GEORGE TOWN: Penang Barisan Nasional slammed the DAP-led state government for consistently shifting the blame to the previous administration when things do not favour them.
Since coming into power nine years ago, state BN chairman Teng Chang Yeow said the state government only had one policy - keep blaming the previous BN administration.
"This consistent policy must go into the Malaysia Book of Records for being the most consistent policy of the DAP state government thus far!" he said today.
Teng said whether the state government wanted to demolish or keep the illegal factories or structures built before or after 2008 was purely its authority and power.
"They have to perform their mandate to the people. Are they scared to shoulder responsibility by asking BN to bear the responsibility if action is taken now?
"They must decide what is best for the people and not what is best for themselves politically.
"The Penang government is shirking their responsibility by pushing it to the previous BN administration, which has no power now, to decide.
"However, we will know how to decide and what is best for the people if we are the government of the day!'" he added.
Yesterday, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said nothing was done to help the Sungai Lembu villagers despite numerous complaints about the illegal carbon filter factory in their backyard.
In his trademark fashion, Lim had also shifted the blame to the previous BN administration and said the state government had inherited the Sungai Lembu illegal factory from the BN administration.
He had also asked BN if the coalition agreed with the state government's policy.
Lim had also before this said that it was his government's policy that illegal structures or hawker stalls set up before 2008 would not be demolished
Responding, Teng questioned what was the Penang government's current policy after nine years.
"They claimed that they took the decision not to demolish any illegal structures, buildings or factories that existed pre-2008, when they took over power in 2008, while looking for a workable solution.
"Nine years had passed, but they are still working on a workable solution.
"This certainly calls into question the competency of the Penang government within their own competency, accountability and transparency (CAT) principles," he added.
State Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh was recently arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission following a raid by the graft busters and other agencies at the factory last week.
The raid came after repeated complaints against the factory operations fell on deaf ears.
Also arrested was the factory's 70-year-old manager and his 37-year-old son, the factory director. All three have since been released from remand.