GEORGE TOWN, Nov 11 — The much-anticipated opening of the longest bridge in Southeast Asia will not happen this month as initially expected.
Although it was understood the Second Penang Bridge was to open days after its completion on Friday, workers are still putting up the final touches to the structure.
A source said motorists will be able to use the 24km-bridge, which links Batu Maung and Batu Kawan, before the end of the year.
A Jambatan Kedua Sdn Bhd (JKSB) spokesman said major construction work on the bridge was completed on Friday.
“There are still fittings that need to be done before the toll booths are built,” he said.
After that, the RM4.5 billion bridge will have to undergo a final safety audit.
The spokesman said no date has been fixed for the bridge’s opening yet, only saying, “The announcement will come from the federal government”.
The Second Penang Bridge was initially scheduled to be completed in September but was delayed to November after the ramp in Batu Maung collapsed in June.
A Batu Kawan resident, Ahmad Faizal Fadzli, 27, said it was imperative for the project concessionaire to ensure that all safety features are met before opening it to the public.
“The bridge will be a landmark not only in the state, but Malaysia as well. I would not mind waiting a little longer so that all safety regulations are followed,” said the Bayan Lepas electronics engineer.