Penang opposition leader Jahara Hamid (BN-Teluk Ayer Tawar) has questioned why the state government has failed to gazette Pulau Jerejak as state park.

Jahara said Section 10 (1) of the 1984 National Forestry Act allowed for Pulau Jerejak to be earmarked as a state park.

She expressed concern that the island, located off Bayan Baru, would be used for further development.

Currently, there is a Jerejak Resort and Spa on the island, which is jointly owned and managed by state agency Penang Development Center (PDC) and federal agency UDA Holdings Berhad.

The area where the resort is located is not part of the proposed state park, noted Jahara.

“But we are afraid that in the enthusiasm for development, the area reserved for a state park will be developed as well.

“We do not want a state icon to be gone,” Jahara told reporters at the state assembly in George Town today.

“The Penang government needs to explain why it has delayed gazetting the area as state park,” she added.

Muhammad Farid Saad (BN-Pulau Betong) asked if the land would be developed by a third developer, other than PDC and UDA.

“We hope the state government can provide us the answers to our questions as soon as possible,” he said.

Jahara noted that the state executive council meeting on April 18, 2007, had approved 295 out of 359 hectares of land on Pulau Jerejak to be gazetted as permanent forest reserves.

“Penang is the first state to have two state parks and a national park in Teluk Bahang,” she said.

Penang executive councillor on environment Phee Boon Poh (DAP-Sungai Puyu) said the state parks are in the process of being gazetted.

He said the paperwork will be finalised soon but the process to gazette the park is tied to some legal issues.

“Be patient, it is in the process of being done, and when it is done, the areas will be beautiful and smoke-free,” Phee added.