Penang: The Penang government is currently on hold as it awaits the official notice to proceed from the Transport Ministry and Mass Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp) for the commencement of physical construction of the Mutiara Line Light Rail Transit (LRT).

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow emphasized the importance of this notice for SRS Consortium Sdn Bhd, the main public work contractor for Package 1 of the project, to initiate construction according to the planned schedule. "Some initial work has been done at the project site, including soil study, land acquisition, and compensation negotiations with owners, but the official notice is important to allow physical construction work completely," Chow stated during the 2025 Penang Transport Day event at Komtar, alongside state Infrastructure, Transport and Digital Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari.

Chow further explained that the state government has fulfilled its responsibilities by transferring its role in the project to MRT Corp and releasing SRS Konsortium, which had initially requested the LRT implementation. He noted, "The state government's link with SRS is now in the context of the Penang Transport Master Plan, but the LRT project has been taken over by MRT Corp. The main duty is now with the federal government to issue the notice."

Additionally, Chow highlighted the necessity for contractors to ensure that any road areas occupied during construction are adequately replaced by expanding adjacent roads to maintain the existing number of lanes. This measure aims to prevent traffic congestion similar to what occurred during the LRT construction in Kuala Lumpur. The state government, he noted, does not intend to impose any congestion charge, focusing instead on ensuring smooth project and traffic management throughout the construction period.