Taking Penangites for a ride over Bukit Botak
For whose protection is the shroud of secrecy being thrown over this project?
from: Ravinder Singh, via email
Chow Kon Yeow, the Penang local government committee chairman, is reported to have told journalists and some NGO members taken for a site visit on Bukit Botak last Wednesday that “we did not let them off the hook even after they paid a RM30,000 fine. They still have to do the mitigation work”.
A spokesman for the developer said that “RM20 million had been spent on mitigation and the figure could reach RM50 million by the time the work is completed in June”.
At the site, some argument ensued between the engineers of the City Council and the developer and persons from the NGOs.
All that Chow is reported to have said is that the local government did not let the developer off the hook, i.e. he was fined RM30,000.00 and ordered to “mitigate” the damage.
“Mitigate” means to reduce or stop further erosion or damage (while work on the development goes on). Why play with words to fool the people?
I’m wondering why was it not Chow answering the questions about the nature of the work that was actually going on?
Even from the Penang Bridge, people approaching the island can see clearly that a wide road is being constructed to the “botak” site on top of the hill. This is confirmed by the recent photos of the hill.
The road is certainly not a track that needs to be used temporarily for carrying out some “mitigation work” and which will itself be planted over with tress after “mitigation” work is completed in June. It is clearly a standard road that meets JKR standards. Having built this costly road, surely it is not going to be dug up when the “mitigation work is completed”.
It is this that Chow must explain. Surely he cannot be ignorant of the real purpose of the multi-million ringgit road? He should not feign ignorance. This question is not for the engineers to answer but for the politician who heads the local government committee to answer.
The Chief Minister was some time back reported to have said that “future development” on the hill is not ruled out, although houses will not be built. So is Bukit Botak being turned into a theme park, a holiday resort, a casino, or something else that will earn profits for the developer and provide revenue to the state?
*Where is the state’s CAT hiding?*
The multi-million ringgit road is not lying about development that will be taking place on the hill which the chief minister has not ruled out. For whose protection is the secrecy shroud being thrown over Bukit Botak, like a wig?
If Mahathir said “Melayu mudah lupa”, it looks like “orang politik lebih mudah lupa” – they have forgotten that they promised to be competent, accountable and transparent.
Ravinder Singh is an FMT reader
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