Lim Guan Eng

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP) has instructed the two developers to comply with this as per the recommendations made by Unesco officers during their visit here recently.

"So far, one of the developers has responded favourably to this and agreed to conform while another has yet to respond," he told a press conference after chairing the PBA Holdings Bhd annual general meeting here today.

Lim said meanwhile, two other projects situated on the buffer zone have also agreed to recommendations made by the Unesco officers.

While declining to name which developer had not responded to the directive, Lim said if the developer does not want to conform to reduce the height of the project to 18m, the council will not allow the project to go on.

"This may give rise to a possibility of a court case against the state government by the developer in question, but George Town's Unesco heritage status is more important," he said.

"We feel the developers are responsible and they practise corporate social responsibility, so they may respond favourably to this," he said.

The four controversial projects involved are the Rice Miller boutique hotel and Boustead Royale Bintang Hotel, which are within the core zone, and the E & O Hotel extension project and a Low Yat Group Hotel situated in the buffer zone.