GEORGE TOWN, June 2 -- Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng defended today his government’s recent approval for a China-based photovoltaic plant in Prai, saying the company was not dealing in nuclear, but renewable energy.

The JinkoSolar Holding company in China faced accusations of pollution several years ago and was forced to shut temporarily due to the protests in 2011.

“We are talking about renewable energy, not nuclear energy. We can’t equate solar energy with nuclear energy,” he told a news conference here.

The solar equipment plant was officially launched in Prai on May 26.

The company sells solar solutions and services to an international customer base.

Lim said the company has already paid the price for the alleged pollution in China, adding that it was also free to operate a plant elsewhere.

The state government had come under fire by Parti Cinta Malaysia Vice President Datuk Huan Cheng Guan for approving the setting up of the solar panel production plant here.

Huan cited environmental concerns over the setting up of the plant, using the incidence in China as an example.

Lim’s political secretary Wong Hon Wai said Huan’s allegations were baseless and distorted.

“Clearly, these allegations were made with malicious intent to damage the collaboration between Malaysian Investment Development Authority, the Department of Environment (DOE) and the state government’s investment arm, InvestPenang,” Wong said.

He pointed out that the US$100 million (RM369.51 million) investment by JinkoSolar was approved by the DOE and also approved by the federal government for the issuance of manufacturing license for the manufacturing of photovoltaic cells and modules at the Prai factory.

“The Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was supposed to officiate the opening but he could not attend and was represented by Minister in Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Mah Siew Keong,” Wong said.

He accused Huan of trying to disrupt cooperation between Putrajaya and and Penang in bringing in more investments and jobs to the state.