Penang Umno liaison committee chairman Zainal Abidin Osman said he found it strange that the DoE, which recently shut down the factory operations, did not do it previously.
“I am very perplexed as to why the state government needed nine years to find solutions to the illegal factory.
“Does the state government love illegal factories more than the safety and health of the general public?” Zainal asked in a statement.
He said Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had reportedly said that the state government could not take action against illegal factories built on private land.
The statement by Lim, Zainal said, clearly contradicted state executive councillor Chow Kon Yeow’s answer to a question during a state assembly sitting in April 2012.
“Chow had said that the state, through the two local councils, had taken action against illegal factories on private land, under Section 72 of the Road, Drainage and Building Act 1974 by issuing notices to the owners to demolish the illegal buildings; and as for illegal factories on state land, action would be taken by the Land and District Office through notices under Sections 425 and 426A of the National Land Code.
“Lim had said that it was the state government’s policy to not take action against all buildings, places of worship or hawkers operating illegally and those which existed before 2008, unless it was disruptive to the public and traffic flow, until a solution is found.
“I would like to ask him when that policy was approved by the state executive council and secondly, can the chief minister provide the minutes of the state executive council meeting that approved this policy?” he asked.
Referring to the illegal factory in question, Zainal also asked about the numerous complaints from the public and residents living nearby that the factory was endangering their health and threatening their safety.
He said complaints had also been made by Penanti assemblywoman Dr Norlela Ariffin at the Penang state assembly.
He said the Penang government must be firmer and braver in taking action against illegal factories that are still operational in Penang, especially those that endanger the health and safety of the public.
“The chief minister and the state government now had the power to shut down illegal factories, and need not link Barisan Nasional in any of the action taken by the state.
“They need to show that the state government is competent, accountable and transparent, and is not afraid to take action against illegal factories.
“The chief minister has to stop all the politicking in running the state and implement the state government’s policies. Don’t be such a hypocrite and don’t keep lying to Penangites, as you have been running the state for the past nine years,” he said.