2 NGOs outraged over dept’s approval for Penang infrastructure project
GEORGE TOWN: Two non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are upset that the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the Pan-Island Link 1 (PIL1) has been approved by the Department of Environment (DoE) with 56 conditions.
This follows a statement by Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow to the effect.
Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) and Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) president S.M. Mohamed Idris said the NGOs were shocked that DoE had approved the EIA despite negative public feedback.
“We were among thousands of Penangites and groups who had voiced our concerns over the EIA, which had many flaws.
“We disagree with Chow, who claimed that EIA approval marks a milestone in addressing traffic woes in Penang. PIL1 is not a longterm solution to our traffic problems,” he said in response to Chow’s announcement earlier.
Idris said the EIA report claimed that there would be a reduction in travel time, but ignored its own traffic analysis that full capacity would be reached by 2030.
“To spend RM8 billion for this road is a waste of public resources as it is not a long-term solution to our traffic woes.
“Moreover, we had pointed out that the EIA report wrongly claimed that no heritage structures would be affected.
“This is not true as the Por Tay Buddhist School, St Nicholas Home, Penang Chinese Girls’ High School, Shree Muniswarar Temple, the Penang Hill Railway, Kek Lok Si Temple and the Air Itam dam — all over 50 years old with cultural and historical significance — will be adversely affected by PIL1,” he added.
Idris said PIL1, which is an elevated six-lane highway, would ruin the island’s charm as it would be an eyesore due to its adverse visual impact when compared with island’s green parks and forested hills.
“The highway plans to canalise and straighten rivers, when globally, cities are trying to restore natural river flows. In addition, the EIA report did not address the heavy usage of two popular recreational parks, Youth Park and Taman Jajar, (which are located within) the route of the elevated highway.
“People, including children, will be subjected to noise levels exceeding 75dB, (when the recommended maximum is 60dB) and increased air pollution.
“No amount of mitigation measures can address how the character of the island will be changed with such an elevated highway, which will certainly be ugly.”
Idris said NGOs were shocked that the state government had refused to listen to a large section of the Penangites who had studied the EIA and had given informed feedback and comments.
He said they reiterated their call for the state government not to proceed with PIL1 despite the conditional EIA approval from DoE.
He demanded the state government make public the 56 conditions imposed by DoE.
Meanwhile, Tanjung Bungah Residents Association chairman Meenakshi Raman expressed shock that DoE had approved EIA for PIL1 despite the shortcomings the association had pointed out in its feedback.
“Chow claims the approval is a milestone for addressing the traffic problem, but we think otherwise as building roads does not solve traffic problems in the long run.
“PIL1 will change the character of Penang dramatically, with an elevated highway running along Gottlieb Road, Youth Park and tunnelling close to Penang Hill and the Kek Lok Si temple.
“Looks like the state government is bent on making Penang look like Bangkok, destroying Penang’s unique charm. We want Chow to (make public) the 56 conditions that were part of the conditional approval of EIA,”