Delayed 9MP Projects In Penang To Be Completed As Scheduled - Nor Mohamed

Delayed 9MP Projects In Penang To Be Completed As Scheduled - Nor Mohamed

PENANG, Aug 29 (Bernama) -- The government will ensure that 22 delayed Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP) infrastructure projects worth RM300 million in Penang are completed as scheduled by the end of 2010, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop said Saturday.

He said action had been taken to study the reasons for the delay and to get the implementation going so that they were completed before the end of the 9MP (2006-2010).

The delay was caused by, among other things, problems in land acquisition, withdrawal of the contractors or consultants from the projects and the process of repeating the tender, as well as the appointment of new contractors, he told reporters after chairing a state development meeting, here.

Nor Mohamed said the delayed projects were under the Health Ministry (six projects), Education Ministry (three), Works Ministry (two), Housing and Local Government Ministry (two), Higher Education Ministry (one) and Youth and Sports Ministry (one).

He said the projects included the Seberang Jaya Hospital quarters and upgrading of several health centres and rural health clinics, construction of SMK Bayan Lepas, SM Pendidikan Khas Persekutuan, quarters for SK Teluk Kumbar II, the Teluk Kumbar-Pekan Genting road, Federal House in Jalan Scotland, Balik Pulau polytechnic, Penang Fire and Rescue Department headquarters in Batu Kawan, Kampung Terang fire station, and sports arenas in 40 state constituencies.



Nor Mohamed said that under the 9MP, 1,055 physical development projects involving an allocation of RM7.6 billion were approved for Penang, and that 496 of these projects worth RM1.5 billion had been completed, 22 were behind schedule and the rest were at various levels of implementation.

At the meeting, Nor Mohamed was also briefed by the police on the crime rate in Penang.

He said priority was being given to efforts to strengthen the police in terms of personnel and facilities to enable them to combat crime more effectively.

"The security aspect is vital to the state because Penang is one of the popular destinations for tourists and investors," he said.

Nor Mohamed also said that to ensure that the targets of Vision 2020 were achieved, it was most important to ensure that the 10th and 11th Malaysia plans achieved their objectives.

"Hence, planning should be undertaken early to ensure that the per capita income is raised from US$7,000 to US$12,000 and economic development is based on a new model," he said.

As for Penang, he said, it was important for the government to create a more sophisticated industry and not rely on the manufacturing industry as the catalyst to spur the economy.

"Besides, the position of Penang as a logistics hub and centre of tourism should be enhanced. The federal government will help to promote the state as a tourism destination," he said.

He also expressed confidence that the federal government would give just treatment to all states under the 10MP (2011-2015).

-- BERNAMA