GEORGE TOWN: Tanjung Bungah assemblyman Teh Yee Cheu has questioned the legality of a Request for Proposal (RFP) by the Penang Development Corporation (PDC) to allow reclamation of land along the Tanjung Bungah coastline.
"The RFP, issued on April 15, which will close on May 15, calls for interested bidders to develop a marina and supporting coastal and marine tourism facilities with the marina having at least 200 to 400 berths for yachts.
"They will be allowed to reclaim not more than 8.94ha of land for commercial purposes. The ecosystem and coastlines in the surrounding area could be affected," he said after a protest against reclamation in Tanjung Bungah Sunday.
Teh claimed the gazetted Penang Structure Plan only acknowledged the existing reclaimed 1.21ha plot of land dubbed the "sore thumb" and does not allow any new reclamation.
He added the "sore thumb" had been a long-standing issue since 1999.
"Non-governmental organisations managed to stop further reclamation by the developer in 2006 as it was illegal."
Teh said residents in the area had always wanted the reclaimed land to be turned into a coastal park.
"In June 2007 when the former government gazetted the Penang Structure Plan, the piece of reclaimed land was included with a plan to build a marina.
"After 2008, we requested the state government to de-gazette it to become a coastal park. Subsequently, in 2009, 2010, and 2011, during the state assembly, I requested for a coastal park and the then environmental exco agreed to it and a couple of press statements stating that it would be a coastal park was released," he said.
Teh added that the residents were waiting for it to be gazetted as a park, but there had been no news nor a concrete reply in subsequent state assemblies when asked.
"We do not want anymore reclamation on this part of the island. We want to urge the authorities not to be lobbied by developers for commercial interests," he said. - The Star
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