SOLARIS QUITS PIER REDEVELOPMENT

PPC to call for request for proposal to develop godowns, Tanjung City Marina

IDEAL United Bintang International Bhd’s subsidiary, Solaris Consortium Sdn Bhd, has pulled out from the Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal redevelopment project.

The Penang Port Commission (PPC) said in a statement yesterday Solaris had pulled out from the project effective Sept 1.

“Solaris had cited the Covid-19 pandemic as a reason for pulling out, saying it had brought about a negative impact to the tourism sector, which subsequently affected the company’s plan to develop the godowns as a tourism product.

“The PPC will call for a request for proposal (RFP) for interested companies to develop the godowns as well as the Tanjung City Marina. The RFP will be published in the mainstream media next Monday,” it said.

In a filing with Bursa Malaysia in February, Solaris said it had signed a memorandum of understanding with the PPC to redevelop the Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal on a built-operate-transfer basis.

The RM98 million project entailed redesigning and refurbishing three godowns — Godown 5, Godown 7 and Godown 8 — located at the six-century-old seafront between the pier and Tanjung City Marina.

The godowns were supposed to be converted into a seafront tourist lifestyle destination that includes duty-free shops, food and beverage outlets as well as shops selling homegrown brand offerings, local products and gifts.

The first phase of the threephase redevelopment project was supposed to be completed next year. The other phases were supposed to be completed in 2022.

A ceremony to hand over the godowns was held at the Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal waving gallery, here, on Feb 1.