up… up… up… 2.6 bil… 3 bil… 4.3 bil!!

… that is the 3rd link of penang! the 2nd bridge!

the idea of a second penang bridge was mooted in the year 1997 and at that time the cost was estimate between RM2 bil to RM2.6 bil.  then in 2004, when the federal government ok-ed the project., the cost rose to RM3 bil! nothing was being done at that time though until 2006 it was confirmed to go ahead with the project and at that time, they unviel the plans of the bridge and what do you know…. the bridge comes with 2 viewing platforms!  goodness gracious me! no wonder it was so costly to build…. but wait a minute… suddenly yesterday at a meeting between the ministry of finance and the 2 contractors, the cost had suddenly risen to RM4.3 bil!!

why the increase of more than RM1 bil?? according to the malayisan insider report, the parties involved said that it was because of the sharp increase in the cost of materials, especially steel.

well, ok understandable… from 2006 to now 2008… 2 years, yes prices do go up but the problem is why the need for the viewing platforms? i’m sure it is these viewing platforms that made the cost so high. can’t they do away with the platforms?  in 2006 i had blog about the viewing platforms and mentioned with the platforms, traffic might become congested on the bridge!

just imagine right in the centre of the bridge, there is a place for you to come out of your car to makan angin and look-see the sea (ok lah… and scenery).  it was mentioned that the platforms comes with 2 levels. the lower level is for you to park your car, then you walk up the upper level to makan angin.  naturally for a first timer, everybody would want to makan angin at the platform when they are driving from island to mainland or vice versa. well…. yes i called for the platforms to be scrapped because i feel it is not necessary at all but if they do build the platforms of course i wouldn’t want to miss catching some angin in the middle of a bridge over the sea. that’s only natural.

what is the reason they want to construct the viewing platforms? to attract more people to use the bridge? sure it will attract people but people are more concerned with reaching their destination fast and smoothly than to go to the bridge for a ‘tourist attraction’ (?). that’s why the platforms are not necessary. yes they should do away with the platform; then the cost will surely be lower… maybe even less than RM3 bil?

ok, i take the liberty to post in full the report from the malaysian insider here. picture you see here, an artist impression, is taken from there.

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RM4.3b price tag for 2nd Penang Bridge

KUALA LUMPUR, April 11 — RM4. 3 billion – this will be the cost of the Second Penang Bridge. The China  Harbour Engineering Company.

The Insider has learnt that the government had to put its foot down and set a benchmark after initial  calculations showed that the cost of the project could go as high as RM4. 8 billion. Both parties UEM and  CHEC argued that the cost of the bridge has increased from RM3. 6 billion in 2006 because of the sharp  increase in the cost of materials, especially steel.

But MOF officials insisted that the bridge can be built at the cost of RM4. 3 billion and with both parties still  making a reasonable profit.

Now UEM and CHEC will have to sit down and decide who is going to slash their budget and by how  much. Under the agreement, UEM will

build the land portion and be in charge of making the structural girdles while CHEC handles the  construction of the sea portion.

The Insider understands that UEM’s initial costing for the land portion was nearly RM1 billion and the cost  of structural beams is RM1. 5 billion while CHEC’s price tag for the sea portion is RM2. 3 billion.

The government has to ensure that the bridge is built at a reasonable cost because this deal will be  scrutinised closely by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and his state government. Guan Eng has  championed for the bridge to be funded fully by Petronas but the Abdullah administration has rejected  this idea.

Still, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has gone on record to say that every effort will be made to  cut construction cost of the bridge. And Guan Eng will want to ensure that the federal government keeps  to its side of the bargain and not pass the cost of the bridge to consumers.

The Chinese government has given a soft loan of US$800 million (RM2. 6 billion) and the government will  have to fork out the remaining amount of RM1. 7 billion.

The Second Penang Bridge is an icon project and has been billed as a symbol of the close relationship  between Malaysia and China. In recent months, though, the mood in Beijing over the project has soured  due to red tape and lack of urgency here.

Preparatory work on the bridge has started and the bridge is scheduled to be completed by 2011.