GEORGE TOWN, 16 Oct 2020:
The Penang government will issue a request for proposal (RFP) for the Penang Hill Cable Car project next month, the state legislative assembly was told today.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said though allocation for the project had been approved in the 2020 Budget, a letter from the Finance Ministry dated April 3 stated it could not proceed with the allocation.
He added that the state government has issued an appeal on June 10 for the Finance Ministry to review and reconsider the decision – but has yet to receive any feedback.
“Hence, the state government will proceed with the project and will call for RFP through the Penang Hill Corporation in November,” he said when replying to a question from Lim Guan Eng (PH-Air Putih).
Chow said the Penang Hill Cable Car project is expected to take between three and four years to complete and begin operation.
On the status of federal projects, the Chief Minister said some 167 projects have been approved for the state in the 2020 Budget as of Aug 2 with a total cost of RM14.9 billion.
Of the total, 126 are new projects with a cost of RM10.52 billion while 41 are extension projects costing RM4.38 billion, he said.
Chow added that for the whole approved projects, 25 were completed, according to schedule (122), under planning (13), delayed (six) and sick (one).
– Bernama