Shocking Federal Approval For Artificial Islands In Penang

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This conditional ‘approval’ is being given just a few months before the state election in Penang. It is shocking. Whoever is responsible for this doesn’t give a hoot about the damage it will cause to fisheries and food security. Plus the whole basis of the so-called PTMP (the extravagant Penang transport master plan) is gone.
Sales of reclaimed land at the three artificials islands were supposed to raise funds for the expensive and ill-advised transport infrastructure that the Penang government is gunning for. But now that whole financing model is in tatters, as the reclamation of ‘Island A’ won’t even raise funds for the outdated RM10bn elevated light rail, let alone the environmentally disastrous RM9bn Pan Island Link highway. Shameful. So much for the Penang ‘green agenda’ and the PTMP.
This is the statement just released by SAM:
Sahabat Alam Malaysia is shocked and outraged after learning that the environmental impact assessment report for the proposed reclamation and dredging work for the “Penang South Reclamation” project has been approved by the Department of Environment (DoE).
We are appalled that the project has been approved despite concerns and objections raised by fisherfolk, including Pen Mutiara, the official fisherfolk’s association, and the Penang Island Southern Area Fisherfolk’s Association (PNKSPP) and all the units of the fisherfolk villages here.   
SAM was a member of the environment impact assessment technical review committee, and we had raised our objections too, in support of the fishing community as well as concerns over the environment. 
Others who had also objected and who were in the committee included fisheries-related agencies, ie the Fisheries Department, the Malaysian Fisheries Development Board (LKIM) and the Fisheries Research Institute – all of whom had also raised their concerns that the reclamation will affect the fisheries sector, the fisherfolk’s livelihood and food security, as the reclamation footprint has high marine biodiversity. 
One important aspect that was omitted when assessing the scale of impact of the project is the impact of sourcing for sand and other fill materials, such as rocks.
The proposed project – consisting of three reclaimed islands with a total area of 4,500 acres (1,821 hectares) – requires fill material estimated at 207 million cubic metres. Total rock volume required for the construction of revetment as edge protection of the reclaimed islands is 4.5 million cubic metres.
Our call that the environmental impacts of sourcing the sand and rocks must be included as cumulative impacts of the reclamation-related activities was also negated.
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We are disappointed that the new government is ignoring food security, environmental integrity and the actual scale of negative and long-term impacts caused by the reclamation. This carbon-intensive and capital-intensive reclamation project runs contrary to today’s planning imperative, which calls for climate-resilient development.
The DoE director general must make transparent the grounds of his decision while the Penang state government must make public the 71 conditions which have been imposed. 
SAM will continue to maintain our stand against the project.
The state and federal governments are exacerbating environmental and social injustice by proceeding with the reclamation project.
Mageswari Sangaralingam is honorary secretary of Sahabat Alam Malaysia

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