theSun | THURSDAY NOVEMBER 20 2008
news without borders
We were not aware of
restrictions, says CM
by Bernard Cheah
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
GEORGE TOWN: Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng
says the state government was “not aware”
of restrictions on high-rise buildings within
the George Town heritage zone, resulting in
a 23-storey building being approved after ap-
plication for World Heritage Site status had
been made to Unesco.
He said the state government only “discov-
ered” the five-storey limit on new buildings
within the core and buffer zones of the herit-
age zone after George Town was inscribed on
the World Heritage List on July 7.
“We were not informed about the heritage
guidelines,” he said when to asked comment
about a warning by Richard Engelhardt, the
Unesco regional adviser for Asia-Pacific, that
plans for high-rise structures could affect
George Town’s Unesco status.
Engelhardt had said on Tuesday the World
Heritage Committee is likely to take into
account the high-rise plans when it reviews
George Town’s status in July.
Four high-rise hotels have been approved
in the zone. The tallest, a 23-storey property
on Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, was approved on
June 26, 10 days before the Unesco listing on
The All-New
Substance is Style
July 7. The others are a 17-storey hotel on Farquhar
Street and two hotels on Weld Quay.
Speaking to reporters after a dialogue session
with Engelhardt and the Penang Heritage Advisory
Panel at Komtar yesterday, Lim added that the state
government would “tread carefully” before making
any more decisions.
Present at the meeting were Penang Island
Municipal Council (MPPP) president Datuk Zainal
Rahim Seman, state local government committee
chairman Chow Kon Yeow, culture, arts and heritage
committee chairman Danny Law Heng Kiang and
Contribution for Hafiz
THE state government will recognise the im-
portance of the Hafiz (a group who have fully
memorised the Quran) by presenting them with
some contribution on Nov 29, Chief Minister Lim
Guan Eng said.
Although the form of contribution has yet to
be decided, Lim, who mooted the idea, said it is
a step towards recognising and appreciating the
Hafiz for being able to reach such an esteemed
level in religious education.
“We are probably the first state government
to do this,” he told reporters at the State As-
Soon, a new Excitement in the City.
Low consumption, high output.
The i-VTEC now powers all Honda models.
Including, the all-new City.
www.excitementinthecity.com.my
about 30 panel members.
Engelhardt said the World Heritage Commit-
tee will ask the state to explain why the high-rise
projects were approved.
“The committee will call up the state govern-
ment to explain why the projects were allowed
to go on and how they are compatible with
heritage preservation,” he said.
Asked what would be the worst-case sce-
nario, he said George Town could be struck off
the World Heritage List.
Lim said the four hotels were given approval
by MPPP based on its existing guidelines.
“We told them (MPPP) to explicitly follow
guidelines set by the previous state govern-
ment. We did not want any hanky-panky,” he
said.
He also said this was one of the issues he
wanted to discuss with his predecessor, Tan Sri
Dr Koh Tsu Koon.
“If we were to freeze the development of
(these high-rise) buildings, the developers can
sue us for hundreds of millions,” he said.
“We were in a twilight situation where ‘damn
we do, damn we don’t’.”
sembly lobby.
He hoped the contribution would encourage
more youths to become Hafiz.
“It is through the reading, memorising and
practising of what is written in the Al-Quran
that we will be able to form a civilised society
with high integrity and morals, which is in line
with our ‘Amar Ma’ruf, Nahi Mungkar’ and CAT
(competency, accountability and transparency)
principles,” he said.
Lim said the state executive council will
decide on the form of contribution to be given.
7
Fairus and Law not
competent: BN rep
Opalyn Mok at the Penang State Assembly
GEORGE TOWN: An opposition assemblyman said
the deputy chief minister I and the state executive
councillor for tourism are not competent and their
posts should be given to others.
Muhammad Farid Saad (BN-Pulau Betong) said
the post of state tourism development, culture, arts
and heritage committee chairman, now held by Law
Heng Kiang (DAP- Batu Lanchang), should be given
to Yeoh Soon Hin (DAP-Paya Terubong) because of
Law’s incompetence.
Debating the 2009 budget and supply bill, he said
Law was not knowledgeable about the tourism sector
and does not have any new ideas.
“From my observation, Yeoh has better qualifi-
cations and a higher commitment in his work, so I
propose that a chance be given to him or any other
state assemblyman to replace Law,” he said.
State executive councillor Lim Hock Seng (DAP-
Bagan Jermal) stood up and defended Law, who was
not present. “You don’t be ‘batu api’ (instigator) and
try to stir up trouble with this statement,” he said.
Lim said Law had successfully carried out projects
like the International Penang Bridge Run.
“The event was very successful but you only
focused on the few failed projects. You should be fair
to mention the successful ones, too,” he said.
Muhammad Farid replied that as an opposition
member, his job is to give constructive criticism for
the sake of the people.
Earlier, he criticised the state government, and
specifically Law, on the failure of the Kings of Tennis
event and the launching of the Asean Culture Centre.
Muhammad Farid also said the Muslim community
is disappointed with Deputy Chief Minister I Moham-
mad Fairus Khairuddin (PKR-Penanti).
“He was reprimanded by Permatang Pauh MP
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for not going down to visit
his area regularly and his excuse was that he was
busy,” he said.
Mohammad Fairus was given the responsibility to
be the president of the state football association and
“this, too, he resigned from the post with the excuse
that his schedule is too tight”.