Chow: Up to Federal Govt to decide on project review
GEORGE TOWN: The state government is leaving it to the Federal Government to decide whether to review the components of the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP) project.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said this was because the proposal for the PTMP light rail transit (LRT) project was under the purview of Putrajaya.
He said PTMP project delivery partner, SRS Consortium, would work with federal agencies and provide details.
“We will wait for the Federal Government to decide whether such infrastructure projects should be reviewed or put on hold,” he said in response to a call from the Consumers Association of Penang yesterday for the state’s mega projects to be reviewed.
PTMP is a state government-initiated project, which features an undersea tunnel linking the island to the mainland, highways, LRT, monorail and extensive bus connectivity on the island and mainland.
In the middle of last year, it was estimated that the project would cost RM46 billion.
The state government plans to reclaim three man-made islands to fund the project.
Chow said the state government had obtained approval for the three paired roads project.
“The Air Itam to Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway project is almost ready for implementation. But, we have to wait at least one year to address other issues. Hopefully, it will not have to be reviewed.”
However, he urged the Federal Government to review the Sungai Pinang Basin Flood Mitigation project so that it could be fast tracked.
“Yes, it should be reviewed, but for immediate implementation. The project is long overdue by about 18 years. We expect it to be implemented in 18 months as the design of the project has to be completed first.”
He said this after launching the RM9.3 million Bukit Dumbar Reservoir project here yesterday.
The reservoir will benefit 315,000 people and thousands of businesses in the southern part of the island.