Jagdeep: Project behind condo not 76m above sea level as claimed

GEORGE TOWN: The development behind Miami Green Resort Condominium in Batu Ferringhi, which drew the residents’ flak, is not 76m above the sea level.

Responding to criticisms voiced by the condominium residents, state Housing chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo said the project was only approved by the state government after all technical requirements were met.

“I want everyone to get their facts right during this election campaign, including Penang Barisan Nasional chairman Teng Chang Yeow,” Jagdeep said in a Facebook post yesterday in response to The Star’s article under the headline ‘Zairil under fire over high-rise’.

This was after Pakatan Harapan’s Tanjong Bunga candidate Zairil Khir Johari from DAP was criticised by the residents.

Some residents even said that they did not want a pemaju adun (developer-friendly assemblyman).

They were upset when Zairil would only say that the development of the high-rise would be “reviewed” should he be elected.

Teng, who was also present at the press conference, then pledged to ensure that any development 76m above sea level would not be approved.

Jagdeep said that the grouses appeared to be in relation to the development being above 76m from sea level.

He then challenged Teng to urge the Prime Minister to review the Federal Government’s high-rise development guideline from 300m to 76m so that it’ll be like Penang’s.

Meanwhile, Teng said the Department of Environment (DoE) should intervene in this matter as the Environmental Impact Assess-ment (EIA) was approved by them.

“I have contacted the DoE’s director-general about the high-rise project to ask why this particular project, which is on a Class IV slope, was processed at the state level.”

He called on the Penang Island City Council to stop processing the building plan of the development as it might endanger the lives of the condominium residents.

When asked about the compensation to the developer if the project were to be cancelled, Teng said the lives of the residents cannot be compared with the monetary compensation.

“Already 11 lives were lost in Tanjung Bungah landslide, we do not want a repeat of such an incident anymore.”