DAP backbencher apologises over offensive SMS
Quality Elected Legislators ? or Pasar Malam Legislators !
Penang government backbencher Koid Teng Guan today apologised for forwarding an offensive short text messages in Chinese calling on Penangites to "bury Barisan Nasional and pray for their souls during Qing Ming" (Chinese all souls day prayer).
Sungai Pinang assemblyperson Koid Teng Guan (left) claimed he had re-forwarded the SMS, which he allegedly received from another person, because he thought the SMS was a joke."I wish to apologise for re-forwarding an SMS in form of joke about Gerakan and MCA.
"This joke was forwarded to me. I agree it is inappropriate for such jokes to be re-forwarded by a Penang government assemblyperson.
"I would also withdraw and apologise for my subsequent press comments joking about re-forwarding the SMS," he told a press conference at the Penang assembly sitting today.
Koid also promised not to repeat the mistake by re-forwarding such inappropriate sms jokes about Gerakan and MCA.
Last night Penang Gerakan youth chairperson Oh Tong Keong, accompanied by vice chairpersons Tan Kah Leong and H'ng Khoon Leng, lodged a police report at Jalan Patani station over the issue.
Koid must quit
According to Oh, media reports had said that some 400 SMSes were circulated by the DAP assemblyperson on Tuesday afternoon.
"How could an assemblyperson, who is responsible to his constituents, send out SMS while the state assembly session was on?" asked Oh.
Why was he not paying attention to the proceedings when he was elected to fight for the needs of his constituency ?
Earlier today Gerakan state publicity, information and communications bureau secretary Thor Teong Gee (right) and MCA state deputy chief Eng Hiap Boon called on Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to order Koid to quit as Sungai Pinang elected representative.
They said Koid's irresponsible action was unbecoming of an assemblyperson.
"Koid has undermined the credibility of the state government, which emphasises on competency, accountability and transparency," they said.
Speaking on behalf of the state government, state executive councillor Phee Boon Poh said that the question of Koid resigning as an assemblyperson did not arise given that the DAP backbencher had been "man enough to stand up and own up to his responsibility".
Phee (left) said the Pakatan Rakyat state government and the DAP viewed the issue seriously and regretted the incident. He said Koid had been advised accordingly over the matter.
"Koid has accepted his mistake and apologised. I think this is good enough," Phee told journalists.
When Koid was asked whether he forwarded more than 400 SMSes during the assembly sitting, Phee came to his colleague's rescue, stressing that "Koid's apology was good enough to put the issue to rest".
The copying incident
Phee said that the issue was not about how many SMSes were sent or whether the SMSes were sent during the assembly sitting.
"The most important thing is that Koid has been man enough to apologise," stressed Phee.
This is the second time Koid was caught in an embarrassing situation since being elected as Sungai Pinang assemblyperson in 2008 general election.
During the July sitting last year, Gerakan caught Koid copying a former BN assemblyperson Ong Thean Lye's written question and submitting it as his own.
Koid later apologised over that incident.
