Heated affair expected at state assembly
Penang landslide tragedy and flooding woes will be among highlights at session
GEORGE TOWN: The state assembly sitting tomorrow is expected to be a heated affair with the Bukit Kukus landslide tragedy and the perennial flooding woes in the state among the highlights.
Mohd Yusni Mat Piah of PAS said he would bring up the Bukit Kukus paired road project that claimed nine lives.
“We should be committed to environmental issues.
“There must be a close scrutiny of other development projects that are detrimental to the environment,” said the Penaga assemblyman.
Mohd Yusni said he would also raise the perennial flood problems plaguing Penangites.
“How much allocation is needed to alleviate the problem?
“Have the flood victims been adequately compensated? Floods happen far too many times in a year,” he said.
With Pakatan Harapan holding 37 seats in the 40-seat assembly, Mohd Yusni is one of the three opposition members.
The other two are from Barisan Nasional – Sungai Dua assemblyman Muhamad Yusoff Mohd Noor and Permatang Berangan assemblyman Nor Hafizah Othman.
On Oct 19, a landslide at the construction site where the Bukit Kukus paired road in Paya Terubong was being built swamped 12 containers that housed construction workers.
Nine foreign workers perished in the incident while four others were injured.
Meanwhile, the assembly sitting may also witness history in the making – a planned motion to limit the chief minister’s tenure to two terms.
If the motion is passed, Penang will be the first state in the country to adopt such a practice which was part of Pakatan Harapan’s election manifesto.
The august House will also see Chow Kon Yeow presenting his maiden budget as the chief minister.
It is widely speculated that the 2019 state budget would be centred on fulfilling his Penang 2030 plan themed “A Family Focused Green and Smart State that Inspires the Nation”.
State assembly Speaker Datuk Law Choo Kiang advised all assemblymen to focus their debate on the state budget.
“Scrutinise and review the budget allocations.
“The Yang Berhormat have so many state issues to provide a check and balance.
“Play your roles effectively at the executive level.
“Bear in mind you are the legislators in the august House to provide check and balance on the state executive, and to safeguard Penangites’ interests,” he said.
Law said another issue that was set to dominate the week-long proceedings from Nov 9 to 16 was the Pan Island Link 1 (PIL 1) project.
The project is an integral part of the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP) that is designed to solve the island state’s traffic congestion and cater to the economic needs of Penang over the next five decades.
In the last state assembly in August, scores of protesters held a peaceful demonstration to voice their objections to the proposed PIL 1.
The first phase of the PTMP is the construction of the PIL 1 and the Bayan Lepas LRT.
PIL 1 is expected to serve as a second link with a ring traffic dispersal system connecting the North Coast paired road, the Gurney Expressway, the LCE Expressway, Penang Airport and the first and second Penang bridges.