Penang's Central Adhoc No-Porr Committee has asked Chief Minister Dr Koh Tsu Koon in an open letter whether his motivation behind the project was to "salvage the battered fortunes of certain politicians in the ruling party".

In the letter, the committee said that residents were gravely concerned that Koh's "vigorous" defence of the Porr project and concessionaire Peninsular Metro Works Sdn Bhd was not actually about proper traffic management.

The Nov 11 letter was sent to the chief minister a long time ago. Getting no response from him, malaysiakini understands that the No-Porr Committee then decided to turn it into an open letter.

The committee said in the letter that their concerns stem from the amount of time and energy Koh had spent promoting Porr, which they said "contrasts sharply with the half-hearted way the state has gone about in trying to improve the island's bus services".

"There are serious questions as to whether cronyism exists in the award of the project," said the committee, whose membership consist of residents affected by the proposed highway, many of whom are engineers.

"Such concerns are indeed surprising, given your much proclaimed desire to have an open and transparent government," the committee charged.

Other reasons

The letter also cited many other reasons for rejecting Porr, which included the availability of alternative transport system for the island, social-environmental problems and concerns about the concessionaire's financial situation and ability to complete the project.

Porr is estimated to cost RM1.02 billion, making it the most expensive highway in the country, although transport reports claim that its life span to resolve the island's traffic woes is only eight years.

Resident groups are unhappy as several dwellings including private houses, shoplots, cemeteries, temples and shrines are expected to give way for the project.

The project has created a rift between MCA and Gerakan, two component parties in the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition.

Presently, two MCA representatives Tan Cheng Liang (Jawi) and Lim Boo Chang (Datuk Keramat) are facing disciplinary action for failing to vote against an Opposition motion to defer the road plan.

Grilled by residents

Meanwhile, the letter thanked Koh for meeting disgruntled residents at a closed door meeting at the Caring Society Complex on Oct 27.

They said they were grateful for Koh's efforts and time taken to put up a very impressive presentation.

However, the group expressed their "sorrow and deep regret" for remaining unconvinced about the need for the project.

At the four-hour meeting on Oct 27, which ended way past midnight, Koh was grilled by the residents on the viability and transparency of the project.

Koh defended the project, fielding questions thrown at him by the emotionally charged residents, who eventually wanted the project deferred.

However, Koh, who was accompanied by a PMW director, CA Goh, failed to pacify the group, who had requested for more meetings and clarification from the politicians and concessionaire.

No track record

At the meeting, MCA state chief Wong Kam Hoong (photo) had expressed his disapproval of the project, saying that the proposal for such a highway had been rejected by former chief minister Dr Lim Chong Eu.

Meanwhile, the committee took Koh to task for entrusting the project to PMW, a company which it claimed has a paid-up capital of only RM50,000 and no track record.

The committee also cited the case of the 4.7km Jelutong Expressway which was relatively easy to build and well funded by IJM Corp Berhad, a proven public listed company. The project also ran into financial difficulties and to date, has not been completed.

As Porr is 17.8 km with most of it elevated and over very difficult terrain, the committee felt that there was every likelihood that it could run into more serious problems..