THE Penang government is willing to engage the G25 group on the Penang South Islands (PSI) project so that the latter gets a full detail of the project.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said many people would object without knowing the full detail of the project.
“This is nothing new to us. Many people objected without knowing the full detail or the tedious processes that we have undergone with the various technical agencies.
“That is why we are still holding stakeholders’ engagement.
“We have even presented to the Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change minister, and last week, to the Agriculture and Food Security minister, for them to understand the project better.
“We are very open about the project. If G25 requires a briefing, we will engage them. This is so they can understand the project, and action to mitigate various environmental and ecological matters.
“And I want to stress it again that we will not proceed without first obtaining the approval.
“However, with the approval, mitigation works can be taken. Matters can be addressed with proper solutions,” Chow replied to a journalist after launching the ARmenian Park project in Armenian Park today. The ARmenian Park project is an Augmented Reality interactive outdoor installation project within Armenian Park.
According to its website, G25 is a group of influential Malays, and as a civil society organisation, it plays a constructive role as the voice of moderation on religion.
The group had urged the new Federal Government to set aside the application for the new Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the project in the interest of preserving the livelihood of the fishing community and the fragile marine ecosystems of the surrounding area.
The Department of Environment (DoE) is expected to give its decision on the new EIA report for the PSI project after the technical meeting next month (March).
The EIA report for the PSI was approved in 2019, before the approval was reversed by the Appeal Board on Sept 8, 2021.
It was reported by an English daily that the Appeal Board’s basis for reversing the approval was because of the contradictions with Section 34A (4) of the Environmental Quality Act 1974, related to development zoning that had not been approved by the Penang state authority at that time. The state government has submitted an updated and more comprehensive EIA report for approval in March last year.
Story by Christopher Tan
Pix by Adleena Rahayu Ahmad Radzi
Video by Darwina Mohd Daud