Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has expressed unhappiness over the delay in completing the state's new syariah court building.

The RM28 million federal project was supposed to be completed in October 2014, he said.

"Due to various reasons, the project has been delayed, and we have expressed our dissatisfaction with this many times," Lim said during his site visit to the building on Jalan Scotland.

"The project sits on prime land provided by the state and we were hoping that it could be completed soon," he added.

"This project reflects the pride of the state. We provided this prime land for the project as we feel it is in line with its stature."

According to Lim, the current value of the 2.93 acre of land is RM82 million.

Accompanying Lim at the site were State Secretary Farizan Darus, Deputy Chief Minister I Rashid Hasnon, Penang executive councillor on Islamic Affairs Abdul Malik Kassim and state  exco member for public works, utilities and transportation Lim Hock Seng.

'The contractor had problems'

Several Public Works Department officers briefed the group on the latest development of the project.

Asked for the cause of the 21-month delay, a JKR officer said "the contractor had management and financial problems".

Asked if the Kedah-based federal government-appointed contractor was penalised for the delay, the officer said the firm was slapped with "RM2.2 million in liquidated damages".

Lim said the construction of the syariah court building, which began in 2012, would now be completed on June 30, hopefully before the Aidilfitri celebrations on July 6.

He addded that the project is sited in a strategic location and its unfinished state could be viewed by all.

"We sympathise with the syariah court.

"We do not know how to answer to the public for this delay. Everyone is not happy about it including the syariah court judges, the state government and Governor Abdul Rahman Abbas," Lim added.