RESIDENTS of Tanjung Bungah and Tanjung Tokong in Penang are upset over a proposal that will restrict access to a public field.
They gathered at the Straits Green Park in Tanjung Tokong to object against plans to fence up a football field near a private school.
The plan would see the school use the field on weekdays from 8.30am to 5pm, while the public would have access in the evenings, on weekends and during school holidays.
The project is estimated to cost RM450,000, including installation of lights.
Tanjung Bunga Residents Association (TBRA) chairman Zulfikar Abdul Aziz said the field had been freely accessible to the public for nearly 20 years.
He said the football field, measuring 49m x 31m, in the middle of a public park, was the “heart” of the public space.
“Visitors can walk across the field to watch fishing boats moor, access seaside picnic spots or use the walkway to Straits Quay.
“It is near a badminton and sepak takraw court, as well as a children’s playground, providing a shortcut for visitors to access various facilities,” he highlighted.
Zulfikar said parents could also join their children’s activities or rest on the field while keeping an eye on them.
“Fencing up the football field and locking the gates to limit the hours of free public access would create the perception of a double standard.
“It will disrupt the harmony that has been built over 20 years between the park’s environment and the public,” he added.
In a Feb 9 letter to Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, TBRA objected to any proposal to restrict access to the public recreational area.
Meanwhile, Penang infrastructure committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari, in a Feb 10 media statement, said the project would not involve any cost to the state as the construction and maintenance would be borne by the private school.
He added that the public would get longer usage than the school, stressing that the state government’s decision would prioritise public welfare.
