“The Cabinet has in principle agreed to not continue with the building of the new Tioman airport, which would involve 76% reclamation of sea area,” he said in a statement.
He said the decision to discontinue the construction of the international airport is in line with his ministry’s priorities on preservation, conservation, and the use of natural resources in a responsible manner.
Nik Nazmi said the ministry had taken note of the concerns raised on the reclamation of protected marine areas, which could result in the destruction of coral reefs and vital habitats for diverse marine species – the main attractions on the island.
He also said that the environment department (DoE) had concluded an early publication process of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) report for the airport, which received 1,412 public comments.
“Following the technical EIA committee meeting held on Aug 9, the ministry found that the proposal for the new airport could potentially have a significantly negative impact on the environmental quality, particularly on sensitive areas of the island, including the marine ecology, if pursued,” he said.
Coral conservation group Reef Check previously voiced concerns against the construction of the new airport, saying it would mostly favour developers and big corporations, but would threaten the livelihoods of all local resorts and businesses.
Julian Hyde, general manager for Reef Check, told FMT that while the new airport could bring tourism revenue, it would be at the expense of the island’s biodiversity.
The EIA report warned of possible physical damage and habitat loss for marine life during the quarrying and reclamation phase, while artificial lighting would disrupt photosynthesis.
The report also contained a marine conservation and rehabilitation plan, which included creating four relocation sites and two coral farms before construction begins.
The EIA report revealed that the proposal was to locate the new Tioman International Airport on the west coast of the island between Kampung Paya and Kampung Genting, separated by a low hillock or headland.
The project was meant to provide direct flights to and from airports in Malaysia, Asean countries, India, China and Australia.
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