RM1.2m repair bill for Penang CM's official state residence

PETALING JAYA (June 25): The Seri Teratai mansion in Penang — which is the official state residence for Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow — has received a RM1.2 million refurbishment bill.

The amount was cited after an initial assessment by the state Public Works Department (PWD), according to The Sun Daily.

Chow, who plans to move into the property instead of leaving it abandoned, has directed the state secretariat and PWD to look for ways to reduce the costs.

“After deliberations, it would be better in the long-term to occupy the residence and to repair it. If we wait too long, the costs could escalate. And it is good to upkeep one of the state assets,” The Sun Daily reported Chow saying.

The refurbishment works could be carried out in stages to alleviate the costs of paying the contractors, he added.

The mansion, which was built in the 1900s, has been unoccupied for the past 28 years, except for a few months in 2008.