Illegal factory expanded under DAP gov't, claims Gerakan

Gerakan today presented satellite evidence to show that an illegal factory in Sungai Lembu was not only able to maintain its premises but also purportedly expanded under the watch of the DAP-led Penang government.

Gerakan land and anti-corruption committee spokesperson H’ng Khoon Leng rubbished Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng's suggestion that DAP was merely maintaining BN-era illegal factories for legalisation exercise.

H'ng pointed out that based on a satellite image taken on Aug 31, 2008, the illegal factory was not visible from the sky.

"The illegal factory appeared clearly in subsequent satellite aerial photographs from 2009. 

"These photographs indicate that the illegal factory was now able to operate openly. 

"This brazen act is most probably due to the protection the illegal factory received from a senior member of the state government.  These photographs further justify the investigation by the MACC," he said.

Hn'g said the initial small scale activities was why the factory was not visible through satellite during the early days.

He said even though the illegal factory only commenced its carbon filtering activities on a small scale in 2007, the then BN government had written to the Department of Environment (DOE) to complain about its activities and remedial works were taken.

"However, nine months later in early March 2008, DAP took over the state government."

Therefore, for the current DAP-led Penang government trying to blame the previous BN government over this issue of the illegal factory in Sungai Lembu is preposterous and irresponsible, he said. 

"You have been in power for more than nine years. Please man up and take responsibility."

He also raised concern about cancer incidences in the area and whether they are related to the pollution.

The illegal factory is a subject of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's (MACC) investigation, which led to the arrest of Penang exco Phee Boon Poh.

Phee was investigated for allegedly instructing for action to be held back against the illegal factory.

Lim had defended Phee, stating that illegal factories in the state from the BN era were undergoing legalisation exercise.

The factory's owner's son who only wanted to be known as Gan, in an interview with Oriental Daily, said his father had submitted an application to legalise the factory but failed to receive approval.

Gan added that his father now planned to close down the factory as the 70-year-old could not handle the pressure from the investigation and national spotlight.  - Mkini