theSun | FRIDAY MARCH 13 2009
news without borders
by Himanshu Bhatt
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
GEORGE TOWN: Two controver-
sial hillslope development projects
in Tanjung Bungah have been
allowed to continue but are being
Two hillslope projects
closely monitored by the local au-
thorities and the residents nearby.
The projects – Surin by Bolton
Bhd, and Beverly Hills by Taman
Ratu Developers Sdn Bhd – were
slapped with temporary stop-work
allowed to continue
orders by the Penang Island Mu-
nicipal Council (MPPP) late last
year.
Tanjung Bungah assemblyman
Teh Yee Cheu said yesterday the
projects are proceeding again but
will need to comply with stringent
guidelines.
He said the enforcement was
necessary in the wake of safety
concerns raised by residents in the
surrounding areas.
Teh said the MPPP is monitoring
the developers’ activities, including
the cutting of the hillslopes.
He said the residents are con-
No reason to deny Penang LCCT, says Lim
by Bernard Cheah
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
GEORGE TOWN: Chief Minister Lim
Guan Eng says the federal government
has no reason to deny Penang a low-cost
carrier terminal (LCCT) when it can build
one in Sabah whose airport earnings are
five times less than Penang’s.
cerned that the gradient of the The residents have held pro-
slopes on which the projects are tests and questioned how the two
being built may be excessive. projects were approved by the
“The developers also need MPPP in the first place.
to undertake drainage works The state government had in
Gunman
according to MPPP’s specifica- December last year formed an warned
tions,” he said. independent panel of engineering of plans
Teh said a stream was be- advisers to monitor and evaluate
lieved to be flowing in the hill. the conditions of all hillslopes in chat-
The authorities are also that are being developed. room
checking to ensure there are no It is understood that the panel,
indiscriminate rubbish and earth headed by Institute of Engineers
pg 10
deposits in the area. Malaysia (IEM) chairman Prof
In September, floodwaters Dr Eric Goh, is tasked with
streamed from the slopes into reviewing weekly geotechnical
houses in the Chee Seng Gardens reports submitted by the devel-
area at the bottom of the hill. opers for their projects
In a press statement yesterday, he there is no LCCT in Penang,” he said.
said that from 2000 to 2008, Penang “Instead, Kota Kinabalu has an LCCT,
International Airport earned profits of which cost RM200 million.”
RM493.3 million, compared to Kota Stressing that he does not object to
Kinabalu International Airport, which an LCCT in Sabah, Lim said a terminal
garnered RM96.1 million. should be developed in Penang “which
“Although the profit earned by Ma- is among the highest profit-earners for
laysia Airports Bhd (MAHB) in Penang the last eight years among the airports
is five times more than Kota Kinabalu, in Malaysia”.
Panel begins probe into
Kugan post-mortem reports
KUALA LUMPUR: The special com-
mittee set up by the Health Ministry
to investigate the two post-mortem
reports into the death of A. Kugan,
the suspected car thief who died in
police custody, held its first meeting
yesterday.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow
Tiong Lai said the committee, which
has six members, would carry out a
thorough investigation into the two
reports.
“They have been asked to expe-
dite the probe and the findings will
be made public,” he told reporters
at Serdang Hospital.
Asked about the deceased’s fam-
ily not wanting the Health Ministry
to be involved in the investigation,
Liow said it needed to be done to
protect the credibility and profes-
sionalism of the ministry.
Kugan, 23, was detained at the
Taipan police station in Subang Jaya
on Jan 15 on suspected involvement
in a syndicate that specialised in
stealing luxury cars. He died while
in police custody on Jan 20.
The first-mortem report done at
Serdang Hospital indicated he died
of fluid accumulation in the lungs
and the second, conducted by
University Malaya Medical Centre at
the request of his family, showed his
death was due to multi organ failure
as a result of severe beating.
Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul
9
Gani Patail had classified the case
as murder on Jan 23.
Liow also announced that all
poor kidney patients needing di-
alysis treatment will be given free
e-poeitin injections from April 1. This
is in addition to the RM50 subsidy
enjoyed by the patients presently.
The free injections, to be given
three times weekly, would save the
patients RM30 to RM60 an injec-
tion.
“The injections are needed to
prevent anaemia as e-poeitin helps
to increase the haemoglobin level.
Without them, patients will suffer
and endure low quality of life,” he
said after launching World Kidney
Day 2009 at the hospital.
Liow said the free injections
would cost the government RM12.64
million annually.
Some 2,700 kidney patients are
registered and undergoing dialysis
treatment at 454 dialysis centres
nationwide.
Eight more dialysis centres
would be set up at district hospitals
in Pahang, Terengganu, Malacca,
Negri Sembilan and Sabah to cope
with the rising number of patients.
The new dialysis centres are at
Cameron Highlands, Setiu in Tereng-
ganu, Jasin in Malacca, Jempol in
Negri Sembilan, and Tuaran, Kunak,
Kuala Penyu and Pitas in Sabah.
– Bernama