KOTA KINABALU – The long-delayed and contentious Tg Aru Eco Development (TAED) project could resume next year with the appointment of Datuk Ismail Abdullah as executive director.
He received his letter of appointment from Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Md Noor at the State Administrative Centre here yesterday.
A former civil servant who has served in senior roles, including director of the state Economic Planning Unit and permanent secretary of the state Industrial Development Ministry, Ismail is currently TAS Institute of Oil & Gas chairman.
Also appointed was Abdul Aziz Julkarnain as Ismail’s deputy.
TAED is a mixed-development project that has courted controversy due to concerns regarding transparency and its environmental impact.
There are also claims that its gigantic scale and ambitious design are out of sync with the traditional neighbourhoods in the area.
Comprising resort hotels, residential areas, marinas, entertainment venues, beach clubs and dining spots, the project covers 340ha, and will double the current size of the Tg Aru park to about 30ha.
Part of the area will be transformed into a rainforest, intended to rejuvenate the nearby Prince Philip Park.
The refurbishment of the park will include a promenade, walking and cycling tracks, and an ecology centre, along with the construction of a 133ha Greg Norman-designed golf course, seven hotels with 1,800 rooms, and 5,000 apartment and condominium units.
The project was scheduled to move into the first phase in 2016, with then Luyang assemblyman Hiew King Cheu calling on the state government to start TAED without delay despite the concerns raised by conservationists.
The project was also supported by then chief minister Tan Sri Musa Aman.
Local green groups have labelled it “unfriendly” to the people and lacking in transparency, with a petition launched to stop the project.
A special environmental impact assessment report on the project was released in 2016, to share feedback and recommendations from the public.
The authorities, including the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah state administration, have been silent on the status of TAED, but late last month, Hiew reiterated his call for the project to continue, citing its economic benefits. – The Vibes, December 31, 2020
