Current penalties are too low to prevent illegal construction of golf courses, Li Bingji, a deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC), said on Friday, Xinhua reported.

Li called for more effective supervision by government and penalties higher than the current five percent of the project cost. The courses should be demolished if necessary, he said.

When the State Council banned further construction in 2004, there were about 20 golf courses in Beijing. Today there are more than 100, according to one local directory, and there are 327 nationwide.