Guan Eng is racist, says Penang Umno deputy chief

The issue of two Umno leaders in Penang said to have raked in millions of ringgit in profit by selling a plot of Malay land in Balik Pulau four months after buying it has now taken a racial overtone

State Umno deputy chief Musa Sheikh Fadzir (left) lashed out at Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, calling the latter “racist” for targeting him and state election strategy director Omar Faudza over the selling of the land.

Musa, who is also Bukit Mertajam Umno chief, said Lim would not have targeted him if he were a Chinese businessman.

"I can say that many developers who support the DAP have bought land in Penang. Why does he (Lim) only target Umno?" Musa asked at a press conference in Penang today.

"He does that as he cannot see Malays doing more business (than the Chinese). He will not be happy seeing this," Musa said.

Musa and Omar had admitted to bujying the 10-acre plot from 31 Malay villagers in Kampung Terang for RM8.6 million.

They then sold it to a private developer for RM13.5 million, making RM5 million out of the transaction.

However, they denied selling the land for quick profit, saying they were forced to enter into the transaction as their company had been “blacklisted” by the state government.

‘Father of racism and lies’

Musa was responding to Lim’s questioning of state BN chief Teng Chang Yeow’s purported silence on the issue, while accusing the two Umno leaders of acting as “brokers” over the land deal.

Lim, who is also Bagan MP, had been taunting Umno leaders over the issue as the latter had been battering him with allegations that he had marginalised the Malays in Penang and was grabbing their land for private development.

Meanwhile, Teng had responded to Lim by dismissing the issue as “private business”, where the duo purchased the land privately, not from the previous BN administration, and sold it to a private company.

Following this, Musa further accused Lim of being "unfair" for making the accusations against the Malay leaders and by doing so, Lim was the "father of racism and lies”.

Musa: Lim must answer allegations

He later apologised for being "emotional", saying that the chief minister had diverted the attention to Umno when Lim himself had yet to respond to Penang BN Youth chief Oh Tong Keong’s allegationsof selling state land.

“Ask him (Lim) to answer the allegations by state BN Youth. He has been selling state land since Pakatan Rakyat took over Penang in 2008. These are not his family lands, sohe must answer for it.

“Ask him to give direct answers, do not confuse the public by twisting his words,” he added.

Musa said if Lim truly practised “transparency” in his style of governance, he would establish an independent committee to probe Oh’s allegations instead of skirting around the issue.