Press Statement By Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng In George Town, Penang On 16.1.2018.
The Penang state government reminds Malaysian Anti-Corruption Comission(MACC) deputy chief commissioner Datuk Seri Azam Baki that his comments that investigation into the under-sea tunnel and three main highways in Penang would also include those in the media, must necessarily not be based solely on reports in the BN media. MACC should also rely on reports raised in the independent and neutral online news media to prevent any negative perception that its investigations are driven by the fake news in the BN news media.
Unlike the dubious land transaction deals involving 1MDB, PERDA and FELDA, the Penang state government is an open book and has co-operated fully with MACC. However, the Penang state government will not be bullied by the BN Government’s political witch hunt into the under-sea tunnel and 3 road projects nor bow down to dirty tactics of intimidation, fake news and abuse of power to sabotage this transport plan to alleviate traffic congestion.
There is nothing to hide nor fear when the project is granted through an open competitive tender by the Penang Tender Committee chaired by the Penang State Secretary. Bear in mind that the Penang Tender Committee is required by law to be chaired by the State Secretary and its members, senior state government officials. The Chief Minister or the EXCO member is not permitted by law to be in the Penang State Tender Committee.
For this reason, the BN media such as the New Straits Times, Star, Utusan Malaysia, Berita Harian and TV3 have conducted a massive campaign of lies, falsehoods and fake news to sabotage this project and undermine the state government in the run-up to the coming general elections. What is worrying is that the fake news claim to come from sources in Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission(MACC). Amongst such lies are:-
· The state government has allowed a special purpose vehicle to pre-sell RM3 billion of state land to the contractor undertaking the project.
· Sea land not yet reclaimed has been transferred to the contractor or its nominees to build the City of Dreams project.
· Money was paid out for work done on the under-sea tunnel project
· More than RM208 million was paid out to the contractor, Zenith Construction, and Penang State EXCO for Public Works had contradicted the Penang Chief Minister by quoting a larger amount paid to Zenith.
· The bidding process was flawed and claims made were excessively high.
Despite the state government patiently showing proof to rebut such lies by the BN media, the BN media cowardly and dishonestly refused to print them. Up till today, neither The Star nor the New Straits Times can show proof that the state government had allowed RM3 billion of state land to be pre-sold. For this reason the state government expresses misgivings when MACC investigations appears to be driven by fake news in the BN media.
Both Penang State EXCO Lim Hock Seng and myself had said that the Penang state government had not paid a single cent for the undersea tunnel but had paid RM208 million for work done on the three road highway projects. And yet the BN media continues to harp on Lim Hock Seng and myself giving different figures. Payment was made by land swap at a net development value of RM1,300 per square feet, which is significantly higher than the current market value. The land swapped was not on unreclaimed sea land but existing land with land title.
Unfortunately, MACC appears to allow such fake news in the BN media that quotes unnamed MACC sources to continue to be printed without taking any action. When there were disclosures making a strong allegation involving the Johor Menteri Besar of receiving funds of tens of millions of ringgit, the authorities had acted quickly. Why the double-standards?
LIM GUAN ENG
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槟州首席部长林冠英于2018年1月16日在乔治市光大发表文告
尽管国阵政府以政治猎巫的方式对海底隧道以及三条大道发展工程展开攻势，企图以侮辱恐吓、制造假新闻和滥用权力的肮脏战术破坏这个减轻交通拥挤的运输计划，但槟州政府绝不会屈服于国阵政府的欺凌。
反贪会副主席拿督斯里阿占巴基指出，他们在彻查海底隧道及三条大道发展工程一案时，会将媒体的报道作为调查的一部分。针对此事，槟州政府欲提醒他，反贪会不能仅仅依赖国阵媒体的报道，必须把独立和中立的在线新闻媒体的报道也纳入其中，避免被国阵媒体驱动的假新闻带来负面的影响。
与涉及1MDB、PERDA和FELDA的可疑土地交易不同，槟州政府像是“一本打开的书”毫不掩饰，并与反贪会充分合作。尽管面对国阵政府以政治猎巫的方式对海底隧道以及三条大道发展工程展开攻势，企图以侮辱恐吓、制造假新闻和滥用权力的肮脏战术破坏这个减轻交通拥挤的运输计划，槟州政府绝不会屈服于国阵政府的欺凌。
有关工程是透过公开招标而来，过程由槟州招标委员会全权处理，而领导该委员会的则是槟州秘书。请谨记，按照法律，槟州招标委员会必须由槟州秘书及高级政府公务员所组成，槟州首席部长及行政议员是不被允许作为其中一员的。
因此，国阵媒体诸如新海峡时报、星报、前锋报、每日新闻及TV3第三电视制造了大规模的谎言及假新闻，企图破坏这项建设计划，以便在大选来临前率先削弱州政府。更让人担忧的是这些假新闻皆声称引述自反贪会的消息来源。当中的谎言包括：
-州政府允许负责该计划的特殊目的机构（SPV）预售30亿令吉的州政府地予承接建设项目的承包商。
-填海地还没填好就转移给承包商或用以兴建City of Dreams计划。
-海底隧道的费用已经缴付
-超过2亿800万令吉已经缴付承包商Zenith Construction，但槟州负责工程的行政议员遭引述所缴付的款项比上述数目更高，与首席部长所透露的有出入。
-招标程序有瑕疵，缴费过高。
即便州政府耐心地出示证据反驳上述国阵媒体的谎言，国阵媒体却如无胆匪类，拒绝刊登事实。至今，无论是星报或新海峡时报皆无法针对他们的假报道出示证据证明州政府允许预售30亿令吉的州政府地。
无论是行政议员林峰成或我本身已经多次重申海底隧道的费用一毛钱都还没有缴付，只缴交2亿800万令吉的3条大道费用。但国阵媒体仍顽固的讹称林峰成与我所说的数目有出入。该费用是以发展价值每方尺1300令吉的土地作为抵偿，是高于市价的土地价格。该土地并不是仍未填海的不存在土地，而是已经存在及拥有地契的土地。
不幸的是，反贪会允许这些国阵媒体的假新闻引述不知名的反贪会消息来源，继续刊登造谣，却不见反贪会采取行动。可别忘了，不久前有人揭发及指控柔佛州务大臣收受以千万计的资金时，有关当局可是雷厉风行采取行动，为何如今却采取双重标准？
林冠英