GEORGE TOWN, June 21 — Penang Hill Corporation (PHC) has opened a request for proposal (RFP) to conduct a pre-feasibility study on Penang Hill’s cable car service.

Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow confirmed that the RFP is being called to appoint a consultant to conduct the study.

"The feasibility study will help PHC to look at whatever proposal the consultant thinks is best for the project,” he said when asked about the RFP.

He added that all information on the RFP can be found in the advertisement published in newspapers recently.

He said he could not comment further as it would depend on what the consultant comes up with.

"Let the consultant study and give them time to study so that at the end of their study, they will make recommendations to PHC,” he said.

He said PHC will then make decisions based on recommendations by the consultant appointed through the RFP.

In the advertisement on the RFP, the application is open to registered companies from June 20 until July 19.

When contacted, PHC General Manager Cheok Lay Leng said the RFP was only for a pre-feasibility study on the cable car service.

"It is not a full feasibility study,” he said.

He said the consultant may look at all of the previously proposed options and help determine the viability of the cable car project.

He stressed that the pre-feasibility study is not a decision to proceed with the cable car project, which will require a complete feasibility study.

"There have been debates about cable car for many years, it’s important to do the right analysis that leads us to a logical conclusion and decision,” he said.

The duration of the pre-feasibility study is expected to take up to six months to complete, Cheok added.