Questions asked: The property on Peel Avenue in Penang, which was transferred from CMI to Island Hospital.
GEORGE TOWN: The state Gerakan is calling for a full disclosure of all state assets transferred to the Penang Chief Minister Incorporated (CMI).
Its vice-chairman Lee Boon Ten said the state government should reveal such details following the recent Peel Avenue land transfer from CMI to Island Hospital.
“In the previous government, all sale of state land went through the state executive council for approval. Who are in the CMI committee or board?” Lee said at its headquarters here yesterday.
The 2.6ha state land was transferred to CMI before the 99-year lease on it was granted to Island Hospital. CMI is the state investment arm set up in 2009 to manage assets and properties belonging to the state government.
At another press conference in Komtar, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng gave the assurance that the leased land for the proposed RM2bil medical city investment by Island Hospital was decided by the state executive council.
Lim also challenged Penang Gerakan acting Youth chief Jason Loo to show proof that the land deal had been solely decided by himself via CMI.
On Tuesday, Loo had called for the state government to explain why the land was transferred to CMI prior to the leasing, saying that this meant that matters over state assets could be solely decided by the Chief Minister.
CMI, said Lim, was a holding company for the state government to conduct transactions with private companies.
“The state government cannot do this type of commercial contracts. So, you have to have a separate body to enter into these kind of contracts.”
The land that was leased for RM156mil without public announcement continues to attract concern.
Citizens Awareness Chant Group adviser Yan Lee, who had revealed the lease in early May, repeated his call for public consultation on the development plans.
Penang Gerakan treasurer Ng Fook On questioned if the project could really be categorised as foreign direct investment (FDI).
“We never heard of any plan to rezone the Peel Avenue land into medical city under an FDI initiative. So, how can it be treated as an FDI project?” Ng said.
