Penang PKR livid over Kebun Bunga rep’s exclusion
GEORGE TOWN: Is trouble brewing between DAP and PKR in Penang?
It appeared to be so after PKR’s Kebun Bunga assemblyman, Cheah Kah Peng, was exempted by the DAP-led Penang government from handling flood aid registration.
State PKR chairman Datuk Mansor Othman yesterday lashed out at the state government for excluding Cheah and handing over the duty to DAP’s Pulau Tikus assemblyman, Yap Soo Huey, instead.
Mansor described the move as undemocratic and insisted that Cheah, as the rightful elected representative, should handle the matter.
“He (Cheah) was given the mandate by the people in his constituency. Hence, he should not have been obstructed from discharging his duty as an assemblyman. The decision to hand over the (role) to Pulau Tikus assemblyman appears (as if PKR is being sidelined from) the state government’s administration. No meeting or discussion was held with the party.
“(The state government’s reasoning) that the decision to exclude (Cheah) was based on ‘internal procedural changes’ is difficult to comprehend. This has tarnished the togetherness of Pakatan Harapan,” he said.
On Nov 20, Cheah received an email from State Secretary Datuk Seri Farizan Darus informing him that he had been exempted from handling the RM700 flood aid registration of victims in his constituency, who were affected by the Nov 4 floods.
On Thursday, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said he and Yap would take over the duties for the Kebun Bungah constituency. Lim said it was part of “internal procedural changes” to ensure that the aid could be distributed effectively to victims.
Meanwhile, former Bagan Luar DAP chairman G. Asoghan said he believed that PKR was finally seeing the true colours of DAP, which was trying to show its dominance. He said the exemption would lead to an internal break-up.
“From what I see, the reason why DAP is doing this could be due to two reasons — to show who is the boss and to personally embarrass Cheah as he is the only one exempted.
“They are indirectly pushing out Cheah. But, do they remember that PKR played a huge part for DAP to form a state government? If PKR had joined BN instead, the state government would never be under DAP.”
BN’s Pulau Betong assemblyman, Datuk Muhammad Farid Saad, also questioned Lim’s decision to exclude Cheah from the process.
“Before the 13th General Election, there were rumours that DAP would secure PKR’s seats and place its members to contest so that they could win the simple majority or 21 seats in the state. Is this agenda revived?
“If this is true, then PKR and PAN (Parti Amanah Negara) will be sidelined and DAP will be fully in charge of the state.”
He said Lim’s influence in the decision to exempt Cheah was a clear signal that he and his party could not be criticised.
“Previously, PKR’s Penanti assemblyman, Dr Norlela Ariffin, was also put under similar pressure for voicing out against the Kampung Sungai Lembu illegal factory issue,” he said.