Activists, fisherfolks submit memorandum rejecting PSR to minister

The Penang Reject Reclamation coalition of activists and fisherfolks submitted a memorandum to Housing and Local Government minister Zuraida Kamaruddin today.

The memorandum listed details on how the Penang South Reclamation (PSR)    project was not beneficial to locals.

Zuraida (above) attended the Asia Pacific Urban Forum 7's Urban session on 'Urban Health through Good Governances and Good Urban Design', where the coalition's spokesperson Khoo Salma Nasution is a panelist.

Salma said the memorandum stated that the project is not for fishermen or Malaysians, but only for certain parties who want to profit by seizing areas of the sea where fishermen are seeking sustenance.

"Fishermen and locals will not be able to afford the housing built on PSR. Luxury condos will be on sale to foreign buyers.

"This project is similar to Forest City. Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad himself criticised as a project that has caused the country to lose sovereignty over some of its own territory," she told Malaysiakini.

The PSR is supposed to be developed and state land partially sold to cover cost of the Penang Transport Master Plan, which includes a light rail transit from Bayar Lepas to Komtar.

However, activists and fisherfolks criticised the project for contradicting the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.

To be developed by SRS Consortium, the project plans to improve the livelihood of fisherfolks, upgrade their skills and enhance their status in life.

However, Salma (photo) said the PSR will cause many fisherfolks to suffer unemployment, starting with those in key impact areas.

The Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report gives suggestions of "unsuitable alternative jobs" such as security guards or Grab drivers, she said.

Jobs such as boat taxi drivers may not succeed because of high costs of operation and low demand, she added.

"While other suggestions focus on aquaculture and deep sea fishing, fishermen who lack capital or skill sets will not venture into those sectors except as crew and labourers," Salma said, citing information in the memorandum.

She also refuted claims that the PSR project carried out to create resort-like real estate would benefit locals.

She noted that the reason given for the three-island reclamation design (instead of foreshore reclamation) is to allow fishermen to still go out to the sea.

"However, the design of the PSR does not take into account the southwest monsoon that would carry sedimentation and sludge into the channels between the artificial islands," said Salma.

"As a result, these channels might not be maintained properly despite the millions of taxpayer money spent each year," she added.

Meanwhile, Salma said the implementation of the PSR project will put development pressure on existing settlements and traditional kampongs in the Penang island southern post.

She said rapid and high-density new developments will change the identity of this area, mainly due to the absence of a localised plan.

"Property prices will skyrocket, followed by rising costs of living.

"Given that most of the village land is not owned by the villagers, and that they lack security of tenure, some will be forced to move out or be evicted from their own homes and kampongs," she added. - Mkini