Keadilan supporters affected by the controversial alignment of the Penang Outer Ring Road project wore black armbands when they gathered yesterday at the project's exhibition centre to "mourn the death of democracy in the state assembly".

Last week, state assembly speaker Yahaya Abdul Hamid rejected an emergency motion by the opposition to discuss the RM1.02 billion project by Peninsular Metroworks Sdn Bhd (PMW).

That may not necessarily be the end of it as 10 assemblypersons can vote to overturn the speaker's decision.

However, all 30 Barisan Nasional representatives in the 33-member assembly kept silent on the opposition's motion and the matter thus died in the state assembly. The three opposition members are from Keadilan, PAS and DAP.

In protest, Penang Keadilan deputy chief Cheah Kah Peng yesterday led supporters to assemble at the Caring Society Complex where the exhibition was being held to urge the state government to be more sympathetic to the plight of those affected.

Cheah requested all state assembly representatives to respond to Keadilan's call within 72 hours to initiate an emergency session to discuss the implications of the project on the lives of Penangites.

"The project involves forced acquisition of people's properties but until now the solution and compensation for the affected ones have not been made clear," he said in a press conference at the complex.

"Many religious structures and private properties will be affected, like the largest and oldest burial grounds owned by the United Hokkien Cemeteries. Up till now, no one has approached them to discuss the matter," he added.

The project is expected to start in the middle of next year and finish by the end of 2006.

'Martian project'

The PORR project has been a hot topic since the plan was unveiled last week as it was expected to affect more than 176 structures, including privates homes, religious and burial grounds.

Several doubts regarding the credibility and transparency of the project continue to hang over people's mind. Penangites are also complaining that they were not consulted before the plans were made public.

Chief Minister Dr Koh Tsu Koon defended the project, saying that a feasibility study had been already conducted in 1981.

However, Cheah asked Koh to clarify whether there was a clear record of an open tender for the billion-ringgit project to build a 17km road.

"If there is no record then the people of Penang have the right to suspect that the state government is guilty of cronysim and corruption," he said.

Koh has also not clarified the controversy surrounding the involvement of a Barisan Nasional leader in PMW, said Cheah.

In addition, Koh needs to explain how the state government was going to transfer 500 hectares of land to PMW as a consideration for building the highway despite it being a federal government project.

"Koh cannot always wash his hands off the matter; he is the state leader. Even if the Martians come and build a project here, he cannot say it is a Martian project," said Cheah.

"We want to know if they have given this project to a private company because the state government is incapable of handling it themselves.

"We want to know his and other BN leaders' position on matters like the toll rate," he insisted.

Last Tuesday, Deputy Chief Minister Dr Hilmi Yahaya told the state assembly that toll has been fixed at RM1 one way at each of the four toll plazas planned. He also said there is no guarantee that the rates will not be increased in future.

'Not telling the truth'

Meanwhile, Keadilan bureau legal head Jason Ong said Penangites must be allowed a fair hearing as the project involves succession of land, environmental issues and the involvement of the state government.

Ong said the findings of the feasibility study Koh cited, which was conducted by a Japanese development agency in 1981, were based on an outdated report and hence cannot represent the present traffic and environmental conditions.

"The state government is not telling the truth about the project. What we need is not another mega-project but better public transport," he said.

Civil engineer Raymond Ong who was present at the press conference said the project is not an answer to the island's worsening traffic woes.

"As a civil engineer I know what is displayed in the exhibits is not the real picture. More houses are going to be affected, not only the ones mentioned," he said.

"Looking at the total plan, this project, if it helps at all, will only be feasible for about five years, then the traffic situation will return to 'normal'," he added.

Other state party leaders present to "mourn the death democracy in the state assembly" at the complex were Keadilan community relations chief Lim Eng Nam, assistant secretary Law Choo Kiang and Penang Youth deputy chair Tan Ewe Keat.

Extend exhibition

Meanwhile, DAP leader Lim Kit Siang said today that the 10-day public exhibition of the controversial project be extended for a month so that proper consultation can be carried out.

He also questioned the reason why the project was privatised without open tender to Peninsular Metroworks.

Lim added that the company had no track record in highway construction and had a paid-up capital of only RM50,000.

"And according to Deputy Chief Minister Dr Hilmi Yahaya in the Penang State Assembly on Friday, 'some of its [the company's] shareholders had previously been declared bankrupt'".