GEORGE TOWN, May 20 — More than 6,000 fishermen in northern Perak will also be indirectly affected by the proposed Penang South Reclamation (PSR) project, an environmental group claimed today.
Persatuan Aktivis Sahabat Alam (Kuasa) President Hafizudin Nasarudin said there will be sand mining activities off the northern coast of Perak for the reclamation works in Penang.
“This will affect fishermen from Manjung to Tanjung Piandang,” he said.
The reclamation works will also affect the natural nesting spots for endangered turtles, such as Olive Ridley turtles that land in Teluk Kumbar in Penang and Green Turtles that land in Tanjung Segari in Perak.
He said the sand-mining in Perak and reclamation in Penang will affect the nesting spots for these endangered turtles and drive these turtles to extinction.
“Sand mining will also affect marine life breeding spots in northern Perak while reclamation will destroy marine life in Penang,” he said.
Hafizudin joined a total 15 non-governmental organisations (NGO) in a joint press conference at the Penang Consumers’ Association (CAP) office today to raise concerns against the proposed PSR.
The press conference, led by CAP Vice President Mohideen Abdul Cader, stressed on a petition started by Penang Forum’s Khoo Salma to stop the PSR.
Meenakshi Raman, from CAP and Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM), said the project will directly affect those in the B40 group.
“About 10,000 fishing communities in Penang and Perak will be affected by this project and they are in the B40 group so if the government is really serious about helping the B40 group, why are they destorying their livelihood?” she asked.
She said the project is obviously benefiting only the rich developers and the rich who will be the only ones who can afford luxurious homes on the three islands to be created.
“PSR is supporting developers, not the B40 or the fishermen,” she added.
Khoo started a petition on change.org addressed to the Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed to reject the proposed reclamation to create three islands off the southern coast of Penang island.
She listed 20 reasons why the PSR should be cancelled and since then, there are now Chinese, Malay, Japanese and soon, Tamil, version of the petition on the same page.
More than 12,790 people have signed the petition as at today and Khoo hoped to get more signatures before the next Parliament session.
She said the petition will also be sent to the Deputy Prime Minister, the Penang Chief Minister, the Federal Territory Minister and the Environment Minister.
“A total 45 organisations and groups have endorsed the petition nationally,” she said.
Fishermen groups had also endorsed the petition including Persatuan Pendidikan dan Kebajikan Jaringan Nelayan Pantai Malaysia (Jaring Malaysia) and Penang Inshore Fishermen Welfare Association (PIFWA).
Ilias Shafie, from PIFWA, said none of the local fishermen would support the PSR as they know it would negatively affect their livelihood.
“A few times I was seen as supportive because I joined in the state government’s mangrove planting events and that was deemed as support for the reclamation when I was only supporting the mangrove planting, I do not support the reclamation,” he said.
He said fishermen were not highly educated, most of whom could not even speak English, so it would not be easy for them to find other means of income.
“We are fishermen because we are not educated, how do they expect us to get other jobs?” he asked.
The 15 organisations that held the joint press conference are Penang Forum, CAP, SAM, Jaring, PIFWA, Kuasa, Pertubuhan Pelindung Khazanah Alam Malaysia, Teroka, NGO Pantai, Pertubuhan Alam Sekitar Sejahtera Malaysia (GRASS), Northern Malaysia Climate Action Group, C4, Aliran, Malaysian Nature Society Penang and Suaram,
The 45 organisations that supported the petition are from all over the nation including Greenpeace Malaysia, Perak Heritage Society, Pesticide Action Network Asia and the Pacific, Teoh Beng Hock Trust for Democracy, Childline Foundation, Toy Libraries Malaysia and Gibbon Protection Society Malaysia.
