BAYAN LEPAS: Perikatan Nasional (PN) will do away with the Silicon Island reclamation project if it comes into power in the upcoming state election.
State PN chairman Datuk Dominic Lau Hoe Chai said he stood by the Penang Fishermen's Association (Pen Mutiara) and its members who were against the massive reclamation project.
He said there were a total of 6,000 fishermen in the state, of which 1,600 are from eight fishermen's units which will be affected by the project.
"In fact, stopping the reclamation project is one of the items in my manifesto.
"So, if we (PN) are given the mandate to rule the state in the coming state election, we will immediately cancel the project. We will not allow even one island to be built," he told newsmen at a press conference arranged by Pen Mutiara at Sungai Batu here today.
Lau is contesting in the Bayan Lepas state seat, where the controversial project sits. He is in a straight fight with Pakatan Harapan's Azrul Mahthir Aziz from Amanah.
The press conference was called by Pen Mutiara to explain to the candidates contesting in the state election their stand with regards to the project.
Despite numerous invitations sent out, only Lau and Parti Rakyat Malaysia's Ravinder Singh were present.
Lau said Pen Mutiara's demands -- to stop reclamation projects in the state, facilitate the growth of the blue economy, conserve and preserve the marine ecosystem, recognise fishing villages as heritage sites and establish a climate resilience master plan in Penang -- were "fair and square" requests.
"We are not here to prevent development, but development does not necessarily has to be about reclamation. We can develop eco-tourism here in Bayan Lepas. That is also development, but from a different perspective."
Lau said it was time for a change in state government as the previous DAP-led administration was not a "people's government".
"Rather, it only takes care of foreigners by building luxury condominiums for the rich on the reclaimed island, which is beyond the local people's reach.
"For PN, our priority is the people's wellbeing and we will take care of them," he added.
When pressed that the former Gerakan-led state administration had also approved reclamation projects, Lau said the east coast reclamation project was for affordable housing estates.
On May 10, the Penang government announced that it would do away with two of three islands of the controversial Penang South Islands (PSI) reclamation project.
This meant a scaling down of 49 per cent of the total three man-made islands project. Island A, now known as Silicon Island, measured about 920ha.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had advised the state government to scale down the PSI project and it complied.
The controversial reclamation project had undergone a comprehensive process with regards to the environmental impact assessment (EIA) report approved on June 25, 2019, but there was an appeal until the decision was overturned. Several revised reports were subsequently submitted.
PSI initially involves the development of three artificial islands, with an area of 1,800ha, in the waters off Permatang Damar Laut, near Bayan Lepas.
However, the project received objections from the fishing community and environmental non-governmental organisations in the state because it was alleged that the project would damage the marine ecosystem in the area.
Meanwhile, Pen Mutiara chairman Ibrahim Che Ros said the fishermen were against the project, whether it involved the reclamation of one island from the three islands proposed in the past.
"We want to make known that we will only support candidates who agree with us. We hope that they will continue to stand by us to oppose the project.
"We know who support us and those who don't.
"We may not be very intelligent. but we know what the state election means and we have the power to determine who we want and who we don't," he said.
Ibrahim said there were numerous examples of reclamation projects in the past which had affected the livelihood of the fishermen.
"Irrespective of one island or three islands, the effect will be there. And this one island is half the size of the three islands. You can just imagine its effect on the fisher folk," he added.
Pen Mutiara vice-chairman Zakaria Ismail said Pen Mutiara is committed to working with candidates in the state election to address their five demands to develop a fair and strategic plan for coastal fishermen, emphasising on sustainable development goals.
"By taking immediate action, we can protect the rights and livelihoods of coastal fishermen and ensure long-term sustainability of our coastal communities.
"Instead of ensuring food security, we are trying to destroy them. We should re-look at this," he said
Penang South Fishermen's Association chairman Arshad Omar, meanwhile, thanked the prime minister for listening to their plea.
He, however, asked the premier to look for other alternatives and not to resort to reclamation at all costs.
"We are not against development but it should not be carried out at the fisher folk's expense," he said.