GEORGE TOWN, July 26 — Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow has ticked off non-governmental organisations (NGO) for using misinformation and inaccurate visuals to create a negative perception of the the Pan Island Link 1 (PIL1) Highway project.

The Penang lawmaker said there was clear misinformation on the portrayal of PIL1, and the use of inaccurate visuals and descriptions had provoked unnecessary negative sentiments among the general public.

"The Penang state government welcomes open discourse on the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP), and while doing so, we wish to rectify inaccurate representation of PIL1 to the public,” he said in a statement issued today.

He was responding to numerous press statements issued by various NGOs criticising and opposing the 19.5km PIL1 project especially when it involved cutting through hills in the construction of a 10km tunnel to connect the north of the island to the south.

Aliran’s Anil Netto had raised concerns over the amount of explosives that will be used for the construction of the tunnel and demanded that the state list out how much explosives will be used.

Chow said the question of how much explosives will be needed for the tunnel construction was redundant.

"It is but a means to complete the tunnelling works. Instead, one should be asking what is the level of environmental and safety standards which we should adhere to,” he said.

He said focusing the public’s attention on unnecessary details is counter-productive and it also undermined the importance of the PIL1 project, which will improve the island’s road network hierarchy and disperse worsening traffic congestion in key residential and commercial areas.

Drill and blast tunnelling method

He explained that the drill and blast tunnelling method is the most used, established and proven effective method for tunnel excavation in the world.

"The well-established method is widely used in many construction projects around the world and in Malaysia as it can be applied to all types of rocks,” he said.

He used the Genting Sempah Tunnel and Menora Tunnel as examples of highway tunnels built in Malaysia using the drill and blast method.

He pointed out that the hills where the tunnels pass through are still standing tall today.

"It needs to be emphasised that the tunnel construction is carried out under controlled conditions with added safety measures to minimise potential concerns such as vibration, noise and dust,” he said.

The safety measures include the installation of a blasting mat to prevent fly rock dispersal and suppress noise and dust; additional ground support such as bolting (strengthening of tunnel structure using bolts) and shotcreting (spraying of concrete to reinforce tunnel structure); and a full range of monitoring, ground surveillance and precautionary measures to protect workers, public, hil slope and property safety.

Chow admitted that tunnelling is a highly specialised form of construction so the work package contractor will need to have a high level of experience and expertise with a strong safety track record before being considered for the job.

He added that international and Malaysian guidelines for the tunnelling process will also be fully complied with to ensure the safety of the workers and public.

Youth Park, Sungai Ara Linear Park and Penang Hill

Chow said some parties have created inaccurate pictures to misrepresent the PIL1 project, especially the part crossing Youth Park, that could create unnecessary anxiety among the public.

"The state government would like to inform that such practice is unhealthy and should not be encouraged, as it will lead to undesired negative perception among the public,” he said.

He urged the public to not be influenced by incorrect information shared on social media and in news or blog portals.

He included an accurate visual of a cable-stayed bridge in Youth Park that was proposed under the PIL1 Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report.

"There will be very minimal disturbance to the existing greenery and the bridge is designed with pier height of 31m to avoid the old trees in the park,” he said.

He said trees that are affected will be transplanted where possible and the new trees will also be replanted.

"The park will be open to public during construction and park goers will still be able to enjoy Youth Park as is,” he said.

He said access to Youth Park will not be affected and stressed that park goers will not be affected by construction activities as it will be within a cordoned area.

As for concerns on the Sungai Ara Linear Park, Chow said the state has noted the concerns raised about it and are looking into alternatives such as reducing the number of piers, beautifying the park and upgrading it with new amenities.

He said it will be conducted in consultation with residents and the local council.

"The state government is open to suggestions and ideas from the communities to make the park a conducive open space for recreation upon completion of PIL 1,” he said.

He added that other proposed mitigation measures such as noise barriers and a proposed pier height of up to 15m (five storeys) will not impose major undue discomfort to park goers.

On Penang Hill, Chow said a detailed study was carried out to convert the earlier proposed viaduct design to a tunnel to avoid impact to the Penang Hill Special Area Plan (SAP) which took effect on September 1, 2016.

He said the alignment change at Penang Hill meant there will be no exposed part of the highway seen at Penang Hill and the existing Penang Hill SAP will not be affected with the new tunnel alignment including the funicular railway.

"Controlled blasting carried out at environmentally sensitive areas will be done under strict noise and vibration monitoring and ground surveillance during entire process by the PDP, in collaboration with the authorities,” he said.

He reassured the public that the advanced tunnelling technology meant that noise and vibration from the underground construction will be minimal.

He said all other mitigation measures concerning construction activities such as water quality, noise, vibration, traffic congestion, as well as other potential construction disruptions can be referred to in Chapter 8 of the EIA Report.

The proposed PIL1 project, estimated to cost RM7.5 billion, will be implemented under the first phase the massive RM46 billion PTMP.

The public can view the EIA at eight locations in Penang, at the Department of Environment (DOE) in Putrajaya and the national library in Kuala Lumpur.

The EIA report can also be viewed online at doe.gov.my, penang.gov.my, pgmasterplan.penang.gov.my and wirandamsdnbhd.com.

The public can submit feedback and comments to the DOE before August 24.