GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government today announced that the three-month public display session over the Light Rail Transit (LRT) project has received 23,218 feedback forms from the public.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the public display had ended on Nov 19 and the majority who had filled up the Land Public Transport Agency (Apad) proposal forms had given positive feedback on the LRT project which was planned from Komtar to Bayan Lepas.
‘’Of the 23,218 feedback forms received, 22,678 forms or 97.67% supported the project while 540 forms protested against the project,’’ he told reporters here today.
It was reported that the state government had started the public display process for the LRT project from Aug 19 until Nov 19. Public examinations could be done at the Apad office on Level Three Komtar, Seberang Perai Municipal Council (MPSP) in Bandar Perda and also at the Apad office in Kuala Lumpur.
In the meantime, mobile public display centres would also be operational to encompass six other locations following different times such as at Tesco E-Gate, Penang International Airport, Sunshine Square, Sungai Nibong Bus Terminal, Penang Sentral in Butterworth and at the Penang Skills Development Centre in Bayan Lepas.
Chow, who is also Padang Kota State Assemblyman, said this was a measure on the public support towards the proposal and the next step was to explain all the issues raised by the public concerning the project.
He said among the issues raised included the distances of the stations from residential areas, unsuitable alignments and that the construction of the project would result in traffic problems.
‘’The state government, through its project implementing partner SRS Consortium, will give briefings and explanations concerning all the issues arising from the public display session,’’ he said.
The 29.9km LRT project, with 27 stations, starting from Komtar to the Penang International Airport, and subsequently, to three man-made islands south of Penang, would cost about RM8 billion.
The project was started by the state government under the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP) to overcome the traffic congestion problem in the state involving an estimated cost of RM46 billion. — Bernama
