Lim admits land approval in June

2009/11/22

GEORGE TOWN: The state Barisan Nasional's allegation that Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had given inaccurate information at the state assembly sitting in August on the status of a piece of prime seafront land at Lebuh Farquhar here has been proven to be true. Lim yesterday admitted that the conversion of the land from leasehold to freehold status was approved by the state executive council on June 3.

However, he blamed the previous state government for events leading up to the land conversion.

In a statement issued yesterday, Lim said the state government had declassified minutes of the executive council meeting which showed that it was the previous BN-led state government which had in January 2007 agreed in principle to allow for the land conversion. However, he admitted that the conversion process was finally approved under his administration.

The approval was granted with three additional terms -- that any building constructed on the land must abide by the heritage listing guidelines of being not more than five storeys high; that the cost of the conversion must be borne solely by YTL Hotels and Properties Sdn Bhd; and that the Penang Development Corporation's (PDC) equity in the project be increased from 49 per cent to 50 per cent.

Lim criticised the state Umno and BN for accusing the Pakatan-led Penang state government of power abuse and misuse of funds.

State Gerakan chairman Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan said Lim's admission that the land conversion was done in June confirmed that he (Lim) had misled the state legislative assembly in August.

Dr Teng said Lim should take full responsibility for his action.

He added that it was pointless for Lim to declassify the decision relating to the 1.4ha plot adjacent to the 124-year-old Eastern and Oriental (E&O) Hotel since people already knew he had converted the status of the land

Dr Teng said the details of the minutes of meetings relating to the matter would not make any difference.

"What is important is that Lim has lied to the people and the honourable house ... that is the fact.

"He should admit his mistake and take responsibility for it."

Dr Teng said if Lim wanted to declassify the minutes of the meeting, he should then declassify everything and not only the decision.

"Why is he not doing this since he did it for the Kampung Lorong Buah Pala land? It looks like he has got something to hide here."

Lim had told the state assembly sitting in August that the state government had not approved any land conversions between April last year and June.

This was in reply to a question raised by Pulau Betong assemblyman Muhammad Farid Saad on whether there had been any land conversions for development purposes during that period.

Lim had said the state government was waiting to present the matter to the National Land Council, scheduled to meet at the end of the year.

However, documents show-ed that Lim's administration had given the nod to PDC Heritage Hotel Sdn Bhd to convert the leasehold plot to freehold in June.

The state BN had earlier this month accused Lim of lying to the people on the matter.

Former deputy chief minister and Teluk Bahang assemblyman Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya and Dr Teng have since said Lim should be referred to the assembly's disciplinary committee if he was found to have misled the house.