Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has refuted allegations of corruption related to the sale of his house on Jalan Pinhorn to the 2012 sale of a state government piece of land in Taman Manggis to private developers who want to build a private hospital.

He was referring to the allegations made by Umno’s Tasek Gelugor MP Shabudin Yahya in Parliament yesterday, where the latter claimed that the Taman Manggis land was meant for low-cost housing.

Lim said Shabudin had implied that the low price of his house was part of a kickback.

The Bagan MP had purchased the house on Jalan Pinhorn last year for RM2.8 million from a private individual. He took a RM2.1 million loan, and paid RM700,000 in cash.

Lim said the RM700,000 in cash was from the money he received as chief minister and elected representatives since 2008.

“This is not the first time that such a false allegation of corruption relating to the Taman Manggis land has been made,” Lim said during a press conference in Komtar today.

He recalled that former Penang Umno Youth Chief Shaik Hussein Mydin on Aug 19, 2015 had withdrawn his offending statements and verbally apologised to Lim twice in the Penang High Court Judge’s chambers after he sued Shaik Hussein for defamation.

“It is untrue to link my house purchase in 2015 to the 2012 sale of government land in Taman Manggis, when the sale of government land was conducted by open competitive tender,” Lim explained.

“Is there anything wrong in selling the land to the highest bidder?” he asked.

“The private developer who won the bid by open competitive tender, won because it gave the best and highest price,” Lim said.

“The seller of my house was not involved in the company that won the bid for the land and is not a director or shareholder of the company,” Lim added.

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

No knowledge land earmarked for low-cost housing

Lim said the state government has no knowledge that the Taman Manggis land was earmarked for low-cost housing.

To encourage medical tourism, the state government decided to offer the land for a specialist hospital, he added.

Lim said the allegations by BN of the Taman Manggis land issue is an “old lie “ played up before the 2013 general elections.

“Implying corruption without any basis, truth or facts is character assassination to destroy me politically by trying to equate me with BN,” Lim said.

“As long as Shabudin restricts his comments to within the walls of Parliament, he enjoys parliamentary immunity from legal defamation,” Lim added.

“As Perda chairperson, Shabudin should seek truth from facts to show proof that I am corrupt,” he stressed.

Earlier, Lim had invited Shabudin to a one-to-one meeting in Komtar on Sunday, 11am, so that both politicians can “seek truth to facts” about the claims in Parliament.