Kon Yeow dismisses ‘lame duck’ tag, says not being Penang DAP chair doesn’t mean he can’t be its chief minister
Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow today said he will continue to lead the state government, dismissing insinuations that he will be forced to step down from the post if he no longer heads the local DAP.
(MMO) – He pointed out the state government is the executive wing that decides on the implementation of projects and indicated that there is little to do with obtaining political approval compared to the US system of governance.
“There was a statement that I am a lame duck chief minister when I am no longer the state party chairman. This is an American concept where there are two large political groups and it involves voting within Congress,” he told reporters after attending the launch of an advanced tech equipment cluster here.
“In Penang’s context, the state government is the executive wing that will continue with its duties so very rarely there is a need to get legislature support,” he added.
He said there is only a need for legislature support for the state budget; otherwise, there would not be any obstacles for the state government’s machinery to continue as usual.
“It won’t stop the state machinery from being led by me to implement state projects and programmes and to continue with joint efforts with the federal government to implement federal projects in Penang,” he said.
Chow stressed that the announcement by party secretary-general Anthony Loke that there will not be any change in chief minister is sufficient for now.
