Future of Penang Turf Club land depends on owners, says Chow

The Penang Turf Club, founded in 1864, holds about 81 hectares of prime land in Batu Gantong. (Penang Turf Club pic)
GEORGE TOWN : The future of the 81-hectare Penang Turf Club land in Batu Gantong depends entirely on what its private owners propose to do with it, chief minister Chow Kon Yeow said.
He said any redevelopment must follow existing planning laws and align with the Penang2030 vision — the state's roadmap for a greener and smarter future.
'The land is privately owned and zoned as a Priority Development Zone 1 for commercial purposes,' he said in a written reply to Lee Khai Loon (PH-Machang Bubok), who had asked about the status of the land.
'Any request to change its category or conditions must go through the district land office and the state land and mines office before being brought to the state authority for consideration.'
Civil society groups such as Penang Forum had urged the state to place the land under a special area plan to preserve it as a public green space.
They argued that large-scale commercial developments would erode its livability and heritage value.
Chow said that the state would assess any proposals from the landowners fairly and require the incorporation of 'community-friendly designs', smart technology, and safeguards for the environment and heritage.
'The state will ensure that decisions are balanced and just for both the applicant and the public. This is to ensure that the project creates jobs and stimulates the local economy,' he said.
The land is held in trust for the Penang Turf Club by Goh Eng Toon, Ong Eng Khuan, and Teh Choon Beng, under title HSD 20562, Chow confirmed.
Founded in 1864, the Penang Turf Club will cease operations after its final race on May 31.
It owns one of the island's last remaining large undeveloped land parcels, with estimated values ranging from RM2 billion to RM6 billion.
The club previously attempted to sell the land via an open tender but failed to secure a successful bid.
It now plans to divide the site into smaller parcels to appeal to more buyers.

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