Johor villagers vent anger at mega reclamation project

Local villagers affected by the Johor Forest City project shout out their concerns during the public hearing about the project in Tanjung Kupang, Johor today. - The Malaysian Insider pic by Nazir Sufari, September 21, 2014.

Irate villagers of Tanjung Kupang in Johor vented their anger at the developers of the biggest land reclamation project in the state, arguing during a public dialogue today that it will lead to the loss of their land and livelihood.

About 200 residents from about a dozen villages around Tanjung Kupang also accused the developer, Country Garden Pacificview Sdn Bhd (CGP), of bulldozing the project through their area without their knowledge even though it could have a huge impact on their lives.

NGOs, independent experts and political parties who also turned up at the dialogue questioned the developers on details which they claimed were lacking in their Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment.

These included measures to reduce the damage to a field of sea grass that is an important nesting ground for the fish population which sits in the middle of the project and efforts to reduce backflow which could lead to flash floods in the area.

The Forest City project will see four man-made islands being built in the waters in Tanjung Kupang between south-west Johor and north-west of Singapore.

It was reported that the islands will have both residential and commercial lots and the project is expected to make a profit of nearly RM290 billion over the next 30 years for CGP. The Gross Development Value (GDV) will come up to RM600 billion.

CGP is a 60-40 joint-venture between China’s Country Garden Holdings Ltd and Kumpulan Prasarana Rakyat Johor (KPRJ), which is owned by the Johor government.

The controversial project entails 355ha of existing land along the Strait of Johor close to the Second Link to Singapore and the Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) and the reclamation of another 1,620ha. – September 21, 2014.The reclamation project for the proposed Forest City by Country Garden Pacificview will bring the state border closer to Singapore.- The Malaysian Insider graphic, September 21, 2014.

- TMI