Penang DAP warns Zahrain against breaking up Pakatan

PENANG, Jan 30 — The Penang DAP today warned PKR’s Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohd Hashim (picture) from allowing his political frustrations and angst towards Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng over a business deal to break up the state Pakatan Rakyat (PR) government.

State DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow chastised Zahrain for labelling Lim as “a dictator, a chauvinist and communist-minded”, saying the Bayan Baru Mp sounded no different from political rivals Umno.

“Zahrain should not try to provoke sentiments and attempt to break up Pakatan Rakyat in Penang by claiming that PKR has no say in the administration of the PR state government,” the Tanjung MP said in a statement issued after speaking to reporters here.

Chow stressed that the state DAP and its lawmakers are fully behind the leadership of Lim, who is also party secretary-general, “against the irresponsible and vicious personal attacks by PKR MP for Bayan Baru Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohd Hashim”.

Zahrain has had a simmering feud with Lim (picture) since the latter’s appointment as chief minister following the pact’s shock victory in Penang in toppling the Barisan Nasional (BN) state government in Election 2008.

Chow noted that even Umno and the ruling BN federal government had never labelled Lim as a communist when the latter was detained without trial under the Internal Security Act (ISA) in 1987.

“How can Lim be a chauvinist when he went to jail and lost his parliamentary seat to defend a Malay girl who was detained even though she was a rape victim?” he asked, pointing out that Lim had initiated a hard-core poverty eradication programme in Penang, where 90 per cent came from one community, by ensuring that all families received at least RM 500 a month.

He also disputed Zahrain’s claims that Lim was a dictator for not accepting criticisms, noting that the former PKR Penang chairman had never criticised Lim in any PR joint meetings with the Penang state government.

“Decisions in the Pakatan Rakyat are made collectively in exco meetings,” Chow said.

He also rapped Zahrain for questioning why a third of Lim’s speech during the first Pakatan Rakyat National convention last Dec 19 was in Mandarin.

“Clearly Zahrain was absent as Lim had spoken 85 per cent in Bahasa Malaysia with the remainder 15 per cent in English and Mandarin.

“But even if one third of Lim’s speech had been in Mandarin, is it a crime to speak in one own’s mother tongue? This extremist approach befits a typical Penang Umno leader and not a PKR or Pakatan Rakyat leader,” Chow added, saying Zahrain appeared politically frustrated over his removal as Penang PKR chairman.

“Further, Lim had informed me of Zahrain frustrations with Lim for refusing to endorse Zahrain’s decision last year as Chairman of Island Golf Properties in awarding a tender for the privatised management of the Bukit Jambul Golf Club to a RM2 company.

“As Chairman of PDC, Lim had recommended that the Board of Directors over-rule the award of tender and called for a fresh re-tender.” Chow disclosed.

“The Board of Directors of PDC had accepted Lim’s recommendation that to give the tender of running the only golf club in Penang worth tens of millions of ringgit to a RM2 company would not comply with Penang’s CAT governance of Competency, Accountability and Transparency.

“Giving contracts to a RM 2 company would make a mockery of change that Penangnites voted for in the 2008 elections and make Penang Pakatan Rakyat no different from BN,” he added.

Chow said by holding firm to CAT, the Penang state government has been able to turn a projected deficit of RM35 million in 2008 budget to a record surplus of RM 88million.

“Penang is proud to be the first state to hold public open tenders of government projects and procurement contracts and also conducting it through the internet (e-tender).

“By sticking to CAT principles, Penang is the first state or federal government in Malaysia to gain praise from Transparency International,” he said.

Chow told off Zahrain, saying he may want to personally burn his bridges with DAP but the PKR man should not allow his political frustrations and Lim’s refusal to endorse his award of tender to a RM2 company to attempt to break up Pakatan Rakyat in Penang.