Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said his administration merely cut down trees and did not wipe out an entire forest to make way for public projects.

He said his administration was made to look like it committed murder or stole RM2.6 billion for its decision to sacrifice the trees for the road project.

Responding to critics who opposed the cutting down of trees to make way for the road widening project on Jalan Masjid Negeri, Lim said the trees would be replanted.

When the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) widened the roads leading to the Udini roundabout, the outcome was better traffic flow, he said.

“The project costs only RM7 million, not RM2.6 billion,” Lim quipped, taking a shot at Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, who continues to be slammed for a donation of RM2.6 billion put into in his private bank accounts before the 2013 general election.

“For the project, 40 trees were relocated but people also protested. People can protest anytime. They did it even during my Chinese New Year open house on Feb 8,” Lim added.

“But unlike other states, we only cut down trees, we did not cut down the whole forest.

"We replant, but in other states the entire forest is cleared but no one protested,” Lim lamented in his speech at a Chinese New Year celebration in Seri Delima, Penang, last night.

“When we cut down one tree, much noise can be heard because it happened in Penang. When a tree is cut down, the whole country is up in arms,” said Lim, who is DAP secretary-general.

He did not mention any state, but Kelantan, ruled by the DAP's recent critic, PAS, suffered massive floods in 2014, which is believed to be due to excessive logging activities in the state.

Lim was responding to environmental activists, led by the Consumers Association of Penang, who held a rally on Tuesday urging the state to halt the road-widening project to save the trees lined along the road.

Lim claimed that TV3, in its coverage of the event, “lied about and slandered” the state government by saying it would be cutting down many centuries-old trees along Jalan Masjid Negeri.

He said MBPP would be replanting 60 trees, which had to make way for the road-widening project.

It is learnt that the number of trees to be uprooted has been reduced to 18, from 33.

“Do you agree?” he asked as the crowd replied “Yes!”.

“Did the previous government do this?” he queried and they replied “No!”.

Lim said there was a difference in governing style between the past (BN) and present (DAP-led) state governments.

“ If we have the money, we give it back to the people, in terms of cash awards - RM100 for senior citizens or RM1,000 for those entering universities - or we build roads.”

Traffic congestion

Lim also said the state government had focused on restoring cleanliness and public safety since the opposition pact - then named Pakatan Rakyat - took over Penang in 2008.

However, the administration was still unable to fully resolve the state’s well-known traffic congestion.

He said this could not be resolved totally because the state was growing in terms of population, investors and tourists.

In the last eight years, Penang has won many awards, from having the best food to the best art, and recently, it was voted the sixth best place in the world to retire in, Lim noted.

He said the state government took the initiative to draw up a Transport Master Plan (TMP) to address the state’s traffic woes by proposing highways and several modes of public tranport, including an LRT system.

The RM27 billion TMP is being criticised for proposing some 4,100 acres for reclamation along the southern coast of the island, which may affect the livelihood of 900 fisherfolk in 10 villages.

Lim said it would take about 10 years (or up to 2025) to complete the LRT, which is funded by the state and not by the federal government.

He gave his assurance to the gathering that even though reclamation projects are part of the TMP, the state was carrying out the plan for the benefit of future generations.

“We cannot do nothing, we have to carry out short- and medium-term plans to widen the roads, for example, to resolve traffic congestion. Is this wrong?” he asked.

“Some media, like TV3, said it was wrong, as if we have committed murder or stole RM2.6 billion. We work hard but our income is taxed every month,” he said.

“Is it fair?” he asked, to which the crowd replied, “No!”.

“So what to do?” Lim queried, the crowd answered “Let him fall!”