Press Statement By Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng In Kuala Lumpur On 6.3.2018
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Wee Ka Siong is clearly trying to do some self-promotion and get cheap publicity for the coming general elections. Wee yesterday dared me to be “man enough to challenge Wee to a public debate on the Penang tunnel and 3 main highways project”.
Wee conveniently forgets he is still not the MCA President and is No.2 in a party that won 7 Parliamentary seats in the last general elections. This is in contrast to me being the top leader of the DAP that won 38 Parliamentary seats.
Even ignoring the disparity in seats won between MCA and DAP, any challenge should come from the MCA President Liow Tiong Lai, not the Deputy President Wee Ka Siong. Just as former MCA President Tan Sri Dr Chua Soi Lek had challenged me to a debate, it is Liow Tong Lai in his capacity as MCA President who is qualified to challenge me to a debate not only on the tunnel project but also on the global kleptocracy of 1MDB scandal.
Chua Soi Lek understands this simple logic, why is Wee Ka Siong not to be able to do so? Wee Ka Siong should at least accept that he is still not the top leader and more importantly respect Liow Tiong Lai’s position as his party President. Unless Wee thinks he is bigger than his President?
Any public debate should also be on a level playing field which would necessarily include the global 1MDB scandal, that has turned Malaysia into a global kleptocracy and the dubious distinction of being the most corrupt nation on earth. It is grossly unfair for Liow to ask me to debate on the tunnel and 3 main roads project whilst he refuses to answer on the 1MDB scandal.
I am sure Liow is eager to explain the money trail of billions of US dollars, where public funds owned by Malaysians have been wasted on Hollywood films, pink diamonds, palatial mansions in the New York, airplanes and the billion ringgit super yacht Equanimity, that was recently confiscated by the Indonesian authorities.
BN and Wee has gone on a concerted campaign to undermine and sabotage Penang state government’s efforts to alleviate traffic congestion with infrastructure works. Wee is also a serial liar who refuses to account for his lies and is an expert in avoiding justifying his lies, when exposed, by jumping to a new lie.
Wee refuses to acknowledge that the tunnel and 3 main highways project was conducted by open tender unlike the RM55 billion East Coast Rail Link project. However only projects conducted by the Pakatan Penang state government appears to be problematic, but not the BN projects that had no open tender.
Wee had made wild allegations that the Zenith Consortium did not fulfil the minimum paid-up capital requirement of RM381 million, when Zenith was awarded the tender by the Penang State Tender Committee headed by the Penang State Secretary and senior government officials as required by law. This is a blatant lie.
And yet when exposed as a liar, Wee now claims he never attacked the Penang State Secretary. Instead Wee claims that he had directed the allegation against me. But how can I answer when I do not head or is not a member of the Penang State Tender Committee. By disputing the minimum capital requirement of RM381 million held by Zenith, Wee is impugning the integrity of the members of the Penang State Tender Committee headed by the Penang State Secretary. This is a classic case of a sneak below the belt attack (baling batu sembunyi tangan) and just outright leis (menegakkan benang yang basah).
This is the reason why I said that Wee is a despicable human being for running down an honest senior government civil servant, like Penang State Secretary Datuk Seri Farizan bin Darus, because Wee knows that Farizan as a Public Services Department officer, cannot refute a Federal government Minister like Wee, even though Wee is dead wrong.
The Penang state government is willing to be subject to public scrutiny to a level never witnessed before in Malaysia. But there is no point responding to Wee unless he accounts for the first 10 lies he made which he has still not done so. If Wee is not a coward, he should respond to my statement 3 weeks ago on 14.2.2018 as follows:-
MCA Minister Wee Ka Siong’s desperate attempts to justify his 10 lies with more lies on the 3 main roads and tunnel project will not work, because you can lie to some of the people some of the time, you can lie to all the people some of the time, but you can not lie to all the people all the time. Even whilst clinging desperately to his lies, Wee continues to make new ones, such as the winning consortium Zenith, securing a 110 acres prime land approved for high-density luxury condominiums despite the many delays in the proposed project.
This is false because the 110 acres of net developed land has not been transferred to Zenith. Where is it stated that there is approval for high-density luxury condominiums? How then can there be approval for high-density luxury condominiums when the land has not even been transferred?
Further who caused the delays when Federal government agencies changed their rules and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has carried out investigations since 2016? The unduly long MACC investigations has not only delayed but harassed government staff that required unnecessary and repetitive checks. With the latest attack by BN to sabotage the entire project, doubts have been expressed about the commitment of all parties involved and whether the project is still viable.
Wee’s latest “10 lies” article then spirals down to further depths of falsehoods of bare-faced denials by him. For instance he claimed that he had never insinuated that a fashion company, Vertice Bhd, was building the Penang Tunnel when he knew that China Railway Construction Corporation(CRCC) was clearly the main contractor. Wee should refer to MCA’s own paper, The Star on 13 January, which highlighted Wee’s lies as follows:-
Dr Wee: Why is a fashion company building the Penang Tunnel?
Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/01/13/dr-wee-questions-role-of-fashion-firm-in-penang-undersea-tunnel-project/#V3E2fLIVO0WUHvdi.99was
So Wee’s own party newspaper has caught out Wee for lying. Wee also denied BN’s involvement in MACC investigations and allegations of corruption of kickbacks of millions of ringgit were paid to state government leaders in this project. Has Wee so quickly forgotten that the BN media had put it up in the front pages?(see New Straits Times 20th January 2018)
Wee denies that MCA President Liow Tiong Lai abused his power as Transport Minister to pressure CRCC, which Wee and BN had first dragged them into this political controversy. And yet on the same breath, Wee admits that Liow got CRCC to “provide” information through his responsibilities as Transport Minister, even though the Malaysian government is not a party to the Penang contract.
Perhaps The Penang State Government Should Have Carried Out A Direct Tender Like The RM55 Billion ECRL Project To Avoid Any Harrassment Form MACC?
Wee claims that there is no need for an open tender for the RM55 billion East Coast Railway Link(ECRL) project, that is 9 times bigger than the RM6.3 billion tunnel and 3 main roads project, because the ECRL was a government-to-government(G2G) project. Is the Penang project not a G2G project too when it is undertaken by a China government owned company and the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) witnessed by both the Prime Ministers of Malaysia and China on 28 April 2011? (see picture)
Despite that, the Penang state government had insisted that an open tender be conducted in contrast to the ECRL. If the Penang state government had known that MACC would only investigate projects conducted under open tenders and not under direct tender, then perhaps we should have done the project under direct tender to avoid any harassment, even just before Chinese New Year.
Again Wee tried to drag the Penang State Secretary into this political fight by claiming that the paid up capital of the consortium that won the tender did not fulfil the minimum paid up capital(PUC) requirement of RM381 million. He even claimed that when awarding the tender, the State Secretary acted under instructions from the Chief Minister.
This is outrageous and preposterous lie. The State Secretary is the Chairman of the Penang State Tender Board and has carried out his duties according to the letter of the law. He received no benefit in granting the tender to Zenith. Zenith fulfilled the minimum PUC requirement of RM381 million. The Penang Tender Board granted the tender based on the merits of the tender and not as Wee alleged. It is unscrupulous for Wee to try to drag the State Secretary down just because Wee is unable to prove that there was hanky-panky in the award of the project by open tender.
I do not intend to explain at length to Wee that that you do not need to stamp every page of a contractual document nor justify that any document attached to the main agreement is part of that agreement. CRCC is mentioned in the main agreement and signed the main agreement as a party to the contract as well as gave an additional signed commitment to ensure completion of the project that is attached to the agreement. Any person buying a house would know that any document attached to the agreement is part of the main agreement. Perhaps Wee better get a lawyer to give him some tuition classes.
Finally I would like to repeat again that the state government had not paid a single cent or a single square inch of land to either Zenith or the contractor for the tunnel. Payment has been made only for the 3 main roads. For Wee to continue to claim that the state government has paid to either Zenith or the contractor for the tunnel is just sheer dishonesty.
Clearly both BN and Wee are only interested in sabotaging this public interest project that seeks to alleviate traffic congestion in Penang. It is pointless to respond to Wee when he continues to shamelessly cover up and cling desperately to his 10 lies. We leave it to the people of Penang to judge.
LIM GUAN ENG
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槟城州首席部长于2018年3月6日在吉隆坡发表的文告
就像当年蔡细历挑战我辩论一样，要辩论也应该是现任马华总会长才有资格挑战我辩论，而且不只是海底隧道计划的课题，还要辩论1MDB丑闻。
首相署部长魏家祥明显的是想在大选来临之际“出位”及获取廉价宣传。魏家祥昨天向我叫嚣“是男人就挑战魏家祥公开辩论槟城海底隧道与三条大道计划。”
魏家祥自以为是地忘记了他还不是马华的总会长，而只是这个在上届大选赢得7个国会议席政党的第二把交椅。而我作为赢得38个国会议席的行动党最高领袖，这于我来说实在不是真正匹配的将帅之争。
即便略过不提马华与行动党在议席上的落差，任何挑战也应该是来自马华总会长廖中莱而不是一直无的放肆的马华署理总会长魏家祥。就像当年马华前总会长拿督斯里蔡细历挑战我辩论一样， 要辩论也应该是现任马华总会长才有资格挑战我辩论，而且不只是海底隧道计划的课题，还要辩论1MDB丑闻。
蔡细历懂得这么浅显易懂的逻辑，为何魏家祥还不懂？ 魏家祥必须接受他还不是最高领袖，更重要的是必须要尊重廖中莱作为其政党总会长。除非魏家祥目中无人到认为他自己比廖中莱更强大？
任何公开辩论都应该在对等地辩论双方课题，因此必须涵盖红遍全球的1MDB丑闻，这项天大的丑闻已经让马来西亚在全球背负欺世盗国的名声及成为地球上最贪污的国家。因此，若廖中莱只与我辩论海底隧道及三条大道却拒绝辩论及逃避回答天大的1MDB丑闻是极度不公平的。
我很肯定廖中莱也很热切的要解释数十亿美元计的金钱流向，这些属于大马人民所拥有的公款就这样挥霍在好莱坞拍片、买粉红巨钻、纽约宫殿般的豪宅、私人专机，还有最近才被印尼当局扣押那艘高达10亿令吉的巨大超级游艇。
国阵及魏家祥正无所不用其极的要破坏槟城州政府要透过兴建基础设施疏导州内交通阻塞的努力。魏家祥根本就是一位谎话连篇的骗子，拒绝为他的连篇谎言负责举证，是不折不扣“骗后不理”的说谎专家，被人“打脸”揭发谎言后，又捏造另一个谎言掩盖。
魏家祥始终拒绝承认海底隧道及3条大道计划是透过公开招标的事实。无论如何，有没有发现只有希盟槟城州政府推行的计划才会出现问题，但是国阵的计划即便不用公开招标也能老神在在，相安无事。
魏家祥仍无的放肆谎称Zenith财团不符合3亿8100万令吉的招标最低缴足资本要求。Zenith当时是透过以槟州州秘书主持的公开招标委员依法获得承包这项计划。因此，这绝对是个谎言。
如今，魏家祥再次被“打脸”揭发是个骗子，他又忙着解释他不曾要攻击州秘书，他目的是为了指控我。但公开招标委员会并不是我负责的，是要我如何回答。因此魏家祥奸险的纠缠于Zenith有没有符合最低的3亿8100万令吉的要求是在质疑主持公开招标委员会的州秘书及成员的诚信。魏家祥这种谎言是最卑鄙奸险的典型“出阴招”。
这就是为什么我会说魏家祥是个卑鄙的人，处心积虑的以谎言陷害尽忠职守与诚实的资深公仆槟州州秘书，要把拿督斯里法力占给拉下马，因为魏家祥知道作为公务员体系的政府官员，法力占不得违逆联邦政府的部长如魏家祥，即便魏家祥错得要命也不得违逆。
槟城州政府愿意接受马来西亚史无前例的超苛刻公众监督。但如今真的没必要再回应魏家祥一而再的新谎言，因为他根本无法回答他之前所作出的一大堆谎言骗语。如果魏家祥不是懦夫，他就该回应我三个星期前于2018年2月14日的文告。文告内容如下：
马华部长魏家祥用更多的谎言来为他已经撒下的10大谎言辩护简直于事无补，因为你可以在某个时刻向某些人撒谎，你也可以在某个时刻向所有人撒谎，但你不能时时刻刻都在向所有人撒谎。魏家祥不只执着于他所捏造的谎言，还欲罢不能的继续捏造新的谎言，如谎称获标的Zenith财团即便在工程项目延误下，仍担保获得110英亩的黄金地获准兴建高密度豪华共管公寓。
这完全是捏造，这110英亩实际发展地段并没有转移给Zenith，这何来获准兴建高密度豪华共管公寓？在连土地都没有转换的情形下，到底是如何批准高密度豪华共管公寓？
再者，若不是联邦政府部门更改条规及反贪会自2016年介入进行调查，到底是谁造成此项目工程延误？ 反贪会过分冗长的调查，不只造成工程延误，不必要的重复性盘查更对州政府公务员造成极大压力困扰。随着国阵全盘破坏这项计划，计划各参与方之前的承诺已经产生了疑问，那就是这项计划是否还可能进行下去。
魏家祥最新的“10大谎言”让人更加看清楚他厚脸皮不认错的嘴脸。例如他否认他不曾影射服装公司Vertice兴建槟城海底隧道，因为他知道中国铁建是兴建海底隧道的总承包商。魏家祥得好好阅读他们马华自家所拥有的报章《星报》，仔细看看《星报》于1月13日是如何重点报导魏家祥的谎言如下：
魏家祥博士：为什么是服装公司兴建槟城海底隧道？
（Dr Wee: Why is a fashion company building the Penang Tunnel?）
Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/01/13/dr-wee-questions-role-of-fashion-firm-in-penang-undersea-tunnel-project/#V3E2fLIVO0WUHvdi.99was
魏家祥自家政党拥有的报章竟然打脸魏家祥说谎。魏家祥也否认国阵介入反贪会的调查，指控州政府领袖在这项工程收受数百万令吉回佣。难道魏家祥忘了国阵媒体将这谎言刊登在封面头条？（详见2018年1月20日《新海峡时报》）
魏家祥否认马华总会长廖中莱作为交通部长滥用职权施压中国铁建，但别忘记是魏家祥及国阵率先将中国铁建拖下这个政治冲突的浑水。同时，魏家祥还承认廖中莱透过他作为交通部长的职责，从中国铁建“获得”消息，即便大马政府并不是槟城计划的合约参与方。
也许槟州政府应该仿效联邦政府在总值550亿令吉的东海岸铁路计划般，在没公开招标下就直接颁布工程，以避过来自反贪会的“骚扰”？
魏家祥声称，总值550亿令吉的东海岸铁路计划（简称东铁），尽管其工程总额比槟州海底隧道及3条大道工程的63亿令吉还要高9倍，但基于它是一项“政府对政府”的计划，因此是不需要进行公开招标的。难道槟城的计划就不是“政府对政府”的计划吗？槟城的“两岸三通一个槟城”计划，是由一家中国政府所拥有的公司承建，而有关的谅解备忘录，是在2011年4月28日，由马中两国首相共同见证。（见附档图）
尽管如此，槟州政府坚持是项计划必需以公开招标的形式进行。这与东铁计划的模式截然不同。要是槟州政府早知道马来西亚反贪委员会只会对那些有进行公开招标的计划展开调查，而不是那些直接颁发工程的计划开档调查的话，也许槟州政府应该以直接颁布工程的方式进行“两岸三通一个槟城”计划，以避过反贪会的“骚扰”，包括近期在华人农历新年前的问话。
魏家祥再次尝试将槟州州秘书扯下这滩政治争斗中，声称得标财团的总缴足资本并未达到当局定下的3亿8100万令吉的最低要求。他甚至声称，在投标时，州秘书是在首席部长的指示下行事的。
这是离谱及荒谬的谎言。州秘书可是槟州招标委员会的主席，并根据法律条规执行他的任务。颁布工程给Zenith 并没有让他得到什么好处。是Zenith 财团本身达到了最低的3亿8100万令吉缴足资本的要求。槟州招标委员会是依据当时的竞标条件而颁布工程，而不是像魏家祥所声称般。魏家祥尝试把州秘书拉下水是不择手段的做法，因为他已经没办法证明这项透过公开招标程序颁布的工程有任何乱来的舞弊行为。
我不打算再长篇大论地向魏家祥解释说合约文件其实并不需要每一页盖上印花才被列为有法律效应，或者是跟他说凡是附档在正规合约内的每一份文件实际上就是合约的一部份等事。中国铁建（CRCC）在主要合约内有被提及，中铁也签署了合约以作为合约的一部分，并额外再签署了一份附档在合约里的承诺书，担保会完成有关的计划。每一个曾经购买产业的屋主都知道，任何附近档在房屋买卖合约内的文件，都是主要合约的一部分啊。也许，魏家祥应该请一个律师来给他一些相关的补习才行。
最后，我再次说明，截至目前为止，州政府尚未支付一分钱或任何一寸土地给 Zenith 或承包商，作支付海底隧道计划之用。已经付费的，是三条主要大道的计划而已。魏家祥三番四次指控州政府已经支付 Zenith 或海底隧道的承包商，是非常不诚实的行为。
很明显的，国阵及魏家祥只对破坏是项可以减缓州内交通阻塞、涉及广大公众利益的计划感兴趣。当魏家祥一次又一次无耻地掩盖及抱着他那10个谎言时，回应他是毫无意思的事。我们交给槟城人民来自行判断吧。
林冠英