GEORGE TOWN: The proposed land reclamation off Karpal Singh Drive and the rehabilitation of the adjacent Jelutong landfill will strictly avoid encroaching into the ecologically sensitive Middle Bank marine sanctuary, says Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.
"The state will take steps to prevent disruption from the reclamation project, which will extend from Karpal Singh Drive, adjacent to the 36ha Jelutong landfill site that has been operating since the 1990s.
"Rehabilitation will involve excavating millions of cubic meters of waste, with recyclables to be processed while residuals will be relocated to Pulau Burung on the mainland.
"Post-rehabilitation, the area will transition into a mixed-development zone, with 20–30% of the reclaimed land allocated to the state," he told a press conference at his office in Komtar.
Chow added that the RM1bil project, a collaboration between Penang Development Corporation (PDC) and PLB Engineering Bhd, is awaiting Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) approval from the Department of Environment (DoE).
"The environmental approval is part of the EIA, which is now on public display. The public and local organisations should share their views with the developer so that the DoE can seriously consider them."
He reiterated that the concessionaire bears the full project costs, incentivising efficient execution.
However, groups such as the Protect Karpal Singh Drive Action Committee called for rigorous oversight to ensure compliance with conservation commitments, given the sanctuary’s irreplaceable role in Penang’s marine heritage.
Spanning approximately 10 square kilometers (3,861 acres or 1,562.49ha) in the South Channel between Penang Island and the mainland, the Middle Bank sanctuary is a linchpin of marine biodiversity in the Straits of Malacca.
It hosts the region’s only extensive seagrass bed, a critical ecosystem that supports over 429 documented species of flora and fauna.
Among these are seven species of seagrass, which form underwater meadows vital for carbon sequestration, coastal protection, and nurturing juvenile marine life.
The sanctuary’s rich biodiversity also includes endangered green turtles and dugongs, which rely on seagrass as their primary food source.
More than 200 fish species and invertebrates such as the seahorse, siakap, commercially significant threadfin bream, giant clams, flower crabs, and the critically endangered horseshoe crab inhabit the area.
Migratory shorebirds like the Eurasian curlew and resident species such as the white-bellied sea eagle are also found there.
The sanctuary’s seagrass meadows act as a nursery for fish and crustaceans, sustaining local fisheries and livelihoods. They also trap sediments, improving water quality and mitigating coastal erosion.
Recognised as a marine key biodiversity area (KBA), the Middle Bank is monitored by partnerships between the Penang government, academic institutions, and NGOs like the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
Regular biodiversity surveys and community-led patrolling help combat threats such as illegal trawling and plastic pollution.
