PENANG, 16 Nov 2009: The Penang state executive council meeting this Friday will deliberate on declassifying the official minutes on the conversion of a parcel of land on the island which has become a subject of controversy, said Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.
In a statement issued here today, Lim said revealing the minutes would help throw light on the actual reasons as to why the leasehold status of the land, developed by PDC Heritage Hotel Sdn Bhd, was converted to freehold.
Prior to this, Pulau Betong assemblyperson Muhammad Farid Saad had alleged that Lim had misled the state assembly on the matter.
Lim was scheduled to hold a press conference today after receiving a visit from officials of a company in India at his office here, but he called it off, saying he had to rush to Kuala Lumpur.
He instructed his press secretary Cheong Yin Fan to circulate copies of the statement to waiting reporters.
Farid, who made a visit to the site in question also today, said Lim’s contention that the conversion was made to revive an abandoned project did not make sense as land approval was only made in June.
“It is now only November. Obviously it cannot be categorised as an abandoned project in such a short time,” he told reporters.
He added that Lim should be referred to the State Assembly’s Rights and Privileges Committee should the chief minister not be able to give a satisfactory explanation on the controversy. — Bernama
