Mole of Penang... on fire and eco-threatening
UPDATE Jan 2, 2009: The dumpsite fire is simmering into Day Two today, bursting into occasional fires and continuing to spew billows of fumes into the air making my Jelutong constituency the most direct impact.
Anecdotal Reports:
MPPP officers blamed it on drug addicts who celebrated new year countdown at the dumpsite and started the fire with their cigarette butts.
Press Updates:
1 ) January 2, 2009 Kwong Wah Yit Poh: 旱季乾燥日落洞垃圾场频起火 浓烟异味袭道旁民居
2 ) January 3, 2009, Guang Ming Daily: 疑亂丟煙蒂肇禍‧日落洞垃圾場火災
3 ) January 3, 2009 Kwong Wah Yit Poh: 疑遭丢烟蒂 垃圾场烧起来
ORIGINAL POSTING
In the late morning of January 1, the Mole of Penang was on fire.
Pictures by Jelutong DAP Action Team | KN Theng
The Mole of Penang, a nama manja for the biggest non-environmentally compliant rubbish dumpsite in George Town, has not only exceeded its capacity but is posing a bloody nuisance to my Jelutong constituency due to the leaking leachate and open burning caused by unstable and uncontrolled waste gas emission.
A Google Earth image taken today shows the maritime area polluted by streaming leachate, circled red
Yesterday, the recipe was ripe again for the dumpsite to catch fire, spewing polluted fumes into the air, and the smoke could be seen from as far as the tenth floor of Sunway Hotel in Butterworth, from where I got the first tip-off.
Aerial view of the Mole of Penang | Google Earth & The Star
Since becoming the elected MP for Jelutong, I have variously been raising the alarm over the environmental damage done to my constituency and want this over-capacity, three-decade old dumpsite to come to a total closure. But the municipal council, no matter how smart its various presidents and heads of department can be and had been, took no positive action, citing numerous reasons.
Is it this civil servants' mentality that "when you make no decision you will make no wrong decision" that paralysed the Penang state from becoming an international class city, making it an island that is colossally filthy, dirty and third world-like?
The Jelutong DAP Action Team rushed to the scene and took this series of pictures. You need to see how the fireman is dwarfed by the blanketing screen of smoke. I am going to dump them pictures on the desk of the MPPP President on Monday. Penang and Penangites deserve better.
Pictures by Jelutong DAP Action Team | KN Theng
Developing stories
These are the reports carried by the mass-selling local papers in Penang pertaining to my unhappiness:
1 ) Sep 22, 2008 Sin Chew Daily: 承包商擬租借日落洞垃圾場三十年‧海濱走道一路通或夭折
2 ) Sep 22, 2008 Nanyang Siang Pau: 为民请命打造绿肺 黄泉安阻财团辟垃圾场
3 ) Sep 22, 2008 The Star: Green lung idea for landfill
4 ) Oct 13, 2008 The Star: Putting a stop to overflowing of sewage
5 ) Oct 25, 2008 Kwong Wah Yit Poh: 黄泉安：东北县空间有限 西南区寻新垃圾场
6 ) Dec 09, 2008 Kwong Wah Yit Poh: 槟垃圾场爆满 毒水恐渗海洋
7 ) Dec 10, 2008 Guang Ming Daily: 黃泉安：市局官員誤導曹觀友‧日落洞垃圾場仍有人丟垃圾
8 ) January 2, 2008 Kwong Wah Yit Poh: 旱季乾燥日落洞垃圾场频起火 浓烟异味袭道旁民居
9 ) January 3, 2009, Guang Ming Daily: 疑亂丟煙蒂肇禍‧日落洞垃圾場火災
10 ) January 3, 2009 Kwong Wah Yit Poh: 疑遭丢烟蒂 垃圾场烧起来
It's my wish to have this Jelutong dumpsite closed down ASAP. Return public hygiene to Jelutong. Turn the dumpsite into a public park for Penangites.
Let's start something. Can someone please help me create an entry on the Mole of Penang in wikipedia?
Comments
i don't want to sound like a racist, but why are the people from the municipal council refuses to perform their duty?
Could it be the lack of fund? or simply its a Chinese area and I don't care attitude? or coz its a DAP area (unlikely)?
Sometimes it is sad to see how far behind we (malaysia) are compare with Singapore. Maybe to move things, we need to reward set up a competition for the best, cleanest municipal contest? don't know... maybe there are other better solutions, maybe ...
p.s. Its time to bring back pedestrian friendly street, roads are meant for walking, not driving. The penang I knew and grew up in has lost its marbles...
Architecture and Democracy - http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2006/12/24/lifeliving/15448549&sec=lifeliving
Posted by: calvin_fernandez![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jeffooi.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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January 2, 2009 02:53 PM
Thanks for looking after the environment. You have my vote for the next term.
Posted by: wickwax![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jeffooi.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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January 2, 2009 05:15 PM
Awesome pictures.
So it is okay it the dump site is not in Jelutong. Unfortunately we reap what we sow. But no worries. Nature will take care of itself. It is humans that I worry about.
You still want a population of 70 millions?
Posted by: Zakk![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jeffooi.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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January 2, 2009 10:29 PM
Calvin... I've come to realise it's not about racism or the area being in the hands of DAP...
It's the ATTITUDE ingrained from the Barisan era... where there is this "Kau Tim" approach, where when there is an infringement, there will be an avenue for a "solution"... WIN-WIN scenario you might say, where the offender is let off after a "contribution" while the enforcer "closes one eye".
It is such INERTIA that holds back some of these MPPP Napoleons in performing their task... IMAGINE if your engines have been running on 1st Gear... how hard it is to accelerate and go straight to even 3rd Gear... your car stutters and chokes...
That's the situation with MPPP !!! But with the New Year and enough PUSHING & PRODDING from the back, I'm sure their engines will be in full speed and in smooth gear transition...
THEY WILL SHUDDER (these Napoleons) when the Federal Govt is under DSAI & Pakatan Rakyat... and they will be remembered for their LACK OF ACTION !!!
TOGETHER Penangites !!! Let us strive together to get things done the proper and correct way... especially with the BACKING of our dear LGE and his team.
Posted by: beruangyogi![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jeffooi.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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January 3, 2009 05:36 AM
Jeff Ooi,
Don't forget to check with MPPP on the hillslope developement. People are complaining. I understand it's Liew's constituency. CM's constituency quite close. Need to have a conclusion.
Safe or not safe to carry out hosuign projects there
Posted by: looes74![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jeffooi.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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January 4, 2009 02:43 AM
Jeff Ooi,
Quick look at the situation. Perhaps, it would good to keep you ADUN colleagues and these key EXCO members in the loop. They are
1) LGE (Chief Minister) - land matters
2) Chow Kon Yeow - Local govt & Environment exco
3) Lim Hock Seng - Works Exco
4) Wong Hon Wai - Town Planning Exco
Wouldn't wanna create another fiasco just like the one happened in Selangor.
Posted by: looes74![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jeffooi.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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January 4, 2009 03:06 AM