Penang Second Bridge. What’s going on?

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Penang Second Bridge

"Length of Bridge : 24 km (17 km oversea) Location : Bridging from Batu Kawan to Batu Maung Overall Capacity : Dual 2 traffic lanes plus motorcycle lane in each direction Cost : RM 2.6 billion (estimate) Last updated: 04/07/2007"

The above is what the previous Penang state government had put on the Penang state government web site, note the RM2.6 billion estimated cost, and the massive 'island' lay-bys! Note the lovely blue sky and azure blue waters, a real dreamy artist's impression!

Wait and see, most likely the fanciful R&R circular 'fantasy islands' will not materialise, but the price will certainly go up and up, and the bridge will probably be 'downgraded' and 'up-priced' step by step!

Or, maybe even the bridge itself will never materialise, as there seem to be serious fundamental differences, and problems brewing between United Engineers Malaysia, the company which was given the project, and China Harbour Engineering Company, the bridge contractor.

UEM themselves could certainly not build the bridge or probably much of anything else for that matter, as third party contractors together with their own equipment, can invariably be seen doing the work for UEM projects; of course UEM supplies the decals and banners with the 'open hand' UEM logo and name!

Local News from the THE SUN WEB EDITION

"Phee: What second bridge land issue?
Opalyn Mok"

EXTRACT BELOW, to see the SUN Local News click the link above.

GEORGE TOWN, PENANG (April 28, 2008):

The Second Penang Bridge's full plan and design have yet to be confirmed and neither have land parcels have been identified for acquisition, the state government revealed today.

"That being the case, it is puzzling for the Barisan Nasional (BN) federal government to say land acquisition was one problem delaying the project," said Penang Health, Welfare and Caring Society Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh.

Phee, who also sits in the state's newly formed Second Bridge Implementation Committee, said there were no land matter issues to resolve because no land was earmarked for the project.

"They (federal government) have not even drawn up the plans for the bridge, what more talk about land acquisition. They have also not contacted us about land acquisition," he added."

PM Abdullah had claimed the delays were due to land acquisition problems, design and rising costs.

Earlier, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had said that the state government was left in the dark over the progress of the project, the only news was what was reported in the media.

The proposed Second Penang Bridge 24km long bridge will link the island at Batu Maung to the mainland [Seberang Prai] at Batu Kawan. The plot thickens:-

Second Penang Bridge:
Penang perhaps would be better off without the second bridge, just upgrade the ferry service, after all the existing bridge is presently being widened.

The Penang Global City Centre (PGCC):
Would it not be better for the PGCC to be either drastically scaled down, or even better, not implemented at all, thus leaving the Penang Turf Club where it is, and scraping the proposal to relocate it the the mainland at Batu Kawan. The goal now should be to save Penang from unsustainable development which will only benefit the non-Penang based developers, and make Penangites worse off than they already are.

Obscurum per obscurius -

The obscure by means of the more obscure