Penang Gerakan acting Youth chief Jason Loo is baffled that the state administration office lacks knowledge about three major land reclamation project agreements in Penang.
"I visited the state administration office on Komtar Level 3 to buy copies of the agreements.
"After waiting for more than two hours, the counter officer said they cannot confirm which department of the state government is handling the agreements," Loo told reporters after visiting Komtar yesterday.
He wants to access the three agreements, which were inked between the Penang government and developers, by applying for them under the Freedom of Information Enactment (FOI), which was enforced in January 2015.
The reclamation projects he wants to scrutinise are Seri Tanjung Pinang Phase (STP) 1 and Phase 2, and Gurney Wharf, which are being carried out by developer Eastern & Oriental (E&O).
Loo said this was necessary "because every Penangite has the right to know what is going on. We should not be left in the dark.
"So far, the public is confused about the three projects. I am officially purchasing the documents so that the people can see the correct and real figures stated in the contracts," Loo told reporters before trying to purchase the documents from the state government office on Level 3 of Komtar yesterday.
STP1 is a 240-acre development for luxury houses, which was launched in 2005 and today includes a retail marina named Straits Quay.
Reclamation for the STP2, which is currently in progress, involves a 1990 Concession Agreement to reclaim and develop 980 acres off the northeast coast of Tanjung Tokong.
Reclamation for Gurney Wharf, fronting the iconic Gurney Drive, is currently in progress as well. The plan is to develop an artificial beach, and an eight-lane highway as part of the Penang Transport Master Plan.
Loo said the Penang government often boasted about being "transparent and that it has nothing to hide".
Adding quickly that Gerakan was not against development, Loo said the party opposed any project that "may abuse" local residents and developers.
"Not giving the right picture about the projects may bring negative impact to the developers also," he said.
'Invoke Section 11(2) of FOI'
Loo then said that if Penang has nothing to hide, it should invoke Section 11(2) of the FOI Enactment, which states that the state government has the power to disclose the documents.
It states that the administration can do so if the interest to disclose the documents overrides any harm by disclosing them to the public.
Loo had earlier been reminded that the STP contracts - which were inked during BN’s rule - could not be disclosed due to a confidentiality clause imposed by the developer.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said agreements inked under his administration, such as the Bayan Bay and Bayan Mutiara reclamation projects have been declassified.
"I am aware of this, but I still want to apply for the documents via a legal channel, through the FOI Enactment, to see if I can access the agreements.
"But why talk about the confidentiality clause if the state government always talks about transparency?” Loo asked.
"If they keep talking about the clause, they (the Penang government) will win all the time.
"After all, I am being fair, as I have not only applied for the agreement (on Gurney Wharf), which was inked under this state government, but also those signed during BN’s time (STP Phase 1 and 2)," he said.- Mkini
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