GEORGE TOWN: A marine biologist has urged the Penang government to re-measure the point where the three man-made islands, under the Penang South Reclamation (PSR) project, are to be built, warning of impending danger if it is not heeded.
Professor Dr Zulfigar Yasin from Universiti Sains Malaysia said the reclaimed lands should be built 4.5m above the chart datum and not the sea level as mentioned in the approved Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report.
(A chart datum is the level of water that charted depths displayed on a nautical chart are measured from. A chart datum is generally a tidal datum).
He said constructing the islands 4.5m above the sea level was dangerous, considering that recent research findings showed the seawater level was rising from year to year.
"Now, the chart datum is 1.7m above the sea level.
“Let’s say the islands are to be constructed 4.5m from the sea level, which is below the chart datum. This means, there is only about 3m buffer level between the chart datum and the reclaimed lands.
"During high tides, the buffer level will become much smaller in size. Imagine if the water level rises as predicted by experts. This is a recipe for disaster," he told the New Straits Times after attending a forum titled 'Climate change and sea level rise - Impacts on Penang', at Penang Heritage Trust office here today.
Zulfigar said planners should stop saying the reclaimed lands, built above sea level, are on safe ground, stressing that the chart datum level is more important while measuring the height of reclaimed islands.
"If they still use the seawater level, then they have to reclaim much higher at about 6m, but is that even viable?" he asked.
The New Straits Times today reported that disasters are imminent within 20 and 40 years upon completion of the reclaimed areas.
It was also reported that the reclamation projects portend devastating impacts that will leave a legacy of regrets for the future generation.
However, geotechnical engineering specialists had allayed concerns over the reclamation works, particularly on the PSR project, saying it would follow modern engineering design and international best practices.
The state government is planning to reclaim three islands at the southern part of Penang island, measuring about 1,800ha, to fund the RM46 billion Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP).
Recently, the PSR’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report was approved by the Department of Environment (DoE) with 72 conditions imposed.
Meanwhile, Zulfigar said fishermen would be the first to be severely impacted by the reclamation, let alone the predicted disasters.
He said by asking them to go deep into the sea to fish would not help to improve their catch in the long run.
He explained that marine lives need light to survive as well.
“After reclamation is done and the seawater level rises, the 'new' areas will get darker, hence the fish will find new areas to breed. The rise of temperature will also not help.
“So, in the end, the fishermen could be on the losing side. There is no assurance that deep water fishing will help the community with their livelihood," he added.
