MU and PFP lodge police report over landslide

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Front Party (PFP) and Parti Bersama Malaysia (MU) today lodged police reports fearing possibility of abuse of power in the affordable home project in Lengkok Lembah Permai, Tanjung Bungah, here.
The construction area was affected in the landslide incident at 8.45am on Saturday resulting in 11 workers killed comprising a local, four Bangladeshi nationals, two Indonesians, three Myanmar nationals and one Pakistani.
PFP president Datuk Patrick Ooi and MU deputy chairman Lim Boo Chang lodged the reports at the Timur Laut District Police Headquarters here.
Ooi said PFP wanted the police to investigate comprehensively why the DAP Penang state government still continued the project despite not getting the support of the Department of Environment (DOE).
"In fact, residents and the elected representative themselves had sent a memorandum to protest at the implementation of the project," he told reporters here today.
Ooi also claimed that the landslide was not a mishap at the workplace but due to the negligence of the Penang Island City Council (MBPP).
Meanwhile, Chang said the construction site had been gazetted and required the permission of the state government before any development could be carried out.
"It is not surprising how the project can be approved by the state authorities including the state executive councillors (exco), State Land Committee (Landcom) and MBPP.
"We hope a transparent investigation can be conducted to enable appropriate action to be taken against those involved," he said. — Bernama