Silent majority in Penang wants PIL 1
The Penang government has again defended the Pan Island Link 1 (PIL 1), with Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow saying the state’s “silent majority” wants the project to proceed.
He said based on feedback from the public through town hall sessions, some 80% of Penangites approved of PIL 1, a mega highway project that cuts through the island’s hills and which environmentalists warn could destroy the island’s sensitive ecosystem.
Chow said opposition to the project came “from a loud minority”, adding that the state would continue to engage with them by having independent experts “explain and enlighten where misconceptions are brewing”.
His statement comes after former prime minister Najib Razak said many were against the project as it was too expensive and damaging to the environment.
Najib, in a lengthy Facebook post recently, said PIL 1 would be the most expensive highway in the country at a cost of RM7.5 billion, which could balloon to RM9 billion or RM461 million per km.
If the project was shelved, he said, the money could be used to bail out Felda’s RM8 billion debts with the remaining RM1 billion given as cash aid to farmers and those in need.
The six-lane, 19.5km PIL 1 highway consists of 7.6km of elevated roads and 10.1km of roads tunnelled through the Penang Hill range to connect Gurney Drive in the northeast to the airport in the southeast.
It will allow motorists to arrive at the airport from Gurney Drive in 15 minutes.
Chow today rubbished Najib’s claims, saying the most expensive moniker was “cooked-up and distorted”.
He said the tunnelling and other complex works for PIL 1 justified the price tag of RM7.5 billion, and denied that the cost would escalate to RM9 billion.
The money for the project was funded through the reclamation of three islands south of Penang, which will be ultimately owned by the state, Chow added.
As for the George Town-Butterworth undersea tunnel and three main roads project, Chow said authorities had yet to pay the contractors for a feasibility study report of the tunnel as the report was yet to be finalised.
Chow said it was hence “incorrect” to claim that the state government had paid a total of RM305 million to the concessionaire company.
“The report for the proposed undersea tunnel is currently under review by an independent checking engineer appointed by the state government,” he added.
The projects are part of the Penang Transport Master Plan, which includes a series of highways and transit lines to be built over the next 20 to 30 years at a cost of RM46 billion.
It will be financed through the creation of three artificial islands south of Penang island, which will be later auctioned off to interested parties. The plan has yet to be approved by environmental regulators.
The state, however, is eager to kickstart the PIL 1 highway and the Komtar-Bayan Lepas LRT line at RM8.4 billion.
It has requested for a soft loan of RM1 billion to start reclaiming the islands so that both projects can run concurrently.
Source: FMT News
A soft loan of RM1 billion from the central govt ???
The answer is always…no money, no money and no money !
Pil1
I want PIL 1. F**k those “NGOs”.
@Internation
But where is the money went to ? Bear in mind Penang is the third contributor of taxes to the Federal govt despite its size of being the second “smallest” state !
PLease go ahead the Mass transport plan……..
we are penang lang fully support…….
we are stay behind more than 10 after BN boycott Penang…..
Its time to make Penang Great Again……
@Penanglang
It gets back a paltry of 3% development fund from “all” the taxes contributed even less than those of Johor !?
Nike!
@penanglang
People always talk about this “penang being the 3rd biggest tax contributor” thing, but i’m not sure if they know what they are talking about, or just “chui kong lampa song”!
Which tax are you refering to? Individual tax? Corporate tax? Petroleum tax? Excise duty? Petrolurm related tax alone make up 30% of total gov revenue, so does your “3rd biggest” include that? Or you have no idea at all, just mimicking others like a parrot??
Faster start the project……
The most expensive road project here in Malaysia and in the world…but it’s ok as long they use the “extra” money to stay in power.
Jst do it, dont drag any further!
I want to reach my office in 15 mins. Faster start PIL.
The silent majority does not have the luxurious time to express their viewpoint and support because they have to work hard to earn a living, unlike the loud minority who have plenty of time to make noise after retired, like the Jib, who is of course one of them. So sad…
You can tell if someone is the loud minority by reading the length of their comments too…
@Doraemon
So, what is the answer ? Which tax ? or you also don’t know.
Yes! If it will benefit the majority of the Penang population. Need to strike the balance on development while taking necessary precaution to ensure minimum impact on the environment.
@Doraemon
For your perusal…
槟州去年缴税全国第三多林冠英感叹遭遇却像继子。随着槟州去年再度成为联邦直辖区和柔佛之后，全最多税务给布城的州属，槟首长林冠英质问，为何中央政府在《第十一大马计划》边缘化槟城。
https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/299966
https://www.facebook.com/WeFullySupportprdap/posts/860888530712190
http://www.enanyang.my/news/20180608/%E6%9B%B9%E8%A7%82%E5%8F%8B%E7%BC%B4%E7%A8%8E%E6%9C%80%E5%A4%9A-%E6%A7%9F%E7%9B%BC%E8%8E%B7%E6%9B%B4%E5%A4%9A%E6%8B%A8%E6%AC%BE/
I want PIL, but I think the cost is absurd. I suspect corruption.
When the accident happened, my suspicion grew stronger.
The PIL was originally proposed by the consultants because it was meant to direct traffic away from the crowded roads so that lanes on existing roads could then be re-used for trams.
But the gomen claim that our existing roads cannot be reused for trams because no space then decide to build expensive elevated monorail and LRT. So actually that means there is no urgent need for the PIL anymore.
Also strange is the alignment of the PIL through the already crowded Gottlieb road. The consultants advised that this road was already too busy so the highway should be connected further away. But gomen insist go through Gottlieb.
When ppl propose tram through the same road, say no space for it. Will cause more jam. Too expensive to acquire land to widen road. But somehow ok to build a highway on the same road.
@Gabriel
obviously it will be one of the biggest corruption in Msia. Pil is 5X more expensive than ECRL. can’t believe this….
Silent majority in Penang wants PIL1?? If they are silent, how do you know whether they want it or not? One can also say the silent majority do not want PIL1, right? Or the silent majority are sick of all these politics??