Figures from the Department of Statistics Malaysia had confirmed that Penang's economic growth performance was better under current administration, claimed Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

Lim's claims was based on the department's figures and Penang Institute's calculations on "change in GDP per capita by state".

He said that the data had shown that Penang recorded the lowest growth in 2007 - when BN was still in power - among all states in Malaysia before climbing to the top spot in 2014 and 2015.

He also expressed disappointment that BN was in denial about the state's economic performance in 2007.

"BN is also in denial over the Pakatan government's success over a painful eight year period to transform Penang into a national champion by 2015," said Guan Eng during a press conference in Penang today.

Penang Institute CEO Lim Kim Hwa, who possesses a doctorate in economics from Cambridge University, echoed Guan Eng's claim during the press conference. Similar sentiments were expressed by Serdang MP Ong Kian Ming in an article today.

Guan Eng was responding to claims by Penang BN chairperson Teng Chang Yeow and Simpang Rengam MP Liang Teck Meng that the Penang's economic performance was the poorest of all states between 2008 and 2015.

The chief minister also questioned if Teng and Liang qualified to make such allegations when they were not trained in economics while Kim Hwa and Ong were.

Lim said Penang Pakatan Harapan had "turned deficits to surpluses, bottom states to national champions, high to low debts" due to proper governance.

On Sunday, Teng had claimed that Guan Eng had lied about Penang being ranked the highest in terms of per capita GDP according to state for the 2014 to 2015 period

Teng also claimed that Penang's best ever performance was in 1994 - a rate of 14.1 percent - which exceeded the national rate at the time.

"The Penang GDP clearly showed a drop during the administration of the Pakatan Harapan government, and was worse than the national growth rate," he was quoted as saying by Bernama.