Penang Global City Centre

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Information
Penang Global City Centre
Location	Penang, Malaysia
Status	Proposed
Use	Residential Properties, Leisure
Companies
Architect	Asymptote Architecture
Developer	Abad Naluri , Equine Capital Bhd (MYX: 1147)

The Penang Global City Centre (PGCC) is a project located at Penang Turf Club on Penang Island, Malaysia. The PGCC will comprise of 50,000 square metres (538,196 square feet) divided between two five-star hotels, a 75,000 square metre (807,294 square feet) Penang performing arts centre, a 400,000 square metre (4,305,565 square feet) retail complex, 25,000 square metres (269,098 square feet) divided between two office towers, 70,000 square metres (753,474 square feet) of residential properties, a 100,000 square metre (1,076,392 square feet) world-class convention centre, a 1500 square metre (16,146 square feet) observatory tower, 190,000 square metres (2,045,142 square feet) of parking space, monorail transportation, and a vast public arena.^[1].

The PGCC, with an estimated gross development value (GDV) of RM25 billion, will be sited on a 104ha plot where the Penang Turf Club currently stands. ^[2]. Abad Naluri bought the land for RM488mil in 2002. ^[2]

The PGCC was designed by Asymptote Architecture - under leadership of Hani Rashid and Lise Anne Coutur. It will be built on a 185 hectare plot (1.9 square KM), featuring two iconic towers - each standing 200 meter high (656 ft). These towers will boast continuous flowing curves with shining crystalline and transparent curved surfaces. It will take at least 15 years to complete.

On April 1st 2008, a blogger posted an entry claiming the developer has decided to revise their plans on how to develop the land amidst much opposition from the locals and probably from the new state government too. The new development will be called The Pearl of the Orient Project which promises to preserve if not expand the open spaces and green lungs available on the site. In place of skyscrapers, the developer will fulfill the wishes of the new state government and Penangites alike by constructing the largest aquarium and also a world-class night safari to boost the state's tourism efforts. The two iconic towers will be replaced by a large dome shaped like a pearl which can be used as an exhibition hall or even as a venue for sporting events, very much like the Sapporo Dome in Japan. In return, the developer will be awarded the subway system proposed by the new state government to replace the previously announced monorail system. The announcement would have brought much cheer to all Penangites if it wasn't just an April Fool's joke.^[3]

1 Basic Information
2 Controversy and criticism
3 Response of local authorities
4 Members of The PGCC Campaign Group
5 Notable events
6 References
7 External links

[edit] Basic Information

Retail Complex: 384.953 m².
Convention Center: 95.174 m².
Penang Performing Arts Center (PenPAC): 73.950 m².
Condominium Towers: 61. 718 m².
Hotel A and Service Apartments: 23.130 m².
Hotel B and Service Apartments: 25.725 m².
Offices: 22.530 m².
Observatory: 1,256 m².
Parking: 183,390 m².

[edit] Controversy and criticism

The development of PGCC has been criticized as misleading and lacking in transparency. The controversy ultimately led to the widespread PGCC boycott campaign. Petitions, banners and other digital media were launched by the local community to raise awareness of the impact of the PGCC development to the public.

In early September 2007, a few major non-governmental organisations in Penang joined forces to form The PGCC Campaign Group to oppose the development of Penang Global City Centre (PGCC) Project. However, the group is facing a mainstream media blackout.

^[4]

According to Joint Press Release By A Group of Concerned NGOs To Oppose The Development of Penang Global City Centre (PGCC) dated 15 Sept 2007 ^[5].

Land Re-zoning
The site of the project - the present Turf Club- was originally given by the government for a nominal sum and was zoned as 'Open Space'. This was changed very recently to 'Mixed Development', even though public opinion was unanimously against it (judging from the submissions sent in by the public during the 2007 Structure Plan exercise).^{[citation needed]}

By doing so, the Penang State Govt has acted arbitrarily and sacrificed the interests of the community to a group of developers.

Traffic Congestion
The project is so large that it will affect almost every person in Penang, but there has been very little public consultation. By our estimate, it will generate about 60,000 traffic movements daily which will be channeled into Jalan Scotland and Jalan Utama (via Jalan Brook).

The traffic dispersal plan for the project leaves much to be desired and we are asking for another traffic study by independent experts to be done before any decisions are made.

Public Consultation
During the drawing up of the Penang Structure Plan, public consultation was minimal, perfunctory and the results were entirely ignored. Since a mega development is going to take place on the Turf Club land that is subjected to the Structure Plan, we would therefore call for a greater genuine public consultation due to the large size of this project.^{[citation needed]}

The project was approved in Putrajaya, plans were finalised without any local inputs, and have now been publicly launched with much fanfare. That is not consultation. It smacks of an attempt to bulldoze aside all objections. It is a top-down planning of the worst type and is against all principles of participatory democracy.^{[citation needed]}

Social Housing
It is a national policy that all development must include 30% low-cost units, and yet none will be built on the site. Instead the developer is proposing to build 6,933 luxury units of apartments and houses on the site. However, the low cost units will be built elsewhere.

EIA
Given the size of the project we would also ask for a detailed EIA to be done, as a preliminary study would not be sufficient to address all the issues that will arise.

Other than concerns raised by PGCC Campaign Group under joint press release. PGCC's developers also have been criticised for providing misleading facts such as:-

PGCC Eco Tech City Towards Zero Carbon City.
^[6]. The developers have not backed their claims of a ‘zero carbon’ PGCC with any detailed statistics or scientific evidence, beyond very vague references to eco-friendly architecture and design. It is unclear whether they are including traffic emissions, or the pollution caused by the actual building of the city, which will last ten years or more

Brochures and official website ^[7]. produced by the developer only showing the two iconic towers. Residential properties with over 37 buildings was not highlighted in any official publication by the developers. ^[1].

[edit] Response of local authorities

The Penang Island Municipal Council and the Penang state government have been reluctant to demand any public accountability or organise public hearings. None of the Penang citizens except for 16 representatives of the Residents Association of Jesselton were invited for a closed door meeting. The Penang State Local Government Committee chairman Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan rejected the NGOs' proposal for public hearing. He claimed the council had already played its part in accordance with the law. Those present included MPPP president Datuk Zainal Rahim Seman, project developer Equine Capital Bhd executive chairman Datuk Patrick Lim and 16 representatives from the Residents Association of Jesselton. ^[8]

[edit] Members of The PGCC Campaign Group

PGCC Campaign Group:

The Consumers Association of Penang
Sahabat Alam Malaysia
Aliran
Penang Heritage Trust
Citizens for Public Transport
Malaysian Nature Society
Tanjung Bungah Residents Association
Suara Rakyat Malaysia
Badan Warisan Malaysia
Jesselton Heights Residents Association
Friends of Botanic Gardens

[edit] Notable events

12 September 2007: The launching of the Penang Global City Centre(PGCC) project.
15 September 2007: six Penang-based NGOs came together to issue a joint statement against the development of the PGCC.^[1]
7 October 2007: Public Forum on Implications of PGCC on Penangites organised by the PGCC Campaign Group o - held at Dewan Sri Pinang, Room A/B/C, 9.30am - 1.00pm. Approx. 350 Penangites attended the forum.

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