'Kuantan land reclamation project threatens biodiversity'

A land reclamation project to pave the way for a lagoon city in Kuantan can threaten biodiversity in the area, warned environmental watchdog RimbaWatch.

In a statement, the group criticised the Pahang state government's plan to develop Kuantan Laguna Resort City (KLRC) - a sea-facing resort along Pantai Gelora, saying that it endangers nearby reefs and mangroves that are crucial for biodiversity and coastal protection.

"The KLRC project will impact some of Kuantan’s mangrove forests. Coastal mangrove forests are essential to urban areas because they act as natural barriers against storm surges and coastal erosion, thereby protecting infrastructure and human lives.

"They also play a crucial role in maintaining water quality by filtering pollutants and providing critical habitats for a wide range of marine and terrestrial species, which supports biodiversity and local livelihoods," the group said.

Adding further, it said the destruction of habitats due to the project could disrupt the food chain and affect the entire ecosystem, besides causing pollution that harms marine life including coral reefs and seagrasses.

According to RimbaWatch, the proposed 730ha land reclamation development would also impact the lower-income communities that rely on the ecosystems for their livelihoods.

"Exacerbating the problem, such large development projects typically benefit the middle and upper income economically, while the environmental costs burden lower-income communities, reproducing wealth inequality," it said.

To show their opposition to the project, RimbaWatch said a group of residents in Kuantan initiated an online petition.

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