GEORGE TOWN: The RM2.7bil Penang Sentral project in Butterworth is expected to generate economic spill-over effects of about RM8bil when the entire project is completed 10 years from now.

Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd (MRCB) executive director Datuk Ahmad Zaki Zahid said at a press conference that work on the first phase, comprising an integrated transportation hub with a retail component, would start next month.

The first phase, estimated to have a gross development value of at least RM400mil, is scheduled for completion by Dec 2013.

“Work on the second phase is expected to start even before the completion of the first phase,” he said. “Work on the third and final phase is expected to start five years from now.”

The second and third phases are commercial components, comprising a commercial hub, including office towers, serviced apartments, a hotel and waterfront amenities, scheduled for completion 10 years from now.

Zaki spoke after the Land Public Transport Commission chairman Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar launched the Rapid Penang I Planner logo.

In May this year, MRCB Utama Sdn Bhd project manager (project/property) Zamri Mat Zain had said that the first phase would miss the July 2011 completion deadline due to delays in land acquisition.

Zaki said construction of the first phase was likely to generate some 2,500 jobs. “By the time the entire project is completed, some 15,000 jobs would be created, generating an economic spillover effect of about RM8bil,” he said.

Ahmad Zaki added that the gross development value of RM2.7bil was a conservative figure, which was likely to increase next year.

The Penang Sentral project, developed by MRCB in partnership with Pelaburan Hartanah Bumiputera Bhd, is part of the Northern Corridor Economic Region initiative.

The two companies formed a joint-venture firm, called Penang Sentral Sdn Bhd, which would undertake the development of the transport and commercial hub.

MRCB Selborn Corp Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of MRCB, has been appointed to manage the development, design, construction, completion and maintenance of Penang Sentral.

The transport hub is expected to cater to approximately 65 million passengers a year.

Meanwhile, LPTC chief executive officer Mohd Nur Ismal Kamal said that the commission would next month start to finalise the public transport policy for the country.

“It will take nine months to finalise the policy, as the LPTC needs to assess the data collected from all over the country on the needs for public transportation in different towns and cities,” he said.

“We will then know what kind of public transport programme is needed for which towns and cities in the country,” he said.

SOURCE: The Star