Penang Gerakan acting Youth chief Jason Loo has challenged a state executive councillor to a debate on “undersea tunnel issue and democracy” at Dewan Sri Pinang at 2pm on June 11.

Loo said the state exco member for public works, utility and transportation, Lim Hock Seng, had said that the state government was prepared to act against those who continued to slander it despite clarifications he made on the undersea tunnel.

“Wow, what action does the DAP-led state government want to take? I challenge Lim to state which law allows him to take action against constructive check and balances,” Loo said at a press conference in George Town today.

“If he does not understand democracy, he should shut up and do his homework and answer accordingly,” Loo said. He then challenged Lim to a debate next week.

On May 25, Lim had lamented that despite detailed clarification made on May 9 and 12, Ubran Well Being, Local Government and Housing Minister Abdul Rahman Dahlan has refused to understand the matter.

Lim had said it was regrettable that Rahman, who is also BN strategy director, has not taken up the Penang government's offer to view personally all the documents related to the tunnel and Transport Master Plan.

Penangites worried about extra cost

Loo said Penangites were worried they might have to pay an extra cost, perhaps another piece of land, to cover the cost for the Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (DEIA) for the undersea tunnel and the three paired roads.

He added that Penangites were also concerned that there might be parties who would “take advantage and make money” in these mega-transactions.

Loo then cited several mainstream media reports which quoted Lim as saying that the feasibility study, detailed design and DEIA cost RM305 million.

However, yesterday, Loo pointed out that Lim had said that the overall cost for the feasibility study (RM20 million) and detailed design (RM76.2 million) for the undersea tunnel is RM96.2 million.

Lim had also said that the breakdown of cost was RM31.2 million for the feasibility study and RM177.4 million for the detailed design for the three paired road, at an overall cost of RM208.7 million.

“There is no mention of the DEIA in the breakdown of the RM305 million at all; the people have the right to know why this is so,” Loo said.

“All the time we were given the understanding by Lim that the RM305 million is the cost for the feasibility study, design works and DEIA,” he added.