CARE TAKEN: Developer says hilltop stones are for recycling and project is supervised
GEORGE TOWN: A PROPERTY developer accused of "killing" a hill here has described itself as a "white knight" for coming in to revive The Peak Residences project at Mount Erskine at the state government's request.
It also denied claims that it was neglecting safety issues and building above the 75m safety zone.
Ivory Properties Group Bhd (IPGB) executive director and chief operating operator M. Murly said various authorities and departments had been monitoring the site to make sure all critical factors and safety measures were taken care of.
"All our works are approved, supervised and endorsed by experts, engineers and the authorities," he said in response to a New Straits Times report titled "Hill 'killed' by development" yesterday.
IPGB executive director and deputy chairman Datuk Seri Nazir Ariff Mushir Ariff was at the press conference.
Murly said IPGB had obtained approval from the high-risk land development committee headed by state Public Works, Utilities and Transportation Committee chairman Lim Hock Seng.
On concerns regarding the granite boulders piled on top of the hill, he said the stones were stored there to be used as crusher run in building roads and retaining walls.
"Instead of transporting the granites out of the site, we bought a machine which cost us over RM1 million to turn them into crusher run.
"We are actually recycling them for the environment and the stones are piled up on flat ground at a high platform, which poses no danger."
Tanjung Bungah assemblyman Teh Yee Cheu had raised concern over the stones at the hilltop.
He also questioned the lack of drainage to channel rainwater away.
Murly said IPGB was aware of the sensitivity of neighbouring residences but they did not receive any complaints about floods at the site.
He said IPGB had also engaged an environmental resource management consultant to advise them on maintaining the sedimentation pond and other issues like noise level.
He also clarified that the project did not involve construction of posh apartments and villas but was all about affordably-priced homes and low-medium cost apartments.
Yesterday, representatives of the Construction Industry Development Board visited the construction site and spent about an hour there.
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