NGO request DOE to hold town hall session on three paired roads project

GEORGE TOWN: Citizen Awareness Chant Group (Chant) wants the Department of Environment (DoE) Director-General to hold another town hall session focusing on the three paired roads project under the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP).
Chant advisor Yan Lee said until today there were no town hall sessions held regarding the project ever since the approval was given by DoE to Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd (CZC) under a total of 59 conditions in November last year.
"In the interest of the public and the spirit of the Malaysia Baru now, the public must be informed on such projects and the conditions imposed, especially residents who will be affected by them," he told reporters today.
Yan had urged the DoE to publish the said 59 conditions to the public but had yet to draw any response so far.
On Sept 20, a town hall session was organised by DoE in Penang regarding the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report of the Pan-Island Link 1 (PIL 1) highway, which was also under the PTMP.
Three paired road projects involve highways from Air Itam to Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway (5.7km), from Tanjung Bungah to Teluk Bahang (10.53km), and from Jalan Pangkor-Gurney Drive junction to Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway (4.1km).
Meanwhile, it was reported that the Penang government is hosting another public forum focusing on PTMP, which will be held on Sept 30 (Sunday) at Dewan Sri Pinang from 2pm to 4.30pm.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow is expected to officiate the forum and members of the public are invited to attend to get more information of the mega-project.
PTMP is a state-initiated project, costing an estimated RM46 billion, which features an undersea tunnel linking the island to the mainland, highways, light rail transit (LRT), monorail as well as extensive bus connectivity on both the island and the mainland. — Bernama