The BN Penang opposition leader and a couple of NGOs have called on the DAP-led state government to upgrade existing public transport modes to improve the state traffic dispersal management system.

They feel that the new state government should concentrate on this first instead of harping and harbouring on federal-funded mega infrastructural and transport projects.

Spending billions on new highways and transport mode would not necessarily be the answer to ease the rapidly increasing bottle-necked traffic congestion in Penang, they felt.

On the contrary, they felt that the Penang government needed only to use a small cut of the billions allotted in the mega budgets to expand the state's ferry and bus services to cater the people's needs and improve the state traffic dispersal system.

azhar ibrahim Penang Umno secretary Azhar Ibrahim said that the state government should stop harping and harbouring for the BN-led federal government financial backing to carry out mega infrastructural projects in Penang.

"The state government should exhaust various other ways and means, such upgrading the ferry and bus services, to improve the public transportation and traffic dispersal systems.

"Why should Penangites always depend on private vehicles and highways to move around?

penang ferry "Why can't the ferry and bus services expanded to cater the needs of vehicle users and commuters?" the Penaga state assemblyperson told Malaysiakini .

Among the mega projects which the state government are hoping for federal funding are the RM4.3 billion second Penang Bridge, RM1.8 billion monorail project and RM1.02 billion Penang Outer Ring Road (PORR) project.

He said the proposed monorail project, which would link several destinations on the other parts of the island with George Town, was unviable since it would only cater the needs of 700,000 islanders, while neglecting the needs of mainlanders.

The PORR and the monorail projects are also ‘long way' of approval stage.

The state exco in charge of public works, utilities and transportation, Lim Hock Seng told Malaysiakini the state government was in the dark over the PORR and monorail projects.

Buy more buses, ferries

ong boon keong Bus Users Group (Bug) spokesperson Ong Boon Keong ( right ) concurred that the state government should instead look into improving the bus service by purchasing more buses and forming a public bus company.

It should, he said, secure a permit from the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) and privatise its operations to one or more companies, so that it retained control of services in the state.

public transport penang buses At present an estimated 400 buses, operated the Finance Ministry's Rapid Penang, KGN Hin Bus Co, Transit Link, United Traction Company and Park May Holdings among others, ply routes all over Penang.

He stressed that a state-controlled bus operation would fit to local needs as it would have in-depth knowledge of commuter requirements.

It would also enable the state to provide efficient, reliable and affordable bus service, while gaining revenue from the privatisation scheme.

anil netto Another NGO activist, Aliran treasurer Anil Netto was of opinion that the ferry services should be expanded to ply more routes between Penang island and the mainland, such as Batu Kawan, Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone, Batu Maung, Teluk Bahang and Sungai Pinang in the southwest district.

Presently the ferry service, which is under the federal corporate body, the Penang Port Sdn Bhd, only connects George Town and Butterworth.

Instead of emphasising on using billions from federal funds to carry out mega projects, he suggested to the state government to outline an action plan to spend a small cut from the mega budgets to improve the ferry service, such as upgrading the current ferry terminal at both sides of the island state, building new ferry terminals in other destinations and purchasing new ferries.

"We can buy more vehicle-only ferries solely for vehicles and perhaps introduce lighters ala Thailand ferries to carry foot passengers to various destinations in the state via sea," he told Malaysiakini .

A BN U-turn

Since the DAP with its allies, PKR and PAS, stormed into power in the March 8 general election, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng's state government has made numerous calls to the federal government to carry out these projects sooner than later.

This was in keeping with its electoral promises in which the then the DAP-led state opposition alliance had campaigned vigorously to have these projects completed in time.

Then the ruling BN politicians have called on Penangites to vote for continuity of its political governance to ensure completion of all promised mega projects to the state.

However, less than 100 days after being voted out from power, BN leaders like Azhar, a close aide of the Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, has now made a political U-turn, urging the two-month old state government to ‘forget about the mega projects.'

In the aftermath of the general elections, he has openly called on the federal government to scrap all these mega projects to ‘punish' Penangites for voting in the DAP political block as the state government.