develop the hill and had added that Penangites would be disappointed if that was the case and that even DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang had objected to former chief minister Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu’s plans to develop the hill.
At press time, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had yet to respond to requests for comment.