Chief minister Chow Kon Yeow said the Penang executive council unanimously agreed to rename Lebuhraya Bandar Cassia after Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, popularly known as Pak Lah, who died on Monday.

He said the gesture was a mark of appreciation for Abdullah’s contributions to Penang’s development during his tenure as prime minister from 2003 to 2009.

“Abdullah was a son of Penang, born in Bayan Lepas. His biggest gift to the people of Penang was the second Penang bridge, which he announced under the Ninth Malaysia Plan in 2003.

“That bridge catalysed economic growth between Batu Maung and Bandar Cassia in Batu Kawan, now a new industrial zone,” Chow said in a statement.

He also said Abdullah had personally named Bandar Cassia during a visit on Aug 24, 2004, with the National Physical Planning Council under his chairmanship later approving its master plan.

“As the township symbolises Penang’s future, the state government wishes to preserve his legacy by renaming the road after him.”

Chow said other projects under Abdullah’s administration that benefitted Penang included the RM1 billion expansion of Penang International Airport, the RM2.7 billion Penang Sentral transport hub, the Butterworth Outer Ring Road, and projects under the Northern Corridor Economic Region.

As a mark of respect, Penang will fly its state flags at half-mast on Friday. Government offices and local councils have been instructed to comply, and non-government premises are encouraged to do the same.

Separately, Majlis Amanah Rakyat chairman Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki has proposed renaming the Mara Junior Science College (MRSM) in Kepala Batas to MRSM Tun Abdullah Badawi.

“In honour of the late Pak Lah’s contributions, I will seek the (rural and regional development) minister’s approval to rename l obtain MRSM Kepala Batas after MRSM Tun Abdullah Badawi,” he said. 

Mara is an agency under the rural and regional development ministry, currently overseen by deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.