PIL 1 NOT EASY TO SWALLOW?

More and more Penang residents are speaking out against major highway project

TODAY marks the beginning of the five-day sitting of the state legislative assembly, the first since the 14th General Election. In the May polls, Penangites returned Pakatan Harapan to power for a third term, this time with what some termed a “supermajority”.

From 11 opposition members in the state assembly back in the 12th GE in 2008, the number was reduced to 10 in the 13th GE in 2013 and further reduced to just three this time around.

Penangites are starting to question if the much-reduced opposition members mean the DAP-led state government will bulldoze through all decisions and do things as their whims and fancies dictate, more so since the state and federal governments are one and the same now.

They are also wondering if it also means that their laments, concerns, complaints and fears will remain just that.

After all, Penang, being the second smallest and the most urbanised state in the country, is one constantly plagued with issues.

The latest is, of course, the grave concern over the construction of the Pan Island Link 1 (PIL 1) highway project, a key component in the multi-billion ringgit Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP).

The 19.5km PIL 1 highway will include a 10-km tunnel that cuts through the hills in Bukit Bendera, Paya Terubong and Sungai Ara to alleviate traffic congestion on the island. It will also cut across the Youth Park, which is unavoidable.

The RM7.5 billion highway will then allow traffic to go directly from Gurney Drive to Gottlieb Road, Youth Park, Sungai Keluang and the Second Penang Bridge, cutting travelling time by more than half.

Penang Forum, a non-governmental organisation, had raised concerns about mega infrastructure projects in the state, including the PTMP, with the Council of Eminent Persons, calling for an independent review.

A group of concerned Penangites, calling themselves Beautiful Penang, have even started an online petition for the cancellation of the PIL 1 project, saying that after reviewing the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report, they were shocked to learn of the impact of the proposed highway project. More and more people are coming forward to speak against the project.

Last Friday, the state government revealed that the PIL 1 highway project would likely impact more than 200 houses along the Sungai Kluang river reserve, noting that the situation could not be