GEORGE TOWN: The Consumers Association of Penang and Sahabat Alam Malaysia have come out strongly against the Penang state government over sand dredging and mining activities at the estuaries of Sungai Kelian and Sungai Kechil in Tanjung Bungah.
In a joint statement issued today, both bodies said such activities were destroying the beaches and the coastline.
“We share the grave concerns of residents and fishermen living near the coastline,” the statement said.
“The taking of sand from a highly populated part of Penang, to beautify the beach in a hotel stretch in another part of the island is like ‘robbing Peter to pay Paul’.
“This is unethical, immoral and worthy of strong condemnation.”
Both bodies listed several demands:
- The Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) should immediately stop any sand dredging and mining works along the beaches and seas until further notice.
- The state government and the DID should reveal what other plans or actions they have for sand dredging and mining in Penang and allow for public scrutiny and comment of these plans.
- The state should also reveal if an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was done on the sand dredging and mining in Tanjung Bungah.
- The sand that was dredged from the beaches in Tanjung Bungah should be put back so that the original state of the environment there is restored.