GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce (PCCC) has called for a reshuffle of Penang Development Corporation (PDC) management.

The call was made despite the Board's decision to terminate a joint venture agreement with UMECH Land Sdn Bhd over the controversial sale of a PDC-owned land in Byram.

PCCC president Datuk Seri Hong Yeam Wah said the land sale fiasco served as an "eye-opener" to the people, exposing the arrogance of the PDC management, which has seen the executive powers override the PDC Board and the Penang government.

"In the absence of transparency, and without corporate governance, it has seriously affected the image and reputation of PDC.

"It is high time that the PDC management be reshuffled," he told newsmen here today.

Hong said the termination of the sale contract, although delayed, was still not too late to remedy the situation.

"It is regretable. The issue could have been resolved earlier had the state government and PDC accepted our views. Instead, it has dragged on and developed into a controversy.

"We want to emphasis that we do not have any agenda. It was not targeting any politicians or individual companies. On the contrary, we are focusing on the procedures and due processes of the land sale.

"After all, since 2008, the state government has been emphasising on the concept of CAT - competency, accountability and transparency. So, it is a demand of the peopoe to ask the government to practice CAT," he added.

The PCCC was the first which brought up the matter, raising questions on the awarding of the project through direct negotiations and why local companies were not given the opportunity in the project.

There were also questions raised that the land could have been transferred to a developer.

Concurring with Hong, PCCC life honorary president Tan Sri Tan Kok Ping said the Penang government must investigate PDC following the land sale fiasco, as it was an agency under the state.

"So many questions posed to Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow over the land sale remain unanswered. He (Chow) did reply but not to the point.

"We want to know who approved this land sale? Who signed the agreement? These are very important questions which warrant answers.

"So, the state government must investigate PDC to ensure no recurrence of such fiasco in future," he said.

Yesterday, the PDC, in a statement, said the PDC Board had decided to terminate a joint venture agreement with UMECH Land over the controversial sale of a PDC-owned land in Byram, in the Seberang Prai Selatan district, and gave UMECH Land three month's notice based on clause 19 of the PDC - UMECH Land Sdn Bhd Enterprise Agreement.

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2023/10/968450/land-sale-fiasco-pccc-tells-penang-government-investigate-reshuffle-pdc