The arduous task of constructing Penang’s second bridge was documented in painstaking detail, writes Loong Wai Ting
IN National Geographic’s Megastructures: The 2nd Penang Bridge, join the team from the award-winning production house Novista as they discover the engineering marvels of the second bridge that links the mainland to Batu Maung on Penang Island.
The bridge was opened by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak on March 1 this year and was officially named Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah Bridge.
Following the successful documentaries on Petronas Twin Towers and Smart Tunnel, the team is back to relate the momentous events and elaborate on the marvellous engineering feat involved in constructing a 24km-bridge, with 16.9km of it over water.
The groundwork for the RM4.5billion project began in November 2008 and was completed six years later under the Ninth Malaysian Plan by former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. With the new bridge, there’s an alternative route in and out of the island, reducing traffic congestion on the existing bridge. It also provides easier access to Penang International Airport from the mainland.
The project was divided into three main packages. Package 1 was awarded to CHEC Construction, a subsidiary of China Harbour Engineering Company. Package 2 was awarded to UEM Builders and Package 3 was further divided into several packages among local contractors. Jambatan Kedua (JKSB), a concessionaire, was appointed to design, construct, manage, operate as well as maintain the iconic bridge. The work was supervised and audited by reputable international engineering firms MMSB Consult and Ove Arup & Partners Hong Kong, to ensure that technical standards and performance met all international safety and specifications standard.
“Back in 2011, we were invited by JKSB to pitch for the documentation of the construction of the bridge. We were asked to produce something that is similar to the Smart Tunnel project. We felt that the construction of the second Penang bridge was significant. In the end, we won the pitch and started filming the project at the end of 2011,” says Lara Ariffin, director of the documentary who is also with Novista.
On top of being the toughest project so far for the team at Novista, Lara says they had to deal with different contractors to gain access to the bridge. “The bridge was built by several contractors and we had to meet and interview a lot of different people for access and to understand how it was being built, as well as the challenges they faced. The process was long as we filmed for more than three years with an average of five to six days of shoot in a month.
“As far as equipment was concerned, we had time lapse cameras set in various locations, drones and even helicopters. Sometimes we had to be on the site with less than 24 hours notice,” she says.
With enough footage and interviews, the crew moved their base back to the mainland where theybegan the process of cataloguing and storing their footages. “It was challenging,” Lara says. “When you filmed for a three-week project, you have limited footage but here it was endless. When it came to editing a National Geographic programme, the biggest challenge was choosing the right material. Our first assembly cut was more than two hours (the team had to shrink it down to 45 minutes).
“The most critical requirement for the network was to keep it simple for the audience to understand. To try to simple a process, sometimes, is one of the hardest tasks.”
One needs to have a keen eye for details when choosing the right footage. “We had so many stories to tell but we had to choose the ones that best explained the bridge. When we showed scenes of a collapsed ramp, people asked ‘why are we showing a bad thing?’. The collapse of the ramp happened and there was no way we could not put it in because that’s part and parcel of the challenges faced while constructing the bridge,” she says.
On top of being the longest bridge in Southeast Asia, the Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah Bridge also recorded a number of firsts during construction. For instance, the bridge had to be aligned to the substructure which was built separately. Not only that but it was also a challenge for engineers to come up with an earthquake-proof design.
Novista is also behind three technical documentaries which focuses on the engineering innovations that will be used as teaching tools for engineers and university students. Lara says: “We practically became engineers ourselves as it was crucial for us to understand the technical complexities involved. It was definitely one of the toughest shoots we’ve had to do — from the physical difficulties of shooting in the middle of the sea to finding a balance between the technical aspects and dramatic arcs. In the end, it was all worth it.”
However, none of that could be achieved if not for the dedication and hard work of the team. “A project this scale cannot be done without a great team. Everyone from cameramen, soundman, photographer, researcher and production managers, put in their best for the project. It was extremely challenging for our camera crew during early shoots. They had to climb to great heights just to get a perfect shot.
“We are thankful to the authorities and the people of Penang for giving us access to so many out-of-bound areas such as navigation beacons, private jetties, roof tops and more. Working with expensive equipment at great heights and above the sea was not easy as well. Fortunately, we did not lose any camera, except for a couple of stolen time-lapse cameras and a few lens covers that fell into the sea,” she says.
“What most people don’t realise when the government embarks on a mega project such as this, is that the innovations that are introduced to overcome the challenges can actually help to elevate the local engineering and construction industry to a higher level. For example, high damping natural rubber bearings were used to mitigate and protect the bridge from seismic shocks and it can be used in similar constructions,” JKSB managing director Datuk Ir. Dr. Ismail Mohamed Taib, says.
Recalling his most memorable experience being a part of the documentary, Novista’s founder and avid documentary filmmaker, Harun Rahman says: “I thoroughly enjoy doing the aerial filming of the bridge. It was always a challenge with weather, but fun when you have good pilots. And of course, being in Penang you’re always surrounded by good food. After years of being on the project, we all felt great to be a part of the documentation of its existence.”
Aside from making and producing documentaries for National Geographic, Lara also hopes to make wildlife documentaries. “We often see our natural heritage being portrayed through the eyes of foreigners. It would be nice to show our natural heritage through the eyes of the people who deal with it every day — the Orang Asli,” she says.
Novista made On Borrowed Time, a special programme that calls for the conservation of tigers and other endangered species in the forests of northern Perak. Another was the wildlife story Among The Great Apes With Michelle Yeoh.