On July 5, 2014, the Johor government announced a new and retroactive tax on sea reclamation to fund compensation for fishermen impacted by reclamation work. By some estimates, this new tax was projected to raise USD $26 million from several projects. The federal Department of Environment reviewed a preliminary environmental assessment (produced by CGPV) and imposed a series of measures on the project intended to mitigate the most worrisome environmental impacts. In addition, DOE required Country Garden to appoint an environmental officer.

Many meetings followed between state and federal environmental officials, the Johor government, the Malaysian Foreign Ministry and the developer. A new site plan was adopted to respond to stakeholder concerns, including objections from the port of Tanjung Pelepas, Singapore, and environmental groups. The original landform called for a single island that would cover the seagrass bed entirely. The new plan, finalized on August 2014, proposed four smaller islands encircling the bed with a 1-km buffer to accommodate port expansion and Singapore’s concerns. The total planned land mass of Forest City was reduced from 1,987 ha to 1,624 ha.

Interviews with numerous fishermen in the area suggest that no one in the local villages had been consulted or even notified before reclamation started. As part of the long-delayed Environmental Impact Assessment process, Country Garden held its first serious public meeting with residents on September 21st in Kampong Pok.

An upwelling of anger and pointed questions took the developer by surprise. Residents angrily challenged CGPV’s claim that they had surveyed the community. Environmentalists and planners questioned Country Garden’s decision to start the project without completing a detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (DEIA). They also contested CGPV’s claim that the project would benefit the residents of Johor. Afterwards, the media condemned Country Garden for being out of touch.

Forest City officials responded a week later with further assurances that they had followed all necessary procedures and would comply with all legal requirements.