ACCUSED of failing to safeguard Penang’s hills, the DAP-led state government has said it was Barisan Nasional that would make hills and jungles go “botak” (bald).

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said since 2006, the state had not approved a single square inch of permanent forest to be cleared and had acted against those who had illegally cleared hills.

This was in contrast with other states, led by Pahang which had cut down the largest permanent forest reserves in Malaysia at 161,379ha, Kelantan (157,919ha) and Perak (74,032ha).

Pahang and Perak are BN-ruled states while Kelantan is governed by DAP’s former ally, PAS. Lim said even Perlis, the smallest state, had allowed 167ha to be cleared.

“Penang is the only state in Malaysia where not a single square inch of permanent forest reserves has been cut from 2006 to 2015,” he said in a statement today, telling BN to stop its accusations that hills were becoming bald under the Pakatan Harapan administration.

Taking another swipe at his political rivals, Lim said if BN reclaimed Penang, the state might actually risk going bald.

He said BN might reduce the state’s forest reserves, as what it had done in other states over the past decade.

“Clearly making our hills and forests botak is BN and BN’s new ally, PAS in Kelantan. Our finances may also be botak and we may not be able to enjoy the strong financial performance and annual budget surpluses over the last eight years from 2008 to 2015.”

The Lim administration has recorded surpluses – totalling RM574 million – since taking over Penang in 2008.

With the surpluses, Lim said, Penang had been able to carry out its numerous social welfare schemes, such as annual and monthly monetary aid to senior citizens, the disabled, single mothers, students, newborns, taxi drivers, fishermen, trishaw peddlers, poor families and other groups.

This year, the state also waived the assessment rate for all kampung houses, low- and low-medium cost property owners, and gave a 6% discount to all other property owners.

He said the state had also been consistently giving vernacular and religious schools annual aid.

“The Penang government has faith that the people will choose a people-centric government that is proven as clean and competent over a crony government that is only interested in abuse of power and financial mismanagement,” he said.

The country is expecting the 14th general election as soon as later this year. Political parties from opposing sides have been intensifying their criticism against each other. – April 24, 2017.