The brouhaha over the possible sacking of MCA Penang state assembly representatives Tan Cheng Liang (Jawi) and Lim Boo Chang (Datuk Keramat) for not voting against an opposition motion has masked the controversy behind the Penang Outer Ring Road (Porr) project.

To be completed in 2005 and spanning 17.8km, Porr is a federal government highway project costing RM1.02 billion.

Penang Deputy Chief Minister Dr Hilmi Yahya has conceded that the project will be one of the most expensive highways in the country. The cost is expected to be much higher after the plan is reviewed to incorporate several changes to accommodate environmental concerns.

Eyebrows have been raised over the state government's urban planning policies because the project is expected to affect more than 150,000 islanders or over 20 percent of the population.

30 years of toll

Some 200 dwellings 76 private houses, 70 government quarters and some 100 squatter homes temples, shrines and cemeteries may have to make way for the project.

Apart from the larger questions of the equity aspect of Porr in imposing 30 years of toll on Penangites, doubts have been cast over the viability and compatibility of the project with a sustainable transport policy for Penang Island.

Residents' groups opposing the highway have been backed by political parties and local non-governmental organisations. Their campaign has so far collected more than 30,000 signatures in protest against the plan.

The groups are unhappy that Porr appears to be a short-term measure to resolve the state's traffic woes as the 1998 Halcrow Penang Urban Transport Study Report predicted that its life span is only eight years.

They are demanding a new social impact environment study as the last report in 1996 was considered obsolete.

In an attempt to pacify the affected residents, Penang Chief Minister Dr Koh Tsu Koon (photo) and directors of project contractor Peninsula Metro Works Sdn Bhd met with them in October.

Political ploy

However, Koh's explanation of the mega project failed to appease the residents, some of whom charged that Porr was a political tool to "wipe out" MCA, Gerakan's main rival in the BN coalition in Penang.

The accusation levelled by residents were based on the fact that the re-alignment of Porr cuts across three MCA constituencies but only one under Gerakan.

The affected MCA state constituencies are under Koay Kar Huah (Bukit Gelugor), Dr Loh Hock Hun (Paya Terubong) and Lye Siew Eng (Air Itam), while the Gerakan constituency is held by Dr Teng Hock Nan (Bukit Bendera).

Despite the public outcry, the state seems bent on going ahead with the project. This has caused suspicion about the "transparency and accountability" of the contract.