State gives former DCM two more weeks - The Star

PENANG: May 4, 2008

The state is willing to wait another two weeks for former deputy chief minister Datuk Seri Abdul Rashid Abdullah to assist in the investigation into alleged land improprieties, said Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng

He said yesterday that since Teluk Bahang state assemblyman Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya, who was also a former deputy chief minister, had urged the state government to discuss the scam privately, giving another two weeks was not a problem.

“Let Dr Hilmi pass this message to Abdul Rashid to talk to us. We are not going on a witch-hunt.

“We don't want to give this impression,” he told newsmen before meeting delegates from the Institute of Engineers Malaysia (Penang branch) and Malaysian Institute of Planners (Penang branch) at his Komtar office yesterday.

In a news report yesterday, Dr Hilmi urged the state administration to stop harping on the alleged land scams but to focus on how to address pressing issues such as retrenchment in factories.

The state government had given an ulti-matum to Abdul Rashid to meet Lim to offer explanation by April 28 or it would publicly expose findings on the alleged improprieties.

Lim said he had only given the ultimatum because Abdul Rashid had challenged him to expose land discrepancy cases and provide specific details, including lot numbers, locations and names of landowners.

On the setting up of a state-funded tourism council to take over the Penang Tourism Action Council’s (PTAC) functions, he said this would be discussed in the next state executive council meeting as the state legal adviser was not around this week.