I am perplexed by the claim of the chief minister of Penang in his statement yesterday that the amount of RM100.27 million Penang state operating budget came from me.

I would like to stress that the amount of RM100.27 million Penang state operating budget was highlighted by the chief minister himself in his press conference on April 29, 2015. It was also highlighted in Buletin Mutiara facebook, a social media platform of the Penang state government.

It was Penang state BN that criticised him for not knowing his own operating budget of RM887 million as approved by the state assembly last year. Instead of admitting mistake, he chose to put the blame on me. In this case, he was caught with his pant down lying, by simply plugging a figure just to ride on the dissatisfaction of the people on the Goods and Services Tax (GST) during the Permatang Pauh by-election.

On his remark that I resort to despicable personal attacks, I would like to state here that I’m prepared to withdraw those remarks calling him ‘half past six accountant’, provided that he apologises and withdraws his despicable personal attacks by calling ‘bohood’ on Dr Koh Tsu Koon in 2008, ‘dirty old man’ (in Chinese media) on Dr Teng Hock Nan in 2009, and ‘racist grandmother’ on Jahara Hamid in 2014.

I don’t think the words I used on him were far more despicable than the words he used to attack those individuals.

I would like to also state here that the culture of personal attack started from his father, Lim Kit Siang in the Penang state assembly from 1990-1995. The Hansard (official record) of the state assembly will provide ample evidence and examples of the words his father had used, which the chief minister now describes as despicable personal attacks. Would he also criticise his father for resorting to such despicable personal attacks?

As the chairperson of Penang state BN, I would like to stress that I am for a healthy political culture. Twisting and spinning facts, pushing blame and name callings have never been our practice.

TENG CHANG YEOW is Penang BN state chairperson.