GEORGE TOWN: Fishermen, especially those in the southern part of Penang island, have echoed Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM)'s stand to scrap the controversial Penang South Islands (PSI) project
Penang Fishermen's Association (Pen Mutiara) chairman Ibrahim Che Ros said the fishermen would continue to oppose the reclamation project as it would gravely affect their lives and livelihoods.
He said the shrimp spawning ground and marine ecosystem would be destroyed in the project site despite the state government's decision to scale down the project.
"The livelihoods of some 1,600 Pen Mutiara members will be wiped out since the location of Island A, now known as the Silicon Island, is sited in the shrimp spawning ground.
"Reclamation on Island A will continue and it involves a huge area, about 1km from Pulau Rimau until the area we call 'kawasan kapal karam'.
"As such, our members will never agree to the project at all cost," he said when contacted today.
Earlier today, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said Penang would do away with two of three islands of the controversial PSI reclamation project.
He said this would mean a scaling down of 49 per cent of the total three man-made islands project.
The Silicon Island measures about 920ha while islands B and C, about 560ha and 320ha respectively.
During a recent visit to Penang, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had announced that the federal government would allocate additional allocation to help the state government expedite the proposed George Town - Bayan Lepas light rail transit (LRT) project.
Anwar had also asked the state government to scale down the PSI project.
Chow said the state executive council members discussed the matter yesterday and accepted the prime minister's advice.
"As such, we have decided to only proceed with the Silicon Island now, to be implemented in two phases, which will take between 10 and 15 years for reclamation works.
"Islands B and C will not proceed," he told a press conference at his office in Komtar today.
Following his announcement, Sahabat Alam Malaysia president Meenakshi Raman has asked the state government to scrap the project altogether, stressing that scaling down the PSI was not an option.
According to Ibrahim, although the scale of the reclamation has been reduced, the damage to the environment as a result of the activity remains the same.
"The fishermen, environmental activists and several non-governmental organisations (NGO) will proceed with our planned gathering to oppose the reclamation this Sunday.
"It is our hope that the state government will cancel the project altogether and not scale it down," he added.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abd Rahman, who heads the fishermen task force committee, told a separate press conference in Komtar today that they had received information with regards to Sunday's planned gathering by Pen Mutiara to object to the PSI project.
He said all fishermen who received the cost of living allowance and oil subsidy were required to go, failing which the benefits given to them would be blocked.
He added that a letter from the fishermen units' heads, addressed to all members, also said that they would not support any application which needed their confirmation if the members were absent without valid reasons.
"We regret Pen Mutiara's action. We wish to point out that the allowance and subsidy given by the federal government are based on set criterias.
"We will not stop anyone from opposing but it should be done professionally without affecting the fisherfolk. Pen Mutiara is supposed to look after the welfare of its members and not threaten them.
"Let me assure the fisherfolk that the state government is ever ready to help those in need," he said.