A public town hall session on the Pan-Island Link (PIL) highway project will be held in Penang soon where all stakeholders will be invited to share their views, said local-based NGO Citizen Awareness Chant group (Chant).
Chant advisor Yan Lee welcomed the timely move, saying the session will be organised by the federal government.
Yan Lee said he was informed of the matter by the office of Energy, Technology, Science, Climate Change and Environment Minister Yeo Bee Yin.
"The scheduled meeting will surely bring benefits to all the people involved including the residents whose living space is expected to be affected by this highway construction," Yan Lee told reporters in George Town today.
"The ministry plans to hold the dialogue session after receiving feedback, including from NGOs," he added.
The highway is part of the Penang Transport Master Plan, which was proposed by the state's project delivery partner, SRS Consortium.
It has been strongly criticised by several quarters as the construction of the highway may affect two popular public parks, while explosives may be used for tunnelling works through Penang Hill.
Critics of the highway have started a petition to reject the construction of the PIL, which has garnered some 3,726 signatures.
However, another petition calling for the approval and implementation of the Penang Transport Master Plan, including the PIL, has captured 10,000 signatures.
Yan Lee also revealed that the public consultation period for the project has been ordered to be extended by the Department of Environment.
This was made possible through a request by the Consumers’ Association of Penang and other groups.
Yan Lee expressed hope that the session will be held during weekend so that more would be available to attend.
He urged the ministry to invite undersea tunnel concessionaire Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd to meet the various stakeholders during the town hall meeting.
"It is important to explain to the people about the entire project, not just the PIL on how it will affect Penangites if it is carried out," he said. - Mkini
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