Tanjung Bungah residents set Sept 20 deadline for state response on park proposal
GEORGE TOWN: Residents of Tanjung Bungah here are pressing the Penang government for a written response on their proposal to turn the Sore Thumb area and its adjoining public beach into a natural park.
Resident Oo Huei Ying said residents want a clear commitment from Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow and Tanjong Bunga assemblyman Zairil Khir Johari on when they can expect a formal reply.
She said numerous follow-up emails and WhatsApp messages have gone unanswered.
The residents are asking the state to officially adopt their detailed park proposal, protect the gazetted Sore Thumb area along with the public beach and coastline, involve residents meaningfully in the park’s final design, halt any irreversible construction work until the plan is finalised, and commit to a firm implementation timeline for the proposed Coastal Nature’s Park.
They have set a deadline of Sept 20 for the state to deliver its written decision. Tanjong Bungah Residents Association chairman Zulfikar Abdul Aziz framed the standoff as a broader test of the state government’s priorities.
“This is a test for the Penang government on whether people or developers take priority,“ he said, criticising what he described as the administration’s dismissive attitude towards residents’ concerns.
He added that it is disappointing that residents had to spend their own time and money simply to push for proper governance.
The demand comes after more than four years of back-and-forth between residents and the state over the fate of Lot 4658 and the broader Sore Thumb site.
Residents have questioned why, if the area is genuinely intended to become a public park, their detailed proposal has still not received a decision.
They emphasised that any clearing of trees or destruction of existing habitats would be irreversible in the short term, with consequences that could last for decades.
To highlight their concerns, residents held a gathering on Sunday evening at the pocket park next to Hillside Foodcourt.
theSun has contacted Zairil Khir for a response as of press time.
