New Straits Times

PENANG GOVT SLAMMED OVER LAND SALE

No open tender process done, says Parti Cinta Malaysia

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AUDREY DERMAWAN GEORGE TOWN audreymd@nst.com.my

THE Penang government has come under fire following its revelation that a prime piece of state land at Peel Avenue here had been alienated to a private hospital.

The land was sold to Island Hospital for RM156 million on a 99year lease without going through open tender.

Parti Cinta Malaysia vice-president Datuk Huan Cheng Guan said Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng did not practise what he preached when he said Penang was the only state in Malaysia that practiced a blanket open tendering system.

He said the land sale to the private hospital was highly suspicious and questionab­le, adding that he considered lodging a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.

“The chief minister should stop making excuses to justify the sale of the land. People are asking why there was no open tender.”

Acting state Gerakan Youth chief Jason Loo said the DAP-led state government lost the right to question Federal government projects that did not go through an open tender system.

He said he tried to purchase documents pertaining to the agreement between the state government and the private hospital on the land in question under the Freedom of Informatio­n (FoI) Enactment.

“This is my 20th attempt to get declassifi­ed documents for controvers­ial projects in the state.

“My other attempts failed, but I hope luck is on my side this time since the state government has been preaching the competency, accountabi­lity and transparen­cy mantra.”

 ?? PIC BY ROSELA ISMAIL ?? Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Abdul Aziz Kaprawi (second from left) at the Malaysia Commercial Vehicle Expo (MCVE) 2017 in Seri Kembangan yesterday.
PIC BY ROSELA ISMAIL Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Abdul Aziz Kaprawi (second from left) at the Malaysia Commercial Vehicle Expo (MCVE) 2017 in Seri Kembangan yesterday.
 ?? FAZLIE SHAHRIZAL
PIC BY SHAHNAZ ?? Acting Penang Gerakan Youth chief Jason Loo at the Penang Administra­tion Complex in George Town yesterday.
FAZLIE SHAHRIZAL PIC BY SHAHNAZ Acting Penang Gerakan Youth chief Jason Loo at the Penang Administra­tion Complex in George Town yesterday.

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