Release studies and reports, Gerakan Youth tells Penang govt

GEORGE TOWN: Penang Gerakan Youth wants the state government to disclose the completed feasibility studies and approved environmental impact assessment (EIA) reports on the three paired roads that form part of the Penang undersea tunnel project.

Its acting chief Jason Loo said the public had the right to know because the studies and reports were paid for with public land.

“Concerns were raised about the proposed road between Teluk Bahang and Tanjung Bungah because it will encroach on the Teluk Bahang Forest Reserve and Bukit Kerajaan Forest Reserve.

“Does this mean there will be forest clearing? The findings should be made public as the information would affect everyone, especially those living in the vicinity of the roads,” he said during a press conference yesterday at the entrance to Lot 702 in Bandar Tanjong Pinang, Tanjung Tokong.

The proposed roads are the 10.53km North Coastal Paired Road between Tanjung Bungah and Teluk Bahang, a 5.7km Air Itam-Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway bypass and a 4.075km Gurney Drive-Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway bypass.

The project includes the construction of a 7.2km undersea tunnel connecting Gurney Drive on the island to Bagan Ajam in north Butterworth.

Meanwhile, the land alienated by the state government to Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd was valued based on net developed area (NDA) and not gross developed area (GDA), a state exco member said.

State Public Works, Utilities and Transport Committee chairman Lim Hock Seng said that NDA excluded space with non-commercial usage, which included but not restricted to public spaces, roads, and amenities stipulated by the state government.

“Based on calculations, the NDA of the two plots of land (Lot 702 and portion of Lot 713) is about 1.49ha and has a value of RM208.7mil, evaluated on RM1,300 per sq ft.

“There is no discrepancy with regards to the land area provided by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng or myself,” Hock Seng said at a press conference.

Hock Seng’s response came after Penang Barisan Nasional chairman Teng Chang Yeow’s statement that the two plots with a total GDA of 2.3ha in Bandar Tanjong Pinang, Tanjung Tokong, could have fetched RM321mil, while the amount to be paid to Consortium Zenith Construction was only RM208mil.

Teng was questioning whether the state government paid an extra RM113mil to the developer.