From leasehold to freehold

THE Seri Delima state seat in the Bukit Gelugor parliamentary constituency has 23,000 voters comprising 28.8% of the total 82,431 voters in the parliamentary constituency.

The other two state seats are Paya Terubong and Air Itam.

Most of the voters in Seri Delima, Penang, are from the middle income and working class. Many reside on landed properties.

Top of the concern of 465 property owners surrounding the hill in Bukit Gelugor is whether the state government would convert their leasehold land into freehold.

Although the state government has given an assurance that the leasehold land which expires in 37 years would be renewed, some are further hoping for freehold status.

“We have heard that banks are not giving loans to those who buy properties since the lease will expire in 2052. Is this true?” asked a senior citizen when met in Lorong Bunga Raya.

Bukit Gelugor Residents Association committee members do not want to comment on the freehold issue since they do not want it to be politicised during the upcoming Bukit Gelugor by-election.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has said that the state needed to get permission from the Federal Government before awarding freehold status to leasehold land owners.

Lim Meng Teng, 65, a resident of Jalan Bunga Raya, said the residents were staunch supporters of former DAP chairman, the late Karpal Singh.

“We voted for Karpal for many terms when he stood for the Bukit Gelugor parliamentary seat and earlier when he stood in our area under the then Bukit Gelugor state seat.

“We hardly saw him in our constituency except during general elections, but we voted for him anyways.

Traffic is now smoother with the widening of the road near Udini roundabout. Pic by Gary Chen.

“Now, we are being asked to support his son Ramkarpal. Will his son follow in his father’s footsteps and show up only during the next general election? he asked.

A check showed that many voters were concerned over road safety and security issues.

In Island Glades, residents are happy over the installation of traffic lights at the junction of Jalan Besi, Jalan Gangsa and Lebuhraya Besi in April last year.

Salesman S.K. Ng, 29, who lives in an apartment unit in Jalan Gangsa, said the traffic lights had helped reduce accidents.

“It is also safer for pedestrians, especially senior citizens, to cross the busy road,” he said.

The upgrading of the park in Taman Guan Joo Seng in Green Lane in 2012 has brought cheer to residents there.

The park, fondly known as the Japanese Garden, was upgraded after three former Penang municipal councillors — Sin Kok Siang, L. Prem Anand and Tan Hun Wooi — used their council allocation under the Cleaner Greener Penang project.

Activities such as line dancing and talks are often held at the Island Park Village Development and Security Committee community hall at the park.

The park is also frequented by youths who play basketball in the evening.

The RM7.5mil road widening project from the Udini roundabout to Jalan Masjid Negri has also eased traffic congestion.

Security is still an issue among some residents.

A salesman, who wanted to be known only as Louise, 56, said he was almost robbed by another motorcyclist in Lebuhraya Besi when he was on his way to his Jalan Gangsa home about two years ago.

“I was waiting at the junction of Jalan Besi-Jalan Gangsa when the motorcyclist placed a knife on my motorcycle handle and demanded my wallet.

“I abandoned my motorcycle in the middle of the road and ran to the opposite side of the road. The man was unable to navigate his way through the traffic.

“He took away my motorcycle keys out of frustration. This is scary since it occurred in broad daylight,” he said.

Louise hoped Sri Delima assemblyman R.S.N. Rayer and Ramkarpal would hold talks with the police to increase security in the area.

In the last general election, Rayer of the DAP obtained 14,478 votes while his challenger Low Joo Hiap of Barisan Nasional obtained 5,201 votes.

There are 82,431 registered voters in Bukit Gelugor, with 74.33% (61,267) Chinese, 14.45% (11,913) Malays, 10.73% (8,848) Indians and 0.49% (403) others.

It will be a four-cornered fight for the by-election on Sunday.

Besides Ramkarpal, the other candidates are Parti Cinta Malaysia vice-president Datuk Huan Cheng Guan, 53, retiree Mohamed Nabi Bux Mohd Nabi Abd Sathar, 63, and lawyer Abu Backer Sidek Mohamad Zan, 46. - The Star