03/11/2025

MONDAY | NOV 3, 2025

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Residents cry foul over land clearing at Penang beach

Ű BY T.C. KHOR newsdesk@thesundaily.com

GEORGE TOWN : Residents of the Tanjung Bungah suburb have demanded answers from the authorities after trees were cleared and access to a public beach was fenced off, an act they say betrays Penang’s commitment to protecting its natural heritage. More than 60 residents and supporters staged a protest on Saturday along the shoreline known locally as the “Sore Thumb”, next to the One Tanjong condominium developed by Lone Pine Group. They carried placards reading “Stop Now, No Building on the Beach” and “Beaches are Public”. The group want an immediate halt to all works on Lot 4658 and the adjoining state land, saying the cordoned area now spans the entire Sore Thumb and public beach, pending consultations with residents

beyond its land boundary,” he wrote in the letter sighted by theSun . Zulfikar said there was still no visible signage providing project information, and alleged that construction had begun before all necessary approvals were finalised. The letter, sent on Oct 17, urged the state government to suspend all site activities pending the outcome of an appeal by One Tanjong to the state appeal board, scheduled for case management on Nov 13. TBRA said the project contradicted residents’ long standing request for a natural forested park that preserved the coastal ecosystem instead of replacing it with hard landscaping and commercial amenities. Zulfikar said TBRA had taken part in a discussion with the developer’s consultant and requested a copy of the social impact assessment report, but it was never shared. The association had proposed the park adopt a “forest-bathing” theme to preserve nature and support biodiversity. “Tanjung Bungah’s coastline belongs to the people, not to developers. What has been lost today cannot be easily replanted tomorrow,” said Oo. Meanwhile, long-time resident Steve Clayton asked: “Are we going to have (beach) access, or are we going to lose access altogether?” theSun has reached out to the developer for comment but had not received a response at press time. aspiration, which aims to make nation-state building a central means of fostering unity among the people. “Nation-state is more than a political concept or slogan, it represents the spirit of unity among the people, rooted in the understanding that we share one homeland, one destiny and one future. Aaron said nurturing the nation state spirit in all districts, including Kanowit, could strengthen national unity and cultivate a generation which is proud of both its ethnic heritage and identity as Malaysians. Aaron also called for events such as the Kanowit Festival to be further enhanced through the active participation of the local community, including youth, the arts sector and the tourism industry, to establish Kanowit as a model of rural unity. The festival, which has been held since Oct 18, features a variety of engaging activities, including the Kanowit RC Boat Race Challenge, Kanowit Power Boat Race, exhibitions by government departments and agencies, Unity Walk, Gagong Parade, Gendang Pampat and the Kanowit Festival beauty pageant. – Bernama

centre or manicured lawns. They asked for a green lung, not a concrete park, for coastal protection, not coastal destruction,” she said during the protest. Residents claim the clearing extended beyond Lot 4658 into adjoining state land that was once home to wildlife such as sea otters, dusky leaf monkeys and white bellied sea eagles. They questioned who authorised the fencing of the public shoreline, why trees were cut down “in the name of creating a park”, and whether the beach had effectively been turned into private property. “This latest act of environmental erasure raises serious questions about transparency, accountability and the true meaning of public interest. It is a heartbreaking betrayal of Penangites’ trust and their right to enjoy and protect their natural heritage,” Oo added. Residents also voiced concern over an alleged 6.5m retention wall said to be part of the site plan. In a letter to Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, Tanjung Bungah Residents’ Association (TBRA) chairman Zulfikar Abdul Aziz said the project – touted as a “Wellness Centre” – has faced strong objections from residents and NGOs due to its potential impact on local flora and fauna, worsening traffic congestion and destruction of the beach. “However, the developer has already begun cutting down trees, erecting a barricade wall and blocking public access to areas SIBU: The Kanowit Festival continues to serve as a platform for bringing together people of different races, religions and cultures, said National Unity Minister Datuk Seri Aaron Ago Dagang. He said the festival, which began in 2003, is not only a much anticipated annual event for local residents but also plays a role in fostering unity and harmony in rural communities. “Unity is not just a slogan but a way of life that must be reflected through understanding, respect, acceptance and the celebration of diversity,” he said in his speech at the Kanowit Festival 2025 closing ceremony here yesterday. Aaron said the spirit of unity and goodwill displayed during the festival was a reflection of the true essence of harmony in Malaysia. “When the Kanowit community, consisting of Iban, Malay, Chinese, Melanau and other ethnic groups comes together under a single festival, it shows that unity is not merely a concept but a reality we can achieve,” said the Kanowit MP. Aaron added that this aligns with the National Unity Ministry 2026

o Tanjung Bungah group wants immediate halt to all works as act ’contradicts commitment of state to protect natural heritage’

had been “stripped bare overnight”, leaving behind “a barren scar fenced off from the very people who had called for its preservation”. “The people of Tanjung Bungah never asked for a concrete wellness

and a full review of the project’s environmental and social impacts. Community representative and Tanjung Bungah resident Oo Huei Ying said the once lush slope that formed the area’s natural green lung

Tanjung Bungah residents staging a protest along the shoreline against the clearing of trees and fencing of the beach area. – T.C. KHOR/THESUN

Earthworks at site for construction of public seaside park, says exco

Kanowit Festival instils spirit of unity among rural communities

Ű BY T.C. KHOR newsdesk@thesundaily.com

place are for the construction of a public park, a facility that can be enjoyed by all segments of society, particularly the residents of Tanjung Bungah,” he said. The Sore Thumb site, a coastal outcrop adjacent to the One Tanjong condominium, has a long and complex history. In 2014, the Penang Development Corporation announced plans to invite proposals for the area under a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a marina park concept to rehabilitate and formalise the irregularly reclaimed land. The RFP was launched in 2015, but the project did not proceed. In April the same year, then state exco member Phee Boon Poh officiated the site as a public coastal park intended for community recreation, although it was never gazetted. Subsequently, about 1.5 acres of the land, designated Lot 4658, was leased by the state government to the Lone Pine Group for a mixed-use wellness development that included the current proposal for the Seaside Pocket Park.

anticipation of Malaysia’s transition into an ageing society.” Zairil said the project planning permission for a five-storey wellness suite development on Lot 4658 was approved with a condition that the public park be built first. He added that the application for the construction of the park, designated as Parcel A, was approved on Dec 5, 2024, while the permit for rock removal, relocation and transportation of materials at the site was issued on May 7 this year. Zairil said the proposed park would feature a jogging track, playground, rest areas, exercise facilities and a seaside promenade. It will be landscaped with trees and greenery and maintained by the developer for public use. He described the project as a public facility that would bring long term benefits to the community. He added that claims suggesting the coastal green zone would be replaced by luxury developments were “false and malicious”. “The state government reiterates that the earthworks now taking

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government has responded to allay public concern over land clearing near the “Sore Thumb” area, clarifying that the works are part of a directive requiring the developer to build a public seaside park before beginning its wellness suite project. State executive councillor for Infrastructure, Transport and Digital, Zairil Khir Johari, who is also Tanjung Bungah assemblyman, said Lone Pine Residence Sdn Bhd has been instructed to construct the Seaside Pocket Park first on state-owned land adjacent to Lot 4658. “The Penang state government plans to turn this green area in Tanjung Bungah into a public park that will benefit not only local residents but also tourists visiting the surrounding area,” he said in a statement on Saturday. “The park is expected to become a recreational hub for family leisure and a long-term public amenity in