KUALA LUMPUR, July 1 — There seems to be some confusion within Pakatan Rakyat (PR) over the construction of the second Penang bridge; PKR objects to the idea, but the DAP Penang government is fine with it.
The confusion seem to point at the lack of communication between members of the opposition coalition, a problem that has plagued them from the start.
PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim yesterday objected to the plan of the second bridge being constructed at the southern part of Penang, claiming that the project was expensive and that there was a cheaper option.
Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, however, said he was fine with the bridge being built there and was unaware of the objection raised by PKR leaders.
“No, I was not informed by any of them,” he told The Malaysian Insider in Parliament today.
“I am fine with the bridge being built there. Anything is fine as long as it’s built, we have no option,” he added.
Anwar claimed studies done by experts show that it would cost the federal government only RM7 to 8 billion if it builds the bridge at the north of the island. This is about RM4 billion cheaper than the current ongoing southern construction.
The government, under then Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, kickstarted the project two years ago and China Harbour Engineering Co Ltd, in co-operation with the government-linked United Engineers Malaysia (UEM), has been tasked with the construction of the bridge which would link the mainland to the south of the island.
The length of the south bridge is estimated to be 24 kilometres with the overall cost amounting to RM12 billion. It is expected to be fully functional in three years’ time.
According to Anwar, expert studies have shown that it would be more cost effective to build the bridge using the north route as it was much nearer, just 10 kilometres away from the mainland.
If the bridge is privatised, Anwar said the burden will then be shifted to the people and if the government were to consider the toll factor, Anwar’s team of experts said the government would have to bear an additional RM6.5 billion worth of toll subsidies in 40 years’ time.
“Even if we cancel the current project and pay the company compensation, it would still be much cheaper to build the bridge through the north route,” he told a press conference in Parliament yesterday.
No DAP leaders were present at the press conference.
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