Stop Penang from starting three-island project, PAS tells Putrajaya

 

An artist’s impression of a seafront park at one of the Penang South Reclamation islands. (SRS Consortium pic)

GEORGE TOWN: Putrajaya has been asked to intervene and put a stop to Penang’s “eager attempt” to start its project for three artificial islands, despite not having obtained the relevant approvals.

State PAS chief Muhammad Fauzi Yusuf said an appeal by fishermen against the Penang South Reclamation (PSR) had yet to be heard and hence, the state government should not arbitrarily announce that it would “start work” in May.

Over the weekend, deputy chief minister Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abdul Rahman told reporters that work on one of the islands would begin as early as May.

In a statement, Fauzi said Zakiyuddin’s statement was irresponsible and showed that the Penang government had no respect for due process.

“The state government’s bid for support via paid advertorials in the media also shows desperation by building a false hope for investors,” he said.

Fauzi said a revised Environmental Impact Assessment should involve public participation in an open and transparent manner.

He said Penang PAS was against the project as it would severely impact food security of the state and the income of fisherfolk, with the loss of marine life in the southern seas of the main island.

“We urge the federal government to intervene in the state government’s unethical move,” he said.

The PSR, or three-island project, seeks to reclaim 1,821ha of land. The state plans to sell the land to the highest bidder to finance infrastructure projects worth RM46 billion, such as highways and a 30-station LRT line.

The project will be spread over 17 sq km, with islands that are 9.3 sq km, 4.45 sq km and 3.23 sq km, respectively, to be reclaimed off the coast between Permatang Damar Laut and Gertak Sanggul.

The Penang government recently decided to build about half of one of the islands through a joint venture with a consortium of developers.

Under the earlier project delivery partner model, the state was supposed to fund the entire project through a RM1.3 billion bridging loan, but that plan fell through after Putrajaya refused to guarantee the loan.

The state government had also previously asked for a RM10 billion federal guaranteed sukuk bond to start the project in 2019. However, after the change of government in Putrajaya last year, this did not materialise.

FMT has contacted the Penang government and the other parties behind the PSR project for comment. - FMT