KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 22 — DAP has governed Penang for almost a decade, MCA’s Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong reminded the party today.
Rejecting Lim Guan Eng’s insistence that Barisan Nasional was to blame for an illegal carbon factory in the state, the MCA deputy president pointed out that the factory was at most several months old when the former became chief minister after Election 2008.
“Can Guan Eng please stop blaming the former Barisan Nasional for all of Pakatan Harapan’s shortcomings? Pakatan Rakyat in 2008, then Pakatan Rakyat again in 2013 and now Pakatan Harapan in 2017 have been in power for 9 years already.
“This is ample time and years to take action against the illegal carbon filter factory in Sungai Lembu,” the minister in the Prime Minister’s Department said in a statement today.
Wee also noted that the health concerns linked to the plant had not been evident when it first began operating, but noted that the factory was allowed to continue operating despite the growing incidence of cancer among nearby villagers.
Wee’s allies in Gerakan previously alleged that 11 out of 500 residents in Sungai Lembu are confirmed to have cancer or approximately 23 times above the national average.
He also rejected Penang exco Phee Boon Poh’s remark that the factory’s products were not harmful, saying it was the manufacturing of the carbon filters that was of concern.
The MCA deputy president then contrasted DAP’s resistance against the Lynas rare earth facility in Kuantan over possible health concerns with the party’s stance on the illegal carbon factory in Penang, calling the federal opposition party “hypocritical”.
Lim continues to blame BN for the illegal factory and others like it in the state, insisting these were already operational when he became chief minister almost ten years ago.
He previously said his government’s policy was to find “amicable solutions” to illegal factories and demolition was the last resort, although it is unclear what this entails or how long before authorities decide that demolition is justified.
Phee, the factory’s manager, and a director were arrested over the illegal factory earlier this month, but all have since been released.
