Penang government supports NCER
Finally, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has given the green light for NCER by adopting the Northern Corridor Implementation Act (Star online report below).
To many Penangites, few knew what the heck NCER is. Even fewer knew the benefits of NCER. I have read the blueprint and its supposed programme to develop and accelerate economic growth in the northern region covering Perlis, Kedah, Penang and north of Perak. You can read the blueprint here.
IMHO, it is all nothing but a load of hogwash. Oh and don’t forget the PR (that’s public relations, not pagerank) benefits for the BN government when they first introduce it. It is one of the ‘goodies’ given out before the elections. You know, to cover the people’s eyes with bright, shiny things so that they forgot all about the mounds of dirt in plain view.
The NCER introduces more mega-projects which only benefits we-all-know which type of contractors and which only ends up as another big white elephant. Or worse, the projects never take off and remain as just another imaginary candy being dangled before a two-year-old so that the kid will behave accordingly.
So, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, are you sure you have thought about it and seriously studied the blueprint which is nothing more than pretty colours to impress but empty promises? I am not against the NCER project but I am against the whole idea behind it, which is to pull wool across the voters’ eyes so that they forget about BN’s shortcomings / failures. Even it failed to do that as obviously, the general public do not take so kindly to having unsubstantial shiny things being dangled before their eyes!
So, why don’t we stick to real sustainable development programmes instead of this load of hogwash eh?
Just my two cents’.
Penang supports NCER agency act
By NG SU-ANN
PENANG: The state government will adopt the Northern Corridor Implementation Agency Act which empowers the agency to implement plans for the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER) despite its earlier reservations.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the state decided to adopt the Act to speed up economic development in the region and federal projects in Penang.
Penang is believed to be the first of the four states (the others are Perlis, Perak and Kedah) under the NCER to endorse the Act.
Lim said the state executive council had discussed the issue at great lengths for almost two months before coming to a decision at its meeting on Friday.
“We were initially concerned that the Act would threaten the state government’s power and cause it to diminish. However, under the Act’s Clause 1 (5), all decisions made by the agency have to be done unanimously.
“As I’ll be sitting in the agency’s committee by virtue of my position as Chief Minister, I can ensure that Penang’s interests will be protected,” he told newsmen Saturday before meeting delegates from the Institute of Engineers Malaysia (Penang branch) and Malaysian Institute of Planners (Penang branch) at his Komtar office.
Lim said the agency’s 11 members were the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, the heads of the four states, two federal ministers, a government officer and two representatives from the private sector.
He distributed to newsmen copies of a letter dated March 20 from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who requested him to endorse the Act so that its implementation could take effect on April 1.
On his meeting with the engineers and planners, Lim said he wanted to get their views on how to improve Penang.
He also said the state would invite qualified professionals to sit in the Penang Tender Board’s Committee.
“We are also keen to get retired engineers to sit in the Penang Planning Appeals Board regardless of their race, religion, gender and political ties,” he added.
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
Since Mr Lim knows the people in the people from the Institute of Engineers, I suggest he ask them if it is possible to extend the Penang Bridge instead of planning to build a second bridge. In my opinion the idea of the second bridge is mainly to benefit one Patrick Badawi.
Let me give the people in Penang some background information. About 25 years ago the Sydney harbour bridge was no longer able to handle the volumne of traffic. Suggestions were called and the suggestions include,
1.) Build a second bridge.
2.) Build a tunnel under the harbour.
3.) Extend the existing bridge.
Now, it is the suggestion to extend the existing bridge that I want to talk about. In engineering terms it is entirely possible to “hang” an extra road lane on each side of the bridge. This was the cheapest and the quickest option.
I have not done any analyse of the Penang bridge or studied any of the structures in detail. But generally speaking, most bridges have a built-in redundancy factor i.e. they are built stronger than needed.
Therefore, it is entirely possible to “hang” an extra road lane on each side of the bridge with minimal strengthening to the existing structure.
Similar sort of work have also been undertaken in the USA. It includes hanging extra lanes on the side or add another level on top or the bottom to give a “double decker” bridge.
Of course the cheapest and the quickest solution may not be the best solution. Some one has to do an in-depth study as to whether the extra 2 lanes will provide the necessary extra capacity.
Does Penang really need a second bridge or can the money be better spend on more schools and hospitals and of course on a almost non existant public transport system.
Cheers
May 7th, 2008 at 6:19 pm