Lim Dynasty’s coup de CM to grab power in Penang in GE12
Lim Guan Eng (left) apparently has ‘hijacked’ the Penang CM post from state DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow (right) through an internal coup.
Malaysia Outlook
On March 8, 2008, Penangites voted in a DAP-led coalition of parties as the new Penang government, replacing the Gerakan-led Barisan Nasional (BN) administration.
Anti-establishment sentiments aside, there were other reasons too to motivate Penangites to effect a change at state level.
Many Penangites perceived BN, especially the federal government then, as “arrogant, corrupted, incompetent and was overstaying its welcome”.
The Hindraf factor motivated the Indians while the Chinese trade associations (CTA) beguiled the community against BN.
Malays were split by Mahathir Mohamad, Anwar Ibrahim and PAS, mainly through propaganda of half-truths and half-lies.
In the surge for a change, Penangites got rid of Koh Tsu Koon-helmed state government and replace it with Lim Guan Eng-controlled administration.
In just a stroke of marking the ballot papers, Penangites replaced an experienced and well-oiled Gerakan-led government with an inexperienced and ill-prepared DAP-dominated administration.
That paved way for the augmentation of now infamous Lim Dynasty – an acronym coined by critics to describe the dominance of Lim Kit Siang and his son Guan Eng in DAP.
Coup de CM
For a start, one has to recall on how the appointment, if one wants to call it appointment, of the new chief minister took place.
According to then party national vice-chairman Tunku Abdul Aziz, after the unexpected electoral reverses suffered by BN in Penang, the victorious DAP assemblymen were all caged in a city hotel in George Town.
A meeting ensued and in the meeting, a question popped on “who’s going to be the chief minister.”
Tunku Aziz recalled that the party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng instantly sprung and replied: “I should be the chief minister because I am the secretary-general.”
It was a real coup brand Lim Dynasty.
