The proposed reclamation area is located at the Middle Bank deep channel (PLB – EIA Report, Page 6.35). The Middle Bank, just off Jelutong’s coast, is a thriving marine sanctuary—a biodiversity nexus of 429 species*, including seagrasses, fish, birds, and rare marine life. The reclamation project threatens to bury this ecological treasure （70 acres of sea） under 5.2 million cubic meters of sand (PLB – EIA Report, Table 5.15), risking irreversible destruction.
Source: Protecting Penang’s Marine Biodiversity: Establishing the Middle Bank Marine Sanctuary, published by Penang Institute (Figure 5-1). The redline was added to approximately showing the reclamation site.
The redline shows the proposed reclamation site which is located at the Middle Bank deep channel. Image Source: PLB – EIA Report, Executive Summary, P.E1
The proposed Middle Bank Marine Sanctuary (MBMS) spans 10.5 km² of vital ecosystems—seagrass beds, mudflats, and mangroves—supporting everything from 139 commercial fish species to endangered turtles. Reclamation will smother these habitats, pollute waters with runoff, and sever the ecological lifeline of Penang’s seas.
⚠️ 70 acres of marine habitat buried under sand and waste
⚠️ Threat to 7 seagrass species* critical for carbon storage
⚠️ Threat to 102 bird species and 9 marine mammals/reptiles*
This sanctuary isn’t just water and sand—it’s a powerhouse of life. Seagrass beds sequester carbon, mudflats feed migratory birds like the Far Eastern Curlew, and shallow waters nurture fish that sustain local fisheries. The discovery of two new sea cucumber species in 2022—Euthyonidiella zulfigaris and Acaudina spinifera*—proves its global scientific value. Read the full report, published by Penang Institute, a think-thank group funded by Penang State government
The project’s plan to excavate and dump massive waste volumes will:
Sand and waste will blanket 649,532 m² of seagrass and 3.7 million m² of intertidal zones*, killing off habitats that took decades to form.
Runoff from Jelutong Landfill—already a pollution hotspot—will leach toxins into the Strait of Penang, poisoning fish, dolphins, and molluscs.
From 100 mollusc species to 23 arthropods like horseshoe crabs*, the Middle Bank’s food web faces collapse, impacting fisheries and migratory species.
Even with every protective plan in place, the sheer scale and complexity of coastal reclamation can still degrade the Middle Bank’s sensitive habitats and irreplaceable marine life. This isn’t development; it’s ecological vandalism.
The Middle Bank isn’t ours to destroy—it’s a legacy for Penang, a shield against climate change, and a home to life found nowhere else. We must act before it’s lost forever.
* Source: Protecting Penang’s Marine Biodiversity: Establishing the Middle Bank Marine Sanctuary (MBMS) (2023) by Prof Dato’ Dr Zulfigar Yasin (Heritage & Urban Studies Head, Penang Institute) and Prof Dato’ Dr Aileen Tan Shau Hwai, Anisah Lee, Dr Woo Sau Pinn and Norhanis Razali (CEMACS, USM), Penang Institute.
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