Bukit Gelugor member of Parliament Karpal Singh has urged that the directors and companies involved in the alleged illegal land clearing in Bukit Relau, Jalan Bukit Gambier be blacklisted.     

Karpal, who is also the DAP chairperson, said the owner of lot number 11396 where the illegal land clearing allegedly took place, should be blacklisted.   

He said according to a Penang local government report today, the land belonged to General Accomplishment Sdn Bhd, one of whose directors was tycoon Tan Kok Ping.

“Charges against the company by the Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP) are not enough. Both Tan as its director and the company should be blacklisted for defying the law,” he told reporters in George Town today.

In a report during the state legislative assembly today, Penang Local Government, Traffic Management and Flood Mitigation Committee chairperson Chow Kon Yeow said that Tan was the director of the company which had allegedly carried out illegal earthwork and MPPP would be bringing charges against the company on July 11.  

Tan is currently executive adviser and former president of the Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce.

Meanwhile, Karpal also urged that the other company involved in the alleged activity be prosecuted and blacklisted.

“No matter how rich or powerful you are, the DAP-led state government will not allow anyone to defy the law and escape unpunished,” he said.   

On May 15, Seri Delima state assemblyperson RSN Rayer had urged MPPP, the state Forestry Department and Northeast District Office to investigate the hill clearing activities on Bukit Relau.

It was reported in early June that MPPP had revealed the names of the two companies which had allegedly felled trees on the hill.  

- Bernama