Penang govt challenged to disclose PTMP by project delivery partner

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government has been challenged to disclose the agreement on the Penang Transport Masterplan (PTMP) by SRS Consortium, the PTMP project delivery partner (PDP), before the document is signed.
Penang Island City Council councilor and Penang Forum spokesman Lim Mah Hui said the public needed to study the report so feedback can be provided before the agreement was signed.
He said the excuse by the state the agreement was not signed so could not be disclosed was "lame" and pointed out state Local Government, Traffic Management and Flood Mitigation Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow promised to do so but has yet to deliver.
"Once again, we call on the State government to fulfill its promise and walk its talk, or forever hold its tongue," he said in an open letter today.
The bad blood between the state and Penang Forum started boiling after the NGO body unilaterally wrote to Unesco to request for a heritage assessment after colonial artifacts were unearthed at the old Sia Boey market site where a transport hub under the PTMP is being proposed.
This led to accusations from the state that Penang Forum had backstabbed the Penang government.
In his letter, Mah also listed out several examples Penang Forum had highlighted their concerns to the authorities but claimed all had fallen on deaf ears and so had no choice but to take their concerns to Unesco.
"It (Penang Forum) felt duty bound to bring it to the attention of Unesco with the view that pro active and preventive actions can be taken before things get worse. Thus you cannot accuse Penang Forum of back stabbing," he added.