DAP’s Teh Lai Heng said stopping hill land and slope development as well as land reclamations projects will cause property on Penang island to become even more expensive.

The Komtar rep said it was reported in 2012 there was only about 17% of land available on the island for housing and commercial development.

“If development on hill land and slopes and land reclamation projects are to be stopped, there will be very little land left to develop.

“Property on the island will become very expensive. Can the people still afford to own property?” he said in his speech to debate the state’s Budget 2018 at the state legislative assembly this afternoon.

Teh was commenting on calls to halt all hill land and slope projects in Penang by some local civil society groups and residents associations.

It came after a landslide in a Tanjung Bungah construction site near a hill that killed 11 workers and the flash flood around the state after last weekend’s storm.

Penang civil society blamed over-development and the clearing of hills for housing projects, reducing catchment areas that acted as natural sponges to absorb rain.

The same civil groups had also objected to land reclamation projects.

Teh said there were stringent regulations and safety guidelines for hill developments in place before developers could get approvals for their projects or to reclaim the sea.

He said with proper designs and maintenance, projects on hill land could be as safe as projects on low and flat land.

“Look at Singapore and Hong Kong, which are also island cities. Singapore has been reclaiming land extensively for projects,” he said, citing the iconic Marina Bay Sands which was built on reclaimed land.

“Hong Kong island has a hilly terrain and much of the development is on slopes.”

Teh also addressed the argument the state government could develop Seberang Prai on the mainland, where there was more land available for new housing and commercial projects.

He said people still chose to live on the island, especially the more developed areas.

“There are affordable homes available in Balik Pulau, but many choose other locations on the island,” he said. – November 8, 2017.