THE Penang Department of Drainage and Irrigation (DID) will undertake a comprehensive review of erosion levels at beaches here, besides identifying stretches considered high risk along the coastline.
The review would help the state formulate a masterplan on how to manage erosion in the state, said exco for infrastructure Zairil Khir Johari.
"The masterplan would help us better address the erosion factor," Zairil said in a statement, adding that the phenomenon is attributed to stronger waves during the northeast monsoon weather patterns.
Referring to a letter from the Tanjung Bungah Residents Association and the Shangri-La Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa's concerns over the erosion level, Zairil acknowledged that it can disrupt the beauty of the area and undermine tourism.
The erosion is said to be pronounced in the Batu Feringghi stretch along the Rasa Sayang resort and further up in Tanjung Bungah near the Mercure Beach Hotel to Skyhome Apartments and the Chinese Swimming Club.
Other resorts affected are the Bayview Beach, Lone Pine and Golden Sands.
For those areas, Zairil said that the DID will install more sandbags there.
Zairil said that the beating of the surging waves along the beachfront has seen the erosion impact worsen over the years.
"The DID is now acting to identify the root cause for the surging waves. The department has ready a technical plan and is seeking more allocations to mitigate the cause and effect," said Zairil, the Tanjung Bungah assemblyman.
Under the 12th Malaysia Plan, the Madani federal government has allocated RM61 million to reduce the ill effects along the affected coastline.
In the short-term, Zairil said that the hydrology survey was completed in the affected areas last December, and the DID is now in the process of appointing a consultant to help in mitigation efforts of some beach stretches.
Members of the civil society-led Penang Forum had long voiced suspicions that the extent of erosion along the beachfronts could be attributed to the large-scale reclamation works which the state has approved in the past three decades.
While hydrology specialists in the past had voiced concerns about climate change, which triggers rising sea levels, as another factor driving the erosion.
The Tanjung Bungah Residents Association chairman, Zulkifar Abdul Aziz, warned that the erosion now poses serious risks to property and public safety.
The affected stretch spans the locality's coastline from Springtide Residences to Stella Maris, including the Mercure hotel and Tanjung Point Residences.
"The sea level is getting dangerously close to hotels and residential areas. Many trees are on the verge of collapsing or have already been uprooted," he said.
Zulfikar said residents fear the shoreline could suffer the same fate as the beach near the Rasa Sayang resort, where large sections have been destroyed.
His letter to Zairil was supported by Plenitude Heights Sdn Bhd and Plenitude Bayu Sdn Bhd, the owners of Mercure Penang Beach and Tanjung Point Residences. - January 27, 2026.
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