![Penang defends condo plan amid outcry over Boon Siew Villa demolition [WATCH]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.nst.com.my%2Fimages%2Farticles%2Fboonsiew_villa260524_1748258783.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
Penang defends condo plan amid outcry over Boon Siew Villa demolition [WATCH]
The Ascott Residences project, which will comprise 99 units of high-end condominiums on a narrow stretch of road near a bend, was approved on Nov 20, last year.
State Local Government Committee chairman H'ng Mooi Lye said the building plan, together with all conditions set by all technical departments, including the Fire and Rescue Department, was subsequently approved on April 9, this year.
This comes after Sahabat Alam Malaysia honorary secretary S. Mageswari told the New Straits Times that they are very concerned that yet another condominium project would be built in Batu Ferringhi.
She said SAM believes that development projects such as this should not be approved without a Local Plan to ensure that development and land use planning are properly managed with proper accountability and transparency.
"This begs the question of how these projects are being approved by the Penang Island City Council.
"Were safety aspects, traffic, density, setback areas to protect the natural shoreline, and environmental considerations taken into account?" she asked.
H'ng, in response to concerns about worsening traffic congestion along the already busy Jalan Batu Ferringhi, said the Traffic Impact Assessment (TIA) was conducted and approved on Jan9, this year.
"One of the key technical departments involved in the planning approval process is the Fire and Rescue Department, and its conditions must be strictly adhered to.
"The building plan has been approved, including the conditions imposed by the Fire and Rescue Department," he told the New Straits Times.
The New Straits Times reported today that Penang's rich heritage has once again suffered a blow with the loss of one of its iconic landmarks.
The Boon Siew Villa, once a majestic coastal home at Shamrock Beach in Jalan Batu Ferringhi, has been demolished to make way for a luxury development.
Hoarding has been erected around the site, and a construction crew has moved in to begin building the 43-storey Ascott Residences Batu Ferringhi condominium project.
The loss was felt not just by the people who lived near the villa, which stood as a symbol of old Penang, but also heritage advocates who saw it as another blow to the state's historical landscape.
Meanwhile, local historian, former Penang Island City Council councillor, and content creator John Oh expressed sadness over the loss of yet another iconic building, even as he acknowledged the need for development and a strong property industry in Penang.
He said, although the villa represents only a recent chapter of 'postwar urban history,' the tragedy associated with it and the stories surrounding the house, familiar to the recent generation, are almost reminiscent of the mysteries found in the novels of Agatha Christie and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
"Recognising the significance of this building, when we received information of the development, we decided to do a tribute content on the building so that the stories and memories of this iconic house may be preserved for the future.
"We believe we are the last to document the account of the villa before its demolition," he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- New Straits Times
Sawit Kinabalu tackles child labour through education and welfare programmes
KOTA KINABALU: Although Sawit Kinabalu's core business is palm oil production, the company places significant emphasis on protecting and nurturing the education and welfare of children living within and around its plantations. This commitment is demonstrated through a range of targeted programmes aimed at preventing child labour and promoting access to education. Sawit Kinabalu Group sustainability general manager Nazlan Mohamad said the state-owned company has established 28 Community Learning Centres (CLCs) across Sabah to address barriers to education among children of plantation workers. Six of them are located in Tawau, seven in Lahad Datu, six in Sandakan, four in Kudat, and five in Beaufort. "To ensure better access to education, Sawit Kinabalu builds and maintains CLCs within our estates, reducing travel difficulties and costs for families. "We also provide early childhood education centres and operate transportation services to safely shuttle children from workers' housing to nearby schools," Nazlan told the New Straits Times. These measures are designed not only to facilitate learning but also to prevent children from accompanying their parents to work sites, where they may be exposed to hazardous conditions. Beyond education, Sawit Kinabalu invests in health services, operating clinics within plantation areas that offer maternal and child healthcare, including vaccinations and routine check-ups, to support overall child development and well-being. The company also undertakes extensive awareness programmes targeting workers and their families, focusing on the risks of child labour, the importance of education for long-term personal and community development, and the legal repercussions of involving children in work. "We conduct parental training sessions to discourage the common practice of children 'helping out' on plantations, which often leads to them performing tasks beyond their capability and legal limits." To enhance monitoring and enforcement, Sawit Kinabalu has formed community monitoring groups comprising workers, local leaders and educators, who identify and report potential cases of child labour. The company also provides anonymous reporting channels to encourage confidential disclosures without fear of retaliation. In Sabah, there are approximately 2.1 million workers, including a significant number of non-resident employees. In 2023, there were 796,900 registered PBPs in Sabah, employed by 37,646 companies. Indonesians comprised the majority at 90.2 per cent, followed by Filipinos at 7.9 per cent, with smaller groups from Nepal and Cambodia. Agriculture, particularly oil palm plantations, is among Sabah's largest employment sectors, with around 591,800 workers. Of these, 58 per cent (roughly 344,700) are non-citizens, many of whom work in the oil palm industry. Children of non-resident employees typically face challenges accessing education due to insufficient documentation, affordability issues, and the distance from the nearest schools. Tuai Cerita is a fellowship designed to amplify the voices of Sabah's most vulnerable children. Through the power of storytelling and ethical journalism, the programme shines a light on child rights deprivations that contribute to child labour in and around oil palm plantations in Sabah. The programme is driven by local partners Anak and Global Shepherds, and implemented by Project Liber8. It is conducted in partnership with the European Union, the International Labour Organisation (ILO), and Unicef.
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- New Straits Times
Call for centralised oversight of Kelantan gold mining activities
KOTA BARU: Kelantan Pakatan Harapan (PH) has urged the state government to establish a centralised data collection centre to monitor gold mining activities, amid growing concerns over the increasing number of small-scale and illegal panners operating across the state. Its deputy women's chief, Dr Hafidzah Mustaqim, said such a centre is critical to ensure transparency, accountability and better management of the state's valuable mineral resources. Dr Hafidzah, who is also the Kota Lama assemblywoman, estimated that between 20 and 30 people engage in small-scale gold panning daily throughout Kelantan. "This is a matter of state interest. It's not about pointing fingers, but about seeking clarity and ensuring that the people are informed," she told the New Straits Times. She said the lack of a structured and regulated system has allowed illegal gold mining to flourish, depriving the state of potential revenue. "Let's break it down. "If 20 people pan 10gm of gold each day over 20 working days, that amounts to 4,000gm or 4kg a month. "At an estimated RM450 per gramme, this translates to RM1.8 million in value every month. "If this activity was regulated and monitored properly, that's revenue which could go back into the state's development. "Instead, it's lost — and this doesn't even include operations involving heavy machinery and modern mining tools," she said. Dr Hafidzah also cited industry estimates that mining operations in Sokor alone could yield up to 12kg of gold per month, worth about RM5.4 million. "These are huge figures, and yet the state only recorded RM13.797 million in gold royalties for the entire year of 2023," she said, referring to a written reply she received during the last Kelantan state assembly sitting. She said the disparity between reported royalties and estimated production figures raises questions about enforcement and resource tracking. "The state must take this seriously. "Illegal mining is not just a financial issue – it's an environmental one. "Rivers and nearby ecosystems are being damaged, fish populations are disappearing, and long-term environmental consequences are being ignored," she said. She emphasised that Kelantan's administration must be more proactive and transparent in managing its natural resources. "We don't even know whether some of these operations are producing gold or other minerals like iron ore. "There needs to be a centralised facility or collection point before these resources are transported or processed," she said. She said Kelantan is known to be rich in high-quality natural resources, including Rare Earth Elements (REE), yet the average person has yet to feel the benefits. "We cannot just wait for prosperity to trickle down. "The people have been patient, but now they deserve answers and action. "This is a wake-up call. A proper data management centre is no longer optional — it's essential," she said.
New Straits Times
3 days ago
- New Straits Times
UNHCR: Allowing refugees to work formally may ease labour market gaps
KUALA LUMPUR: Including refugees in formal work may be the solution to addressing the gaps in Malaysia's labour market. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) representative Louise Aubin said that allowing refugees to work formally will also support Malaysia's goals of eradicating forced labour. "Currently, refugees in Malaysia have no legal status in the country, and have no access to legal and regulated work. "They, therefore, seek wage-earning opportunities in the informal sector to make ends meet, where work is often irregular and exploitative in nature. "Common conditions encountered by refugees include low or non-payment of wages, unsafe working conditions as well as unfair dismissals due to the lack of contractual arrangements," she told the New Straits Times. She explained that enabling refugees to work formally would subsequently improve the protection of refugees against exploitation and abuse. She said that 69 per cent of refugees registered with UNHCR were of working age and able to contribute to the workforce. "A report by think tank IDEAS, suggests that if refugees were given the right to work, they could contribute over RM3 billion to annual gross domestic product by 2024 through higher spending, contribute RM50 million in tax annually by 2024, and help create over 4,000 jobs for Malaysians," she said. She added that UNHCR has had positive discussions with Putrajaya to facilitate access to employment for refugees and reiterated its commitment to support the government with any proposed guidelines to legal work and having further discussion with the relevant ministries and agencies. However, human rights and social justice NGO North South Initiative executive director Adrian Pereira said refugees in Malaysia could seek employment if there was a government directive. Nonetheless, there is a grey area in the framework's standard operating procedures and the rights that refugees have at work. "So, without clarity, this is going to put refugees and asylum seekers not just in forced labor conditions but also putting employers at risk by being fined or punished by the enforcement agencies that have no clue or are unaware of the directive," he said. Pereira added that the numerous raids and fines against refugees and their employers did more harm than good due to lack of clarity over the directive. "If the government does not regulate this, human traffickers, organised crime syndicates, and greedy employers will continue to exploit them," he said, adding that there have been cases of refugees being paid 40 per cent of the legislated minimum wage of RM1,700 per month. He said that refugees may also fall into the black labour market due to lack of regulations. "We can see over the years certain sectors have bloomed due to exploitation. An example is the massage or the leisure industry and restaurants. "It's good that they are giving refugees the right to work but at what cost? Are they free from forced labour, modern day slavery? It's time to have a clear legal framework for refugees," he said. Last week, the Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) called on the government to allow refugees to work formally in a structured and safeguarded framework for economic and social benefits. Earlier this year, Federal Territories Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said the government was working on details to allow refugees registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to work legally in Malaysia.
