GEORGE TOWN, June 12 — Penang is still in discussion with Penang Port Commission (PPC) chairman Tan Sri Chua Soi Lek on joint development plans for the Penang Port.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said he is still keen to meet with Dr Chua again to discuss how the state government could collaborate with PPC in developing the port.
“I met with Dr Chua twice this year and I believe that discussions are still ongoing so we are willing to set aside politics and meet him again when he comes back,” he told a press conference at his office today.
Lim was responding to Dr Chua’s statement yesterday that he has in talks with the state administration for the past four years with “no light at the end of the tunnel”.
Lim, however, refuted this, pointing out that the two meetings he held with Dr Chua this year went smoothly.
“I don’t understand what he meant by ‘no light at the end’ but I believe the discussions are still ongoing and the two meetings we had were quite productive,” he said.
He said it is now more important to concentrate on developing the port together with PPC to make Penang Port more productive in serving industry needs.
The Pakatan Rakyat state government was locked in a battle with PPC over two plots of land currently occupied by the Penang Port before the court ruled in the state’s favour.
PPC had filed a suit for the two pieces of land, a 0.22ha plot where the offices and terminal are located and a 1.23ha plot where the docks and berths are but the suit was struck out by the Penang High Court in 2014.
It was ruled that even though PPC had paid a premium of RM14 million for the two plots, the state still has the right to keep ownership of the state land to safeguard the state’s interest and return the premium paid.
Lim has said the state is willing with discuss with PPC the possibility of alienating the land with conditions that the state has a share in port operations.
“This is to protect the interest of the state and also the port operations,” Lim said.
