PAS, a threat to Penang’s economy and future

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Responding to the statements from PAS and Penang Sustainable Natural Heritage Association (Lekas) regarding the Penang South Reclamation (PSR) project, as reported in Free Malaysia Today and The Vibes.

Free Malaysia Today: "State PAS chief Muhammad Fauzi Yusuf said an appeal by fishermen against the Penang South Reclamation (PSR) had yet to be heard and hence, the state government should not arbitrarily announce that it would “start work” in May."[1]

The Vibes: "The Penang Sustainable Natural Heritage Association (Lekas) is the latest group to urge the authorities to defer the Penang South Reclamation (PSR) project, pending an appeal by a group of fishermen."[2]

These two groups have raised the same empty objections against PSR in the past, which is actually expected as Lekas’ chairman Zikrullah Ismail is one of PAS youth leaders in Penang.[3]

It is clear that PAS is going all out to stop sustainable development in Penang, desiring the state to suffer economic deterioration.

When Kedah’s Menteri Besar from PAS threatened to cut off water from flowing into Penang, these PAS leaders in Penang kept quiet.

When Kedah’s Menteri Besar from PAS unveiled the RM40 billion sea reclamation megaproject in Langkawi, these same PAS leaders in Penang went silent.[4]

But when the Penang State Government wanted to proceed with the PSR as part of the state’s efforts to pursue sustainable development, these PAS leaders suddenly became eco-warrior and went all out to criticise the project.

Obviously, these PAS leaders are spinning issues for political mileage at the expanse of the overall economic well-being of Penang and the future of the state.

Penang should not be turned into a backwater state. Penang is different from PAS-led states like Terengganu, Kedah, and Kelantan.

The 2019 GDP per capita of these three states were RM28,890 (Terengganu), RM21,488 (Kedah), and RM13,464 (Kelantan), while Penang’s was RM53,342.[5]

The highest among the PAS-led states is Terengganu, where the mining, burning, and refining of fossil fuel forms a large part of the state’s economy.

In 2016, 65% of Terengganu's economy depended on the oil and gas sector. Terengganu is one of the biggest oil and gas producers in Malaysia, of which 85% of the state's economy comes from the hydrocarbon sector.[6]

Petroleum product (including petrochemical) received the highest amount of investment, at RM542.7 million in 2019, accounting for 84.95% of the state’s total approved investment in 2019 (Jabatan Perangkaan Malaysia, Laporan Sosioekonomi Terengganu 2019, p.53).

It is estimated that 63% of Terengganu state government’s revenues and 60% of Kelantan’s come from fossil fuel sector in 2019.[7]

PAS leaders wholeheartedly embrace Terengganu’s and Kelantan's carbon-intensive economy but fervently preach about environmentalism in Penang. Hypocritical political antic?

Penang is pursuing sustainable development through the PSR project that upholds the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards. Sea reclamation is reported as a “mature and effective technology and can provide predictable levels of safety” by the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the world’s top authority on climate matters. (The Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate: A Special Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2019).

PSR will help to secure Penang’s economy and future, while PAS continues to spin tales leading to the state’s economic deterioration.

References

[1]https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2021/04/12/stop-penang-from-starting-three-island-project-pas-tells-putrajaya/

[2]https://www.thevibes.com/articles/news/23750/heritage-group-joins-chorus-for-penang-reclamation-deferment

[3]https://web.facebook.com/zikrullahismail/posts/10222692840574049

[4]https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2021/01/20/kl-group-to-reclaim-island-in-rm40-bil-langkawi-project/

[5]https://penanginstitute.org/resources/key-penang-statistics/visualisations-of-key-indicators/penang-gross-domestic-product/

[5]https://www.thestar.com.my/metro/metro-news/2017/09/22/banking-on-tourism-terengganu-targets-sector-to-become-main-contributor-to-states-economy/

[6]https://www.isis.org.my/2020/05/10/malaysias-slick-politics-of-oil/

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