GEORGE TOWN: Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has given the assurance that Penang remains a green state, priding itself as the only state with its permanent forest reserves untouched.

He said even if there was work done on hill slopes, it was only temporary to allow the construction of much-needed bypass roads for the convenience of Penangites.

“If you see the hill slope at Jalan Bukit Kukus, Paya Terubong, heading towards Balik Pulau, it is because we have an elevated road project there.

“We are passing through a jungle and the footprint is small, but after it is completed, we can assure you that it will remain green like before.

“I hope MCA does not try to question our dedication in keeping our permanent forests intact,” he told reporters at Komtar today.

Lim was referring to the RM300 million Paya Terubong Paired Road project which cuts through the hills. He said no forest reserves were cleared in the project, which is expected to be completed in early 2019.

“As you can see from the statistics, Penang did not clear any permanent forest reserves as compared to 161,379ha forest reserves cleared in Pahang, 157,919ha cleared in Kelantan and 74,032ha cleared in Perak,” Lim said.

Lim was responding to Penang MCA chairman Tan Teik Cheng’s statement, which had accused the state government of destroying the state’s “lush green lung”.

Tan’s comments came after DAP’s Kepong MP Dr Tan Seng Giaw said the rural and largely underdeveloped Balik Pulau was now “less green”.

DAP’s Tan Seng Giaw ‘incommunicado’, says Guan Eng