GEORGE TOWN – The people of Penang will not easily forgive nor forget MCA and its president Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong for adopting a “vengeful form of politics by punishing the state economically”, said Bagan MP and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.
In a statement today, Lim said that the discontinuation of Penang’s iconic double-decker ferries is seen as an open confrontation by the federal government, led by MCA and Wee, against Penang.
He added that Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz had committed “a major sin as a minister by deliberately misleading Parliament”, a violation that can be punished by Parliament’s Committee of Privileges.
“I hope Tengku Zafrul can explain to the people of Penang. It can have serious consequences as it is more than just defending the iconic ferries.”
On December 17, Tengku Zafrul told the Dewan Rakyat, a total of RM30 million would be released in two payments next year and in 2022 to allow the ferry service to continue.
The statement, however, shocked many, including Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB) chief executive officer Datuk Sasedharan Vasudevan, who said he was caught unawares by the finance minister’s announcement.
Lim listed several construction projects that were cancelled or delayed after Perikatan Nasional (PN) took over in late February.
Among them is the proposed expansion of the Penang International Airport that was mooted last year at a cost of at least RM800 million.
“The government also cancelled the RM100 million grant to build the Penang Hill cable car.”
Lim said although Penang contributed RM7 billion in taxes and annual revenue, the PN government had withdrawn all critical development projects that had been allocated by the previous Pakatan Harapan government. – The Vibes, December 26, 2020
