SUNGAI Ara residents in Penang, who are fighting a proposed hill land development in their area in court, want the Penang government to publicly declare its support for the people’s case.

Lawyer Gurdial Singh Nijar, who is representing the residents in their case at the Court of Appeal in Putrajaya next month, said the residents wanted a formal public announcement by the state government that it supported their fight against sensitive hillside development.

He said previously when the case was in the Penang High Court, the state’s support for the residents were not communicated due to a miscommunication.

“I urge the Penang government to declare publicly that it will support the Sg Ara residents in their pending appeal against the approval of development on sensitive hill land.

“The chief minister had earlier announced that the state supported the people when the case was at the Penang High Court. Unfortunately this was not what happened at the hearing – apparently due to a miscommunication.

“The irate residents then met with the chief minister and the state housing exco on September 9. Both have assured the residents that this time they will make sure that their support for the residents’ appeal is made clear to the Appeal Court,” he said in a statement today.

Gurdial said the residents appreciated the state’s support, especially in light of the recent landslide incident at Lembah Permai in Tanjung Bungah that killed 11 construction workers.

“It also lends credence to the Penang government’s commitment to protect hill lands in Penang,” he said.

The Sg Ara residents are fighting developer Sunway City that is reportedly proposing to build 600 high-rise apartments and bungalows on hill land covering 32.4ha, with about 43% of the project on slopes over a gradient of 25°.

The local council approved the development as a “special project” in 2012.

The Penang Structure Plan prohibits projects on hill land 76m over sea level or hill slopes with a gradient exceeding 25°.

The residents took their objection to the state Appeals Board and won after the board declared that it was wrong to approve this development as it violated the Penang Structure Plan.

But the people lost the case at the Penang High Court which overturned the board’s decision and restored the council’s approval to the developer.

The residents are asking the Court of Appeal to nullify this decision. Their appeal is scheduled to be heard on November 13. – October 29, 2017.