Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the theme park was part of a larger master plan for Jerejak Island, which was submitted to the state government by landowners Tropical Island Resort Sdn Bhd in August 2016.
The master plan, which includes a bridge from the Bayan Mutiara area, was approved although according to Chow, local authorities have yet to receive a request for planning permission for the theme park.
He said an environmental impact assessment (EIA) of the entire project was submitted to the Department of Environment (DoE) on June 21. It was approved on July 20.
“The EIA takes into account the impact on the ecological system and is part of the approved report,” he said.
According to the approved plans, he added, the project will involve the development of Jerejak’s coasts and does not include hill land above 76m. A detailed geographical impact study was therefore unnecessary, based on the findings by consultants, he said.
He was responding to Kumaresan Aramugam (PKR-Batu Uban), who had asked about a mixed-development project on Jerejak. Kumaresan asked if an ecological and geographical impact study had been done, and whether a theme park would really be built in the location.
He also asked if Chow was aware of plans by the tourism and culture ministry to turn Jerejak into a heritage site, and whether traffic concerns over the new bridge had been addressed since the project was approved in 2016.
Chow said the Penang government had yet to receive any letters or calls from the ministry on plans to turn the island into a heritage site.
On concerns over traffic, he said the initial plan was to only allow residents on the island to cross the bridge, adding that this would be further restricted to electric cars.
Jerejak, which was once known as “Malaysia’s Alcatraz”, used to house the country’s main leprosy sanatorium.
It was also used as a quarantine centre for immigrants entering Malaya, and was later used as a prison. The prison was closed down in the 1990s.
The island, which is sparsely populated, consists mostly of dense jungles and hills. Only 10% to 15% of its 362ha area is flat ground.
In 2004, a resort was built on the west coast facing Penang Island. However, it was closed down in May 2016. A shipyard, built on the east coast in the 1970s, remains there until today.
It was previously reported that a bridge would be built, linking Jerejak to Penang island on the west, along with 1,200 residential units, a theme park, a marina, four- and five-star hotels and a cycling track.