Penang Umno chairman Zainal Abidin Osman and Balik Pulau division chief Dr Hilmi Yahaya said the police and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission should conduct a thorough investigation into the allegations raised against Lim in Parliament last week.
The two Umno leaders said the allegations were a “serious issue of public interest” as the matter was raised in Parliament linking the bungalow to a controversial sale of state land for a hospital and hotel project.
Lim is said to have bought the 10,161 sq ft two-storey bungalow in Jalan Pinhorn, off Green Lane, for RM2.8 million or much lower than market price. He bought the house from a businessman said to be linked to the company involved in the project.
Tasek Gelugor MP Shahbudin Yahaya raised the matter in Parliament on Thursday, questioning the purchase price of the bungalow, which the state government had rented for Lim since he became chief minister.
Lim had said the purchase price of RM2.8 million was agreed on a “willing buyer willing seller” basis without coercion from any party, and said he had nothing to hide.
He then challenged Shahbudin to meet him face-to-face at his office in Komtar tomorrow to reveal the truth, based on from facts.
An unimpressed Zainal, however, derided Lim’s unwarranted challenge to Shahbudin, stressing that Lim should allow the MACC and police to investigate all the allegations to clear his name.
Zainal said Shahbudin had raised the matter in the public interest, seeking an explanation as several reports had been lodged with the MACC since 2009 by individuals and non-government organisations.
Shahbudin had also enquired about the link between the businessman who sold the house to Chief Minister and the state government’s sale of the Taman Manggis plot to a private company for the construction of a hospital and hotel in 2012.
The Taman Manggis land in George Town was meant for low cost housing but was sold to Kuala Lumpur International Dental Centre Sdn Bhd.
In 2012, when Lim was still renting the bungalow, the Penang Gerakan had said that his landlord was Phang Li Koon, who is registered with the Registrar of Companies as a director of Winbond Management and Consultant Sdn Bhd, in which a fellow-director, Tang Yong Chew, was also on the board of Kuala Lumpur International Dental Centre Sdn Bhd.
Zainal said: “It has been seven years since Lim became the chief minister and he should abandon street politics as he is the chief minister. I urge the authorities concerned to investigate and take necessary action if there are any wrong doings related to the sale of the bungalow by Lim Guan Eng.”
He also urged that the state government focus on providing affordable housing for the general public who could not afford a home.
“Even a home without a swimming pool is acceptable,” he said sarcastically, in a snide reference to Lim’s statement that the bungalow was an old one, without a swimming pool.
Balik Pulau MP Hilmi Yahaya, concurring with Zainal’s views, stressed that Lim’s case was similar to that of former Selangor menteri besar Khir Toyo, who was convicted of corruption in September last year for obtaining two plots of land and a bungalow in Shah Alam for RM3.5 million in 2004, from a company which had originally paid RM6.5 million.
Khir was found guilty as the company director had dealings with him in his official capacity as Selangor menteri besar at the time.
“I urge MACC to conduct a thorough investigation as it has similar elements like Khir Toyo’s case, where the former MB purchased a lavish house at a low market price. The law must be fair to everyone and if the allegations were true, strict actions need to be taken upon Lim,” said Dr Hilmi.
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