According to a report by The Star, Works Minister Fadillah Yusof said that despite four reminders and a final deadline by July 22, 2016, the state government failed to submit the required initial documents to support its application.

“I am perplexed… as it had stated that the project studies costing up to RM305mil were 83 per cent complete three months ago.

“This was to support their application and to assist our ministry to deliberate on the project,” he said in a statement issued to the daily today.

He pointed out that no authority could approve such a costly project without sufficient documentation on the proposal.

“No authority in the world will be in a position to give approval in principle for a major infrastructure project costing billions with only a two-page letter sent to us by the Penang government.

“I am not sure if this is a standard practice in Penang but this is not what our ministry practises.”

He added that due to the state government’s lack of cooperation the ministry believes that the application for the third bridge is no longer urgent.

“Accordingly we have written a letter to convey our decision and regret to Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.”