GEORGE TOWN, May 10 — Vocal social activist Khoo Salma is determined that the proposed Penang South Reclamation (PSR) must not proceed.
The member of local group Penang Forum started an online petition yesterday to reach a wider audience and support to her side, and has gained 300 signatures within the first 11 hours.
“We call upon Tun as the chairman of the National Physical Planning Council to reject the Penang South Reclamation (PSR) megaproject,” the petition stated, referring to Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Khoo claimed a lack of public consultation and detailed information about the massive reclamation project which will create 4,500 acres of land, about the same size of Johor’s Forest City.
The petition listed 20 reasons for the PSR to be cancelled, the first of which was that it would destroy Penang’s coastal fish bank and lead to a hike in seafood prices in the state.
“The livelihoods of 4,817 inshore fishermen are at stake and the impacts of sand-mining will also be felt in Perak so an additional 6,080 fishermen in Perak will be pulling out mud and rocks from their fishing nets,” it stated, using statistics obtained from Friends of the Earth’s study.
It pointed out that the coastal environment of Permatang Damar Laut, Gertak Sanggul and Teluk Kumbar will be wrecked by reclamation and pollution which meant locals will lose their recreational beaches and sea views.
“The nesting patterns of the IUCN-listed endangered Olive Ridley Turtle (Penyu Lipas) will be disrupted. Marine biodiversity for miles around will be stressed and depleted,” it claimed.
It also claimed that the reclamation project will generate an additional 3.2 million tons of carbon emissions annually and that it will further burden the state administration with maintenance costs of the three islands.
“The risky project might put the state in financial jeopardy and there is too much at stake for too little public gain,” it stated.
The state will have to seek RM1 billion in loans to undertake the RM16 billion reclamation which may lead to cash flow issues and a timing mismatch in a volatile property market, it said.
It said if the project was to fail, it will burden Penang with debt and abandoned projects.
The PSR is the state’s plans to increase its land banks and to raise funds for its ambitious RM46 billion Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP).
The petition claimed that the PTMP “is fundamentally flawed” and that it was not a good reason to reclaimed lands to raise funds for it.
“The apparent need for land reclamation is not caused by land shortage, but by bad planning,” it said.
It also accused the state government of not being transparent about PSR in which the display of the 20-volume proposal was “severely restricted” as visitors were not allowed to make copies, bring in cameras or even handphones.
The petition said the reclamation was proposed due to “greed, not on need” which will exacerbate the property glut.
“Malaysia does not need another ‘Forest City’,” it stated.
It said only 20 per cent housing land will be in the affordable category on the three islands and demanded to know if the bulk of the properties will be targeted at high-end foreign buyers.
It called on the state government to focus on the needs of existing residents such as resolving flooding problems both on the island and in Seberang Perai.
“Why is the state obsessed with creating three ‘Smart and Green’ islands for future buyers, but neglecting to rehabilitate the environment for existing residents,” it demanded while pointing out there were so many exposed hill slopes in the state.
It told the state to put in a “better, cheaper, faster solution” by improving public transport and connectivity.
The transport solution for the state should serve the majority of Penangites and socially just for all levels of the society instead of rewarding car users, it added.
