BUTTERWORTH: The people of Penang have given the thumbs up to Barisan Nasional’s (BN) state manifesto – Save Penang: Penang BN Pledges.
It highlights BN’s commitment to deal with the worsening floods and traffic congestion, and axe unnecessary projects, if it comes to power after the 14th General Election.
Businessman Khairul Fairuz Hishamuddin, 33, said he was fed up with the neverending flash floods, which resulted in massive traffic congestion and unnecessary hardship.
Khairul, from Balik Pulau, said the people were suffering and many could not go to work when it flooded.
“I support BN’s manifesto, which focuses on preserving the environment and stopping mega projects that are impacting the environment and Penangites negatively,” he said.
“As a local, I am frustrated with having to face worsening flash floods over the years. And looking at the problem from a different perspective, the excessive development and inadequate risk assessment has brought Penang to such a bad state.
“Previously, we could swim in the rivers near the hills as they were clean. “Today, they are heavily polluted because of development projects nearby.
“Enough is enough. The current state government is only interested in showing off the rapid development and ignores the after-effects of these projects. At the end of the day, what do we get from it?”
Azizi Daim, 45, from Butterworth also lauded the BN manifesto.
“I have been living here for a long time and all my four children were born here,” he said.
“I do not see any benefits for the people from the exploitation of hill slopes. It only benefits certain parties. They are living lavishly while we are suffering due to their greed.”
Azizi said the DAP-led government should have prioritised the people and not developers and certain parties.
He said the state government had failed to fulfil many of its promises and had only offered excuses and blamed others.
He said the state government was seen as using the people rather than helping them.
He said he was hoping for winds of change to blow through Penang with the announcement of BN’s manifesto as it was people-oriented.
Besides, offering benefits to the people, it also promises to scrap unnecessary developments such as the land reclamation projects in Permatang Damar Laut and Persiaran Gurney, the controversial undersea tunnel and developments in highland and hillslope areas more than 76.2m above sea level.