The proposed Penang Hill cable car project does not affect the Unesco recognition of the Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve, says state Local Government, Housing, Town and Planning Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo.
He said many areas which have been listed as Unesco biosphere reserves throughout the world have cable car projects, some even 10 times larger than the one proposed for Penang.
“The proposed Penang Hill cable car project is located in the transition zone of the Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve and is thus allowed.
“The Unesco listing of the Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve is another feather in our cap. To all the naysayers out there, it is not easy for us to achieve it.
“We will ensure the status is maintained under this Penang government’s watch,” Jagdeep said during a press conference on the current status of the Penang Hill Special Area Plan and the George Town World Heritage Site near the Clock Tower in Light Street today.
He continued: “We want to allay your fears; we are doing this for the better of Penang.
“Just like the Gurney Wharf, the response is overwhelming. We want to move forward and we will certainly not endanger such recognition because we love Penang.”
Jagdeep also commended Penang Hill Corporation general manager Datuk Cheok Lay Leng and other stakeholders for successfully obtaining the Unesco listing for the Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve.
The Federal Government, under Pakatan Harapan, announced a RM100 million initial allocation for the cable car project but after its fall, the incoming Perikatan Nasional government rescinded the decision in April 2020.
The Penang government then decided the cable car project to be built under a public-private financing model.
Cheok said many renowned national parks, nature reserves and even Unesco World Heritage Sites and Biosphere Reserves around the world, like in Africa, Japan and China, have cable car system.
“Cable car system is very environmental-friendly. Its construction does not require massive deforestation so this will not bring detrimental effects to the environment.
“Cable cars run on electric power and has low noise pollution.
“Furthermore, cable cars will help the older folks to go up and down the hill and still enjoy the scenery.
“We will ensure the project is well planned and executed in accordance with the stringent technical and safety requirements, and more importantly, meet environmental standards,” Cheok said during a phone interview.
Meanwhile, Jagdeep said the seawall restoration project at the Esplanade would be completed in the first quarter of next year while the Fort Cornwallis moat reinstatement project, which would be implemented next year, would be completed in 2024.
These projects come under the George Town Conservation Development Corporation (GTCDC), a partnership between the Penang State Government and Think City.
To complement the seawall restoration project, he said there would be a Seawall Linear Garden, an open space adjacent to the seawall project, for the public social wellbeing.
Also present at the press conference were the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) secretary Datuk Addnan Mohd Razali, Think City managing director Hamdan Abdul Majeed, Chief Minister Incorporated deputy general manager Bharathi Suppiah, Penang State Heritage Commissioner Rosli Nor and PLANMalaysia Penang deputy director Mohd Bashir Sulaiman.
Hamdan said: “We are pushing forward with various projects in mind as YB Jagdeep had highlighted. We will ensure that these projects will be completed in quarter one next year progressively and when the recovery (Covid-19) comes, we are ready to celebrate and set Penang to the global stage.”
Rosli, who was appointed as the Penang State Heritage Commissioner on Sept 1 this year, was the general manager of Melaka World Heritage Office since 2011.
“We will restore most of Fort Cornwallis, one of the most important structures of old Penang. The restoration will bring back the old glory. It is not only an important structure for tourism but also for education because the structure will give a clue to architects, engineers and planners on how the old construction was done in Penang.
“Although it was done during colonial times, the fort was built by local people, local techniques and local materials. So, this heritage is something the people of Penang should be proud of,” Rosli said.
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix by Chan Kok Kuan