GEORGE TOWN – Reclamation works that disturb or destroy seabeds must be reconsidered, especially in Penang, where they form a crucial part of the coastal ecosystem and underpin both food security and the livelihoods of local communities, a marine biologist has warned.
Associate Professor Jillian Ooi Lean Sim of Universiti Malaya said the Penang government should explore rehabilitation options for the Jelutong landfill that do not require extending into the sea.
“The seabed is not just an empty space to be filled (as) it is a living, functional part of the coastal ecosystem that supports the livelihoods of coastal communities and Penang’s food security,” she told Scoop via email.
“Disturbing or destroying it should never be taken lightly, especially when the EIA (report of the project) itself indicates that rehabilitation of the landfill is possible without expanding into the sea.”
Ooi’s comments come as local opposition grows against the proposed reclamation project, which is part of a RM1 billion effort to rehabilitate the Jelutong landfill. Residents fear the project would jeopardise the fragile Middle Bank ecosystem off the coast of Karpal Singh Drive.
The Protect Karpal Singh Drive (ProtectKarpal) action committee, made up of residents living along the popular waterfront, has urged Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow to scrap the reclamation component, noting that the project’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) itself confirms the landfill can be rehabilitated within its existing footprint.
Ooi echoed these sentiments, stating that if the landfill can be restored without reclamation, then that route would be the more responsible and less damaging one.
“At the very least, the reclamation component of the project should be shelved until there is a transparent, independent review of whether it is truly needed, and whether all viable alternatives have been genuinely considered. If the goal is to rehabilitate a degraded site, then the outcome should not come at the expense of a fragile and ecologically rich part of Penang’s coastline,” she said.
Last month, Chow claimed that the project would not damage the Middle Bank seagrass meadow, saying it would not encroach upon the area. However, ProtectKarpal disputed the claim, pointing out that the EIA itself states the proposed reclamation site is located within Middle Bank.
When asked whether seagrass meadows can be safeguarded from the effects of sludge and silt caused by reclamation activities, Ooi said multiple factors must be considered — including water currents, monsoon patterns, and the timing and intensity of the works — making it difficult to guarantee the area will remain unaffected.
Drawing from her research, she noted that similar reclamation efforts elsewhere have led to the degradation of seagrass habitats and the collapse of local fisheries within a generation.
“It (reclamation) should be a last resort, only justifiable in situations where inaction would lead to tragedy or catastrophic consequences.
“Rather than assuring the people of Penang that the project will not physically encroach on the Middle Bank, shouldn’t the project proponents be demonstrating that the need to build new land is beyond doubt — and that its ecological cost has been fully and transparently accounted for?”
Middle Bank, a 10-square-kilometre seagrass meadow off the coast of Jelutong, is home to 429 documented species including fish, marine mammals, birds, turtles, molluscs and arthropods, according to the Penang Institute’s Protecting Penang’s Marine Biodiversity report.
Calls to gazette Middle Bank grow louder
ProtectKarpal has called for Middle Bank to be gazetted as a marine sanctuary — a proposal supported by Ooi, who said the idea has also been championed by other marine scientists.
“The benefits of gazetting Middle Bank are ultimately about long-term food security for Penang and the socio-economic wellbeing of local fishers and people who harvest seafood from the seagrass and surrounding sea.
“It’s a living, productive ecosystem that contributes directly to coastal livelihoods and the seafood supply. Replacing a seabed that contributes to feeding people with a project that deals with waste — now that’s a painful irony,” she added.
The Penang government, through the Penang Development Corporation (PDC), signed a deal with Perai-based PLB Engineering Bhd in 2020 to rehabilitate and redevelop the Jelutong landfill, which currently juts into the sea near Karpal Singh Drive. The project includes plans to reclaim part of the nearby coastline to transform the site into prime real estate, with commercial and recreational spaces.
The project is expected to take five to six years, with further development of the land stretching over two decades.
The public feedback period for the EIA ended on April 5, but ProtectKarpal has urged for the deadline to be extended to April 30 to allow more voices to be heard.
When contacted by Scoop, Penang Department of Environment director Norazizi Adinan said any extension to the deadline must be approved by the central Department of Environment in Putrajaya, and an application must be submitted directly to the Evaluation Department. – April 15, 2025