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Having conceded that his PORR briefings last month were a "flop", Tsu Koon should adopt four measures if he wants to "lend more credibility" to the implementation of the RM1.02 billion PORR project Media Statement by Lim Kit Siang (Penang,  Tuesday): New Straits Times yesterday carried the front-page headline report that the Penang State Government would engage a panel of impartial experts to "lend more credibility" to the implementation of the controversial RM1.02 billion Penang Outer Ring Road (PORR) project. The panel, which would comprise professionals, including engineers, soil experts, economists and environmental specialists, "with no links to or business interests" in the project, would provide the government independent advice from a pool of experts on the social, environmental and economic impact of the PORR project. The NST quoted sources as saying that the Penang State Executive Council had discussed the matter and a decision is expected soon, "as it is in the State Government's best interests to appoint the expert body as soon as possible". Such an "independent panel" is putting the cart before the horse, although there can be no more powerful admission of the failure of the series of "closed-door" briefings which the Penang Chief Minister, Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon conducted from 11 to 14 January last month to defend the transparency, viability and good urban governance of the RM1.02 billion Penang Outer Ring Road (PORR) project. Tsu Koon not only failed to convince anyone on the PORR project, with the Central Ad Hoc No PORR Committee pronouncing that his briefings were "flawed", he highlighted his greatest failure in his decade-long tenure as Penang Chief Minister - the failure to introduce an integrated, affordable, user-friendly and efficient public transport system for Penang to end the island's traffic congestion nightmare in broad daylight. Having conceded that his PORR briefings last month were a "flop", Tsu Koon should adopt four measures if he wants to "lend more credibility" to the implementation of the RM1.02 billion PORR project, viz: Suspend the PORR project to allow for a comprehensive public consultation process, whereby the entire gamut of Penang opinion on PORR can have their full say with satisfactory responses from the government; Public release of the detailed Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) of PORR for public scrutiny and comments. Public Release of the Halcrow Penang Urban Transport Study commissioned by the Penang State Government in 1997 - a comprehensive review of transportation policy and transport provision in the state - which raises questions about PORR's viability and compatibility with sustainable transport and whether the RM1.02 billion 17.8 km PORR would have an utility life-span of less than five years to create one or two Midas at the cost of imposing a 30-year toll burden on the people of Penang. Removal or resignation of Datuk Ahmad Ismail, the executive chairman of PORR concessionaire Peninsular Metroworks Sdn. Bhd (PMWSB) and Bukit Bendera UMNO division chairman, from the Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP). Ahmad's appointment as MPPP Super-Councillor, followed by his appointment as MPPP Building and Planning Committee alternate chairman and member of the Licensing Committee, Property Committee, Infrastructure and Traffic Management Committee is a living symbol of the Penang State Government's contempt for the principles of accountability, transparency, good urban governance as well as conflict of interest in the MPPP. If Tsu Koon cannot remove or get Ahmad to resign from the MPPP to end the greatest advertisement of the utter lack of good urban governance in the state and municipality, then it is another confirmation as to who wields the de facto political power in Penang. (18/2/2003) * Lim Kit Siang, DAP National Chairman