In a statement today, Lim said Najib Razak’s assertion last week on many foreign investors exiting the state despite Lim’s harping that Penang was the destination of choice was untrue.
He said federal government figures have placed Penang as the third most successful destination for foreign direct investments (FDIs) after Johor and Sarawak.
“If Penang is in trouble, then the other 11 states are in greater trouble,” he said.
Lim pointed to statistics from the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida) that showed Penang having emerged third in Malaysia for FDIs from 2008 to 2016, with RM 41.55 billion.
The state lost out only to Johor which managed RM 55.75 billion and Sarawak which raked in RM 48.37 billion.
“The Penang state government has no interest in playing politics with the Prime Minister on FDIs,” he said.
“FDIs are too important an economic and livelihood issue for 30 million Malaysians to be weaponised against political opponents.”
Lim said Penang will work with the federal government to attract more FDIs, especially in electrical and electronic manufacturing, and digital services industries.
Najib had said last Thursday that opposition leaders often badmouthed the country during their trips overseas, without bringing back with them potential businesses to invest in Malaysia.
He labelled the opposition as “economic saboteurs” as they induced more investors to shy away from Malaysia, compared to himself and his cabinet members who go overseas and come back with investors.
He singled out Lim, saying when the BN-led federal government brought more investors Lim played up the card that the country was being sold to foreigners.
“Once upon a time, Lim had proudly proclaimed Penang was the destination of choice with foreign investors. In reality, many investors have left Penang,” Najib said in a posting on his blog titled ‘Fokus Lawatan Kerja Ke Luar Negara’ (Focus on Working Visit to Foreign Countries) on March 30.
“Now, Lim has changed his tune and his supporters have blamed us for selling our country when there are many foreign investments coming to Malaysia,” he said.
Najib said if Lim’s logic were to be followed, Malaysians too must be blamed for investing nearly RM570 million overseas.
“I am curious to know which country has sold its sovereignty to Malaysia, since Malaysian companies have invested so much in other countries?”