Guan Eng wants proof of allegations at one-to-one meet with Shabudin

(The Star) – Lim Guan Eng has denied that the purchase of his RM2.8mil house is linked to the sale of state government land in Taman Manggis, and wants to see any proof otherwise.

The Penang Chief Minister also said he wanted a one-to-one meeting with Datuk Shabudin Yahaya at his office in Komtar at 11am Sunday to see any evidence backing his allegations.

“I will be alone. I hope that he can show evidence of his allegations made in Parliament.

“Let us talk about facts and figures. I have nothing to hide,” he said during a press conference at Komtar Friday.

Lim said Shabudin had implied that the low price of his house was a kickback for the sale of state government land in 2012.

“The private developer won the bid by open competitive tender because it gave the best and highest price.

“The seller of my house was not involved in the company that won the bid.

“Furthermore, the state tender committee is not chaired by me but by the Penang state secretary,” said Lim.

Lim added that the purchase of his double-storey bungalow in Pinhorn Road last year was an arms-length transaction between himself and the seller.

“The seller is a private individual through sub-sale and it is up to both sides to decide what is the right price,” he said.

In Parliament Thursday, Datuk Shabudin Yahaya (BN-Tasek Gelugor) had questioned the purchase of the house in Jalan Pinhorn last year, which he claimed Lim paid RM2.8mil for.

He alleged that the house had an actual value of RM6mil.

Shabudin claimed that the owner of the house was linked to a shareholder of Kuala Lumpur International Dental Centre Sdn Bhd (KLIDC), who had purchased a 0.45ha plot of land at RM11mil meant for low-cost housing in 2012.

KLIDC had proposed to build a specialist clinic centre and hotel on the land. The Taman Manggis land was allocated for a 270-unit affordable homes project, which was to be rented to the poor at RM100 a month.