Penang corp seeks fresh bids for Batu Kawan golf course

GEORGE TOWN, June 9 — Penang Development Corporation (PDC) will call for a fresh open tender for an international golf course in Batu Kawan.

PDC general manager Datuk Rosli Jaafar said the firm has decided to rescind the letter of award dated March 26, 2015 to Eco World Development Bhd for the development of 449.64 acres of land in Bandar Cassia, Batu Kawan.

He said the decision was made after PDC learned the project could not proceed as originally planned under the Request for Proposal (RFP).

The original RFP was to develop an 18-hole international golf course on 150 acres of land while the remaining land would be used for mixed development.

“The mutual agreement to rescind was made in view of the fact that the studies procured by EcoWorld as part of the planning process, have shown that the golf course development would require significant additional acreage than the 150 acres originally planned, largely due to the hilly and rocky terrain,” he said in a statement issued today.

He said PDC and EcoWorld held a series of discussions to look for alternatives but finally agreed to mutually end the original award.

Rosli said a fresh RFP is necessary as the new technical conditions, which are required for the project to be viable, would not comply with the original RFP.

“PDC is also of the view that calling for a fresh RFP by open tender is the best way forward to enable the development of the 18-hole international golf course and related mixed development to proceed smoothly,” he said.

The original RFP was conducted by open competitive where only two bids were submitted. EcoWorld won the project while the other company lose out because it did not meet the price and technical requirements.