The people of Seberang Prai will have a say in the RM27bil Penang Transport Master Plan, said Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

“The plan will affect them. They must have a say and voice out whether they want it or not.

“If they reject the plan, it will not be implemented. If they want it, we will implement it,” he told reporters at the Christmas Open House at the St Chastan & Imbert Catholic Church in Chai Leng Park here yesterday.

Lim also said the proposed 28.4km-long Jalan Raja Uda-Bukit Mertajam monorail line, which is part of the master plan, would have 22 stations covering Alma, Bukit Mertajam, Bandar Perda, Taman Supreme, Sunway Carnival Mall and Penang Sentral.

“The people in Prai will be affected as a line will come out at the south of Prai next to the Penang Bridge and flow into Jalan Perusahaan through Taman Supreme before ending at Penang Sentral,” he said.

Recently, The Star reported on a light rail transit (LRT) track across the sea which would be built as the fourth link between Penang island and the mainland.

The LRT trains, which will travel on rails built near the Penang Bridge, will connect Gelugor on the island and the Prai Industrial Estate on the mainland before continuing northwards to Penang Sentral in Butterworth.

Source: TheStar.com.my

Two man-made islands, located near Permatang Damar Laut, spanning 930ha and 445ha- as a source of funding.

The business community in Penang hopes the ambitious RM27bil Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP) materialises, stating that it would ease the growing traffic congestion on the island part of the state.

This was a contrast to voices of concern raised by some quarters on the risks of PTMP that would see the development of a light rail transit (LRT) system on the island, the Pan Island Link Highway projects and recently an LRT linking the island to the mainland.

For building the infrastructure, the project promoters would be paid by havings rights to reclaim land which some sections of the people have raised concerns.

PTMP would involve two man-made islands, located near Permatang Damar Laut, spanning 930ha and 445ha- as a source of funding.

Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers Penang chairman Datuk Dr Ooi Eng Hock told StarBiz that they had received overwhelming response from FMM members on the Bayan Lepas light rail transit (LRT) and the Pan Island Link (PIL) Highway in the PTMP as it would reduce their transportation cost.

“We have an estimated 165,000 factory workers who travel to work in Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone (FIZ) daily using vans and buses. This partially contributes to the congestion on Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah and the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway. If at least 70% to 80% of our workers are able to use public transport, we can reduce a significant number of vehicles on the roads,” he said.

On the PIL highway, Ooi said it would be a strategic bypass from the second Penang Bridge to Gurney Drive and would divert regional traffic away from local roads.

“This is important as about 15 out of our 100 FMM Penang members in Bayan Lepas are planning to grow their operations here, given the supply of developable land. Their projected investment will range from RM75mil to RM500mil.

“Our Penang members annual combined turnover that has grown from about RM45bil in 2009 to RM50bil last year,” he said.

PTMP was among major issues publicly opposed by a some members of the public and NGOs that are concernedon the reclamation works given the unsavory experience of mudflats build-up and foul smell along Gurney Drive after the Seri Tanjung Pinang Phase 1 reclamation exercise.

Fishermen in Penang were also against the reclamation project on the island’s southern coast, saying it would affect their livelihood.

As of Dec 17, the state had yet to approve the proposed land reclamation in the south of the island by PTMP project delivery partner, SRS Consortium Sdn Bhd.

Meanwhile, the Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association (Rehda) Penang chairman Datuk Jerry Chan felt that the PTMP was an integrated, comprehensive and workable plan.

“I understand the plight of the fishermen and would like to suggest that the PDP and the state government to help them to venture into fish farming instead.

“The reality is nobody wants to reclaim land unnecessarily, but with that amount of cost also for the benefit of the larger public, what other choice does the state have?” he said.

Apart from the PTMP project, Chan felt that the Bayan Lepas airport on the island should be upgraded.

“Penang needs at bigger airport or another airport. The runway now is not long enough to facilitate a fully-laden wide body aircraft such as the 747,” he said.

Inari Amertron Berhad executive director K.C. Lau said that the proposed PTMP would enhance the appeal of Penang as an attractive industrial and business hub.

“It could place Penang a step closer to the likes of mega-cities Singapore and Hong Kong – where public transport takes people from one place to another without hassle even during peak hours,” he said.

Lau said this is because traffic played a highly important role in businesses, especially for a business which has multi-plant operations.

“To meet customers’ demand, we need to constantly improve our logistics, which means shorter cycle time to delivery,” he said.

Source: TheStar.com.my

More rail access for Penang

The planned light rail transit (LRT) linking the island and the mainland will be connected to two other train services planned for the state.

This proposed fourth link across the sea will have interchange stations in Gelugor on the island and Taman Supreme on the mainland.

From the Taman Supreme interchange, cross-channel commuters can switch to the proposed Raja Uda-Bukit Mertajam Monorail.

This monorail stretches from Permatang Tinggi in south Seberang Prai to Sungai Dua in the north. The line will have 22 stations, passing Alma, Bukit Mertajam, Bandar Perda, Taman Supreme, Sunway Carnival Mall and Penang Sentral.

Island commuters can change trains and get on the proposed Bayan Lepas LRT with 26 stops between Komtar and the airport.

In obtaining the thumbs up from the state government on Wednesday, SRS Consortium Sdn Bhd Szeto Wai Loong presented a Penang map showing the proposed rail linkages.

Two more railway lines proposed by SRS Consortium are the Air Itam monorail with 13 stops between Paya Terubong and Komtar and the Tanjung Tokong Monorail with nine stops between Tanjung Tokong UDA Flats and Komtar.

Szeto said that the plans would now be submitted to Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) for study and it would be put on public display in June.

There are currently two bridges between the island and the mainland, while design and planning work for a 6.5km undersea tunnel between Gurney Drive and Bagan Ajam are underway.

The consortium is the project delivery partner for the RM27bil Penang Transport Master Plan.

The Star reported yesterday that the planned cross-channel LRT will stretch from Gelugor to the Prai Industrial Estate. The LRT track will wind through housing estates beginning with Taman Supreme before reaching Penang Sentral.

Construction of the George Town-Butterworth LRT and the Raja Uda-BM Monorail is expected to be after 2026, while work on the Bayan Lepas LRT is expected to start in 2018.

When contacted, urban planning specialist and editor of Pilot Studies for a New Penang, Datuk Dr Goh Ban Lee said the LRT was a much needed project.

“As far as I can remember, we have never thought of a train service between the island and the mainland,” said Dr Goh.

Source: TheStar.com.my

Tower B of The Tamarind executive apartments by Eastern & Oriental Bhd (E&O) has received an encouraging response from buyers with 60% of the units having been taken up within two weeks of its launch in early December.

E&O marketing and sales general manager (Penang), Christina Lau, said The Tamarind has attracted a large number of Penangites as well as a sizeable number of buyers from the northern states. It has also attracted Malaysians from other parts of the country and foreigner buyers.

“Judging from the promising response, we expect to close more deals in the next few weeks,” Lau said in a press statement.

The Tamarind Tower B houses 552 condominium units of between 1,047 sq ft and 1,772 sq ft in built-up area. The average selling price is RM765 psf, and prices start at RM757,000 for a unit.

“The Tamarind attracts a good mix of owner-occupiers and investors, with strong interest registered among young executives and families,” Lau said.

This 6.9-acre freehold high-rise development has an estimated gross development value of RM900 million. It comprises two blocks of 33-storey buildings with a total of 1,104 units of a 3-bedroom design. The smallest unit has a built-up area of 1,047 sq ft. The Tamarind Tower B is expected to be completed in 2019.

The Tamarind Tower A, which was launched in June 2015, is 95% sold. The average selling price for Tower A is RM725 psf.

The Tamarind’s facilities include a private, one-acre waterscaped beach, free-form swimming and wading pools, jogging track, gym and yoga centre, multipurpose hall and playground.

It is located close to the Straits Quay retail marina, Tesco hypermarket, Straits Quay Convention Centre, Straits Green Public Park, Penang Performing Arts Centre and a 1.6km seafront promenade.

Commenting on market conditions, Lau noted the long-term nature of property investment and that soft market conditions may present an opportune time to buy properties.

“We believe that demand remains in niche locations and for projects by developers offering strong concept, branding and delivery,” she said.

Source: TheEdgeProperty.com.my

LRT across the sea to mainland in the works

There are plans for a fourth link between Penang island and the mainland – a light rail transit (LRT) track across the sea.

The proposed link will have the LRT trains travelling on rails built near the Penang Bridge.

It will connect Gelugor on the island and the Prai Industrial Estate on the mainland before continuing northwards to Penang Sentral in Butterworth.

At Gelugor, there will be an interchange with the proposed Komtar-Bayan Lepas LRT line.

The line on the mainland will take the trains through the Prai factory area, along the Jalan Baru dual carriageway beginning with Taman Supreme and ending at Penang Sentral, where the ferry terminal and KTM train station are located.

“The link will be a lot narrower than Penang Bridge.

“But we will follow the bridge’s height so that the sea route will remain clear,” SRS Consortium Sdn Bhd project director Szeto Wai Loong told reporters yesterday.

There are currently two bridges linking the island and mainland, while a 6.5km undersea tunnel had been proposed to connect Gurney Drive to Bagan Ajam.

The proposed fourth link and several other highway, LRT, monorail and tram routes, which are part of the RM27bil Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP), received the thumbs up from the state government yesterday.

Szeto said the plans for these state-approved transport links would now be submitted to the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) before it is publicly displayed in June.

“People can give feedback and we will factor significant issues raised into the final plan,” he said, adding that the construction of the George Town-Butterworth LRT, which is the name given to the fourth link, would probably start around 2026.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who was also present, said the state had yet to approve the proposed land reclamation in the south of the island which are meant to fund the PTMP.

Source: TheStar.com.my