Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng today shot back at allegations that the state government had sold off land intended for the poor, to the rich.
Lim was responding to a report by Sunday Star which raised several land controversies plaguing the state government including the sale of a 1.1 acre land in Taman Manggis supposed earmarked for low-cost housing.
"The Star is lying for stating that land reserved for the poor is sold off to the rich. There was no record in the Penang Town Council (MPPP) planning approvals that the previous state government had reserved the 1.1 acre piece of land in Taman Manggis for a low-cost housing project," Lim said in a statement today.
However, he added that the state government still considered a low cost housing project for the land but found it to be too small.
"Instead an 11 acre piece of MPPP land in Jalan S P Chelliah was reserved for affordable housing. Even Minister of Housing and Local Government Chor Chee Heung (left) had said that affordable and public housing requires a minimum of two acres," he said.
He also brushed aside accusations that the Taman Manggis land was sold below market price, pointing out that it was done through a competitive open tender.
"How then can land sales such as Taman Manggis at RM232 per square feet be sold below market price when it is by open tender and above the price recommended by the Finance Ministry's valuation and property services department?" he said.
‘Still waiting for BN to purchase land'
Lim reminded Penang BN leaders that they had taken up the challenge to purchase the said land at RM450 per square feet to back up their claim that it was sold below market price but have yet to follow up on the matter.
He also accused BN of targeting his landlady from whom Lim is renting his house for accusing her of having an interest in the medical project.
He also denied allegations in the report that he was too pro-development.
"It is untrue to say that there is less government owned land than in 2008.The Penang government is acutely aware of the value of land in a land-scarce state like Penang.
"For this reason Pakatan has ensured that there is more land now owned by the state government, both local governments and the local state agencies combined than compared to March 8 2008 when Pakatan first took over," he said.
Lim was responding to a report by Sunday Star which raised several land controversies plaguing the state government including the sale of a 1.1 acre land in Taman Manggis supposed earmarked for low-cost housing.
"The Star is lying for stating that land reserved for the poor is sold off to the rich. There was no record in the Penang Town Council (MPPP) planning approvals that the previous state government had reserved the 1.1 acre piece of land in Taman Manggis for a low-cost housing project," Lim said in a statement today.
However, he added that the state government still considered a low cost housing project for the land but found it to be too small."Instead an 11 acre piece of MPPP land in Jalan S P Chelliah was reserved for affordable housing. Even Minister of Housing and Local Government Chor Chee Heung (left) had said that affordable and public housing requires a minimum of two acres," he said.
He also brushed aside accusations that the Taman Manggis land was sold below market price, pointing out that it was done through a competitive open tender.
"How then can land sales such as Taman Manggis at RM232 per square feet be sold below market price when it is by open tender and above the price recommended by the Finance Ministry's valuation and property services department?" he said.
‘Still waiting for BN to purchase land'
Lim reminded Penang BN leaders that they had taken up the challenge to purchase the said land at RM450 per square feet to back up their claim that it was sold below market price but have yet to follow up on the matter.
He also accused BN of targeting his landlady from whom Lim is renting his house for accusing her of having an interest in the medical project.
He also denied allegations in the report that he was too pro-development.
"It is untrue to say that there is less government owned land than in 2008.The Penang government is acutely aware of the value of land in a land-scarce state like Penang.
"For this reason Pakatan has ensured that there is more land now owned by the state government, both local governments and the local state agencies combined than compared to March 8 2008 when Pakatan first took over," he said.
Statement stretched
Responding to accusations in the report that he had threatened to use illegal assembly law against BN leaders who spoke out at the state's Speaker's Square, Lim claimed his statement had been "stretched".
Lim was referring to his statement following an incident where an elderly man suffered chest pains and was hospitalised after engaging in verbal argument with BN leaders at the Speaker's Square.
"In the incident between senior citizens and BN, BN had bullied the senior citizens by challenging them with loudspeakers.
"I had said that MPPP would enforce its rules prohibiting loudspeakers as this is illegal. How can The Star stretch my statement of opposing the illegal use of loudspeakers at an assembly in Speakers' Square to be distorted into my opposing any assembly there as illegal?" he said.
Lim concluded that the allegations were a case of "indulging in pure fabrication, mindless concoctions and sheer hallucination".
Lim was referring to his statement following an incident where an elderly man suffered chest pains and was hospitalised after engaging in verbal argument with BN leaders at the Speaker's Square."In the incident between senior citizens and BN, BN had bullied the senior citizens by challenging them with loudspeakers.
"I had said that MPPP would enforce its rules prohibiting loudspeakers as this is illegal. How can The Star stretch my statement of opposing the illegal use of loudspeakers at an assembly in Speakers' Square to be distorted into my opposing any assembly there as illegal?" he said.
Lim concluded that the allegations were a case of "indulging in pure fabrication, mindless concoctions and sheer hallucination".
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