The
Citizens Awareness Chant Group (Chant) has called for the Pakatan
Rakyat state government to uphold its Competency, Accountability and
Transparency (CAT) principles by disclosing full details of the proposed
Penang undersea tunnel project.
Chant urged Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s administration to publish details in the media for all to see.
“We ask for CAT at the highest level of the state government, the Chief
Minister and the awarded company for this project,” the group said in a
statement here today.
“We demand full disclosure of the tunnel
feasibility study, which costs about RM300 million and equates to
5.5-acres of state land belonging to the people of Penang.”
The
group also want the state government to reveal details of a proposed
“City of Dreams” project rumoured to be part of the tunnel project.
“The project site is rumoured to be near the landed residential area in
Gurney Drive, on a piece of land that will be or has already been
surrendered to the state government.”
Chant said residents
concerned on whether their quiet residential streets would be used as
access once the project started had approached the group seeking
assistance and clarification.
“When we visited the sales booth,
the sales personnel were unable to tell us who was the developer, where
and when this project is scheduled to start,” added Chant.
The
undersea 6.5km tunnel linking Gurney Drive on Penang island to Bagan
Ajam on the mainland is part of a mega infrastructure project planned by
Lim’s government.
The mega project includes a 4.2km bypass
road linking Lim Chong Eu Expressway and Gurney Drive; a 4.6km bypass
linking Air Itam and Lim Chong Eu Expressway; and a 12km Tanjung
Bunga-Teluk Bahang road.
The tunnel is scheduled to be ready in
2025; the Tanjung Bunga–Teluk Bahang stretch is to be completed by
2018; the Lim Chong Eu Expressway and Gurney Drive by-pass link by 2022
and Air Itam–Lim Chong Eu Expressway by-pass link by 2019.
The project, estimated to cost RM6.3 billion, has been awarded to Consortium Zenith BUCG Sdn Bhd.
The consortium’s main shareholders are Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd and
China Railway Construction Corporation Ltd (CRCC) with a joint 70%
equity share; Beijing Urban Construction Group with 10% equity; Sri
Tinggi Sdn Bhd 10% equity; and Juteras Sdn Bhd 10% equity.
CRCC will undertake 70% of construction works while BUCG will construct 30% of the whole project.
Tunnel still needed, says Lim
Yesterday Lim was reported to have said that the tunnel was still
needed despite the opening of the Penang second bridge – the Sultan
Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah Bridge on March 1.
Lim claimed the tunnel would be a catalyst for future development in northern Seberang Perai, a statement concurred by Chant.
Chant suggested that a rail link be incorporated with the undersea
tunnel so that mainland residents do not miss out on the future growth.
Following public demand, Chant plans to commission an independent study
on the tunnel project, which would be a costly affair. They are looking
into collecting a minimum RM1 per person from Penangites for funding of
the study.
The group has appointed Ghazi & Lim, a
prominent law firm in Southeast Asia to act as stake holder for the
public funds collected.
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