Penang groups urge federal govt to review transport master plan
Penang Forum steering committee member Dr Lim Mah Hui and CAP president Mohideen Abdul Kader (right) reading out the civil society organisations’ statement.
PETALING JAYA: A group of civil society organisations has called on Anwar Ibrahim’s administration to review the RM46 billion Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP).
The group said the government should engage international experts on sustainable mobility, such as New York-based non-profit Institute of Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP), to review the “bloated” plan.
“Please subject the PTMP to international review by a genuinely independent body of sustainable mobility experts. Surely, that is not asking too much, given the tens of billions of ringgit at stake,” it said in a statement.
The group includes Penang Forum, the Consumers’ Association of Penang, and the Penang Public Transport Users Association.
When the then Pakatan Rakyat took over the Penang government in 2008, it looked to alleviate the state’s congestion problem by forming a transport council comprising experts and NGOs to develop a transport master plan.
This resulted in three companies – Halcrow Consultants Sdn Bhd (transport and infrastructure planning), AJC Planning Consultants Sdn Bhd (land use planning) and Singapore Cruise Centre Pte Ltd (water taxi and pier) – proposing improved bus services, trams and ferries and more highways in 2012.
However, the state government rejected these plans and called for a proposal for the project, which saw SRS Consortium winning the bid through its finance model which would monetise the reclamation of three islands off the southern coast of Penang to find the PTMP.
SRS Consortium’s plan was to build highways, a light rapid transit system (LRT) and a modern bus rapid transit system (BRT), among other measures, to alleviate traffic on the island and mainland.
However, the civil society organisations said today the focus should be on building an effective bus system in Penang, and later upgrading the railway as and when the need arises, to improve first and last mile connectivity.
They also pointed out that Penang had fewer than 400 buses, compared to Singapore’s progress where its bus service “drastically improved” long before the country started its MRT system with almost 6,000 buses today carrying more passengers than the MRT.
“This would cost only a fraction of the PMTP,” the group said.
It also highlighted the need to maximise the potential of water transport in the state given that much of it is so close to the sea.
PETALING JAYA: A group of civil society organisations has called on Anwar Ibrahim’s administration to review the RM46 billion Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP).
The group said the government should engage international experts on sustainable mobility, such as New York-based non-profit Institute of Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP), to review the “bloated” plan.
“Please subject the PTMP to international review by a genuinely independent body of sustainable mobility experts. Surely, that is not asking too much, given the tens of billions of ringgit at stake,” it said in a statement.
The group includes Penang Forum, the Consumers’ Association of Penang, and the Penang Public Transport Users Association.
When the then Pakatan Rakyat took over the Penang government in 2008, it looked to alleviate the state’s congestion problem by forming a transport council comprising experts and NGOs to develop a transport master plan.
This resulted in three companies – Halcrow Consultants Sdn Bhd (transport and infrastructure planning), AJC Planning Consultants Sdn Bhd (land use planning) and Singapore Cruise Centre Pte Ltd (water taxi and pier) – proposing improved bus services, trams and ferries and more highways in 2012.
However, the state government rejected these plans and called for a proposal for the project, which saw SRS Consortium winning the bid through its finance model which would monetise the reclamation of three islands off the southern coast of Penang to find the PTMP.
SRS Consortium’s plan was to build highways, a light rapid transit system (LRT) and a modern bus rapid transit system (BRT), among other measures, to alleviate traffic on the island and mainland.
However, the civil society organisations said today the focus should be on building an effective bus system in Penang, and later upgrading the railway as and when the need arises, to improve first and last mile connectivity.
They also pointed out that Penang had fewer than 400 buses, compared to Singapore’s progress where its bus service “drastically improved” long before the country started its MRT system with almost 6,000 buses today carrying more passengers than the MRT.
“This would cost only a fraction of the PMTP,” the group said.
It also highlighted the need to maximise the potential of water transport in the state given that much of it is so close to the sea.
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kt comments:
Ironically former CM LGE and Penang Forum steering committee member Dr Lim Mah Hui come from the same 'Lim' clan, wakakaka but during LGE's CM days were quite antagonistic socio-foes. As we know LGE couldn't take criticisms nor what he then saw as Luddite-like hindrances to his grand plan (of any kind) for Penang.
Dr Lim had/has been a thorn in the DAP-led Penang state government on the administration transport plans, differing on issues such as development of Sia-Boay cultural centre to the state government's Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP).
Unlike LGE, Dr Lim is Penang born and bred, and if I am not mistaken, an alumnus of MBS Penang, my alma mater too, wakakaka. A very reputable former international banker and also academician, Penang Forum highlighted Dr Lim with the following credentials in 2016:
He is an international speaker and his works have been published internationally. He has also authored a book on the present global financial crisis and its impact on Asia.
Dr Lim, a Penangite, has decided to share his vast knowledge and experience with corporations, governments, universities, think-tanks, and civil society groups. He is currently focussed on serving the community and civil society groups in Penang and has contributed greatly to the work of Penang Forum.
Dr Lim has chosen to return to Penang and sacrificed his time to serve the state as a city councillor for the last five years. Known for his unswerving integrity and straight talking, Dr Lim has little patience for intrigues and scheming. He speaks his mind, rights the things that he sees that are wrong and laments the wrongs that he cannot change. This is a man unlikely to misinterpret figures and reports and with too much integrity to ‘lie’. He has nothing to gain and nothing to prove.
Penang Forum was truly shocked by this frenzy and uproar over a complaint of ‘lack of enforcement’, a constant daily problem in our urban lives. Is a councillor not supposed to highlight these issues? Should he be belittled and abused for doing so based on figures presented to him? Isn’t transparency what is advocated by the state government?
Dr Lim is the epitome of the kind of Penangite that the government wishes to encourage to return and to serve the state. The belittling of Dr Lim in public is unbecoming of a government that advocates competency, accountability and transparency. Penang Forum hopes that this will be the last episode of this sort.
Moving forward, Penang Forum hopes that honest and open engagement with the state government and council will continue in the spirit of working for the betterment of Penang.
From what I have read and heard, LGE couldn't stand him, wakakaka!
Lim Mah Hui collaborated with the PN Federal government to torpedo any plan for Penang to develop an advanced public transport system.
ReplyDeleteGo to Hell, MBS Boy
The two Lim's antagonism exists well before PN came into existence, wakakaka
Delete