Salleh takes Guan Eng to task over illegal structures

KUALA LUMPUR: Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng should not blame the previous Barisan Nasional (BN) state government on the issue of illegal structures.
Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak said instead Lim, as the chief of the state should be responsible in addressing the problem.
"When we are given the mandate to lead the state, we should focus on resolving any issue that it faces.
"We should not point fingers and create questions of who is right or wrong. What's important is, when we are entrusted to form a government, then we should resolve any problems that the state is facing," Salleh said during a press conference after he launched a book titled Bajau "Pahlawan di Laut, Perwira di Darat" at the Seri Pacific hotel here.
Salleh was responding to Lim's statement on maintaining illegal structures from the BN era that had caused problems for the people.
The Penang government's inaction over the Sungai Lembu carbon filtering factory, which was illegally set up in 2007, during the BN state government leadership, had sparked a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) probe and the arrest of Penang exco Phee Boon Poh.
Phee had allegedly instructed the local council to hold back action against the factory and allowed it to operate for more than 10 years.
On Aug 10, the MACC and other federal enforcement agencies raided the illegal carbon filter factory following complaints from residents.
Phee, and the manager and director of the factory were subsequently detained a day after the raid.
Last Saturday, the MACC obtained a five-day remand order against the trio but the Penang High Court set aside the order on the three following an appeal.
Meanwhile, the Bajau "Pahlawan di Laut, Perwira di Darat" book written by well known author Musli Oli tells about the Bajau race and their history.