WE’VE BEEN WAITING for the emergence of this manmade island off the northeastern coast of Penang Island for years. A concept envisioned in 1982 by Lim Chong Eu, Penang’s second Chief Minister, it met with stops and starts since the Penang State Government granted a concession for its reclamation and development in 1990. The halt occasioned by the 1998 Asian Financial Crisis looked like the death of a dream, but for many living along the coast, it meant an extended period of unobscured sea views.

Left as-is and far from complete, the land reclamation along the coast was reinstated when Eastern & Oriental Berhad (E&O) assumed the rights, obligations and liabilities of the former concessionaire in 2003. The island had yet to take form when Seri Tanjung Pinang Phase 1 (STP1), the 240-acre reclamation project was completed in 2006.

However, this reclaimed shorefront with an estimated gross development value (GDV) of RM5.5bil consisting of seafront villas, semi-detached homes, luxury condominiums and executive apartments with a side of low- and medium-cost homes seem to pale in comparison to Phase 2. A precursor to a grand finale, Phase 2 has been christened Andaman Island, a 760-acre reclaimed island with an estimated GDV of RM60bil.

Highly Curated Island

When I drove to Andaman Island for what E&O styled as an “immersive experience” for the media, I was met with the settling of thick dust, the rumbling of lorries transporting construction material sending tremors through the ground when they passed me, and mounds of sand a few times my height—the island has not only risen to the surface, it is burgeoning to become a new township.

Already I could see The Meg, which consists of 1,020 units of serviced apartments. Launched in December 2021, all units were sold out within nine months. Next to it was Arica with an additional 380 units of serviced apartments, and Senna and Fera, both landed properties with 137 units across Phases 1 and 2, all of which have been sold out. The Lume, launched in August 2024, a large-format premium condominium development offering units starting from RM2.2mil is seeing encouraging market responses. Their most recent launch is Maris, which offers furnished serviced residences ranging from 979ft² to 1,356ft², located at the waterfront, complete with a promenade.

There will also be 15 luxurious beachfront bungalows, each with its own private marina capable of accommodating two to three boats. These residential developments are located on the first islet completed in December 2019, which covers 102.38ha.

“Phase 1 of the Seri Tanjung Pinang development incorporates commercial hubs, community-oriented facilities and a network of canals. Reclamation work for the second phase, encompassing 205.17ha, is currently underway,” Kok Tuck Cheong, the managing director of E&O stated during the media briefing at the show gallery.

The Andaman Island masterplan, guided by the principles of a “15-minute city”, was unveiled in November 2024, and features three distinct districts: Shoreline, Gurney Green and Canalside. The Shoreline district emphasises nature-integrated living. A wide rock promenade will be constructed, offering residents a scenic jogging path which also serves as an emergency lane for vehicles such as fire trucks to reach coastal properties in case of emergency. E&O also revealed that the state government has approved for the marina to inculcate a yachting and seafaring lifestyle. Gurney Green, fronting Gurney Drive across a new strait is poised to be a vibrant commercial hub with office spaces and high-end hotels. Canalside faces the other manmade islet, and will be integrated with community-oriented amenities such as shopping malls and F&B outlets with waterfront access. These districts aim to provide residents with a well-rounded and enriching living experience.

To get to the island, I used the Andaman Bridge from Seri Tanjung Pinang; part of the eight-lane link from Gurney Drive to the island is expected to open late this year. According to Kok, connecting Andaman Island via Gurney Drive helps the re-rating of property prices to match those along Gurney, which has one of the highest per square foot prices in Penang. It also improves water channel flushing, allowing natural currents to flow through the created land area.

Every parcel of land on the island has been designated for specific purposes, such as education and religious institutions. To make the island “green”, the development incorporates a green sewage treatment plant with the capacity to irrigate both the Andaman islets. E&O also promised space for charging vehicles for all highrise residences and two electric vehicle (EV) charging stations for each landed unit. Only EV busses will ply the island and dedicated lanes for residents and separate lanes for construction vehicles will enhance safety and minimise environmental impact. There is also a total of 53 acres of green area across the island dedicated for use by residents.

Indeed, it appears to be the most curated island in Penang.

Not Holistic Enough

If you could curate an island where you develop from the ground up—all terrains artificially built to accommodate anything you want—with endless possibilities, how would you do it?

Of course you’d have to take into account residential and economic demands. More important is how to draw people into the island so that the units—housing or commercial—are taken up. The draw, naturally, are amenities and entertainment. While the amenities slated by the E&O prove to be sufficient, I was eager to know what was planned for entertainment. I crossed my fingers hoping that it wouldn’t just be—“a shopping mall, restaurant and cafes along the canal,” Kok said, as the thought crossed my mind. I pursed my lips in disappointment.

I raised my hand to ask if there are other types of entertainment, particularly surrounding art and culture, seeing that just 10 minutes away from the Gurney Bridge is the heritage enclave. Kok replied in the negative, explaining that after supporting the Performing Arts Centre of Penang (penangpac) for a decade (2012-2022), he could see that the general public was not interested in the arts.

“Over time, if the market demands it—it has to be in line with the market demands—we will consider it. Of course, everything we do has to meet with certain principles and criteria—although it does not necessarily always subscribe to financial feasibility, these initiatives should primarily be community-driven—something we will follow through,” Kok added.

In a separate interview, Khoo Suet Leng, a town planner and an expert in creative cities and urban heritage conservation, noted that the makings of a holistic township include blue bodies, green bodies, and most recently, the orange economy (the creative culture aspect). Khoo, who has taken a good look at the Andaman masterplan, told Penang Monthly that, undeniably, what E&O has done is considered world-class planning and urban design, “incorporating what we planners could only dream of”. However, having said that, she added that the creative culture aspect is also crucial. “Only then can you say that your township is more holistic or integrated.”

As Penang bulldozes its way toward further new developments—with the exception of George Town (for obvious reasons)—it is good to note that according to a report last year by Historic England, being exposed to local heritage improves mental and emotional health. I quote World Cities Cultures Forum’s analyses on the report: “The Report shows day-to-day encounters with local heritage can be just as valuable for citizen wellbeing as visiting one of the seven wonders of the world or iconic places such as Sydney Opera House, Westminster Abbey in London or Christ the Redeemer Statue in Rio de Janeiro,” and that the estimation of “the overall wellbeing value of heritage visits is worth GBP29 bil every year in England, supporting citizen life satisfaction and pre-empting long-term clinical interventions.”

While I am not here to present possible health or psychological effects from the lack of exposure to local culture and heritage (it is an artificial island after all), I do see the value of latching on to existing ones we have on the big island. Khoo may agree, having stated during the interview that a place without culture and heritage would be soulless.

“I was invited to be part of the Nusantara research project team in Indonesia because of the work I do with regards to creative cities. I told them that you can have your smart, sustainable, innovative city, but at the same time, you need to have your creative elements inside—because it involves people. Even if you don’t build on previous culture, even new places, new cultures can exist, but right now we also need to look at critical mass—there needs to be enough people to give birth to a new culture.”

As of now, a majority of the units launched on Andaman have been sold. With the absence of creative culture aspects fed from the “mother island” in the masterplan, only time and population size will tell if Andaman is set to birth its own unique culture.

References

[1] https://theedgemalaysia.com/node/710123

[2] https://historicengland.org.uk/whats-new/news/research-showsheritage-boosts-your-wellbeing/

[3] https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/2024/05/30/building-blissliving-near-heritage-sites-improves-citizens-wellbeing/#:~:text=A%20visit%20to%20a%20local%20monument%2C%20historic%20park%20 or%20listed,and%20life%20satisfaction%20is%20clear