Penang-mainland LRT a possibility, says Loke

Published by Free Malaysia Today • 17/7/2023

Loke Siew Fook said an LRT link between Penang island and Seberang Perai will not only facilitate travel between the two areas but also boost the state’s economy. (JohnShen Lee pic)

SEBERANG JAYA: The unity government could greenlight an LRT project that would connect Penang island with mainland Seberang Perai, says transport minister Loke Siew Fook.

Loke, who is also the DAP secretary-general, said Putrajaya had previously approved an LRT project on the island connecting Bayan Lepas to Komtar in George Town.

“But Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim told me we can’t only have LRT on the island. We need to connect the island and Seberang Perai,” he told a huge crowd at the “Ceramah Madani” at the Seberang Jaya expo ground last night.

“With the backing of the prime minister, who is also the finance minister, we are confident we can carry out an LRT project that would connect the island and Seberang Perai

“This would ease Penangites to cross over (to Seberang Perai), and this (the project) would definitely spur the economy (of Penang).”

In January, chief minister Chow Kon Yeow was reported to have said that the state government was waiting to discuss the proposed George Town-Butterworth LRT link with both Anwar and Loke.

He said the proposed project would be an extension to the island’s LRT project, and connect the KTMB railway line from Butterworth to Bayan Lepas, state-owned Buletin Mutiara reported.