Penang government urged to apply for cable car project

The Penang government has been urged to apply to the Economic Planning Unit in the Prime Minister's Department on its proposed cable-car project in Bukit Bendera in the state.

Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said the ministry had no problems supporting the move as it could encourage the growth of the tourism sector in Penang.

"If approved, the project can be implemented under the Fourth Rolling Plan of the 11th Malaysia Plan," he said when winding-up debate on the motion of thanks for the royal address for his ministry at the Dewan Rakyat sitting Tuesday.

He said previously, the ministry had allocated RM2.4 million under the First Rolling Plan of the 11th Malaysia Plan to implement a project to upgrade the bypath in Bukit Bendera, Penang which had been completed and opened for public use on Dec 22 last year.

He added the ministry will continue its efforts to improve the necessary tourism infrastructure in Penang to ensure that tourism products there would attract more tourists.

In a separate development, Mohamed Nazri said the government was prepared to make it easy for Chinese tourists to go to Tanjung Piai, Johor especially those coming in from Singapore.

He said he had informed Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on the proposal to simplify the immigration process for Chinese tourists coming via Singapore.

"If the people from China are coming in from Singapore, our Immigration does not need to screen them before entering Malaysia as the Immigration process in Singapore is already stringent," he said. --Bernama