GEORGE TOWN, Nov 28 – Pulau Betong Assemblyman Muhammad Farid Saad on Friday said a proposal presented to the state legislative assembly sitting last week relating to sea embankment projects was to voice public concern on the management of state property and heritage by the DAP-led government.
The Barisan Nasional (BN) representative said the state government’s action had raised the people’s concerns and doubts. The projects were the Highway and Seabed Tunnel, Gurney Drive beach coastal reclamation and Permatang Damar Laut coastal reclamation, he told a media conference here jointly with Penang BN chairman Teng Chang Yeow.
He said, among others, the 53-hectare reclamation work on the Gurney Drive, which is part of the Seri Tanjung Pinang Phase 2 package, would definitely caused an adverse impact. During last Friday’s sitting, Muhammad Farid had presented a proposal that the state government holds a public hearing on the sea embankment project.
Muhammad Farid also sought that new sea embankment projects be suspended until further studies are carried out to ensure no adverse impact on the environment as well as cancel those that had an adverse environmental impact. However the proposal was rejected after it failed to get majority support with only 10 assemblymen, including nine from BN supporting while 23 assemblymen from Pakatan Harapan rejected it. But there were still five PKR assemblymen chose to be exempted.
