A PKR lawmaker has called on the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to investigate the Kedah government over the "Dubai of Malaysia" project where reclamation work was allowed to commence without approval from the Department of Environment (DOE).

Alor Setar MP Gooi Hsiao Leung said under section 34A(8) of the Environmental Quality Act 1974, it is a serious offence to carry out any project of such nature without first obtaining the DOE's approval.

A conviction, he said, carries a maximum fine of RM500,000 or five years imprisonment.

He urged the MACC to investigate to ensure that "no abuse of power had taken place in closing one eye" for the project to carry out without the DOE's approval.

"How could the state government, which is directly responsible for overseeing the project, allow the development project to be carried out in total disregard of the law?" Gooi asked in a statement.

"We are not talking about some minor works - and according to Sahabat Alam Malaysia - over a distance of 1km out to sea has been reclaimed and 10ha of mangroves along the coast had been affected."

Gooi was referring to the stop-work order issued by the DOE dated May 5 on the RM1.2 billion Aman Laut development project.

Dubbed "Dubai of Malaysia", the project will be developed on 49ha of reclaimed land along the coast of Kuala Kedah.

'State gov't not a mere bystander'

Confirmed by DOE general director, Ahmad Kamarulnajib Che Ibrahim, the stop-work order was issued because the development works have been carried out without first getting the DOE's approval for the project.

Gooi said the Kedah government cannot just dismiss this "flagrant disregard" of a federal law and requirement as some mere excusable mistake.

This is especially so when the state government was a direct party to the development project when it signed an MOU with the developers in December last year to undertake the 10-year project, he added.

"The state government is not a mere by-stander without any stake," Gooi said.

He expressed utter shock at the "indolent and apathetic" response by the state government thus far on the illegal commencement of the project.

He trained his guns on state executive councillors Dr Leong Yong Kong, in charge of the Kedah's environment committee and Badrol Hisham Hashim who is in charge of local government and water resources.

State executive councillor on environment Dr Leong Yong Kong dismissed the stop-work order as only temporary, while acknowledging that work is still being carried on the mainland.

Local government and water resources exco Badrol Hisham Hashim said the state would speak to the developers to re-submit the Environment Impact Assessment report.

"Without admonishing the developers or showing any concern of the stop order is totally unacceptable," Gooi said.

"There must be no cover up in this latest scandal and a full investigation must be immediately carried out by the state government in which heads must roll for failing to comply with the Environmental Quality Act," he added.