DoE said EIA not needed for Bukit Kukus project, exco clarifies

GEORGE TOWN, Nov 15 — The Department of Environment (DOE) independently exempted the Bukit Kukus paired road project from submitting an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), the state legislative assembly heard today.

Local government and housing development committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo (PH — Datuk Keramat) clarified that it was not the state government that issued the exemption.

“It was reported that the state government was the one that exempted the project from conducting an EIA which was not true,” he said when replying to a supplementary question at the state legislative assembly today.

He said the DOE had referred to several other governmental agencies including the Public Works Department (PWD) before deciding on the exemption.

“This road is not a federal highway or an expressway — it is just a collector road, not a highway — so the DOE said that EIA was not needed,” he said.

He was responding to Goh Choon Aik (PH — Bukit Tambun) who asked if the exemption came before or after the tender for the project was given.

Jagdeep said that even without the EIA, an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) and Erosion and Sedimentation Control Plan (ESCP) were implemented to ensure the safety of the site.

When Mohd Yusni Mat Piah (PH — Penaga) asked for details of such safety measures, Jagdeep said monitoring on the site was increased after the landslide on October 19.

“We have increased monitoring to 24 hours and mitigation works will continue at the site to ensure the safety of the workers,” he said.

Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abd Rahman (PH — Pinang Tunggal) then rose to explain that the EIA was not executed as there was already the EMP.

“Under the EMP, it has obtained the same approvals from relevant departments similar to the EIA,” he said.

A landslide occurred on the construction site of the paired road project, killing nine workers last month.

The state formed a special committee to investigate the cause of the incident and identify those responsible for it.

Zakiyuddin is heading the special committee.