Penang Muda wants hillside project approvals revoked

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government must revoke all approvals for hillside development projects following a series of deadly landslides across the state.

Penang Muda state committee member Andika Putera said local councils, particularly the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) and Seberang Prai City Council (MBSP), must prioritise public safety and environmental sustainability over commercial interests.

He cited Sunday's incident in which 73-year-old Dr Wong Kar Lin was killed when a landslide caused part of his house in Lebuh Rambai 13, Taman Seri Rambai, Paya Terubong, to collapse.

Another landslide was reported in Tanjung Tokong on the same day.

"These recurring tragedies expose weaknesses in the control and approval of developments on sensitive hillslopes.

"Such projects only expose residents and workers to unnecessary risks," he said today.

Andika cited environmental governance expert Associate Professor Dr Haliza Abdul Rahman of Universiti Putra Malaysia, who said hillslopes were geotechnically and geomorphologically sensitive to physical disturbances and that recent incidents were linked to human activity.

In a Harian Metro report yesterday, she said slope cutting and hill-clearing without regular monitoring or adequate measures to maintain stability could disrupt the soil structure, reducing its cohesion and internal friction and making slopes unstable.

Andika also highlighted Penang's history of deadly hillside disasters in October, including the 2017 landslide at Lengkok Lembah Permai in Tanjung Bungah, which claimed 11 lives, and the 2018 Bukit Kukus paired road tragedy in Paya Terubong, which killed seven workers.

"People's lives cannot be sacrificed in the name of development.

"Firm and proactive measures must be taken now before more lives are lost due to the greed of those approving projects on hillslopes," he said.