To Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng:

This is a follow up to our email dated April 18 on the Subterranean Penang International Convention and Exhibition Centre ( sPICE ) sent to you which we have yet to receive a response. There are three key issues on the sPICE project which we wish the Penang government to clarify:

1. A full Traffic Impact Assessment (TIA) of the affected area in Bayan Baru is supposedly being carried out by the developer. When will the TIA be completed and when will the full and open publication of the TIA for public review be made? This has to be done before any signing of the agreement with the developer.

2. You announced in the public consultation meeting in February 2011 that the plot ratio guidelines will be relaxed for SP Setia to build an additional 1,000 plus units in their existing projects. What are the actual concessions granted in this agreement plus what are the actual terms of requirement SP Setia must fulfill to build low cost houses? 

Can the state government guarantee that  this waiver of the plot ratio guidelines will not set a precedent for other developers to ask for similar concessions in other development projects?

3. We strongly urge the state government to publish in full the draft agreements with SP Setia and Eco Meridian on the sPICE project before signing of any agreement. This is of urgent public interest in the spirit of transparency and accountability.

We anxiously await a response from you.

 

The author writes on behalf of Coalition for Good Governance Penang.