Fifteen local NGOs have cautioned Penangites not to rush to endorse the state's mega-billion transport master plan (PTMP), saying more consultation and transparency are needed in the massive deal.

The NGOs, including Aliran and the Penang Heritage Trust, issued a joint statement giving Penangites nine major reasons why "the people of Penang should not be rushed into signing this important agreement".

They said this while commending and expressing support on the need to prioritise public transport over the present private car-centric transport system.

Critical issues they want the state and its appointed project delivery partner SRS Consortium to address include the tremendous costs involved - currently estimated at RM40 billion.

"The financial viability of a public transport system is dependent on ridership and usage and its cost structure; otherwise, it ends up as a bleeding white elephant waiting to be bailed out by the people of Penang," the NGOs said.

The RM27 billion PTMP is supposed to address the state's worsening traffic woes, by connecting the island and mainland via light railway transit, monorail, tram, highways and an undersea bed tunnel.

However, the PTMP, which includes several reclamation plans, was frowned upon by various quarters as it would affect the livelihood of fisherfolk in 10 villages.

The Penang government has been holding public consultation with various sectors to explain the extent and impact of the PTMP.

The NGOs said there should a single integrated transport system, and questioned why SRS proposed four different systems - LRT, monorail, tram and bus rapid transit - which would be difficult and more costly to coordinate, maintain and upgrade, they said.

"Seamless connectivity will be difficult to achieve and Kuala Lumpur's failures should not be repeated," they said.

The NGOs also questioned why the PTMP limits the tram system to the Unesco world heritage site.

"The most worrying concern is that the PTMP lacks vision, it is touted as a plan for Penang for the next 50 years yet it is trapped in 20th century technology and approach in planning," the NGOs said.

"It proposes obsolescent solutions to Penang's transport problems, ignoring the latest developments in mass transit planning around the world.

"It neither anticipates nor plans for future sustainability and is still very car-centric; it will condemn the people of Penang to a system that does not resolve the state's transport woes and for a very high and unjustifiable cost," the NGOs added.

The NGOs lamented that priority is given in the PTMP to building more roads and tunnels to cater to private vehicles while the purpose of building public transport is to reduce, not encourage, private vehicle usage.

Citing an example, the NGOs said even the new US mayor of a car-centric city like Houston, Texas, Sylvester Turner, recently acknowledged that widening one of the city’s main highways to 26 lanes at a cost of RM10 billion would only result in increased traffic congestion.

"Penang, which proudly declares it wants to lead, appears to demonstrate a total ignorance of current world concerns and trends," the NGOs said.

They recalled that the Halcrow Transport Master Plan recommended many cost-effective and short-term measures for reducing traffic that included better parking policies, city cycling, mobility improvement, high-occupancy-vehicle lanes and sharing vehicles since 2012.

"Much time has been lost and this better, faster, cheaper strategy does not seem to be a focus of the PTMP," the NGOs said.

"For a government committed to CAT (competence, accountability and transparency), there is a lack of clarity with regard to the financing of the entire scheme," they added.

"What are the people of Penang being committed to? How will payment via reclamation work? Will SRS implement roads first and public transport last?

"What happens if we run out of funds after the initial stages? Will the public be subjected to unaffordable fares, thereby driving them back to their cars?" the NGOs asked.

The NGOs said that no answers are provided in the PTMP and for all these reasons, Penangites should not be rushed into signing this important agreement.

"More transparency, accountability and genuine engagement with the public are needed," the NGOs insisted.

Signatories to the statement

Penang Forum

Penang Heritage Trust

Aliran

Sahabat Alam Malaysia

Consumers Association of Penang (CAP)

Malaysian Nature Society

Citizens for Public Transport Coalition (Cepat)

Friends of Botanical Garden

Pesticide Action Network Asia & Pacific

Tanjong Bunga Residents Association

Women Centre for Change

Suara Rakat Malaysia (Suaram)

PBTUSM Alumni Northern region

Mama Bersih

Ombak Arts Studio