THE Penang government will continue with its three paired road projects which are entrusted to Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd (CZC) as the design and built contractor.
However, no decision has been made for the Penang undersea tunnel project.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the state would proceed with the three road projects as the feasibility study for the projects has been completed.
“Preliminary works for one of the three road projects, which is the 5.7km Air Itam-Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway bypass, is now ongoing.
“Meanwhile, the feasibility study for the undersea tunnel has not been completed, hence, no payment has been made for the proposed undersea tunnel project.
“We will decide whether to proceed with the undersea tunnel project after the feasibility study is completed,” Chow told a press conference at the state DAP headquarters in Rangoon Road today.
The RM6.3 billion project will comprise the Air Itam-Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway bypass, the Tanjung Bungah-Teluk Bahang bypass, the Gurney Drive-Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway bypass and the Gurney Drive-Bagan Ajam undersea tunnel.
The press conference also saw DAP leaders expressing their support towards the ‘Solidarity with Lim Guan Eng’ fundraising campaign.
Chow said that the state party members fully supported the campaign; and he hoped that Penangites would also show their support.
“We have full confidence and we practise CAT (Competency, Accountability and Transparency) when carrying out development projects for the state.
DAP national publicity secretary Tony Pua recently announced the fundraising campaign, which was aimed at helping to pay for DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng’s RM1 million bail.
It was reported that any surplus received from the donations would go towards funding the party’s campaign for the next general election.
State-level DAP publicity secretary and Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim, who is also spearheading the campaign in Penang, said that the party had received advice from the police urging people to avoid gathering at the Butterworth Sessions Court when Guan Eng faces his charges.
Sim said that the reason was to prevent the Covid-19 infection.
Sim added that only selected Federal and state-level DAP representatives were allowed to be present next week to support Guan Eng and his wife Betty Chew.
Also present were state Youth and Sports Committee chairman Soon Lip Chee, Sungai Pinang assemblyman Lim Siew Khim, Pengkalan Kota assemblyman Daniel Gooi Zi Sen, Jelutong MP R.S.N. Rayer, Bukit Bendera MP Wong Hon Wai, Iskandar Puteri MP Lim Kit Siang and Senator Lim Hui Ying.
Story by Kevin Vimal
Pix by Adleena Rahayu Ahmad Radzi
Video by Chan Kok Kuan