Peka president Shariffa Sabrina Syed Akil said the cleared area was a part of a larger 20ha mangrove forest in custody of the Fisheries Department and under the ownership of the Federal Land Commissioner.

Speaking to FMT, she said the cleared land was rented out to a third party via the directorate-general of Land and Mines (JKPTG). She asked if this was an acceptable practice as it was “high-value” mangroves.

Shariffa said inspection of the site revealed that while only 2ha of the land was rented out, the tenant allegedly cleared 4ha of mangrove forest.

“The question is why JKPTG would rent out such land and allow sensitive mangrove land to be destroyed?

“How can the Fisheries Department, which has been given custody of the land, allow this to happen?” she questioned.

Shariffa said the cleared portion has been turned into a dumping ground and a temple has also been built there.

She said while it was too little, too late for a stop-work order by the local council, the federal authorities must act.

Under the environmental laws, such clearing of mangrove land requires a Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (DEIA) and subsequent approval from the Department of Environment, she said.

Shariffa said the Penang government plans to gazette all mangrove forests as permanent forests and the culprits who defile them must be brought to justice.

She said with the world’s mangrove lands dwindling to just 0.4% of the total jungles globally, the land administrators must be responsible for any destruction on the site.

“We will be lodging a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to urge them to investigate the matter.”