I really wonder how the Department of Environment’s (DOE) approval of the environmental impact assessment report with conditions can submerge the Penang South Island three-island project under the weight of the opposition.
It is being argued in some quarters that the green wave phenomenon of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition might seek sustenance in the approval.
The project to develop the three artificial islands on the southern tip of Penang island was mooted some years back.
The project would not have been mooted had the federal government then had promised financial assistance for the development of financial transport infrastructure.
It was because of the unresponsiveness of the federal government under Barisan Nasional (BN) that Penang had no choice but to embark on the project alone.
The reclamation of the three proposed islands was to enable the development of the transport infrastructure namely the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP).
By the way, the Penang South Islands (PSI) project was not something that emerged suddenly out of the blue as the project was laid out on the table before the last general elections.
Much time and money has been spent by the state government and the related agencies in addressing the problems that might be posed by the major reclamation project.
The main concern was primarily the impact on the livelihood of the fishermen and the environmental concerns.
These concerns have been addressed to a large extent, but opposition persists not just from the NGOs and but from opposition parties that are opposed to the project.
They want the project to be cancelled without offering an alternative.
With the coming of the state elections in six states, the opposition by the PN parties are coming to the fore.
The “green wave” might have propelled the PN coalition in getting more than 50% of Malay support in the last general elections in November last year but whether the green wave is as alive or vibrant in the coming months during the state elections is yet to be seen.
Recent opinion polls in Penang suggest that PN’s green wave might not be as strong as in the past while a recent poll suggested that there is great deal of support for economic development in Penang.
Of course, majority Malay support is still for the PN coalition, but the support for Pakatan Harapan (PH) might be growing. It is, however, just unfortunate, that the Malay support for UMNO might not be on the rise.
I don’t understand how the “green wave” unleashed by the PN coalition is going to take advantage of the approval given to the PSI project.
The approval is conditional and it not something given to the Penang government on a silver platter.
As Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said recently that the project will go on for the larger benefit of Penangites and Malaysians.
If there are parties that are still opposed to the project, they have the legal avenues at their disposal to take matter to the court.
Genuine concerns of the PSI project are something that the Penang state government can rationally digest but the argument that the project might fuel the “green wave” has no basis whatsoever.
There is no unilinear path to the “green wave” as it is more accurate to speak of its entrapment in race and religion. – May 1, 2023
Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy is the deputy chief minister II of Penang. He is also the state assemblyperson for Perai.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
Main pic credit: Bjarke Ingels Group
