PETALING JAYA: Lebuhraya Bandar Cassia will be renamed Jalan Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in honour of the country’s fifth prime minister, who passed away on May 14 (Monday).
In a statement, today, the Penang state executive council today also unanimously agreed to fly the state flag at half-mast as a final mark of respect on April 18 (Friday).
Penang chief minister Chow Kon Yeow said the proposal aims to appreciate the contributions and service of the fifth prime minister to Penang’s development during his tenure from 2003 to 2009.
As a proud son of Penang, born in Bayan Lepas, one of Tun Abdullah’s greatest ‘gifts’ to the people of Penang was the second Penang Bridge, officially named Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah Bridge.
“The project was announced during his tabling of the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP) in Parliament in 2003. The impact of this bridge has been substantial, spurring economic growth between Batu Maung (on the island side) and the development of Bandar Cassia in Batu Kawan as a new industrial zone.
Chow added that Bandar Cassia was named by the late Tun Abdullah on August 24, 2004, and received approval from the National Physical Planning Council (MPFN) through the Bandar Cassia Master Plan on October 26, 2004.
“The use of the name Bandar Cassia as a New Township in Batu Kawan was later approved by the State Executive Council on 10 August 2016.
“Therefore, the State Government wishes to continue preserving Tun Abdullah’s legacy by renaming Lebuhraya Bandar Cassia as Jalan Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.”
According to Chow, Penang also benefitted greatly under Tun Abdullah’s administration, including the RM1 billion expansion of Penang International Airport, the RM2.7 billion Penang Sentral transport hub, the Butterworth Outer Ring Road, and projects under the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER).
