KUALA LUMPUR – Former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng has again raised problems with the RM247-million Gurney Bay project in what appears to be another attack on his successor Chow Kon Yeow.
While not naming Chow, Lim this time accused state government leaders of defending non-performing contractors and civil servants.
Lim highlighted defects in the project’s public park, noting complaints from the public about cracked concrete slabs on the ground that were left exposed and broken ropes in the children’s playground.
Lim, who is Air Putih assemblyman, said these defects had appeared “on the very first day the public park was open”.
“How was a contractor with such poor performance able to get appointed in the first place for such a major project?
“Government leaders cannot protect errant contractors and government civil servants who fail to do their monitoring and supervision work professionally at the expense of the public.
“The government has no business to let off either contractors or government servants who allow equipment to be damaged or broken materials on the first day they are open to the public. This is unacceptable!” he said on Facebook.
The Gurney Bay park, which cost a total of RM247 million to build, was mooted when Lim was chief minister from 2008 to 2018.
Built on reclaimed land, Phase 1 of the park costing RM58 million was opened to the public on Sunday by Chow, who described it as a unique seaside park suitable for the whole family.
Lim questioned if the project contractor could be trusted to complete the remaining work for the project, saying “its performance so far leaves no cause for optimism”.
Although the contractor can be held liable for defects within the first two years, Lim said this did not absolve them from doing a proper job nor gave them “license to do shoddy work”.
This is Lim’s second post on the Gurney Bay project in the last two days since its Phase 1 was opened on Sunday.
Yesterday, he also questioned the quality of the work at the recreational park, saying it fell short of international standards. Lim had also stated RM247 million as the cost for Phase 1 of the Gurney Bay project.
This had prompted Chow to later clarify that RM247 million was for the entire project including Phase 2, and that the contractor was still responsible for any damage at the site. – February 6, 2024