The Paramount fishermen’s jetty was partly damaged due to erosion at the beach. — Picture by Opalyn Mok
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By Opalyn Mok
Thursday, 17 Apr 2025 5:29 PM MYT
GEORGE TOWN, April 17 — The Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (Petra) has approved an allocation of RM61 million to rehabilitate the popular tourist belt of Batu Ferringhi.
Deputy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir said the 7km stretch of beachfront from Batu Ferringhi to Tanjung Bungah will be restored in its entirety.
“The condition of the beaches has deteriorated due to erosion, making it difficult for beach activities to be organised along the stretch,” he told reporters after visiting the Paramount Fishermen’s Unit jetty off Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah here.
He said the focus of the rehabilitation works in Batu Ferringhi is to reverse the erosion effects and to maintain the attractiveness of the sandy beaches.
“We are now looking at the restoration concepts along the stretch to make sure the design does not detract from the attraction of the beaches,” he said.
He stressed that the sandy beachfront must be maintained due to its importance as a tourism attraction.
“For example, we cannot place large mounds of rocks along the beach to stop erosion as it would destroy the aesthetics of the beach,” he explained.
He said the restoration project, involving bringing in more sand, is expected to start this year once the concepts have been approved.
He added that the full process of the project will be managed by the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID).
The project, funded under the Fifth Rolling Plan of the 12th Malaysia Plan, is expected to take about six years to complete fully.
Energy Transition and Water Transformation (Petra) Deputy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir speaks to reporters after visiting the Paramount Fishermen’s Unit jetty. — Picture by Opalyn Mok
“The construction of the outfall and restoration of the beach in this project will also improve the flow of water from rivers to the sea,” Akmal said.
There are three rivers in Batu Ferringhi that flow directly to the sea: Sungai Mas, Sungai Kechil, and Sungai Kelian. Their outflow has contributed to serious erosion that could endanger residents and visitors.
Meanwhile, Akmal said there is also a separate proposal to build a slipway and restore the beachfront from the Paramount fishermen’s jetty to Gurney Drive.
“We are now considering a proposal to restore about 1km of the beachfront from the jetty to the Gurney Drive fishermen’s unit,” he said.
He noted that the jetty at Paramount fishermen’s hut has been damaged by erosion caused by high waves.
He added that some structures were damaged in November 2022 due to erosion along the approximately 30-metre length of the beach.
DID Penang has applied for funding for a project to prevent erosion along the Paramount beachfront under the first rolling plan of the 13th Malaysia Plan.
He said DID presented the application to Petra in April, and the next presentation will be to the Economy Ministry next month.
