GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government has denied the existence of a RM75bil mixed development project in Balik Pulau.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the state government had not considered the project which reportedly involved industrial, commercial and residential development over 2,833ha.
“There’s no such project. (Project consultant) Dr Nik Zamri Majid approached (Deputy Chief Minister I) Datuk Mansor Othman who then arranged a meeting for him (Dr Nik Zamri) to meet me.
“He proposed this but I was surprised at the scale of the project. I told him that if it involves the Federal Government, they must get the approval of the Federal Government before we can even consider the project.
“Even if they have the approval from the Federal Government or non-governmental organisations (NGOs), this does not mean the state will automatically give approval. We reserve the right to make our own decisions,” he said yesterday when asked about a newspaper report on the project.
An English daily reported yesterday that the proposed development comprises electrical and electronics, oil and gas industries, tank farming, government administration offices, schools, hotels, residential areas, parks and an artificial beach - all to be built on stilts.
It quoted the proposal document titled ‘Proposed creation of offshore concrete structures for industrial development on the west coast of Penang island’ submitted by Al Cube Sdn Bhd, the local vehicle for a Malaysia-Hong Kong joint venture.
Lim said if the project consultants wanted to carry out an environment impact assessment or get views from NGOs which they had earlier, it would be on their own and under no obligation by the state.
“I don’t know why there are efforts to smear the state government’s name when we have not even considered the project. As far as the state is concerned, this project does not exist,” he said. - The Star
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