GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government must clarify its position on the Jelutong landfill project amid the lack of environmental impact assessment (EIA) approval, says Penang MCA.
Its chairman Datuk Tan Teik Cheng said the project was not only a matter of commercial development but also one of residents’ quality of life, environmental safety and long-term well-being.
"The residents' concerns must be given proper consideration, and those affected must be meaningfully involved in any rehabilitation plan," he said in a statement on Thursday (Oct 29).
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"We call on the state government to make the developer’s compliance record public and explain its final decision.
"Residents should not have to resort repeatedly to petitions and protests simply to have their concerns heard.
"The government should also provide a clear public account of the project’s progress and confirm that no further extensions will be granted.
"Having made a public commitment, the state government must be prepared to act in the public interest."
The project has come under renewed scrutiny following calls by the Protect Karpal Singh Drive Action Committee (ProtectKarpal), under Persatuan Penduduk Bandar Sri Pinang Pulau Pinang, for the state government to halt the plan.
The proposed RM1bil project, which has reportedly seen five rejected EIA submissions and repeated extensions, involves rehabilitating the former Jelutong landfill and reclaiming adjacent coastal land off Karpal Singh Drive.
The Penang government had previously granted PLB Engineering Bhd (PLBE) an extension until Oct 18 to complete outstanding requirements for the project.
In an earlier statement, ProtectKarpal urged Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow to honour his pledge not to grant any further extensions, disclose the developer’s compliance status as at Oct 18, and announce the state’s decision.
The committee said a check of the Environment Department's (DOE) database on Monday (Oct 26) showed that the developer’s last EIA submission, received on March 18, was marked "tidak diluluskan" (not approved), with no subsequent submission recorded.
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It added that a telephone enquiry with the Penang DOE confirmed that no new EIA had been submitted.
The 34ha landfill, which operated for more than four decades before closing, has long been regarded as one of Penang’s most challenging environmental legacy sites.
The project was awarded to PLB Engineering Bhd under a joint development agreement signed in 2020 involving the Penang Development Corporation (PDC), the state government and the company.
