▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁transport ation ▁between ▁the ▁island ▁and ▁the ▁main land ▁was ▁dependent ▁sole ly ▁on ▁the ▁state - owned ▁Pen ang ▁Fer ry ▁Service ▁that ▁runs ▁between ▁But ter worth ▁and ▁George ▁Town . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 7 0 s , ▁the ▁idea ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁bridge ▁linking ▁Se ber ang ▁P era i ▁to ▁Pen ang ▁Island ▁was ▁suggested ▁by ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁of ▁Malays ia ▁Tun ▁Abd ul ▁Raz ak ▁and ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁Chief ▁Minister ▁of ▁Pen ang ▁Tun ▁Dr ▁Lim ▁Ch ong ▁Eu . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁ 1 9 7 1 , ▁the ▁Malays ian ▁government ▁appointed ▁Christian i ▁& ▁N iel sen ▁of ▁Den mark ▁to ▁carry ▁out ▁a ▁feas ibility ▁study . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁year ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁the ▁Pen ang ▁Bridge ▁was ▁planned ▁during ▁the ▁term ▁of ▁ 3 rd ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁of ▁Malays ia ' s ▁Tun ▁Hus sein ▁On n . ▁ ▁In ▁November ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁Howard ▁Need les ▁T ammen ▁& ▁Berg endorf ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁in ▁association ▁with ▁Jur ut era ▁K ons ult ant ▁( SE A ) ▁S dn . ▁B hd . ▁of ▁Malays ia ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁design ▁and ▁super v ise ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁bridge . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 3 ▁July ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁the ▁Works ▁Minister ▁of ▁Malays ia ▁D ato ▁Ser i ▁Sam y ▁V