GEORGE TOWN: The National Physical Planning Council (NPPC) has given the nod for the implementation of the Penang South Reclamation (PSR) project, which will see the creation of three man-made islands to fund the state’s Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP).
This was relayed by Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow in a brief statement issued soon after tabling a report for the attention of the NPPC, chaired by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
“The NPPC has considered Penang’s plan for the proposed PSR and has agreed to its implementation, with 18 pieces of pre-set advice,” he said without elaborating.
Chow said the Penang government would abide by the advice of the NPPC.
“We will also abide by and adhere to the reviews by the numerous technical departments when implementing the project in line with Section 2A(2)(b) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1976,” he added.
On Saturday, Chow had told newsmen that the state government was positive about the outcome of the NPPC meeting as it had fulfilled all the requirements set by government agencies.
He said the state had waited for a long time to fulfil the requirements of the agencies like the Environmental Impact Assessment, Traffic Impact Assessment and others.
The reclaimed islands, with a total land area of 1,800ha, would be used to fund the state government’s highly-ambitious RM46 billion PTMP project.
The PTMP project, which was announced in 2015, comprises a light-rail transit (LRT) system, an undersea tunnel and three paired highways.
Environmentalists and the fishing community had opposed the PSR, saying it would adversely impact fishermen’s livelihoods and the marine ecosystem in the southern part of the island.
They had staged numerous protests over the years.
This is the second time this week that the state government has received the approval of the authorities for its projects.
On Monday, Chow had announced that the Department of Environment had granted conditional approval for the EIA report of the proposed Pan Island Link 1 (PIL 1), a component of the PTMP.
He had said that the state government considered the approval a major milestone, as the project could now move forward.
The PIL 1, too, had met widespread opposition from environmental non-governmental organisations.