Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has no intention of sacking Penang Island City Council (MBPP) councillor Lim Mah Hui for speaking out against the state's RM27 billion Transport Master Plan (TMP).

Lim's political secretary, Wong Hon Wai, said Mah Hui would have been sacked a long time ago if expressing dissenting views was enough cause to remove someone from the state government.

“However the people would have to judge whether his conduct of stabbing the government behind the back by going to Unesco without our knowledge, despite the state government being open and transparent with him, is proper, professional and ethical conduct,” Wong said.

Wong was referring to Mah Hui’s June 23 letter to the Unesco World Heritage Center in Paris, requesting that it sends a mission to Penang to assess the impact of the TMP on the George Town heritage site.

The move had earned Mah Hui the label “backstabber” as the letter was sent without prior notice to the authorities. But the veteran activist said he was willing to be sacked from his three state government posts for his action.

Wong (photo) today accused Mah Hui of trying to act as a hero who dared to voice dissenting views.

He questioned why the councillor did not inform the state government of his letter to Unesco, which he said put the George Town Unesco World Heritage site at risk.

Wong said Mah Hui's action was tantamount to “improper conduct, unprofessional behaviour and was completely unethical”.

He expressed regret that the coalition of 12 NGOs, Penang Forum, condoned Mah Hui’s behaviour and “improper conduct”.

Penang Forum has insisted that Mah Hui, who sent the letter on its behalf, was merely trying to preserve and protect George Town's heritage by taking proactive measures.

Meanwhile, Wong noted that Mah Hui continued to attack the proposed transport hub in Sia Boey, along the old Prangin Canal, even before the final archaeological assessment has been completed.

Wong said the Transport Hub and Sia Boey can co-exist.

“We cannot understand why Penang Forum made reference to the Boustead building issue, which was reduced from 12 storeys to five storeys at the cost of RM20 million paid by MBPP, when this approval was not made by the present Pakatan government, but by the previous BN government.

“And yet, somehow, the Penang government is being blamed for the various mistakes and errors of the previous BN government,” he said.