Sahabat Alam Malaysia’s Meenakshi Raman said entrepreneur development and cooperatives minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar’s statement was “spot on” because sand mining could adversely affect marine life in the long run.
She said the sand mining, with sand reportedly extracted from the shores of Perak to reclaim three islands measuring 4,500 acres on the southern shores of Penang, would have a large impact on the environment.
“The project involves filling sand and rock material equivalent to 76,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools into a narrow strait with a sensitive ecological system.
“Such sand mining requires an impact assessment but we have yet to do so as it is extremely critical. So, I welcome Junaidi’s statement as the threat to our natural environment is great. Hence, the project should be scrapped altogether,” she told FMT.
Junaidi, in calling for the project to be scrapped, had said that marine sand and rocks “by the millions of tonnes” would be mined for the reclamation project.
In a statement earlier today, the former environment minister said the deep seabed habitat could be destroyed and water siltation would increase as a result of the mining and depositing of the sand.
Penang Forum’s Khoo Salma Nasution also welcomed Junaidi’s statement, joining the likes of Penang MPs Nurul Izzah Anwar and Reezal Merican Naina Merican, who had similarly called for the project to be scrapped.
Khoo said it was important that the politicians spoke up against the project because the livelihood of thousands of fishermen was at stake.
She said the MPs understood “the abominable environmental threat” the project posed to Penang.
She said Junaidi also played a pivotal role as environment minister when PSR’s first application for approval for an environmental impact assessment was shot down.
“Junaidi and Reezal show they are concerned about environmental, livelihood and food security issues which will affect the people in these difficult times.
“The Penang government has been deaf to the fishermen’s pleas.
“When there was an alignment of federal and state power in 2019, the second EIA was approved in a record two weeks.
“The Penang government has mainly shown itself to be obsessed with real estate expansion and saving the construction industry,” she said.