The former Penang State Development Office in Komtar, which overlooks the city and the channel that divides the island and the mainland, is a picture of calm and peace.

However, behind the walls, the office on the 45th floor tells a different story - one of dirt, mess and abandonment.

former office of penang state development officer SDO 2 Uncollected garbage, plastered ceilings and walls stripped apart, wires hanging loose and abandoned broken furniture paint a glum and gloomy picture.

Komtar assemblyperson Ng Wei Aik ( left ) claimed that the office formerly occupied by SDO Nik Ali Mat Yunus has been like a garbage dump despite RM450,000 of the rakyat's money spent on renovations.

Nik Ali had ruffled feathers in Komtar recently when he called Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng biadap for labelling him a ‘little Napolean' over several issues related to state-federal relations.

former office of penang state development officer SDO 3 At a press conference within the confines of the messy office today, Ng demanded an explanation as to what Nik Ali intended to do with the space after leaving it for another building.

Nik Ali and his office staff reportedly left Komtar for the Federal Government office, a huge multi-storey office building on Jalan Anson, after March 2008.

Ng, who is state DAP Youth secretary, said Nik Ali had "wasted public funds" by spending RM450,000 on renovation when he did not intend to use the place.

"We want to expand the state secretariat but it seems we need to spend a lot of money to re-organise this place, which Nik Ali has left in a mess," he told reporters.

former office of penang state development officer SDO 4 "We are still estimating the cost, but we suspect it will be a lot. We are hoping the SDO can compensate us as per the tenancy agreement.

"However, compensation also means using the people's money, so we would like to hear from him what he intends to do with the empty space," Ng said.

The office, about 12,000sq ft in area, was leased to the SDO by the Penang Development Corporation for about RM15,000 per month.

"This office would have been a very beautiful and luxurious office but it now seems like it was something that once looked like heaven but has turned to hell," he said.

'He didn't do all these'

Meanwhile, Malaysiakini failed to obtain a comment from Nik Ali despite repeated calls and text messages to the embattled officer.

 

former office of penang state development officer SDO 5 It is learnt that Nik Ali has been avoiding calls from the media since he last spoke at a press conference called by Umno state secretary and opposition leader Azhar Ibrahim.

 

former office of penang state development officer SDO 5When contacted, Pulau Betong assemblyperson Muhammad Farid Saad, who has stood steadfastly behind Nik Ali during the recent fiasco with Lim, asked why was the DAP still targetting the SDO when the 'facts are not clear'.

 

He added that the matter highlighted this morning by Ng, who is political secretary to the chief minister, had nothing to do with Nik Ali.

 

"As far as I know, Nik Ali did not do any of these (leave the former SDO office in a mess). Please let me check the facts and I will get back to you," he said.