Resigned to the fact that the Penang government is adamant in carrying out its development plan, the Support Koay Jetty and Mangrove Action Group turns to the prime minister and relevant ministries for help.

Terming the clearing of mangrove trees near the Koay clan jetty in George Town as a "crime against nature", the group plans to file a special appeal with Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

It will also raise its grouses with the Culture, Arts and Heritage Ministry as well as the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry.

The group wants the ministries to prevent the destruction and initiate an inquiry on the destruction of the special eco-system and protected flying species in the swamp.

Its spokesperson Anwar Fazal said the destruction of the Koay Jetty and nearby mangrove area will seriously undermine the state government's bid to include Penang under the Unesco Heritage listing.

'Birds killed, nests destroyed'

He also pointed out that the relocation of nearly 200 endangered black-crowned night herons and other migratory birds from the mangrove area to the State National Park "has clearly violated the Wildlife Protection Act".

The State Wildlife Department is handling the relocation since last weekend, and Anwar claimed the process had killed many birds and their hatchlings as well as many nests have been destroyed.

However, the department's director Hasnan Yusop said the transfer process had been carried out with minimal casualty.

"There is bound to be casualty. But so far there has been only one bird carcass accidentally killed when trees were chopped down," he added.

On the other hand, Anwar claimed that an estimated 300 nests of about 40 species of migratory and coastal residential birds, mainly the herons, had been destroyed when the mangrove trees were chopped down.

Big plans

Early this week, Chief Minister Dr Koh Tsu Koon said the state government decided to tear down the mangrove swamp and Koay jetty to make way for a new township to be developed within the next four years.

The site is part of a 10ha area earmarked for a grand project to turn the area, which also encompasses the Noordin Street Ghaut fire site, Prangin estate and Peng Aun Chinese clan jetty, into a new commercial-cum-housing and transport hub at the south-eastern part of the city.

Among other things, the new township will feature 2,200 high-rise residential units, commercial lots and a transportation hub that includes a monorail link to Butterworth.

The grand project is part of the state government's efforts to rejuvenate George Town, which has rapidly turned into a "ghost city" since the Control of Rent (Repeal) Act 1997 was enforced on Sept 1 that year.

The support group, comprising the Penang Tourist Guides Association, Malaysian Travel Trade Association Penang Chapter, Penang Heritage Trust (PHT), Baiqi Koay Cultural Revitalisation Ad-Hoc Joint Committee, Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) Penang branch and Malaysian Chinese Muslim Association (MCMA), has been the main opponent of the project.

The group wants the mangrove and Koay jetty turned into "a world class heritage and nature park" as part of the new township plan. Koay and Peng Aun jetties are located along with another six Chinese clan jetties in the Weld Quay area.

Unlike Koay and Peng Aun, the other jetties - Lim, Chew, Tan, Lee, New and Yeoh - have been earmarked within the heritage zone demarcated in George Town and will be preserved.

Besides the group, several local and foreign academicians, nature and heritage lovers have frequently called on the state government to implement a comprehensive plan to transform the whole area into an international hub for eco-tourism, marine, cultural and heritage park and research centre.

Despite objections and proposals for alternative plans, the state government remains adamant in carrying out the project.

ATHI VEERANGGAN is malaysiakini 's Penang-based stringer.