GEORGE TOWN, Dec 22 – Penang Gerakan questioned the state government on Monday over the announcement of the approval of reclamation work in Bayan Bay only last month when it had been approved in May. Its secretary, Oh Tong Keong, said that according to the notice board at the project site in Bayan Bay, the project was approved on May 15.

“Does it mean that the land reclamation project had commenced on the quiet before the state government announced it in November during the State Assembly sitting?” Oh Tong Keong told a media conference at the project site in Bayan Bay near here on Monday.

He also questioned the action of the DAP-led state government which did not inform the public of the matter. At the press conference, Gerakan also asked the state government to say when the application for planning permission was granted for the project.

According to the notice, the proposal of reclaiming 5.7ha was for public recreational development purposes, including a basketball court and a 250m track. Ong also said that Gerakan received complaints from residents here since Saturday saying they did not know of the project and had never received any letter nor were even told to attend any dialogue session.

“They thought maybe there was no public consultation for the project and said the residents here are opposed to the land reclamation project. The residents here asked me was it not that the project was cancelled before the 13th General Election,” he said.

“They can still remember it was the chief minister who announced the cancellation of the project at that time, and why revive it within a matter of two years? Meanwhile, the Penang Gerakan and Penang Barisan Nasional would continue to investigate and unearth any irregularities in the project,” he added.

Pocket News

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