CONSORTIUM Zenith Constructions Sdn Bhd (CZC), which is undertaking the Penang undersea tunnel project, will present a proposal to the state government for the construction of a third bridge linking the island to the mainland.

CZC senior executive director Lee Chee Hoe said the third bridge might also feature a light rail transit track running below it.

He said it is up to the state government to decide whether to proceed with the proposed Butterworth-Persiaran Gurney tunnel, or go with another bridge.

“We have not presented the proposal yet. The bridge option is in its final study,” Lee told reporters at CZC’s Hari Raya open house earlier today.

“We will present the pros and cons of the idea. There will not be any additional cost. The bridge will also not be cheaper than the tunnel.”

In August 2016, then Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng had written to the Works Ministry, seeking approval for a third bridge linking Butterworth to Persiaran Gurney on the island.

CZC chairman Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli said a bridge might have more issues – including environmental ones – than a tunnel, adding that the height of the bridge would need to be taken into consideration to allow ships to pass under it.

Cruise liners and container vessels would have to be able to pass under the bridge to get to the Swettenham Pier International Cruise Terminal in George Town and Penang Port in Butterworth.

“We will highlight these issues to the state,” Zarul said today.

The tunnel, which is part of a RM6.3 billion project that includes three major roads – Tanjung Bungah-Teluk Bahang bypass (Package 1), Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway-Ayer Itam bypass (Package 2) and Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway-Persiaran Gurney bypass (Package 3) – is still at the feasibility study stage.

Zarul said the study is 96% completed, and should be fully done by September or October.

“It needs a bit of tweaking before we present it to the state government. It also needs approval from independent consultancy engineers appointed by the state.”

He said the delay in the completion of the study is due to CZC “being lambasted”, following which the company “could not do much work due to intense pressure by parties seeking to discredit us”.

He was referring to the previous Barisan Nasional federal government’s heavy criticism of the tunnel and highways project, which was mooted by the Penang government.

CZC and its partners, including consultancy firms involved in the project, were subjected to Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission investigations.

In January, MACC had raided the offices of Penang government departments, CZC and its joint-venture partner Ewein Bhd, among others.

Many individuals, including state excos and consultants involved in the project, were called up to give their statements. Zarul himself was remanded to assist in investigations.

Now with the new Pakatan Harapan federal government in place, CZC expects work to progress, especially on the highways, which have received environmental impact assessment approval.

“We are starting the EMP (environment management programme), while the state government is looking at land acquisition, where federal and private land is involved,” said Zarul.

“We hope everything will be resolved by the end of this year, and we can then have the groundbreaking by year-end or early next year.”

CZC is looking to start work on Package 2 in the first or second quarter of 2019. After Package 2 has seen considerable progress, work will then start on Package 1, which is also known as the North Coast Paired Road.

The construction of the two highways will not be done concurrently, said Lee, so as to not turn Penang island into a “construction site”.

He said CZC will likely be ordered to work during the wee hours to minimise the impact on traffic.

“Considering the road alignment, it can be a havoc for Penang if we have many road closures.

“So, we will have to work in stages. The movement will be slow.” – July 2, 2018.