AnakPinang Urges Public Calmness Over the News About Penang Hill's Hotel Plan

Some ten members of AnakPinang, a pro-growth group in Penang, visited the proposed sites of the Penang Hill hotels to understand the plan to develop the iconic hill, as announced by chief minister Chow Kon Yeow recently.

The group was met by the general manager of Penang Hill Corporation, Cheok Lay Leng, at the lower station and was taken up the hill to visit the dilapidated state-owned bungalows along the Coolie Lines and also the Convalescent bungalow.

Timothy Tye, the spokesperson for AnakPinang said, that the announcement to develop hotels on Penang Hill has raised some concerns.

"After visiting the sites, we discovered that Penang Hill Corporation (PHC) will only be repurposing the site where existing dilapidated bungalows are located. PHC will call for a Request-For-Proposal for the best environmentally sound and financially viable option.

AnakPinang's Timothy Tye speaking with Penang Hill Corporation general manager Cheok Lay Leng during the site visit.

"It will not be a mega project as insinuated by certain NGOs. They are making a mountain out of a molehill.

"Penang Hill is a living heritage hill since the British colonial days. At one point, Penang Hill had more than 900 residents residing on the hill, with public facilities such as clinic, post office and police station.

"Up until today, there are people residing here. They are mostly farmers and the descendants of the workers of the hill.

"The area to be redeveloped is not a deserted rainforest, as certain civil groups would like to imply, but rather places that have already been built before.

"Certain NGOs claim to represent Penang's public interest by objecting against Penang Hill's plan. AnakPinang disagrees. They do not represent AnakPinang's interests, neither do they represent all the residents on the hill.

"Penang should be given balanced growth that provides equal attention to the well-being of the people, as well as protecting the environment," said Tye.

In view of the irresponsible and unnecessary public provocation, AnakPinang urges calmness and collaboration from all interested parties so that our beloved Penang Hill can be developed sustainably for the good of all.

Mentions