Prime project: Aerial view of the Silicon Island Reclamation project site. The overall reclamation works for phase one is expected to be completed by June 2030. — Photo courtesy of Silicon Island Development Sdn Bhd
GEORGE TOWN: Land for the depot of Penang’s first light rail transit (LRT) on the man-made Silicon Island is expected to be ready by end-2025.
Penang Infrastructure Corporation Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Seri Farizan Darus said once reclaimed, land for the Mutiara Line LRT Depot would be handed over to MRT Corporation for construction in time for its 2030 deadline.
“The project is on schedule with 28ha out of 931ha of Silicon Island already reclaimed.
“On this island, 29.1ha has been allocated for the LRT depot and the reclamation is progressing well with 2.4ha of that reclaimed so far.
“From next year, we target a reclamation rate of 121.4ha to 161.8ha annually,” he said during a site visit to the island off the south of Bayan Lepas yesterday.
Penang Infrastructure Corporation Sdn Bhd is the state’s special purpose vehicle set up to oversee the project.
Farizan took press members to the island yesterday to view the prefabricated vertical drains (PVDs) on the site, which is used to accelerate soil consolidation and stabilise the ground as well as the construction of the temporary steel bridge.
Farizan said to expedite deposition works, they used the vertical drain method to drain out the water from the reclamation site.
“This is to enable construction works to begin earlier. We expect to expedite works by 30% earlier.
“If all goes well, we expect to have the first buildings up and running by 2027.
“The overall reclamation works for phase one is expected to be completed by June 2030,” he added.
Aligning with the “15-minute city” concept, Farizan said the Mutiara Line LRT will connect Silicon Island to the mainland, promoting a 70:30 public-private transportation mode split.
“In addition to the LRT, autonomous electric trams, e-buses and water taxis will form part of the island’s integrated green transport system, further enhancing connectivity and sustainability,” he said.
As part of the state government’s commitment to ensure the welfare and interest of fishermen in the vicinity, Farizan said 722 fishermen out of 877 who registered for the Social Impact Management Plan (SIMP) have received 100% of their ex-gratia payments while the rest included those who were renewing their documents or were deceased or inactive.
“The remainder of eligible recipients with valid documents will be paid by the end of this month.
“All 77 eligible recipients from Permatang Tepi Laut unit have received new boats and engines as well. The next phase will involve those from Sungai Batu, Gertak Sanggul and Teluk Kumbar,” he said.
Farizan said the temporary steel bridge connecting Silicon Island to Penang island is being constructed and would be completed by next March.
“The permanent bridge, featuring four lanes on each side, will be completed in two phases.
“The first phase of the permanent bridge will be opened for two-way traffic by mid-2027, while the remaining sections of the bridge will be fully completed by the end of 2028,” he said.
Silicon Island Development Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Szeto Wai Loong said some 220,000 jobs, encompassing direct, indirect and induced roles are expected to be created here.
“This impact will not be confined to the island but will have a spillover effect on other states.
“Silicon Island’s focus on high-value industries and advanced technology underpinned by sustainable practices is expected to drive growth in sectors such as semiconductor, medical technology, industrial automation, research and development and AI, fostering innovation and creating a ripple effect of opportunities across the state and nation,” he said.
Szeto said the first 40.4ha of Green Tech Park on the island, which will be industrial land, would be ready for construction by the first quarter of 2026.
“Given the average construction timeline for manufacturing facilities in Penang, we expect the facility to be operational by mid-2027,” he said.
As announced in early November by Transport Minister Anthony Loke, the LRT project is expected to commence next year.
Loke said negotiations on the project, including its final design and detailed costs, are in the final phase and expected to be completed by the year-end.
It was earlier reported that the planned LRT project would include 21 stations, with 20 located on Penang Island and Silicon Island, and one at Penang Sentral on the mainland.
The project, to be developed by MRT Corporation, will start from Silicon Island and head north to the other stations – namely Permatang Damar Laut, Penang International Airport, Sungai Tiram, the South Free Industrial Zone, Free Industrial Zone, Jalan Tengah, Subterranean Penang International Convention and Exhibition Centre (SPICE), Bukit Jambul, Sungai Nibong, Sungai Dua, Batu Uban, Jalan Universiti, Gelugor, Penang Waterfront, East Jelutong, Sungai Pinang, Bandar Sri Pinang, Macallum Street and Komtar.
Those from the mainland can also travel to the Macallum Street station from the Penang Sentral station.
