Penang BN has criticised Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng for using outdated figures on investment in the state when the latest information shows that the state’s foreign direct investment (FDI) has dropped sharply, by 82 percent since 2010.

State BN chief Teng Chang Yeow said the state’s FDI figures revealed by Lim were only those up to August 2013.

Teng ( right ) said the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida) has already released the statistics for the whole of 2013 in its website.

Based on figures from the Mida website, Penang’s FDI fell sharply from 2010 to 2013, from RM10.4 billion to RM1.7 billion, a drop of almost 82 percent, Teng pointed out.

“It is very clear now that the state administration, in its attempt to paint a rosy picture of the investment scenario in Penang, claimed that the state is top in FDI in the whole nation,” Teng said.

“However, Lim used figures up to August 2013,when the full year figures can easily be obtained from Mida's website now,” he added. "This is not only misleading but truly out to bluff the people."

Lim had used FDI figures from 2010 to August last year, claiming that Penang’s total FDI was RM19.7 billion, or nearly 20 percent of Malaysia’s total FDI, to argue why the Penang International Airport should be upgraded to cater for the increase in cargo needs.

He said so in response to Kedah Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir's proposal to the federal government to build a new international airport in Kulim, Kedah.

"You cannot only look at one year. From 2010 to 2013, we are number one. Teng is using the latest figures for the end of 2013, where Johor’s is more than Penang. Is Kedah in the picture  at all (to justify need for a new airport)?" Lim had asked at a press conference on Sunday.

"I was using figures given in Parliament by Prime Minister Najib Razak himself,” Lim added. “Is Teng now saying now that the prime minister lied?”