CONCERNED groups and Penang residents will continue to oppose the seawall project that will see land reclamation on the island’s southern coast under the Penang South Reclamation (PSR) project to develop three artificial islands despite the state government’s intention to review the project, says Pertubuhan Badan Pemikir Melayu (Pemikir).

Its chairman Muhamad Farid Saad said as a group that opposed the project, he was of the opinion that the state government should reconsider its initial intention to improve and develop the public transport system (the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP) instead of developing the three islands.

“(Groups) and the people of Penang who oppose the PSR also will not be satisfied even though the environmental impact assessment (EIA) approval for the project has been revoked, because the decision is based on technical inaccuracies or errors and these can be rectified.

“Fundamental issues related to the socio-economic and environmental impact of the PSR project have yet to be debated.

He said Pemikir was also of the view that the state government had a responsibility to ensure that they, as trustees, carried out their work in accordance with laws and regulations, especially in implementing a project that had a big impact on Penang and its people.

Farid said in its zeal to develop the state, it was the explicit and implicit responsibility of the state government to listen to the complaints, grievances and voices, as well as the suggestions of groups who want the best for the state.

“Besides that, the state government’s administration led by the state secretary (Abdul Razak Jaafar) needs to reprimand (the) greedy political leadership if there are shortcomings,” he added.

On Wednesday, three members of the environment department of the environment appeals board, led by Sessions Court Judge Rozina Ayob, set aside the EIA approval for the project. The other two members of the board are Professor Mazlin Mokhtar and Associate Professor Ramdzani Abdullah.

The members of the appeals board made the decision on the appeal filed by the head of the Sungai Batu fishermen’s unit, Zakaria Ismail, on July 29, 2019 under Section 35(1)(e) of the Environmental Quality Act.

The implementation of the PSR project, covering almost 17sq km, involves the development of three artificial islands with an area of ​​1,700ha in the waters of Permatang Damar Laut near Bayan Lepas, to fund various infrastructure projects in the PTMP worth about RM46 billion. – Bernama, September 11, 2021.