Malaysia's new Penang chief asks for Petronas cash

PENANG, Malaysia (Reuters) - Malaysia's opposition-held state of Penang will lobby the prime minister to use cash from state oil firm Petronas to fund a new $940 million bridge project, Penang's new chief minister said on Tuesday.

Lim Guan Eng, whose Democratic Action Party won control of the industrial-heartland state at weekend general elections, said in a statement he would be seeking a meeting with with Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on the matter.

"I shall be seeking an appointment to meet with the prime minister...on listening to and addressing the needs of the people of Penang expressed in the general elections on 8 March such as using Petronas proceeds to fully fund the construction cost of the federal government's second Penang bridge project," he said.

(Reporting by Niluksi Koswanage; editing by Mark Bendeich)