As reported in The Star
No plans to demolish flats
By HAN KAR KAY
hankk@thestar.com.my
THE state has no plans to bring down the Rifle Range flats in consideration of the residents’ welfare.
Penang Town and Country Planning, Housing and Arts Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said the state was still studying other options to improve the nine block of flats and living conditions there.
“There were some suggestions put in by architects during the ‘Rifle Range: Urban Renewal International Design Ideas Competition’ to help spruce up the flats and improve the living conditions for the residents,” he said when contacted.
The competition, jointly organised by the state, the Penang Municipal Council, Malaysian Institute of Architects (northern chapter) and the Malaysian Institute of Planners (northern branch), was launched on June 14 last year.
Wong was commenting on a proposal by Real Estate and Housing Developers Association Penang branch chairman Datuk Jerry Chan, who said it was necessary to tear down the flats to redevelop the area with better infrastructure and improve the residents’ standard of living.
Last Thursday, Chan had said buildings from the 1960s were no longer relevant as buyers today demanded new buildings with contemporary designs.
Wong said that so far, the sewage pipes at the flats had been changed while landscaping had been introduced as part of the measures to beautify the flats.
“We have also refurbished more than 50 units of Block J which were abandoned 10 years ago and offered them to the underprivileged group including single mothers.
“That is why refurbishment of the flats mush be done the right way to benefit the people,” he said.
The nine blocks of Rifle Range flats with 3,624 units were built in the 1970s to provide housing for the low-income group in Penang.
As reported in China Press
黃漢偉：經各方面考量 打槍埔組屋暫不重建
報導：梁俊琳
（檳城20日訊）檳州行政議員黃漢偉說，州政府曾考慮馬來西亞房地產商會檳州分會的建議，即將舊樓拆掉重建，但在接獲許多建築師的意見后，將打槍埔組屋發展需從各層面思考，所以暫時沒有上述打算。
掌管檳州房屋發展委員會的黃漢偉，接受《中國報》電訪時指出，州政府是從各方面來考量，並非聽取單方面的以發展商角度考量。
馬來西亞房地產商會檳州分會主席拿督陳福星日前建議州政府，仿傚新加坡房屋局，拆掉舊樓重新發展，如打槍埔組屋區。
黃漢偉說，鑒于該會曾向州政府做出這項建議，州政府也于較早前舉辦一項“打槍埔社區重建比賽”，經過綜合一些繪測師與建築師的各項意見后，認為不一定要拆除有關組屋，州政府需再探討。
只須提升各方面設施
他認為，在20多年前是有許多家庭遷入打槍埔組屋，這些家庭都有子女，一廳一房的組屋略嫌擠迫，但如今他們的孩子都搬去其它地方，住在那兒的多數是樂齡人士與單親媽媽。
“以當地人口的結構來看，只是需要提升各方面的設施，如電梯、垃圾與衛生方面等。”
黃漢偉也指出，以前J座組屋是軍人的宿舍，在丟空約10年后，州政府將該座組屋約50個單位進行裝修，並成為暫時安頓被逼遷居民的臨時住所。
他說，打槍埔組屋還是扮演其一定的角色，並不一定需要拆除重建
As reported in New Straits Times
Rifle Range flats will soon be rid of their slum image
GEORGE TOWN: The Rifle Range flats will soon be rid of its slum image following an urban renewal plan.
State Town and Country Planning and Housing Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said the state government had launched the "Urban Renewal for Rifle Range Penang" design competition last year.
He said the main objective of the competition was to get ideas to redevelop Rifle Range into a vibrant, sustainable and well-planned residential and commercial area.
Wong added that the urban renewal project of the low-cost housing scheme would be complemented by the state's Cleaner, Greener Penang campaign to improve the quality of life.
He admitted that the scenario at Rifle Range and the social issues affecting the people there warranted an action plan by the authorities.
Among the main issues that plague Rifle Range is the illegal hawkers and lack of car parks.
Even though the residential units are meant for low-income owners, over the years, tenants have been able to own cars.
The 19 blocks of 17-storey flats were built in the 1970s with 3,888 units of which 70 per cent of the 20,000 people living there are poor and elderly.
Studies by various quarters showed there is one car to every three residential units.
This makes finding parking space in the evenings a nightmare.
Although there are more than 80 roadside hawkers plying their trade in between the open spaces of the blocks of flats, Wong said there was concern on hygiene, disposal of rubbish, as well as safety for the people who visit the area.
Wong was responding to calls by the Penang Real Estate and Housing Developers' Association (Redha) that the state government redevelop low-cost flats in Rifle Range and Gat Lebuh Noordin.
Its chairman Datuk Jerry Chan had said the low-cost flats in the prime area need to be upgraded.
"The flats in these two areas were built in the late 60s and early 70s. This area is now overcrowded and the authorities should look at redeveloping them," said Chan.
"One way is to tear down the buildings and rebuild them with more rooms and better amenities."
Chan said all the authorities needed to do is to acquire the units and relocate the owners while waiting for the new block to be built before selling them back at a preferential price.
"We should emulate the Singapore Housing Development Board.
"If we are afraid of making such bold moves, I believe these old buildings will continue to be there for a long time," he said.
Read more: URBAN REVIVAL http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/2trr/Article/#ixzz1N0HItXM2
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