Penang Hill to reopen by Saturday (Updated)

GEORGE TOWN: Penang Hill would be opened for business as usual from this Saturday after a lapse of 31 days following the devastating floods which triggered a total of 194 landslips in the hilly terrain.
Coupled with a gush of stronger than usual winds and a 16 hours of consecutive driving rain, the hill was one of the main casualties of last month's floods.
But due to the hard work of the Penang Hill Corporation, one of the top tourism landmarks in the country, was now ready to greet tourists in just a matter of days now, said Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.
Lim told a press conference that majority of the affected areas, which were damaged from a combination of landslides, the rainfall and a storm during a period of Nov 4 and 5, have been rehabilitated.
Positioned at 800m above sea — level, the hill bore the brunt of the severe weather which had caused unprecedented levels of damage to Penang.
A few parts remained classified as red zone but those areas have been sealed away from visitors, said the corporation's general manager Cheok Lay Leng.
In an earlier statement, Lim said that the jeep track from Botanic Gardens to the hill top has been cleared by the public works department but a long term rehabilitation work was still needed to be carried out to prevent more landslides.
The summit road has been fully cleared whereas the upper tunnel road was also cleared of debris from the landslips.
The lower tunnel road has also been 80% cleared of debris, and it is the same for the Viaduct Road except for part of the west side which remained blocked.
Lim also explained that the delay was also because the spare parts for the damaged funicular rail tracks took time to arrive from Germany after there was an air freight services strike at the Frankfurt International Airport.
He also said that the utilities have been restored at the hill in terms of electric, water and partial telecommunications services.
The accommodations and touristy features including the canopy walk were also believed to be operational by Saturday.
In another development, Lim said that he would rather debate MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai rather than his deputy Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong over Chinese issues in view that the 14th general election was nearing.