Land reclamation to go on

Diterbitkan oleh The Star • 28/10/2019

World Planning Day participants planting 50 trees near a park behind The Summer Place in Lebuh Sungai Pinang 1, Jelutong. — Photos: CHAN BOON KAI/The Star

THE Penang South Reclamation (PSR) project will go on despite public complaints as it is needed to protect the island from rising water levels, said state local government, housing, town and country planning committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo.

“One of the most severe consequences of climate change is rising water levels, apart from increasing temperatures.

“Yes, there are many ways to combat it but as an island state, rising waters is the biggest challenge,” he said.

He was speaking to reporters after launching the World Planning Day celebrations at a park behind The Summer Place in Lebuh Sungai Pinang 1, Jelutong, last Monday.

Earlier, a news portal reported that Penang Forum had heavily criticised the state’s plans to reclaim three parts of land for its PSR project, saying that it would worsen climate change.

Jagdeep said many island states and even non-island states surrounded by water were already looking at land reclamation to combat the effects of climate change.

“All over the world, they are reclaiming land around their periphery to increase the land level.

“It is to protect islands from being flooded,” he said, adding that other means were being done to help combat climate change.

(From left) Mohd Bashir, Dr Zainah, Jagdeep, Phee,Yew, Teh and Gooi attending the World Planning Day celebrations.

Jagdeep said the state would also plant more trees to combat the increasing
temperatures caused by climate changes.

“Since 2008, 350,000 trees of various species have been planted throughout Penang and we are looking to increase this number,” he said.

“This is something the state is committed to do to ensure the sustainability of the environment amid physical developments and a growing economy.

“So now our new target is to plant 200,000 trees by 2022 – 100,000 trees on Penang island and 100,000 trees on the mainland,” he added.

Jagdeep said that as a start, 50 trees would be planted as part of the World Planning Day celebrations.

He said that on top of the 50 trees, another 50 trees had earlier been planted by the Penang Island City Council (MBPP).

The celebrations were organised by PLANMalaysia@PulauPinang (Penang Town and Country Planning Department) in collaboration with the council.

PLANMalaysia@PulauPinang (Penang Town and Country Planning Department) deputy director Mohd Bashir Sulaiman said the theme for this year’s celebrations was ‘Green and Community – Together is Better’.“World Planning Day is celebrated on Nov 8 in over 30 countries.

“We celebrate this day to show appreciation of the role of country planners in creating conducive living environments to shape prosperous communities,” he said in his speech during the launch of the celebrations.

The event also saw five informative booths set up for the public to understand the roles and duties of city planning.

Also present at the event were PLANMalaysia (development) deputy chairman Datuk Dr Zainah Ibrahim, MBPP mayor Datuk Yew Tung Seang, Penang environment committee chairman Phee Boon Poh, Komtar assemblyman Teh Lai Heng, Pengkalan Kota assemblyman Daniel Gooi and Sungai Pinang assemblyman Lim Siew Khim.

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Penang South Reclamation