The Penang government has been urged to publicly declare its support for the Sungai Ara residents in their pending appeal against the approval of a project on sensitive hill land.

Counsel for the Sungai Ara residents, Gurdial Singh Nijar, said the project in question, dubbed Sunway Hills is 250 feet above sea level and is situated at a gradient of 25 degrees, which is beyond the limit permitted by law.

Gurdial recalled that in 2012, the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) approved the ‘special project’ for the developer Sunway City, allowing the construction of 600 units of high-rise apartments and bungalows on the hill land.

“Earlier Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had announced that the government would be supporting the residents in the High Court action by Sunway,” he reminded...