Zairil, who chairs the state infrastructure committee, cited a report by the irrigation and drainage department showing that this year’s high tides had created waves two feet higher than in previous years.

“Together with strong winds, the wave speed for this year was so strong that it washed away the sandbags that were installed (along the coastlines) as erosion mitigation measures.

“These factors have been identified as the main causes of the erosion,” he said in a statement today.

Zairil again dismissed claims from certain quarters, including NGOs, linking the erosion to the Andaman Island project, saying that current works involved infilling the remaining planned areas.

Sand used for infilling comes from Pulau Indah and Lumut, not local coastlines, and complies with environmental standards and the approved environmental impact assessment report, he said.

“If the reclamation activity is what caused the erosion, the effects would have been seen 10 years ago,” he added.

Zairil said Penang had a long history of reclamation, including in areas such as Bayan Lepas FIZ, the Lim Chong Eu Expressway, Gurney Drive, and Weld Quay in George Town. He said past mitigation measures had prevented the surrounding areas from being affected.

He said mitigation works were now underway along Batu Ferringhi using allocations from the 5th Rolling Plan of the 12th Malaysia Plan.

“I hope that individuals or NGOs will be more responsible in issuing statements without genuine facts, which could confuse the public,” he added.

Zairil’s statement came a day after Penang chief minister Chow Kon Yeow said that coastal erosion along Penang’s coastlines was not caused by land reclamation or overdevelopment, but instead driven by natural factors and seasonal weather changes.