Why is Putrajaya so keen on monorail for Penang and why is the state government so receptive to this offer?The Penang Forum Steering Committee, however, considers the PM’s pledge of a monorail for Penang as an election gimmick.
The Penang state government needs to be more circumspect about the type of development it allows for Penang. Not all federal projects or mega projects are good for Penang, as we have seen. We need to raise more questions – like why does the federal government need to spend RM780m of public money to upgrade 13km of roads near the second Penang Bridge?
This is the Penang Forum Steering Committee’s response to Najib’s offer:
Dear PM,
Thank you for taking the time in your busy schedule to come to Penang. We do realise that pre-election campaigning is necessary but may we clue you in a little about Penang people? Winning our hearts and minds involves not closing our roads and causing us great inconvenience while waiting for your motorcade to whiz by. It involves not enticing us with affordable housing only if BN wins and it involves not asking us to believe that UDA will not continue to renege on all their promises for Tanjung Tokong villagers as they have done for the last 20 years.
And most importantly it involves not throwing the monorail at us as an election gimmick. If you really cared about Penang, you would check with Penang people if this is what they want and need, you would investigate how the monorail idea came about to start off with. It was also thrown at Penang during BN times, without either public consultation or checking on suitability. It then had the highest ‘crony connections’ as it probably still has today.
Full letter on Penang Forum website.
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Monorail is such a dumb proposal. For goodness sake perish the idea.
I have said this before, monorail is only good for a theme park provided it works
stupid idea.
Penang was once twin city with Xiamen, then Xiamen outgrew Penang, yet the monorail was studied not feasible for Xiamen despite its growing population density. Instead it had a purposive elevated bus lane so that nothing obstruct the bus.
Penang population density is lower than Xiamen and yet want to spend on white elephant project?
The tram system I have the pleasure to use in the south of London is clean, on time
and frequent. I hope Penang gets it in the near future.
This PM is only good with his promises that ALWAYS comes with Terms and Conditions. He can give the monorail project to Putrajaya.
Ai ya ya Anil you still don’t understand why the haste to allocate RM780m before election! The RM80m is more than sufficient for the road widening. The remaining RM700m, if you allocate R100m to each of PKR’s constituency for vote buying, there is a big huge opportunities to swipe out PKR from Penang.
The cocky arrogant tokong left with 3 majority seats will find excuses in the name of development to join 1Malaysia coalition. That will be the day the teardrop of Great Anil fall like pouring rain.
Penangites r more intelligent than what those people in BN think. Najib, have more respect. We are not from obscure kampongs in
PAhang,Tganu or north Sbg Perai. Really there is no BN here anymore just 11 UMNO reps.
Actually BN knew it cannot win in Penang. Penangites knew it all the while. BN’s current strategy is to bad mouth Penang government to influence the fence-sitters in other states who do not have first hand knowledge of the current affairs in Penang.
People should note that Utusan has lost two suits from LGE and one from Karpal. Don’t ever believe the reports from Utusan malaysia.
Sarawak trunk road especially from Tatau to Bintulu is very bad with many potholes and warped road. Roads not up to JKR standard as was published in the Borneo Post newspaper dated 14 Dec 2012. The MP for the area is Dato Seri Tiong of BN who also is involved in the PKFZ. Sarawakians just love BN.
GERAKAN K If BN have been sincere since Pak Lah promise of Monorail before 2008 until now..still no trace of Monorail and now that GE13 is around the corner another PM comes around and sings the same song. What makes you thinks he will keep his promise..? It is all but another GILA ELECTION GIMMICK. If sincere BN would have already done it before 2008 or during 2008 till now. IF BN and GERAKAN really put rakyat first but again it is another round of NATO.Penangnites will NEVER fall for this kind of trap.
Gherkin has a short memory. So, you’ll have to forgive him.
Forget the discussion. I will eat my shoes if UMNO/BN wins Penang (and I am assuming they will commit fraud as bad as Selangor). So pointless to talk because there will be NO MONORAIL for the forseeable future.
We can wait till the bullock cart cows come home from Kerala & we will never get a solution to state public transportation. Since the PROblems-by-the-TONs national cars rolled out, we have been leeched by sales taxes, sold under-grade petrol/diesel & leeched some more by road toll charges. All these far reaching profitable schemes by a … guru have transformed many into addicts to cars. And with a complementary-leeching policy on state public transport under the purview of the Feds, which states can act independently to solve their own traffic problems? If any PM worth his sincerity to act (proactively… Read more »
We have had enough of one … for 22 years.
Why monorail , LRT,etc when there is other proven private and lower cost public transport? Ignoring the HUGE maintenance fees and interest fees? (In KL, all transit system is making huge loses , loan interest fees reach hundred millions annually )
Because in Bolehland(TM), the BIGGEST cronies owns cements factory that produce concrete,cements,etc . All this infra need hundreds thousands tons of cement/concrete.
Same happens to Sarawak, the damn dams project is build because white-fur own the biggest cement factory.
So strange, isn’t it ??? Federal gomen is allocating fund for Penang development and Penang Forum wants to play politic at the expense of all Penangites ???
Penang Forum is considered harmful for all Penangites.
Why allocate funds only if BN wins? Why not right away?
Penang forum is not playing politics. Penang people have been kena tipu once too many. Can we trust the half truth … and deceit of the PM UMNO BN and their sycophant that did not fulfill their promise. BRIM and handouts and many others are election gimmick which we will have to pay back 10 folds..
Don`t be deceived again. Once bitten twice shy. 53 years is enough. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
Lets go for a new govt. Lets vote in Pakatan Rakyat. PR.
Yang, If PR still rules Penang after the coming election,more trees will be pruned to death or hacked and grasses removed for concrete beautification projects(the pavements).Why built pavements near roadside where hardly any soul uses it?Why not leave the natural green grass which are more pleasing to the eyes alone?The tendency for the council to chop down trees and removing green grass is happening not only on the island but mainland Seberang Prai.During our great statesman Dr.Lim Chong Eu’s time when he was chief minister,much care is taken to preserve and promote greenery in Penang state.He had envisioned Penang to… Read more »
No single rail type of public transit is suitable for Penang island particularly, as the road system is too narrow to cater for the railway infrastructure. Moreover it lack the flexibility for change. Bus Rapid Transit which operate like Light Rail Transit is preferable , due to the the flexibility for it to reroute to accommodate changing traffic patterns and and can operate on normal city streets without the need to build costly elevated railway. Bus Rapid Transit can also be implemented within a short period.
A light rail is being built right in the heart of Gold Coast QLD at ground level. Many a local business have come to a crashing halt and more than a few shops have gone kaput despite all the planning by the local council. Monorails can be most disruptive too with sceneries blocked and disfigured forever. Too many cons, not enough pros in the short to medium term. Political games are all about quickies and are often too detrimental to the long term well being of constituents without a good master plan. Najib’s offer is just that.
Only a fool would think a mono rail would be suitable. Imagine the problems others have had.LRT only would be suitable
No monorail please! It costs way more than building a road and it’s so last century’s mode of transportation. How do we improve our transport then? Try enforcing the law of illegally parked cars. That’s all you do. Then buses will be on time and trucks will deliver on time. Do you know how much time we waste being stuck in traffic jams because someone parked his car in to block just one lane?
I remember very clearly the Boh Hood KTK so profusely thanking Pak Lah for the monorail. Thank you thank you very very much. Finally kena tipu. Let us not be tipu again.
Vote PR Pakatan Rakyat
KTK kena tipu kau kau >>> Penangites juga kena tipu kau kau kau!
BUT my kopitiam Kopi-O kau kau serves me better (to stay awake & don’t get tipu-ed).
Don’t have to drink blindly with head buried in the sands!
And stay Strong & Erect (better than any Kopi Tongkat Ali) rather than kowtow-ing like Boh Hoot Ostrich!!!
Mr PM, one more thing, about those tress along Green Lane, they will be transplanted for road widening.
Mr Anil and many are extremely concerned about those trees, can you re-plant those trees back, if BN made next state government?. No problem, right? you help me, I help you!, so helpful!
It is Christmas, I would be great if you can put on red cloths, back up a big red goodies bag….. Brim! Brim! Brim!, merry election! cheer us this election!