Explain latest extension for landfill project developer, Penang govt told

GEORGE TOWN: A residents’ group has called on the Penang government to explain why PLB Engineering Bhd was given more time to obtain an environmental impact assessment (EIA) approval for the long-delayed Jelutong landfill project.

Earlier today, the state government announced that PLB, the project developer, had been given until Oct 18 to ensure that the conditions were met.

Protect Karpal Singh Drive Action Committee said the extension appeared to go against an assurance chief minister Chow Kon Yeow gave residents in June last year that there would be no further extension if PLB failed to obtain an EIA approval by Feb 26.

“If that promise changes when the (new) deadline arrives, voters will naturally question the value of future promises,” its chairman, Dr K Ganesh, said in a statement.

PLB applied for the extension of time during the Aug 5 state executive council meeting, having previously failed to meet the EIA requirements needed to proceed with the project.

The environment department has rejected its EIA five times.

The RM1 billion project involves rehabilitating the old Jelutong landfill and reclaiming 28.3ha of coastal land beside Karpal Singh Drive.

The landfill, about 3km from George Town’s heritage centre, has been used since the early 1970s. Only construction debris and garden waste have been allowed there since 2002.

The residents have previously called for the reclamation to be dropped, saying the original plan was to rehabilitate the landfill and provide green space.

The state has said the reclaimed land is needed to sort and recycle waste from the landfill before the site is cleaned up and developed.

Ganesh said there should be no further extension after Oct 18.

“Publish the documents. Explain the apparent special treatment. Honour the promise. If PLB fails again on Oct 18, terminate the joint development agreement,” he said.

FMT has reached out to PLB Engineering for comment.