Company awarded monorail test track project

As reported in The Star on 1 December 2009

THE Penang Government has given the green light to MRails Sdn Bhd to develop one of two monorail test tracks in South Seberang Prai while the other has yet to be awarded.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said there were currently two sites available but more may be opened if the state received more proposals.

“We have got more than two proposals and others have shown interest, but there has been nothing in black and white.

“If there are more (proposals), we can look for alternative sites but once they build, it is at their own cost and it belongs to the state government,” Guan Eng told reporters during the sitting’s break.

He added that the state currently was in “serious discussions” with an unnamed company to develop the second site.

Earlier, Opposition Leader Datuk Azhar Ibrahim (BN - Penaga) had asked the state government to clear up speculation on the two monorail test sites.

Answering on behalf of Guan Eng, state Public Works, Utilities and Transportation Committee chairman Lim Hock Seng said the sites were merely test sites so no open tender had been called and the cost of the projects had yet to be determined.

Azhar then pressed Hock Seng on whether or not the state would call for an open tender should the test sites yield positive results.

To this, Hock Seng said an open tender would be called if any further action was planned and the test tracks proved sui-table.

Chung Ling College in Batu Kawan ?

Gerakan asks Penang govt for land to build Chung Ling College
PENANG, Sept 24 – Gerakan has urged the Penang state government to allocate a piece of land in Batu Kawan for the Chung Ling college project.
In a statement here today, state chairman Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nam said Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had announced the state government would allocate land for Chinese, Tamil and religious schools.
“I hope it can consider allocating 8ha in the 2,530-ha Bandar Cassia project in Batu Kawan which the Penang Development Corp is currently developing,” he said.
Dr Teng said the Chung Ling High School board of directors had set up Chung Ling Sdn Bhd with the aim of building a college.
Chung Ling has, over the years, contributed towards the growth of education in the country, besides producing many students who are now successful in the various fields. – Bernama

Monorail for Batu Kawan ?

http://www.theedgemalaysia.com/business-news/154625-penang-gives-2-the-nod-to-build-monorail-test-tracks.html

Penang gives 2 the nod to build monorail test tracks

GEORGE TOWN: The state government has given the nod to two local companies to build separate monorail test tracks on the mainland.

Deputy Chief Minister II Prof P Ramasamy told a press conference that the state government has agreed to allow both companies to each build the one-kilometre test tracks, which would be located either in Batu Kawan or Nibong Tebal.

Ramasamy said there was no tender called for the project but the two companies had on their own submitted proposals to undertake the project. However, he declined to reveal the names of the companies or other details of the agreement which he said would be unveiled in due course when things firmed up.

He also said the state was not forking out any money but only allowing the companies to build the test track on state land.“The state government will not have to come up with a single sen for the project which will be borne by the companies. All that we are allowing them to do is to build the test track on state-owned land which we are not selling to them.

“There has been no detailed discussion but they have been given a no-obligation letter by the state government. This is more of an exhibition or test track for the public to see for themselves and also for the state government to ascertain if they are capable of carrying out the monorail project.

“But the state government is under no obligation to appoint any of them in the event that we decide to proceed with the monorail project (in the state). If that happens, these companies would also have to bid via a competitive tender for the same project,” Ramasamy said.

He said the companies have the experience in either building or planning monorail systems.Ramasamy said both companies would also be investing tens of millions of ringgit to set up a plant either to assemble the cars or the tracks at the site either in Batu Kawan or Nibong Tebal.

He did not discount the possibility of the companies setting up the plants to start production for the test tracks and other monorail components for the export market.

“We are talking about an industry which involves millions of ringgit in investments. This is something that would benefit the state economically and since we do not have to come up with a single sen, we are allowing them to go ahead with the test track.

“It will help us assess if the monorail is feasible or compatible for Penang and this is the best way for us to do it without having to spend money,” Ramasamy added.

He said the test track was expected to be completed within a year.The Edge weekly had reported in October that the state has in principle given the green light to businessman Datuk Jeyakumar Varathan to build a monorail test track costing some RM70 million on a 30-acre site in Batu Kawan.

It was reported that discussions between the Penang government and Jeyakumar were initiated three months ago and the promoters were looking to form a consortium that includes Middle Eastern and Chinese investors to undertake the venture.

The promoters were also looking at roping in a Japanese company as a TECHNOLOGY partner.

In Japan , Hitachi is one of the few leading monorail systems developers. Locally, SCOMI ENGINEERING BHD is also in the monorail systems business. It is believed that Jeyakumar’s plans are to build the test track, and eventually a factory that will supply monorail components to South Africa and other parts of the world.

The consortium, if it takes off, will have a chance to bid for a proposed monorail network in Penang , which has been in the pipeline for some time now but has not taken off yet due to lack of funds. The monorail project is a federal government initiative that was shelved during the mid-term review of the 9th Malaysia Plan in 2008. The letter of intent for the RM1.6 billion project had earlier been given to a consortium led by MALAYSIAN RESOURCES CORP Bhd.

Members of the consortium include Scomi and the Penang Port Commission.Other contenders for the monorail project were MELEWAR INDUSTRIAL GROUP BHD and its partner PUTERA CAPITAL BHD , as well as MMC-Metrail Sdn Bhd.

This article appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, November 30, 2009.

Pictures taken on 17 Oct 2009

Not much progress recorded. Some of the ready-built bungalows which were already painted have patches of new white paints on them as if they were just painted after some repairs to the units.

Across the highway, fences were put up with signs stating the construction of Desa Seroja starting.

No Turf Club in Batu Kawan

The Edge newspaper reported the following on 6 October 2009 :-

Lim: No new turf club in Penang

Written by Regina William
Tuesday, 06 October 2009 15:22

GEORGE TOWN: There will not be any equestrian centre and turf club in Batu Kawan as the existing turf club along Jalan Batu Gantong is still in operation, says Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

Lim said there will only be one turf club in Penang and since the agreement between the Penang Turf Club (PTC) and Abad Naluri Sdn Bhd, which had proposed to build the new turf club in Batu Kawan had failed to take off, it was the end of the matter.

"Due to the dispute between both parties and since there was no new turf club built, the present turf club will remain where it is and there will not be another site in Batu Kawan for the same purpose," Lim said at a press conference.

He said negotiations were currently underway between the Penang Development Corporation (PDC) and Abad Naluri on the fate of its 750 acres of land in Batu Kawan, with 300 acres slated for the equestrian and turf club.

Abad Naluri signed an agreement with the PTC in 2004 and paid an advance of RM10 million to acquire the land in Batu Gantong for RM488 million.As part of the deal, the company was supposed to build a race course in Batu Kawan for RM375 million and hand it over to PTC by 2007. The balance would be paid in cash to the club.

Abad Naluri was even given an extension of two years to complete the project after the initial deadline was not met.

However, following the new state government taking over after the March 8, 2008 general election, the proposed RM25 billion Penang Global City Centre (PGCC) project failed to take off and suffered a natural death.

Following a change in the management of Abad Naluri last year, Lim said new negotiations have commenced between the state government and the PDC.

It is learnt that while the sales and purchase agreement for the equestrian and turf club had been signed between the PDC and Abad Naluri a few years ago, no money has changed hands.

Since the new management takeover of Abad Naluri, even though the time frame offered to the company to pay have ended, it has been reopened again for renegotiation.

The pre-condition for the use of land, located next to the Penang Second Crossing, was solely for an equestrian centre and turf club. The fate of the proposed turf club land was also being renegotiated.

"The agreement for the land was signed by the previous state administration but we are now renegotiating with Abad Naluri including the pricing and location of the land."

The state government has plans to redesign and integrate the Batu Kawan township so there will be some changes and it may not necessarily be the same site that had earlier been agreed upon," he added.

Checks at the site in Batu Kawan also revealed that Phase One of the housing development project undertaken by Abad Naluri had also stopped despite being 80% to 90% completed

Second Penang Bridge Delay

The following article appeared in Bernama website on 11 October 2009 :-

October 11, 2009 17:08 PM
Penang CM Disappointed Over Second Bridge DelayBy: Ramjit-->
PENANG, Oct 11 (Bernama) -- Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng is disappointed with the delay in completion of the Second Penang Bridge by a year.

Lim said the delay was not in line with the "1 Malaysia, People First, Performance Now" concept espoused by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and also against the interest of the people of Penang.

Lim, who is also DAP secretary-general, was speaking to reporters after opening the party state convention, here, on Sunday.

It was reported that factors such as the re-designing of the bridge had caused the completion of the RM4.3 billion bridge which was expected to be completed by 2012, to be delayed by a year to 2013.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop was quoted as saying that the scheduled progress of the bridge should be 20 per cent now but was only seven per cent.

However, Lim said action should be taken against any party that had caused the delay of the bridge construction.

The 26km Second Penang Bridge will link Batu Maung on the island to Batu Kawan on the mainland.

The completion of the project is expected to boost the state's economy and improve the transportation service.The project is being jointly built by UEM Builders and China Harbour Engineering.-- BERNAMA

Well, I am sure purchasers of Dedaun bungalow plots and bungalows aren't happy either.

This is going to be opposite Dedaun ?

From PDC' Property's website, they have launched Desa Seroja right opposite Dedaun. It is a low medium cost terrace house project. Take a look at it.

What do you think ?

Update as at 21 August 2009

No significant changes since my last update.

In my telephone enquiry with PDC Properties on 21 August 2009, I was told that the new date of obtaining OC will either be in December 2009 or January 2010 (as opposed to September 2009 informed to purchasers earlier).

As to why there was no guard house erected at the entrance since it is supposed to be a gated project, I was informed that the guard house will only be put up when the OC is obtained. Strange.

Pictures taken on 20 June 2009

These are some pictures taken on 20 June 2009. There does not seem to be a lot of progress since the last pictures taken in March 2009.

The road leading to the entrance is tarred :

The road leading to the completed bungalows has been tarred :

Compare this picture with the one taken in December 2008 of the same house, only the fence and the main door are completed since then.

The sign pointing to the 'Zen Garden' which is completed :

The 3.5 acre man made lake seen from different angles :

The sign spelling out the facilities available with one of the completed Gazebos in the back ground :

A sign indicating the bunaglow plots around the lake :

View of the lake as seen from one of the gazebos :

The main gazebo greeting visitors in Dedaun Bungalow Village :

Pictures taken on 20 March 2009

The following pictures were taken on 20 March 2009. Notice that the highway to the Second Penang Bridge has been tarred.


If you go straight ahead for 4 km, you will reach the construction site of the Second Penang Bridge.

Notice the special custom-made lamp posts with Dedaun (leaves) theme.


This is suppose to be the traffic light junction right in front of Dedaun Bungalow Village. The opposite side is the new Batu Kawan township.

Pictures taken on 27 Dec 2008

The following pictures were taken on 27 Dec 2008 when the show village was completed and opened for public viewing.

The road right in front of Dedaun Bangalow Village project. This is to be a six-lane highway leading to the Second Penang Bridge. The sign says that it is 4 km away from the Second Penang Bridge.

This is the entrance to the project. The guardhouse has yet to be constructed :-

This is the road leading to the ready-built bungalows :-

The main roundabout inside the project :-

The bungalow plots are ready :-

The park and lake are also completed :-
The show village with ready-built bungalows :-





Some of the other bungalows still under construction :-

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