Prove decision on Peel Avenue land sale was unilaterally made, Guan Eng tells Gerakan

GEORGE TOWN, June 2 — Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has demanded that Penang Gerakan show proof on their allegations that the move to sell the Peel Avenue state land unilaterally made.

He stressed that the decision was made by the 10-member state executive council and not by him alone.

“Penang Gerakan claimed it was a one-man decision and that it meant Penang is led by a dictatorship, these are all fitnah and lies,” he said in a press conference in his office today.

Lim said Penang Gerakan must show proof before making such false allegations that could tarnish the state government and his name.

“There are three others in the land committee other than me unlike previously, there was only one exco and other government officials,” he said.

Lim said the Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Rashid Hasnon and Deputy Chief Minister II P.Ramasamy and state executive councillor Lim Hock Seng are also in the state land committee along with government officials.

Lim was responding to criticisms by Penang Gerakan Acting Youth Chief Jason Loo who claimed that the Peel Avenue land sale was decided solely by the chief minister through the Chief Minister Incorporated (CMI).

Loo had pointed out that there was no open tender for the sale of the land and that it was decided by the CMI as the land ownership was transferred to CMI before it was sold off.

Lim then took the media that had reported Loo’s statement on Monday to task for publishing his slanderous claims.

“The media must also play its role to ask him to show proof instead of only publishing his allegations,” he said.

He said if Penang Gerakan fails to show proof, it meant Loo is a liar.

“This is obviously something to tarnish the state and my name with false facts and lies,” he said.

The Penang state government has been openly criticised by their political opponents, Barisan Nasional, in recent weeks over the sale of the Peel Avenue land to Singapore-owned Island Hospital.

The land was sold at RM156 million which Lim said is above the land value of RM148 million as per evaluation from the Valuation and Property Services Department (JPPH).

Yesterday, a local non-governmental organisation lodged a report with the MACC over the land sale.

Lim said the state had sold the land above market value and if this warrants a report with MACC, it is entirely up to them.

“Just let MACC investigate,” he said.