Penang Set To Be Regional Logistics Hub For Both NCER & IMT-GT

BUTTERWORTH, July 31 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said today that Penang Port will be promoted as the primary port for both the Northern Corridor and the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) by expanding its capacity to handle the expected increase in container traffic as well as the larger container vessels.The Prime Minister said the international airport at Bayan Lepas will be the primary air cargo hub and handle the easily perishable top quality food exports."The facilities to be upgraded at Bayan Lepas include new cargo and passenger terminals and an additional runway to cope with the anticipated increase in air traffic volume," he said when launching the Penang package of the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER) masterplan here.He said Penang already has quality logistics infrastructure including ready access to the North-South Expressway, the Penang Bridge, a deepwater port and an international standard airport."So the thrust of the major developments in the state within the NCER context is to upgrade its capacity to be the regional logistics hub. These efforts encompass capacity and logistics network expansion in an integrated manner," he added.For the convenience of Penang residents, the Prime Minister said, several public transportation projects will be implemented, with the focus on comfortable and brisk travel.One project has already been implemented - the RapidPenang bus service, introduced within a short time due to the close cooperation between the federal and state governments - and Abdullah described the bus service asreflecting "the government's ability in providing a quality, comfortable, systematic and efficient service to the people of Penang."Another project is a rapid ferry service for motorcyclists and passengers which will be introduced next year to supplement the existing ferry service while the ferry terminals at both ends will be upgraded.A third project is Penang Sentral, an integrated rail, ferry, monorail and land transport hub to be jointly developed by Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd (MRCB) and Pelaburan Hartanah Bumiputera Bhd on a six million sq ft location that will house not only the integrated terminal but also have commercial, retail and residential development, much like MRCB's KL Sentral in Kuala Lumpur."With Penang Sentral, Penang residents and those in the Northern Corridor will enjoy a quality transportation system that is safe and efficient and suitble for all travel purposes - work, sightseeing, commercial and for industry needs," he said."I am confident the project will transform the Butterworth area into a bustling, modern metropolis, while Swettenham Pier on the island becomes a new transportation and commercial hub."To complete the transportation network will be the 37km monorail system on the island which, according to him, will be the pulse of the island's transportation system."I am confident that the monorail system will help ease the traffic congestion on the island as well as at Seberang Perai, and residents will be able to travel to other states, especially within the NCER, with greater ease," he added.Abdullah believed that with the second bridge project to link the island and the mainland and the widening of the existing bridge, the transportation system will see a vast growth in the traffic flow between the island and its NCER hinterland.