SAPP: DAP has harmed Penang

The Sabah party claims the DAP-led Penang government was operating the same way as Sabah CM Musa Aman who had turned over public land to private enterprise.

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) is using the DAP-led Penang government’s decision to surrender control of its water supply to the federal government for RM600 million to question Sabah DAP’s ability to protect state rights.

“DAP sold Penang’s water supply operations to the federal government just so that its accounts look good for a while, only to show a RM248 million deficit a year after,” said SAPP secretary-general Richard Yong.

In the latest attack mounted against DAP, Yong ,who is one of the party’s district leaders, claimed Penang government’s decision had brought the state to the verge of bankruptcy.

He also described the selling price of Penang’s water supply operations to the federal government as a “paltry sum” compared to the RM9.65 billion the PKR-led Selangor government offered to buy back the state’s water supply operations from four private companies.

“Penang water rights are even more precious because Penang needs water, it is a small island and so water is scarce. Penang surrendered its water rights, water assets and water supply to BN-Umno at only 1/16 of the price of Selangor.

“The sale shows DAP’s lack of vision and its willingness to sacrifice the people’s interest for short term political posturing,” he said.

He charged that the DAP-led Penang state government was operating the same way as Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman who had turned over public land to private enterprise.

Yong added that if Sabah DAP gained power it was possible that the state would “become the milking cow to save Penang”.

SAPP, he said, on the other hand has pledged to safeguard the state’s rights and prevent the federal government from taking control of the state’s assets.