PETALING JAYA: The Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) wants the state government to cancel its proposed Penang Hill cable car project and focus on improving public transportation and amenities on the island.
CAP president Mohideen Abdul Kader warned that the cable car project will have serious consequences for the environment and public health.
“The provision of a cable car would lead to the construction of hotels, restaurants, theme parks, homes, and roads to cater to the increase in the number of tourists and residents.
“Such development will have a disastrous impact on the fragile hill environment and endanger the ecological balance,” he said in a statement.
The Penang government has mooted a 2.9km link between the Botanic Gardens and the top of Penang Hill.
It is slated to be built at a cost of RM245 million and with a 30-year concession.
The project, which is pending regulatory approvals, has yet to begin.
Besides that, Mohideen said currently over 5,000 people go up the Penang Hill and “this is already exceeding the carrying capacity of the hill”.
“Further increase in the number of visitors and residents, as planned by the government, will produce a substantial hike in the consumption of resources such as food, water, and energy, as well as the production of waste,” he added.
Last week two environmental groups, Malaysia Nature Society (MNS) and Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) expressed their objections to the proposed cable car project.
They said that the cable car carried a risk of irreversible damage to the environment. - FMT
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