GEORGE TOWN, Feb 22 — Datuk Seri Azmin Ali may not have been fully aware of the circumstances surrounding the recent sacking of two Penang PKR assemblymen from state government-linked companies (GLCs) when he commented on it, Lim Guan Eng said today.
The Penang chief minister expressed surprise that Azmin publicly commented on another Pakatan Harapan state, saying such a practice was uncommon for the pact.
“I’m a little bit surprised that he commented publicly. I had breakfast with him at the Council of Rulers event last week and he did not mention it then.
“I will look at this positively, perhaps Azmin was not fully informed of the whole situation in Penang,” he told reporters at the Penang Development Corporation (PDC) Chinese New Year Open house here today.
The DAP secretary-general pointed out that he had never interfered or commented on another Pakatan Harapan state government’s policies except for Kelantan after PAS cut ties with DAP.
“It is the usual practice for the parties in the pact not to interfere with the affairs of other Pakatan states and if there were any issues, it is raised privately within the pact and not publicly,” he said.
Azmin said yesterday that Penang should not have sacked Bukit Tengah assemblyman Ong Chin Wen and Kebun Bungah assemblyman Cheah Kah Peng from GLCs here after they abstained from voting against a land reclamation motion by Umno in November.
Ong, who is also the Penang PKR whip, lost his director’s post in InvestPenang and Island Golf Properties Bhd, a subsidiary company of Penang Development Corporation while Cheah lost his director’s post in Penang Hill Corporation.Azmin reportedly said PKR’s central political bureau objected to any action taken against the duo and that they had sent a letter asking for proper discussions on the issue two weeks ago.
Lim denied receiving any such letter and said if it does reach him, it would be treated with due respect.
He also explained that the duo’s sacking was decided by the state executive council in January.
As for whether the state government will consider appeals by the duo, Lim said he first wants to listen to their explanations, noting that they have yet to do so.
Lim had accused them of backstabbing by turning their backs against a decision they agreed in a meeting when they abstained from voting against the motion by Umno.
“If Khalid has to be removed because he has persistently refused to abide by decisions he had agreed on, I think the same principles apply here,” he said, referring to the removal of former Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim. MALAY MAIL ONLINE
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