Penang's RFP For Water Taxi Cancelled As Company Fails To Comply With LoI
REGION - NORTHERN > NEWS
GEORGE TOWN, May 19 (Bernama) – The Penang Island City Council (MBPP) has agreed to cancel the Request for Proposal (RFP) for the water taxi service following the failure of the company involved to comply with the Letter of Intent (LoI) by securing all necessary approvals from the Ministry of Transport (MOT).
State Infrastructure, Transport and Digital Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said the MBPP Procurement Board had issued a cancellation letter to the company on April 17.
'At present, the state government is in discussions with the MOT to review the terms and feasibility of this project in greater detail.
bootstrap slideshow
'If the RFP is reopened in the future, the state government hopes that interested companies will be truly prepared and capable of fulfilling all the required conditions,' he said in a written reply to Teh Lai Heng (PH-Komtar) regarding the latest status of the water taxi service during the Penang State Legislative Assembly sitting here today.
Zairil said two companies had submitted proposals through the RFP and several presentation sessions were held before the RFP Technical Evaluation Committee, after which MBPP issued a Letter of Intent to the selected company.
However, he said, the company must first obtain further approvals from relevant agencies such as the Marine Department of Malaysia, the Penang Port Commission (SPPP), the District and Land Office, the Maritime Department, and other related agencies before a letter of acceptance can be issued.
In 2021, MBPP, in collaboration with the state government and other relevant agencies, conducted a preliminary study and identified suitable jetty locations to be used as pick-up and drop-off points, with four locations proposed for the water taxi service.
-- BERNAMA
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sinar Daily
an hour ago
- Sinar Daily
Heatwave sends watermelon sales soaring, vendors double up on profits
The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) recently reported that six districts across three states were at Level 1 (alert) following daily temperatures between 35 and 37 degrees Celsius. 21 Jun 2025 02:00pm A fruit vendor in Kampung Padang Pak Omar, Selising said watermelon juice is now the top choice of customers who want to quench their thirst or soothe their throats, despite the price reaching RM3.50 per kilogramme (kg). PASIR PUTEH - The hot weather that has hit the country in recent weeks has not only made people thirsty, but has also doubled the demand for juicy watermelon in Kelantan. A fruit vendor in Kampung Padang Pak Omar, Selising, Yushairan Hashim, 33, said watermelon juice is now the top choice of customers who want to quench their thirst or soothe their throats, despite the price reaching RM3.50 per kilogramme (kg). To ensure uninterrupted supply, a vendor procures watermelon from Johor, Perak and several other states since the harvest in Kelantan has been depleted. "For the past three weeks, the response for watermelon has been extraordinary at our second stall here, surpassing the demand for other fruits. Because of that, I increased the stock to 15 metric tonnes for several days of sales to meet high customer demand," he told Bernama recently. To ensure uninterrupted supply, he procures watermelon from Johor, Perak and several other states since the harvest in Kelantan has been depleted. Yushairan forecasts the high demand for watermelons will continue throughout the Malaysian summer, which is expected to end around September. "For watermelon vendors, this is a much-anticipated period. Better profits this season can cover losses during the previous period of oversupply which led to dumping and price drops," said the vendor who started his fruit business in Kok Lanas three years ago. Meanwhile, a worker at the same stall, Maziaton Abdullah, 52, said she had no problem satisfying customers who started coming in as early as 8am. "The school holiday season, which is filled with weddings, also contributed to the surge in sales. Some customers buy hundreds of kilos of watermelons for their events," she said. She added that watermelons are the top choice because their sweet and slurpy flesh is perfect for cooling down in the searing, steamy heatwave. The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) recently reported that six districts across three states were at Level 1 (alert) following daily temperatures between 35 and 37 degrees Celsius. The areas affected are Larut, Matang, Kuala Kangsar and Perak Tengah in Perak; Machang and Kuala Krai in Kelantan; and Bandar Baharu in Kedah. - BERNAMA
Borneo Post
an hour ago
- Borneo Post
Power-sharing of a different kind
For Malaysia, the cross-border power-sharing is a meaningful contribution to the APG scheme itself, which aims to build an electricity grid link with almost all the member countries of Asean. — Bernama photo SHOULD the Republic of the Philippines need extra electricity for its industries and private homes and cannot get it elsewhere, it can turn to Sarawak. Within minutes, through the renewable energy grid, the Asean Power Grid (APG), electricity could be transmitted to the Southern Philippines through Sabah. I take it that Sarawak has no problem with the federal government in this cross-border transaction. After all, we are selling power to the Indonesians too in a similar fashion. In December of last year, the Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) began selling green energy to Singapore. So you say that Malaysia, both the West and the East, is a good source of electricity for the neighbours. Here is a good chance for Malaysia as the Asean Chair to play the role of a good promoter of product as well as act as salesman. Should there be any problem with any member of Asean with regard to the project, the Chair would be able to display tact and ingenuity to ensure that this, being an Asean project, has to proceed. Once the vendor and the buyer agree upon the terms of purchase that it is a deal, no second, third or fourth opinion needed. For Malaysia, this a meaningful contribution to the APG scheme itself, which aims to build an electricity grid link with almost all the member countries of Asean. Let's start with Malaysia. The electricity is actually from Sarawak, but never mind the saying 'lembu punya susu, sapi punya nama' (the milk is from the cow, but the buffalo gets the name). Somehow my gut feeling is that this energy grid, going through the territory of Sabah, may meet with some political problems. I'm thinking about the Philippines' claim to Sabah. I am confident that this was on the mind of the Prime Minister before he popped the suggestion, and he was confident that it would not stand in the way because this would be an Asean project. It is crucial that the Chair of Asean will be supported by the other member countries. Malaysia must make a mark during its term of office. 'Good personal relationship matters' I am told that our Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has a good personal relationship with the President of the Republic of the Philippines. That relationship is crucial when it comes to tackling a problem relating to an economic scheme that benefits both parties. This electricity grid is one such scheme. This is a sensible suggestion from our Prime Minister. It is a practicable move that deserves full support by anyone thinking about what to do with excess electricity in Sarawak. At this stage, there appears to be clear evidence of the existence of political will on the part of Malaysian leaders in terms of state-federal relations. However, at this stage, we do not really know what the Philippines government thinks of the proposal. The potential buyer of our electricity has not made known publicly its response or even interest in purchasing power from us. I am sure there will be some response from President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr after he has received the report from his representative. Give him and his colleagues time to think about the proposal by our PM in terms of the economic viability of the purchase of power, and to make decisions at their own speed. Politics may have a role in this deal. My surmise. I hope this would not derail the initial talks on the sale and purchase. Treat the dealing like a normal sale and purchase of a product that the buyer needs and the vendor has the stock for disposal anytime – a business-like transaction. Meanwhile, we should support PM Anwar's proposal if we have enough electricity supply for our own use and enough to sell overseas. We are selling electricity to Indonesia anyway. Is there enough of the product for another buyer? As regards the sale of power to Kalimantan, my sources say that the time may come when the demand will be reduced or even stopped altogether once the Indonesians have built a hydro-power dam across the upper reaches of the River Mahakam. The power generation from that dam will serve the needs of the new capital Nusantara, and the districts along the coast including the city of Samarinda itself. There are several rivers in that part of Borneo that may be dammed for hydropower generation. In 1989, I was in the Sarawak team as a delegate attending the post-Asean Conference on Land Settlement Conference held in Samarinda. I joined a team who rode a Russian double-decker helicopter flying over the great Mahakam; we were being flown to a settlement of Kenyah and Kayan at Datah Bilang. It was an eye-opener. The river, if dammed, would generate an enormous amount of electricity for the entire region. The electricity supply from Sarawak could be affected if the Indonesians could produce enough electricity from their own dams, unless the APG steps in to enable the grid to provide the link to continue. An economic question. Between good neighbours, sharing of electrical power would be mutually beneficial on a commercial basis. It makes good economic sense. The other power (political) is not for sale, though! * The opinions expressed in this article are the columnist's own and do not reflect the view of the newspaper. Asean power grid malaysia Philippines
The Star
7 hours ago
- The Star
US tech giant's investment to continue driving Malaysia's AI economy, strengthen cybersecurity, says Tengku Zafrul
KUALA LUMPUR: Tech giant Google's investment in Malaysia is expected to continue driving Malaysia's artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing economy, says Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz. The Investment, Trade and Industry Minister, who is currently on a working visit to Washington, United States, met with Google representatives to discuss how the company can continue to drive AI development in Malaysia, strengthen cybersecurity and invest in digital skills. "The government is committed to providing full support and ensuring a conducive investment climate for high-quality investments," he said in a Facebook post. He added that Google's strategic investment of RM9.4bil to set up its first data centre and Google Cloud region in Malaysia is expected to generate RM15.04bil in long-term economic impact and create 26,500 jobs by 2030. "Thank you, Google, for your continued confidence in Malaysia. Together, we are building a brighter digital future," he said. - Bernama
