KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 25): Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) and Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) disagree with the reclamation of state-owned Gurney Wharf, which is dubbed as an `artificial waterfront park-in-the-city’, due to the potential devastating environmental impacts caused by the project.

Its president S.M Mohamed Idris questioned the State government's commitment towards environmental justice for all, because on one hand it was keen on greening the environment but at the same time allow the depletion of natural resources and environmental destruction.

“Sourcing of fill material which includes sand and rocks for the reclamation is a major issue of concern. To create a park here, you are actually causing devastating impacts to the natural environment elsewhere, following quarrying and sand-mining or dredging activities to source these fill material.

“The public is also not aware of the implications of such development, unless it happens in their own backyard,” he said in a statement.

He said there could be other ways to improve the Gurney Drive foreshore without a project of such magnitude and implications, while stressing on the direct and indirect economic and environmental impact of the project.

Mohamed Idris was commenting on the Gurney Wharf project that is part of Eastern and Oriental Bhd (E&O)’s RM1.07 billion Phase 2A reclamation.

Phase 2A is part of three-phased Seri Tanjung Pinang 2 reclamation, measuring 760 acres. Gurney Wharf, which is about 60 acres in size, is within 131 acres of land that will be surrendered by E&O to the state, as per the conditions in the concessionaire agreement.

It is understood that costs for reclamation and its landscape masterplan would be borne by E&O, while the state funds the landscaping project that could cost up to several hundred million ringgit.

It was reported that the sand and rocks as fill material for the reclamation which would be carried by Shanghai and Hong Kong-listed China Communications Construction Co Ltd (CCCC) at a cost of RM2.32 billion, would be locally sourced.

Gurney Wharf will see the existing Gurney Drive’s extension of an average 80 metres, and an eight-lane expressway alongside it, as well as feature a 400-metre long artificial beach, retail food and beverage outlets, and water gardens.

Mohamed Idris said the impacts of reclamation and messing up with Mother Nature and the natural shape of the island were still not fully understood, but has received complaints from the public that the Tanjung Bungah coast on Penang island has a muddy seabed, making it difficult to swim.

“We are uncertain as to the cause for these, but more reclamation of this kind will further damage our sea and beaches. Another issue of concern is creation of the artificial sandy beach.

“This waterfront development is basically “pieces of artificial nature”. We need to understand why in the first place the foreshore of Gurney Drive became muddy. It was a sandy beach a few decades ago and thus, the source of this problem has to be addressed first.

“Otherwise maintaining this artificial beach is going to be expensive. And also, there is the issue of sourcing sand for the beach for many, many more years, if the foreshore continues to be sedimented,” he said.

E&O closed two sen or 1.29% today, up at RM1.57, for a market capitalisation of RM1.97 billion.