Deputy Tourism Minister Donald Lim was grilled in Parliament today by an opposition MP who demanded answers on the Eye on Malaysia controversy.

Fong Po Kuan (DAP-Batu Gajah) brought up the matter by asking Lim for an explanation on the alleged purchase of 500,000 tickets worth RM5.7 million by Tourism Malaysia and whether the information was correct.

Lim ( right ) replied by confirming that 500,000 tickets have been purchased by Tourism Malaysia but defended the action as "this is part of our marketing strategy - the (tickets) are incentives for travel agencies to promote Malaysia to foreigners."

He also revealed that the number of visitors to the Eye has reached 737,000 with 25 percent of them being foreigners. The Eye was a success, he stressed.

'Project a failure'

Fong was dissatisfied with Lim's reply and accused him of incompetence.

"This is waste of people's money. You spent RM30 million of taxpayers' money on a project without any profitability studies . Why don't you admit that this project is a failure."

Responding, Lim reiterated that the tickets were used as a marketing strategy and retorted that "Fong knows nothing about marketing and should remain quiet."

The DAP legislator retaliated, saying that Lim's answer was illogical.

"It does not make sense. How can you use RM5.7 million of people's money for giving out free tickets, RM30 million of taxpayers' money to finance the Eye and yet the project makes no profit. It's a failure."

She then lambasted the deputy minister for failing to conjure more creative ideas in attracting tourists and blamed officers from the ministry for their alleged lack of creativity.

"We have Genting, the sea and beaches and natural attractions around the country. I don't see the need to waste so much money on the Eye."

'You are diverting the matter'

The deputy minister then pleaded to the speaker to let him clarify and when he was allowed to do so, told Fong that the numbers of tourists reached 22 million. He claimed that this was evident of the success of the Eye.

But the answer did not go down well with Fong ( left ) who stood up again and accused Lim of evading her question.

"You are diverting the issue here. We are talking about the Eye on Malaysia. Tourists are not here because of the Eye. You said that only 25 percent of visitors to the Eye are foreigners. Your marketing strategy does not make any sense."

The speaker then instruct the sparring parties to sit down and not pursue the matter as it was irrelevant with the ongoing debate.

Related report: Black Eye on Malaysia