A second protest held outside the Penang Legislative Assembly in Dewan Sri Pinang today involved about 20 people who oppose the new alignment of the Bayan Lepas light transit rail (LRT) project.

According to the protesters, the 19km LRT route to Komtar would encroach on land belonging to the mosque in Sungai Nibong.

The group led by Sungai Nibong Besar Mosque Action Committee member Sophian Mohd Zain demanded that the state government and SRS Consortium, its project delivery partner for the Penang Transport Master Plan, maintain the original LRT route.

"The original LRT alignment will go past the back of the mosque, instead of in front of the mosque, under the re-alignment," Sopian said.

"We also urge the state government to continue with the rebuilding of the mosque, which they had stopped doing for four months," Sopian added.

The group submitted a memorandum to Penang state opposition leader Muhamad Yusoff Mohd Noor, who promised to raise the issue in the state assembly, which begun its sitting last Friday and will proceed until Nov 8.

Also present were assemblypersons Nor Hafizah Othman (Umno-Permatang Berangan) and Yusni Mat Piah (PAS-Penaga).

Earlier, another protest was held by the Penang Reject Reclamation group at the nearby Speakers Square in Esplanade, in solidarity with fisherfolk affected by the project in the southern part of the island.

When met by reporters, Sophian said the original mosque was earlier demolished and was supposed to be rebuilt in May.

LRT alignment stopped construction of mosque

"Although around RM4 million to RM6 million had been raised and a tender called, the construction had been stopped as there was a plan to change the LRT alignment," Sophian said.

"No reason was given for the delay. We heard that the (mosque) project will only resume by January 2020," he added.

Sophian urged the state government to continue the mosque project immediately by adopting the original plan.

He also expressed dissatisfaction with Penang Deputy Chief Minister I Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abdul Rahman for allegedly refusing to meet with the group.

"As the DCM I who is also the state executive councillor in charge of Islamic Affairs, he should meet us personally. But he only sent his representative to entertain us," Sophian said.

Muhamad Yusoff said the state should find an amicable solution for the issue and consider carefully the religious sensitivity surrounding the matter.

In the State Assembly today, Zakiyuddin said the mosque is situated between Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah and the proposed LRT alignment.

After the mosque was demolished with a plan to rebuild it, there was a proposal to realign the LRT, which was earlier planned to run about 2.7 metres in front of the mosque, Zakiyuddin said.

"The LRT realignment delayed the project to rebuild the mosque as the Public Works Department (PWD) had to amend the plans for the mosque building," Zakiyuddin explained.

"According to the PWD plan, the mosque will be rebuilt in January 2020," he added.

Zakiyuddin said the current LRT alignment is the best plan for all quarters in terms of structure and cost, after consulting the Public Land Transport Agency and the State Fatwa Council.

"The LRT will not disturb the nearby residential area and will not have an impact on the new mosque, which will be rebuilt in January," he said.

Also, the proposed LRT alignment does not change the original plan for the LRT, while the mosque will be getting a new plot of land in front of the old mosque, Zakiyuddin added.

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