Kon Yeow: Penang government open to reviewing reclamation projects if needed

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government is open to reviewing reclamation projects if the need arose, said State Local Government, Traffic Management and Flood Mitigation committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow (pix).

He said the state welcomes any review conducted and stressed regulations on such work will be complied with.

The state administration was not above the law and will have to abide with the rules just like everybody else, he added.

"Reclamation will not happen if there is no approval," he said after a working visit to the Sungai Pinang constituency accompanied by assemblyman Lim Siew Khim and several Penang Island City Council councilors.

Chow was asked about the issue after the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry urged the state to review all reclamation projects.

He said the reclamation in Gurney Drive was approved by the previous administration when the subject was broached.

"We have to follow the law," he added.

Reclamation at the popular seafront is Phase 1 of the Gurney Drive reclamation and landscaping project known as Gurney Wharf.

The second phase of the project conducted by developer Eastern & Oriental Bhd (E&O) entails the development of a seaside retail and food and beverage (F&B) element, water gardens and coastal grove.

The 24.28ha project is expected to be completed by mid-2018 and extends the beach by an average of 80m and provides a 400m long beach along the 1.5km stretch.

The project is part of the RM1.04billion Seri Tanjung Pinang 2 (STP2) project which comprises reclaiming 370.56ha off the Tanjung Tokong and Gurney Drive coast.