Lim said it was strange that MACC had called P Ramasamy for questioning as his portfolio as a state executive councillor had nothing to do with road projects.
“Ramasamy takes care of education and libraries. These are unrelated to the project, so why is he being called to give his statement?
“Also, Ramasamy is not in the state tender committee. So I believe, if (he) is investigated, then all other state executive councillors will be probed as well. Those who are not involved will also be called,” he said in a press conference today.
Ramasamy went to the MACC office to have his statement recorded at about 8.50am today. He is currently still being questioned.
Speaking to reporters, Lim asked if Ramasamy was being investigated for issuing a statement against Barisan Nasional (BN), and whether MACC was trying to protect the ruling coalition.
He added that he was ready to be questioned by MACC, and had instructed his state executive councillors to give their full cooperation as they had nothing to hide.
“We object strongly to MACC harassing the state government. We expect those involved in the project to be called, but why Ramasamy?
“This is intended to tarnish the image of the Penang state government.”
This follows the 12-hour questioning of state Public Works committee chairman Lim Hock Seng on the project yesterday.
To date, MACC has recorded 76 witness statements on the matter.
The last major arrest involved the chief executive and an engineer of a consultancy firm, who are alleged to have falsified claims in the feasibility studies and detailed design of the project.
Five people have been arrested and released on remand.
The 7.2km undersea tunnel will connect George Town’s Pangkor Road and Bagan Ajam in Butterworth. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2023.
The tunnel’s feasibility study, a topic of contention between government and opposition leaders, was at 95.9% as of last December.
The Penang government has said the tunnel is of low priority and can take off later, after the three main highways are completed.
The “three main roads”, formerly called the three paired roads, stretch from Air Itam to the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway (5.7km); Tanjung Bungah to Teluk Bahang (10.53km); and Jalan Pangkor-Gurney Drive junction to Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway (4.1km).