“Name your chief minister candidate for Penang,” Gerakan deputy chief tells DAP

“Name your chief minister candidate for Penang,” Gerakan deputy chief tells DAP

GERAKAN deputy president Oh Tong Keong has ordered DAP to name a candidate for Penang chief minister ahead of the state election next month.

According to the Penang Gerakan chairman, caretaker Penang chief minister Chow Kon Yeow and DAP national chairman Lim Guan Eng ought to respond to the recent news report about the possibility of DAP nominating the party’s national deputy chairman Gobind Singh Deo as the next chief minister.

Oh, who is Penang Gerakan Chairman, said although it was DAP’s internal affairs, the candidate for the Penang Chief Minister would affect the future development of Penang.

“Since the DAP is part of the ruling Pakatan Harapan (PH) government, they (Chow and Lim) have the responsibility to frankly and clearly explain to the people of Penang the chief minister candidate so that voters can have an in-depth consideration before voting,” Oh was reported as saying by New Straits Times today (July 11).

Oh pointed out that if the current caretaker government retains power in the state election, people have the right to know who their chief minister is, and that the DAP cannot claim that this is a “family matter” that cannot be made public.

“As the incumbent caretaker state government, the people have an absolute right to know that if DAP wins again, would Gobind Singh be the chief minister or would Chow be re-elected,” Oh said.

On Saturday (July 8), Tasik Gelugor MP Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan said there were rumours that Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim would contest in the state election in Penang and replace Chow as the next Penang chief minister, whom Wan Saiful claimed had “failed to lead the state”.

DAP Secretary-general Anthony Loke responded by reminding Wan Saiful to mind his own business and to just focus on his own matters instead.

In response to Wan Saiful and Loke’s discussion of the future Penang chief minister candidate, Oh asked Loke if it was so embarrassing to support Chow as the chief minister.

“As the top decision-maker of DAP, Loke did not dare to accept Wan Saiful’s challenge, but said if PH continues to govern Penang, DAP will be re-elected as the Chief Minister of Penang.

“Could it be that DAP has other arrangements? Chow is really not the only candidate for the head of DAP.

“Is it really that Deputy Finance Minister Steven Sim, former Bukit Bendera MP Wong Hon Wei and Deputy Education Minister Lim Hui Ying may hold the post? Or even central leaders such as Gobind Singh?” he asked.

According to Oh, Chow’s personal style as the chief minister was very different from that of his predecessor Lim Guan Eng.

“Is this why rumours are flying that the DAP intends to replace the chief minister candidate?” he further questioned.

Barisan Nasional (BN)’s failure to name its chief minister prior to the 2008 General Elections (GE12) was one of the reasons it failed to retain Penang back then and PH has since ruled Penang ever since. – July 11, 2023