Penang Barisan Nasional has described Lim Guan Eng as a chief minister without direction.

The accusation came about as the ppposition coalition wants Lim to reveal the state’s masterplan for economic transformation as soon as possible.

NONE BN coordinator for Machang Bubuk, Ooi Suan Hoe, said Lim should fix the plan for Penang and declare it to the people as the matter is long overdue.

He added that the plan should be managed by objective and should include the number and amount of foreign direct or local investors targetted.

It must also include the plan to upgrade the state’s infrastructure, and to install a watchdog system to monitor the various ongoing development, stressed Ooi.

‘CM has no plans’

Ooi then launched into a comparison between the last three chief ministers of Penang, starting with the late Dr Lim Chong Eu who is known as the founder of the Free Trade Zone and master of Penang development.

Chong Eu, who passed away last year, was well known for transforming Penang from an agricultural to an industrial state, he said.

Former CM Koh Tsu Koon further expanded Penang from a free trade zone with labour intensive industries to focus more on research and development, he added.

Koh, who is Gerakan president, brought in the world’s latest high-technology state of the art in manufacturing and designing to Penang, and established thousands of small and medium size enterprises (SMEs), he stressed.

“However, our current CM has yet to find his direction, target and plan... he is still without a blueprint to position Penang into the new era of industrialisation,” said Ooi at a press conference at the state legislative assembly today.

Najib’s Greater Penang Masterplan

Last year, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak announced a proposal to co-develop a Greater Penang Masterplan with the state government.

In response, Lim had said, “To prove our sincerity and commitment to the PM’s offer, the state government is willing to set aside our completed Penang Blueprint and Industrial Masterplan for 2011-2015, in favour of the Greater Penang Masterplan”.

Lim also welcomed the RM17.9 billion earmarked under the 10th Malaysia Plan but expressed hopes that further details can be provided.

Ooi insisted that Lim publicise his blueprint anyway, saying, “He should not always depend on Putrajaya”.

He accused Lim of committing several blunders to tarnish the good name of Penang, for example, refusing an investment worth billions of ringgit due to the company’s demand for 1,000 engineers, which the state was unable to provide.

The other blunders, according to Ooi, include giving wrong information about Blackberry opening a manufacturing plant in Penang, and his recent ‘bad-mouthing’ of Johor.

Ooi said the state government also pays scant attention to development of SMEs, which is very important in promoting local branding, improving and strengthening local know-how and increasing the number of local entrepreneurs.

“The CAT government has totally failed in its very own slogan of competency, accountability and transparency,” he added.