“Why only target us all the time,” he asked today, after an English daily reported the degradation of environment resulting from reclamation work taking place on the island.

He said mainstream dailies often turned a blind eye on the environmental issues of states which had “three times” more reclamation work than Penang.

“Why must you only demonise Penang? Why can’t NST write about states that have three times the size of reclamation?

“Malacca had reclamation three times the size (of Penang). So did Perak,” he said of two states under the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration.

“Why don’t they (the NST) write about that instead?”

In its report, The New Straits Times (NST) quoted Universiti Sains Malaysia marine biologist Dr Zulfigar Yasin as saying that more natural disasters will affect the state as a result of excess reclamation on the island.

NST reported Zulfigar as describing the island’s environment situation was akin to “a volcano waiting to erupt”.

He said fishermen, too, would be severely affected as a drop in catch is to be expected in the long run.

Meanwhile, Penang Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said it respected the experts’ view on the reclamation issue.

He said all parties are welcome to give their point of view on the matter.

“We respect the freedom of experts’ views and expression. All views will be given due consideration.

“We thank them for helping to put forward the pros and cons.”

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Penang headed for ‘disaster’ due to reclamation, warns expert