A letter
to the editor which appeared in Utusan Malaysia today with
suggestions on how the development in Penang should be handled seem
reasonable in light of the current hectic pace of mega projects on
the island. The writer would like to see a more balanced and
sustainable form of development that will be enjoyed by all the
residents of the state. This is in line with what S.M. Mohamed Idris,
the President of the Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) said
on the mega roads and undersea tunnel projects that was recently
announced by the Chief Minister, in spite of an upcoming transport
master plan.
Those in power do seem to
have a weakness for big projects, irrespective of which side of the
political bench they come from. Big projects will on the surface
benefit everyone with its purveyors pointing out the rewards that
will trickle down to all and sundry. The biggest slice of the cake
will go to the developer, which goes without saying and the crumbs
can be had by the hordes. Don't forget to add the as yet unforeseen
side effects of the development, during and after it is completed.
For example, building more
roads to ease traffic congestion seems such a waste of time. Just
look at the myriad of highways in Kuala Lumpur. Every new highway
built does not reduce the traffic or reduce the time taken from point
A to B but more of than not, become bottlenecks during peak periods.
A much better approach is needed and a master plan that is strictly
followed would be of more benefit than mere big, mega projects.
Image from biz.thestar
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