GEORGE TOWN, November 18 — The Penang government is not “running away” from holding town hall sessions on the new North Coastal Paired Road (NCPR) alignment, with state exco Zairil Khir Johari stressing that public engagement will take place once the detailed design is finalised early next year and submitted for Environmental Impact Assessment approval.
He said previous consultations in 2016 showed strong majority support for the highway, which is needed to resolve severe congestion and safety issues along the sole access road to Batu Ferringhi and Teluk Bahang, adding that while some inconvenience is expected.
The RM2.9 billion project — scheduled to begin in 2026 and complete in 2031 — will ultimately improve connectivity, access to services and economic opportunities for the tourism-reliant communities.
