Jahara denies lying about cash aid, says CM is finding fault

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng merely wanted to find fault with the BN and therefore accused its leaders of uttering malicious lies about financial aid to the flood victims, opposition leader Jahara Hamid (BN-Teluk Ayer Tawar) said.

Jahara denied saying that the Penang government only provided financial aid to Pakatan Harapan members, as Lim claimed in the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) yesterday.

“I never said that. I only asked the state government to clarify the state's standard operating procedures or methods when disbursing the aid to the flood victims,” the veteran politician told Malaysiakini in the DUN lobby yesterday.

“I asked this because the normal procedure in applying for several benefits in the state is that one has to be a voter in Penang, have to provide the identity card and show the person is a Penangite,” added Jahara, who is a lawyer by profession.

For example, to qualify for the state's affordable housing units or the RM100 senior citizen annual cash awards, one has to be a voter in Penang, Jahara noted.

“So the question of me showing proof, apologising or withdrawing my remarks about the matter do not arise. The CM totally misunderstood my remarks, and is simply finding fault or reasons to blame me,” she said.

'Politically inclined to Harapan'

When wrapping up on Penang’s 2018 Budget debate in the state assembly yesterday, Lim blasted the five-term assemblywoman for reportedly saying that financial aid for flood victims would only be given to those who are politically inclined to Harapan.

Describing the claims as “very malicious”, Lim insisted that the Penang government never practised discrimination when it comes to financial aid.

He waved a photocopy of an Utusan Malaysia news report quoting Jahara as saying that the Penang government must clarify its method of providing aid to flood victims.

The daily reported that Jahara was concerned over public donations - amounting to some millions of ringgit - which were donated directly into Penang DAP’s account.

“There is so much outside donations into DAP’s party fund, (and we hope) they don’t ask the floods victims to register as members of the party before the aid is given,” she was quoted as saying by the pro-Umno daily.

Lim then urged Jahara to show proof to back her claim or apologise and withdraw the offending remarks.

The Penang government has so far collected close to RM10 million in donations from various organisations for the flood victims and it will be disbursing RM700 each to victims who register with the state government.

Lim also announced an RM100 million fund to rebuild the state after the devastating floods of Nov 4 and 5 that inundated Penang and took seven lives.

This is the third major disaster after Penang was hit with a massive flash flood on Sept 15, and a deadly landslide in Tanjung Bungah on Oct 21, which killed 11 construction workers.- Mkini