Penang residents concerned with the social and physical impact of the Penang Gobal City Centre (PGCC) reminded the local authorities today not to condone developers' disregard of rules and regulations.

Residents' Association of Jesselton (Raj) spokesperson Kee Phaik Cheen said this disregard was evident in several elements of the plans submitted by the developer to the local authorities for the RM25 billion PGCC.

The developer - Abad Naluri - seems to have its own ideas of Penang Island Municipal Council's (MPPP) building and planning guidelines on plot ratio, density, and height control, suggested Kee, whose residential area of Jesselton neighbours the targeted site for PGCC.

While the guidelines state there should be only six residential units per acre and height control of two storeys, MPPP has been asked by Abad Naluri to approve the construction of 42 to 75 units per acre and the building of 37 highrise towers of over 40 storeys.

The proposed PGCC development also exceeds guidelines on plot ratio that has been set to 3:1, Kee added.

"The present guidelines cannot be changed except with the express approval of the (Penang) state planning committee," noted Kee when contacted after attending a meeting this morning with MPPP councillors and representatives of Abad Naluri.

Kee, a former Penang state exco who had headed the women's affairs and tourism committees, had in the meeting presented an overview of the residents' concerns with the PGCC project.

Huge media blitz

According to her, lawyers and architects were also present at the meeting to voice objections against the project.

"One of them asked why the PGCC looked set on being approved whereas the MPPP had rejected earlier proposals submitted by other parties on the grounds they contravened its guidelines on density, height control, and plot ration," said Kee.

Raj is among several non-governmental organisations that have objected to the PGCC on the grounds the project will have a disastrous effect on the island's environment and exacerbate the already problematic traffic woes.

They have also decried the fact that the developer and authorities have not been forthcoming on whether the required assessment reports - such as the detailed environmental impact assessment - have been submitted and approved.
The developer, they claimed, has embarked on a huge media blitz to win over public opinion for the PGCC without consulting with or addressing the concerns raised by the residents and NGOs.

"We are not against development per se, or even parts of the PGCC project itself. We are just questioning on the high price that has to be paid for such development," said Kee.

While the meeting took place this morning, several NGOs gathered at MPPP's City Hall to show their support of Raj and their objections to the PGCC.

They included the Consumers' Association of Penang, environmental group Sam, social reform movement Aliran, Malaysian Nature Society, Friends of the Botonic Garden, and human rights group Suaram.