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GEORGE TOWN – The public viewing of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) report for the Penang South Islands (PSI) reclamation project has received a majority of positive comments from respondents, said Environment director-general Wan Abdul Latiff Wan Jaffar.
He said the public viewing was carried out from May 20 to June 18, 2022, in hybrid form, and from November 21, 2022, to January 4, 2023, and both had received positive comments, such as reducing traffic congestion, creating new job opportunities, economic development and benefits to fishermen.
“From the first EIA public viewing, 3,464 public comments were recorded, and 93% of respondents gave positive comments, while for the second EIA public viewing, 799 public comments were received, and 73.7% of the respondents gave positive comments,” he said in a statement here yesterday.
Following that, he said the Environment Department (DoE) has approved the EIA report, as provided under the Environmental Quality Act 1974, while project approval is under the purview of the state authorities.
He added that DoE has made an assessment in terms of environmental impact (magnitude and significance level) as well as proposed pollution mitigation and control measures, taking into account all inputs from the assessment panel and the public, so that this project benefits the well-being of the Penangites.
“The EIA report approval letter for the proposed project was signed on April 11, 2023, along with the 71 approval conditions which must be fulfilled,” he said.
He said that once the project has been approved by the state authority (project approving agency), project implementation cannot begin on-site until an environmental management plan is approved by DoE.
“The DoE also wants the Penang government to ensure that project implementers pay serious attention to residual impact, and implement all mitigation and pollution control measures without fail with the technical advice of relevant departments, including the Malaysian Fisheries Department,” he said.
Yesterday, Penang Chief Minister, Chow Kon Yeow, announced that the EIA report for the PSI project had been approved by DoE under the Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Ministry.
PSI is a project to develop three artificial islands, with an area of approximately 1,700ha, in the waters of Permatang Damar Laut, near Bayan Lepas.
However, the project has received protests from the fishing community and environmental non-governmental organisations, claiming it will damage the marine ecosystem. – Bernama, April 28, 2023
