SAM urges land reclamation projects in Penang be stopped immediately

GEORGE TOWN: Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) has urged the federal government to take firm action to immediately stop all proposals for land reclamation projects in Penang which would clearly threaten the environment and the lives of fishermen in the state.
SAM officer Zulkifli Ahmad said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had previously given the federal government's assurance that it would not approve any land reclamation projects which were not environment-friendly and disadvantaged the people.
"But there is no assurance from the Penang state government that such projects do not threaten the environment and fishermen.
"So SAM wants the federal government to make a decision to cancel such projects because they clearly cause hardship to the fishermen whose catch have dropped drastically by 70% and fish resources are becoming depleted (due to land reclamation projects)," he told a press conference here today.
He said mud sediments in the land reclamation areas had polluted the coastline and fishermen's nets were also destroyed, with the worst affected areas being Tanjong Tokong, Sungai Gelugor, Batu Uban, Persiaran Gurney and Queensbay. — Bernama