Soi Lek, did you sabotage Penangites to help Umno crony Syed Mokhtar

MCA president Chua Soi Lek, who is also the Penang Port Commission chief, has been accused of trying to short-change Penangites and thwarting the state's progress and posperity so as to benefit his home state Johor, where Umno crony Syed Mokhtar operates the Port of Tanjung Pelepas.

“Is there a conspiracy to stifle Penang’s economy through privatisation of Penang Port to Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar al-Bukhary who will turn it into a feeder port for his Tanjong Pelepas Port (PTP)?" DAP MPs Chow Kon Yow, Liew Chin Tong and Chong Eng asked in a joint statement.

“Why did Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, as Penang Port Commission chairman, reject the proposal to dredge the Penang Port channel, during a meeting of National Economic Council, the government’s economic cabinet in which Chua is a member, on 8th August 2011?”

Evil plot to deprive Penang?

Calling the Soi Lek objection a “sinister” plot, the trio demanded that the MCA president make public his rationale for dumping the federal government proposal.

Dredging Penang Port would help to draw bigger ships measuring 8,000 TEUs to call on the island state along the Straits of Malacca, the world’s busiest waterway. The BN federal government has previously promised to deepen the channel under the 9th and 10th Malaysia Plans but till now has failed to carry out its promise.

Indeed, the scandal-tainted Soi Lek would have to have a good explanation. Already under fire from the Chinese community for his lack leadership, the latest accusations if true will scupper any hopes that the MCA can win back any seats at all in Penang in the coming 13th general election. The fallout could also hurt BN compatriot Gerakan's chances in GE-13.

"If it is true, it is most unprofessional of Chua Soi Lek to manipulate deals in such a way that would harm the Penang people. Is BN and MCA saying that just because they have no hope of winning back the state in GE-13, they will strip away its valuable and keep it backwards to punish Penangites?" PKR vice president Tian Chua told Malaysia Chronicle.

More asset stripping by BN and Syed Mokhtar?

It has been reported that the federal Cabinet had approved the Ministry of Finance’s sale of Penang Port Sdn Bhd, which runs the Penang Port, to Syed Mokhtar's PTP despite competitive bids from other businessmen and also the Penang government, which owns the port land.

Penang Chief Minister and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng wrote to Najib in early December 2010 to put in a bid to run the port, which has seen its performance nosedive since the MoF took over in 1994.

On Monday, the DAP trio also questioned Prime Ministeri Najib Razak, who is also the finance minister, as to why Putrajaya had not called for an open tender in privatising the Penang Port. They also demanded that he confirm or deny the Syed Mokhtar deal and proposal for the shipping hub.

The DAP MPs said they understood that Syed Mokhtar, who also owns Seaport Terminal (Johore) Sdn Bhd, may ask MoF to cut the final price for Penang Port to RM150 million from the initial RM450 million in exchange for the federal government to not dredge the northern channel which would save it RM350 million.

“Seaport Terminal may bring the seven units of Super Port Panamax cranes from Penang to PTP and may bring the six quay cranes in Johor Port to place it in Penang. Essentially, Seaport Terminal may potentially engage in asset stripping,” they added.

They highlighted that with the smaller cranes unable to handle ships measuring 4,000 TEUs and above, Seaport Terminal may not end up carrying the dredging works around the Penang channel.

“Penang Port is located at the centre of the international maritime route, making it a natural transhipment hub. It is a waste not to utilise this geographical advantage,” Chow, Liew and Chong said.

Chow is Tanjong MP as well as the state executive councillor for local government and traffic, while Liew is Bukti Bendera MP and Chong Eng represents Bukit Mertajam on the mainland.

Malaysia Chronicle