Malaysia
is currently a developing nation. Infrastructural development is required to
cope with the ever increasing population. It does not take a genius to predict
that Malaysia has to develop to achieve a developed nation status. Particularly
in Penang, development is crucial as it needs to vie with different parts of
the region to become a top tourist destination.
As
a Penangite, I certainly feel that Penang certainly needs an alternative mode
of development to cope with prevalent problems that lead to environmental
issues such as traffic congestion and flash floods.
Rapid
development does not necessarily hinders protection of environment. One should
not stereotype building construction and development as means of destruction of
the pristine natural landscape of Penang Island.
Residents
of Penang are void of living standards of a developed urban living such as
efficient public transportation. Penangites are currently more car-dependent as
there is no high-capacity mass rapid transportation system unlike Kuala Lumpur,
Putrajaya, Malacca and any other mega cities of the world. Proposals of
constructing a monorail train system in Penang were recently scrapped due to
political and economical reasons.
Without
proper urban planning, housing development would become decentralized. With
increased usage of private transportation, decreased efficiency of the city due
to traffic congestion may occur and more pollution, which in turn increased
consumption of energy and emission of greenhouse gases.
While
preserving its natural landscape, the Penang Government should develop the
urban conurbation by implementing key development zones by phases to control
from extension into the urban fringe. This includes identifying, managing and
preserving heritage zones and ecological zones.
Development
should comprise balancing population growth between Penang Island and Seberang
Perai. Residents moving from Penang Island to Seberang Perai should be
encouraged to reduce congestion.
Increase
green lungs and parks in inner urban areas to reduce fragmentation; in other
words, prevent isolation of habitat of flora and fauna.
Increase
population density by introducing transportation corridors, whereby development
concentrates along these corridors to have easy access to public transport.
Proper
management concerning urban development by co-operation between Penang state
government, Penang Municipal Council, Seberang Perai Municipal Council, NGOs
and citizens would achieve higher standards of living, public transport
accessibility, housing affordability and environmental sustainability.
I
reiterate that development does not really inhibit environmental
sustainability. The ban of plastic bags is a lauded move by Penang Chief
Minister Lim Guan Eng as a first step towards a cleaner and greener Penang.
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