'You sidelined Penang!' - MCA veep blasts Guan Eng
MCA vice-president Tan Teik Cheng took aim at former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng, saying that the latter sidelined the state's development during his stint as finance minister.
"It was Lim who sidelined Penang when he was finance minister, and now he has the audacity to play the sympathy card by playing victim regarding funds for Penang," said Tan, who is also MCA Penang state liaison committee chairperson.
In a statement released early this morning, he told Lim not to feign ignorance to 'hoodwink and rile' the public.
"The Covid-19 outbreak has wrought bundles of challenges to the Malaysian economy. Therefore, the federal government has no choice but to temporarily shelve or postpone some infrastructure projects.
"Leveraging on this scenario, Lim stooped to politicise the decision and accused Putrajaya of 'political vengeance'. Such an outburst is unreasonable," he said.
Lim has taken the Perikatan Nasional's administration to task for cancelling development programmes in Penang such as the RM800 million Penang International Airport (PIA) and RM100 million Penang Hill Cable Car (PHCC) expansion projects. He added that PN would be rejected by Penang voters in the next general election.
"It was Lim who sidelined Penang when he was finance minister, and now he has the audacity to play the sympathy card by playing victim regarding funds for Penang," said Tan, who is also MCA Penang state liaison committee chairperson.
In a statement released early this morning, he told Lim not to feign ignorance to 'hoodwink and rile' the public.
"The Covid-19 outbreak has wrought bundles of challenges to the Malaysian economy. Therefore, the federal government has no choice but to temporarily shelve or postpone some infrastructure projects.
"Leveraging on this scenario, Lim stooped to politicise the decision and accused Putrajaya of 'political vengeance'. Such an outburst is unreasonable," he said.
Lim has taken the Perikatan Nasional's administration to task for cancelling development programmes in Penang such as the RM800 million Penang International Airport (PIA) and RM100 million Penang Hill Cable Car (PHCC) expansion projects. He added that PN would be rejected by Penang voters in the next general election.
The former finance minister also had a war of words with Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong over the cessation of Penang's iconic vehicular ferries.
"If anyone wishes to speak about who sidelined the Pearl of the Orient, then Lim stands out the most because, even current Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow has personally conceded that even if Pakatan Harapan were to govern Putrajaya, Penang would still be sidelined in securing more allocations.
"Penangites will not forget the ingratitude of the Bagan MP against Penang when he took office as the finance minister," said Tan.
"He would rather allocate RM3.2 billion to Kedah to develop large-scale infrastructure projects than to spend on Penang, resulting in the Penang state government appealing to different quarters to borrow funds for the Penang Transport Master Plan," said Tan.
"If anyone wishes to speak about who sidelined the Pearl of the Orient, then Lim stands out the most because, even current Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow has personally conceded that even if Pakatan Harapan were to govern Putrajaya, Penang would still be sidelined in securing more allocations.
"Penangites will not forget the ingratitude of the Bagan MP against Penang when he took office as the finance minister," said Tan.
"He would rather allocate RM3.2 billion to Kedah to develop large-scale infrastructure projects than to spend on Penang, resulting in the Penang state government appealing to different quarters to borrow funds for the Penang Transport Master Plan," said Tan.
"Who is Guan Eng to slam the PN government now? Does he even know the meaning of the word 'shame?'", he asked, going on to call Lim an empty vessel that was making the most noise.
Tan said there were a number of reasons that the projects were impacted and Lim should be well aware of this.
"Chow Kon Yeow once said that Putrajaya had withdrawn funding for the RM100 million Penang Hill cable car project due to the country's difficult financial situation as the government believed that this project was not a priority.
"Why does Lim now sing a different tune by saying that this is deliberate political vengeance by the PN government?"
Tan also said that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the aviation industry has been badly affected and is not expected to recover for another three years.
"The government is studying the expansion of all airports through the National Airport Strategic Plan (NASP), which is expected to be completed in 2023. Until this research report is released, the expansion and development of all airports will be temporarily put on hold, not just the Penang International Airport.
"Moreover, when Lim was Penang Chief Minister, he repeatedly opposed the construction of Kulim International Airport (KXP) claiming it would threaten the status of the Penang International Airport but when he was the finance minister, he did a U-turn and supported KXP," claimed Tan.
Tan said there were a number of reasons that the projects were impacted and Lim should be well aware of this.
"Chow Kon Yeow once said that Putrajaya had withdrawn funding for the RM100 million Penang Hill cable car project due to the country's difficult financial situation as the government believed that this project was not a priority.
"Why does Lim now sing a different tune by saying that this is deliberate political vengeance by the PN government?"
Tan also said that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the aviation industry has been badly affected and is not expected to recover for another three years.
"The government is studying the expansion of all airports through the National Airport Strategic Plan (NASP), which is expected to be completed in 2023. Until this research report is released, the expansion and development of all airports will be temporarily put on hold, not just the Penang International Airport.
"Moreover, when Lim was Penang Chief Minister, he repeatedly opposed the construction of Kulim International Airport (KXP) claiming it would threaten the status of the Penang International Airport but when he was the finance minister, he did a U-turn and supported KXP," claimed Tan.
He also said that current Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz revealed that when Lim was finance minister, he never asked for a Penang LRT loan guarantee from the Harapan cabinet, so the current PN federal government should not be accused of cancelling it.
"Finally, the iconic Penang ferries have not vanished! A request for proposal will be announced in future to convert the historical uses other than for public transport, including repurposing them to be a floating restaurant, sightseeing ferry for tourists to visit and other purposes.
"Replacing the old ferry with safer, speedier and more comfortable water buses as a means of public transport, yet retaining the old ferries as a tourist attraction, these were plans initiated during Harapan's era!" said Tan.
He added his belief that if DAP secretary-general Lim truly cared for Penang, he should refrain from engaging in political manoeuvres by playing the pity card to attack the PN government.
"Finally, the iconic Penang ferries have not vanished! A request for proposal will be announced in future to convert the historical uses other than for public transport, including repurposing them to be a floating restaurant, sightseeing ferry for tourists to visit and other purposes.
"Replacing the old ferry with safer, speedier and more comfortable water buses as a means of public transport, yet retaining the old ferries as a tourist attraction, these were plans initiated during Harapan's era!" said Tan.
He added his belief that if DAP secretary-general Lim truly cared for Penang, he should refrain from engaging in political manoeuvres by playing the pity card to attack the PN government.
Anything else 'Tuk wants?
Ah Tan is fighting hard for his GLC position as PPC Chairman, but he sees it slipping away as his PN bosses no longer have majority in parliament. As “reward” Yiddin will give all Chinese seats in Penang to MCA, to fight against DAP. Penang Lang will decide. Will Tan dare to go against The Tokong? Ha ha ha....See who got Lam Phar....?
ReplyDeleteWell, was it all true, what Tan said about LGE? wakakaka. You always avoid the unpleasant truth
DeleteHere is the pleasant truth...ha ha ha....Guanee The Book-Keeper only "agreed" with KXP with the condition that no taxpayer money is involved, it must be privately funded, the same conditions he set for the 3rd National Car and Flying Car, projects he knew would never take off of course, because no one is crazy to put his own money.
DeleteHere are some similar-sized or smaller cities to Penang (1.8 million) with multiple airports:
Vancouver (700,000) - 3 airports
Barcelona (1.6 million) - 3 airports
Copenhagen (800,000) - 3 airports
Glasgow (1.7 million) - 2 airports
Venice (680,000) - 2 airports
Munich (1.5 million) - 2 airports
Montreal (1.8 million) - 2 airports
Brussels (180,000) - 2 airports
Stockholm (1 million) - 4 airports
Oslo (650,000) - 2 airports
Frankfurt (800,000) - 2 airports
Warsaw (1.8 million) - 2 airports
and many many more
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_with_more_than_one_airport
QUOTE
Kulim airport a privately-funded effort, Lim tells Penang
By Balvin Kaur - April 30, 2019
GEORGE TOWN: Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng yesterday told Penang state legislative assembly that there should be no objection to Kulim International Airport (KXP) project because it is a private finance initiative (PFI).
Lim (DAP-Air Putih) said the federal government was not "taking out any money out of its pockets" for the project.
"The money we save from making the KXP a PFI can be invested into upgrading Kuala Lumpur International Airport(KLIA).
"Why object to KXP if it’s a PFI. There is also a similar PFI initiative to expand the Penang International Airport ," he said when answering a question from Lee Khai Loon (PKR- Macang Bubuk).
He had asked why was the funds invested into KXP not used to expand PIA.
Lim told the August house that since both airport projects would be financed by private companies, the companies would ensure profitability of their investments.
UNQUOTE
Playing the pity card trick is copy and paste from MCA playing the "Poor Poor Pitiful (but VERY RICH) TARUC...ha ha ha.....where is that poor hawker picture again that KT like so much...?
ReplyDeleteMCA Bo Lampar.
ReplyDeleteNo, what MCA said is misrepresenting the truth.
https://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/putrajaya-pulls-back-govt-guarantee-penangs-us500m-loan-finance-lrt-project
"In November last year, Chow said the state government will form a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to issue bonds to raise funds to pay for the project.
At the time, he said then prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had assured that Putrajaya will provide a sovereign guarantee for bonds issued through the state’s SPV, to raise money for the LRT project under the RM46 billion Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP).
Chow added that Penang would not have been able to raise enough in the bonds market, without Putrajaya’s guarantee. "
What is so disappointing is a so-called Penang-lang Ktemoc is siding with his political Faves Najib and MCA against Penang's best interests.
Podah, stay in Sydney, don't ever come back.
Whatever LGE did during his Finance Ministership, the fact remains the MCA was useless and still is useless in defending the nons especially Chinese
ReplyDelete