Failed car park project: ‘Lim must answer’

Tourism Minister Dr Ng Yen Yen says the stalled project was a waste of public funds.

JOHOR BARU: Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng should be held accountable for the failure of the RM5 million multi-storey car park project at the foot of Penang Hill, Tourism Minister Dr Ng Yen Yen said.

Ng expressed her disappointment and demanded answers from Lim, who is the chairman of Penang Development Corporation (PDC), the agency in charge of managing the project which was funded by the federal government through the Tourism Ministry.

“If they can’t do a car park, what else can they do?” she said at a news conference after opening the Fabulous Food 1Malaysia-Street Food Festival 2011 in Johor Jaya last night.

Ng said Lim must give answers and stressed that the resignation of one or two persons over the matter would not be enough.

Lim was reported yesterday as saying that the multi-storey car park would be demolished, redesigned and reconstructed as recommended by the State Inquiry Board.

The project which was completed in March failed to obtain the Certificate of Fitness from the Penang Municipal Council due to its poor design.

It was reported on Nov 17 that a three-member inquiry committee found that the project’s architect and consultant were responsible for the poor design of the car park.

Lim said the new building would take about 15 months to be built and the cost ranging from RM5.5 million to RM6.75 million, and that after the reconstruction, the existing 112 parking bays would be increased to more than 300 lots with split-level ramps.

Ng, who had not received any formal information on the matter from the state government, said the failure of the project was a waste of public funds.

Meanwhile, Ng said a total of 200 hawkers took part in the festival which featured Rendang, Nasi The ministry expected 200,000 people including Singaporeans to come to the two-day festival which began last night.

She also invited people to a similar event at Bentayan Hawker Centre, Jalan Bentayan in Muar from Dec 4 to Dec 31.

The dates for the event in other states can be obtained at www.fabfood1malaysia.com.

- Bernama