GEORGE TOWN – Environmentalists fear that Langkawi’s 99 reclaimed islands project will destroy the ecosystem and tourist draws.
Sahabat Alam Malaysia president K. Meenakshi Raman told The Vibes that the group opposes the project as the popular Kedah holiday destination is environmentally sensitive, and that the state government should not push for such an environmentally destructive endeavour.
“This is like destroying the very basis of why Langkawi is attractive in the first place, with its pristine waters and environment.
“Furthermore, there is no justification for such mega reclamation projects, which will be a playground for the rich. We should learn from the ill effects and damage to the environment seen in projects in the Middle East.
And, promoting a mega reclamation project at a time when we need to be financially prudent does not make economic sense.”
Her comments come after Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor announced in the state assembly on Thursday that a private company reclaiming 810ha of land off Langkawi has paid commitment fees of RM4.5 million to the Kedah government.
The Widad@Langkasuka project’s main proponent, Widad Business Group Sdn Bhd, entered into an agreement with a company in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, on March 30, he said.
He added that Widad signed a deal with Bin Zayed International LLC (BZI) to form a special purpose vehicle that will be called Widad BZI Sdn Bhd.
The joint venture will see a cluster of 99 islands built at a cost of US$9.6 billion (RM40.2 billion), according to a report by news portal Arabian Business.
BZI is a subsidiary of a group founded by Sheikh Khaled Zayed Al Nahyan, a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family.
Sanusi said BZI was selected as a strategic partner due to its experience and good reputation in the UAE and internationally, with solid financials and having undertaken high-impact investments and development projects.
“The first phase will be carried out over a four-year period until 2025, with a RM4.5 billion gross development value. It will have clubhouses, a golf club, gated bungalow communities, double-storey homes, condominiums, malls, business complexes, bazaars, and a hotel.
“The second phase will have eight components, including an arts and culture centre, an immigration complex, hotels and resorts, a theme park, a medical centre, a higher education institution, and an aeronautical centre.”
Sanusi said the overall project will take 15 years to complete.
Malaysia Nature Society vice-president Erik Sinniah warned that the reclamation will destroy marine life and the ecosystem.
It will disturb water and tide movements, causing many environmental problems, he said.
“The state government has failed to ensure full capacity at hotels in Langkawi. It could have done more to promote the island as a top tourism destination.
“Quarrying has reached the maximum point in Langkawi, and no more of such activities should take place on the island.
“Where are the project contractors going to get the sand and rocks to create the 99 islands?” – The Vibes, September 25, 2021
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