The Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB) should know whom to refer in the matter relating to the wrong figures report, says Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

He said the container traffic figures he quoted in a press statement he issued on Tuesday was according to a report in July, quoting Transport Ministry's special maritime adviser Abdul Rahim Abd Aziz.

“If the PPSB is not happy with the figures, then I think they should take up the issue with Abdul Rahim as he was the one who prepared the report and it was never corrected publicly by him," he told reporters today.

Guan Eng was responding to a report today quoting PPSB managing director Ahmad Ibnihajar that the Penang Port operator had never recorded losses, particularly in container traffic volume, contrary to Guan Eng's statement.

Ahmad had said Guan Eng had quoted wrong figures in his press statement on Tuesday and that the statement would tarnish PPSB's image.

Asked whether he had referred to a wrong report when quoting container traffic figures in his press statement, Guan Eng said: "No, I issued the statement based on what was stated by the Transport Ministry.

“The figures have not been corrected by Abdul Rahim publicly until today. If there is anything wrong in the report, the person concerned should take the responsibility to correct it.

“If he (Abdul Rahim) did not make any clarification, it does not make any difference as he is the regulator from the Transport Ministry," he said.

SMS sent to clarify figures

However, after the statement appeared in the newspapers, Abdul Rahim sent a SMS message to the State Public Works, Utilities and Transportation Committee chairman Lim Hock Seng to clarify on the figures.

“Abdul Rahim had admitted in the SMS that his figures were wrong," he said, adding that by that time his statement had already been released to the media.

Guan Eng, in his statement, had stated that the Penang Port had recorded a shocking 24 percent drop in container traffic volume in the second quarter of this year but Ahmad clarified yesterday that PPSB recorded a 13 percent increase in twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) from 199,391 to 225,322 in the second quarter.

The chief minister also said the state government and the people would like to know the status of upgrading work of the Swettenham Pier.

He said the Penang Port Commission (PPC) had earlier promised that the project would be completed by this month.

“We want to know whether the project will be completed on time or if there was a delay, the PPC has to explain why the project was delayed again," he added.

- Bernama