Is Teng Chang Yeow bold enough to resign as Penang BN Chairman if he is unable to prove his malicious allegation?

Penang Barisan Nasional chairman Teng Chang Yeow is quoted in the newspapers as questioning why there appears to be contradictory statements from the Penang and Kedah state governments regarding a raw water supply deal. Kedah had approved a budget in the State Assembly recently that Kedah will earn increased revenues from Penang paying Kedah for water drawn from the Sungai Muda River even though there was no written document agreeing to such a deal.

Both Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and Perbadanan Bekalan Air Pulau Pinang (PBAPP) General Manager Jaseni Madinsa had denied discussing with or agreeing to pay Kedah for water drawn from the Sungai Muda River. Teng said that he is inclined to trust Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak on the matter, hence implying that Lim am lying and trying to mislead the public. This is a serious and slanderous accusation against Lim based purely on lies.

Can Teng prove his allegations with any document or letter from the Penang state government agreeing to pay Kedah? Will Teng be bold enough to resign as Penang BN chairman if he is unable to prove his malicious allegations that the Penang state government had agreed to a raw water supply deal with Kedah to pay for water drawn from the Sungai Muda River.

If Teng can prove his allegations, I am willing to resign as EXCO member to take full responsibility. There is no truth in such an allegation by Teng as no agreement or document whatsoever has ever been signed to that effect. Neither has any announcement been made by the Penang state government nor the payment included in the Penang state budget approved last month in November as is required procedure.

Lim Guan Eng had even telephoned Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak who confirmed that there was no such written document from Penang state government agreeing to such a deal. As to why the Kedah state government included that revenue in their budget when there was no agreement from Penang, that is for the Kedah state government to answer. Unlike Teng, we do not try to put words into other people’s mouths.

Teng’s integrity is now at stake – can he prove with a written document from Penang state government agreeing to pay Kedah. If he can, I shall resign. If Teng cannot the honourable thing for him to do is to resign and bear full responsibility for trying to win the next general elections in such a dishonest manner.

Lim Hock Seng Penang State EXCO Member For Public Works & SA for Bagan Jermal