DEVELOPERS should help the communities where their projects are located even if it is not their legal obligation to do so.

State Town and Country Planning, Housing and Arts Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said such efforts should be part of the developers’ corporate social responsibility programme.

Wong, who is also the Air Itam assemblyman and State Non-Muslim Religious Places of Worship Committee chairman, was speaking to reporters after inspecting the Huan Sang Temple soil erosion site at Solok Thean Teik, Air Itam, on Sunday.

The front portion of the temple grounds was eroded during a heavy downpour in September last year.

Wong then appealed to the Belleview Group to assist the temple in constructing a water retention wall and drainage system to prevent future landslides from occurring.

“Belleview is currently working on a mix development project near the temple so I approached them for help and thankfully, they willingly obliged.”

Belleview senior project manager Lim Beng Hoe, who was present, said as “neighbours”, the group was very happy to help.

“We could have completed the work in a month but because of the rainy spell, it took us three months to do the job,” he said, adding that the work was completed in early January.

Temple committee chairman Vincent Teh thanked the local authorities and developer for their efforts.

“This temple has been around for 52 years. When the erosion occurred, we were having a celebration here.

“We were worried because water was washing away the soil from the front portion of the temple which is very dangerous — that is the area where we conduct computer classes for students,” he said.


Source: The Star 27th January 2010