GEORGE TOWN, Oct 28 ― Penang must explain its involvement in the RM3 million Wet World Wild (WWW) water theme park that was closed just 10 months after being announced last year, the state of Gerakan insisted today.
Penang Gerakan chairman Teng Chang Yeow said the state administration needs to explain if it incurred losses in the project through its collaboration with WWW through its tourism arm, Penang Global Tourism Board (PGT).
“When they announce the WWW project last year, it was widely reported that the project was in collaboration or supported by PGT,” Teng claimed in a press conference today.
The former state executive councillor in charge of tourism development also pointed to a speech by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, which stated that the opening of the theme park was “with the assistance of Penang state government”.
He said he was now seeking clarification after PGT yesterday denied any collaboration with the abortive theme part.
He accused the state government of not keeping to its professed values of competency, accountability and transparency (CAT) by avoiding this whole issue.
The WWW theme park, located along Batu Ferringhi, was closed recently due to damage to its equipments.
According to Theme Park Concepts and Services (TPCS) chief executive officer Datuk Richard Koh, whose firm operates WWW, the park is now closed due to the monsoon season.
“We are still studying the situation,” he said when asked if the company will renew its annual lease which ends this December to keep the park open next year.
In an immediate response to Teng's allegations, CM Lim denied that the state had any involvement with the theme park.
“It is purely a private business venture and we (the state government) have not suffered any financial loss because of the closure,” Lim said. “But if people want to politicise this issue, let them politicise it.”
Yesterday, PGT general manager Ooi Chok Yan issued a statement denying that the agency was ever involved in the WWW project in any financial capacity.
