GEORGE TOWN: State government will be organising a townhall session with for the controversial Pan Island Link (PIL) 1 project next week as per instruction issued by Department of Environment (DOE).
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the session would be held on Sept 20 from 8pm to 10.30pm at Setia Subterranean Penang International Convention and Exhibition Centre (SPICE) Convention Centre.
The project presentation will be done by its consultant.
“People can voice out their concerns, views and raise matters during the townhall. It (the feedback) will be directly taken into account by the DOE (officials) themselves.
“Everyone is welcomed, non-governmental organisations and members of the public can attend the session to give their feedback and ask questions about the project where it will be responded by the project consultant,” he said in a press conference today.
The 19.5km PIL 1 highway, under the ambitious Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP), includes a 10km tunnel that cuts through the hills in Bukit Bendera, Paya Terubong and Sungai Ara to alleviate traffic congestion. It will also cut across the Youth Park.
The multi-billion ringgit highway will allow traffic to traverse directly from Gurney Drive to Gottlieb Road, Youth Park, Sungai Keluang and the Second Penang Bridge, cutting traveling time by more than half. The highway project will affect 226 buildings.
Numerous protests have been held by Penangites and non-governmental organisations to call for the PIL 1 to be scrapped and for the PTMP to be reviewed.
Elaborating further, Chow hoped that the townhall would be a peaceful session where the concerns could be channelled appropriately.
The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report for PIL 1 was submitted to DOE on May 7 this year.
A public display of the EIA was held from July 11 to August 10. DOE later conducted a PIL 1 alignment site visit on Aug 15.
EIA technical meeting with DOE was held on Aug 28 before the department issued a letter the next day extending the deadline to submit feedback on the EIA to Sept 24.
When asked if some quarters might complaint on the townhall session being held on a weekday, he said the public could still send their feedback to DOE via mail or email before the deadline.
Energy, Technology, Science, Climate Change and Environment Minister Yeo Bee Yin is also expected to attend the session next week.
On a separate matter, Chow revealed that he would be meeting the Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook and Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) officials next week to discuss on the light rail transit project from Komtar to Bayan Lepas which the commission deemed as unsuitable.
He said the meeting would be held this Tuesday in Putrajaya where his team would also rationalise the need to go ahead with the project.
“We will be attending a briefing session by SPAD and we will also justify why the state opted for an LRT line,” he said.