Penang Gerakan Youth chief Jason Loo said the state Freedom of Information (FOI) Enactment empowered the chief minister to declassify documents for public interest.
He said he has applied for a copy of the agreement related to each of the three projects — the Seri Tanjung Pinang (STP) I, STP II and Gurney Wharf.
“The Penang government has proclaimed that they are transparent and they have nothing to hide,” Loo told reporters in Komtar today.
“We are not against development, but we will definitely object to any non-transparent project that abuses the residents of Gurney Drive and Tanjung Tokong,” he added, referring to the neighbouring vicinities of the projects.
Loo had earlier made applications for the documents at the state administration office in Komtar, accompanied by Penang Gerakan committee member Tan Yuh Keat.
It was reported in 2015 that the Penang government could not release details of the STP projects due to the confidentiality clauses inserted by the previous Gerakan-led Barisan Nasional (BN) government.
Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had in December 2015 produced two letters from the state legal adviser’s office, backing his claim that the preceding administration had disallowed the reclamation agreements from being revealed without the permission of the developers.
To this, Loo admitted there was indeed a confidentiality clause and hoped Lim would help declassify it.
Loo has visited the Penang government office several times to apply for documents on major projects through the FOI.
He said he had thus far applied for 12 documents related to state projects under the FOI and only received one document, which was related to the number of affordable homes in the state.
Loo said although he was offered to view most of the documents that he applied for, he refused to do so as he was forced to sign non-disclosure agreements.
The STP projects make up a large chunk of the 3,241 acres of land reclamation rights awarded by the previous BN government.
The STP concession was originally given in 1990. E&O Berhad, which took over the reclamation project from a previous concessionaire, completed the first phase in 2006.
After being given the go-ahead for the second phase, STP2, last year, E&O awarded the RM2.32 billion construction rights to Shanghai and Hong Kong-listed China Communications Construction Co Ltd (CCCC).
The reclamation works are being carried out by E&O’s subsidiary, Tanjung Pinang Development Sdn Bhd, in which the state government holds a 21.2% stake via Penang Development Corporation (PDC).
Gurney Wharf, a waterfront park spanning nearly 5km eastward from the Gurney Drive foreshore, will be created on reclaimed land by Tanjung Pinang Development Sdn Bhd (TPD).
It will feature a seaside retail food and beverage area, water gardens, a man-made beach and a coastal grove.
It was also reported that a mall, two hotels, a business centre, wellness suites will be also built on the site. An eight-lane highway will be built across the reclaimed area.
TPD is reclaiming an additional 131 acres along Gurney Drive for the Penang government as per its concession agreement for reclaiming land for STP2. TPD was given the rights to reclaim by the previous BN government.