Gerakan questions wisdom of monorail plan in Seberang Prai

GEORGE TOWN: Penang Gerakan has questioned the state government's aim in allowing two companies to build monorail test tracks in Seberang Prai Selatan.
The party's state chairman Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan said although the state had not entered into any agreement with the companies, it was already making a huge commitment by allowing the test tracks to be built.

He also questioned whether the state government had plans to introduce the monorail in Penang.

He was commenting on Deputy Chief Minister II P. Ramasamy's announcement yesterday on the monorail test tracks.

Ramasamy was reported to have said that the two companies would bear the full cost of the project, located on state land either in Batu Kawan or Nibong Tebal.

Bernama reported that Ramasamy said the companies would build 1km test tracks for monorail trains, which would be used as exhibit items.
He said the state government would not be charging the companies for their use of the land and that no formal agreement had been concluded to introduce the monorail as a mode of public transport in Penang.

Ramasamy said it was still unknown how the test tracks would benefit the state, but it was hoped that it could be a tourist attraction and boost Penang's economy.

He said the Penang Development Corporation (PDC) had issued an initial letter on the project which would provide economic returns in the form of job opportunities and hardware manufacturing.

He said the state government hoped that the monorail tracks and coaches would be ready in a year.

The companies would be asked to dismantle the tracks and vacate the land if the state later felt that it was unsuitable, he added.

Dr Teng said he was surprised by Ramasamy's statement that the test tracks could attract tourists.

"It seems to me that the state government's decision on the test tracks is yet another haphazard one.

"It appears that the state leadership does not understand public transportation matters.

"It looks like they have given the nod for the tracks to be built merely because they will not spend anything on it."


Dr Teng said introducing a new mode of public transport required a lot of planning, coordination and feasibility studies to be conducted.
"I wonder if all these have been done before they made the decision," he added.