Another row over illegal telco tower

Another row over illegal telco tower
War of words in the midst of structure’s removal

By FONG KEE SOON
keesoon@thestar.com.my
Dec 3, 2010

GEORGE TOWN: The illegal telecommunications tower on Jalan Gangsa in Island Park was dismantled by the Penang Municipal Council.

With the help of two cranes, a team of 30 council workers laboured for over four hours to dismantle the 25m-tall structure, which was erected on Nov 17.

Observing the process from a short distance away were Bukit Gelugor Barisan Nasional (BN) coordinator Datuk Koay Kar Huah as well as Loh Nam Hooi and Loke Poh Chye, who are BN coordinators for Seri Delima and Pengkalan Kota respectively.

They held a protest on Tuesday at the same spot with a group of residents.

This time, they arrived much earlier than Seri Delima assemblyman R.S.N Rayer, who had ‘hijacked’ the protest which resulted in a war of words between both parties.

However, history repeated itself as Koay, Loh and Loke engaged in an argument with Rayer’s special assistants, R.S.S. Lingam and Prem Anand Loganathan.

The commotion took place in the middle of the road in front of the enforcement officers as they were taking down the tower.

The row lasted for several minutes, before cooler heads prevailed.

Koay, who is also Penang MCA advisor, said the pressure exerted by them in their capacity as the state Opposition had helped ensure the council’s quick response.

“Or else, who knows how long it would have taken for them to get the job done? This goes to show that as state Opposition, BN is doing its work,” he said.

Koay also took a swipe at Rayer, whom he said had not done anything “productive” in the last two years for his constituency, adding that illegal telecommunications towers were being built right under Rayer’s nose.

However, Lingam claimed that Koay was using the issue as a cheap publicity stunt.

This prompted Koay to say that he would not be there had the state done its work well.

Loh asked if the state government was trying to increase revenue by having state-owned PDC Telecommunication Services Sdn Bhd (PDC Telco) lease out the towers to telco operators.

He said currently, there were at least three other identified illegal telecommunication towers in the Seri Delima constituency.

Rayer, who arrived much later, said he would consult with state Local Government and Traffic Management Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow on the matter.

“The towers sit on private property which will require a different procedure than those on state or council land,” he said.

He also challenged Koay to prove that the towers were built by PDC Telco.

“As far as I know, they were built by third party contractors. PDC Telco as a government linked body would not go against the law,” he added.