Emotions run high, DAP rep chided for defending hillslope development

Emotions ran high among the 200-odd crowd who attended Penang Forum’s dialogue on flood and landslide at the Penang Teow Chew Association premises on Chulia Street yesterday.

Several members heckled DAP Pulau Tikus assemblyperson Yap Soo Huey when she gave her views on the two disasters - the massive floods on the island on Sept 15 and Tanjung Bungah hillslope landslide on Oct 21 that killed 11 construction workers.

They raised their voices, chiding her for defending the state government, instead of questioning the lack of enforcement on hillside development projects.

However, the sole DAP representative who attended the forum dubbed Penang Floods: A Call to Action remained calm, pointing out the different guidelines between federal and state governments on hillslope development.

“Federal guidelines allow development of up to 300 metres on hillslope, while the state only allows 250 metres. There are two views now, and both sides do not talk to each other, but can we have a discussion? I would like to hear your views on this,” Yap (photo) said.

“I try to give balanced comments. After all, I am part of the state government.

“It would serve us well to acknowledge that on Sept 15, we cannot deny there was very heavy rain all over, and we are not the only state or country affected by it,” she said.

“Without acknowledging that these are the main factors of the flood, it gives people the excuse to point figures at others. Similarly with the landslide, we can talk about the intensity of development….,” she said, before a member of the crowd cut in, saying, “You are defending not questioning the state government!”

Yap replied, “I am standing here in front of you. If there is no interest in listening…,” she said, and was confronted impatiently with the remark “answer the question on lack of enforcement!”

Implications of a moratorium

Moderator of the dialogue Ahmad Chik had to appeal to the crowd to give Yap a chance to express her view.

Yap then said a moratorium on hillslope development, which the state executive council is considering, may not resolve problems of monitoring construction work, not only on hillslope but everywhere else.

She added that it would also not resolve the problems faced by foreign workers employed by developers of the various ongoing projects in Penang.

“In the case of the landslide, the developer is now facing the problem of reassigning their 100-odd workers, and trying to absorb them into other projects,” she noted.

“Any proposal made should consider the welfare of the foreign workers, and implications on others, including buyers and contractors.”

In an immediate response to Yap, one of the speakers - soil expert and scientist Kam Suan Pheng (photo) - said indeed, there were many factors that caused the massive floods of Sept 15.

Kam pointed out six other factors that can cause floods and she listed them as:

1. Impermeable surface area expansion;
2. Eroded soil and landslides that increase sediment load in surface run-offs;
3. Debris clogging up waterways;
4. Surface flow accumulating downstream;
5. Limited capacity to channel off discharges; and
6. Exceptionally high tides slowing down discharge to the sea.

“I have said in my presentation that water comes from heavy rainfall but it is not the sole cause; we should acknowledge that there are many other factors. By acknowledging this, we have to look at what we can do to reduce impact of floods,” Kam said.

Penang Island City Council (MBPP) councillor Khoo Salma Nasution said mayor Mainumah Shariff has agreed to meet with Penang Forum members, saying the issues raised at the dialogue will be forwarded to her for action.

“MBPP must seriously look into factors 2, 3 and 4, while the federal government must expediate its allocation to the state to address factor 6,” Khoo said, adding that she would also be raising similar issues at the full council meeting this morning.

'Topple Lim Guan Eng'

Meanwhile, Penang Front Party president Patrick Ooi, strongly criticised the state government for denying that the landslide was related to non-compliance with safety guidelines.

“There is no retention wall erected at the site, how could the state governemnt approve the commencement of work by the developer?” Ooi (photo) asked, angrily.

“What about soil investigation? If it had been done, the landslide would not have happened. The state government is sleeping, it did not do its job, and it is not smart in doing its job,” he said loudly.

“Don’t speak about the 300 metres permitted guideline, the floods happened alot since 2008 and until today, due to over-development. Come on, we are not stupid.

“We should just topple Lim Guan Eng,” Ooi added, to loud cheers from the crowd, as moderator Ahmad hushed them, saying, “This is not intended to be a political meeting.”- Mkini