Media statement by Lim Guan Eng in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, 31^st July 2012: 

BN must not sign and conclude any agreement with Seaport Terminal (Johor) Sdn Bhd until after the next general elections 

BN must give assurances that it will not sign and conclude any agreement with Seaport Terminal (Johor) Sdn Bhd or Seaport until after the next general elections to let Penangites decide whether they agree with this privatisation or reject this piratisation of Penang Port to a BN crony. This follows the expose in the Malaysian Insider today that the BN Federal government is delaying selling the Penang Port to logistics tycoon Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary until after the general election due to fears that public opposition to the deal would cost BN votes.

The Penang state government opposes the privatisation of Penang Port for 5 principal reasons:-

a) No open competitive tender as only those invited were permitted to make a bid.

b) No repudiation by the Finance Minister or Transport Minister of Penang Port Commission Chairman Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek’s assertions that Penang Port will be a feeder port that will be secondary to Seaport’s two other ports in Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) and Pasir Gudang port;

c) No provision for implementing the RM 353 million dredging of the port channel to at least 15-17 meters immediately before the privatisation is completed;

d) No public consultation with the stakeholders in the shipping industry, the Penang state government and the people of Penang;

e) No disclosure of plans nor of amounts invested by Seaport how this privatisation of a public good(Pennag Port) can benefit Penangites and restore Penang Port into a world class regional commercial port.

These 5 NOs will be one of the main issues to be decided by Penangites in the next general elections whether the people support the privatisation or oppose the piratisation of a public good. Another reason the Federal Government must not sign any agreement with Seaport Johore Sdn Bhd, so that when PR takes Federal Government this is not a fait accompli that will embroil a PR government in legal battles to unwind the deal.

The BN Federal government must prove that they have the interest of the people of Penang at heart by carrying out dredging works now, where the RM353 million dredging costs must be borne by the Federal Government as promised in the 9th and 10th Malaysia Plan. In the democratic spirit, let the people of Penang decide in the next general elections whether they support or oppose the privatisation of Penang Port to Seaport as proposed by BN.

*Lim Guan Eng, Penang Chief Minister