Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng today dismissed as "definitely inaccurate and malicious" recent statement by a pro-Umno portal that DAP has also been selling land to foreigners.

He said every state in Malaysia is actively stepping up their efforts to garner more investors into their respective state.

"Penang is no different and the state government's efforts via Invest Penang is to also promote the state as the investment site for foreign direct investments," Lim said after attending Penang Development Corporation's Christmas and New Year do.

He said the recent investment by US-based Jabil Circuit and Singapore' Temasek Holdings are "strategic projects" to promote high technology manufacturing and knowledge-based activities.

He added that this was in line with the state government's policy to move up the value chain and create high-income jobs in manufacturing and services sector.

"Getting investment to create jobs is not a real estate play, unlike 1MDB, where land was sold to the company below market price.

"If investment by Jabil is not allowed, all Free Industrial Zones in Kulim and Iskandar should be closed down because they do the same thing in getting FDI.

"Since Jabil's investment is part of Mida's (Malaysian Investment Development Authority) promoted industry, it is only right that Mida also shuts down its promotional activities and promotions," Lim said.

He said the portal's criticism against the Penang administration has backfired as it was also against Putrajaya's investment policies.

"This is the era to spread the politics of hate against the DAP.

"But they (Umno) forget by doing this, they appear like fools as they are criticising their own government policies," Lim said.

Portal defended Putrajaya

Everything seems to be a problem for his opponents, Lim said.

"We are scolded when we do not have enough investment, but when investment comes in, we are scolded as well," he added.

Lim was asked to clarify recent criticisms in MyKMU that the DAP-led Penang government, too, had sold local land to foreigners.

The pro-Umno portal was referring to attacks by the opposition, including DAP leaders, that Putrajaya's sale of Bandar Malaysia was a case of "selling-out to China".

They cited 1MDB's sale of a 60 percent stake in the 486-acre Bandar Malaysia project to a joint venture between the China Railway Engineering Corp (CREC) and local group Iskandar Waterfront Holdings (IWH).

According to MyKMU, Penang sold 20 acres of land worth RM30 million to Jabil Circuit Singapore Pte Ltd, a company owned by the US in May last year.

In July 2015, MyKMU claimed that Penang granted a 49 percent ownership of a 6.8 acre project in Penang worth RM11.3 billion to Temasek Holding and Edis which is 100 percent-owned by the Singapore government.

The portal defended Putrajaya, saying that the Chinese company will only control 24 percent of Bandar Malaysia, while Johor-based IWH and 1MDB will still control the remaining 76 percent of the project.

Jabil, which started its operations in Penang in 1995, has secured approval from the Penang government to purchase 20 acres of land in the Batu Kawan industrial park.

The new project will create employment for 2,500 people.

Temasek-BPO Prime is a strategic project by the state to further growth and development of the services sector in Penang, and is expected to help create about 4,000 jobs.

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