The MCA Penang State Liasion Committee secretary said Lim even had the gall to say that Penang was the “strongest” in financial management.

“He even dared to propose that Penang be rewarded by the Federal Government for this,” he said in a statement.

“May I remind Lim of his own announcement recently that the core assets of the Penang Water Supply Board (PBAPP) had been transferred to the Federal Government through the signing of the water supply restructuring agreement between the state and Federal Government.

“This means that all debts by Penang have now been transferred to the Federal Government,” he said in a press statement.

He said upon signing the water restructuring agreement, the Federal Government had started work to expand the Mengkuang Dam, which cost RM1.2billion.

“It is hard to imagine how Penang would have escaped the recent drought if the Federal Government had not funded this project.”

The Penang state government would certainly have faced difficulty in forking out the RM1.2 billion in construction cost, not to mention the other expenses needed to continue managing the water assets, piping and distribution if not for the Federal Government, he said.

“When Lim said Penang’s cooperation with the Federal Government was done in the people’s interests, he neglected to state the fact that Penang lacks the ability to manage a project of such magnitude. Instead, he chose to claim credit for the Federal Government’s efforts.”

Tan said the Federal Government had never neglected any Opposition-ruled state and Penang was no exception.

“It undertook the project solely with the aim of eradicating the water supply problem faced by the people and had even taken into account the state government’s incapability to see through such a project.”

Tan also advised Lim to stop accusing the Federal Government of neglecting Penang and to stop making nonsensical allegations that Penang gets less benefits even though it has lower debts compared with other states with higher debts.