GEORGE TOWN, October 10 – In response to the recent statement made by Penang Chief Minister YAB Chow Kon Yeow on October 3, 2023, Prof. Dr. P. Ramasamy s/o Palanisamy and Dato Seri Lee Kah Choon have jointly issued a statement aimed at addressing specific aspects of the Chief Minister’s remarks regarding the Umech Construction contract. The Chief Minister’s statement had indicated that the selection of Umech was conducted diligently and involved the establishment of a small committee, including the then Deputy Chief Minister I, Deputy Chief Minister II (YB. Dato’ Abdul Halim), and YBhg. Dato Seri Lee Kah Choon, to evaluate Umech’s proposal.
Additionally, it was mentioned that discussions occurred on November 28, 2022, and the proposal for collaboration with Umech was presented for approval at the PDC Board Meeting No. 1/2023 on February 9, 2023. However, Prof. Dr. P. Ramasamy s/o Palanisamy and Dato Seri Lee Kah Choon express reservations about the accuracy of this statement. They emphasize that the meeting held on November 28, 2022, referred to as ‘the said Meeting,’ was not intended as a ‘due diligence’ meeting to assess the suitability of Umech Construction Sdn Berhad for the contract.
Furthermore, there were no established terms of reference for the so-called Jawatankuasa Kecil (small committee). Rather, the purpose of ‘the said Meeting’ was to provide Umech with an opportunity to furnish additional details about their proposed development. The outcome of this meeting led to Umech being tasked with conducting a market survey, examining the composition of land usage, furnishing evidence of their financial sustainability for evaluation, and addressing other pertinent matters. Importantly, ‘the said Meeting’ instructed the PDC management to present the proposal to the PDC board for further deliberation once all required information had been obtained.
Notably, the Chief Minister chaired this meeting. Prof. Dr. P. Ramasamy s/o Palanisamy and Dato Seri Lee Kah Choon underscore the significance of clarifying these points to ensure a transparent and precise understanding of the events related to the Umech Construction contract. They hope that this statement addresses any misconceptions and offers a more accurate portrayal of the process involved. In addition to this clarification, the resignation of Dato Seri Lee Kah Choon from various positions within the Penang State Government has been officially acknowledged.
Dato Seri Lee Kah Choon expressed his readiness to relinquish his positions, which included Board Member of Invest Penang, Penang Development Corporation, and Penang Hill Corporation, on August 14, 2023, following the Chief Minister’s second-term swearing-in. Subsequently, on September 26, 2023, the Chief Minister informed Dato Seri Lee Kah Choon of his replacement as a director of PDC due to a new appointment to the board. Dato Seri Lee acknowledged the situation in his response on September 27, 2023. It’s worth noting that Dato Seri Lee Kah Choon had previously conveyed his intention to focus on his private interests before the general election.
On October 2, 2023, the Chief Minister received Dato Seri Lee Kah Choon’s letter of resignation, tendering his resignation as the Special Investment Advisor to the Chief Minister of Penang with one month’s notice. Additionally, Dato Seri Lee relinquished his role as a Board Member of Invest Penang. The Penang State Government extended its utmost appreciation to Dato Seri Lee Kah Choon for his substantial contributions to the development of the state of Penang.
