The 5km-Jelutong Expressway still poses a couple a niggling questions.
This RM700 million expressway was supposedly built “free of charge” – with no toll imposed on motorists – under a privatisation exercise mooted in 1997.
But at what cost to Penang?
The rights to the reclamation of close to 300 acres of prime sea-front land, in addition to existing land – making a total of some 330 acres – were handed over to IJM in return for the ‘free’ highway.
And, for good measure, a loan was reportedly given – was it RM33 million? How thoughtful.