Chief minister: Keystones of Penang’s infrastructure plans kick off in 2020

Chow said among the projects that will start this year is construction work on the redevelopment of the Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin.

GEORGE TOWN, Jan 1 — The Penang government regards 2020 as an important year for the state as several state infrastructure projects will take off in the next 12 months.

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said among the projects that will start this year are the Penang airport expansion, construction work on the redevelopment of the Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal and package two of the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP).

“All these infrastructure projects are expected to start this year, and if not start work then a signing agreement and tender processes will also take place,” he told reporters after flagging off the City Walk 1.1.2020 here today.

He said these projects would spur the state economy by providing more jobs and contracts to the relevant sectors.

Chow said these infrastructure projects would also attract more investment to the state.

“What we announced last year will probably move into the construction phase this year, before jobs can be created.

“But jobs would have been created for those announced two years ago,” he said.

Chow, who is also the state assemblyman for Padang Kota, said the state government has nothing to hide regarding the Package 2 project PTMP linking Bandar Baru Air Itam in Farlim to Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway here.

He explained that all details of the projects have been included in the environmental impact assessment (EIA) display, including the 19 affected graves at the Batu Lanchang cemetery.

“I have got nothing to hide regarding the project and it is all in the EIA display. If people do not take it out, what can we do? Only they (Gerakan) took a long time to find out,” he said.

Chow was commenting on the claim by Gerakan that the state government was hiding the fact as it was not mentioned earlier that the project would affect 19 graves in Batu Lanchang.

Last Monday, the state government announced that several meetings were held with the United Hokkien Cemeteries Penang at Batu Lanchang to discuss the status of some more than 100-year-old graves that will be affected by the project. — Bernama