Guan Eng slams critics

By admin on November 8th, 2009

GEORGE TOWN (Nov 6, 2009): Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng slammed various parties who created a fuss over the earlier issue of the approval of four controversial high-rise projects in the George Town heritage zone, for their ‘deafening silence’ when it comes to the state’s efforts to garner funds from the federal government for heritage conservation.

Lim said when the issue of the controversial high-rise projects came up, various interested parties issued a lot of press statements about it.

Lim Guan Eng

“Now, when we are asking for the RM25mil from the federal government for heritage conservation and also to prepare the Special Area Plan for Unesco, nobody came forward to say anything,” he said.

He added these same people were so vocal about the controversial high-rise projects but now that the state government has reduced the height of the projects and having problems with one of the developers, they are silent.

“When issues on money crop up like the RM25milion the federal government is yet to channel to us and the compensation the developer wanted, they are silent. If they are really fighting for a cause, they should be fair instead of picking certain topics and when it comes to this, they are quiet,” he said.

One of the developers for a high-rise project within the heritage zone is believed to be demanding compensation following the state government’s decision to halt the four controversial projects.

Lim said the state government is still in active discussion with the developer to seek a win-win solution for both the developer and the state government.

As for the RM25 million fund, Lim is still appealing the federal government to release the funds to the state as soon as possible so that it could put into place its heritage conservation plans including preparing the Special Area Plan, which is an obligation under the Unesco World Heritage listing.

Lim added that the Unesco heritage status for George Town is done jointly with Malacca and thus, the federal government should note that if George Town were not able to fulfil Unesco’s requirements due to lack of fund, it would also affect Malacca’s heritage status.

He was speaking in a press conference at his office on Friday noon after announcing the launch of the Penang World Heritage Office’s George Town Land use and Population Survey as a preliminary research for the Special Area Plan.

The study is a partnership between the World Heritage Office, Penang Town and Country Planning Department, the Penang Island Municipal Council and Think City Sdn Bhd.

Lim said the survey will collect basic population and employment information on every residence, businesses, government agency, religious or clan associations, educational institution and non-governmental organisation within the core and the buffer zone of the World Heritage site.

More details on the survey can be found at www.surveygeorgetown.com.

The Sun - 05:25PM Fri, 06 Nov 2009
http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=39940

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