Zahrain was actually “politically frustrated” because the state government had rejected his recommendation for a company to be awarded a contract.

IPOH: Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng (picture) is of the view that Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s Bayan Baru MP Zahrain Hashim, who has publicly criticised him, could “burn bridges” with the state government if he chose to.

“If he wants to burn bridges with the Penang Government, that is his choice. Let us wait and see if other Penang leaders will support him,” the DAP secretary general told reporters yesterday after opening a national workshop for DAP local councillors here.

Last week, Zahrain told Lim to step down, calling him a dictator, a chauvinist and communist-minded leader who was unfit to lead the state.

In response to Zahrain’s attack, the state DAP claimed that Lim had informed the party that Zahrain was actually “politically frustrated” because the state government had rejected his recommendation for a company to be awarded a contract.

Yesterday, the PKR supreme council decided to haul Zahrain in before the party’s disciplinary committee.

PKR adviser Anwar Ibrahim said the party condemned Zahrain’s views on Lim and that his statement was uncalled for.

Lim said Zahrain’s statement had not affected the running of the statement government and that they had not been in communication since the media frenzy over the issue started.

“It is business as usual in Penang," he said. "After all he is not an assemblyman.

“Of course, the media will try to create a sense of crisis and that is what Barisan Nasional wants to achieve."

He said he was nevertheless surprised by Zahrain’s attack.

“This just came out of the blue and I feel we have addressed the real reasons behind it,” he said.

On Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s statement that the open verbal spat involving Pakatan leaders was a sign that there was a serious split within the fragile coalition, Lim said he had expected Barisan to try to turn the matter into a full-blown crisis.

“But one swallow does not a summer make,” he said.

He said it was unusual for the Prime Minister to express his views on such a matter.

To prove his confidence in his colleagues in the state government, Lim said, he would leave on Monday for a short trade mission overseas.

FMT
01/02/10

No comments: