GEORGE TOWN, Nov 13 – A group of 16 youth called the “Young Master” group staged a protest in front of the Penang legislative assembly building here today to seek for the state government to heed their pleas for a ban on hill slope development. The group led by its founder Jason Loo, who is also acting chief of state Gerakan Youth, staged a peaceful protest for about 30 minutes before dispersing.
Loo later told a press conference that he was informed that the state legislative assembly sitting will be debating on whether to allow a motion by the Opposition to ban hill slope development today. Hence, the protest was to coax all backbenchers from across the political divide to support this cause as it was meant to salvage the environment in Penang from further degradation, he claimed.
“The Tanjung Bungah landslide incident is enough for everyone to come together and support the motion, all hillslope developments must stop. Suffering from a rain storm and floods are normal occurences due to the occasional wrath of mother nature. But what we are protesting here is that by allowing hill slope development to continue, it will expedite the flow of the water downwards. Hence, the brownish water and the mud which flowed along with the flood waters to people’s homes here,” he said.
Pulau Betong assemblyman Datuk Dr Muhammad Farid Saad, who submitted the motion, is expected to table it during the assembly sitting today. Farid said comprehensive studies should be done including drainage and soil stability factors. The motion was submitted just before a landslide struck a construction site at Lengkok Lembah Permai, Tanjung Bungah here, which has so far killed seven foreign workers on Oct 21. — PN
