Lim hits back at Wee

GEORGE TOWN: Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has rebutted MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong, saying in his haste to find fault over the undersea tunnel project, he has tarnished the reputation of a senior state civil servant.
By accusing the state of ignoring the paid-up capital requirement for a company to be entitled to undertake the RM6.3 billion cross-channel undersea tunnel, Wee has tarnished the good name of State Secretary Datuk Seri Farizan Darus, who was the person, who chaired the state tender board, said Lim.
It was the board, who had awarded the project to Consortium Zenith Sdn Bhd, the special purpose vehicle (SPV) for the mega infrastructure project.
Lim told a press conference that Wee has given a false impression about the paid-up project, assuring the people that Farizan had made the right judgement as the company (Zenith) had fulfilled the necessary capital requirements.
"Wee is like a child, accusing this and that with no basis."
Wee had earlier stated that the paid-up capital only reached RM26.6 million; lower than the stipulated ceiling of RM381 million.
But Lim insisted that the open – tender was done above board, and the company had met the financial obligations.
Later, Lim also launched the Relau branch for the School For the Mentally Challenged Children in Penang.
The RM18 million donation of land to the school was part of the corporate social responsibility for both the state and the developer Ideal Property Group.
Lim expressed his gratitude to the Idea executive chairman Tan Sri Alex Ooi and his wife Puan Sri Joanne Phor for their kind contribution to the welfare cause of helping care for the disabled community here.
Lim also issued a statement in conjunction with the Easter weekend celebrations, urging voters to unite against the "wall" which separates Malaysians.
"We must unite against those who wish to build walls that separate us and push us into racial enclaves to divide and turn Malaysians against each other. The recent constituency delineation for the 14th general election is a shocking exercise of not only shameless political gerrymandering but electoral apartheid."
He accused the Election Commission of adopting the Barisan Nasional (BN)'s racist formula where voters see themselves as Malays first, Chinese first, Indian first, Iban first or Kadazan first instead of Malaysian first.