BN Penang candidates announced today, must explain to their voters why the BN Manifesto has no plans for the Light Rail Transit(LRT) from Penang to Seberang Perai, which “moves people, not vehicles. Or why the BN manifesto does not talk about abolishing toll for all vehicles in the first Penang Bridge. BN Penang Chairman Teng Chang Yeow has not only stubbornly refused to explain why he opposes the construction of a LRT in Penang, except to say that BN is intent on cancelling the Penang Pakatan state government’s proposal to finance and build our own LRT.
Clearly, the Penang BN manifesto is only interested in “taking revenge” by cancelling all infrastructure projects like the undersea tunnel and public transportation plans like the LRT proposed by the Penang Pakatan state government. Without any plans by BN for a LRT or public transportation projects, how is BN going to avoid Penangites choking to death in traffic congestion?
Any party that has no LRT or public transportation system is not qualified to be a government in Penang. Similarly BN candidates that opposes the proposal to build a LRT, is not deserving of any support from the people of Penang.
LRT as a form of public transport is important to Penang. Only by winning power in Putrajaya, can we reverse the decision by the BN Federal government to sabotage our LRT project. Pakatan proposed LRT is not only limited to the island, but also links the island to Butterworth, Seberang Jaya, Bukit Mertajam and Batu Kawan.
By refusing to explain why there is no LRT in BN’s manifesto, Teng has instead tried to distract attention by asking DAP’s position on Chinese investment. DAP welcomes all foreign investment to Malaysia so long that it is in the interests of Malaysians and conforms to the international norms of transparency and accountability. There is also Chinese investment in the manufacturing electronic industry which is widely welcomed by the Penang state government.
Contracts entered into must be honoured but what is wrong with renegotiating unfair contracts, whether from China or from other countries, to extract a better deal for Malaysians. For instance the RM55 billion East Coast Railway Link(ECRL) project was granted without an open tender, whereas the Penang undersea tunnel project was through an open competitive tender. Why is there a problem with the undersea tunnel when it is granted by open competitive tender but no problem with the ECRL when there is no open tender?
Penang has enjoyed buoyant economic growth over the last 10 years with investment increasing by 90% to RM70 billon and tourist arrivals doubling as compared to the previous 10 years under BN. Without a LRT or public transportation system, Penang’s future economic growth will be stunted. As an interim measure, Penang Pakatan state government is providing free buses in targeted areas.
However without a LRT linking both the island and the mainland, Penang can not move forward and be a developed state. Further why should the residents in Seberang Perai Utara(SPU) be denied a link to the island in the form of an undersea tunnel when Seberang Perai Tengah has the first Penang bridge and Seberang Perai Selatan has the 2nd Penang Bridge?