GEORGETOWN: The Penang government is planning to develop a water theme park in Batu Kawan in an effort to attract investors to develop the area.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said there are plans to develop various commercial, housing and mixed building projects in Batu Kawan.
"The Penang Development Corporation (PDC) is planning to expand on this idea (water theme park) and are open to suggestions. This will help develop Batu Kawan as a complete mixed development area.
"However, I do not have information on how much land is left in the area (for development). This is because, every plot of land have been identified to investors, eventhough (development) has yet to begin," he said.
Chow said this when answering an additional question by Goh Choon Aik (PH-Bukit Tambun) during the question and answer session at the Penang State Assembly Sitting, here, today.
Earlier, Goh questioned the status of PDC owned lands in Batu Kawan according to the size of industrial lands that have been sold and who bought them.
Goh wanted to know if they were sold via the Request for Proposal (RFP) application and the status of related projects as well as those sold via open tender.
Answering the questions, Chow (PH-Padang Kota) said a total of 243.62 hectares of land in the Batu Kawan Industrial Park have been sold to local and foreign companies for the purpose of starting and expanding their businesses.
"The land in Bandar Cassia, Batu Kawan sold through the RFP and open tender methods were 144.31 hectares with six proect proposals made via RFP and 1 via open tender."
In other development, Lim Siew Khim (PH-Sungai Pinang) questioned the details of lands in Penang that have yet to be developed and handed over to the Federal Land Commissioner, as well as those that have been zoned for schools.
Chow said, matters pertaining to education fell under List 1 of the Federal List, Schedule 9 of the Federal Constitution and ownership of all lands for schools must be transferred to the Federal Land Commissioner as the development would be under the Education Ministry.
"Checks with the Land and Mineral department's director-general found 18 plots of land in which ownership was transferred to the Federal Land Commissioner for the purpose of building schools yet to be developed."