Penang traffic expected to rise by 40% till new year

GEORGE TOWN – Police in Penang are bracing for up to 40% more traffic to lay siege on its narrow roads, as people travel to the state to celebrate the new year on Saturday.

Possible traffic hotspots are the commercial zone in George Town, where many eateries are located, and the Batu Ferringhi tourism belt some 16km away.

In anticipation of the above, the north-east district police will deploy up to 146 officers and 821 constables to monitor public safety and ensure compliance with the standard operating procedures (SOPs) against Covid-19.

District police head ACP Soffian Santong told a press conference that under the public healthcare guidelines, no large-scale new year celebration will be permitted.

Commenting on rumours about various private gatherings being planned, Soffian said they need to comply with the SOPs whereby crowding is disallowed.

He added that celebrations in open spaces and public fields must have special police permits.

“We will not hesitate to take appropriate action if there is any violation of the law,” Soffian said.

He added that there is also a need to avoid congestion by opting for public transport or ride-sharing services so that bottlenecks can be reduced.

There is a resurgence of Covid-19 cases in Penang, with 171 reported yesterday, although there were no deaths reported for the second consecutive day.

The state has 2,187 active cases, according to the Health Ministry’s official portal CovidNow, with two highly transmissible Omicron variant cases.

148 people remained hospitalised, including 11 in intensive care units. – The Vibes, December 30, 2021.