Kong Cho Ha should do his duties as Transport Minister

Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha should do his duties as Transport Minister and visit the twin distressed projects of RM 250 million expansion of Penang International Airport and RM 43 million Tanjung City Marina as well as the troubled RM 65 Million Swettenham Pier project. The Penang state government is shocked by the outrageous claim by Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) that renovation and upgrading works at the Penang International Airport in Bayan Lepas have been “substantially completed”.

Any passenger who uses the Penang International airport facility knows this is untrue. How can MAHB sacrifice public interests by stating that the expansion project has been substantially completed when the roof has still not been put fully up, water leaks occur when raining, the toilets are dirty and the whole place still looks like a construction work-site with noise and dust. Only those with eyes but do not see, ears do not hear and a brain that does not think can agree with MAHB’s outrageous lies that the RM250 million expansion project has been “substantially completed”.

Instead of trying to defend the contractors and officials monitoring the work done, MAHB should come clean and own up to the reasons behind the failure to complete the work on time. There have already been 2 extensions of time given to the contractor, the last one which expired on 24 November 2012. Can Kong state what is the new completion date and the penalties imposed on the contractor for failure of completion?

Kong should come and inspect the airport himself instead of allowing MAHB to make Malaysia an international laughing-stock by announcing the airport to be substantially completed when it is not. If an uncompleted project can be passed off as “substantially completed” after spending RM250 million, then this is a clear case of not just mismanagement of funds but also abuse of public trust.

Kong should also inspect the abandoned RM 43 million Tanjung City Marina project, which is in a pitiful state. Despite being completed in 2007 at a cost of RM43 million, it is practically rotting away with half submerged disembarkation ramp in the sea water and rows of concrete and foam pontoons floating dangerously, posing a threat to cruise liners and ferries as well as security risks posed by lighting that is not working. The marina has the capacity to accommodate 140 yachts and boats with 102 berths but there are now no yachts or boats.

The Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB) management has pushed away responsibility for this failed project with a statement in today’s papers that the marina's berthing facilities, designed and constructed by the Penang Port Commission (PPC), were badly damaged because of design flaws. To overcome the design flaws, PPSB said that an additional RM10 million was required for repair works. PPSB added that the previous PPC Chair Tan Cheng Liang had promised to provide the RM10 million for repairs but the promise remain unfulfilled.

Clearly the present PPC Chairman Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek has failed in his duty not just improving but even to maintain the facilities under PPC. For this reason, Kong must intervene and find a quick solution or else this abandoned RM 43 million Tanjung City Marina will only remind us all that is wrong with the management of a BN-controlled PPC.

Kong should also inspect the RM65 million Swettenham Pier to prevent it from suffering the same fate. There have been several complaints of inadequate facilities and service by the important cruise liners that serve an important role to expand tourism into Penang.

These 3 projects under the Transport Ministry cost a total of RM358 million. RM358 million is a gross wastage of public funds and abuse of public trust if Kong does not take immediate steps to stop such failure in project management as well as rescue these distressed projects. Instead of only being concerned about the tender of car registration numbers and installing 831 1Malaysia cameras under Automated Enforcement System or AES, Kong should come urgently to Penang to find a salvage and rescue formula.