LANGKAWI – In-shore fishermen based here have emulated their Penang counterparts by opposing a mega reclamation project located off Kelibang towards the Sg Menghulu stretch.
The disgruntled group took their cue from the Penang (Sg Batu) Fishermen’s Unit’s success in winning a reprieve from the Environment Department (DoE) Appeals’ Board, which rescinded an earlier approval for the Penang South Islands reclamation project last year.
In Langkawi, inshore fishermen are also warming up to the Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) activists' idea of rejecting a similar project on the island resort.
The fishermen hail from the fishing community in Kelibang and Sg Menghulu, some 10km from the district township of Kuah.
CAP president Mohideen Abdul Kader confirmed that the objection to the mega reclamation project in Langkawi has begun.
It was reported that the Kedah government had signed a RM40 billion joint-venture agreement with the Kuala Lumpur-based Widad Business Group Sdn Bhd (WBG) to reclaim an area off Langkawi, where 90% of the total 800.87ha would be an artificial island.
The project is set for a high-end development comprising five- or six-star resorts, a golf course next to the Marina Yacht Club, offices, shopping complexes, hospitals, universities, and luxury homes.
The project is estimated to take between 15 to 20 years to complete.
Mohideen said that fishermen in the affected areas have received notices of land acquisitions from the district land office here for the reclamation project.
But the fishermen are opposing it, as it will not only ruin the environment but also their income,” said Mohideen in a statement.
Fisherman Zulkifli Shamsudin, 50, said that he was shocked to receive the notice from the land office as it was done rather quickly.
He also expressed disappointment with the authorities’ refusal to take heed of the damage that the reclamation would cause to the coastline and marine life.
“We will not only lose our livelihoods, but we may even need to relocate.”
Sg Kelibang fishermen community head Zulkifli Che Hasin hopes that authorities will heed the warnings and the plight of the fishermen here.
According to Mohideen, the proposed project needs to be reviewed, as it will unsettle the entire fishing community along the 15km stretch.
He urged the government to go through a due process where the affected community must be given a chance to voice their grievances. – The Vibes, January 17, 2022
