BUKIT MERTAJAM: Some 100 residents of Taman Desa Damai in Bukit Mertajam held a peaceful gathering to protest against the proposed flyover between Jalan Nangka in Taman Desa Damai and Jalan Perda Timur in Bandar Perda.

They claimed the flyover, which is to be built over the double track railway project, would cause inconvience to them.

Mohd Faiz Hassan, the chairman of the Taman Desa Damai Action Committee, which organised the protest, said the residents were having peace of mind following the solving of flood woes but now they faced another problem with the proposed construction of the flyover.

Another resident, C. Kantama,66, said once the flyover was completed, Lorong Nangka would become a busy road which, he claimed, would cause traffic problems with speeding vehicles.

“The road is going to split Taman Nangka with people needing to travel 1km just to get to the other part of the residential area,” he said during the protest at Taman Nangka yesterday.

He claimed the pasar malam would be closed once the flyover was built, thus causing hardship to the affected traders.

Major (Rtd) Jaafar Abdul Rahman, 65, wanted the authorities concerned to consider relocating the proposed flyover.

Penang MCA Public Complaint Bureau chief Tan Teik Cheng, who is also the Padang Lalang Barisan Nasional coordinator who was at the demonstration, called upon the authorities including the Federal Government to consider the appeal of the residents and find an appropriate way to settle the matter once and for all.

Padang Lalang assemblyman Tan Cheong Heng said he would meet the Public Works Department along with the members of the action committee next week to find a solution to the matter.

Source: The Star