Penang seeks RM1b for PTMP

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang govern­ment will consider requesting a RM1bil soft loan from the Federal Government to expedite its implementation of the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP).

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the amount would be used as a bridging loan to carry out both the Bayan Lepas Light Rail Transit (LRT) and the 19.5km Pan-Island Link I (PIL I) from Gurney Drive to the airport simultaneously.

“If we carry out both at the same time, it will take us about five or six years. Otherwise, it will take 12 years to complete the two projects as we have to do one after the other.

“With the loan, we can also hold on to selling land to the project delivery partner. The longer we keep, the land value will also increase,” he told reporters after a special briefing for MPs and state assemblymen here yesterday.

The success of the PTMP, which is the state government’s multi-billion ringgit public transport project, involving LRT, monorail, cable cars and water taxis, depends on funding from property development on a proposed trio of man-made islands known as the Penang South Reclamation (PSR) scheme.

The PSR is a massive plan to reclaim the islands totalling 1,800ha off the southern coast of Penang.

The PIL I is another component which came to light recently as its Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment can now be viewed at 10 locations in Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur and Penang until Aug 10.

Chow, however, said it was still too early to discuss the matter as they must first secure approval from the authorities to carry out the project. He hopes that approval for all the components under PTMP could be obtained by the end of the year.

On PIL I’s effects on Penang City Park, Chow said the contractors would minimise the impact by only building a cable bridge with two pillars near the area, thus reducing the visual impact on the recreational area there.

Earlier, Barisan Nasional’s Sungai Dua assemblyman Muhamad Yusoff Mohd Noor raised concerns over the project’s imminent impact on the environment and the local fishermen community.

He also questioned whether the public would fully utilise the LRT once it is up and running.

“People are not using the Rapid Bus and it is quite empty.

“I also have my reservations on the need for reclamation to fund the ambitious PTMP.

“The state government should consider privatising the project and allow the developer to collect money from the people as concessions,” he said.