GEORGE TOWN, October 8 — Penang State Assemblyman for Pulau Tikus, Joshua Woo Sze Zeng, has reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to addressing congestion through both long-term infrastructure projects and immediate transport solutions.
Marking a decade since the launch of the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP), a 50-year roadmap that includes LRT, BRT, monorails, cable cars, and major highways, Woo highlighted that two key projects worth RM17 billion are already under construction, with the North Coast Paired Road set to begin next year.
Addressing critics who claim little has been done in the short term, Woo outlined five initiatives implemented over the past five years: free cross-strait CAT Bridge bus services, daily catamaran ferry operations carrying up to 8,000 passengers, Rapid Penang on-demand vans serving 13 high-traffic zones.
The Pas Mutiara free ride program benefiting over 200,000 users, and the BEST park-and-ride shuttle service reducing commuter traffic to KOMTAR. He acknowledged that congestion persists as Penang’s population, income, and vehicle ownership continue to rise but stressed that PTMP’s dual strategy, expanding public transport while improving road networks is essential.
“All thriving cities face congestion. The difference is whether there’s a plan. Penang has one,” Woo concluded.
