Guan Eng gets flak over three big issues

2009/11/25

By Sharanjit Singh and Adie Suri Zulkefli

BUTTERWORTH: Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng found himself under attack on three fronts yesterday.

Penang Regional Development Authority (Perda) chairman Datuk Azhar Ibrahim criticised Lim for trying to project himself as a champion of low-cost housing in the state.

He challenged Lim to reveal how many low-cost houses the DAP-led state government had built, instead of merely asking Perda to provide homes for the low-income group.

He also called on Lim to explain the status of a low-cost housing board that had been proposed by the state government in May.

"There is still no sign of the board mooted by Lim to oversee and resolve problems of low-cost housing in Penang. If he is a true champion on the low-cost housing issue, he should walk the talk and stop pointing fingers at others."

Azhar was responding to Lim's query on Perda's role in building low-cost homes in the state following its proposal to build high-end houses in its two housing projects in Teluk Bahang and Sungai Batu in Teluk Kumbar.

He explained that the rationale behind incorporating high-end houses for the two projects was to recover the cost of acquiring the land and building the low-cost units.

Perda had paid RM20 million for the site in Teluk Bahang and RM16 million for the land in Sungai Batu.

Meanwhile, state Gerakan chairman Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan took Lim to task for his "confusing statements" on the Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP) president's post and land conversion issue.

He said Lim's statements had exposed his ignorance on both matters, adding that the chief minister was fast proving himself to be the "King Twister of Penang".

Dr Teng questioned why MPPP secretary Patahiyah Ismail was not made acting president, but just asked to assume the duties.

He said that Lim's explanation that Patahiyah could not be made acting president as MPPP president Tan Cheng Chui was merely on leave pending retirement on March 1, was illogical.

"Lim says it is not possible as Tan is merely on leave and is still the council president. At the same time, he says Tan has resigned as a municipal councillor. How can you resign as a councillor and still be a council president?"

Dr Teng said Lim's refusal to appoint Patahiyah as acting president could have serious consequences later on.

This was because Patahiyah would be taking on the president's role without actually being given the authority to sign important documents and chair meetings.

On the land conversion issue involving a prime seafront plot in Lebuh Farquhar, Dr Teng said: "Lim's contention is that he did not mislead the state legislative assembly when he said there was no conversion of state land between April, last year, and June.

"He denied that the land at Lebuh Farquhar belonged to the state as it was leased out. Is he now saying that the Penang state government is disclaiming all leasehold land on the island?"

Lim also came under fire from Cuepacs president Omar Osman, who sprang to the defence of embattled state development office director Nik Ali Mat Yunus.

Lim had accused Nik Ali of attempting to sabotage state tourism projects, but Omar yesterday said it was unbecoming of the chief minister to make such accusations.

He said Lim should stop picking on Nik Ali as the latter was merely carrying out his duty to coordinate Federal Government-funded development projects for the state.

He stressed it would have been wiser for Lim to use proper channels to voice his unhappiness instead of using the media to bash Nik Ali.