GEORGE TOWN, Oct 26 — An early publicity session for the draft Penang Island Local Plan is targeted to start in early December, said state exco H’ng Mooi Lye.
The local government committee chairman said the publicity session will start once they have appointed a qualified consultant.
“Under the Act 172, we will have Publisiti Awal before we embark on our Draf Local Plan,” he told Malay Mail when contacted.
He was responding to a statement by Parti Rakyat Malaysia vice-chairman Ravinder Singh that public views must be obtained before drafting begins for the Penang island local plan.
H’ng said currently, the city council is calling for tender to appoint a consultant to prepare the draft local plan.
“The call for tender ends on November 6,” he said.
He said they hope to be able to appoint a qualified consultant after the tender closes.
The last draft Penang Island local plan was completed in September 2007 under the then Barisan Nasional state government but before the plan was gazetted, Pakatan Harapan (PH) took over the state administration in 2008.
The PH state government only presented its first Penang Island draft local plan last year when it was on public display to get feedback on it.
The public display of the draft local plan was held from October last year to January 10 this year.
It elicited criticisms and negative feedback from various civil society groups due to its numerous spelling errors and weaknesses such as non-sustainable development plans that do not benefit the people.
Among the groups that objected against the draft local plan included Consumers Association of Penang, Penang Forum, Penang Heritage Trust (PHT) and Penang Public Transport Users’ Association (PeTUA).
In June this year, Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the draft local plan will be redrawn.
Yesterday, Ravinder called on the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) to hold public engagement sessions prior to preparing the draft local plan as provided under Section 12A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1976.
He said it should be held with residents on the island who will be affected by the local plan instead of with focus groups consisting of state assemblymen and councillors whose loyalty will be for the state government.
The local plans are statutory plans that contain policies and strategic planning of the state structure plan with a more detailed land use map for the Local Planning Authorities.
