Chant Group proposes hill slope inspection by MBPP after heavy rain

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Citizens Awareness Chant Group today proposed that the DAP-led state government conduct hill slope inspections by the Penang Island City Council (MBPP), after heavy rain in the state.
Its adviser Yan Lee said landslides and flash floods often occurred in the state, especially during heavy rain, hence inspection of projects near hill slopes was required to the ensure safety of the people around the development projects.
"Each time after heavy rain... two, three hours of rain, such incidents occur around their approved projects near hill slopes such as in the Sungai Ara and Tanjung Bungah areas, so please send your hill slope development team to inspect all these projects.
"People are so concerned, they ask us if it is safe. So, we ask MBPP to do this for the ‘rakyat’. Stop the blame game, take action. No point blaming here, blaming there. It’s never ending," he said at a press conference.
The downpour for five hours, combined with the sea water level at 2.1 metres, resulted in 100 areas in all five districts of Penang to be inundated last Friday, with landslides in some places.

Yan Lee said besides conducting inspections, MBPP also had to disclose details of the report to the public through its Facebook page so that the public would know the actual situation.
He also urged the state government to monitor the development activities on the hill slopes, especially illegal projects.
He said based on two dialogues held with the state government this year and last year, there were 12 reported cases this year, that had not been solved until now, and 29 items of reported illegal hill clearing last year.
"What has happened to the report on these cases. What’s the story? It is like they (state government) are using Penang Forum as 'wayang'. Twenty-nine items and they don't update. What's going on?
“Then they gave another 12 cases of illegal clearing. So, the next meeting is what? Another 12 new cases of hill clearing? Nothing has been solved," he said. — Bernama