He said the Transport Ministry’s recent assertion that the project would affect port operations was also not true.
“The four pylons for the cable car project are 1km apart. Do not tell me ships cannot do a turnaround?
“With a distance of one kilometre, can’t the ships turn around?
“If that is the case, then the ship captain’s licence is ‘kopi o kaw kaw punya lesen’ (not qualified).
“The pylons are also as high as Komtar building. If that is not high enough, then the oceans, too, are not enough,” Lim said, referring to Penang’s tallest building, which is 232m high.
A pylon is a tall tower-like structure used for carrying steel cables that carry the gondolas (cabins) high above the ground.
On Monday, Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said the federal regulators, Penang Port Commission, had rejected the alignment for the proposed 5km cable car project, dubbed the Penang SkyCab.
It would connect Jelutong to the Penang Sentral in Butterworth. It was expected to cost RM300 million and supposed to be ready by 2018.
Lim said the cable car project would serve as an efficient public transport system between the island and mainland and would also serve as a tourist icon.
“It would be a tourist attraction with LED beacons and it would be romantic, but we all know Liow is not romantic.”
Lim felt that the snub could mean that Liow was trying to sabotage the project as it was state funded.
Lim continued to pour scorn on Liow, saying the latter had not done his homework before announcing the “rejection”.
“I hope Liow can do his work properly. Do not sleep, do not rely on (Penang Port Commission chairman) Tan Teik Cheng (before making statements).
“Let it be based on professional views, not just an attempt to sabotage our plans.
“I did not receive even one letter from the transport ministry regarding this. If you want to discuss, we can discuss.
“MRCB is close to the Federal Government. Why can’t he (Liow) do it?”
MRCB (Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd) was supposed to be in charge of the project.
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