Guan Eng urges PM to return to Penang to explain to people
KUALA LUMPUR:
Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has urged Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to return to Penang to explain to the people on the shelving of certain development projects in the State. Lim, who is also Bagan MP, said the projects were the Penang Monorail, Penang Outer Ring Road (PORR), expansion of the Mengkuang Dam and upgrading of the Bukit Bendera funicular train. “Where is the sincerity, honesty and good name of the PM if his own State is treated like a step-child? I hope he respects Penang’s decision because I respect him and I am his Chief-Minister. “It is unfair not to carry out the decisions made. Otherwise, he (Abdullah) should return to Penang to explain to the people why the gifts which were announced have been taken back,” Lim said when debating on the motion on the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP) Mid-Term Review in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday. He said the PORR and monorail projects were gifts announced by Abdullah in 2006 and if they were taken back, it showed the “buruksiku” attitude of the BarisanNasional Government and would anger the people. However, Lim’s words angered the Government backbenchers with some standing up to interject for clarification, but he did not give way, saying there was not enough time as he was only given 20 minutes to debate on the motion. According to the 9MP Mid-Term Review, the Penang Monorail project costing RM2 billion and the RM1 .5 billion PORR project were shelved by the Government in view of the prevailing economic situation. Lim said the allocations under the 9MP were important for a proper, conducive transportation infrastructure for Penang’s 1.5 million population.
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