NGO urges MACC to probe Penang land sale
GEORGE TOWN: The Penang People’s Association has lodged a report with the Malaysian AntiCorruption Commission (MACC) over the “controversial” sale of a plot of state land in Peel Avenue here.
The report was lodged by association chairman Datuk Huan Cheng Guan at MACC’s office here at 10.45am yesterday.
He was accompanied by representatives from several nongovernmental organisations, namely Penang Front Party, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Foundation and Persatuan Anak Jati Melayu Pulau Pinang.
The group also carried banners that read “The rape of Penang by DAP”, “Penang habis dijual oleh DAP” (DAP sells out Penang) and “Lim Guan Eng, tanah di Pulau Pinang bukan milik bapa kau” (Lim Guan Eng, the land in Penang does not belong to your father).
Speaking before lodging the report, Huan urged MACC to launch a thorough investigation into the Peel Avenue land sale.
“We have given (Penang Chief Minister) Lim Guan Eng one week to make public the sales and purchase agreement, but he has failed to do so.”
Huan also urged the state government to explain why there was no open tender for the land, which was sold to a foreign investor.
“Why is the Peel Avenue land sold via direct negotiation and not open tender? What happened to the policy that used to be the thrust of this ‘competent, accountable and transparent’ administration?”
Huan also asked the state government whether the Valuation and Property Services Department was informed of the projects planned for the land before it was valuated.
When approached by the New Straits Times later, the chief minister said he would leave it to MACC to investigate the matter.
“We sold (the land) above market price, which was valued by the federal authority. If they are unhappy, let MACC investigate.”
He said out of the RM38 billion worth of land sales in the state, 99 per cent were conducted through the open tender system.
“In the case of the recent RM156 million (Peel Avenue) land sale for a high-value investment of RM2 billion, it is considered a game-changer.
“Therefore, direct negotiation is the international norm,” he said here yesterday.
He said the RM2 billion investment in the state would boost Penang’s economy.
“The current Penang government has sold land 36 times less than the Barisan Nasional-led state government.
“Yet, we have earned more money because the state practises open, competitive tenders.
“The RM2 billion investment will see Penang have the biggest private hospital, with 1,000 beds and offering 2,000 jobs.”
The DAP-led state government has come under fire for the sale of the prime state land without going through open tender despite advocating the concept since coming into power in 2008.