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Stop delaying projects, MCA tells Penang govt
GEORGE TOWN, Nov 5, 2014:
The Pakatan Rakyat state government has been slammed over several unexplained botched and delayed projects in Penang by MCA Tanjung Youth movement.
Listing several affected projects, its chief Lim Swee Bok said it reflected badly on the state government, adding that it showed the incompetency, inefficiency and irresponsibility of the state government.
He named the RM15 million multi-storey “Kancil” car park near Penang Hill lower station, the RM6 million Komtar rejuvenation project and the RM12.1 million Chowrasta Market among projects that had been delayed.
“The RM3 million Wet World Wild Adventure Park that was closed down in October this year after just a 10-month operation was a major botched state project.
“The state government’s proposed Asia’s first Tiger Park project and the low-cost and affordable housing project in Batu Kawan never saw the light of day.
“All these botched and delayed projects exposed the state government’s lack of competency and efficiency,” Lim told a press conference in Komtar here today.
He described the PR state government to be a champion when it came to project delays.
The original “Kancil” car park structure, built in 2011 on a RM5 million federal fund, was torn down after the building failed to comply with guidelines.
“Now, the state government allotted RM10 million to rebuild it, but its completion schedule had been well behind two datelines in May and later August this year,” he added
The Komtar project, which began in Sept 2013 was scheduled to be ready in May this year, but Lee said until today it “appeared to be only half completed”.
He slammed the state government for not taking any proactive measures to revive what appeared to be an abandoned project.
“This, despite government leaders who are based in Komtar and passing through the place daily. Don’t tell me they have never noticed?
“But they seem to just turn a blind eye as they are not doing anything to revive the projects,” he said.
A trader on the third floor of the once famous shopping place of Komtar, Mohd Rashid Asrol, 41, claimed that there had been no construction works in the area in the past three and four months and no sign to revive the place
Rashid claimed that businesses were badly affected by the delay and some 60% of traders had closed down their shops in the past three months, adding that his own business was now “dying”.
Last week local government, traffic management and flood mitigation state executive councillor Chow Kon Yeow was reported as saying that all state excos had been directed to monitor and ensure there were no delays in completion of projects under their portfolios.
Chow said the directive was made in the wake of delays in completion of several projects under the state government for the past two years.
“These state government projects were delayed due to various factors.
“We need to ensure all these contractors pull up their socks fast.”
Chow had also said that extensions had been given for some delayed projects.
The Chowrasta Market upgrading project, which started in April last year, was already behind schedule by three months.
The RM12.1 million Chowrasta project was now only 53% completed.