Penang to proceed with PSR reclamation works

The Penang South Reclamation (PSR) project will benefit the state’s socio-economy, besides creating various jobs and stimulating economic growth, says Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abd Rahman.

Penang’s new islands to take shape from March

The Penang South Reclamation (PSR) project will benefit the state’s socio-economy, besides creating various jobs and stimulating economic growth, says Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abd Rahman.

Penang growing stronger, to continue attract investments

THE key success factors of Penang being the ‘Silicon Valley of the East’ are mainly due to its capabilities to attract foreign investors, says Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow. In a virtual interview session with Metro Radio Hong Kong recently, Chow, who is the first-term chief minister, was upbeat about the state’s prospects in attracting interests from various well-known multinational companies. “Supply chain and talent are among the most important factors in investment decisions and they are the key reasons for Penang’s success all this while. “The state’s policy and initiatives have always been focusing on strengthening supply chain and retain talents. “Some of the prominent semiconductor-related players in Penang include Broadcom, Intel, Micron, TF AMD and Western Digital; while notable electronics manufacturing services (EMS) companies are Flex, Jabil, Plexus and others. “The state government will continue with its effort to attract investments from the targeted industries,” he said during the Question and Answer (Q&A) session with Metro Radio Hong Kong. Besides that, Penang is heading towards becoming a smart city with various initiatives being carried out. The state can be considered as one of the role models for the country in terms of its smart, green and sustainable city. Among the initiatives which are being implemented are the cashless transactions and the 5G technology. In light of current pandemic, Chow said the e-commerce has now become one of the growing platforms for businesses to venture. “For instance, many companies have adopted e-commerce as one of the alternatives to promote their business amid the pandemic. “Apart from that, cashless transactions have been adopted by the consumers when purchasing their stuff. It is an excellent move to note that Penang is heading towards that direction. “On top of that, the state is also implementing the 5G technology,” he said. On the expansion of Penang International Airport (PIA) in Bayan Lepas, Chow said the expansion was supposed to begin last year but it was disrupted due to Covid-19. “It was suspended by the Federal Government as they were in the midst of conducting the National Airport Strategic Plan (NASP) study, which is expected to be completed in 2023. “The Federal Government have been called not to suspend the expansion work while NASP study is ongoing,” he said. Chow, nevertheless, noted the airport’s current capacity could accommodate 6.5 million passengers annually. “The expansion to cater for 16 million passengers will be the next phase, in the next 15 to 20 years. “The state is confident that a clean and competent governance is the key to making Penang an attractive destination, ” he added. Touching on the Penang South Reclamation (PSR) project, Chow said there are three islands planned in the project. “The three islands will comprised of smart cities where residents can have a balanced life, as well as maintain a healthy and social lifestyle. “One-fifth of the PSR land will be used for affordable housing units. “It will help to spur Penang further,” he said. Separately, on the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme, Chow pointed out that it was the initiative by the Federal Government. He said there was no development on the matter to date. “If anyone interested in MM2H, kindly visit www.mm2h.gov.my for more information. “When border reopens, I believe many Hong Kongers would make their way to Penang due to the similarities between both places,” he said while praising Hong Kong actor Philip Keung Ho-man for promoting the state. Story by Edmund LeePix by Muhamad Amir Irsyad Omar

Penang govt, SRS Consortium form JV firm to implement PSR reclamation works

GEORGE TOWN, March 25 — The Penang government will establish a joint-venture (JV) company with SRS Consortium to carry out reclamation works under phase one of the Penang South Reclamation (PSR) project. Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said this was following the state executive council meeting which had decided that the reclamation works at Island A will be implemented through a partnership. He said with this announcement, preliminary survey and soil investigation works will start on Monday, March 29, and would take three months. “For implementation via partnership approach, two joint-venture companies will be established, namely project developer and turnkey contractor, wherein the interest of the state government will be represented by Penang Infrastructure Corporation Sdn Bhd. “Partnership shareholding of the state government and SRS is 30:70 and SRS will finance all equity capital and manage the loans needed to fulfil all its obligations in the project development,” he told reporters here today. Elaborating further, Chow said the development of Island A would not be implemented under the Project Delivery Partner (PDP) model but instead a supplementary agreement would be signed to incorporate the changes to the project implementation approach. “The development in Island A would be the economic catalyst for Island B and Island C in the future.” The first phase of the project spans 485.62 hectares out of the total 930.78 hectares of land in Island A, PSR. He said the state government does not need to fork out any fund for the joint-venture company and the implementation of the works was awarded to the turnkey contractor who would appoint Gamuda Engineering for the reclamation works under Phase 1. “The appointment of Gamuda Engineering is as a guarantee that the reclamation works will proceed as planned, including to slow down reclamation works if there is a lack of demand for land in Island A and vice versa,” he said. Under the PSR project, the state government has proposed a development project to reclaim 1,821 hectares of the sea area, including the construction of three islands in the southern area of the Penang International Airport to the waters of Permatang Damar Laut. — Bernama

Reclamation work should start by June, says Penang

PENANG: The state government is committed to implementing the Penang South Reclamation (PSR) project and expects work to start in late May or early June, deputy chief minister Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abdul Rahman said. He said the coastal reclamation work would begin once the Environmental Management Plan (EMP) had been approved. He expected this to be done in May. “The Department of Environment has standard operating procedures and they are professional in their work approach. “There is no reason for us to speculate (that the EMP will be denied),” he said at a news conference after visiting the Island A reclamation site today. The visit covered three locations at Island A, namely where the reclamation work starts, the southernmost part and the westernmost. He said the visit to the first location was to see the distance between the new island and the existing beach area, which is about 300m. The beach will be 4km from the southernmost location of the reclaimed island. Under the PSR project, the state government has proposed the development of a reclaimed sea area of 1,821ha, including the creation of three man-made islands south of the Penang International Airport, in the waters of Permatang Damar Laut.

Working with nature in the reclamation of Penang South Islands

With increasing land demand for industrial, commercial and housing developments, land reclamation is a way to ensure sufficient land for Penang’s future growth. THE Penang South Islands (PSI) is a cluster of three man-made islands off the southern coast of Bayan Lepas near the Penang International Airport.  The first to be reclaimed is Island A, where Phase 1 is master planned to be a self-contained smart township in line with key themes of Penang 2030 – increase liveability, upgrade the economy to raise household incomes, and invest in the built environment to increase resilience. Built with climate resilience in mind PSI’s southern location is strategically chosen for its limited environmental sensitivity, as it is in a natural bay area with relatively shallow waters and benign currents, which limits hydraulic impact. Adopting the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) sea level rise projections for development planning, PSI will be designed to be resilient against climate change and allow for implementation of mitigation measures progressively if the need indeed arises. From the start, the reclamation will ensure PSI has a minimum platform level of 3m above the mean sea level (MSL), which exceeds sea level rise (SLR) requirements. Assuming the sea level will rise by 0.75m by 2100, PSI’s minimum platform level will generously allow the development to face sea level surges when storms coincide with high tide. In addition, platform levels inland will be even higher still, to facilitate natural gravity drainage to the sea.  Co-existing with nature as far as possible Committed to meet all 72 conditions in the project’s approved Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report, the reclamation will minimise impact while maximising the benefits of developing the new island. During reclamation, silt curtains will be installed to trap suspended particulate matter to safeguard water quality and marine life. Sand for the reclamation will come from EIA-approved sites off Selangor and Perak. To improve water flow for channel flushing, the channel between the reclaimed site and the Penang Island’s shoreline crest will be dredged. The deepened channel will also enable fishermen to go out to fish regardless of the tide. The deepened channel will also facilitate navigation for other vessels such as marine patrol boats, water taxis, and 100-seater catamarans. Improving livelihoods and marine ecosystem On the socioeconomic front, PSI will transform fishermen’s lives through the Social Impact Management Plan (SIMP) drawn up based on fishermen feedback and input from related government agencies. It offers fishermen ex-gratia payments and new boats & engines as well as initiatives that lead to new and additional job prospects, business opportunities, education and training schemes. Local fishermen in Permatang Tepi Laut, Sungai Batu, Gertak Sanggul and Teluk Kumbar will also get four new jetties equipped with floating pontoons, storage areas, fish stalls, restaurants, boat repair facilities and other community amenities. The multipurpose jetty in Permatang Tepi Laut has huge tourism potential, being walking distance from the future Permatang Damar Laut LRT station, which is one station from the Penang Airport LRT station. This jetty will have a tourist jetty, alfresco restaurants, river promenade, park, fish market, and shops. All these initiatives will add value to the fishermen’s trade and profession, presenting them and their family members job and business opportunities that will generate additional income and make life better. Meanwhile, ecology offset measures will be rolled out to ensure the sustainability of fisheries. Artificial reefs deployed off Pulau Kendi and Pulau Rimau near the PSI site will promote marine life, provide feeding ground for fish, and help prevent coastal erosion, while the release of fish and prawn fry on a regular basis will help maintain fish stock. Mangroves will also be planted as they are known to provide breeding grounds for marine life protect coastlines from storm surges and tsunamis, and prevent sea water from intruding upstream into rivers. Under the PSI development, there are plans to plant 5ha of mangroves in Teluk Tempoyak before moving on to Pulau Betong, Penaga and Juru.  With its green and socioeconomic initiatives in place, PSI will be a development that fulfils local aspirations to build a resilient and more inclusive Penang for the people’s benefit.

Penang South Islands creates jobs, tangible state assets and increases social capital

From the Penang Infrastructure Corporation Time and again we have been allaying misconceptions regarding Penang South Islands (PSI). Penang and its people will gain from the tangible returns and social capital from PSI that will be disproportionately high to the investment in the form of innumerable benefits. Penang stands to gain enormously from the PSI project. The reclamation work of Island A alone will inject RM7 billion in domestic investment while generating thousands of new job opportunities in Penang. Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflow into the three completed islands is estimated at over RM70 billion, and the ensuing gross domestic product (GDP) contribution and job creation estimated to be RM100 billion. There will more than 300,000 jobs respectively where at least half are knowledge and highly skilled jobs, over a 30-year development time frame for the three PSI islands. These projections are not “plucked from thin air” as alleged by irresponsible commentators. They are based on the actual experience of Penang’s developmental history, in particular, the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone that had attracted more than RM50 billion since 1980, produced in the independent study by one of the big four audit and consultancy firms, PricewaterhouseCoopers. Green development The development plan for PSI was prepared in consultation with the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) 2019 guidelines, Low Carbon Cities Framework, and the independent study by the world-renowned Royal HaskoningDHV, headquartered in the Netherlands. The joint occurrence of high tides and a 1000-year storm surge has been accounted for in the design of Island A’s minimum platform level of 3m above mean sea level. 20% of PSI land is reserved for green parks, mangroves, water canals, wetlands, floodplains and bioswales to enhance biodiversity, cooling the environment by one to two degrees Celsius. PSI’s environmental offset programmes have also included 4km mangrove wetlands that will provide additional shoreline protection while also promoting biodiversity. The Green Tech Park on Island A will appeal to global electrical and electronic (E&E) companies and is designed to achieve 50% carbon reduction by 2030. A lifestyle campus-like environment will aid in enhancing industry collaboration with education institutions, enabling development and upskilling of our workforce, and moving the industry up the value chain. In addition, there will also be ample lush public open spaces spread across the island such as 7km of Central Canal, 3km of public beaches and 5km of esplanade. And by putting bicycles ahead of cars, the 140km of bicycle and walking tracks island-wide and 7km of navigational waterway will result in seamless connectivity and an additional transportation mode. A world-class tourist area is also included into the development of PSI to complement George Town, supported by attractive clusters of F&B, entertainment, a market place and food hall, fishermen’s wharf, waterfront esplanade, performance halls and other iconic spaces. Education campuses will be set up, creating a hub for education, attracting local as well as international students. These green open spaces and facilities that can be turned into venues for leisure activities, events and festivals that promote Penang’s local culture and eco-tourism, will benefit locals and tourists alike. PSI serves Penangites The PSI development is aligned with the Penang2030 socio-economic vision to increase liveability to improve quality of life; to upgrade the economy by raising household incomes; and to invest in built environment or infrastructure to enhance Penang’s resilience. The combination of industrial, commercial, residential, public space, and green lungs in the PSI is designed to create tangible state assets and boost social capital in Penang. PSI is not a business-as-usual development. The project is grounded on independent studies prepared by reputable international expertise such as the United Nations’ IPCC, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Royal HaskoningDHV. Developing Penang for the projected industrial demands, social challenges, and climate conditions should be based on proven expertise – not on the fringe view from irresponsible commentators without any experience of completing large-scale infrastructural development. By providing capital inflow, generating jobs, creating tangible state assets, and boosting social capital, the PSI project will bring improvements to our economy and personal lives for many years to come.

Penang South Island project expected to kickstart in 2H22

The project will likely complete by 2030 and the state govt is submitting a new EIA report for the project THE Penang South Island (PSI) project, formerly known as the Penang South Reclamation (PSR) project, is expected to start at the beginning of the second half of 2022 (2H22) and is expected to complete by 2030. Penang Chief Minister (CM) Chow Kon Yeow (picture) said the state government needs to submit a new environmental impact assessment (EIA) report for the project. “The three proposed islands were previously not indicated in their state structure plan so they had to submit a judicial review. “The second action that we have taken is to resubmit our EIA because we are looking at a different scheduling of the island reclamation work to be done. “The technical engagement with all the technical agencies has just been completed and we have submitted a fresh EIA to the Department of Environment for consideration,” he said during a press conference after the Penang 2030 briefing yesterday. The Penang state government plans to make the first island in the project a high-technology investment site which is strategically located nearby Bayan Lepas airport and transport infrastructure. “This would take probably several years seven to eight years to complete the first island, maybe six years at least, so we are looking at maybe 2030 is a very good year for the completion of many infrastructure projects in Penang,” the CM explained. Last month, Chow mentioned that they would proceed with their very own light rail transit (LRT) system through public-private partnership and other private financing initiatives if they have not received approval. The federal government promised to fund RM2 billion for the project in November last year. The Penang LRT line stretches as long as 19km from Bayan Lepas and comprises of 30 stations. The project itself is supposed to cost RM8.5 billion. “Under the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP), we find that we do face a lot of challenges because it is tied to the financing model of the reclamation of the three islands. Nevertheless, we will be looking at unbundling the LRT project,” he said. They are calling out for a request for proposal soon from private, local or foreign sectors. “We have also received another proposal to implement our Automated Guideway Transit project across the channel from Butterworth to Penang Island under the PTMP. “We are looking at how we could put it on the market for interested investors to pick up some of this project individually or collectively as a package.” When asked about whether electric vehicle (EV) charging stations would roll out in Penang, Chow, unfortunately, said there are not many EVs in Penang. However, they are willing to collaborate with any private sector that wants to roll out their facilities on the island. As for solar panel installation, the state government is willing to cooperate with the federal government as they have already come up with guidelines on solar farms in Penang that do not require conversion of land use for solar pumps to be implemented. Part of the Penang 2030 plan, it involves adopting a low-carbon city framework in transport and mobility by 2030. “We will be at the same time implementing several projects under the PTMP and hopefully within the next few years, we will be able to upgrade our road infrastructure,” Chow added. Through this plan, he hopes Penang would recover from the Covid-19 pandemic with a GDP of 5.4% by 2025.

Giving pulse to Silicon Island

The first island from PSI will have a purpose-built city to achieve Penang’s growth goals THE emerging Island A in Penang South Islands (PSI) is a greenfield that holds many possibilities as an outstanding place to live and work in. Girded by best practices for environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations, PSI is envisioned to be a climate-resilient place anchored by cutting edge industries and enterprises, and supported by infrastructure for seamless journeys amid open spaces. Dubbed Silicon Island, the first island to emerge from the Penang South Reclamation project will immediately carve its mark on the regional stage, as the place to be for the electrical and electronics (E&E) industry. Just like New York’s financial district and Los Angeles’ Hollywood, Silicon Island (also known as Island A) will be carefully curated from the start, instead of being allowed to evolve organically as it is designed as a place to secure Penang’s future as a high-tech manufacturing hub to complement the rest of the country’s industrial landscape. Having a purpose-built city to achieve Penang’s growth goals, which complements the Penang2030 Vision, is not a theoretical or academic exercise, as it has roots in other interactive and inspiring spaces such as the 2,400ha Sophia Antipolis in France, the Brainport Eindhoven in the Netherlands, and Singapore’s Jurong Innovation District. All these cities make for good examples of how industrial and technology cities understand that human capital is what makes a tech-based city successful – with talents automatically attracted to an outstandingly built environment at the right location. According to Zairil Khir Johari, state executive councillor for infrastructure and transport, Penang must chart its own path by creating its niche as nations and regions compete for investments and tourist dollars. “The PSI is the catalyst for Penang’s socio-economic growth in the next 50 years and beyond. Its role is not simply to expand the existing industrial sector but also to create a climate-resilient township for Penangites to live, work, do business, and raise their families. “As everyone knows, Penang’s success today as the one of the most developed cities in Malaysia and the state with the highest GDP per capita outside of Kuala Lumpur is largely due to our industrial sector. “For us to grow this sector, both in terms of scale by attracting even more investors, as well as in terms of value by attracting more advanced industries with higher paying jobs, it is pivotal for us to provide an ESG-compliant industrial park. “Don’t forget what happened to Dyson’s Malaysian supplier when ESG non-compliance saw them losing their lucrative contract with the British giant,” Zairil said, adding that its proximity to the mature E&E ecosystem in Bayan Lepas, as well as the Penang International Airport, are already huge plus points. World-class public space All developments on Silicon Island will be subject to the Urban Design Guideline to help curate things in the right direction, in order that the place will present a good balance between hard structures – and all these meant for nature to establish itself. “Every square inch of PSI is curated with environmental and social benefits in mind. For example, 20% or 182ha (450 acres) of Island A’s 931ha (2,300 acres) is reserved for green spaces such as public parks, water canals, wetlands, floodplains and bioswales which will promote biodiversity. “Island A will have its own 20-acre mangrove area, creating new marine habitat for fishes and prawn. The PSI will also deploy artificial reefs and fish aggregating devices and build eco-shorelines at the islands’ perimeter – contributing to the sustainability of coastal fisheries,” Zairil added. As user experience with public spaces determine one’s daily experience in cities, good planning of these spaces will be of paramount importance on Silicon Island as it will make or break the emerging city’s success in drawing talents, investments and visitors. In a global competition organised by the state, Denmark-based Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) emerged as the lead masterplanner for the development that will eventually have three islands. Silicon Island will aim high, with BIG founder and creative director Bjarke Ingels saying that they had “set the bar as high as humanly possible by imagining a new archipelago that aims to be more culturally and biologically diverse than existing conditions.” Green spaces and biodiversity As far as Silicon Island is concerned, wide open green areas are the norm, not the exception. First, there is a network of coastal parks that are fully accessible to the public. These consist of a mixture of public beaches and esplanades that are designed as recreational and family-friendly public gathering spaces. In addition to improving air quality and helping to ease tropical daytime temperatures, vegetation has the power to humanise cities by attracting people to outdoor activities. As cities become denser, access to green public spaces will become even more important as urban forestation can lower stress levels and enhance well-being by moderating the urban heat island effect. The 3km (60m-wide) stretch of new sandy public beaches is an integral part of Silicon Island, with this public beach forming the largest public leisure and recreational space for the island. Silicon Island will feature lush and shaded canals with spaces for dining and leisure. Equipped with multiple activity zones ranging from cycling tracks, jogging paths, playgrounds, to outdoor gyms, just to name a few, this beach is also expected to be a venue for water sports along the promenade. The 5km long (40m-wide) esplanade runs continuously alongside the marine waterfront with the Heart of the Island (HOTI) as the focal point of the island. It is activated with vibrant waterfronts, piers with F&B and tourist activities. Set to be a world-class waterfront destination, it is also designed for large scale festive events and public gatherings. Biodiversity-wise, the developer of Silicon Island will put in a 40m-wide mangrove wetlands –widely held to be even more effective at carbon sequestration than any other forest – at several coastal corridors to promote biodiversity conservation and mitigate any possible shoreline erosion. Collectively, the