Guan Eng: I do not mislead state assembly

2009/11/23

PENANG: Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng reiterated that he did not mislead the state assembly when he said there had been no conversion of land status in the state from April 2008 till June 2009. Lim said his reply to the question posed by Pulau Betong assemblyman Muhammad Farid Saad referred to state government land.

"The question began on state government land, while the PDC (Penang Development Corporation) Penang Heritage Hotel (referred to in the question) is not on state land and there had been no conversion of state land status (during the period)," he explained to reporters after witnessing the swearing-in of Patahiyah Ismail as councillor, here, today.

Lim was responding to statements by Teluk Bahang assemblyman Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya and state Gerakan chairman Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan that he should be referred to the assembly’s disciplinary committee if found to have misled the House.

He said if he had given a wrong reply to any question during a state assembly sitting, he would apologise quickly like what he did at the sitting in April.

"I gave a wrong reply on the appointment of PAS vice-president Mohamad Sabu as a director of Perbadanan Bekalan Air Holdings Berhad (PBAHB) instead of non-independent director of the company and I apologised on the spot," he said.

On the appointment of Patahiyah, an architect, he said she would be acting Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP) president after the current president Tan Cheng Chui, 54, opted for early retirement. Tan''s last day at MPPP was Nov 20.

Lim said Patahiyah would take over all the duties of council president, including chairing the full council meetings and MPPP’s One-Stop Centre meetings.

When asked on the candidates for the post next year, he hoped to appoint a professional to head the MPPP once Tan officially retires in March next year.
-- BERNAMA