Firefighters praised for putting out Penang Hill fire

THE fire that broke out in Penang Hill yesterday had been put out and tidying up work is being carried out, says Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.

He said the authorities had identified a few locations that require attention after a survey was done on hill clearing activities on Penang Hill and neighbouring hills.

“The Fire and Rescue Department and volunteer firefighters had done a wonderful job, putting out the fire on the night itself,” Chow said in reply to a reporter’s question on suspected slash and burn activities during a press conference in Komtar today.

“Even though the fire occurred on a privately-owned property or land, any clearing of such land or any activity that can change the face of the land requires a planning permission. Some of these clearings may not have obtained approvals.

“Some of them think that they have the right to do so because they owned the land, but nevertheless as I said, any activities that can change the face of the land have to obtain approval.”

Chow said even though some offenders had been penalised in court, the fines were not hefty enough to deter them.

The current prolonged dry spell, he said, could also spark a fire.

Story by K.H. Ong
Pix by Adleena Rahayu Ahmad Radzi
Video by Chan Kok Kuan