Citizen Journalism Blog

What used to be a landmark of Penang has turned into a stinky, ugly, messy stretch of mud. Gurney Drive is a tourist spot, a family favourite for evening walks, lovers haunt, senior citizens daily morning jog and a place to hang out with friends.

No thanks to the previous Barisan Nasional government, development was rampant and the sea and beach disappeared. What is left now is a row of high rise condos, shopping malls and hotels facing one of the stinkiest place in Penang.

The above video was made around June 18, 2009. Subsequently, CM Lim Guan Eng launched the One million apologies to Mother Earth on Saturday, 9 August 2009. The communities in Penang have come together to make one million EM Mud Balls to be thrown into rivers and the mud in Gurney Drive. These EM Mud Balls are supposed to help the environment.

CJ Chan Lilian wanted to find out why the sea off Gurney Drive has now been replaced by an ugly stretch of mud. The previous Barisan Nasional state government claimed it was due to global warming (as reported in the NST and quoted by Teng Chang Yeow).

YB Phee who is the Exco in charge of the environment smirked that if indeed it is due to global warming, then, the sea surrounding the Penang island will have mud as well. He said it was due to the reclamation in Tanjong Tokong where they (the previous Govt.) had carried sea bed sand mining, taking the sand for development and then, throw the slush and mud back.

Recently, it was reported that the Ministry of Tourism has funded a beautification project that cost RM500,000. CJ Lilian approached MPPP to find out more details on the landscaping upgrading.

The contract covers covers new planterbox, chairs, underground cabelling, new lamp post, concrete imprint, central divider, 6 unit blinker lights for OKU with ramps and replacement of old tiles.

According to MPPP Planning and Development Department acting director Khoo Boo Soon, the contract was awarded on 26 october 2009 till 25 january 2010. However, MPPP granted the contractor extension of time because of 6 days stop work during festive season.

Although a lot of money had been spent on the beautification project, she noted that the dirty habits of littering and usage of plastic bags and Styrofoam have marred the effort of making Gurney Drive attractive to tourists.

According to IR Khoo , MPPP outsource the sea cleaning to contractor. He said that sea cleaning is not an easy task as tide will bring every “rubbish” in from as far as Kedah and Butterworth. As Gurney Drive is a tourist area MPPP Urban Services Dept. has people on the ground to do monitoring.

Ir Khoo also informed CJ Lilian that there are CCTV installed along Gurney Drive. Hopefully, these will provide crime prevention and also deter people from littering the place.

CJ Lilian also noted that the new benches made of wood and metal frames are not much more attractive than the previous one made of tiles.

To make Gurney Drive beautiful again, everyone has to put in their efforts including the public. The hotels, restaurants and shopping malls too could play their part in stepping up their corporate social responsibilities to keep this stretch of road and sea clean. After all, their businesses rely on the beauty of the place.