Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
| Tunnel vision in Penang highway agenda Posted: 04 Mar 2013 11:52 AM PST Yesterday, representatives of Penang Forum raised serious concerns with the Penang state government over the three highways and tunnel project. During a two-hour meeting with state government representatives, including the Chief Minister, and the press, the activists (including me) registered their serious concern and opposition. By building more highways and a road-based tunnel, the state government will be facilitating the movement of more cars instead of encouraging people to use public transport. The Pakatan's manifesto promises better public transport. But the state government plans to spend RM27bn in the coming years, according to Penang transport master plan estimates. Out of this, RM17bn will be for highways and only RM10bn for public transport. Surprisingly, the state government seemed unaware of these figures, which have not been disclosed to the public. It is a great pity that most of the money will be to create even more dependency on private motor vehicles. Building highways and a road-based tunnel is at best an expensive short-term solution – funded by toll collection from the public and luxury property development (watch what happens on the 110 acres of reclaimed land used as 'compensation' for the project). What happens when these get congested? We will be back to square one or even worse. The Jelutong Expressway itself is rapidly filling up – and that is even before the second Penang bridge is completed! Similarly, the Penang Bridge, with a new additional lane, is becoming increasingly congested. So too the highway on the mainland leading to the Sungai Dua toll booth. The state government says the highways and tunnel will only proceed if the EIA is approved. But how independent is the EIA process when consultants are appointed by developers and contractors? And we still don't have a state-wide hydrological study. The EIA process is likely to be a rubber stamp. The public has not yet been told who the local partners are in Zenith Consortium (apparently, there are five companies involved). Who are the real local players, the individuals, hiding behind the corporate veil? Amazingly, this information – an important part of the deal – has not yet been provided to the public. There were only two bidders for the tunnel package out of the four tenders received. Of these two, the successful bid was for RM6.3bn for all three highways and the tunnel. (The other was RM6.6bn.) Only two parties from the entire world bid for the tunnel? Why? And the winning bid from the five-company consortium is to be awarded a lucrative 30-year concession based on the Penang Bridge toll rate. Is the public aware that the Penang Bridge toll collection has raised many times the initial investment cost of the bridge? So this tunnel concession is a highly lucrative award that will reap a bonanza for the foreign and local partners. The state government claims that "the people want these projects". (Or is it the case that Big Business wants these projects?) But "the people" are not being presented with serious alternatives. They are being told these highways and tunnel are the solution to the congestion. Of course they will choose what they are being told is the solution. But they are not being given a real choice between sustainable public transport and more highways. In fact, the Penang Transport Masterplan consultants' own public survey showed that a large majority of the people want a public transport-based – not a highways-based – solution. Why is the state government ignoring this? Some believe these highways and tunnels are more in line with a vision of Big Business property development and construction contracts than of sustainable transport. (Look at the editorial inMalaysian Insider.) The state government seems to think that three highways and a tunnel (road-based rather than rail link) will take Penang into the 21st century. This is a fallacy. It will take Penang backwards to the 1970s, when highways were seen as symbols of progress. The reality of the 21st century is that climate change, fossil fuel depletion and higher fuel prices will become even more serious. Congestion will also ruin the environment – which has been the selling point for Penang. Under these circumstances, why is the state government putting in infrastructure to create even more dependency on private motor vehicles? At a time when cities in Europe are discouraging and making it more difficult for people to use private motor vehicles and are putting in infrastracture for sustainable transport solutions, the Penang state goverment wants to take us in the opposite direction! The state government claims its hands are tied over public transport, which they say comes under the federal government. But Pakatan leaders think they have a real chance of taking over Putrajaya, and public transport is in its manifesto. So why is the Penang government in a big hurry to tie itself down with a highway-based solution instead of promising better public transport if it captures Putrajaya? I find this incomprehensible. Why not campaign on a platform of promising public transport improvements instead of pledging highways and a tunnel? This way it can show there is a real difference between BN and Pakatan. Read more at: http://anilnetto.com/society/public-transport/highways-and-tunnel-vision-a-big-step-backwards/
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| Elderly Woman Killed by Suspected UMNO Vehicle Posted: 04 Mar 2013 11:13 AM PST The elder woman's husband, who was trailing behind her motorbike witnessed the entire incident, broke down in tears as his wife died on the spot due to loss of blood. The tragic accident occurred yesterday morning near the main road from Jalan Lekiu. At that time, the old couple was on their way back home after work in the rubber estate riding their own bikes separately, before the accident happened. The old man said that a 4-wheel vehicle passed him at a very high speed and before he knew it, the car rammed into the back of his wife's motorbike. A 300-meter long skid mark was left on the scene as well. Relatives rushed to the scene after receiving the news and cried uncontrollably when they saw the old lady lying in a pool of blood. The old man who remained beside his wife's body waited until the police came for investigation then only he left with his motorbike alone. Manjung district police chief Assistant Commissioner Jaafar Baba said they will investigate the case as soon as possible but he will not be giving out any details of the case yet. When asked whether the family of the deceased or the drivers report about the accident, he is unwilling to respond and stressed that the police will handling the case according to procedure. The deceased's grand child posted the incident on her Facebook profile as well, with hopes that justice will be served. Read more at: http://www.lipstiq.com/2013/03/04/elderly-woman-killed-by-suspected-umno-vehicle/
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