GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government has been told to come clean on alleged study trip made by state officials to China earlier this month on the Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit (ART) system used there.
This comes after Citizen Awareness Chant Group (Chant) adviser Yan Lee received a 51-second video showing Penang Transport Council chairman Datuk Lim Hock Seng and a few other delegates on board the ART train.
He uploaded the video entitled “Penang delegate visit CRRC” on his Youtube channel.
“Previously when an NGO (non-governmental organisation) asked about this, it was said to be nothing more than fake news, but now it has been proven otherwise.
“Till today no one from the state government has actually come out to reveal the outcome of the study trip,” he said today, adding that the details of the study trip would shed light on how the Chinese system compared with the state government-proposed LRT system.
“From my sources, I was told that the ART is 10 times cheaper than LRT.
“The operational cost of ART is also cheaper.
“The ART can also be implemented within months while LRT will take about six years to complete its construction,” he added.
He said the state government should consider holding a townhall session on their study trip to inform the people of their findings.
NST has contacted Lim and is waiting for comments.
The state government is keen to implement the Komtar-Bayan Lepas Light Rail Transit (LRT) project, part of Penang’s multi-billion ringgit Transport Master Plan (PTMP).
Yesterday, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the state government would seek RM10 billion in funding for the LRT and Pan Island Link (PIL) I.
The state-initiated RM46 billion PTMP is aimed at address Penang’s worsening traffic woes.
The project will be funded through the Penang South Reclamation (PSR) project, which will see the creation of three man-made islands in the southern part of the island, measuring some 1,800ha.