GEORGE TOWN: The Penang South Island (PSI) project, which obtained the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) approval recently, can still be subjected to appeal by the public.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the approval obtained was for a fresh EIA report submitted after the previous one was revoked in 2021.
"Anyone can take action to appeal the latest approval granted. That is beyond us.
"All I can say is that the EIA report has gone through all the necessary technical consideration from the various government agencies and committees," he told newsman at his office in Komtar here today.
Chow said what was important now was time for compliance.
"If the project is not allowed to start, how can they prove that they can comply with the conditions put in place?
"The real test is in the implementation and not in the approval," he said.
Yesterday, Chow announced that Penang had finally obtained the EIA approval for the PSI reclamation project.
He said it came with 71 conditions to be fulfilled.
He also said that any reclamation works would only begin after the Environmental Management Plan (EMP) approval had been obtained, which was expected in the third quarter of this year.
Environmental groups and fisherfolk expressed dismay that the EIA had been approved.
They claimed that all the concerns they raised over the years had came to nothing and had called the Department of Environment (DoE) to make the grounds of the decision transparent.
Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) also asked the Penang government to make public the 71 conditions which had been imposed.
Meanwhile, Penang Fishermen's Association (Pen Mutiara) deputy chairman Zakaria Ismail said they would submit another appeal to the DoE's Appeal Board with regards to the latest approval.
He said they would make the necessary preparations to submit their appeal to the Appeal Board.
"We believe there is still space for us to appeal the decision.
"At present, the approval of the Environmental Management Plan (EMP) is still pending. Also, the 71 conditions for the EIA approval is not something which can be easily fulfilled," he was quoted as saying.
Asked on SAM's request to make public the 71 conditions, Chow briefly explained the 15 parts of the 71 conditions.
Among the conditions included compliance to the Environmental Act in terms of dredging and reclamation works, control of air, water and noise pollution, emergency response plan onsite and offsite and the preparation of an EMP.
Condition number 70 was the need to notify the DoE if there were any changes in the project within 30 days of the change.
"The final condition is that the project delivery partner must comply with any additional conditions and requirements set by the DoE as per the Environmental Act.
"As I said, this project has gone through a long process and is a game changer to elevate Penang to the next level," he said.
Details of the PSI project are available on the Penang Infrastructure Corporation Sdn Bhd website at penanginfra.com