LANGKAWI – After being disappointed by the cancellation of several mega projects over the years, it remains to be seen if the proposed 800ha reclamation off Padang Matsirat here will take off.
Langkawi has always been a subject of prospective projects and initiatives, but the outcome has been the same, with no impactful projects in the past decade apart from new hotels, said Langkawi Tourism Organisation chairman Ahmad Pishol Isahak.
There is no real consumer pull as the island’s population is only 70,000, whereas tourist arrivals have been seasonal even before the Covid-19 pandemic started, he told The Vibes, adding that investors would think twice, especially with the drop in visitors expected to continue.
“So, it remains to be seen if the reclamation project will go through. From what I understand, it is an old project that has a new stakeholder.
“If it takes off, it must benefit the people and be environmentally sustainable.”
The reclamation proposal is by Widad Business Group Sdn Bhd.
The Kuala Lumpur-based construction consortium has paid “commitment fees” to the Kedah government to carry out the coastline development project with an estimated gross development value of RM40 billion.
The project stretches from Kuah to the fringes of Padang Matsirat, with plans to establish luxurious hotels, higher learning institutions, condominiums, and commercial units, as well as a marina.
The project could take 15 to 20 years to complete, with market demand set to guide its development.
Langkawi Business Association deputy president Datuk Alexander Issac reckoned the project will affect sea levels and hydrology.
It may end up causing erosion in the popular tourism belt of Pantai Cenang and Pantai Tengah, as well as other undeveloped beach parcels, he said.
Instead of reclamation, he is inclined to support recommendations from civil society that more inland projects take place, as the coastline needs to be protected, especially with rising sea levels due to global warming.
Malaysian Nature Society vice-president Eric R. Sinnaya said more investments should go towards the conservation and preservation of the island’s ecology.
Instead, there is the pretence of wanting to emulate other cities in the world, when Langkawi should be marketed as an ecotourism destination, he said.
“I hope this new normal will push investors to think hard about what development entails.
“Most of the working class here continue to struggle, as the only jobs created are low-income ones that have been filled by foreign workers.” – The Vibes, February 2, 2021
