GEORGE TOWN, March 11 — Jelutong MP RSN Rayer has urged Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow to honour his promise to cancel the proposed Karpal Singh Drive coastal reclamation project, which has failed to secure an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and has passed the deadline set by the state government.

Rayer said he had met Chow twice last year with members of the Protect Karpal Singh Drive Action Committee regarding the project.

He recalled that Chow had assured them the developer had until February 26 this year to obtain the necessary approvals, or the project would be terminated.

“In the meeting, the chief minister said if the EIA was rejected, then this entire project will be shelved,” Rayer said at a joint press conference with the Protect Karpal Singh Drive Action Committee members, who are also local residents.

“I hope he will keep his promise and ensure this project does not see the light of day.”

Rayer noted that the EIA had been rejected four times by the Department of Environment (DoE) since the project was awarded to PLB Engineering Berhad in 2020.

“The fact that it has been rejected four times is concerning. Priority should be given to residents, their health and welfare—there are children living here,” he said.

He also called on the state government to gazette the Middle Bank as a marine sanctuary to protect its ecosystem.

The Middle Bank marine sanctuary covers around 10 square kilometres in the South Channel between Penang Island and the mainland. It hosts the only seagrass bed in the Straits of Malacca, with studies recording 429 species of seagrass, trees, vegetation, fish, birds, marine mammals, turtles, molluscs, arthropods, and echinoderms.

Rayer also urged the government not to revise or push forward the project.

“Of course, we agree that proper rehabilitation should be done for the Jelutong landfill,” he added.

Protect Karpal Singh Drive Action Committee chairman Dr K. Ganesh said the developer had submitted four EIA applications, all rejected by the DoE on May 3, 2024, July 11, 2025, Oct 17, 2025, and February 26, 2026.

He said Chow had committed on June 24 last year that if the developer failed to obtain approvals by February 26, the project would not proceed.

“The chief minister must keep his word and formally terminate the contract with the developer as they failed to secure the necessary approvals by the deadline,” Ganesh said.

He added that the state government should also honour its 2008 promise to rehabilitate the landfill and convert it into a public park.

“We are not anti-development. We fully support safe and responsible rehabilitation and closure of the Jelutong landfill, and we want the state government to fulfil its promises,” he said.

Earlier today, state executive councillor for local government H’ng Mooi Lye said the exco had discussed the EIA rejection.

He added that discussions with Penang Development Corporation (PDC) will be held before a final decision is made.

PDC signed a deal with PLB Engineering Bhd in 2020 to rehabilitate and develop the Jelutong landfill at a cost of RM1 billion. The project includes the reclamation of 30ha of land off Karpal Singh Drive.