SEVERAL members of the Penang legislative assembly have suggested that the infamous Equanimity be brought to Penang for locals to see.

Gooi Hsiao-Leung (PH-Bukit Tengah) also proposed that the government charge people a fee for a gander at the RM1 billion super yacht.

“Perhaps our tourism exco can write to the federal government to request the Equanimity be brought here.

“The yacht can dock at the pier at Weld Quay and the people can be charged a fee, which will go to Tabung Harapan,” he said in his speech at the state legislative assembly today.

He was responding to a proposal by fellow government backbencher Daniel Gooi (PH-Pengkalan Kota) to bring the vessel to Penang.

The idea cropped up after former Alor Star MP Hsiao-Leung mentioned Malaysia’s “biggest corruption clean-up in history” since May 9.

Two examples, he said, was the retrieval of Equanimity from Indonesian authorities and charging of former prime minister Najib Razak over graft allegations.

This morning in Kuala Lumpur, Najib was charged with three counts of money laundering amounting to RM42 million in relation to SRC International Sdn Bhd, a former subsidiary of his brainchild 1Malaysia Development Bhd.

Last month, he was charged with three counts of criminal breach of trust and power abuse, also in relation to the SRC International money transaction.

Yesterday, the Equanimity, which was allegedly bought using money siphoned out of 1MDB and believed to be owned by Penang-born businessman Low Taek Jho, or Jho Low, arrived at Port Klang. 

Low, an associate of Najib, is accused of masterminding the 1MDB scandal, an allegation he has denied.

The super yacht was first seized by Indonesian authorities in late February and again last month, after an Indonesian court in April ruled that the vessel should not be seized.

Last weekend, it was reported that Indonesia had agreed to hand over the yacht to Malaysia following a request by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to his counterpart, President Joko Widodo.

When met outside the House after his speech, Hsiao-Leung said he suggested the fee collection as a joke after Daniel proposed that the yacht be brought to Penang.

“Everyone is interested in seeing what it looks like and what’s inside. 

“When it was seized, the former government refused to take action. At the time, the attorney-general (Apandi Ali) also said Putrajaya would not claim the yacht because it didn’t belong to Malaysia.

“It was a ludicrous answer, which prompted me to put up an urgent motion at the Dewan Rakyat on March 2 to discuss the yacht’s seizure and to question Malaysia’s lack of action. Of course, the motion was denied.”

Earlier, Hsiao-Leung, from PKR, also said Penang had to rid itself of its “Cinderella syndrome” after being treated like a stepchild by the former federal government when it was an opposition state.

He said the challenge for the state now was to create synergy with the new and friendly federal government.

“We should be treated as first among equals. 

“We must now end the Cinderella syndrome, and work to take back what was denied us for a long time. The possibilities are endless now.”

Hsiao-Leung said the free-port status in Penang was revoked by the federal government in 1969 and that same year, Penang fell to the opposition. The move led to a serious recession in the state.

Hsiao-Leung also said that with a strong mandate from the people, the state must work on fulfilling its pledges.

“We may not be able to achieve all our aims and fulfil all pledges but we should keep to that direction. The federal government should do that, too.”– August 8, 2018