The Penang Transport Council (PTC) for 2015-17, unlike in previous years, has no members who are from professional body or civil society background.

Asked about the omission, state executive council in charge of local government, flood mitigation and traffic management committee, Chow Kon Yeow said this is because the council’s focus has shifted.

“The focus would be more on coordinating the implementation of the project, which is why the members appointed are all from government agencies that can help us overcome the various implementation challenges,” Chow said at a press conference to announce the council’s appointment in George Town today.

Chow ( photo ) said in the previous councils, there was NGO representation as its focus was more general.

When it was first formed in 2009, he said, part of the council’s tasks is reviewing the traffic congestion problem.

Asked how professional bodies and NGOs can give their views when this avenue is now closed to them, Chow said the various projects would be open for public consultation.

He said the sessions will be organised, for example, when the project is subjected to EIA requirements, which call for public input.

Members of the council are appointed for a two-year term by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who attended today’s appointment ceremony.

Lim said the 21-member council was formed so that there will be no ‘silo’ mentality in implementing the project, which requires connectivity between various departments.

Responsibility for mega-project

The council’s current membership is drawn from the state secretariat, local council, and government agencies, as well as five executive council members, two parliamentarians, and four assemblypersons.

PTC’s main responsibility is the RM27 billion Transport Master Plan, a mega-infrastructure project which includes the construction of three highways and a tunnel linking the island to Butterworth on the mainland.

The project is the second largest in Malaysia, which is expected to change the face of Penang when it is completed in 2030.

According to its website, the PTC was formed in 2009 by the state executive council for the purpose of improving transportation in the state.

It works as an advisory body and was supposed to consist of representatives from state and local governments, experts in transport planning and management from professional organisations and institutes of higher learning, and members of the public who represent civil society.

The second council, appointed in 2011, came up with the Transport Master Plan.

The plan is Penang’s attempt at integrating five modes of public transportation - taxi, bus, light rail transit/tram, cable car, and ferry/water taxis.

It will involve the construction of roads, highways, an undersea tunnel, monorail tracks, cable cars, and water taxis stations connecting the island and mainland.

The plan will be implemented by SRS Consortium Sdn Bhd; the construction of roads, highways and under seabed tunnel (also known as the third link) will be done by Consortium Zenith-BUCG Sdn Bhd; while the Penang Sky Cab will be built by MRCB Bhd.