(Sept 4): Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng today challenged the Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government minister to show proof that the state government had approved land reclamation projects larger than 100ha.

He said that the minister, Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan, should not make slanderous remarks against the Penang government if he had no proof of any wrongdoing.

"I hope as a minister, he will show proof that I had given this approval for reclamation projects more than 100ha," he told reporters after attending a reference proceeding for the late Karpal Singh at the Penang court complex today.

"If he cannot show proof, then he is not fit to be a federal minister as he only embarrasses the country. And it only shows that he loves to tell lies."

Rahman had said that reclamation projects in Penang could be stopped as the state government had not consulted the National Physical Planning Council (MPFN) before starting to reclaim land.

“Reclamation projects larger than 100ha or involving 10,000 people should be brought to the attention of the MPFN,?" he was quoted s saying by Bernama.

“The guideline is for the state to inform the MPFN chaired by the Prime Minister and comprising all mentris besar and chief ministers in Malaysia.

“However, the Penang administration did not use the MPFN channel, and I am very disappointed. I will look into enforcement to see if the land reclamation projects can be stopped,”

Rahman claimed that he had received a number of complaints on land reclamation projects in Penang while Bernama said that an ongoing land reclamation is a 2,428ha project on the island by a developer.

However, Lim said the minister should have shown evidence of such projects being awarded and approved by the Penang government before making such claims.

"We are shocked by the lies and slander. We are mystified and stupefied. Does he want to be remembered as the minister who made the most lies and slanderous comments?" asked Lim.

He also said that Rahman's claims in order to smear the DAP-led Penang government was yet another attempt to distract the people's attention away from the various financial scandals that have hit Putrajaya recently.

"This is another effort to distract the attention of the people from the RM2.6 billion that went into the prime minister's personal accounts and the RM42 billion debt incurred by 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB)," he added. – The Malaysian Insider