PSI project undergoes transparent due process

Published by TheStar • 17/5/2023

“The recent Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) approval was secured following a stringent and professional process starting in 2021,” said Gamuda.

PETALING JAYA: The Penang South Islands (PSI) land reclamation project had undergone a comprehensive and transparent due process that led to the approval of the PSI project, says Gamuda Bhd.

Gamuda, which is the majority shareholder of the project’s developer SRS Consortium Sdn Bhd, said the approval of the PSI project covers not only the concerns of the environmentalists and the “anti-development” lobby, but also balances that with the well-being of the communities in the vicinity of the project.

“Most of all, the economic development roadmap agreed with the Penang state planners for the benefit of the overwhelming majority.

“The recent Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) approval was secured following a stringent and professional process starting in 2021, including two public displays to gather public feedback and a series of technical review meetings,” Gamuda said in a statement yesterday.

“The process involved subject matter experts and specialist studies covering hydraulics and hydrology, social impact, marine and coastal ecology.

“Over 4,000 official feedbacks were registered during the public display process, of which an overwhelming 93% of public comments were positive,” it added.

Gamuda said its partners in the project are the local community, adding that a survey by independent consultants revealed that 63% of the fishing community in the south coast of Penang island have a monthly income of RM1,000 to RM2,000.

“We are determined to improve their livelihoods by immediately improving their catch and eventually by preparing them for the job opportunities arising from the long-term project.

“Together with the Penang state government, through our three service centres or Pusat Khidmat Setempat Nelayan, we are providing larger boats with bigger engines,” it said.

“We are also upgrading local berthing and boat repair facilities, as well as ensuring all-weather access to the sea.

“In the next 24 months alone, we have identified 550 marine-related jobs for the local workforce, from seafaring work to being crew members of the sand dredgers,” it added.

The company said it is also developing the training modules to be used as part of the “on-the-job training” to ensure their fitness for the purpose.

Over the next 20 years, thousands of jobs will also be available during the construction phase, it said.

Gamuda said it also plans to roll out technical and vocational education and training courses for the local youth as a way of uplifting livelihoods through better-paying jobs.