A petition to stop the building of the RM50 million Penang International Convention Centre (PICC) has been submitted to the Penang government.

Resident Tan Seng Hai handed over the petition last Friday to Ng Wei Aik ( right ), the political secretary to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

It carries 370 signatures collected over two weeks of the online campaign against the project, deemed by many critics as a potential 'white elephant'.

Ng Wei Aik Tan, who initiated the campaign, also handed over copies to the personal assistants of state executive councillor Abdul Malik Kassim and Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP) acting president Patahiyah Ismail.

In the petition, Tan said no feasibility study had been carried out to justify the construction of PICC in front of the Penang International Sports Arena (Pisa) in Relau, about 4km from the Bayan Lepas International Airport.

The proposed centre will lack supporting facilities such as hotels, auditoriums and parking bays. As such, it will not be able to compete in attracting users away from better-equipped centres in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Bangkok.

"Does Penang really need an international convention centre, especially when Pisa and the Pesta site in Sungai Nibong are under-utilised?" Tan asked in the document.

"PICC cannot guarantee better utilisation and this will ultimately be a waste of public funds."

Also highlighted was the absence of a proper traffic dispersal system in the Bayan Baru-Relau-Bukit Jambul-Sungai Ara area.

With the projected increase in traffic volume due to PICC and rapid residential-cum-commercial development in these areas, the petition raised concern about possible bottlenecks and resulting congestion.

Budget deficit ahead

PICC will be built in Jalan Tun Dr Awang, covering about 15,000 sq m.

MPPP will bear the cost of the project, which has been fast-tracked to be completed this year. As a result, the council will suffer a projected deficit of RM40 million this year.

The Seberang Perai Municipal Council nearly went bankrupt in 2008 after it built its RM80 million headquarters in Bandar Perda, Bukit Mertajam.

The petition suggested that it would be appropriate if the private sector or the Penang Development Corporation builds, operates and manages the PICC.

"We hope the state government will cancel the project in line with its much lauded principles of competency, accountability and transparency," said Tan.