SIM BAK HENG New Straits Times 22 Dec 14;
JOHOR BARU: THE Department of Environment is set to pass its verdict on the detailed environmental impact assessment (DEIA) report on the controversial Forest City project by this week.
Whether project developer Country Garden Pacific View Sdn Bhd will be permitted to continue with the project which was suspended since June 16 pending the compilation and approval of the report, will largely depend on the verdict.
It was learnt that a panel of experts from various departments, together with academicians serving as specialists in their fields, will discuss the project before coming to a verdict.
The project’s estimated gross development value is RM600 billion.
The project, an ambitious endeavour involving four reclaimed islands, generated controversy because of the massive reclamation work involved, environmental issues and concerns raised by Singapore.
The DEIA report had to be carried out following a diplomatic note from Singapore, which had asked for more details on the project and its impact on the Straits of Johor, as the project is near the Malaysia-Singapore boundary and involves coastal reclamation.
A copy of the DEIA report, made available to the New Straits Times, had revealed that the installation of a “silt curtain” around the
reclamation area was one of the measures proposed to mitigate sediment dispersion (into neighbouring waters, deemed as the
basis behind the diplomatic note).
However, despite the slew of mitigation measures to cushion the environmental impact, experts noted that more damage could be expected.
For instance, the elongated strip of shallow water, 200m in width and 11.9km in length, between one of the four Forest City islands and the Tanjung Kupang coastline will be dredged and deepened to prevent sedimentation.
“Based on the hydrographic survey, most of the dredging will be done in areas with shallow water of less than 2m during low tide,” said the report.
Dr Nik & Associates Sdn Bhd, the company that prepared the DEIA report, had proposed the use of a cutter suction dredger with hopper barges for the dredging, and the dredged materials, comprising mainly a mixture of sand, shale and clay, is set to be disposed of at Tanjung Balau in southeast Johor near Desaru, about 80 nautical miles away.
The dredged materials are expected to amount to 7.5 million cubic metres.
Because of the enormous amount of dredged material, its environmental impact is not immediately known after it is dumped in Tanjang Balau.
An EIA expert, who declined to be named, noted that the dredging would most likely “disturb or destroy” the flora and fauna on the seabed.
The report further revealed that the environmentally sensitive seagrass beds at Merambong and Tanjung Adang Shoals, which are the most important in Peninsular Malaysia, are expected to be heavily impacted by the project as both seagrass beds are in the project site.
“The close proximity and very little buffer between the beds and the project site will render mitigation measures to be less effective,” stressed the report.
The DEIA also highlighted the need to remove a temporary access road, which spans 1.5km, connecting the partially reclaimed island and the mainland.
This is to avoid further impact on the seagrass bed of Merambong Shoal, as well as to allow for better flow within the western Straits of Johor.
Forest City is a cluster of four reclaimed islands, the biggest measuring 1,005ha, while the smallest is 58ha.
It comprises four islands instead of a single one following a hydrology study which saw the need to have more water channels to allow for water flow in the Johor Straits.
The islands need 166 million cubic metres of fill material, essentially sand sourced from Ramunia Shoal off Telok Ramunia, for reclamation.
Reclamation for the biggest island alone needs about 115 million cubic metres of fill material.
The fill material will be carried by barges to the Forest City site through the southern part of Singapore.
Malaysia to decide on fate of Forest City project by this week: Report
Channel NewsAsia 22 Dec 14;
JOHOR BAHRU: Malaysia’s Department of Environment will decide on the fate of the Forest City development project by this week, reported the New Straits Times on Monday (Dec 22).
The project, a development featuring residential and commercial lots on four reclaimed islands, had generated controversy due to the large amount of reclamation work required and environmental issues.
Experts had noted that the development could “disturb or destroy” flora and fauna on the seabed, despite mitigation measures to cushion the environmental impact, reported the newspaper.
Singapore had also asked for more details on the project and its impact on the Straits of Johor, as Forest City is located near the Malaysia-Singapore boundary and the project requires coastal reclamation.
Forest City has been suspended since Jun 16 pending the compilation and approval of the report on its environmental impact. The project’s estimated gross development value is RM600 billion (S$228 billion), reported the New Straits Times.
- CNA/xq
Controversial Forest City project to know fate this week
Today Online 22 Dec 14;
KUALA LUMPUR — The developer of the controversial Forest City project in Johor will know the fate of its RM600 billion (S$226 billion) development by this week pending the decision of the Department of Environment (DEA) on the detailed environmental impact assessment (DEIA) report.
The New Straits Times reported that a panel of experts from various departments and academics who served as specialists in their respective fields, would discuss the impact of the project before making a decision.
Developed by Country Garden View Sdn Bhd, the biggest land reclamation project in the southern state had been suspended since June 16 following controversy over its massive reclamation works, environmental issues as well as concerns raised by nearby residents and neighbouring Singapore.
The Forest City project will see four man-made islands built in the waters in Tanjung Kupang between south-west Johor and north-west Singapore. It was reported that the islands would feature both residential and commercial lots.
The New Straits Times reported that following a diplomatic note from the republic, the DEIA was carried because the project was located near the Malaysia-Singapore borders and involved coastal reclamation.
The English daily said it was able to get hold of a copy of the DEIA report and revealed that installation of a “silt curtain” around the reclamation area was one of the measures proposed to mitigate sediment dispersion into neighbouring waters.
“However, despite the slew of mitigation measures to cushion the environmental impact, experts noted that more damage could be expected,” said the New Straits Times.
For example, the newspaper said the elongated strip of shallow water measuring 200m in width and 11.9km in length, between one of the four Forest City islands and the Tanjung Kupang coastline would be dredged and deepened to prevent sedimentation.
“Based on the hydrographic survey, most of the dredging will be done in areas with shallow water of less than 2m during low tide,” it said quoting the DEIA report.
It said Dr Nik & Associates Sdn Bhd, the company that prepared the DEIA report, had proposed the use of a cutter suction dredger with hopper barges for the dredging, and that the dredged materials, comprising mainly a mixture of sand, shale and clay, would be disposed of at Tanjung Balau in southeast Johor near Desaru, about 80 nautical miles (148km) away.
The dredged materials are expected to amount to 7.5 million cubic metres. The paper said because of the enormous amount of dredged material, the environmental impact could not be immediately known.
An EIA expert who declined to be named told the New Straits Times that the dredging would most likely “disturb or destroy” the flora and fauna on the seabed.
This tallied with the DEIA report, which noted that environmentally sensitive seagrass beds at Merambong and Tanjung Adang Shoals, considered very important in Peninsular Malaysia, are expected to be heavily impacted by the project as both seagrass beds are in the project site.
“The close proximity and very little buffer between the beds and the project site will render mitigation measures less effective,” the daily quoted the report as saying.
It also said the DEIA highlighted the need to remove a temporary 1.5km access road which connects the partially reclaimed island and the mainland to avoid further impact on the seagrass bed and allow better flow within the western Straits of Johor.
The project had initially been approved by the Johor Department of Environment in January but work at the project’s site was halted in June after the developer was instructed to submit a DEIA.
The project is being done off the coast of the Tanjung Kupang area where communities of fishermen and villagers make a living from sea produce and agriculture.
Fishermen and fish farm operators have said that mass fish deaths in the area had been caused by the land reclamation works. The developer has denied the reports. THE MALAYSIAN INSIDER
Mitigation measures pointless, says NGO
New Straits Times 22 Dec 14;
JOHOR BARU: A Johor-based environmental organisation has raised questions over the mitigation measures proposed in the detailed environmental impact assessment (DEIA) report on the Forest City project, claiming that it would do little to save the surrounding area’s flora and fauna.
Non-governmental organisation Green Earth Society Johor, which aimed to promote education and create environmental awareness, said the report failed to address
the issue of how to rejuvenate
the fish population, saying it had been chased off their breeding ground.
Its chairman, P. Sivakumar, said the organisation had received reports from local fishermen of an 80 per cent drop in their catch.
“It is hard to understand the basis of harming the ecology, only to come up with mitigation measures later.
“A clear example is the seagrass in the area, which is being destroyed despite the fact that the success rate of seagrass replanting is as low as 10 per cent.”
He said the destruction of seagrass would have a knock-on effect, as it was the breeding ground of marine creatures, such as dugong and seahorses, which were unique to the Johor waterway.
Sivakumar questioned the amount of compensation to fishermen, saying it was unlikely that the money could sustain them for long.
He claimed that some fishermen, especially those from the Orang Asli community, might have lost their livelihood as many were not skilled to secure jobs.
Meanwhile, the Malaysian Nature Society said the project developer should have undertaken the DEIA before going ahead with the reclamation.
Its president, Henry Goh, said it was crucial that those behind the project took into consideration the feelings of locals, as it was an integral part of corporate social responsibility.
“I am concerned about the wanton destruction of the flora and fauna along the waterway as a result of the reclamation.”
