GEORGE TOWN, May 30 (Bernama) — An opposition assemblyman today claimed that the Penang government is trying to confuse the people over the statement that 90 per cent of the 68 items was implemented in the past four year.
Dr Afif Bahardin (Bersatu-Seberang Jaya) said the statement of Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow on May 9 that the Penang manifesto was already 90 per cent achieved was not true.
He said the state government should not use the percentage to confuse the people of Penang as several major projects in Penang have not started.
‘How many big project such as LRT and highways which have not began were placed under ‘implementation status? This is misleading.
“I do not believe the state government has achieve 90 per cent. In my view, the highest would be 60 per cent,” he said when debating in the motion of thanks on the speech of the Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Ahmad Fuzi Abdul Razak at the State Legislative Assembly here today.
Dr Afif who is the former state Agriculture and Agro-based Industry, Rural Development and Health Committee chairman said by putting all major projects which have not started as ‘under implementation’ did not meet the manifesto pledged to the people of Penang.
He said the LRT project in the state depended on the approval of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report in southern Penang.
Dr Afif said the state government needed to finalise all the promises first before announcing that 90 per cent of their manifesto were implemented.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow when explaining the matter said the percentage was intended to indicate that efforts had been made to comply with the manifesto, although its implementation would take five to 10 years.
“It is unlikely to be able to achieve in one term but if efforts have been started, agreements have been signed, tenders have been called and work has begun… we can consider it an achievement,” he said.
The state assembly will sit again tomorrow.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency