Go ahead for Penang South Reclamation Project is shocking

The Consumers Association Penang (CAP) and Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) are shocked and disturbed to learn that the controversial Penang South Reclamation (PSR) project has been given the go-ahead by the National Physical Planning Council (NPPC),with the imposition of 18points of advice (nasihat) to the Penang State Government.

We do not know how the PSR could be approved when there were huge financial, social and environmental concerns over the project, including its effects on the livelihoods of local fishermen who will be affected by the project.

Indeed, we cannot understand how the approval for the PSR is given, when the costs of the reclamation and the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP) are massive, even compared to the ECRL.

For instance, it is estimated that the Pan-Island Link, which is a part of the PTMP, will cost RM 400 million per km of road compared to the RM 68 million per km of the revised ECRL project.

The huge costs for the PSR and the PTMP, which amount to RM 46 billion, have been inexplicable and outrageous and how any approval can be given under such circumstances is mind-boggling.

So many fundamental concerns have been raised by concerned citizens and NGOs and we do not know how these concerns have been addressed. Hence, we want the 18-point advice to the made public so that the public can understand what the conditions for approval were by the NPPC.

Press Release, 18 April 2019