GEORGE TOWN: The Department of Environment (DoE) today said it respected the decision made by the Appeal Board to revoke the environmental impact assessment (EIA) approval of the controversial Penang South Islands (PSI) reclamation project.
The PSI project was previously known as the Penang South Reclamation (PSR) project.
DoE director-general Wan Abdul Latiff Wan Jaffar said the project proponent has been officially informed of the Appeal Board's decision.
"If they still intend to proceed with the proposed reclamation project, then a new EIA must be submitted for approval according to the procedure set out under Section 34A of the Environmental Quality Act 1974," he said.
On Wednesday, fisher folk, likely to be affected by the PSI reclamation project, scored a major victory after they won an appeal to revoke the EIA approval of the controversial project.
This came after a preliminary objection by Zakaria Ismail, head of the fishermen's unit of Sungai Batu, was allowed, with approval by the DoE on the PSR's EIA set aside.
The EIA was found to be ultra vires, null and void of Section 34A(4)(a) of the Environmental Quality Act 1974.
Meanwhile, Penang Pas urged the state government to once and for all cancel the massive reclamation project for the sake of the sustainability of the ecosystem and livelihood of fishermen in the state.
Its commissioner Muhammad Fauzi Yusoff said Pas would continue to fully support the fishing community and the Penang community in protesting the project if the state government still wants to proceed with it after this.
"We call upon the Penang government to scrap the project altogether as they do not benefit the fishing community and the surrounding community.
"We will rally behind the community to protest if the state government still wants to continue with it after this," he said today.
Commenting on the revocation of the EIA approval of the project, Fauzi said it proved that justice and truth could be upheld without political interference.
He added that with no political interference, the Appeal Board of the DoE was free to make a transparent, mature and fair decision on the EIA for the mega project.
"Congratulations to all the fisher folk on the successful revocation of the EIA approval through an appeal filed by Zakaria.
"The decision brings victory and great joy to the fishing community and the people of Penang, who want sustainable development," he added.
Fauzi took aim at the previous Pakatan Harapan federal administration, in particular the Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Ministry, for allowing the EIA to be approved under its watch before the Penang State Structure Plan 2030 (RSNPP2030) was approved by the Yang di-Pertua Negeri.
Following the Appeal Board's decision, the Penang government has indicated that it may file a judicial review on the matter.