A group of representatives from the Portuguese settlement ( pix below right ) in Malacca gathered at Parliament today to demand Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to issue a stop-work order against two large-scale waterfront development projects in their area.

Regedor (community head) Peter Thomas Gomes who led the group, said the projects were approved without a Social Impact Assessment (SIA) report being done besides using an outdated Macro Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report.

“They didn’t conduct a new EIA report. They used a report which was done when Pulau Melaka was built way back in 1997. How can they carry out such a massive project like this without even doing a proper EIA report?” he asked when met at the Dewan Rakyat lobby.

The residents say the Melaka Gateway project - where land reclamation works are being done along the Ujong Pasir coastline - is affecting their livelihood especially fishermen besides  destroying the culture of the 500-year-old Portuguese community.

"It is a huge project and the fishermen are going to lose massive fishing grounds. If the sea is gone, what will their livelihood be? They will definitely suffer," said Gomes. The settlement comprises over 1,200 residents of Portuguese descent of whom more than 200 are fisherfolk.

Gomes also claimed that no official discussions were held between Portuguese community representatives and the developers, the state economic planning unit (UPEN), the environment department (DOE), the fisheries department and the drainage and irrigation department before the projects were approved.

'Meeting with God'

Save Portuguese Community Action Committee (SPACC) chairperson Martin Theseira, who was present, expressed fears the reclamation project would affect Malacca’s Unesco World Heritage Site status.

“Our concerns are well-founded. For us, it is not only a matter of livelihood but also the survival of a 500-year old culture and heritage ( left ) which we cherish and are proud of," he said.

The group said they had resorted to turning up at the Parliament as their previous complaints to the government - which included to Malacca Chief Minister Idris Haron - had fallen on deaf ears.

Gomes said to arrange a meet with Idris was like “asking for a meeting with God” as it was nearly impossible to set an appointment with him.

“The appointments are rejected and we are sidelined as we are not considered on the same level as him,” he added.

The group later handed over a memorandum to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Shahidan Kassim who received it on Najib’s behalf.