Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli, senior executive director of Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd, said the undersea tunnel was of lower priority as its construction was only slated to begin in 2023.
The two major roads are the proposed Air Itam-Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway and the North Coast Paired Road connecting Tanjung Bungah to Teluk Bahang. The detailed environment impact assessment (DEIA) approvals are expected soon.
The 7.2km undersea tunnel will connect George Town’s Pangkor Road and Bagan Ajam in Butterworth.
Zarul said the feasibility study of the undersea tunnel was at 92.9% completion.
“The tunnel project would only start in 2023, so there is no urgency for us to complete the feasibility study.
“The study would incur more costs for us, and the state government is not going to pay us until we have completed our work as per the schedule.
“We have told the Penang state executive council that we do not want to waste our time on the tunnel feasibility study at the moment,” Zarul told a press conference in Komtar here today.
Also present at the press conference was Zenith Construction chairman Azmi Khalid, who is a former home minister and natural resources and environment minister from 1999 to 2008.
On a related matter, Zarul said Zenith had instructed its lawyers to look into suing parties making false and adverse statements on the roads and tunnel projects.
Asked if the critics would include Works Minister Fadillah Yusof, Zarul said “not necessarily”.
“My lawyers are looking at some statements made by various parties, and we will take necessary action.”
State public works committee chairman Lim Hock Seng said the Penang government agreed with Zenith’s decision on the undersea tunnel study.
“We have listened to the consortium. We are of the opinion that the priority is to hasten the two road projects,” he said.
On Works Minister Fadillah Yusof’s recent comments on the undersea tunnel, Lim reminded Fadillah that he was the one who mooted the “third bridge” idea as it would cost less.
He said the chief minister had then told Fadillah the state government would be okay with the idea, so long as approval was given in advance.
Lim said “some parts” of the feasibility study for the tunnel could be used for the third bridge proposal.
“We have repeatedly asked if we can get the principal approval from the works minister, but all we got was a demand for feasibility studies, instead.
“If we were to complete the studies and then be rejected by the ministry later, it would be an effort in futility. Hence, we have asked for principal approval. That way, we will be sure,” Lim said.
Recently, Fadillah said he had yet to receive “even one page” of the feasibility study “promised by the Penang government” 18 months ago.
Fadillah also said last year that the state government had sent an application to the ministry asking for approval of the third bridge without attaching any supporting documents.