Guan Eng: BN will turn Penang into federal territory if it wins back state

Penang Chief Minister plays up fear factor to get Chinese to vote DAP

(MMO) – Barisan Nasional (BN) will push for Penang to be turned into a federal territory if it wins back the state in the next general election, Lim Guan Eng said today.

The Penang chief minister said it is clear that Umno “would push” for Penang to be turned into a federal territory.

“This is why Penang needs to be saved from BN and Umno,” he said in a statement issued today.

Lim was responding to Penang Federal Action Council chairman Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Osman’s explanation yesterday on Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor’s suggestion that Penang become a federal territory.

The Penang Umno liaison committee chairman claimed that the federal territories minister had meant well in his proposal and that he was only expressing his hope for the island.

He also added that this suggestion will not become a reality as the Federal Constitution needed to be amended for this, they will still need consent from the Conference of Rulers and also approval from the Penang state government.

Zainal had pointed out that it will be difficult for them to pass the amendment in Parliament as they do not have two thirds majority and since the state government is opposed to it, this meant the idea will not become a reality at all.

Lim said Zainal’s defence of Tengku Adnan’s suggestion meant that there is an “urgency” to the continuation of the “I Love Penang” campaign to secure the future of Penang as a sovereign state in Malaysia.

“Penangites have the right to fear that turning Penang into a Federal Territory will mean a return to the bad old days of BN’s misrule when Penang was dirty, not green, neither safe nor healthy,” he warned.

He claimed that Penangites have not forgotten the misgovernance of BN as compared to the current government’s clean governance.