Following the attack by PAS MP for Temerloh on Penang’s under-seabed tunnel project that he claimed was a result of direct negotiations, Penang Chief Minister and Secretary General of the DAP Lim Guan Eng has fired back at the PAS leader, exposing the allegations as “baseless lies”.

“I am shocked by the unprovoked attack launched by PAS MP for Temerloh Nasrudin bin Hassan at Tantawi against me by relying on baseless claims and lies on my stewardship of the Penang state government’s finances and award of South-East Asia’s first under-seabed tunnel project from Gurney Drive in Penang island to Bagan Ajam in Seberang Perai”

Yesterday, Nasrudin had  asked why Pakatan Rakyat had practiced double standards in criticizing Selangor MB Khalid Ibrahim for KIDEX and not the Penang CM for Penang’s tunnel project. Nasrudin said that Lim had awarded the project to Construction Zenith BUCG Bhd via direct negotiations, and added that Penang had recorded a budget deficit for 6 years; claims which Lim had dismantled in a statement today.

The seabed tunnel project was awarded by open tender, Lim said, explaining that 3 town hall meetings with the public were held to obtain public feedback and consultation on the project before the May 2013 general elections.

Responding to Nasrudin’s claim that the project had received objections by Penangites, Lim said the people of Penang were given the rare opportunity to reject the project by replacing the PR government if they were opposed to the project, which, as it turned out, Penangites were for.

“The PR state government was returned to power in the 2013 general elections with the highest electoral mandate in history with 68% of the popular vote,” Lim said.

He had also cited the yearly Auditor-General’s Report that rubbished Nasrudin’s claims of budget deficit for 6 years. It showed that from 2008 to 2012, Penang had recorded budgetary surpluses instead;

(Table: Budgetary surplus per year)

For 2013, the state is expected to record a small surplus, he added.

Another claim that Lim said is untrue is that the project cost was at RM 4.63 billion. Lim said that the project cost 3.6 billion.

The Secretary General of the DAP had also likened the claims made by PAS’s Nasrudin, to the insinuations made by pro-BN and pro-UMNO cyber troopers.

“If Nasrudin claims to be a good Muslim who is not a munafik(hypocrite), then he should withdraw his lies and apologise to me within 24 hours,” adding that in the event of failure to behave honourably by withdrawing his statements, Lim would take legal action for defamation against him.

“Nasrudin has 24 hours to unreservedly and unconditionally withdraw his lies and apologise to me,” Lim warned. -TheRocket