Zairil (PH-Tanjung Bungah) said 77 construction sites were found to be in violation of ESCP since monitoring began in 2017.
This year alone, he said, site checks revealed that 55 out of 66 sites did not comply with ESCP.
Last year, all 18 sites checked had ignored the plan completely while in 2017, four out of six were in violation of it.
In his winding-up speech at the state assembly yesterday, Zairil said stiffer penalties were needed for contractors who ignore the plan.
He cited the case of Selangor, where fines for ESCP violations range from RM5,000 to RM250,000 as opposed to Penang where fines can be as low as RM250.
According to him, 12 local councils in Selangor had netted close to RM500,000 a year from such fines, which appeared to have had a deterrent effect since they were introduced in 2005.
He said Penang would follow this example and amend the bylaws of its two local councils to raise fines to the same level.
He said a proposal would be tabled for deliberation at the state executive council before being made into state law.
“The state government committee on ESCP has proposed a special unit in each city council to enforce this law,” he said.
“To all developers and consultant engineers in Penang, take this important advice: heavy fines await flouters.”