By Parliament Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary –General and MP for Tanjung , Lim Kit Siang , on Friday, January 14, 1994;
DAP calls for convening of an emergency meeting of Penang State assembly of decide on whether Tan Gim Hwa is fit and suitable for re-appointment as MPPP President
It is most shocking that the Peneng Chief Minister Dr Koh Tsu Koon , has rushed into announcing the re-appointment of Datuk Tan Gim Hwa as MPPP President , although his two –year contract will not expire until next month.
The indecent haste with Dr. Koh Tsu Koon has announced the re-appointment of Tan Gim Hwa as MPPP President raises the question whether this is a decision of the Penang Chief Minister and the State Exco , or whether it is the decision of Penang Gerakan State Chairman and the Penang Gerakan.
DAP calls for the convening of an emergency meeting of the Penang State Assembly to decide whether Tan Gim Hwa is fit and suitable for re-appointment as MPPP President.
Tan Gim Hwa ‘s qualification for re-appointment as MPPP Presdident must come under great question because of two recent MPPP scandals – Tman Midlands ‘one stip centre’ scandal and the Hotel Metropole Scandal , and the failure and inability of the Tan Gim Hwa to give satisfactory and acceptable explanantions and answers to the numerous questions that have been raised in both cases.
DAP allegation that Hotel Metropole surreptitiously removed from MPPP list of 20 heritage buildings has now been proved right
In the Hotel Metropole demolition scandal , the DAP allegation right from the beginning that Tan GIm Hwa had surreptitiously removed Hotel Metropole from the 1989 MPPP list of 20 conservation heritage buildings for Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah without public consultation or knowledge has now been proved right.
This is because MPPP Councillor Dr. Goh Ban Lee has admitted that on October 28 last year , MPPP had removed Hotel Metropole from the 1989 MPPP list of 20 heritage buildings which forbid any demolition , alternation or extension and placed in on Category Two – which permitted redevelopment provided the façade of the building is preserved.
Can Tan Gim Hwa deny that this MPPP decision on October 28 to suppertitioiusly remove Hotel Metropole from the MPPP list of 20 heritage buildings and put it in Category Two is the result of the recommendation of a MPPP sub-committee headed by GomHwa himself and whose members included Lim boo Chiang?
The Hotel Metropole demolition scandal involved four fundamental issues of great public interest:
The question of the destruction of a 100 year old heritage building in a ‘lighting demolition on Christmas Day although the building had been on the 1989 MPPP list of 20 heritage buildings for Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah;
The accountability and transparency of the MPPP president and the MPPP in surreptitiously altering the heritage building status of Hotel Metropole without public consultation or notice;
The integrity of the MPPP president and MPPP councilors as to whether there was any impropriety and conflict of interest in the surreptitious removal of Hotel Metropole from the 1989 MPP list of 20 heritage buildings , the sale iof Hotel Metropole and the subsequent ‘lighting demolition ‘ of Hotel Metropole on Christmas Day, and
The integrity and propriety of Gerakan Leaders both from Pennag and outside the State , as to whether they were involved in a conspiracy whereby Jotel Metropole could be sold to a RM2 company Dolphin square Sdn Bhd for RM 9.5 million resulting in the demolition of the heritage building .
Why should Dolhin Square Sdn . Bhd three times the market price for hotel Metropole as a heritage building if it could not be demolished?
I understand that the market price of Hotel Metropole as a heritage building where there could be mo demoliyion , alteration or extension would be in the region of RM 3 million . Why didi the real owners of Dolphin Square sdn . Bhd pay more than three times this market rate at RM 9.5 million for Hotel Metropole , if it could not be demolished for redevelopment for highrise commercial purpose?
Penang Gerakan officials are so desperate at losing the public debate that they now try to destrct the people from these four fundamental issues in the Hotel Metropole scandal by their usual compaign of character assassination lies and half truths whether posters or other devices.
However , the Gerakan is only understanding the intelligence of the people , as if their publicity gimmicy cpuld influence the people from making their own judgement as to the rights and wrongs of the various MPPP scandals.
The DAP has no time for the cheap publicity gimmicy of the Gerakn , and we will continue to address the central issues in the Hotel Metropole scandal.
This is why thePenang State Assembly must meet in an emergency meeting to discuss and decide whether it is proper and right for the State Government to re-appoint Datuk Tan Gim Hwa as MPPP President when there is no proper accounting for the Hotel Metropole scandal , the Taman Midlands scandal as well as other MPPP improprieties.