THE Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) supports the prime minister’s pledge yesterday to review the disastrous Penang South Reclamation mega project, which has come under bitter criticism from civil society organisations, including the CAP. 

The prime minister’s message indicates the project is defective in its planning and design and raises serious questions about the state government’s ability to formulate effective development programs for its citizens.
 
In a letter sent to the prime minister on Friday, CAP set out the reasons to reject the project. The state government had justified the project as being necessary to raise funds from the sale of reclaimed land to implement the Penang Transport Master Plan. However, the federal government has now agreed to provide the funds for the Penang LRT. So, why proceed with the reclamation plan?

Faced with strong criticism of the reclamation project, the state government argued that Penang needs more land for development and job creation. However, this claim is baseless and contradicts the reality on the ground. Just across the second bridge in Batu Kawan, over 1,200ha of cheap land are available for economic growth. It has all the amenities and is close and well connected to the Butterworth port and Penang International aArport. Investing there would contribute to bridging the uneven economic and social development between the mainland and island.  

The chief minister himself had admitted recently that 12,000ha of land are available for development in Penang, 500ha of which are on the island itself. Also, several industrial estates in Penang state are under-utilized. Therefore, what is the rationale for the proposed land reclamation?

This sordid episode has put into sharp relief the deficiency of the Penang government’s outdated development model. A model that is heavily real-estate driven to the detriment of social development and building the capability of Penang’s real economy.

The proposed LRT is yet another example of an unsustainable development initiative. CAP has raised concern about the logic for building the LRT instead of pursuing other cheaper, less disruptive, and more modern urban solutions. Instead of solving Penang’s traffic congestion problem, the LRT will scar her urban fabric and create new more complex problems for Penang’s citizens. We strongly urge the Transport Ministry to appoint credible traffic experts to study the original Halcrow plan and modify it taking into consideration the latest development in transport technology and urban solutions.   

Finally, we call upon the state of Penang to convene a state conference to critically reassess its development model and shape a new more meaningful development agenda that will position Penang as a model of Malaysia’s new economy and a beacon for sustainable development. – May 7, 2023.

* Mohideen Abdul Kader is Consumers Association of Penang president.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.