PERMATANG PAUH, May 4 — Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng came out today with figures to disprove claims by Barisan Nasional (BN) that the Permatang Pauh federal constituency has been left out of the state’s development plans.

According to the DAP leader, his government spent a total RM13.925 million for 95 road infrastructure projects in Permatang Pauh between 2008 and 2015.

As for drainage system projects, Lim said the Seberang Perai Municipal Council spent a total RM24.58 million for projects between 2008 and 2015.

“We want to respond to all the slander against Pakatan Rakyat, especially on lack of infrastructure projects in Permatang Pauh, with facts and figures,” he said in a press conference at Yayasan Aman today.

Other than that, Lim said the state had also purchased a 2.2 acres of land in January 2013 for RM1.93 million to build a community hall in Permatang Pasir.

He said the state acquired an additional 2.19 acres of land this year, bringing the total development project size to 4.337 acres.

The community hall project is expected to be completed by August this year, he said.

As for allegations that the DAP-led state government has been sidelining Class F (Bumiputra) contractors and Muslims, Lim brushed these off as Umno’s usual tactics of playing on racial and religious sentiments.

He pointed out that BN candidate Suhaimi Sabudin himself is a contractor and has been able to make a living in Penang.

“I want Suhaimi to answer us, can he make a living here in Penang? He clearly can make a living here so how can the state be sidelining bumiputra contractors when even the BN candidate can get projects here?” he asked.

He also listed out the total allocations that the state has set aside for Islam religious developments that was increased from RM25.58 million in 2008 to RM54.08 million per year.

“As we can see, the funds allocated have increased since we took over so how can we be sidelining Muslims?” he said.