A state Gerakan leader has refuted Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s statement that “Penang is the only place where there is freedom of speech and after speech in Malaysia”.

Lim made this in a press statement on July 8, where he also retracted parts of his speech made last week, in which he called on think-tank Penang Institute not to "bite the hand that feeds you”.

Today, Penang Gerakan’s acting Youth chief Jason Loo asked, “where is my freedom to speak?” and pointed to a legal notice from the contractor of the undersea tunnel, Consortium Zenith-BUCG (CZBUCG), issued to him.

“This is obviously an attempt to shut my mouth on the undersea tunnel project and issues that I have been harping on. I had been asking constructive questions but was instead slapped with a legal notice,” Loo said at a press conference in George Town today.

“Penang citizens can easily get sued, even though you ask constructive questions involving public interest,” he said.

“If Penang is the only place where there is freedom before and after speech, can the chief minister stand with the rakyat and get CZBUCG to withdraw its allegations against me, which are unjustified?” Loo asked.

To drive home his point of not having any freedom after speech, Loo held his press conference at the Speakers Corner at the Esplanade.

The Penang government had proudly opened the Speakers Corner in May 2010, saying it was the first administration to make such a move in honour of freedom of speech.

“Today, I want to tell the state government, the chief minister and state executive councillor Lim Hock Seng and all other state executive councillors that I will not bow down to such threats,” Loo said.

Hock Seng is the executive councillor for public works, utility and transport, and is the person in charge of the RM6.3-billion project including a tunnel which links Gurney Drive to Butterworth and three highways on the island.

“I want to tell the state government to live up to its motto of competency, accountability and transparency (CAT) to the people and not to developers,” said Loo.

“I will not bow down to any threats as long as the issues I am harping on benefit Penangites.”

Loo received the letter of demand from CZBUCG on July 2, where he is accused of issuing defamatory statements against the firm related to the construction of the tunnel.

CZBUCG is suing Loo based on his statement on June 23, where he had allegedly, “without basis and proof insinuated”, said the firm had pocketed and siphoned RM215 million.

CZBUCG said Loo has recklessly accused the firm of making “unwarranted profits out of the feasibility study, detailed design and three highways for the undersea tunnel”.

CZBUCG wants Loo to apologise and retract his remarks in 72 hours from the date of the letter and in seven days, to publish an announcement in all media not to utter or repeat the so-called defamatory words.

Loo has submitted his reply to CZBUCG, denying its claims and has refused to apologise for his remarks, saying: “I will see them in court.”