GEORGE TOWN, June 23 — Penang has the highest number of positive migration into the state, its Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said today.
The Ayer Putih assemblyman and Bagan MP referred to a 2016 Malaysia migration survey report which noted Penang had the highest positive migration record among the 13 states at 58.4 per cent.
“This means Penang will see an increase of 58 people migrating to the state for every 100 migration between states,” he said.
The DAP secretary-general was responding to an article in The Star daily titled “Working in Penang but opting to stay in northern Perak”.
The article quoted Perak Industries, Investment and Corridor Development Committee chairman Datuk Mohammad Zahir Abdul Khalid as saying a study revealed that a number of Perak residents traveling to Penang for work.
Lim accused The Star of “mischievously” skewing what Mohammad Zahir said to make it seem as if Penangites are moving to Perak.
“So, I am revealing facts and figures to get rid of the impression that people are moving out of Penang due to the costs of living here,” he said.
He claimed The Star’s headline was to “run down Penang with false information”.
“I don’t want to blame the Perak state government because I don’t believe they will run down other states when talking to investors,” he said.
Lim then pointed out that the total approved manufacturing projects is almost triple that of Perak.
“Penang recorded a total RM59 billion in approved manufacturing projects from 2008 to 2016 while Perak only recorded RM22 billion,” he said.
