Saturday, July 5, 2014

Focus on Urban Growth in Penang

Originally published in the The Star newspaper on January 6, 2011: http://www.thestar.com.my/story.aspx/?file=%2f2011%2f1%2f6%2ffocus%2f7741164&sec=focus 

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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