Second Penang Bridge plan on despite delay

GEORGE TOWN (NST 2008-04-27): The Second Penang Bridge project is on track despite announcements that may have suggested otherwise.

Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop said the federal government would proceed with the RM4.3 billion project linking Batu Kawan in Seberang Perai Selatan and Batu Maung on the island.He said the government had wanted to review the construction cost, design and land acquisition process and not the project itself.

"Once these issues are resolved, we expect the construction of the bridge to proceed as planned but pending that, there will a delay in carrying out the project," he said after chairing the inaugural Federal Action Council for Penang meeting in Tasek Gelugor yesterday."This, however, does not suggest that the federal government is reviewing the project with an intention to scrap it," he told a news conference here after meeting his constituents in Teluk Air Tawar here yesterday.

Nor Mohamed said many quarters had misunderstood Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's announcement that the project would be delayed and would be reviewed under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP).Nor Mohamed, who is Tasek Gelugor member of parliament, said the main concern was to ensure that the design would reduce cost."We are also reviewing the entire cost of the project as we are facing a steep price increase in construction materials," he said.The building of the 24km bridge is expected to be completed by 2011.The deadline to complete the building of the bridge has been extended by nine months. UEM and its consortium partner, China Harbour Engineering Company, are building the bridge.

Nor Mohamed said the review was not subject to the Second Penang Bridge alone but to all major projects to be rolled out under the 9MP due to the rising cost of building materials."This global trend (price hike) has forced the government to adjust major economic policies as we foresee the situation lasting for the next few years."He added that the government was looking into ways to ensure that all projects under 9MP were carried out.

Meanwhile, Nor Mohamed said both the federal and state governments needed to work together for the proposed RM2.2 billion Penang monorail project. He said it would be difficult for the federal government to proceed with the project if the two governments did not co-operate."This is important because land matters are under their (state government's) purview. It would be difficult for us to implement the project."There must be understanding among us or it will be difficult to implement projects."Nor Mohamad did not elaborate on the help required by the federal government but added that it had no intention to put such projects in the state on hold."We have stated that we are sincere in bringing development, progress and prosperity to the people of Penang."

He said the government had yet to approve the monorail system and the Penang Outer Ring Road, another mega project."They are not in the list of projects approved under the Ninth Malaysia Plan."We have not come to that stage yet. "There are some matters relating to land acquisition which have to be settled," he said when asked to comment on Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng's statement that the state was keen to proceed with the monorail project.


NST 2008-04-28
He (LGE) said the project needed the cooperation and approval of the state government as it involved state land.
The RM1.2 billion monorail project is among mega projects under the Ninth Malaysia Plan that involves building a 51.2km track to complement the island’s public transportation network.