SOME 170 participants from 35 NGOs including representatives from Aliran, Jerit Penang, Malaysian Nature Society, Penang Heritage Trust, Penang Transport Council, etc, convened last Sunday (07.03.10) for a forum organised by the Penang Forum Working Group. Entitled 'Penang: Has anything changed after two years?', the forum passed two resolutions. First, they welcomed and supported the call by the Penang state government to hold local council elections. Second, they called upon the state government and the Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP) to make public the Local Plan, which has been completed (and revised) since 2009. Read here

THE closure of the Penang Hill Railway for a seven-month upgrade last week (read here) was received with many questions and concerns from various segments:

• Khoo Salma Nasution (President, Penang Heritage Trust):  “The closure of the Penang Hill Railway – the only one of its kind in Southeast Asia – is an event of great sadness in the rich history of Penang. It is claimed that Penang’s historic funicular railway is being closed on 22 February 2010 for ‘upgrading’. The public is generally unaware that the project will irrevocably alter the character of the existing railway as we know it, and entail the destruction of many of its important elements... we would insist that any upgrading be done with a thorough understanding and appreciation of history, heritage and environmental issues. We would also insist that important heritage elements of the original railway are retained. We believe that this is not the case with the present project.”  Read here
• SM Idris (President, Consumers' Association of Penang and Sahabat Alam Malaysia): “We are not sure if there was a consideration for the optimum number of persons at the hill top or if the environment can sustain that number without an unacceptable degree of deterioration of the character and quality of the environment, or the recreation experience that visitors expect of the hill...We are concerned that with increased human traffic, the natural surroundings, tranquillity and passive outdoor recreation would be gravely impacted as this ecologically sensitive area cannot sustain heavy use.” Read here
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THE PENANG Hill Funicular Railway, built in 1923 and whose service had been plagued by a number of problems recently, was closed for upgrading from Sunday, Feb 21. The works are expected to cost RM63mil and take seven months.