The residents claimed that the proposed project, comprising 1,440 units spread over 5.6ha on Lots 10333, 10334 and 10335 in Mukim 12, Juru, would be built by Hunza-Land Corporation, which owns the land. It would have the capacity to house about 20,000 workers.
Committee chairman Wahid Othman said that residents were worried about the planned workers’ dormitory, citing concerns on safety, traffic congestion, a decrease in the quality of life, and increased pollution.
“We would like to urge the government and developers to stop the planning of this workers’ dormitory,” he told a press conference at Dewan Taman Cendana here.
The residents also challenged the findings of a survey conducted by a consulting firm hired by the developer, which claimed that 59% of residents supported the proposed workers’ dormitory.
“Are the 595 respondents surveyed by the consultant an accurate representation of the population in Juru?” Wahid said.
He also highlighted that another workers’ dormitory, the ENS Hostel, would be built in Juru to accommodate about 8,200 workers.
“With these two workers’ accommodations, the number of foreign workers will exceed the number of local residents in our neighbourhood,” he said.
Over 200 people turned up at the press conference, including a city councillor, representatives from five village development and security committees, two village committee management councils and more than seven residents’ associations.
“We only invited 40 people but more than 200 turned up. This shows how serious we are about protesting against the workers’ dormitory,” Wahid said.
“We have sent a letter of protest to the Bukit Tengah assemblyman, Batu Kawan MP, Seberang Perai City Council mayor, and the executive councillors on Oct 31, but we have not received any response from them yet,” he added.
However, MBSP councillor Noor Ahmad said no building plans have been received from Hunza-Land so far.
In January, Penang chief minister Chow Kon Yeow said that dormitories for foreign workers were becoming essential as the state increasingly became a regional manufacturing hub, home to multinational companies that must adhere to international labour standards.
His comments followed protests against the planned construction of two foreign workers’ dormitories in Teluk Kumbar, with locals citing concerns about social ills and heavier traffic.
A Dec 30 protest saw nearly 1,000 people voicing resistance to the planned dormitories, which they said would have a total of more than 30,000 beds – double the 15,000 population there.