Make public technical report by Department of Irrigation and Drainage on Penang’s coastal erosion

Lai Cheng January 30, 2026 0 Comments
Fallen giant: Erosion is causing many trees to fall along the shoreline of Tanjung Bungah, Penang, raising concern among local residents and businesses. — (Photo credit: Zhafaran Nasib/The Star

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) calls on the Penang state government and the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) to make public the technical report on the severe coastal erosion occurring in Batu Ferringhi and Tanjung Bungah in Penang.

It is vital that the report is made public so that the causes of the coastal erosion and the mitigation measures to be undertaken can be understood by all who are interested, especially those affected by the severe erosion on their properties and the loss of beaches.

The leaders in the state government should not simply dismiss concerns raised by civil society organisations as being unsubstantiated over the likely impact of massive reclamation works which have been undertaken and are ongoing around Penang, without making public scientific technical studies or reports on what is happening.

Simply saying that the severe coastal erosion is due to natural causes is most irresponsible and unscientific.

It is important to establish and rule out through technical investigations that the reclamation works have no impact on the movement of waves, sedimentation and erosion along our coastlines.

We have to look at the cumulative and long-term impacts and not just dismiss the concerns as being unsubstantiated, and simply asserting that natural causes are indeed the reason for the severe erosion taking place.

The DID is the relevant authority responsible for coastal matters and it is incumbent on the state government to make the department’s report public, for the sake of good governance and transparency.

It is not only SAM that has expressed serious concerns over the severe erosion taking place but also hotels and the Tanjung Bungah Residents Association who have received complaints from residents living along the coast, who are witnessing the disappearance of the vital beaches which are important public assets. There are also concerns over the safety of their buildings.

We hope the State government will accede to our request.

 

 

Meenakshi Raman
President,
Sahabat Alam Malaysia

Media statement, 30 January 2026