The Penang Port Commission (PPC) can be evicted from Swettenham Pier when its lease expires next year as it does not own the land and sea area it sits on, says Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

NONE "We can evict the PPC if we so wish, but we are not that unreasonable. We prefer collaboration, not confrontation," Lim said after a press conference held on the issue in Komtar.

"We want a world class infrastructure, not a third world rag," he said, referring to another project of the PPC, the Tanjung City Marina, which he described as "badly managed".

The RM44 million marina - part of a RM210 million project to rehabilitate the George Town waterfront, is located next to the Church Street Pier and is currently managed by Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB).

PPSB is chaired by Hilmi Yahya, a former Penang deputy chief minister.

Land for pier approved by BN

Lim said this in response to former PPC chairman Tan Cheng Liang condemning him for not issuing the land title for the marina, resulting in the PPC not obtaining the occupancy certificate.

"We applied for the land title in 2006 and it was approved by the BN. In 2007, we asked for discount on the land premium, but in 2008, the approval was cancelled.

NONE "In 2009, we applied again and has received no reply from the state government until today," Tan ( left ) told a press conference earlier today.

"The building is safe. The PPC office is there, and there is nothing wrong with it. It is perfectly safe. But we cannot obtain the OC without the land title," she lamented.

"If CM is serious about the project, the state should issue the land title so we can obtain the OC."

Lim also said the PPC had not sought any views from the state on the development of the marina, adding that there had already been complaints from the operators.

He added that Tan, who is state Wanita MCA chief, and her party merely wanted to "quarrel" with the state government.

Lim admitted that the PPC had paid its premium, amounting to about RM15 million for a 60-years lease, to the state.

"But we returned the money. Even if it is paid in full, as long as the title is not issued, we still own the land.

"We want a say in how the Swettenham Pier progresses as whatever is on land or sea technically belongs to us if we own the land title," he added.

Lim: The marina is ‘kaput'

Lim also said the state does not want Swettenham Pier to be as badly managed as the Tanjung City Marina, another project under the PPC, whose current chairman is MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek.

The marina is on PPC or federal government land, and the state cannot do anything about the poor development of the area, added Lim.

"That is why we refunded the premium and do not want to surrender the land title for the pier to PPC. That is our residual powers to protect the residual interest of the people to make sure Swettenham Pier is properly managed," said Lim.

"The main issue here is the marina. Tan should address this and not try to divert attention to the pier. The marina has been abandoned, kaput ," he added.

"Is this the way MCA or the BN administer their projects? Then how are they going to administer the country?"

During the press conference held with Tan, Tanjung City Marina general manager Noor Ariff Yusoff said the area had been damaged by storms since 2009, adding that it was poorly managed by PPSB.