CHIEF Minister Chow Kon Yeow wants all projects, including those in his Penang2030 vision, to pass the ‘welfare of the people’ test.
“All projects have to pass not just the social impact or environmental test, but also the ‘welfare of the people’ test,” Chow said in his speech before officiating the Seminar Penang2030: Manual of Social Impact Assessment (SIA) & SIA Mapping Portal organised by Penang PLANMalaysia at Hotel Olive Tree today.
Taking a leaf out of New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s book or rather video for her views on the importance of welfare of her people, Chow continued: “If a project does not improve the welfare of the people, don’t implement it. Similarly, I think the Penang2030 must be able to stand the test of the welfare of the people.
“If this project does not improve the welfare of the people, then we’ve to rethink it. That is the standard we put on ourselves. It is all for the good of the people of Penang. That’s what we demand of ourselves.”
About 150 participants from various government agencies, developers and architect firms took part in the seminar.
Also present at the seminar were Town and Country Planning Department (PLANMalaysia) director Datuk Rokibah Abdul Latiff, state executive councillors Jagdeep Singh Deo and Datuk Abdul Halim Hussain, and Penang PLANMalaysia director Idris Abdul Rahim.
Chow said Penang has been waiting patiently for approval from the authorities for the implementation of projects like the Penang South Reclamation (PSR) and the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP).
He added that Penang would not ask for favours although PLANMalaysia and the state government are now under the same ruling government.
“It is our responsibility to Mother Earth, to the environment and to the people that any development be carried out in accordance to requirements, and we do the necessary mitigation.
“You need to have a very strong mitigation plan for the approving authority to justify the need for the project. I think that no authority wants to put a spanner in our project (in the works) unnecessarily if we can comply with the regulations.”
Chow said he respected Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir for paying him a visit last year and revealing Kedah’s idea to build an airport in Kulim.
Mukhriz was reported to have said that they had obtained approval from the Federal Government to build an RM1.6 billion Kulim International Airport which Chow said would surely have an impact on Penang.
“While we want to be a law-abiding state government, we hope that the Federal Government will also adhere to this strict regime of compliance for any project component whether they are from the Federal Government, state government or local government. No two ways.
“If the private developer has to comply with the rules, all the more reason for state government agencies to comply with whatever conditions imposed by the approving authorities,” Chow added.
He also commended Penang PLANMalaysia for successfully implementing SIA Mapping via a Smartplan application.
On a related matter, Jagdeep said the SIA and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) reports should be done by an independent body.
“If you ask a developer to prepare a report, it can lead to abuse. The question now is who should finance the studies,” said Jagdeep, who proposed that the state engaged consultants to conduct its own EIA reports.
“Right now, the EIA reports are not too independent. If landslides occur and there are deaths, the impact falls on the shoulders of the state government.”
Rokibah, who concurred with Jagdeep that the reports should come from an independent body, said any development ought to bring positive social impact.
“It’s good to have an independent body to prepare the report. This would be fair,” Rokibah said.
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix by Adleena Rahayu Ahmad Radzi
Video by Ahmad Adil Muhamad