Dr. Ibrahim Saad should keep to his promise given in the State Assembly and ensure that MPPP and Pangkal Permata Sdn Bhd. do not close Lorong Reutens

Press Conference Statement (2) by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP or Tan Jung, Lim Kit Siang, at Penang DAP Hqrs on Wednesday, August 3, 1994 at 11.30 a.m.

Dr. Ibrahim Saad should keep to his promise given in the State Assembly and ensure that MPPP and Pangkal Permata Sdn Bhd. do not close Lorong Reutens

I have received complaints from Taman Midlands residents that Lorong Reutens has again been closed by Pangkal Permata Sdn. Bhd. in the construction of the Taman Midlands One-Stop Centre project.

Penang Deputy Chief Minister, Dr. Ibrahim Saad should keep to his promise given in the penang State Assembly in June that the State Government would not allow Lorong Reutens to be closed.

When the DAP raised the closure of Lorong Reutens in the State Assembly, Dr. Ibrahim Saad said the road was closed to enable the pipe-laying along the road, and not because of the Taman Midlands One-Stop Centre Project.

Dr. Ihrabim said the State Government had never agreed to the closure of Lorong Reutens.

Dr. Ibrahim should therefore ensure that MPPP and Pangkal Permata Sdn. Bhd. do not close Lorong Reutens, or he would be breaking his undertaking in the Penang State Assembly.

Tan Gim Hwa should explain why he had overridden the objections of the residents at Jalan Lim Mah Chye to allow the extensive renovation of No. 2, Jalan Scotland for a private clubhouse

The MPPP President, Tan Gim Hwa should explain why he had overridden the objections of the residents at Jalan Lim Mah Chye to allow the extensive renovation of No. Jalan Scotland for a private clubhouse.

No. 2 Jalan Scotland was formerly the building of the regional manager of the old chartered bank and has heritage value.

The residents understand that the MPPP has given permission for the extensive renovation, which actually involved demolition of over 80 per cent of the building keeping only the façade, for the relocation of Dynasty Club.

The residents in the area objected to the relocation of Dynasty Club to No. 2 Scotland Road, because the area had been zones as a residential area, as well as the traffic congestion Road and Jalan Lim Mah Chye.

There is already a club, Penang Sports Club, just across the main road and there is no justification to permit another club in the area.

Construction of Perak-Penang strectch of North-South Highway sub-standard not only in construction by PLUS but also in supervision by Malaysian Highway Authority

Deputy Works Minister, Kerk Choo Ting, said PLUS and Malaysian Highway Authority have been directed to undertake immediate repairs along sunken stretches of the North-South Highway, particularly along the Perak and Penang border.

Kerk said the ‘sinking stretches’ was expected after one or two years on completion of the highway due to the settling process.

However, the Penang and Perak stretches of the North-South Highway started sinking after a few months after completion, and not after one or two years later.

This shows that this stretch of the North-South Highway is sub-standard not only in construction by PLUS by also in supervision by the Malaysian Highway Authority.

Both in June and July, when I drove to Ipoh from Penang, I found that the conditions over the ‘sunken stretches’ have not been improved although there had been repair work, constituting grave hazards to the safety of motorists.

It is sad that Kerk Choo Ting has taken such a long time to realise the dangerous condition of the ‘sunken stretches’ of the Highway along the Perak and Penang border although he is Member of Parliament for Taiping.

There is a need for a greater sense of responsibility by PLUS, MHA and the both the Minister and Deputy Minister of Works to protect the interests of the North-South Highway motorists in return for the exorbitant toll which are being collected.

Would Kerk propose that until the ‘sunken stretches’ of the North-South Highway along the Perak and Penang border are repaired to the satisfactory standards for an expressway, PLUS should collect only half the toll charge between Changkat Jering and Butterworth?