Penang to finalise compensation packages for fishermen soon

Published by  New Straits Times • 18/09/2019 • 05:02 pm

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, meanwhile, rubbished claims that approval for PSR was given in just two days as reported in an online portal. NSTP/RAMDZAN MASIAM

GEORGE TOWN: The state government is expected to finalise compensation packages for fishermen affected by the Penang South Reclamation (PSR) project early next month.

State Agriculture, Agro-based Industries, Rural Development and Health Committee chairman Dr Afif Bahardin said the packages would be presented to the state executive council first and then presented to the fishermen for discussion.

“I will present it on Oct 2 to get their mandate before meeting the fishermen,” he said today.

“There are a few components that we are looking into such as upskilling, empowerment programme and housing, which includes a new place for the fishermen.”

Dr Afif said the packages to be offered had taken into account the period where the reclamation would take place, which is over five years.

“We have to take into consideration the five to 10 year period and how it will affect them during the reclamation,” he added.

The Penang government is expected to reclaim three man-made islands in the southern part of the island near Permatang Damar Laut to fund the ambitious Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP).

Environmentalists and non-governmental organisations are not in favour of the reclamation and the multi-billion ringgit PTMP project as they will destroy precious marine species and also affect the fishermen’s livelihoods.

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, meanwhile, rubbished claims that approval for PSR was given in just two days as reported in an online portal.

The portal quoted Evelyn Teh, an independent senior researcher in environmental and urban studies, as saying that the Environment Department (DoE) took only two working days to approve the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the reclamation project.

“This is baseless and untrue. The EIA report presentation was done since 2017,” he said.

“Maybe there are parties which want to create a perception that the project received special treatment. This is not true.”