Gerakan's intention to file an injunction to stop the three major roads and undersea tunnel project by the Penang government has been rebuked by the DAP, which claims the BN party is out to sabotage plans beneficial to Penangites.

Penang DAP chairperson Chow Kon Yeow strongly denied the accusations by Gerakan that there are “corrupt practice, misconduct, misinformation, abuse of public funds and illicit horse-trading” in the planning and implementation of the RM6.34 billion project.

“We strongly deny these allegations, which have since been reported to and investigated by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission in 2016 without any action taken against the Penang government,” Chow, who is also a state executive councillor, said in a statement late this afternoon.

He said Gerakan was merely trying to “sabotage” these important infrastructure projects as it was fearful that the party will suffer another severe defeat when these projects are implemented successfully.

“As soon as the Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment approval for the major roads is obtained in the next few months, the consortium would be able to commence actual construction works,” said Chow, who is in charge of traffic management, local government and flood mitigation in the state.

Chow was referring to Gerakan’s press conference this morning, at which vice-president Dominic Lau said the party’s leaders were mulling the filing of an injunction to stop the Penang Undersea Tunnel project, which includes the building of three major connecting roads.

Lau questioned why the Penang government has started payment to the concessionaire, Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd, when no construction has commenced.

Zenith was offered the job in 2013 and it has explained the cost of the project in detail, when it was questioned by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Abdul Rahman Dahlan, who alleged that Penang overpaid the firm by 400 percent in consultancy fees.

Saying his legal team was studying the matter, Lau added that the filing of the injunction was pending investigations into allegations of “corrupt practice, misconduct, misinformation, abuse of public funds and illicit horse-trading”.

But Chow said his administration has fully explained the cost related to the implementation of the project, which is part of the state’s ambitious RM46 billion Penang Transport Master Plan, which is slated for completion in 2030.

“We have explained thoroughly that the payments made were for actual work done, including the feasibility studies, preliminary final design and all related studies,” said Chow, who is the Padang Kota assemblyperson.