North Corridor Economic Region: Bio Ecosystem Analysis

Under the Ninth Malaysian Plan (9MP), various development schemes according to geographical regions have been planned for implementation. The North Corridor Economic Region (NCER) is envisaged to promote economic development in the northern corridor region, which includes Penang and Kedah. Significant economic development is expected to be implemented in the state of Penang, in which the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) is located. Coastal reclamation and development, including the Penang Outer Ring Road PORR, the Second Link and the Penang Global City Center PGCC, will be implemented in several parts of the Penang state. These developments may incur negative bioenvironmental impacts, for which an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is needed for mitigation. This paper presents a brief exposition of these EIA studies, with particular reference to model simulations on hydrodynamic regimes and suspended sediment SS in the Straits of Penang. The impacts of SS on marine ecosystems are discussed.