GEORGE TOWN, Nov 2 – The state executive councillor Chow Kon Yeow hold a press conference at Komtar here on Monday said Penang Island City Council (MBPP) will not stop the enforcement action against the illegal hotels that continue to flout registration rules.
The temporary permits will only be for an annual basis to be effective from November 1 to October 31, 2016. In the meantime, the council was also started the legalising of the growing number of hotels in the state for two years ago and had given the hotels ample time and notice to apply for permits and temporary permits.
“While the new and old hotels in the state have been given ample notice to apply for operating permits. I want to announce that all hotels that have yet to apply for permit can still apply with paying the corresponding fees for temporary permits. Meanwhile, I also want to warn that this doesn’t mean we are stopping enforcement action,” said the local government committee chairman in a press conference at Komtar on Monday.
In the last few weeks, MBPP had taken enforcement action against four illegal hotels who without permits by confiscating all items within the premises of the hotels such as furniture and all paraphernalia. He said out of four hotels that taken enforcement action, one of them had come forward to apply for a temporary permit.
Chow warned that if the other three still have not come forward to apply for temporary permits with founded that reopened their business, they might face a similar enforcement action again. Chow said there were two different categories of hotels that must apply for permits from the city council which are Category A for existing hotels in the council’s list and Category B for new hotels not in the list.
There are a total 191 hotels in Category A and a total 30 hotels under category B. Out of the 191 hotels in Category A, 167 have applied for temporary permits while 24 had not made any applications. He said the 24 hotel still can submit an application for a temporary permit to operate their business while the rate for a year was cost RM9,600. For temporary permits can apply for renewals at RM7,200 if the application was made after October 31.
Besides that, out of the 30 new hotels in Category B, 5 had submitted applications for temporary permits. The fees for temporary permits which applied after October 31 with under this category is also RM7,200. There were also additional requirements that they must submit are other applications such as for rezoning, planning permission and conversion of land use which under the Category B.
The enforcement action will be taken against those in this category that do not qualify for permits or did not attempt to apply for permits. He said that the enforcement action that had been taken will not reveal while those hotel that did not attempt to apply for the permits will have to face the enforcement.
