Reclamation work at Johor Straits only involves 49 acres, no EIA report needed

JOHOR BARU: Reclamation work under the “Forest City” project, that is feared by Singapore to have a possible impact on the island republic, does not require the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report as the area reclaimed is not more than 50 acres.

According to the Johor Director of the Department of Environment (DOE)

Mokhtar Abdul Majid, currently reclamation works at the Johor Straits, near the Gelang Patah Second Link, only involved an area measuring 49 acres.

“As the area reclaimed is not more than 50 acres, it does not require the EIA report,” he told Bernama on Monday when asked about the sea reclamation works that drew concern from the Singapore government.

He confirmed that the sea reclamation work at the Johor Straits was being implemented by a developer from China, Country Garden Holdings Ltd and a subsidiary of the Johor state government, Kumpulan Prasarana Rakyat Johor (KPRJ).

Mokhtar said the reclamation work began in early March and were expected to be completed within eight months.

Two days ago, the Singapore Foreign Ministry had expressed concern over the possibility of cross border effects on the republic as a result of the real estate development project at the Johor Straits.

Its spokesman said there was an international responsibility on the part of the Malaysian authorities and Singapore to cooperate on this matter and asked Malaysia to submit information of the reclamation work concerned.

Mokhtar said the Johor DOE had already submitted certain information on the Forest City sea reclamation project measuring 49 acres to the DOE headquarters for further action. – Bernama