Will Straits of Malacca reclamation project create promised jobs, ask activists
PETALING JAYA : A coalition of NGOs, activists, and residents has questioned the Straits of Malacca Waterfront Economic Zone (SM-WEZ) project and whether it will create 75,000 jobs as promised, pointing to previous projects that were launched but now lie abandoned.
Save Our Seashores Melaka cited the Melaka Gateway and Twin Island City Centre reclamation projects as examples, saying both had been abandoned and were now 'deserted like ghost towns'.
The Melaka Gateway project, launched in February 2014, was meant to transform the state into a major maritime hub by 2025. However, after years of delays, its commercial and cruise terminals remain incomplete with large portions of reclaimed land left idle.
Similarly, the Twin Island City Centre project, launched in May 1996, promised to turn reclaimed islands into new business districts with hotels and shopping malls. But the islands likewise remain largely unoccupied with little economic activity.
The coalition claimed that the SM-WEZ project was shaping up to be another white elephant.
'The project promises RM100 billion in investment and 75,000 jobs. Malaccans have heard these empty promises before.
'SM-WEZ is shaping up to be another expensive white elephant, driven by speculative real estate interests, not the genuine needs of the people,' it said in a statement.
It also warned that the reclamation for the SM-WEZ, which covers some 1,119 hectares of land along 33km of coastline, could worsen environmental degradation and food insecurity.
Citing an environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the project, it said the dumping of 112 million cubic metres of sand would destroy marine habitats and displace coastal fishermen, impacting livelihoods and local seafood supplies.
'We urge the government to cancel this reckless reclamation project and focus instead on sustainable development that protects our heritage, environment, and wellbeing,' the group said.
It also expressed concern that the project could jeopardise Melaka's Unesco World Heritage Site status and violate the National Heritage Act 2005, as parts of the development overlap with protected zones.
The EIA for the project is currently open for public feedback. The coalition is calling on concerned citizens to submit their objections online before the report is approved.
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