Federal Govt asked to study financial impact of abolishing toll on Penang bridge

GEORGE TOWN: Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow yesterday urged the federal government to study the financial impact of abolishing toll on the Penang Bridge.
"The federal government must study the implications of paying compensation to the concessionaire and maintenance costs based on the concession contract which still has 20 years to go," he said when replying to a question from Lee Khai Loon (PKR-Machang Bubuk) during the first sitting of the Penang State Assembly since the 14th general election (GE14) on May 9.
He said the matter came under the purview of the federal government and that the state government would support whatever decision was taken (on the toll).
Chow said the state government was taking measures to alleviate congestion on the bridge and among them were providing the Bridge Express Shuttle Transit (BEST) that was introduced in 2011.
Meanwhile, state opposition leader Muhamad Yusoff Mohd Noor (BN-Sungai Dua), when debating the motion of thanks for the Penang Yang Dipertua Negri's address, called for the trial of former Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng for alleged corruption not to be dropped.

Guan Eng, who is now Finance Minister, has claimed that the case was politically motivated by the previous Barisan Nasional government, which lost in GE14.
The assembly sits again today. — Bernama