Lim’s office today sent copies of the declaration to the press.
“I do not understand why my agreement to sell the house to the CM has been blown up into such a big national issue when I have no business dealings with the state government,” Phang said in the declaration.
“I stress that I was not pressured or forced or under any influence by the CM or any party to sell the house to the CM at RM2.8 million. I sold on my own free will on a willing buyer and willing seller basis.
“Neither have I obtained any benefit from the state government by selling the house to him.”
Phang declared that she was not a director or a shareholder of KLDIC, which won the bid for the Taman Manggis land in an open tender bid. Neither was she involved in the management of the company, she said.
According to the declaration, Lim and his family lived in the house for six years as tenants before the purchase.
Phang said she bought the bungalow in 2008 for RM2.5 million and did not regret selling it at below market price.
“The CM and his family were very good tenants for six years. To me, he is a respectable leader and I feel honoured to sell my property to him. I think Penang has done well under his administration and, most importantly, I have sold my property to a person I respect.”
She said she sold the property to clear herself of “unnecessary headaches and stress” brought on by protest demonstrations outside the house and untrue stories about her in the press and in social media.
She said it was in early 2012 that she told Lim’s wife, Betty Chew, that she was willing to sell the house for RM2.8 million if the Chief Minister was willing to buy it.
“Chew told me they were interested in buying, but the CM was worried that he could not afford to buy the house if he was not re-elected as the Chief Minister.”
Phang said that in June 2014 she and Lim entered into an agreement under which she gave him the option to buy the house within five years for RM2.8m.
She said she did not bother to find out the market price when she sold it to Lim in 2015 because she already had a ready buyer and also because of the 2014 agreement.
The issue of the purchase was raised in Parliament last week by Tasek Gelugor MP Shabudin Yahaya. The matter is now under investigation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission. Lim has denied any wrongdoing.