Who’s angry? I am celebrating!
Last night, I received a couple of text messages informing me of this. The report below says the scrapping of the Penang Outer Ring Road (Porr) and monorail projects is “likely to anger Penang”. But to me, this must be the best news all month. Thank you, Mr PM, thank you!
All those who cherish sustainable and cost-efficient public transport for Penang will be celebrating - even though the federal government may have had other reasons for shelving these mega crony-linked projects. Who cares what their reasons are… The important thing is that these projects have been shelved.
Penang’s Porr and monorail projects shelved
Jun 25, 08 8:36pm
In a stunning move which is likely to anger Penang, the government has put off two major projects in the state - the RM2 billion monorail and RM1.5 billion Penang Outer Ring Road (Porr).
MCPXAccording to evening edition of Chinese dailies, the government has slashed the two mega-projects as part of a major review to the Ninth Malaysia Plan.
However, the government denied that the move was aimed to punish Penangnites who have voted the opposition Pakatan Rakyat coalition into power in the state.
It stressed that the shelving of the projects was part of the government’s “relocation” of resources to cushion the impact of the unprecedented hike in global oil prices.
What can I say? I am pleased as punch. These two projects would have had severe financial and environmental implications for Penang. And I know the fisherfolk of Tanjong Bunga were worried about the impact of Porr on their fishing. It was only last week that they told me how concerned they were about the land reclamation work for Porr and how they feared that it would jeopardise their livelihoods.
Perhaps now we can take a closer look at… yes, trams!!! And at expanding the ferry service, improving the bus network, opening up cycle lanes and pedestrian malls along shady tree-lined streets - while at all times being highly sensitive to the needs of people with disabilities and senior citizens. Can you imagine a city with far fewer cars and a fantastic public transport system at street level… Penang would be paradise!
Meanwhile, the Penang state government has taken a step in the right direction by looking into the setting up of a state-owned bus corporation. That’s the way to go… It’s time for us to reclaim our public transport.
Let’s show them we can do it our way - a more sustainable, greener way for the benefit of all residents of Penang.
- New beginning for public transport - from the bottom up
- Scomi and the “gift” to Penang commuters
- Thank God for the “mega setback” to Penang infrastructure projects
- Why spend only RM4 million on trams when you can spend billions on mega projects
- Time to bring back the trams
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I totally agree with what you say here Anil. It is a rational move by the government, and yes, I do believe the funds can be made use elsewhere for now. And yes Anil now we all can press for trams!
Yup. Who’s angry? Well we Penangites never ask for all these. All we need is to have better public transportation.
I am all for the trams in Georgetown. What an idea! It would definitely add a different dimension to tourism in not only Penang, but Malaysia. Hope our state government adopts this idea.
And finally, get rid of all the stupid smoke choking buses off the road, give our taxi drivers a reasonable rate to operate with meters and lastly but most importantly, our traffic police should do more to keep our roads less congested. (i.e double parking, parking at no parking areas)
Shelved? Anil, you better make sure they are CANCELLED/ABORTED/HABIS, before getting too happy.
I was angry at first but now I see your point. I really do hope that Penang state government will introduce bike lanes and pedestrian malls. It is a much cheaper option than those monorails.
And trams? How lovely!
At least you now know nobody is going to make a buck here.Hope your wish for trams will be happen.
Precise my own thoughts! What’s there to be angry about? I will still love to see tramcars on the streets of Penang island.
Yes. Trams for Penang!
A more effective and efficient public transport system is needed in all states. Especially for people in the large cities.
Indirectly, less stress, cleaner enviroment.
I too am happy but notjubilating over the news of the shelving of the two projects esp the PORR. But am worried that more buses will be put on the roads by the revival of the state bus company to help ease the utter lack of a relibale public transport sysytem. I feel the trams can only partly solve the problem that too perhaps in the city centre. What about those who live in the outskirts like Farlim, Sunagi Ara, the new Sunway, Relau, etc. These people now rely on kereta sapu and motor cycles and cars causing massive traffic jams along all the major roads. I feel we still need a fast reliable means of getting in and out of the city and also to move from one centre to the other, perhaps not monorail but something that will solve the headache once and for all.
Finally a voice of reason! Getting angry is a very knee-jerk response, and the “punishing Penangites” argument is as thin as membrane. For all the faults of BN..nobody would deny they’re a POLITICAL party..and does it make sense for them to punish the ppl and further push them away..instead of “plotting” to win them back next time around? dun need to be a master in the Art of War to see that right?
For the sake of sustainable development..it is worth feeling the pinch now to eventually get more cars off the road, and if that’s done to save the Tanjong Bunga fishermen, all the better. The federal gov is treading on very treacherous water here, either way they’re facing the wrath of one party or another. but that’s the deal for any leaders. I hope the 9th MP will be the result of input from many different perspectives, the immediate economical concern, as well as social responsibilities.
Now, what if the BN government shifts funds to build LRT or other megaprojects in JB or other “BN-friendly“ cities instead so that its cronies can be benefitted? Now wouldn`t that make Penangnites angry? I bet it would.
Readers should be able to expect news items to reflect reality. How poorly this reflects on the quality of reporting in Malaysia! The journo makes an (apparently unsubstantiated) assumption about the rakyat’s ‘likely’ response to this ‘development’ cutback and publish it ‘like’ it was indeed public opinion.
I dare say most of us have low to zero expectations of the MSM, but Malaysiakini? C’mon, not you as well! Please don’t present the reporter’s own impression (opinion?) and make look like it is representative of Penangites opinion. By all means do it under ‘Opinion and analysis’. March 2008 already showed Malaysians want wider democracy, which doesn’t necessarily equate with more development!
Penangites should not depend on the federal government in whatever way to resolve our traffic problems .. the Penang government should start thinking on how to generate income to improve & make Penang a better place to live
Hello all,
Im totally agree with the decision made by the government. But its not unfair to say that the BN’s is “punishing or making vengeance” on Penangites, its his (Abdullah Ahmad Badawi-AAB) place anyway. I think this was his decision to regain back “the trust” of the Penangites to support him for the coming election. However, it was really a good move. They should just make the Trams cause its really going to be a huge benefit and celebrations for the penangites. Keep on making the right decison for us and we’ll support u all the way.
Anil,
What do you propose for people who go to work in the factories everyday? Busses and trams won’t help there. And also people who stay in Farlim, Sungai Ara, Bayan Lepas who need to get to town. The bus service is not reliable and will continue to be unreliable until we can get traffic to reduce, which makes it a catch-22 situation. Bikes are not very practical in Malaysian weather for long distances and are only useful as a feeder transport (and our buses don’t have facilities to store them). All in all, I think a monorail was a good option for the city, and I am quite upset and angry that it has been shelved.
Penag’s gain may be the nation’s loss. Why?
Becoz the Fed Govt has $3.5 billion more now to waste on some other wasteful White Elephant to be forced on another unsuspecting State Govt.And if we are not vigilant, they will move quicker than the eye can follow to commit this ’savings’ to ‘Rakyat-friendly’ projects!
Our Fed Govt now follows Keynesianism, with a vengeance, applying it even when the economy is not in depression, as the USA was following the Wall St Crash of 1929. Accordingly, we have a group of GLC’s and Croneys who cannot survive without a Govt Crutch. Uesless projects costing taxpayers exorbitant, inflated billions, are therefore formulated without any long-term benefit in mind.
So, if the words of an infamous MSM editor ‘we must vote yet more wisely’ at the next GE to secure a new Govt at State & Federal level.
Penang’s real victory will come if the 2nd bridge is cancelled. Penang can then find and implement its own cost-effective solutions to car traffic and people moving projects. I bet it can be done at a fraction of the costs mooted by the Fed Govt.
Crucial Impact on Developer-Political-Traffic Dynamics
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The “delay” in PORR and monorail will have far reaching developer-political implications, because they affect the Paragon, Time Square, and Penang Turf Club. Is Paragon even feasible without PORR’s reclamation and road that run parallel to Gurney Drive?
If handled well, the sustainable development crowd, PR state government, and Penangites will win. If handled poorly, Penangites will lose seriously, not by lack of development funds, but by suffocation from horrendous traffic around Time Square, Paragon, and Greenlane/Jln Masjid/York Road.
Time Square was sold on the monorail premise. Without the monorail and a good bus system, imagine the thousands of cars that will stream out every morning and stream in every evening during rush hour. Komtar and surrounding shops will choke.
Time Square phase II and beyond will have a tough time being sold and re-sold. Combined with a peaking in property, inflation, likely up-trend in interest rates, the chance of project failure has just increased.
Paragon’s developer hopes PORR will supply the traffic lifeline. Without that, there is now a LEGITIMATE reason for the State government to stall and review Paragon.
If Paragon comes up without PORR, Gurney Drive Plaza, will suffer too. Northern Georgetown will be mostly cut off from Tg Tokong and west.
Any development plan from the Penang Turf Club will need to be delayed by at least 5 years.
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The Federal government may be trying to turn the developers against the Penang state government. But if the state government plays it right, all angers (from developers, Penangites, house buyers, drivers) can be re-directed to the federal government. The state govenment should focus on public transport.
If the ferries then no longer carry vehicular traffic after the second bridge is up, northern Georgetown (Kelawai to Pulau Tikus to Weld Quay) will be inaccessible from the west from Kelawai Road, and east from ferry, reducing their property value. The Dato Keramat direction is blocked by Time Square traffic. Because Weld Quay can be accessed by JE only, bridge and JE congestion will jump, and that still will not lift northern Georgetown’s isolation.
Solution for survival? Public transport. If the state government does not start now, Penang will have a heart attack (clogged coronary arteries). PORR was a coronary bypass, not a healthy heart to begin with.
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If the sustainable development crowd play it right, they can achieve a few things:
1. Get Penang government to unequivocally reverse all the land “grant” to PORR,
2. Get Penang government to stop/stall/review Paragon,
3. Get Penang government to improve public transport, or face political death,
4. Get developers to review their plans at Paragon and Time Square future phases,
5. Stop herd-mentality crowd from buying units at Paragon and Time Square future phases,
6. Get Penang government to start planning for a free PORR and tram/ultra-light-rail right away (if not, federal government will plan a tolled road for us anyway).
7. Get Penang government to start negotiating with reclamation at Tg Tokong, JE, Bayan Baru, to get land from them for transportation (tram, road, bus depot, etc). This is in their own interest, as soon as they realize they can’t sell their units unless there is transport.
Get Involved In PORR, Condition it on EIAs and Public Transport
The sustainable development crowd (SDC?) must support a well-planned and free version of PORR. PORR will come, with or without SDC support. It’s just a matter of time. It may come SOONER without SDC support. Better to get involved, stretch out the planning and EIA approvals, incorporate public transport into PORR, and condition the SDC support on state government efforts on public transport.
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An Opportunity for Public Transport
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We can turn these “losses” of PORR and monorail into an opportunity to force the improvement of buses, taxies, ferries, and perhaps tram, which are much cheaper to start and more cost effective as mass movers. This may be a blessing in disguise, as the Penang government now has to do some real, tough, work.
Once these basic mass movers are in place, then a reformed PORR and rail project further in the future will be icing on the cake, and make Penang traffic works like wonder.
Some kind of PORR is actually a necessity for Penang. The PORR routes will serve the busiest bottlenecks in Penang (greenlane and kelawai roads). Another 2 roads needed are the highways linking Tg Tokong to Teluk Bahang, and Teluk Kumbar to Pondok Upih (Balik Pulau).
The problem was the last PORR proposal was such a crony-seeking-toll project that I am glad it failed.
PORR should have been built as a free road, AFTER a proper public transport system is completed. Without the public transport system, a tolled and congested PORR is no solution at all.
KL-style monorail is not suitable from the start. We are:
(1) not as densely populated as KL (and not as dense mentally as the developer),
(2) not as large in absolute population size on the island side (and not as large in our ego), and
(3) not as rich to pay the kind of fees that cronies have to charge because of their high debt and inefficiency (and individually not as rich, high debt, and inefficient as the cronies).
The tram is actually an ultra-light rail. Why not just build and expand the tram extensively. The problem is inadequate road surface, in conflict with its need to have tram-tracks and running space (without blocking cars and buses) that reach population centers such as Farlim, Rifle Range, Bayan Baru, and future JE and Tg Tokong. That will be difficult to work out.
To build overhead bridges/tracks for the trams would make it very expensive. But there is opportunity for space in the newly reclaimed areas stretching from Tanjong Tokong to Bayan Baru.
i am happy indeed that bad projects conceived by non-penangites for penangites are shelved. cos in the first place they never thought of what WE penangites need. however, i’d still wish the allocation of that money for those two projects still come to penang, so that we can develop other areas of the state. however, i feel it is highly unlikely as i think this step is more of a punishment than a rational step to “cut cost” or take care of the needs of penangites. however, i do pray…and i wish the best will come to penang…and also malaysia…
This news is great. Let’s hope that the Penang Government will use the opportunity to create a very effective public transport system for Penang, building it from the ground up.
First, get SBPP started. The government can buy the buses and tender the operations contracts to various operators…and even operate the buses themselves. A few of the operators could be from other countries. How about some professional internationally-recognized operators like First PLC or Veolia or ComfortDelGro….
Second, use the “hub and spoke” concept because it works. Just make sure to provide proper bus lanes and proper bus hubs and proper information.
Third, bus lanes are going to be an absolute necessity on the “mainline” bus routes, to make people see that public transport is convenient and reliable. With proper bus lanes and frequency, the mainline bus routes should be able to move 5,000 passengers per direction per hour, which is about as many as the KL Monorail!
Fourth, identify potential “mainline” routes which can potentially carry more passengers - up to 15,000 passengers per direction per hour. These lines will be the RapidTram lines in the future.
Fifth, regarding the historical tram service for the inner city, it should be clear that this is a separate service. I suggest that they can start it start with a tram bought off the shelf, and supplement the service with “trams” (”historical” buses) like the ones in JB and Terengganu.
Good luck Penang. Let’s see you make public transport work.
Moaz Yusuf Ahmad
Would the person using the same posting name as I am please refrain from doing so as I have been using it for a while now, as Anil will attest to. Amongst other things, this will avoid confusing the readers. Thank you.
I am not angry. In fact, I can’t find a reason to be, since the PORR has been laid off and I won’t be paying any tolls. I don’t want this place to be turned into some feudal city like KL where you have to pay the baron to get across his land.
Though the cancellation of the projects might seem detrimental to Penang but this is a good time for Penang government to show fellow Malaysians that without the help of the federal government Penang’s economy can still progress. Look at Singapore! If Singapore can do I believe we can do it too. Though it might be more difficult for the state government to execute their plans since the Federal government might cause problems. Nevertheless, I believe we can outsmart them.
Keep up the good work! Don’t give up as the rest of Malaysia depends upon Penang’s success.
Like you, Anil, I am rejoicing. Penang definitely does not need the PORR nor monorail. Lets stick to trams, ferries, bicycle lanes, shady trees and a good bus system. Penang will then be pollution free! and perhaps reclaim its lost title of ‘Pearl of the Orient”.
Oh my, pedestrian malls? did somebody expect people to walk from Farlim to Weld Quay on foot?
let’s eagerly await sdr lim guan eng to announce the formation of a penang tram development committee and headed by, none other than our ANIL NETTO.
and not forgetting to ask my 65 years old father to ride on bicycle from ayer itam to beach street to attend to his banking chores.
Anil, why don’t you build up a case for trams and see Lim Guan Eng about it, face to face? I’m sure he’s accessible unlike the arrogant Umno goons.
Hm, 2nd bridge scrapped, PORR scrapped, monorail scrapped… looks like the federal gov just delivered a victory to Penang’s local activists. Less cars and a better public transport is what Penang needs
But lets start with revamping the chaotic bus system first (including introduction of LPG buses), then if needed… introduce electric-powered trolleybuses. Then, if needed… trams (the electrical cabling would be in place at this point). I wonder why the urgency to suddenly jump to trams, Anil? Is Bombardier paying you a commission? Just kidding. >:P
Haha, funny. No, I am not getting any commission, and no, I don’t know any companies in the tram business. Of course, the suggestion for trams assumes that there is a decent bus service, for which there is plenty of room for improvement. It has to be a multi-modal system and a street-level system would be far more effective and cost-efficient.
I am totally with you on this Anil. Trams are way more sustainable than monorails or LRTs and the likes. And It is currently ‘in’ in France, too. See this:
http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,566419,00.html
Those auto producing country actually love to use trams is a testimony on how advantageous trams can be…