Calls to review Penang Transport Master Plan

GEORGE TOWN: Segments of civil society have asked the state government to review the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTPN), expressing their concerns over blasting through hillslopes amid heavy expenditure involved.
Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) president S. M. Mohamed Idris said former chief minister Lim Guan Eng, who is the Finance Minister now, had once pointed out that the project would not involve public funds.
CAP is shocked that Penang is seeking RM1 billion from the federal government to jump-start two major components of PTMP.
Lim's successor, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, has asked Putrajaya for a soft loan of RM1 billion to construct the light rail transit system from George Town to Bayan Lepas and the Pan Island Link (of three dual carriageway highways) that would link the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway to Air Itam, Batu Ferringhi and Gurney Drive.
Idris said in a statement that there are large economic and environmental risks associated with the master plan, and it is doubtful that some key projects linked to the plan can generate revenue to pay for itself.
"We have been told by the federal government, including Lim that Malaysia cannot afford to have a new mega-project because of the trillion ringgit national debt," he said.
Penang Forum member Dr Lim Mah Hui and an academic from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Assoc Prof in technology cluster-transport system Ahmad Hilmy have also asked for the master plan to be reviewed.
Mah Hui said the PTMP is too car-centric and it involves bringing in more vehicles into an already congested island instead of dispersing them.