Penang Gerakan chief Teng Hock Nam has apologised for likening the soon-to-be constructed Penang International Convention Centre (sPICE) to an ‘old woman’ when developers hand it back to the state government in 30 years.

Teng, a former Kebun Bunga assemblyperson, said it was not his intention to insult women as suggested by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

He said that he was merely trying to use the analogy of how a woman would be disregarded after she had lived the best part of her life.

sPICE, a RM300 million mega-project, is a collaborative effort between the state government and private developers Eco Meridean Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of SP Setia Bhd.

The project is set to replace the ill-fated Penang International Convention Centre in Relau.

The package will include upgrading and refurbishment of the Penang International Sports Arena (Pisa) and the Aquatic Centre.

CM's smokescreen

Contacted by Malaysiakini today, Teng said that the state government merely has to look at the aging Pisa to imagine the state of sPICE when it is handed back to the state government.

Pisa is considered under-utilised, managed poorly and does not attract many interesting events annually.

Teng said that Lim’s attempt to demand for an apology and retraction over the ‘old woman’ remark as an attempt to shift public focus over the real issue surrounding sPICE.

“He wants to shift the focus of the real issue to that of me insulting all women,” he said.

“The question is, how can Lim arbitrarily and single-handedly, allow the developer to build 1,500 houses on any piece of land in Penang?” he queried.

Teng, a medical doctor, hit out at Lim for his ‘tactic’ of running his opponents down so that they would be afraid to speak up.

He said some young politicians do fall into Lim’s trap as he often countered them aggressively and overwhelmed them until they withdraw from challenging him.

Lim: How old is Teng?

Regardless, Teng said he was sorry and withdraws the remark, which was widely report by the Chinese newspapers.

At a press conference yesterday, Lim said Teng’s comment an “insult to all women”, and demanded that the former state exco apologise publicly.

“Don’t look down on women...if Teng wants to insult me or the state government, he can do so.

“He likened the building to an old woman...why does he not liken it to an old man like himself?” Lim quipped.

“Is it because he does not want (the comment of an old man) to fall back on him?” he joked at Teng, who is now 65 years of age.

Lim explained that the convention centre was necessary for Penang, while it would cost the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) only about RM11 million under the deal with the developers.

He added it would save the state RM50 million on future upgrading work and renovation for Pisa and the aquatic centre, as the amount would be raised from leasing out three acres of the site for 99 years for a 300-room hotel.