We refer to comments by Peninsular Metroworks Sdn Bhd's executive chairman Datuk Ahmad Ismail reported in The Star yesterday, that 100 ha of the seafront would be reclaimed for tourism - cum - commercial - cum - residential redevelopment.

Peninsular Metroworks, who is also the developer of the Penang Outer Ring Road (PORR), announced that the reclamation works would begin once the company signs the concession agreement for the highway with the Federal Government .

We are shocked that the company is confident about going ahead with the reclamation works of the seafront when it has yet to conduct an Environmental Impact Assessment study of the reclamation works. Although the EIA for the PORR was approved on 10 July 1997 by the Department of Environment, we are informed that the reclamation works of the Gurney Drive seafront still requires a detailed EIA before any go ahead for the project can be given.

SAM and CAP have been opposed to such reclamation ever since such proposals were mooted a few years ago. Our concerns are as follows : -

1. There is no need or justification for the proposed destruction of the Gurney Drive seafront. The existing seafront is one of the few public recreation areas remaining on the island that is highly popular with Penangites. There is certainly a need to improve some of the basic facilities at the seafront like better toilets and garbage collection. However, there is no need to massively transform the area into a tourist attraction when it already has that status. Gurney Drive already serves as a popular food spot, jogging site and a place for families to enjoy the evenings. It is very much a public heritage and ought to be preserved that way.

2. We are very concerned that the Penang public will be losing precious open spaces to private developers. We are shocked that there are proposals for a water-theme park including an 'Underwater World'. Such a proposal will indeed convert what is a natural seafront and accessible to the public into some kind of an amusement park to which the public will have access to only at a price.

3. There is already an over-building and excess capacity on the island in terms of residential space involving apartments. All along Tanjong Tokong, Tanjung Bungah and Batu Ferringhi, numerous high-rise apartments have mushroomed which are still largely unoccupied.

4. There will certainly be environment impacts as a result of the project and such impacts must be seriously considered with public participation, through the submission of a detailed EIA by the developer. This reclamation work should not be viewed in isolation but should be consideration together with the impacts of the reclamation works currently ongoing in Tanjong Tokong. Some of the environmental concerns include impacts on existing coastlines, beach erosion, sedimentation, changes in current flows and so on.

5. The Penang State Government is currently involved in the development of an integrated coastal zone management plan, which is supposed to chart and limit the overall development on the island in an integrated manner, taking into account environmental, economic and social concerns. We are of the view that the State Government should not undermine its own efforts of developing such an integrated coastal zone plan by giving ad-hoc approvals to coastal and reclamation projects which are piecemeal and non-integrated. The Gurney Drive reclamation proposal should be considered within the framework of an overall integrated coastal zone management plan.

6. Further, the impacts of sourcing sand for the reclamation works should also be considered. If sand is to be imported for such reclamation works, then the import content of the project will have to be studied carefully. Following the recent economic downturn, the NEAC has recommended that projects be reviewed to ensure that projects which involve high import components be discouraged.

On the other hand, if sand is to be obtained from local sources, then the environmental impacts of such sourcing needs to be seriously evaluated. Dredging the sea-bed or river or hill-cutting have significant environmental impacts.

7. Moreover, the cost of such reclamation would also mean high land prices and this raises questions about the viability of the reclamation works.

In the final analysis, it would be prudent to learn from the lessons of the recent economic crisis where considerable public funds went into mega infrastructure projects which were highly questionable. We cannot continue to behave in a 'business-as-usual' mindset but seriously need to reappraise development proposals to ensure that the interests of the public and the environmental are genuinely safeguarded. We therefore urge the State Government not to allow the proposed reclamation of Gurney Drive.

S.M.Mohd.Idris
President