YB. R.S.N RAYER - A.D.U.N. SERI DELIMA, PENANG

PENANG: The state government has set up a Second Bridge Implementation Committee to resolve land matter issues pertaining to the project.

Deputy Chief Minister I Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin will head it.
“The committee will also look into issues involving escalating cost and the proposed toll charges. We do want Penangites to suffer,” Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said.

He also said that they were in the dark over land acquisition problems for the proposed second bridge as claimed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
“The state did not have access to such information, other than from the newspapers.”

He said there was no line of communication with the state and federal governments to discuss arising problems.
“We have directed the state Economics Planning Unit (EPU) to expedite the process. We have given full co-operation as far as land matters are concerned,” he told a press conference yesterday.

Lim said this in response to Abdullah’s statement that land acquisition problems were among the factors that caused the delay in the construction of the second bridge. Other major problems highlighted were design and cost.
Lim said the design and cost issues were under the purview of the Federal Government.

On the proposed monorail project, Lim said the state government was waiting for a second meeting with Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd (MRCB) to further discuss the project.
He said the state had also met with Melewar Industrial Group recently.
“We are looking at the proposals. The im-portant factors are the maximum number of people who would benefit, and whether the project could help reduce traffic congestion,” he said.

He also added that appointments to the Penang Tourism Council would be tabled next week during the state executive council meeting.
“We want to make sure suitable people are appointed to hold the posts,” he said.