About 100 villagers, including women and children, marched to a developer's office in Penang today, demanding that it assumes full responsibility for their losses caused by a flash flood five days ago.

Led by Masjid Jelutong Qaryah chairperson Yahaya Jali, the villagers, who hailed from seven kampungs, criticised the state city council, Department of Environment and Health Department.

They submitted a memorandum and carried banners that read, "Developer UdaBina has destroyed the Malays in Jelutong" and "The city council and state government agencies must take action immediately".

Some of the banners bore the signatures of the Masjid's committee and Jelutong Umno Youth members.

UdaBina assistant manager Ahmad Tarmizi Musa received the one-page memorandum on behalf of the company, which built a 66-unit, four block flats called Impian Mutiara in the area about three years ago.

In recent years, Penang has seen much development but numerous projects like the Jelutong Expressway and the Penang Outer Ring Road were vehemently opposed by residents.

The government recently claimed that Jelutong residents enjoyed about 901 development projects worth RM18.4 billion.

Safety overlooked

Speaking to reporters later, Yahaya said developers fail to consider the interests and safety of villagers when carrying out their construction works.

"The projects has brought about untold misery such as noise, air pollution and flash floods which has damaged properties and brought lots of inconvenience to the locals.

"We question the ability of the state for allowing projects to be approved without proper drainage systems which resulted in dengue cases," he said.

Gerakan state assembly representative Looi Swee Cheang (Sungai Pinang), who marched with the villagers, condemned the unsustainable development which does not benefit the people.

He said the villagers had lived peacefully in the area for about 50 years until the projects started some three years. "I am also angry. Development that brings misery is useless," he added.

Looi proposed that a special committee comprising project managers be set-up to study the matter.

Issue 'politicised'

Meanwhile, Keadilan state assembly representative Abdul Rahman Kader said he will raise the matter in the next state assembly session in August.

"I have received many complaints from locals here although I am not representing them. But I am the state opposition leader and I will take their plight to the Dewan.

"We regret that this has happened. All the media reports about residents enjoying development here is a total lie," he added.

However, there was also group of villagers who were dissatisfied with the Masjid's committee for politicising the issue by mentioning the Umno Youth division.

"We had agreed not to bring in politics here. This is purely the people's problem. Why mention Umno?" said villager Syed Ibrahim Syed Abu Bakar.