Works Minister Samy Vellu announced today that the government will not build a second Penang bridge but will implement the proposal to extend the existing Penang Bridge from four lanes to six.

He said the proposed second bridge linking Batu Maung on the island to Batu Kawan on the mainland could not be built now because of the cost factor.

"The federal government is very concerned about the need to build a second bridge but it also has to take the RM2.6 billion cost into consideration. The federal government feels that for now, it's too expensive to build the bridge," Bernama quoted him as telling a media conference in Ipoh.

The minister said analysis of several suggestions on whether the bridge construction could be funded through privatisation found this to be not viable.

"As such, the bridge can only be built with government support even after it is privatised.

With an average of 110,000 vehicles using the Penang Bridge and 15,000 using the ferry service daily, we're not sure how many vehicles will use the second bridge," he said.

To cabinet next month

On the expansion of the existing bridge, Samy Vellu said the working paper on it would be tabled to the cabinet next month as the proposal needed cabinet approval.

The cost had yet to be determined but it would involve the construction of two more lanes and 2m-wide road shoulders, he said.

Asked who will fund the project, the minister replied, "That has not been decided...whether Penang Bridge Sdn Bhd) and the government will pay part of it...this will be decided later"..

The Penang Bridge is 20 years old.