GEORGE TOWN: Upset with the questionnaire given out at the public display on the Bayan Lepas Light Rail Transit (LRT) project, Penang Forum has come up with its own set of “alternative” questions.
The current survey, it said, consists of “non-questions” framed to give a positive response.
The state government said 97% of the estimated 3,000 people who completed the questionnaire during the first month of the public display supported the project.
The “alternative” questions proposed by Penang Forum are:
1) Do you support the Halcrow Penang Transport Master Plan which gives Penangites an integrated public transport system that costs RM10 billion or one LRT line that costs RM10 billion?
2) Would you use the LRT to the airport if you can drive there in 15 minutes using PIL1 highway?
3) Do you support the Autonomous Rapid Rail Transit or Bus Rapid Transit system that is:
cheaper to build (1/10th the cost), faster to build (1/10th the time), and will not cause major traffic disruption during construction?
cheaper to build (1/10th the cost), faster to build (1/10th the time), and will not cause major traffic disruption during construction?
Penang Forum steering committee member Lim Mah Hui said the respondents to the current set of questions were not shown alternatives to the LRT, which were better, cheaper and faster to build.
He said the public inspection booth also failed to show that the proposed Pan Island Link 1 (PIL1) highway, which was already approved, would be in nearly the same alignment as the LRT project.
PIL would run from Gurney Drive to somewhere near Batu Maung, not far away from the airport. The proposed LRT would run from Komtar to Bayan Lepas on a separate but almost parallel line.
“Wouldn’t many respondents prefer to drive along this new expensive highway for the few years before it gets congested, instead of taking the fixed Komtar-Bayan Lepas LRT route?
“The public has also never been shown what data have been used to arrive at the conclusion that the LRT and its alignment is the right choice for Penang.
“The reality is that there are other more affordable and efficient options that can be built more quickly at a fraction of the cost,” Lim said in a press conference at the Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) office today.
The 19-station, 22km LRT will cost RM8.5 billion, and the PIL 1 highway will cost RM7.5 billion.
To fund the projects, three islands will be reclaimed at a cost of RM10 billion and sold to the highest bidder.
The first island will take eight to 10 years to be ready, with the rest ready in 20 years. They will occupy 1,821ha of reclaimed land.
The projects are under the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP), costing RM46 billion, which will see the construction of highways, rail lines and other modes of public transport over the next 20 to 30 years.
Meanwhile, CAP president Mohideen Abdul Kader said he was disappointed that there was no response from the transport minister and the chief minister on their queries on the LRT system.
“We have written in asking why more expensive transit systems are being proposed when it is clear we do not have the economies of scale to keep it viable?
“We also asked why the state is insisting on something expensive and environmentally damaging to be carried out.
“Also, why give major transport projects to a consortium of developers?” he asked.
Mohideen said it was best for the PTMP to be reviewed by an independent transport expert before it moves on. - FMT
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