Tuesday February 5, 2013
Malaysian Nature Society: Penang government's proposed undersea tunnel link redundant
GEORGE TOWN: The proposed undersea tunnel linking the island to the mainland, which is part of a RM8bil infrastructure package unveiled by the Penang Government, is redundant, said an environmental group.
“The Penang Bridge is not that congested. The second Penang Bridge will also be completed soon. So, a third link between the island and the mainland is not necessary,” said Malaysian Nature Society Penang branch adviser D. Kanda Kumar.
Kanda Kumar was commenting on the package, comprising the 6.5km Gurney Drive-Bagan Ajam undersea tunnel, a 4.2km Gurney Drive-Lebuhraya Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu bypass, a 4.6km Lebuhraya Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu-Bandar Baru Air Itam bypass and a 12km road connecting Tanjung Bungah and Teluk Bahang.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had been quoted in online news portals as saying that the state executive council had decided to award a company the tender to construct the four roads.
Although Lim did not name the company, it is known that the package of projects will begin in 2015.
The group, said Kanda Kumar, was also concerned that the tunnel would lead into a mangrove area in Seberang Prai, which was visited by thousands of migratory birds, including endangered species from Siberia, Japan and China.
A public transport system, he added, should first be put into place before such mega projects were implemented.
However, Penang Consumer Protection Association president K. Koris Atan said he was in full support of the projects.
Meanwhile, at another press conference, Lim said the state government was prepared to face objections over the projects.
“We will bite the bullet and let the people decide whether they want these roads or not. Our proposed roads will cut through reserve land and uninhabited areas so there is no question of relocating residents,” he said.
Related stories:
Penang government should be transparent
- Rafizi: PKR filing election petition for Balik Pulau parliamentary seat
- Karpal calls for Parliament to allow Senate elections
- Copies of Opposition tabloids seized for violating permit
- Rally organisers told to adhere to Act or face the music
- Three held over May 13 statements
- Umno leaders back police action against those who utter seditious remarks
- KL car number plates to bear ‘W1A’
- Thousands throng thanksgiving rally by DAP
- Set aside differences, Malaysians told
- Fernandes does his first firing in Apprentice Asia
- Adam pleads not guilty to giving seditious speech
- Large migrant population a security risk to Sabah, RCI told
- Arrest of Opposition figures not political, say cops
- Pakatan uncowed by seizure of party organs
- NUJ slams attacks on journalists covering vigils
- Malaysia tycoon Vincent Tan plans IPO of football club Cardiff City
- Google, like Facebook, in talks to buy Waze for about US$1bil
- Crown selling entire 10% in rival Echo, partly owned by Genting(Update)
- First edition of 'Great Gatsby' to be sold at auction, can fetch US$150,000
- Malaysia leads the way in Basel III debt
- Markets face rough summer ride as Fed pullback feared
- Wall Street sags, HP hits 52-week high
- Commodities trader sues BP, Shell others for alleged oil price fixing
- Billionaire Icahn seeks up to US$7bil for Dell bid
- Google faces new federal antitrust probe
- Goldman Sachs unveils checks on conflicts in bid to fix tarnished image
- Air Asia's Tony Fernandes to ‘fire up’ investors
- Maybank bullish on growth, to expand regionally under new leadership
- Khazanah appoints Nor Mohamed deputy chairman
- Lafarge Malayan Cement to finalise next expansion plans by August
- Kingston leads, McIlroy in Wentworth woe
- LPGA plans 12-hole rounds in water-logged Bahamas
- Ryan Palmer sizzles with 62 to seize lead at Colonial
- Kelly overcomes scare to clinch title in KLGCC
- Time to make amends Garcia wants to meet Woods to defuse racist row
- American Johnson back to defend Colonial crown
- Rain dampens debut of LPGA Bahamas event
- Tianlang adds another US event to schedule
- Clock ticking for next golden generation
- Nadal wants to create history at Roland Garros
- Serena out to tame French Open demons
- Zheng Jie stuns Wozniacki in Brussels
- British Open: Ramy Ashour racks up 38th successive win
- Nicol David sails into quarter-finals of British Open in 35 minutes
- BAM must stop rewarding mediocrity or be doomed
- KL car number plates to bear ‘W1A’
- Fernandes does his first firing in Apprentice Asia
- Rally organisers told to adhere to Act or face the music
- Three held over May 13 statements
- Thousands throng thanksgiving rally by DAP
- DJ stands by hubby in molest case
- Copies of Opposition tabloids seized for violating permit
- Adam pleads not guilty to giving seditious speech
- Umno leaders back police action against those who utter seditious remarks
- Large migrant population a security risk to Sabah, RCI told
- Singapore GDP growth surprises, beats economists’ forecast of contraction
- Air Asia's Tony Fernandes to ‘fire up’ investors
- KL car number plates to bear ‘W1A’
- Malaysia leads the way in Basel III debt
- Three held over May 13 statements
- Inventions a-plenty, but no real innovation
- Fernandes does his first firing in Apprentice Asia
- Lower profit for Unico-Desa, hit by depressed CPO prices
- Daibochi expanding exports to S-E Asia and Australia
- TDM to expand plantation and hospital ops
RSS
