CID director, Klang MP in heated exchange over city planning

 

Bukit Aman CID director Shuhaily Zain and Klang MP V Ganabatirau locked horns over responsibility for city planning, while meeting residents at a town hall event.

KLANG: A town hall meeting here this evening became the centre of a fierce debate between Bukit Aman criminal investigation department director Shuhaily Zain and Klang MP V Ganabatirau.

During the meeting with residents at the Klang Hokkien Association hall, Shuhaily blamed the politicians and local councils for the poor city planning which failed to take into account the safety and well-being of residents.

“The city planning does not consider the residents’ safety. It goes back to the YBs and local council members.

“When a development is approved, the road becomes congested and when that happens, the police are called to ease the congestion,” he said.

Ganabatirau rejected Shuhaily’s opinion that planning involves politicians.

“That is a misunderstanding. Lawmakers are not involved in any planning. (It is) local council members only.

“It is the licensing director, planning director, local council president and district officers who should be blamed,” he said.

However, Shuhaily hit back by asking who selected the local council president. He said the state development executive council member should also play a role in city development.

At a media conference later, Shuhaily described the town hall meeting as positive despite the frank exchange of views.

“The clarification between the police, YBs, and the council members was positive, although it was tense,” he said.

He said that during his days as Penang police chief, he ordered all his district police chiefs to make a stand on district development because it involved the well-being and safety of the people. - FMT