Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has criticised a local newspaper for raising sewage and “feng shui” concerns in relation to the state government's move to allocate 20 acres of land for constructing houses of worship.
"If you do not want the land, others do. This is something happy... but only The Star is unhappy.
"Please do not make something happy (become) unhappy,” Lim told a press conference in Komtar today.
The chief minister accused the daily of "spreading lies" and running the state government down.
The report had highlighted the concerns of the Penang Hindu Association and Teong Guan Association.
It also quoted a feng shui master as saying: "Temples and churches are principally of the fire element. The water element from the sewage ponds and Sungai Prai will clash explosively with them and this can create a disaster".
Despite the criticism, Lim said the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) was supportive of the move to allocate the land in Bagan, Butterworth.
Representatives from MCCBCHST were also present at the press conference to receive the annual RM50,000 contribution from the state government.
'Facility is an oxidation plant'
Also at the press conference was Penang executive councillor Lim Hock Seng, who clarified that the facility near the land was an oxidation plant and not a septic plant.
"Indah Water Konsortium has built a three-metre wall surrounding the plant.
"Besides, we have also complied with the 100 feet buffer zone from the perimeter of the plant, a local council requirement for oxidation ponds,” said Lim, the Bagan Jermal assemblyperson.
"There is also a 500-lot car park within the area dividing the oxidation plant and the land.
"There are people living there, including residents of a public housing area, and there has been no complaint from them about smell all these years," he added.
Yesterday, Lim announced that non-Muslim religious bodies can buy land from the state government to build their temples or churches at the allocated location.
Lim said the move was to address complaints from religious bodies that they do not have land to build their places of worship.
Facing the Perai River in Bagan, Butterworth, the 32 lots on a 99-year lease are parcelled in varying sizes, from 6,000sq-ft to an acre each.
The offer price for the land would be at a special rate, to be announced by the Finance Ministry’s Valuation and Property Services Department.- Mkini
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