Penang to have their own underground train... PGtube?

Sure most of you guys heard this.

Penang new CM is announcing that they are planning on getting a new "london" tube syle underground train network for Penang. It will be great if it happens, but my personal point of view, highly unlikely.

First of all, Penang's population isn't up to a point that the underground train network is going to benifit us. Yes Penang do have a few saturated places, namely Bayan Baru, Batu Lanchang, Pulau Tikus and maybe Georgetown, and thats about it. Penangites don't travel alot during work days like our KL counterparts. They go to work, then they go home during the weekdays, Penangites aren't fond of going out during weekdays for activities / shoppings .

Instead, i would hope that they beef up the present public transport system, namely our taxis and buses.

Look at today's paper

Rapid buses won’t stop at Komtar

PENANG: Rapid Penang buses will no longer stop at the Komtar bus interchange from Friday.

Rapid Penang chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad said the company made the decision after one of its bus captains was threatened with a parang there on Sunday. more...

And lets put this aside, I have really no idea how the new Penang CM is going to get funding for this project. Lets look back to what previous CM of Penang "promised"

Monday May 21, 2007

Penang monorail project to kick off early next year

BY DERRICK VINESH

PENANG: The RM1.2bil Penang monorail project will be implemented early next year, Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon said. more...

I will be very surprised if the new Penang state government really manage to pull this off.