Penang Gerakan key spokesperson Ooi Zhi Yi has questioned the discrepancy in figures provided by the state government relating to the size of the land reclamation involving the Seri Tanjung Project II.

Ooi said in the last November sitting of the Penang Legislative Assembly, state executive councillor for public works, utilities and transportation Lim Hock Seng stated that the size of the reclamation was 850 acres.

"Where has the other 41 acres gone to? Why is the size 850 acres and not 891 acres as previously mentioned by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng?" Ooi asked at a press conference today.

"Forty-one acres is a huge size and is equivalent to the size of 656 tennis courts," he added.

Ooi said the Penang Legislative Assembly is a "prestigious body" that passes legislation, bills and decisions by the state government.

"Whatever information that are debated and passed in the Dewan Negeri are official matters," Ooi added.

The project, carried out by property developer Eastern & Oriental Bhd, had been strongly opposed by NGOs as it involved the creation of two artificial islands, which might pose a risk to the island's environment.

Ooi said on May 25, during the state assembly sitting, Guan Eng had issued a written reply to Yap Soo Huey (DAP-Pulau Tikus) that the State Planning Committee had approved the reclamation of 130.09 acres on Gurney Drive and 760 acres of man-made island.

According to Lim's statement, the total area for reclamation was 890.09 acres.

Ooi said this figure did not differ much from the official statement released by E&O Bhd on Oct 28 last year.

The firm had then said that Phase 2A of the STP2 measured approximately about 384 acres while Phase 2B and 2C was 507 acres, which totalled 890 acres.

Explain flip-flop decision

Ooi said in June, Hock Seng claimed the state government had fixed the value of the land involving the Seri Tanjung Project at RM1,300 per square feet (psf).

"Priced at RM1,300psf, 41 acres of land would be worth RM2.322 billion. This is a huge figure and the state cannot afford to make such a big mistake," he said.

"Hock Seng must explain the difference in figures in the reclamation area mentioned by him, which differs from the figure mentioned by Guan Eng and E&O Bhd," he added.

"Please explain the flip-flop decision of the state government."

Ooi said if Hock Seng or Guan Eng had made a mistake, it would be "shameful" because the issue is huge and has been widely publicised.

"Such a mistake should not happen and if it did, it proves the incompetency of the one making it," Ooi said.