It was reported in the MCA-owned paper The Star, our beloved Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak at the “Promises Fulfilled Tour” programme has promised to present the people of Penang a monorail service, similar to the LRT service in Kuala Lumpur, IF Barisan Nasional wins the state in the next general election.
I’m sure many older Penang folks (definitely include Koh Tsu Koon and his Gerakan gang) know the unfulfilled promise made by the previous administration.
According to Business Times back on July 13th 2007, then Chief Minister of Penang Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon said the Penang Government is preparing to launch the state’s monorail project by the end of the year, the project to serve as the backbone for the state’s public transportation network.
Other than the unfulfilled monorail project, Koh also said that the state authorities are planning a coastal highway which will link the current Penang Bridge and the Penang Second Crossing Bridge project.
Interestingly, The monorail project was first mooted in November 2003 when Koh Tsu Koon told a press conference that the state government had scrapped its plan to introduce the Light Rail Transit (LRT) transport system.
Instead, he announced a RM1.1 billion monorail project was in the pipeline to replace the cancelled LRT project, adding that the monorail route map and alignment, and cost had been finalized.
That announcement was made four months before the 2004 general election.
Then come December 2004, Koh told the media that the proposed project had been rescheduled to commence in early 2005 and be completed in 2008.
And in early 2005, then Transport Minister Chan Kong Choy said his ministry had not received any proposal project papers from the Penang government.
Interestingly, Koh did not comment on Chan’s statement.
Again come November 2006, Koh told the State Legislative Assembly that the monorail project would take off in mid-2007 and be ready in 2010.
Then in May 2007, Koh told the assembly that the monorail project would take off in early 2008 and be ready in 2012.
Koh told the assembly last week that the monorail project would take off in early 2008 and be ready in 2012.
This Penang monorail project was also promised by the former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi during the mid-term review of the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP).
Ultimately Penang monorail project was scarpped, Yes, another BN’s promise unfufilled.
And now the 13th General election is coming, Najib Gor went to Penang and told the people of Penang about once-promised-and scrapped monorail project.
Frankly, if Penang lang (Penang people in Hokkien) really believe Najib Tun Razak’s promise about building monorail again, then I pity them.
You can read more about this BN’s Promise Unfulfilled Penang Monorail Project over here.
Comments are closed.