Rep upset her views sought after hill cleared for project

Deputy Chief Minister Dr P. Ramasamy (right) chatting with fellow elected representatives over lunch at the state assembly building in George Town. — Photos: ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star

At the Penang State Assembly 

A PKR assemblyman has voiced frustration that her views were only sought by the authorities after a hill was cleared to make way for a columbarium in Jalan Berapit, Bukit Mertajam. 

Dr Norlela Ariffin (PKR-Penanti) said the One-Stop Centre (OSC) of Seberang Prai Municipal Council only sought her views and that of the Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK) after the land was cleared.

“If the local government can get views from 22 agencies before approving the planning permission, why can’t they get our views?

“They only came to us later for the land to be converted from agriculture to cemetery usage but what is the point of getting our views when the land was already cleared.

“It is already too late now as the area is now often flooded with muddy water.

“For sure, we won’t give our approval.

“We are the elected ones, and we have the right to represent the residents.

“When I demanded for an answer from the authorities, they kept on saying the procedures do not require viewpoints from me and the JKKK.

“Why can’t they make it flexible and change the procedures.

“While we can’t do much on climate change, we can reduce ‘balding’ our hills or hill clearing to save the environment,” she said during her debate on the Supply Bill and Budget 2018 at the state assembly sitting yesterday.

Dr Norlela said almost 80% of her constituency was underwater and 3,313 people were affected when the state was hit by continuous rain and strong winds on Saturday.

She said she had raised many times during the state assembly that an arch bridge should be built in Sungai Prai near Ampang Jajar.

“With an arch bridge, more water will be able to go through and this will help prevent flooding.

“I hope the state government can allocate RM7mil to build the bridge in view of an impending flash flood in December as revealed by the authorities,” she said.

Dr Norlela said an arch culvert should also be built in Sungai Prai, near Kubang Semang.