It also launched a signature campaign to demand the PN-led government fund key transport projects such as the LRT, Penang Hill cable car and the old open-decked ferries. It urged Putrajaya to restore the funds approved under the previous government.
In announcing the campaign, Penang DAP secretary Lim Hui Ying said the state contributed RM7 billion in revenue to the federal coffers annually, but received a pittance in return.
“Despite having limited resources and power, the Penang government is determined to continue these projects for the interest of its people.
“This signature campaign will serve to rally Penangites against the historic betrayal of Penang by the PN government and to immediately reinstate these four projects,” she said at a press conference today.
At the same event, state DAP chief Chow Kon Yeow said the state was fortunate to have Lim Guan Eng as finance minister when Pakatan Harapan was in power, as he had set aside RM100 million for the Penang Hill cable car project.
He said the Penang International Airport’s expansion was also ready to go but was put on hold pending a study, while a RM30 million injection to the ferry services saw the retirement of its old iconic vessels.
Chow, who is also Penang chief minister, said a loan for the LRT project that was previously guaranteed by Putrajaya was rescinded. He said all these losses were palpable and would have spurred the economy during the pandemic.
He said moving forward, the Penang government would call for a tender to build the Penang Hill cable car project privately next week.
Meanwhile, Guan Eng said it was obvious that the effective cancellation of infrastructure projects was a political vendetta, as it involved the transport ministry under MCA president Wee Ka Siong.
He said when he was finance minister, Penang received more allocations from the federal government.
“Wee is using this as a key weapon to hit out at the people of Penang. By petitioning, we must demand that the projects be reinstated and prevent more projects from being cancelled,” he said.