Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has urged the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to expedite investigations into claims over his purchase of a house on Jalan Pinhorn for RM2.8 million.
He was confident that there was no element of corruption in the transaction as certain parties had claimed, which also involved the sale of state government land in Taman Manggis, here.
He said the claims were malicious and a vicious political attack on him.
"I am waiting for a new investigation by the MACC relating to my purchase of the house and I am fully confident that it would be proven to be just slander by political enemies.
"The state government practises clean administration such that it had been credited by Transparency International for its open tender system," he said.
At the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday, Penang Regional Development Board chairman Datuk Shabudin Yahaya who is also Tasek Gelugor member of parliament urged the Valuation and Property Services Department to conduct a valuation on the RM2.8 million property bought by Lim at Jalan Pinhorn.
Saying that the current market value of the property was more than RM3 million, Shabudin also urged the MACC to investigate claims that certain lots in Penang which were said to have been earmarked for a hardcore poor housing project had been sold.
Lim explained that he paid for the RM2.8 million house with a bank loan of RM2.1 million and the balance of RM700,000 from his allowance as chief minister and people's representative.
He said the sale of state government land was done through open tender and buyers were selected based on the highest offer.
"The state tender committee was not chaired by me and it had followed all the rules," he said.
Lim said the sale of the house had nothing to do with the company that won the state government land tender and was not a shareholder or member of the board of directors.
Meanwhile, Lim questioned the statement by Penang MACC that it had previously carried out an investigation on the house he was renting in 2009.
He said he was never questioned by the MACC about the house he was renting for RM5,000 a month which he later bought.
"Obviously MACC had been carrying out an investigation on me for so long without my knowledge yet in the end, no action was taken against me," he said.
Lim said when met after the launch of the automated external defibrillator equipment at Taman Botani here that he was prepared to give an explanation on the issue in parliament if allowed.
However, he believed he would be constrained to do so as the issue had nothing to do with the government and ministry.
"Next week, I will be making a working visit to Hainan, China and we will see how it (the issue) develops. It doesn't concern the government and normally will not be given a hearing except at the Penang State Assembly.
"That's why it is better for us to have a session as soon as possible. Shabudin should not be afraid to attend. We will give him an official welcome," Lim said.
Bernama
Sat Mar 19 2016
Guan Eng (pix) said the claims were malicious and a vicious political attack on him. -Filepix/Bernama
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