Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng today warned that the Penang state government might not approve a land swap project mooted by the federal government regarding a Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) base in Butterworth.

Lim said in a press conference at Parliament house today that the federal government has moved to privatise a 1,007 acre land area initially allocated for an RMAF base for a RM10 billion project in a land swap deal which will see the private companies build an RMAF base at a yet to be determined location.

“If this is not in the public interest, we might not approve it,” Lim said.

“What is the national interest through this project?” he said, noting that the overall project costs RM13 billion, including RM3 billion to relocate the RMAF base.

He said that Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein should explain on the matter as soon as possible.

He also said that the Penang state government was completely in the dark about the land swap deal and only knew about it in January this year.

“The irony here is that the Tasek Gelugor Umno has also complained about this. How do they not know about this deal? They should have better knowledge,” he said.