Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai denied he abused his power to meet China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) to clear the air on the Penang undersea tunnel project.

This comes after Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng accused Liow of abusing his power to meet the Chinese firm during a visit to Beijing last Monday.

“I am very sincere in my approach, especially when I asked CRCC's involvement in the tunnel. As you know, CRCC has other services in Malaysia, especially in railway track construction. They are also a contractor in some works.

“It is my concern to know whether they are performing or not performing… that's why we did when we had the chance to meet the CRCC leadership in China. They said they don't have any share in the (undersea tunnel) company. They are only the contractor.

“I have to answer the truth. I don't see any abuse of power. Lim Guan Eng is in the mess himself.

“We expose the matter and he can't answer. My word (to Lim) is very easy: you just answer Wee Ka Siong's question,” Liow said at a press conference in the MCA headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today.

The MCA president also chided Lim, saying he was “triggered” due to his inability to answer questions raised on the undersea tunnel project.

“I think Lim Guan Eng is triggered as he can't answer. We expose the truth, which he could not answer and then he passed the buck to others.”

Minister and MCA deputy president Wee (photo), who has been pursuing the matter and who was also present at the press conference, said Lim does not dare to debate on Penang undersea tunnel.

Wee said: “There is a journalist who asked me, ‘you have been fighting with Lim for so long, are you interested to debate?’ I said, I never thought to debate with him as I don't think he will.

“He will turn the focus away and talk other things to avoid the debate.”

On Tuesday, Liow issued a statement confirming that CRCC was never a shareholder in the undersea tunnel project's special purpose vehicle (SPV) as claimed by some detractors, and confirmed that the firm is the project's main contractor.

Liow's statement came after the BN minister met with CRCC's top officials during his recent visit to Beijing to attend the 1st Asia-Pacific ministerial conference on civil aviation and bilateral meeting.