Over recent weeks, massive criticisms were hurled at the Penang government and Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng over the state’s sea reclamation projects.

However, yesterday, at the public consultation on the RM27 billion Transport Master Plan (TMP) involving reclamation works, there were no fireworks. Queries from the public were mundane, non-assertive and non-controversial.

Even BN representatives spotted in the crowd remained silent and did not come forward to quiz Lim or state executive councillor Chow Kon Yeow and Szeto Wai Loong, the head of SRS Consortium, the project delivery partner for the TMP.

The BN representatives - like state Gerakan secretary Oh Teong Keong and state Youth leader Jason Loo who were among the 100-odd crowd at the Town Hall - let go a golden opportunity to make their voices heard at the two-hour public dialogue session.

Did the "CAT" finally get its tongue when Lim announced that all concessionaire agreements (inked by the previous BN administration) involving reclamation works will be declassified after he obtains approval from the state executive council this Wednesday?

(CAT is the initials for the Penang government’s competency, accountability and transparency slogan touted by Lim, since he took office in 2008).

Lim told to come clean

The BN had been barking incessantly at Lim for a few weeks now, asking him to come clean about the size of land given up for reclamation in his tenure as chief minister.

A motion to stop new reclamation projects filed by Umno in the Penang legislative assembly in November created a ruckus, which led to DAP Tanjung Bungah assemblyperson Teh Yee Cheu, who supported the motion, resigning from his party post. He has since apologised for going against the party.

Five PKR reps, led by party whip Ong Chin Wen, abstained from voting down the Umno motion based on their “conscience”. They were accused by Lim of “sabotage, mutiny and staging a coup within PKR”.

Lim said the present government had only approved 60 acres for reclamation compared to 3,241 acres by BN, but the latter urged Lim to come clean about the proposed 4,100 acres of reclamation at the southern post of the island involving Batu Maung and Bayan Lepas.

Lim said these were still in the planning stages and Putrajaya’s approval would be required before implementation.

Dialogue session praised

The representative from NGO Chant Awareness, Yan Lee, and Penang Island City Councillor Lim Mah Hui, who had been vocal against development which negatively impact the environment, also did not oppose the reclamation.

They merely asked for responsible development and reclamation, and praised the state government for organising dialogue sessions with the public.

“Penang has nothing to hide, let us work together,” said Yan when he took the microphone, urging the audience to give a big clap to the Penang government and the consortium.

Mah Hui did voice his concerns about the “irreversible and ecological impact” of reclamation works along Gurney Drive, but said if the project was truly needed, it must be carried out responsibly.

He questioned if charges can be imposed on cars to address traffic congestion as people were not against toll charges but cronyism.

“If we collect toll charges, perhaps we do not need to reclaim more land,” he contended.

In response to the 13 who spoke at the session, Chow promised that due process will be followed in all the reclamation projects.

“We will comply with every stage of the law and will follow all requirements; we promise that we will practise the highest level of governance,” Chow said.

He added that the independence of the detailed environmental impact assessment will be maintained as the state appoints the consultant for the studies, although the project delivery partner pays for it.

“We have told the project delivery partners that without approval, the Transport Master Plan will not be able to go on; there will also be no payment.

“This is the business risk that the companies would have to take, if the plan is not approved; it will merely end up as an academic exercise,” Chow said.