TWO former elected representatives and a Member of Parliament have come together to voice their grievances over the proposed reclamation and recycling of the Jelutong landfill in George Town.
Former Jelutong MP Jeff Ooi Chuan Aun and former Batu Uban assemblyman Datuk Dr T. Jayabalan singled out concerns over the financial capacity and environment degradation it would cause.
Whereas Ooi's successor in Jelutong, RSN Rayer told a recent public engagement session with affected residents that he would lobby for an independent Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report to be commissioned.
Ooi said that the state government may have erred by sticking to same project delivery partner, who had overseen the Pulau Burung landfill until it went ablaze.
"There are concerns if the company has the financial standing to carry out the project, as it involves the high costs of reclaiming and recycling the toxic landfill."
There are also speculations that the project is been outsourced to a party from China to carry out the work.
Ooi said that the residents have a right to know what they have to endure during the project.
Jayabalan spoke of the noise pollution that the project would generate, not to mention the threat to public healthcare when the gas is released during the recycling of the decades - old landfill here.
"I have no vested interests here. I just want what is best for Penang. We cannot afford too much pollution in the age of climate change," said the doctor.
Rayer said that after listening to Jayabalan's briefing, he is inclined to support the residents in having an independent EIA report to be conducted here.
Independent in the sense in appointing a consultant, who is not hired by the stakeholders and, who would not end up becoming bias towards any quarter, he said.
Residents' representative Dr K. Ganesh claimed that up to 70,000 residents living along the scenic Karpal Singh Drive, including 1,000 children would be affected if the project goes ahead as planned.
"We want the entire project to be scrapped - period."
The important ecology element of the Middle Bank mudflats, which is located next to the landfill, also needs to be preserved for its rich marine life. - May 6, 2025.
