The fishermen, who said this was done en route to Pulau Kendi, an islet on the southwestern coast of Penang, claimed their nets often get stuck in mud waste from the reclamation, especially in the Teluk Bahang area.
However, Tanjung Pinang Development Sdn Bhd (TPD) said it had never dumped mud waste at Pulau Kendi or in any Penang waters.
In a statement, it said it had dumped the waste and sludge at a designated disposal area off Muka Head, a promontory on the northwest of Penang island.
It added that the last time any disposal took place was between May 2016 and May 2018, with full monitoring by the Department of Environment through the dredging and disposal management system.
It challenged the fishermen’s claim that mud waste could have drifted to Teluk Bahang, saying the drift sediment and currents from the reclamation area would not have reached Teluk Bahang in the northwest.
TPD also said the “net longshore sediment transport” along the coastline drifts from northwest to southeast, the opposite direction from Teluk Bahang.
It said it had countered a similar claim before the start of reclamation works in April 2016.
“This goes to show that the discovery of silt or mud was prior to the commencement of the STP2 project,” it said, referring to the Seri Tanjung Pinang 2 reclamation project.
“We have maintained a track record of compliance, and reclamation works are being carried out in adherence with the conditions of the approved detailed environmental impact assessment study as well as from all relevant authorities.”
Seri Tanjung Pinang (STP), located at the northeast coast of Tanjung Tokong, encompasses two phases. The first phase (STP1) of the reclamation comprising 240 acres was completed in 2006.
Reclamation of the 760-acre second phase (STP2), which commenced in 2016, is underway.
A total of 20 acres within the 240-acre STP1 was surrendered to the Penang government for the Penang Outer Ring Road alignment.
These 20 acres will be replaced in STP2, hence the increase of the original 740 acres to 760.
TPD is also reclaiming at its own cost 131 acres off the Gurney Drive foreshore for the Penang government.
It said the only current dredging works are off the waters of the Straits Quay Retail Marina, Seri Tanjung Pinang, which began in November last year and are expected to finish next month.
“The dredged materials were re-used and disposed within the confined space of STP2.
“The works are being monitored by 24-hour online turbidity or total suspended solid monitoring system.”