Illegal activities detected on 108 plots of land in Penang

As of March 2019, the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) has detected illegal activities on 44 plots of land in two of the island’s five districts, said Penang exco Jagdeep Singh Deo (above).

Jagdeep said there were 11 such plots in the northeast and 33 in southwest districts, while the Seberang Perai Municipal Council (MPSP) has discovered illegal use of 64 plots - 27 in Seberang Perai North, 33 in Seberang Perai Central and four in Seberang Perai South.

“We are working with MBPP, we are at the last stage, to propose by-laws which will impose fines and compounds on those who use land illegally without permission from MBPP,” Jagdeep told the Penang Assembly today, during the Question and Answer session.

“As for MPSP, existing laws such as the 1976 Town and Country Planning Act (Act 172) and 1974 Building and Drainage Act (Act 133), are sufficient to use, as it is a firm step towards taking action on landowners who flout the law,” Jagdeep added.

He was responding to a written question by Lee Khai Loon (PKR- Machang Bubok) who asked the state government to list the plots of land, their location and size, which have been illegally used by unscrupulous land owners.

Lee had asked the state to reveal the kind of action taken against the culprits.

“What efforts have been taken to draft laws so that stern action can be taken against landowners who flout the laws?” He asked.

Lee was referring to an incident in his constituency where three plots of land containing barrels of chemical waste, shredded plastic, furniture and construction waste were discovered by authorities in March.

The MPSP has since formed a special task force comprising local councillors and several state agencies to monitor the illegal dump sites in Machang Bubok.

Meanwhile, Jagdeep said the state has increased the number of staff monitoring illegal use of land, especially around the hills.

“We are coordinating with various agencies like the District and Land offices to carry out monitoring activities, and we are also working with NGOs to monitor the situation,“ he said.

“We are using drones in areas where it is difficult to monitor and have installed CCTV cameras to help with monitoring,” he added.

Jagdeep said the local governments have been issuing notices to stop work on such plots, and orders to rehabilitate the land have been issued too, according to the 1974 Building and Drainage Act.

Machines and equipment have been seized to prevent further illegal work in the areas, he added.

“We have taken the culprits to court, where the maximum fine of RM500,000 will be imposed if found guilty under the 1976 Town and Country Planning Act, while a RM50,000 fine will be imposed for those guilty under the Building and Drainage Act, 1974,” Jagdeep said. - Mkini