Penang LRT funding: CAP questions land reclamation

The Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) has raised concerns about the proposed Penang land reclamation project, particularly in light of the fact that the Federal Government has agreed to fund the Penang LRT.

With the funding secured, many are questioning why the state government is still pushing forward with the reclamation project.

Initially, the state government justified the reclamation project as a means to raise funds for the implementation of Penang’s Transport Master Plan. However, with the federal government’s agreement to provide funding for the Penang LRT, it begs the question of whether the reclamation project is still necessary.

Penang LRT and Transport Masterplan

CAP also expressed its concerns about the proposed LRT, noting that it is moving away from the original Halcrow Report-based Penang Transport Masterplan. Instead, the LRT initiative has been criticized as unsustainable and potentially detrimental to Penang’s urban fabric, creating new problems for the citizens instead of solving existing traffic congestion issues.

As per the Halcrow report, the public transport strategy included various modes of transportation like bus service networks, bus rapid transit, trams, and light rail transit (LRT) system. The strategy also included planning for the future of setting up hubs and park-and-ride stations to attract more users to utilise public transport in Penang.

The highway-based strategy involved improving and widening the roads, as well as key projects to elevate congestion and support and complement the public transport strategy.

The RM27 billion Halcrow Plan was endorsed by the Penang state government in May 2013.

The land scarcity

The state government has also claimed that Penang needs more land for development and job creation, despite evidence to the contrary. CAP said that cheap land for economic growth is available just across the second bridge in Batu Kawan, and there are already under-utilized industrial estates in Penang state.

The state government proposed the Penang South Reclamation project, which involves the reclamation of three islands off Permatang Damar Laut on the southern part of Penang Island to fund the Penang Transport Master Plan. These islands measure up to 4,500 acres off the southern coast of the island.

CAP is calling for a critical reassessment of the state government’s development model and a new, more meaningful development agenda that will position Penang as a model for sustainable development and Malaysia’s new economy.

The organization is also urging the Ministry of Transport to appoint credible traffic experts to modify the original Halcrow plan, taking into consideration the latest developments in transport technology and urban solutions.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that the PSI would be reviewed with the aim of being scaled down.