GEORGE TOWN: Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has challenged Tasek Gelugor member of parliament Datuk Shabudin Yahaya to a one on one "Seek Truth From Facts" meeting on March 20, at 11am.
In a press conference at his office here today, Lim refuted Shabudin's allegations that he was involved in corrupt practises and issued the challenge.
"I read in (a news portal) yesterday that allegations of corruption were made against me in the Dewan Rakyat by Shabudin, where he linked the purchase of my house in July 28, last year to a 2012 sale of government land in Taman Manggis in Jalan Zainal Abidin to private developers building a hospital and hotel.
"I want to see what facts Shabudin possesses to make such allegations. I have nothing to hide so I wish to invite Shabudin to a one-on-one meeting with me in my Komtar office on March 20 at 11am in front of the mass media," he read from a written statement.
It was reported that the Tasek Gelugor member of parliament Datuk Shabudin Yahaya, speaking at the Dewan Rakyat yesterday, questioned Lim over the sale of a plot of state government-owned land and the purchase of a multi-million ringgit piece of property in George Town.
Shabudin asked that Lim be investigated over the sale of the land, which was meant for low-cost housing that would have been rented out at RM100 a month to the poor.
He had also said that the land was sold by tender, and was now scheduled to be the site of a private hospital and a hotel.
The Barisan Nasional lawmaker also alleged that the sale of the plot of land was linked to that of a residential property bought by Lim in Jalan Pinhorn on Oct 15 last year, which was the same piece of property that Lim was renting for seven years at RM5,000 a month from an individual named Pang Lee Kun.
He said when Lim was renting the house, the property was valued at RM2.5 million. However, when he bought it seven years later, with renovations, it was sold to him at only RM2.8 million.
Lim also said he had purchased the house at Jalan Pinhorn for RM2.8 million from a private individual, who is not connected to the developer who purchased the Taman Manggis land via a open tender.
"I paid for the purchase by taking a RM2.1million bank loan with the balance of RM700,000 paid in cash.
"This is also an arms-length transaction between me and the seller. As long as there is no coercion or undue influence, this contract for sale of the house is just like a marriage, where it is up to both sides to decided what is the right price," he said.