GEORGE TOWN, Jan 22 ― Just off the busy tourist belt of Batu Ferringhi is a quiet village on a 30-acre piece of land with more than 40 of the houses already demolished as the landowner prepares to launch a massive mixed development project of several high-rise blocks.
Residents living in an upscale residential area next to the village ― Kampung Chetty ― are up in arms against the high density of the proposed project which consists of a hotel, a shopping complex, low cost flats, low medium cost flats, medium cost flats, a condominium, service apartments and terrace houses.
Claiming the infrastructure along the quiet Batu Ferringhi area is insufficient for such a massive project, the residents filed objections against it with the Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP).
One of the residents, who declined to be named, warned that the narrow road leading to Batu Ferringhi would not be able to support the lorries going up and down the road for the project.
He also pointed at the high density of the proposed project which includes a 38-storey low cost flat meant as compensation units for the Kampung Chetty residents.
“If it is built, it can potentially become a slum in the sky in 10 years’ time if it is not managed well,” he said.
He stressed that they are not against the whole development but that they want the developer to scale it down and reduce its density.
Citing studies that show re-housing of the lower income group in high rise buildings is not a good solution, he proposed that the low cost flats be only below 10 storeys so that it is more manageable and easily maintained as opposed to a high rise triple the height.
“We are not against the low cost flats but if we look at high rise low cost flats such as Rifle Range and its current condition where it is poorly managed, we don’t want a 38-storey Rifle Range right here in the heart of Batu Ferringhi,” he said.
He and about nine other households living next to the project also started an online petition against the density of the project on January 13.
The petition has so far gathered 1,100 signatures but the group already submitted the petition to the Penang state government for consideration.
When contacted, state housing development committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo said he had met with the group of residents and that the case is still pending to be fully heard in the council’s Housing Board.
“I’ve facilitated a meeting between them and the developer but they couldn't reach an agreement so this whole case is still pending,” he said.
Jagdeep said the residents were against the proximity of the project to their housing area and not against the whole project.
He confirmed that the project was not approved yet and it is still pending the Housing Board’s hearing of objections by the residents.
“I have no say in this as they will have to wait for the hearing and the decision by the board on their objections and appeals against the project,” he said.
Kampung Chetty is one of the traditional villages in the area that is giving way to development but the residents who were relocated are not complaining.
In fact, they are impatient for the project to start so that their promised low medium cost units can be completed fast.
A former chef, Lim Jit Wong, 63, grew up in the village but is resigned to the fact that he had to move out to make way for development.
“Some of us started moving out in August last year but we did not leave empty handed as each household was given two-years’ worth of rental of RM600 each and a RM70,000 low medium cost unit as compensation,” he said.
He is currently renting an apartment nearby at RM900 which is far above the rental paid by the developer so he is hoping that the project will start soon.
“We now have no homes, all we want is for the project to start so our flats are completed early and we can move back in because we don’t want to keep forking out such high rental rates for many years,” he said.
Another villager, Foo Wah Wye, 68, agreed with Lim that he wanted the project to be completed as soon as possible.
“We are poor people, we don’t see a reason to oppose the project since they are compensating us with a house for a house. All we want is for it to be completed soon,” he said.
It is learnt that only a section of the village has to be cleared now to make way for an access road while the rest will be cleared in several stages.
Retired council worker Nagappan Moortee, 71, who is still living in his blue house in the village, was born there.
Though he is sad about having to move out from his home and into an entirely different home in a high rise building, he has accepted that nothing can be done about it.
“They own the land, we can’t do anything. It’s good that at least they are giving us a house for a house and also rental money for two years when we move out,” he said.
Nagappan said he was told to wait for a notice to relocate and so for now, he is still living there.
According to Jagdeep, there was really no relocation issue for the Kampung Chetty villagers consisting of about 350 households.
He said the developer had adhered to the state government’s requirement that developers must ensure existing residents are compensated when relocated from a land marked for development.
The state government will only approve planning approvals for projects on land where the squatters or existing villages have been fairly relocated and compensated.
