GEORGE TOWN: A public briefing on the Special Area Plan (SAP) for the Penang Botanic Gardens here today left many dissatisfied with the answers provided by its curator Dr Saw Leng Guan.
The nearly 200 concerned Penangites, including representatives from the numerous non-governmental organisations (NGOs), who were present at the two hour-long session, particularly trained their guns at the state government for gazetting the SAP document in a hush hush manner without going through a public inspection as required under the Town and Country Planning Act.
Botanical researcher Datuk Seri Lim Chong Keat dismissed the SAP as a "useless document", questioning the experience of the consultants who had prepared it.
Lim, an architect, said the SAP document was supposed to have been a localised substitution of a local plan, but what is being discussed is nothing more than a development plan.
"What experience they have in planning? Whatever the consultants have put up, there should be a peer review by experts to advice the state government on it.
"In this case, the SAP document is a complete 'rojak' document. It should be rejected and reviewed," he said to applause from those present.
The Penang Botanic Gardens, which is the oldest garden in Malaysia built in 1884, covers 212ha of land – the bulk of which is for conservation.
The SAP dictates what can or cannot be built, with only 40ha of it meant for development.
Seven major projects have been announced namely, to be divided into two categories -– the Entrance Redevelopment and Frontage Enhancement and the Old Garden Improvement and Development.
Under the Entrance Redevelopment and Frontage Enhancement, the Central Visitor Centre will start off as Project 1, followed by Plant Conversation and Research Centre, Malaysiana Boulevard, Garden Mall Restoration and Nature’s Amphitheatre.
Under the Old Garden Improvement and Development, there are two key projects, namely the Service Yard Facilities, Nursery and Irrigation System and Viewing Tower and Viewing Deck.
Some 800,000 visited the Penang Botanic Gardens this year alone.
Lim, the brother of former Penang chief minister Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu, told Saw that the people have the right to ask the state government for a meeting to review the procedure.
“How many people from the state government is here? A public session must be held so that all members of government, including the Chief Minister, can listen to public opinion of, ” he said.
Penang Hills Watch coordinator Dr Kam Suan Pheng said since the SAP had gone through an amendment, a public inspection should have been held.
To this, an officer from Plan Malaysia who was present, said a public inspection was held back in 2012 when the first draft of the SAP document was ready.
"You mean to tell us that there was a seven-year gap between then and now, and changes have been made to the SAP. Where is the public inspection? What is the validity of the SAP document gazetted?" Kam went on to ask, to which the officer said a townhall session was held in March last year involving the members of parliament, NGOs and some public.
"Do you know anything about that public inspection then?" Kam asked the crowd to which everyone replied in the negative.
"I will stop at this and let you all judge by yourselves what is happening here," she added.
Kam also asked about the proposed cable car project to the top of Penang Hill and the location of the ground station and whether it would affect the Penang Botanic Gardens.
Saw took it all in his stride and explained to the crowd that he was only at liberty to discuss the contents of the SAP document and nothing more.
He also called for cooler heads from all present, saying that to allow a feasibility study on the cable car project before an informed decision is made.
"If the ground station affects us, then we have to look at the consequences, but we can't pre-empt anything for now." he said.