Business · Malaysia Bureau
Penang residents urge immediate marine sanctuary status for Middle Bank
Environmental advocates are calling on Penang state authorities to abandon plans for land reclamation at Middle Bank and instead gazette the area as a marine protected sanctuary without further delay.
LSN Malaysia ·
ProtectKarpal, a residents' group focused on environmental conservation, has urged the Penang state government to reconsider its long-term development strategy for the ecologically sensitive Middle Bank area. The group is campaigning for the region to be designated as a marine sanctuary immediately, rather than waiting until 2040 as outlined in current state planning documents.
The call comes as concerns grow over the environmental impact of proposed reclamation projects in the area. Supporters of the sanctuary designation argue that delaying protection puts unique marine ecosystems at risk during a critical period when coastal development pressures are intensifying throughout the region.
ProtectKarpal contends that immediate gazetting would provide stronger legal protection for the marine environment and biodiversity at Middle Bank, preventing potential damage from development activities in the interim years. The group maintains that establishing sanctuary status now would be more effective than waiting a decade and a half for protection measures to take effect.
The state government has not yet publicly responded to the residents' appeal. The issue reflects broader tensions in Malaysia between development aspirations and environmental preservation, particularly in densely populated coastal areas where competing land-use pressures continue to mount.