GEORGE TOWN: Penang Barisan Nasional (BN) has lashed out at the DAP-led state government for accusing BN of missing out on the light rail transit (LRT) in their 14th General Election (GE14) manifesto.
State BN chairman Teng Chang Yeow turned the tables on the present administration, labelling it the “most undeliverable state government” when it failed to implement eight different public transportation systems despite having announced them since 2008.
He said the state government had promised to revive the tram system, build an airbus and monorail linking the island and mainland, an underground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), LRT, LRT together with underground subway and skycab cable car to ferry passengers between island and mainland which also included the LRT system to the Penang International Airport.
“These are your promises and you cannot even keep your promises. I believe the DAP-led Penang government is the only government which is unable to deliver such promises.
“You might have forgotten but we have not. It is here amongst your 51 ‘failed promises’ that we have kept in record,” he told a press conference at the state Gerakan headquarters here today.
Teng was responding to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s statement that BN has no plans to implement a public transportation system, which included the LRT.
Lim had said that in reference to Penang BN’s manifesto which was unveiled last Sunday.
Meanwhile, Teng reiterated his stance that the controversial RM6.3 billion undersea tunnel project could be cancelled without the need to pay any compensation, apart from claims for work done.
He said that this could be done on the basis of non-compliance by the contractor.
He cited an example that the contractor had failed to meet the minimum paid up capital of RM382 million for the project since two companies, China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) and Beijing Urban Construction Group (BUCG) were no longer involved as shareholders in the special purpose vehicle (SPV) set up for the project.
The SPV has also yet to complete its feasibility and detailed design studies for the project.
“With so many missing deadlines, no construction started five years after the contract was awarded, and the uncompleted studies, we wonder why until today the state government still refuses to cancel the project.
“The contractor concerned also admitted to paying RM22 million to two individuals to stop investigations into the project by the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC),” he said.
The 6km undersea tunnel was designed to link Bagan Ajam in Butterworth to Gurney Drive on the island.
The project was supposed to see the construction of three paired roads which linked Gurney Drive, Air Itam and the tourism belt of Batu Ferringhi to the sole highway on the island – the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway.
However, it has since come under the MACC microscope following allegations of impropriety over the high cost of the feasibility studies as well as the 24-month delay in completing it.
MACC recently arrested two men, including a 37-year-old Datuk Seri, who was said to have received a staggering sum of money from a construction company linked to the project, after claiming that he would be able to slam the brakes on the investigation.