Anti-telco protestors want relocation of 5g towers in Penang
A group of protestors want the Penang government to relocate the proposed 5G telco towers away from residential and recreational areas in Karpal Singh Drive.
They gathered at the Dewan Sri Pinang today where the Penang Legislative Assembly is sitting until Friday, Nov 8.
In their memorandum, the group said, in principle, they have no objection to the rolling out of 5G technology in Penang.
"However, we oppose the proposed 5G telco towers being installed in our residential area, one of which is less than 60m away from a residential block...
A group of protestors want the Penang government to relocate the proposed 5G telco towers away from residential and recreational areas in Karpal Singh Drive.
They gathered at the Dewan Sri Pinang today where the Penang Legislative Assembly is sitting until Friday, Nov 8.
In their memorandum, the group said, in principle, they have no objection to the rolling out of 5G technology in Penang.
"However, we oppose the proposed 5G telco towers being installed in our residential area, one of which is less than 60m away from a residential block, The Summer Place," said spokesperson Ng Tien Eng.
"We are gravely concerned that the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) had apparently approved the construction of the two 18m-tall telco towers in a very high density residential area before obtaining consent from the residents," he added.
It is learnt that the council first approved the telco tower on June 25 this year.
Two months later, a notice was put up on Aug 21 to gather feedback.
Ng claimed that the telco company began construction on the site before the deadline of the feedback period which was from August 21 to September 3.
He cited the opinion of medical and scientific communities that the telco towers would pose a threat to the health and safety of residents and others who use this public recreational space.
He also cited the World Health Organisation International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which has classified wireless radio frequency (RF) as a possible human carcinogen, a substance capable of causing cancer in living tissue.
He said scientists have declared that telco towers, sources of wireless RF, are harmful to humans.
Similarly in Malaysia, the Malaysian Nuclear Agency director-general, Dr Mohd Abd Wahab Yusof, in October reportedly said a thorough study on the impact of 5G technology will be conducted at the end of this year, Ng noted.
"In other words, the risk of 5G technology on humans is yet to be determined.
"Therefore, we strongly oppose the proposed 5G telco towers because we residents are not laboratory mice!" Ng cried.
Ng recalled that Jelutong MP RSN Rayer had promised residents (in a dialogue session on 18 September, 2019) to find a win-win solution, that is to relocate the proposed tower site to a location at a distance of 600m away from residences.
Ng said residents were relieved and expressed their gratitude at the end of the dialogue session.
However, MBPP (in a meeting on September 27) insisted on the rolling out of the 5G testing telco towers in their residential area.
"We were completely shocked and feel betrayed.
"Residents in Karpal Singh Drive area were completely shocked and disappointed to learn that Penang exco Zairil Khir Johari (above) reportedly said he would let a telecommunication company decide on the locations of two proposed 5G telecommunications towers which would be built in a high density residential area in Persiaran Karpal Singh Drive," Ng said.
"As an elected member, he should have put the interests of the rakyat first.
"If he only cares for the interests of a telco company, he should quit politics, form his own lobby company, lobbying for telco companies," Ng added.
Accompanying Ng at the protest was Ng Seah Chew, who is Summer Place management body chairperson.
In an immediate response, Zairil said he has also received complaints from residents on Pearl Hill in Tanjong Bungah.
He said the existing telco structures have obtained MBPP approval and have fulfilled all the technical guidelines of the MCMC, which is the regulator of the telecommunications industry.
Zairil said he had forwarded the complaints to MCMC, and on October 31, received a response that the telcos are "safe and will not harm the residents' health".
"MCMC says that the telcos have fulfilled the guidelines of WHO and International Committee on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP).
"The Commission also stated that the Health Ministry and Malaysian Nuclear Agency have run various studies about radiation from telcos, but the results are in line with WHO and ICNIRP," he added.
