KUALA LUMPUR, March 8 — The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report for the Penang South Islands (PSI) project has not yet been approved and is being evaluated by the Department of Environment (DOE).
Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said any arising issues or findings from the process will be submitted to the project’s proponent and the Penang Economic Planning Division as the appointed approving authority.
“The developer also needs to prepare an Environmental Management Plan and act on the recommendations stated in the EIA report if this project is approved to ensure that the impact and consequences of the project can be overcome,” he said during the question and answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.
He said this in reply to a question from Siti Mastura Muhammad (PN-Kepala Batas), who wanted to know whether the government plans to cancel the PSI project, which has failed to meet the EIA requirements.
Nik Nazmi said the project had undergone a comprehensive process with regard to the EIA report approved on June 25, 2019, but there was an appeal until the decision was overturned. A new report was submitted on April 29, 2022.
“The state government has also submitted its reports and made three revisions. So, in total, five EIA reports had been submitted to DOE,” he said.
PSI involves the development of three artificial islands, with an area of 1,700 hectares in the waters of Permatang Damar Laut, near Bayan Lepas.
However, the project received objections from the fishing community and environmental non-governmental organisations in the state because it was alleged that the project would damage the marine ecosystem in the area. — Bernama
