CITIZEN Awareness Chant Group (Chant) is urging the Penang government to provide a status update on the promised light rail transit (LRT) system project under the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP).

The state government’s PTMP project, costing about RM46 billion, encompasses an undersea tunnel that connects the island to the mainland, highway, LRT, monorail and bus networks in the island and Seberang Perai.

Chant’s advisor, Yan Lee, said talks have been ongoing regarding the Penang South Reclamation (PSR) project – used to cover the cost of the LRT project – but not much discussion on the implementation of the LRT itself.

“Our source informed us that the state is in the process of inking an agreement with Gamuda Bhd, but for reclamation works.

“If this is true, then we would like to know what happened to the promised LRT system and when can the rakyat benefit from it,” Lee said in a press conference.

Gamuda Bhd is part of joint venture group SRS Consortium, the project delivery partner for the PTMP project.

Lee proposed that the state government look into the implementation of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system as a public transportation alternative alongside reclamation works to ease Penang’s traffic issues.

“The BRT system is much (more) affordable compared to the LRT, and it has proven to be very successful in other places like Jakarta in Indonesia,” he added. – Bernama, January 6, 2021.