Despite serious objections by residents living within the vicinity of the site, Penang will see the development and completion of the massive 50-acre 'Wellness City of Dreams' (CoD) project by December 2020.

The CoD comprises two blocks of serviced apartments both 32-storeys tall on top of a seven-storey car park and a sprawling wellness resort.

A memorandum of understanding between the developer Ewein Zenith Sdn Bhd and Consortium Zenith BUCG Sdn Bhd was signed today in Georgetown the presence of Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

CoD includes a wellness mall, a business and specialist center, a resort and a hotel all revolving around the provision of welness services including anti-aging, aesthetics and comprehensive regenerative treatments.

The complex will also see the first ever halal wing designed exclusively for Muslims patients.

Consortium Zenith BUCG chairperson Zarul Zulkifli said the development was in tandem with Malaysia’s ambition to be Asia’s 'favoured' medical and wellness destination.

“Growth in the medical tourism sector looks very positive given our top ranking according to International Living’s Annual Global Retirement Index, our access to low cost airfares and our affordable rates,” Zarul ( photo ) added.

He said that the development would contribute RM2.5 billion to the Gross National Income of both Penang and Malaysia.

“The project will also provide for an estimated 10,000 employment opportunities for Malaysians in particular Penangites,” Zarul told a press conference after the signing ceremony.

“We’re not in the property industry merely for business but also to ensure we leave behind a legacy that benefits local communities for the long term,” he declared.

However, the proposed outlooks  may not impress existing residents as they have strongly opposed the 'extremely high-density' high-rise project.

Part of land swap deal

In a press statement in May, the residents lamented that the site where CoD would be built was the one and only remaining open space in their neighbourhood.

It is also the one and only remaining mangrove forests on the northeast coast of Penang Island, the residents claim.

This has prompted the community to put in close to a hundred objections against the project.

The protests were led by Tanjung Bungah assemblyperson Teh Yee Cheu who objected under Section 25 of the Town and Country Planning Act which states that the authoritiescan withdraw the approved plan by paying compensation to the developer.

However, the project, which is part of a land swap deal given to Consortium Zenith by the state government for the construction of the Penang undersea tunnel, is set to go on.

It will be constructed primarily upon a piece of government reserve land measuring which is part of reclaimed land under Seri Tanjung Pinang (STP) Phase 1 works.

The 7.2km undersea tunnel, which is planned for use in 2025, will link the island to Butterworth and three major road bypasses worth RM6.3 billion.

During the press conference, Zarul also addressed concerns regarding traffic congestion on the island by saying that the company’s first priority was to start work on the three major highways early next year.

“We believe this will increase trade and travel between Penang and the mainland, especially the Northern Corridor states.

It is noted that developer Ewein Zenith was endorsed by the Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism Ministry for the Entry Point Project 10 category under the Economic Transformation Programme to develop the Wellness resort.