[ad_1]
PETALING JAYA: Former Penang Prime Minister Lim Guan Eng claims that the government’s decision to cancel Penang’s “iconic ferry service” is proof of the animosity Perikatan Nasional (PN) has against the state.
The two old existing ferries in service will be replaced by a new fleet in two years, and Lim previously said the federal government’s plan ignored Penang’s heritage and history.
“The cancellation of the iconic 126-year-old Penang ferry service is an unequivocal statement of the PN government’s open confrontation with the people of Penang, spearheaded by the chosen ax man, the president of the MCA (and transport minister) Wee Ka Siong, ”Lim said in a statement.
“This is not the first time that Penang has suffered greatly from the heavy hand of revenge policy since the NP government took power in March 2020,” added Lim, who was the former finance minister.
The DAP secretary general said that in addition to the loss of the old ferries, Penang saw several other development projects approved by the Pakatan Harapan government canceled by the NP administration.
Lim said that among them was the proposed RM800 million expansion of Penang International Airport, the work of which has been postponed.
Lim also highlighted the cancellation of a ringgit 100 million grant to build the Penang Hill cable car and the suspension of federal government guarantees for the Penang state government to secure a RM2 billion loan from the Asian Development Bank. to finance the construction of the light rail transportation project. .
Lim said the cable car should cater for the increase in traffic from 250,000 passengers a year to two million. The LRT project was planned to alleviate chronic traffic congestion in Penang that hampers future growth prospects.
“Even though Penang contributes RM7 billion in annual taxes and revenue to the federal government, the PN government has taken back all these critical development projects planned by the PH government,” Lim said.
“MCA and Wee will never be forgiven or forgotten by the Penangitas and our children for their policy of revenge and revenge.”
Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz previously told Dewan Rakyat that Penang’s ferry services would continue with a RM30 million allocation from the ministry next year.
However, Wee has since confirmed that the old ferries will give way to “safer, faster and cheaper to run” water buses (for carrying passengers) and lighters (for carrying motorcycles). They are expected to arrive in mid-2022.
Wee said that while many had expressed regret over the replacement of the old ferries, the need to ensure passenger safety made it crucial to put a new generation of ferries into service.
Future carriers will not transport cars, but only pedestrians, motorcycles or bicycles. Cars and trucks must use one of the two bridges that link the mainland with the island.
