GEORGE TOWN, Aug 3 — After the state government had scrapped the reclamation project near Bayan Indah in 2011, the residents around the area had questioned the legality of the active reclamation that is currently being conducted.
According to previous news reports, the approval to reclaim some 5.66ha was given on May 15, 2015 for high end property by a Penang-based developer for public recreational purposes consisting of semi-covered velodrome with a 250m track, three basketball courts, three volleyball courts, a swimming pool and a football field.
The reclaimed area will be known as the Queens Waterfront and according to Penang Property Talk website, the house that is to be built, to be called the Queens Residence, is priced at about RM780 per square foot.
The total number of the residential units had yet to be confirmed and the built up area for each house was between 950 to 1,650 square feet.
However, based on a check done today, no sign boards were put up to give an indication as to what the project is all about, thus leaving the people in the dark.
Chan Kok Leung, 55, who lives in a condominium in the vicinity said that none of the local residents were consulted about the project and if a housing project was to be built on the reclaimed area, their view of the sea from their residence would be blocked entirely.
“This is not fair for us and honestly, what is this reclamation about? Many of us have no idea about what is happening and suddenly we are seeing ships passing through to conduct reclamation?” he said.
Another resident, Muhamad Idris Sulaiman, 44, had questioned if the state had conducted an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) before giving the green light to the project.
Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) had voiced their dissatisfaction on the matter as the serenity and the environment of the place would be destroyed entirely.
“I urge the State Government to leave the nature as it is. Please stop destroying the environment for the sake of the next generation,” said its president S.M Idris. — Bernama
