State govt not serious about foreign investment

 

Wednesday March 27, 2013

Penang CM chided for not revealing Bosch’s decision to cancel solar plant project

GEORGE TOWN: Gerakan has slammed Chief Minister Lim Guan Engfor being irresponsible in keeping mum on Bosch Solar Energy Malaysia Sdn Bhd's decision to cancel plans to build a RM2.2bil solar facility in the state.

Penang Gerakan secretary Goh Kheng Sneah said that instead of informing the public on the big drop in investments himself, Lim delegated the announcement to investPenang executive committeechairman Datuk Simon Wong.

“This was unlike in the past three years when Lim was quick to announce any increase in investments in Penang so as to claim the credit immediately,” said Goh.

He also questioned Lim about the state government's preemptive steps to overcome the drastic loss of investment.

On Monday, Wong issued a statement that Bosch's board had decided to discontinue its global crystalline photovoltaic business for the manufacture of ingots, wafers and solar cell modules.

To this, Goh claimed that Bosch's decision had affected many small and medium enterprises that were supply chains to the multi-billion investments, and more than 3,000 jobs were estimated to be lost.

It was earlier reported that Penang suffered a 73% drop in total investments from RM9.11bil in 2011 to only RM2.47bil last year.

 

Penang Gerakan: State govt not serious about foreign investment

GEORGE TOWN:  Penang Gerakan secretary Goh Kheng Sneah today claimed that the state government did not seem to be serious about maintaining the inflow of foreign investment to the state and remained silent on the question of economic growth.

He said the DAP-led state government had failed to explain the cancellation of the contract of a foreign company involving an investment of RM2.2 billion.

"We want him (Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng) to explain the value of the inflow of foreign investment to the state between 2010 and 2012 and the investment targets for this year and the next two years.

"This is important because it involves the state's economy and will have an impact on the people," he told reporters.

Last Thursday, Goh, who is the BN coordinator for the Batu Uban state constituency, and Penang Gerakan vice-president Ong Thean Lye alleged that investment in the state was valued at RM2.47 billion in 2012, down from RM9.11 billion in 2011 and RM12.24 billion in 2010.   

"We do not want the state government to be good at only sensationalising the inflow of uncertain foreign investment but conceal the number of investors who have left the state," he said.

On another matter, he also dismissed a claim that the state government had attracted a foreign company to the state.

"There is no truth to the statement because the company in question has operations in China and not in Asean as claimed," he said. -- BERNAMA