Citizen Awareness Chant Group legal adviser Yan Lee said a highly placed source had claimed that the project would involve the creation of an island and the reclamation of a shorefront in the vicinity.

According to the graphics in the proposal, he said, the project would begin near the floating mosque in Tanjung Bungah and continue northwards to the Rasa Sayang Resort in Batu Ferringhi.

“We were told that at least 300 acres would be reclaimed from this area. Our question to the chief minister is, is there such a proposal?

“Can we ask what the reclamation is for, and whether it would fund the Penang Transport Master Plan?” he said in a press conference here.

Pictures said to be lifted from the developer’s proposal to the state government show the creation of luxury hotels, wellness centres, apartments and “floating villas” in the long run.

Lee also asked state executive councillor Jagdeep Singh Deo if the project would be supported as part of efforts to fight climate change.

Jagdeep had said that reclamation projects were key to islands like Penang to defend themselves from rising waters and the effects of climate change.

“Jagdeep is a brilliant lawyer. We would appreciate it if he and the state government could engage climatologists to advise on this,” Lee said, adding that the people were concerned.

FMT has contacted Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow and Jagdeep for comment and is awaiting their response.