Scribblings on memo do not make one guilty, says Chow
Local Government, Traffic Management and Flood Mitigation Exco member Chow Kon Yeow said CM Lim Guan Eng’s notes on a memo that were leaked also did not incriminate him of graft, as suggested by his detractors.
“The memo clearly states that it is an application for a planning approval.
“No part of the memo says that it was in regard to the land sale. And mind you, this memo is dated two years after the land was sold in an open tender,” he said at a press conference today.
Chow also said it was normal for construction companies to write in appeals to the chief minister and other executive councillors from time to time.
“It is normal for notes to be attached on the appeals before they are sent to the authorities for subsequent approval,” he said.
Chow also argued against allegations that the density on the site might have been increased due to favours, and said that too was mere speculation as exemptions for plot ratios had been given for other high-demand projects as well.
He said projects such as hotels, varying on the location, were usually given special permission to be exempt from plot ratio limits on a case-to-case basis.
The April 20, 2012 memo was leaked to blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin of Malaysia Today by a “DAP Insider” who has accused Lim of meddling in the Taman Manggis land deal.
Lim has been accused of graft in the sale of the land and the purchase of his RM2.8 million bungalow last year. His detractors allege they are closely linked.
The CM has however vehemently denied any wrongdoing and condemned the accusations as a ploy by the Barisan Nasional to whitewash the RM2.6 billion political donation that found its way into the personal bank accounts of Prime Minister Najib Razak.
Lim has pledged to cooperate with anti-graft authorities and opened up his offices to them.
The Taman Manggis issue is expected to culminate in a showdown between Lim and his adversary, Urban Wellbeing, Local Government and Housing Minister Abdul Rahman Dahlan, on April 19 when both will go head to head in a debate on the controversial issue on live TV.
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