Guan Eng: Southern coast reclamation project will not be approved if people are against it

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government is prepared not to approve the proposal to reclaim two huge plots of land off the southern coast of Penang Island if the people are against it.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said his administration wanted to get the views and opinion of the people before finalising anything.
"If the matter is rejected by the people, we are prepared to cancel," he said in a press conference today.
Lim also said no approval was given for the proposal to reclaim a 930ha plot and a 445 plot near the Batu Maung coast.
The proposal to reclaim the land is to fund the RM27billion Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP) for which the state has appointed SRS Consortium as the project delivery partner (PDP).
In the same press conference, Penang Islamic Affairs Committee chairman and Batu Maung assemblyman Datuk Abdul Malik Abul Kassim dismissed allegations the state was not concerned about fishermen there.
He said the state government will be conducting feedback gathering sessions in the near future and he has met many of them on an individual basis.
"I will protect the rights of the people as an assemblymen and as a member of the Penang government," he said after a group of fishermen on Monday alleged Abdul Malik was not concerned about their situation.