GEORGE TOWN: Opposition parties in the state have asked the state government to review or halt all hillslope projects to prevent a recurrence of a mishap like the landslide in Tanjung Bungah.

MCA religious harmony bureau chairman Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker urged the state to review all such projects, while Pulau Betong assemblyman Datuk Dr Muhammad Farid Saad said Penang Barisan Nasional would table a motion at the upcoming state assembly sitting to halt these projects in the state pending a proper study.

Ti said the state government should take responsibility for the tragedy as it had been repeatedly warned by NGOs of the possibility of such an incident.

“Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng should have been mindful of the dangers at hillslope development and listened to the people’s protests,” he added.

Dr Muhammad Farid said the motion was submitted last week, just before the landslide. He hoped that backbenchers from DAP, PKR and PAS will also support the motion, which is for the rakyat.

“All hillslope development should be stopped until the study on the cause of the incident at Tanjung Bungah has been determined.

“Developers should be patient and stop such projects for two to three months until the study is completed,” he said.

Gerakan president Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong said the tragedy could have been prevented had the state government listened to the objections, including those of Tanjung Bungah assemblyman Teh Yee Cheu.

“Teh is from DAP and he has been speaking against these hillside projects. He’s been fighting against this for a long time.

“We call upon the state to re-evaluate all hillside projects to prevent such a tragedy from happening again because people’s lives are more important,” he said after attending a Gerakan Deepavali Open House in Kuala Lumpur.

State Opposition leader Datuk Jahara Hamid said Teh had raised his concerns on hillslope developments many times but they fell on deaf ears as the state government chose to ignore the views of NGOs and the people.

Gerakan Central Legal and Human Rights Bureau chairman Datuk Baljit Singh lamented that despite repeated warnings more than two years ago from environmentalists, NGOs, residents’ associations and Teh, the state government did not heed their advice.

“Lim’s claim that it was a ‘worksite accident’ is unsatisfying and not convincing.

“He should explain how hillslope projects got approved despite being in apparent violation of the Penang Hill Development Guide­lines,” Baljit said.

He also urged the state government to reassess all hillslope projects, especially “special projects” under its 2009 project guidelines.

Penang MCA secretary Tang Heap Seng also questioned the state government’s handling of the incident.

“The state failed to set up a Crisis Relief Committee comprising representatives from professional bodies, or a command centre at the site,” he said.

Parti Cinta Malaysia vice-president Datuk Huan Cheng Guan said the state’s Commission of Inquiry should be made up of professionals not only from the state government but also from NGOs and Federal depart­ments to ensure transparency.

-The Star-