Two MPs from Pakatan Harapan (PH) also voluntarily declared their assets for the first time: Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin and Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim Chee Keong.
They were the only two out of 10 PH MPs in Penang who voluntarily declared their assets. There are 13 parliamentary seats in Penang, three of which are held by Umno.
The asset declaration by Lim, his 10 exco members, 19 PH assemblymen and the two MPs were made available to the press today.
DAP’s Chee Keong had a home in Bukit Mertajam worth RM290,000 which is still on bank mortgage. He does not own a car.
PKR’s Tze Tzin meanwhile declared a RM448,000 home in Ara Damansara, Selangor, and some 50,000 units of shares in five different companies. He also has a locally-assembled Hyundai Sante Fe 2.4 four-wheel drive bought at RM158,000 with a bank loan.
Exco member Phee Boon Poh remains the richest among his peers, with 11 properties including one in New Zealand. Most of the properties are jointly held and three are inherited.
Phee appears to have jointly purchased three new properties, two in Butterworth and another in Batu Kawan worth RM2.5 million, through a loan of RM1.9 million.
He also declared fixed deposits (FDs) of RM1.59 million, of which RM18,846 is pledged for share margins; RM545,556 jointly held with his son; and another RM1.03 million held in trust for DAP.
Lim’s assets remained mostly unchanged from his previous declaration, with the same five stocks in which he had invested before remaining untouched and two shophouses in Melaka worth RM665,000.
His RM2.8 million bungalow at Pinhorn Road is a new purchase. He also has increased investments in unit trust funds.
Lim’s investments in Amanah Mutual funds increased from RM130,108 as of Jan 31, 2013, to RM174,832 as of Oct 31, 2017. His Public Mutual investments rose from RM24,959 in 2013 to RM66,254 as of July 31, 2017.
Deputy Chief Minister I Mohd Rashid Hasnon appears to have increased his investments in unit trusts, doubling his 2013 investments.
In 2013, he invested a total of RM556,874 in 10 unit trust funds with Public Mutual. In the latest declaration, his investment is listed as RM1.59 million in 15 unit trust funds with Public Mutual.
As for Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy, his assets appear to be the same as 2013, with the purchase of a BMW X3 and Perodua Axia cars.
State executive councillor Chow Kon Yeow, who is also state DAP chairman, also increased his investments in Public Mutual from RM89,430 in 2013 to RM225,416.
His fixed deposits likewise increased from RM50,302 in 2013 to RM658,852.
State executive councillor Jagdeep Singh Deo appears to have refinanced his home in Batu Ferringhi again, from RM542,000 in 2013 to RM765,000 this time.
State executive councillor Dr Afif Bahardin has jointly purchased a property worth RM1.01 million in Taman Pauh Jaya, with a loan amount of RM961,000.
He also declared a Kia Sorento 2.4 four-wheel drive for RM164,000 which he bought with a loan.
The official salaries of the Penang chief minister, exco members and assemblymen are as follows: chief minister: RM14,175.15; exco members: RM12,101.29; assemblymen: RM11,250.
Lim also receives a RM16,000 salary as Bagan MP, excluding other allowances.
He is the lowest paid chief executive of a state in the country, with the highest being the Sarawak chief minister at RM39,000, followed by Terengganu and Pahang where the menteri besar is reportedly paid RM30,000 a month.
The speaker of the assembly and Penang assemblyman for Bukit Tambun Law Choo Kiang is paid RM12,101.29 while opposition leader Jahara Hamid is given an allowance of RM3,000.
The new salary scale was introduced on Jan 1, 2016.