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Free Malaysia Today
20-05-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Save Penang Turf Club land as green space, state govt urged
The Penang Turf Club, founded in 1864, is part of 93ha of prime land in Batu Gantong. (Penang Turf Club pic) GEORGE TOWN : An NGO has urged the state government to place the Penang Turf Club land under a special area plan to preserve it as a public green space in line with its original recreational use. The call by Penang Forum comes a day after the turf club said it would shut down and sell its 93ha property in eight separate parcels following a failed attempt to sell all 39 lots in one tender. Yesterday, it said it would hold its last race meeting on May 31, and was closing down after more than 160 years. Penang Forum said Parcel 1, which contains the clubhouse and golf course, has not been granted planning permission to change its current land use. It said no development approvals should be given without proper public consultation and public inquiries, as required by the Town and Country Planning Act 1976. '(The turf club land) should be governed by a special area plan, parked under a single management body or special purpose vehicle, to ensure that its uses are compatible with the original purpose and intention of the land grant,' it said in a statement. Penang Forum said the land, first given to the club for recreation in 1864, was purchased at its current location in 1935 for 250,000 Straits Settlement dollars (about US$6 million today) at 2.5 cents per sq ft. It said the turf club has since 'benefitted generously' from the use of the land for more than 160 years. It said although the land is marked as part of a 'Primary Development Corridor (KKP1)' under the 2030 Penang state structure plan, which allows for residential, commercial and other uses, its historic and environmental value must be a priority. It warned against repeating the mistakes of 2008, when a mega development called the Penang Global City Centre (PGCC) was proposed for the site. Reports said the project was eventually cancelled after strong public protest, and was widely seen as contributing to then Gerakan chief minister Koh Tsu Koon's defeat in the 2008 general election. Penang Forum also said the state is facing a shortage of green space, with only 7.8 sq m per person, far below the World Health Organization's minimum recommendation of 9 sq m and Plan Malaysia's 20 sq m target. It said the turf club site offers a chance to build a world-class public park instead of adding to what it described as an island already 'inundated' with high-rise concrete blocks and worsening traffic.
Free Malaysia Today
20-05-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Future of Penang Turf Club land depends on owners, says Chow
The Penang Turf Club, founded in 1864, holds about 81 hectares of prime land in Batu Gantong. (Penang Turf Club pic) GEORGE TOWN : The future of the 81-hectare Penang Turf Club land in Batu Gantong depends entirely on what its private owners propose to do with it, chief minister Chow Kon Yeow said. He said any redevelopment must follow existing planning laws and align with the Penang2030 vision — the state's roadmap for a greener and smarter future. 'The land is privately owned and zoned as a Priority Development Zone 1 for commercial purposes,' he said in a written reply to Lee Khai Loon (PH-Machang Bubok), who had asked about the status of the land. 'Any request to change its category or conditions must go through the district land office and the state land and mines office before being brought to the state authority for consideration.' Civil society groups such as Penang Forum had urged the state to place the land under a special area plan to preserve it as a public green space. They argued that large-scale commercial developments would erode its livability and heritage value. Chow said that the state would assess any proposals from the landowners fairly and require the incorporation of 'community-friendly designs', smart technology, and safeguards for the environment and heritage. 'The state will ensure that decisions are balanced and just for both the applicant and the public. This is to ensure that the project creates jobs and stimulates the local economy,' he said. The land is held in trust for the Penang Turf Club by Goh Eng Toon, Ong Eng Khuan, and Teh Choon Beng, under title HSD 20562, Chow confirmed. Founded in 1864, the Penang Turf Club will cease operations after its final race on May 31. It owns one of the island's last remaining large undeveloped land parcels, with estimated values ranging from RM2 billion to RM6 billion. The club previously attempted to sell the land via an open tender but failed to secure a successful bid. It now plans to divide the site into smaller parcels to appeal to more buyers.
