Heritage group joins chorus for Penang reclamation deferment pending fishermen’s appeal

BALIK PULAU – The Penang Sustainable Natural Heritage Association (Lekas) is the latest group to urge the authorities to defer the Penang South Reclamation (PSR) project, pending an appeal by a group of fishermen.

Lekas said the state government should respect the appeal, which is aimed at striking out the PSR approval given under the environment impact assessment (EIA).

The association’s chairman, Zikrullah Ismail, in a statement said Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abdul Rahman must respect the due process, as the fishermen remain unconvinced of the project’s benefits.

Groups have submitted to the authorities the fishermen’s complaints, as well as documents illustrating that PSR will destroy the ecology in the waters off Permatang Damar Laut, a fertile fishing area in the island’s southern district.

“Zakiyuddin’s view that the project will continue is unwise, and it shows that Penang is disrespectful of the appeal process. The appeal contains the possible cancellation of the project,” said Zikrullah.

Lekas is also of the view that the EIA needs to be revised and have more public participation, and the entire process needs to be agreed to by all stakeholders, especially those who will be directly impacted.

Zikrullah urged the Penang government to seek advice from former chief minister Lim Guan Eng and Yeo Bee Yin, who previously held the environment portfolio in the federal cabinet.

“Both have been outspoken about the threat from climate change, so they may know the importance of fighting environmental decay.”

He said PSR will generate a carbon “footprint” of up to 3.2 tonnes annually once completed.

The appeal is now with the appeals board of the Environment Department, which is the EIA approval body.

The fishermen are represented by lawyer and Sahabat Alam Malaysia president Meenashki Raman.

Earlier, Penang PAS chief Muhammad Fauzi Yusuf said the fishermen’s appeal have yet to be heard, and given this, the state should not arbitrarily disclose that it will start reclamation works by next month. – The Vibes, April 13, 2021