PKR sees CAT as ‘storm in a teacup’

Penang PKR information chief says the affair won’t affect Pakatan’s preparations for election.

Hawkeye, FMT

GEORGE TOWN: Penang PKR has shrugged off the exposure of its chairman Mansor Othman criticising Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, saying it would not affect Pakatan Rakyat’s preparation for the 13th general election.

“It’s a storm in a teacup,” said Penang PKR communications bureau head Sim Tze Tzin in reference to a leaked recording of Mansor allegedly describing Lim as arrogant.

He said both his party and Lim’s DAP regarded the leakage as a weak attempt to create a rift within Pakatan.

However, a local Gerakan leader sees Sim’s remarks as an attempt to cover up Lim’s unpopularity.

Mohan Apparoo, who leads Gerakan’s Batu Kawan division, said Lim had been criticised as arrogant even by local DAP grassroots leaders.

“To enliven this further,” he added, “I was told that some of the DAP leaders on the (Penang) mainland will now be supporting Barisan Nasional because they are fed up with Lim’s attitude.”

The media now refers to the controversy as CAT, abbreviating “cocky, arrogant and tokong” —words that Mansor apparently used to describe Lim during a meeting he had with some local PKR members.

Details of the private meeting, including an audio recording, were posted in the “Gelagat Anwar” blog in June. Last Monday, TV3 aired the recording at prime time.

Penang PKR has since announced that it was investigating the affair.

Sim declined to say whether the culprit behind the leak had been identified or whether PKR would act against him or her, but he remarked that it “would be naive” to speculate that Mansor’s political future was doomed as a result of it.

“The remarks were made in a coffeeshop setting,” he said. “The conversation was informal and there was loose talk. Some quirky remarks were made. They cannot be taken to heart.”