The Penang waterfront redevelopment plan requires close coordination between various stakeholders as it involves assets, heritage buildings and port management, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook.

He said at the Ministry of Transport (MOT) level, the project involved the Railway Assets Corporation (RAC) as the owner of Wisma Kastam or the Malayan Railway Building which has been standing since 1909.

According to him, the waterfront and marina are under the supervision of the Penang Port Commission, hence cooperation between federal and state agencies is very important to ensure orderly and comprehensive implementation.

Loke said the state government had made good progress in creating public spaces along the waterfront, in line with the aspirations of urban development based on the well-being of the people.

He said agencies under the MOT would continue to cooperate to expand public spaces and revive heritage buildings in the surrounding areas so that they could be used by locals and tourists.

“The bell of Wisma Kastam will resound again,” he said in a Facebook post today after receiving the latest briefing on the redevelopment plan for the area at the RAC Sentral Tower, Kuala Lumpur.

Loke also stressed the government’s commitment to preserving historical and heritage values ​​in the national development agenda.

During his visit to Penang on Jan 12, he touched on the development plan as a public-friendly waterfront area that will be implemented through a private financing initiative (PFI).

He said the goal is to create a pedestrian walkway of more than a kilometre, where people can enjoy the sea view, in addition to cafe and tourism facilities, thus making Penang a cruise ship tourism hub.

Source: Bernama

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