MBSP YET TO RECEIVE APPLICATION FOR FOREIGN WORKER DORMITORY PROJECT IN JURU

GEORGE TOWN, Nov 18 (Bernama) -- The Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) has not received any application from the developer for the proposed foreign worker dormitory project on lots 10333, 10334 and 10335 of Mukim 12 in Juru, Bukit Mertajam near here.

In a statement today, MBSP said that the developer was still in the process of preparing the Social Impact Assessment (SIA) report for the project and was gathering feedback from residents around the proposed site.

“Based on information from the consultant, the developer is currently preparing the SIA and MBSP has not yet received any application for the proposed project.

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“Therefore, any objections to the development of the project should be submitted directly to the consultant conducting the SIA and to Penang PLANMalaysia (the State Town and Country Planning Department), as the secretariat for the SIA Report,” said MBSP.

The media reported that over 200 Juru residents gathered yesterday, urging the Penang government to cancel the construction of two foreign worker dormitory projects in the area.

Chairman of the committee representing the residents Wahid Othman was quoted as saying that the residents’ concerns stemmed from several factors, particularly the growing number of foreigners in the area, even though the project had not yet been implemented.

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A letter of objection to the proposed construction of a foreign workers’ dormitory was sent last month to Bukit Tengah assemblyman Gooi Hsiao Leung, the local authority, and Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow. However, no response had been received as of yet.

Meanwhile, MBSP informed that it had previously granted planning permission for the proposed construction of a 22-storey foreign workers’ dormitory on Lot 10384, Jalan Kebun Baru, Mukim 12, in Juru.

According to the statement, permission was granted on Nov 24 last year for the construction of a 14-storey worker accommodation building, consisting of 500 dormitory units.

“However, the developer, on Sept 20 (this year), submitted an amendment plan to increase the number of storeys of the proposed accommodation building from 14 to 22, while maintaining the same number of units, by reducing the footprint and elevating the structure,” it said.

MBPP added that the planning permission was submitted through its Seberang Perai Express and Effective Development (SPEED MBSP) programme and presented to the secretariat committee today.

-- BERNAMA