Capturing land windfalls for the people in Penang


Closed: Aerial view of the Penang Turf Club. — Filepic/The Star

AS Penang faces unprecedented transformations in land use and real estate, the proposed sale of the Penang Turf Club (PTC) land underscores a deeper issue: how should extraordinary land value gains – especially from land originally granted for public or recreational use – be recaptured for public benefit?

According to a report in The Star on June 10, 146 ordinary members of the PTC voted in favour of selling the club’s 81ha site in George Town, paving the way for a transaction that could yield up to RM6bil once the land is rezoned for commercial use (“Penang Turf Club members vote for land sale during EGM”; online at bit.ly/star_turf).

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Monthly Plan

RM 13.90/month

RM 11.12/month

Billed as RM 11.12 for the 1st month, RM 13.90 thereafter.

Best Value

Annual Plan

RM 12.33/month

RM 9.87/month

Billed as RM 118.40 for the 1st year, RM 148 thereafter.

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real estate , legacy , public good

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