PENANG has welcomed input from any quarters on the proposed strategic reclamation project to protect its main landfill on the island in Jelutong.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the public and civil societies are encouraged to offer their input as the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report of the project is on public display in Komtar.
Chow told a press conference that the state is confident that the reclamation project would not undermine the surrounding ecology, including at the man-made Middle Bank, an atoll located between Jelutong and the Penang Bridge.
It consists of a mudflat and seagrass beds; it is also home to many marine lives.
“The public and civil societies are encouraged to share their views with the developer. So, don’t miss the opportunity to submit them so the department of environment can consider them,” he said.
A residents’ group near Jelutong, called the "Protect Karpal Singh Drive Action Committee," had reportedly asked the state government to drop the reclamation altogether and gazette the Middle Bank as a marine sanctuary.
Its spokesperson A.D. Chandrasekaran claimed that the proposed reclamation was unnecessary and harmful to marine life.
“We implore Chow to champion a truly sustainable and innovative approach,” he said.
The reclamation was a necessity as it extends the space to rehabilitate the landfill and to reduce the risk of pollution.
The landfill was originally slated for redevelopment decades ago, as the state transfers the main landfill collection to Pulau Burung off Juru in Prai on the mainland.
The site when fully restored will be earmarked for mix-development within the next six years. - March 28, 2025.
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