CHIEF Minister Chow Kon Yeow clarified today that the Sungai Pinang site, chosen for the groundbreaking ceremony of the Mutiara Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line this Saturday, was originally earmarked for the construction of a school, not a housing development.
“We held discussions with the state Education Department regarding the matter. However, the site was deemed unsuitable for a school if an LRT station were to be built there,” Chow explained.
He added that the Sungai Pinang site was selected for the groundbreaking ceremony due to its ample space and strategic location, especially compared to other planned stations that are situated along narrower roads.
Chow made these remarks on the sidelines of the state’s Civil Servants Assembly held at Dewan Sri Pinang earlier today, in response to reporters’ questions about the Mutiara LRT Line project.
Meanwhile, Chow highlighted that 10 projects in the state have been included under the Penang Wishlist Module in the MyProject System.
Out of these, eight have been accepted and are under consideration by the Economic Ministry.
The eight projects accepted were the construction of an underpass connecting Jalan Mount Erskine to Jalan Burma at the Mount Erskine-Gottlieb Road-Jalan Burma-Jalan Bagan Jermal intersection (Section A: Underpass); Type 2 health clinic in Bayan Lepas; Sungai Juru conservation project; the construction of outfall and coastal erosion prevention structures at Batu Ferringhi and Tanjong Bunga beaches; and the construction of coastal erosion prevention structures at Paramount Fishermen’s Jetty, northeast district, Penang.
Also included were the upgrading of two-lane single carriageway to four-lane dual carriageway on Federal Route FT006 from Bayan Lepas to Teluk Kumbar (Section 20.00 to Section 23.00); the construction of Lahar Yooi pump house; and the Pan Island Link 1 (PIL 1) project.
“As of Dec 2 last year, a total of 306 projects under the 12th Malaysia Plan have been approved, amounting to approximately RM28.406 billion,” he said.
Story by Edmund Lee
Pix by Ahmad Adil Muhamad
Video by Darwina Mohd Daud