Consortium Zenith-BUCG (CZBUCG), the firm awarded the concession to build the Penang undersea tunnel, has filed a legal suit against Penang Gerakan Youth acting chief Jason Loo in the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.

“This is what I am getting, after all. CAT is dead. CAT is totally dead. CAT is completely dead,” Loo said at a press conference in Penang today, after announcing the suit against him to the media.

“I said it three times because it is so important to know that the CAT (competency, accountability and transparency) slogan of the state government is meaningless and hopeless now.

“The state government of today chooses to stand with its cronies’ companies or developers, but not to walk with the Penangites,” Loo said.

“Where are you, the DAP-led state government, when your developers take action against the rakyat?”

CZBUCG is suing Loo for his June 23 statement, in which it said Loo had recklessly accused the firm of making “unwarranted profits out of the feasibility study, detailed design and three highways for the undersea tunnel”.

Loo had refused to apologise and retract his remarks and to publish an announcement in all the media he would not utter or repeat the so-called defamatory words.

He recalled that in only eight years since DAP led the state, NGO activists, opposition members and even journalists had legal suits slapped on them.

He claimed that the people could not share opposing views against the state government or anybody.

“Look at the ‘botak’ (bald) hill incident when the company responsible - General Accomplishment Sdn Bhd - sued DAP Tanjong assemblyman Teh Yee Cheu. Where was the state government?” he asked.

“Look at the current undersea tunnel incident. Where are you, DAP state government? What is your stand? Support the developers who sue your people who ask questions for public interest?" he asked.

Loo vowed to fight the suit “all the way” and insisted he was doing the right thing.

He said Penang Gerakan Youth members were always vocal in check-and-balance of the state government and that they would always prioritise public interest.