CHIEF Minister Lim Guan Eng today blasted what he called “inaccurate news reports out to damage the state’s reputation” after graft-busters raided state government offices earlier this week.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is investigating allegations of graft in connection with an undersea tunnel project.

Lim today hit out for the second time in the week at Barisan Nasional-linked newspapers – The Star, Utusan Malaysia and New Straits Times (NST) – for misreporting his statement regarding the tunnel project.

He accused Utusan of publishing a “false report” that his office on level 28 in the Komtar building was “temporarily closed” yesterday.

“Utusan reported that the CM’s office was temporarily closed, following orders from level 28. My office was not closed.

“In the late afternoon, I had meetings. I met with (Amanah president) Mohamad Sabu and (PKR secretary-general and the chief minister’s strategic adviser) Saifuddin Nasution Ismail over the Mutiara Food Bank.

“You don’t expect me to be having open meetings, right? And none of my aides spoke to Utusan,” he said today.

It was rumoured yesterday that MACC officers might visit Lim’s office for documents to assist in their investigation. Reporters waited around Komtar but no one from MACC was spotted.

On Wednesday, The Star reported that the state government approved the pre-sale of land worth RM3 billion to the special vehicle company undertaking the tunnel project, which was part of a larger transport plan that also included three highways.

“I told The Star yesterday to show proof. But they are just quiet. Silent. Soon less people will read the paper.

“Lies. The CM of Penang is calling you a liar but you have no response. (You have) no sense of morality any more,” he said.

Lim then went after NST, saying that despite the explanations given at a press conference yesterday about the project, his words were twisted.

NST carried a Bernama report paper today, quoting Lim as saying the state government paid for the feasibility study for the three highways through a land swap worth RM208 million.

“I explained that the payment made so far for the project was not for the tunnel, even though the feasibility study is 92% finished.

“The payment via land swap was for the three highways. Works had completed for the feasibility studies, design and EIA (environmental impact assessments).

“The EIA has been approved, which means physical work on the highways can start. We paid up to work completed at the EIA stage,” he said.

Lim, who knows most Penang-based reporters on a first-name basis, said NST sent reporter to the press conference yesterday but used the Bernama report.

He asked the Bernama reporter present today why his colleague misreported him. (A different reporter who attended yesterday’s press meet.)

“I even wrote clearly on the board that RM208 million was paid for the EIA,” he said, pointing at the tunnel project details jotted down on a whiteboard in his office’s conference room.

“If this is a lecture and the lecturer writes down one thing and you take down something else, how are you going to pass your exams?

“Don’t twist my words. The Star, Utusan, NST are all the same. You may hold the media power, but you cannot abuse it.” – January 12, 2018.