GEORGETOWN – The Penang government will continue to press ahead with the Penang Hill cable car project despite the federal government withdrawing a RM100 million allocation for it last year.
The state government today announced a request for proposal (RFP) for the project.
Datuk Cheok Lay Leong, general manager of state agency Penang Hill Corporation (PHC), said the project would cost at least RM150 million, depending on the alignment.
“However, the overall cost can only be determined depending on the line for cable cars that will be selected later, as well as construction methods that are guaranteed to be environmentally friendly,” he informed a press conference.
Among the preferred areas for the building of the foothill base for the line are the Botanic Gardens, Youth Park and Teluk Bahang.
The project will also include additional facilities such as a carpark building which will have electric vehicles to ferry visitors to the cable car lower ground station.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said a request for proposals (RFP) has been opened for private companies with qualification and expertise in cable car operations to submit proposals for the project from this Wednesday until May 24.
He said the project will be pursued as an additional mode of transportation besides the existing funicular trains, especially to reduce congestion during peak hours.
In fact, he said, the project will also be a contributor to the development of tourism in the state on an ongoing basis.
“This project will also go through careful planning and development to avoid affecting PHC’s application to recognise Penang Hill as a Unesco biosphere reserve under the ‘Man and The Biosphere’ programme,” he said.
The former Pakatan Harapan (PH) federal government had approved an allocation of RM100 million for the project in Budget 2020 presented by the then finance minister Lim Guan Eng, with the remaining costs to be borne by the state government.
The allocation, however, was withdrawn by the succeeding Perikatan Nasional (PN) government last April – The Vibes, January 11, 2021.
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