PENANG, MALAYSIA: Penang's Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the authorities could take action against him if he had made wrong statements about the open tender system and the New Economic Policy.

"I am prepared to face action of there is anything wrong with my statements," he said.

Lim said his conscience was clear because the state government was only trying to implement what was outlined in the Federal Government's financial guidelines.

"I am fully aware that even though I am a Chief Minister today, it does not mean that I will never be jailed again," said Lim who had been jailed before under the Printing Press Act, Sedition Act and Internal Security Act.

Lim said the implementation of the open tender system for projects worth RM50,000 and above was in accordance with federal guidelines.

"If the Prime Minister thinks that it is not right, then they should amend the financial procedures at their level," he told a press conference at his office yesterday.

"I have to be prepared to face any possibilities. But my advice (to the media) is please report what I said, which was to stop corruption and do not try to interpret them," he said in response to police investigations into articles that appeared in the newspapers.

He regretted that the police were recording statements from the China Press and Nanyang Siang Pau reporters.

"Everything they need to know is clearly stated in the press statements," he said.

Lim also said that large-scale projects were previously given to one or two names and approved through direct negotiations.

"The people want open tender system. Even the Class F contractors who are all Malays also support the system. It (awarding tenders) should be based on track records and not political cables."