Forest City Project

by Sim Bak Heng

GELANG PATAH: The voice of protest permeates the air inside the Kampung Pok community hall when the audience started to comment on the Forest City project from 3.30pm.

From housewives to farmers, from fishermen to senior citizens, they took their turns to bombard the project proponent and DEIA consultant one by one.

One of the audience the credibility of the survey result on the social and economic impact conducted by the DEIA consultant.

Of the 100 villagers polled, the result showed that 60 per cent of them said "yes" to the controversial project.

The audience questioned the methodology used kn the survey, and whether the sample is sufficient.

Kampung Pok Village Development and Security Committee deputy chairman Azman Abdul Rahman said he did not even know when the survey was conducted and if it had ever been conducted.

He urged the project proponent to find an alternative road for the project to link to the mainland as no villagers want any road from the project to pass by Kampung Pok.

Another villager then stood up and said the project only benefits the rich but what the people want are affordable housing units.

So far, no one from the audience has openly supported the project.

The dialogue continues with only brickbats and no bouquets.

Several people have appealed that the public dialogue be postponed until a more detailed DEIA is presented.

2nd story

GELANG PATAH: The controversial Forest City project will now be split into four islands instead of one single island.

The biggest island measures 1,005hectares while the smallest measures 58ha.

It is split into four islands following a hydrology study which saw the need to have more water channels to allow water flow along the Johor Straits.

Reclamation of the Forest City project stopped on June 16 this year following a diplomatic note from Singapore which asked for more details about the project and its impact on the Johor Straits.

This is in view that the project is near to the Malaysia-Singapore boundary and involves lots of coastal reclamation.

The briefing today detailed about the amount of coastal sand off Telok Ramunia meant for the project.

Reclamation for the biggest island alone needs about 118,155,717 cubic metres.

The sand are carried by barges to the Forest City site through the southern part of Singapore.

- source NST online