The present and past Penang governments continue with their war of attrition over the insolvency of the Seberang Perai Municipal Council (MPSP).

penang state assembly 181108 phee boon poh State executive councillor Phee Boon Poh ( right ) turned the screws on former exco Dr Teng Hock Nan to provide details of political projects worth RM59.017 million which were carried out by MPSP between 1999 and 2006

In staggering details disclosed by Phee today, MPSP distributed RM50.377 million to Barisan Nasional assemblypersons to carry out various projects in their respective constituencies between 1999 and 2005.

BN had 16 assemblypersons in 18 state constituencies in the Penang mainland between 1999 and 2004, and 19 elected representatives in 21 constituencies between 2004 and 2008.

The council also set aside RM8.640 million for the 21 BN-appointed councillors in the 24-member MPSP to carry out similar projects between 1999 and 2006.

The projects were stopped in 2007 when MPSP's accumulated fund, which was RM225 million in 2000, dried up.

"It is a mockery that a council so rich with funds has ended up penniless within eight years," Phee told a press conference during a break at the Penang assembly today.

"It's clear that the previous administration was misappropriating the funds for political mileage."

teng hock nan He also slammed Teng, Penang Gerakan chairperson, who was in charge of local government affairs between 2000 and 2008, in former chief minister Dr Koh Tsu Koon's administration.

Next year, MPSP will be operating on a RM10 accumulated fund, since its reserves diminished from RM225 million to RM6.45 million this year.

The council has been run on eight consecutive deficit budgets, which the new state government attributed to the previous government's incompetence in cost-cutting measures and increasing revenue.

Teng: Report wrong-doing, if any

Meanwhile, Teng has urged the state government to report the council to the Anti-Corruption Agency and police if there is proof of misappropriation and misuse of public funds and abuse of power in MPSP.

"Good governance means you must take immediate steps and actions to rectify all wrongdoings, if any," he said in a statement today.

penang scandal seberang prai municipal council 171108 lim guan eng Calling on Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to stop playing politics and start governing, he also chided the chief minister for bragging that he would donate RM1 million, if he had the money, to independent Chinese schools.

"Lim should pool his energy, effort and time to addressing the worsening global economic crisis that would affect Penang rather than sensationalising everything to gain publicity," he said.

In a response at a press conference today, Lim called on Teng not to hide, but help the state government to steady the sinking MPSP ship.

He also took Teng to task for calling on the state government to let bygones be bygones.

"It's easy for him to say it because it was not his money. Will Dr Teng forget it if it was his money?" asked Lim.