Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has rubbished calls by BN to apologise for accusing the previous state government of being involved in a RM40 million land scandal.

pakatan pokok sena ceramah 140112 lim guan eng Lim said that "scandals are a BN culture" and the particular land scam happened in 2002, when the BN administration approved two parcels of private land for businessman Tan Hak Ju.

Tan, who purchased the plots in Seberang Perai for quarry work, later sued the state for cancelling the approval.

The cancellation followed the discovery that the plots had been in the names of two associations - Hock Teik Cheng Sin Temple and Persatuan Hokkien Hoay Kuan Province Wellesley - since July, 1969.

"When this mistake occurred it was a scam. How can you make a mistake where private land was given to Tan?" Lim queried in Penang today.

He pointed out that the state has the right to give out government land, but not private land. "How can they do it for Tan?" he asked.

Lim challenged Dr Teng Hock Nan, the state BN working committee chief, to sue him or the state for insisting that the matter was a scandal, if he was "courageous and brave enough".

Withdraw white paper demand

Yesterday, Teng had demanded an apology and retraction from Lim and the state government for their constant use of the word "scandal" to describe the sour land deal involving Tan.

His request came in the wake of a recent appeal court decision in Putrajaya that the state only has to compensate Tan with RM500,000 instead of RM40 million.

NONE Teng also demanded that the state withdraw a white paper presented at the state legislative assembly last year, where many paragraphs referred to the deal as a "scam".

The BN took offence as the issue has been "politicised and exploited" to the hilt by the state government to mislead the rakyat, and to tarnish and destroy the reputation of the previous administration "while the case was pending in court", added Teng.

Meanwhile, Lim said the scandal was only exposed after Pakatan Rakyat took over the state in 2008, while the BN covered it up, keeping the public in the dark about the issue.

He pointed out that the court decision was not final as the plaintiff was planning to appeal last Wednesday's decision.

"Teng has been living in the BN culture of scandals, so he does not understand. Does paying less compensation means a scam did not take place?" he queried.

Lim's parting shot was: "Teng or the previous state executive councillors have yet to apologise to Penangites for this land scandal. When will they do it?"