GEORGE TOWN – The Consumers’ Association of Penang has called on the state government to stop the multibillion-ringgit Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP), which includes the reclamation of three islands, and seek alternatives to ease traffic woes.
Its president, Mohideen Abdul Kader, in a statement today, pointed to the Melaka government’s cancellation of the RM43 billion Melaka Gateway reclamation project.
This was done presumably because the project was not viable, he said, adding that Penang should listen to civil society’s criticism and suggestions to avoid a blunder.
“It is incredible that the state government wants to implement the mega project now, with the pandemic still raging, trade disrupted, small and medium enterprises facing bankruptcy, millions unemployed, and the national Treasury facing a shortage of funds for development.
“The politicians who are managing the state should be sensitive to the current reality, and use state resources to lessen the people’s hardship.”
He said the state should not commence work on the reclamation, as the affected fishing community has appealed against the approval of the project’s environmental impact assessment (EIA) report by the Environment Department (DoE) director-general.
He said the Environmental Quality Act 1974 empowers an aggrieved person to appeal against the decision of the DG approving the report.
“This is a very important provision in our law, which enables the public to ensure that any proposed development does not have a detrimental impact on the environment and society.
“The authorities, particularly the state government, must honour and respect this right to appeal, and nothing should be done to undermine it, as the appeals board has not even begun hearing the appeal.”
He took Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abdul Rahman to task for saying the Penang South Reclamation (PSR) project is set to start next month, beginning with the reclamation of Island A.
Mohideen questioned how Zakiyuddin could be sure that the appeals board would favour the state government and project delivery partner SRS Consortium.
Zakiyuddin should not have made the statement, he said, as it could have a negative impact on the state government and erode public confidence in the appeal process.
“What happens if the decision goes against the state government and SRS when the challenge to the EIA approval is disposed of?
“The ecosystem of the coast to be reclaimed, as well as fisheries resources, will be permanently destroyed, and the fishing community exposed to grave hardship.”
He added that the grounds raised by the fishing community against the EIA approval are substantial, dealing with important issues.
DG noted irreversible damage
Mohideen stressed that the EIA approval contradicts the DoE DG’s earlier admission that if the project is implemented, there would be “irreversible damage and residual impact on the mudflat ecosystem, fishing grounds, turtle landing, and part of the coral reefs at Pulau Rimau, which is an important ecosystem to fisheries resources”.
“This irreversible damage will cause a significant negative impact on fisheries resources and fishermen, and threaten the country’s food security,” he quoted the DG as saying.
Another important ground of appeal is that the DG, before granting the EIA approval, did not take into consideration Malaysia’s commitments under United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and other treaties.
These include the conservation and sustainable use of oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.
The reclamation will put an end to the sustainable use of seas and marine resources, as it will cause permanent destruction, said Mohideen.
The project will also generate more carbon dioxide, he said, in violation of the nation’s pledge to reduce carbon emissions.
He said PSR and PTMP will cost a whopping RM58 billion, and that civil society organisations have proposed alternatives that are far cheaper.
“It makes no sense to destroy our natural heritage and pauperise our fishing community by selling our land to foreigners to make our rich, richer.” – The Vibes, February 14, 2021
