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http://anilnetto.com/2008/04/27/mega-setback-on-penang-infrastructure
-projects-is-a-golden-opportunity/

Thank God for the "mega setback" to Penang infrastructure projects
Sunday, 27 April 2008 Posted by anilnetto

Today, I just want to thank God for confounding the proponents of the mega
transport projects in Penang and delaying them (just like he confounded
those pushing for the PGCC project). The bridge partners are now arguing
about cost apportioning and design costs - and the project hasn't even
started! Porr, on the other hand, has not even got off the ground after
years of inaction while the monorail salesmen are busy trying to convince
the Penang government that the overhead train is the greatest thing since
the invention of the wheel.

All these multibillion projects may not be in the best interest of the state
and of ordinary Penangites. Think about this:

Fact No. 1 - The oil price today is US$116 per barrel (for dated Brent
Spot) - and we can expect the upward trend to continue. Can you imagine how
much the petrol will cost just to go up and down the bridge in say 10 years?
And let's not even talk about the toll.

Fact No. 2 - World oil production is close to a peak and it is increasingly
more difficult and more expensive to find new oil reserves. Production will
not be able to keep pace with demand.

Fact No. 3 - Malaysia will become a net importer of oil within a few years
and our oil reserves may not last more than a generation.

Fact No. 4 - The roads of Penang are already congested. In fact, Penang
Island already has a higher traffic density than Singapore even though
Singapore has about 5-6 times the population of Penang Island. How much more
traffic can it absorb before it becomes a living hell?

Fact No. 5 - The ferry service today is operating at half the capacity
compared to the late 1970s. The old ferry terminal on the mainland which
collapsed was never rebuilt. No wonder the ferry service does not have the
economies of scale that it once did. No wonder there is so much congestion
on the bridge.

Fact No. 6 - Climate change and global warming are here to stay.

Fact No. 7 - More cost effective alternatives have not been considered.

With this in mind, it is amazing that our "planners" want to take us down
the (tolled!) path of unsustainable transport infrastructure projects that
promote private vehicle ownership and more fossil fuel consumption and which
will lead to congestion, pollution and global warming.

Let's tot up the bill for going down this unsustainable path:

Second Penang Bridge - RM4.3 billion (UEM is said to have come up with a
figure of RM4.8 billion!)*
Penang Outer Ring Road - RM1.1 billion
Monorail - RM3.5 billion

Total cost: RM8.9 billion

Allowing for further cost escalations, say a total of RM10 billion at least.

* This cost is probably inflated, as one expert told me that material costs
for the second bridge should not exceed a billion ringgit - RM2 billion at
most. Even The Edge business weekly in its cover story this week suspects
that the RM4.3 billion figure could be inflated.

With a fraction of that RM10 billion total bill, we could do wonders for
public transport - and other social spending - in Penang.

What could we do with say RM3-4 billion?

- Expand the ferry service and build more ferry terminals at different
locations
- Introduce trams
- Build a cross-channel rail link perhaps alongside the Penang Bridge

The Penang state government's new high-powered team for the second bridge
should shift its focus to public transport for the whole state.

It is incredible that we can even think of mega transport projects when we
haven't even come up with a transport masterplan for the state that would
promote public transport. We haven't even considered the implications for
traffic and the environment in the state.

Why the hurry to spend billions before thoroughly studying the situation and
looking at feasibility studies? In the first place, why even borrow US$800
million from China to finance the second bridge? And where are the EIA
reports?

We still have time to do some proper planning before throwing away
billions - which ordinary Penangites will have to bear for years.

In the meantime, expand the ferry service. That should immediately reduce
congestion on the bridge.

And then let's consider ALL the alternatives which would include an improved
bus service, trams, ferries and a cross-channel rail link. Come up with an
integrated masterplan and don't work on a piece-meal, ad hoc basis.

Penangites cannot make an informed choice if we have not considered all the
various options thoroughly and listened to the views of the best public
transport experts from around the world (ie those who do not have any vested
interests in infrastructure projects). Why not invite public transport
experts from cities with excellent public transport to tell us how they
reduced their traffic nightmares at a fraction of the cost?

The good thing about promoting public transport is that it will create more
long-term local jobs. Think of the construction of new ferries and ferry
terminals, assembling of buses, laying of rail tracks for trams, more ferry
pilots, ferry crew, tram drivers, bus drivers, admin staff, maintenance
personnel.

It will lead to less stress and congestion on the roads as pedestrians and
cyclists reclaim the streets. It will also be a lot more sustainable and
spark more economic activity in the town centres as the experience of other
cities with excellent public transport amply demonstrates.

Wouldn't you want to live in a charming heritage city where you could walk
past old shophouses along the tree-lined streets in town, use efficient
public transport that won't cost an arm and a leg, sip a drink at a
road-side cafe and watch the world go by without choking from the fumes of
passing vehicles? I know I would.

Do you really think those boys in Putrajaya share this vision of Penang? Do
you think they care about the environmental consequences?

In a sense, we are at a crossroads. Penang is in a unique position to do
something different - something sustainable, environmentally friendly and
people and pedestrian friendly - which could be the talking point of the
region. If we go down the wrong road, I don't even want to think of the
consequences. It will be the end of Penang as we know it.

Anyone up for a 'Bloggers for Trams' in Penang campaign?
____

http://www.mysinchew.com/node/10584

Penang CM Quashes Monorial Rumour
2008-04-28 18:14

PETALING JAYA: Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng Monday (28 Apr) quashed
rumours that the Penang monorail project has been put on hold. He told
reporters in Kuala Lumpur after the swearing in ceremony in Parliament that
Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop had informed him that a
local media report yesterday which said the monorail project would be
temporarily shelved, was not true.

"I was made to understand by him (Nor Mohamed) that there were two
conflicting reports on the matter. Which one should we believe? I like to
believe the more positive report," he added.

Lim wants to have further discussions on the Ninth Malaysia Plan projects
with the federal government.

Lim said as of now, he was not sure whether the projects, including the
monorail, would proceed or be delayed, so he would need more information on
the matter from the federal government.

"That's why I think it's better for us to meet face-to-face on the matter
rather than finding out about it from media reports which may not be
accurate," he said.

Lim stressed that the state government would give its full cooperation and
support to whatever projects that could benefit the people in the state.

Meanwhile, he refuted the statement by former Penang chief minister Tan Sri
Dr Koh Tsu Koon that the state government had given the contract for the
monorail project to the Melewar Group.

"We have only received a proposal and are looking at it. I think in a week
and two weeks' time we will be briefed by Malaysian Resources Corporation
Bhd (on the proposed project).

"The state government has not made any decision on this. If there is, we
will tender out the project," Lim said. (MySinchew)
____

http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=21822

Phee: What second bridge land issue?
Opalyn Mok Updated: 05:04PM Mon, 28 Apr 2008

GEORGE TOWN (April 28, 2008): The Second Penang Bridge's full plan and
design have yet to be confirmed and neither land parcels have been
identified for acquisition, the state government revealed today.

"That being the case, it is puzzling for the Barisan Nasional (BN) federal
government to say land acquisition was one problem delaying the project,"
said Penang Health, Welfare and Caring Society Committee chairman Phee Boon
Poh.

Phee, who also sits in the state's newly formed Second Bridge Implementation
Committee, said there were no land matter issues to resolve because no land
was earmarked for the project.

"They (federal government) have not even drawn up the plans for the bridge,
what more talk about land acquisition. They have also not contacted us about
land acquisition," he added.

This "confusion" over land problems could be one of the factors for the
delay in the project which was scheduled to complete in 2011. Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had recently announced that it would be
delayed by at least nine months.

Abdullah had claimed the delay were due to land acquisition problems, design
and rising costs.

Earlier, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the state government was left in
the dark over the progress of the project except what is reported in
newspapers.

He then formed the committee to resolve any land matter issues which may
arise from the project.

The proposed 24km bridge will link the island and Seberang Prai between Batu
Maung and Batu Kawan. The project is under the purview of the federal
government.
____

http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/news_lite.php?id=329496

Penang Govt Wants To Discuss 9MP Projects With Federal Govt
April 28, 2008 17:26 PM

KUALA LUMPUR, April 28 (Bernama) -- Unsure of the status of projects for the
state under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP), Penang Chief Minister Lim Guang
Eng wants to have further discussions on the projects with the federal
government.

Lim said as of now, he was not sure whether the projects, including the
monorail, would proceed or be delayed, so he would need more information on
the matter from the federal government.

"That's why I think it's better for us to meet face-to-face on the matter
rather than finding out about it from media reports which may not be
accurate," he said when asked about the 9MP projects in Penang, after
attending the Dewan Rakyat sitting here Monday.

Lim said Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop had informed him
Monday that a local media report on Sunday which said the monorail project
would be temporarily shelved, was not true.

"I was made to understand by him (Nor Mohamed) that there were two
conflicting reports on the matter. Which one should we believe? I like to
believe the more positive report," he added.

Lim stressed that the state government would give its full cooperation and
support to whatever projects that could benefit the people in the state.

Meanwhile, he refuted the statement by former Penang chief minister Tan Sri
Dr Koh Tsu Koon that the state government had given the contract for the
monorail project to the Melewar Group.

"We have only received a proposal and are looking at it. I think in a week
and two weeks' time we will be briefed by Malaysian Resources Corporation
Bhd (on the proposed project).

"The state government has not made any decision on this. If there is, we
will tender out the project. We have not made a decision and then only will
issue an open tender as claimed (by Koh)," Lim said. -- BERNAMA
____

Guan Eng: It's a new form of colonialism
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/4/28/nation
/20080428095226&sec=nation

After bridge delay, 2 other projects in doubt for Penang
http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest%2BNews/Asia/STIStory_231626.html

'No intention of cancelling projects'
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/4/27/nation
/20080427173409&sec=nation
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