BUTTERWORTH: Penang DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow is the rightful chief minister and not Lim Guan Eng, Parti Cinta Malaysia said today.
PCM deputy-president Datuk Huan Cheng Guan said Chow was the most senior DAP leader in Penang, and by convention, the most senior Penang DAP official should be the chief minister.
“Chow has proven his administrative ability and is deserving of support.
“DAP members are solidly behind Chow, who retained his chairman post by polling the most votes,” he told reporters today.
Huan added that Chow was Penang DAP chairman even before the opposition first won the state in 2008, and he could not understand why Lim, a non Penangite, was appointed chief minister.
During the Pakatan Harapan (PH) state convention in February this year, Chow caused a stir when he announced that the coalition was considering limiting the tenure of the chief minister to just two terms.
Lim had indicated that Chow would be his replacement if the former was convicted of corruption.
Lim is accused of abusing his power to benefit himself and his wife by approving the re-zoning of a plot of land to Magnificient Emblem Sdn Bhd.
He is also accused of allegedly obtained a bungalow in Jalan Pinhorn, from businesswoman Phang Li Khoon at below market value.
At the same time, Huan noted that Lim and his wife only came to Penang after they were rejected by their own party in Malacca.
“Lim and his wife were so unpopular that they were voted out from the Malacca DAP committee in 2005“, said Huan.
On another note, Huan said many DAP supporters were sad that Lim and his father Kit Siang had collaborated with former nemesis Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad just to gain the support of Malay voters
“Both father and son are willing to stoop so low to the point that DAP dropped the rocket logo in the 14th General Election,” said Huan.
He also claimed that the Lims were getting rid of DAP leaders they did not like by sending them to contest in hard to win seats.
He said they could not take criticism although they love to criticise others.
Huan will contest against Lim for the Bagan parliamentary seat in a four-cornered fight alongside MCA’s Datuk Lee Beng Seng and Koay Xing Boon of the Malaysian United Party (MU).