GEORGE TOWN, Sept 18 — The Penang Island City Council (MBPP) will allocate over RM10 million for various projects within the George Town World Heritage zone in its 2020 Budget.
When announcing a deficit budget for next year, MBPP Mayor Datuk Yew Tung Seang said RM5 million will go to strengthening and upgrading the sea wall along Esplanade as part of a joint project with George Town Conservation and Development Corporation (GTCDC).
A further RM5.66 million will be allocated to five others projects around the George Town heritage zone, with RM4 million going to upgrades of Town Hall.
The city council will continue with its backlane improvement project to turn these into pedestrian- and cycling-friendly pathways within the heritage zone with a RM1.5 million allocation.
The remainder of the allocations is for fixing more lights in the zone (RM70,000), organising of heritage programmes (RM50,000) and maintenance of old city-owned houses (RM40,000).
“A total RM500,000 is allocated for the annual George Town Festival next year,” he said.
Yew then disclosed that the Local Government and Housing Ministry Secretary-General Datuk Seri Mohammad Mentek announced a special allocation of RM1 million for MBPP.
Half will be for the installation of LED street lamps while the balance will be for other MBPP projects.
“We will be applying for a RM33 million road maintenance grant from the Finance Ministry,” Yew said in his budget speech today.
He said the grant is meant to fund road, drainage, pedestrian walkways, traffic lights, pedestrian crossings and other road works registered under Malaysian Road Records Information System (Marris).
Yew tabled a deficit budget of RM14.26 million for 2020 with an increased revenue expected from a review on assessment rates.
He said the city council is expected to record a revenue of RM451.7 million next year versus its planned expenditure of RM465.96 million.
The city council is expecting an increase of 62.44 per cent to RM282 million in revenue from assessment rates due to a review on assessment rates.
