The controversial Forest City in Iskandar Puteri, Johor, was back in the limelight after international news outlets covered the yet-to-be-finished project. With many already considering the project a failure, how will the public react to Penang’s similarly ambitious Silicon Island?
The Silicon Island in Penang, also known as Penang South Islands (PSI), is a 2,300-acre man-made island currently under development. It aims to be an environmentally sustainable world-class tourist destination and is set to be completed within the next ten years. The two-phase project is led by Silicon Island Development Sdn Bhd, which is 70% owned by SRS PD Sdn Bhd. However, the management and construction of the first phase were awarded to SRS TC Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Gamuda.
The Star reported on the island in September, including quotes from Penang’s Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow. According to the chief minister, the project is expected to become a leading technology centre in the region, providing hundreds of new job opportunities. The island is projected to yield long-lasting economic benefits to the locality, with a gross domestic product of RM1.1 trillion from its investment of RM74.7 billion.
Part of the planned development on the island includes the Green Tech Park (GTP) and the Heart of the Island (Hoti) business district, which will attract high-impact investment. The GTP would also feature research and design facilities, digital technology infrastructure, e-commerce and business process outsourcing. The Hoti business district is described as a waterfront commercial hub that news outlets say would serve as the “pulse of the island”.
Twitter account Skyscrapers MY have shared news about the island, dubbing it “the new Forest City”. Netizens have also shared scepticism toward the project’s success, adding that the island’s development will also contribute to global warming. However, the Penang Chief Minister insists that the island will not follow in the footsteps of Forest City. In May, Chow clarified that the project is compliant with environmental, social and governance (ESGF) standards and that the project’s proponents are trying to make the project sustainable with LRT depots, green spaces and waterways.
As of December 2023, the project has started reclamation works to ensure the construction of the first development on the island would begin by 2026. Chief Minister Chow and Penang Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Ahmad Fuzi Abdul Razak have also visited Silicon Island, highlighting the event alongside other state dignitaries in an official ceremony.
What do you think about the project? Will Silicon Island beat the odds and emerge as a successful project? Or are we looking at yet another Forest City?
Sources: Twitter, Gamuda, The Star, FMT, Malaymail, Buletin Mutiara, Facebook
