GEORGE TOWN – DAP’s Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng has chided Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) aim to “shake up” Penang in the coming state polls, saying that Pakatan Harapan (PH) is ready to face their candidates.
He added that PN can make any assumptions it wants to – referring to a brief video statement made by PN’s Arau MP Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim on his Facebook page recently.
“Let them say what they want. It is their right but we will be ready to face them,” said Guan Eng.
Shahidan had spoken about PN being ready for the state polls in Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu while making inroads in Selangor and Negri Sembilan.
He added that PN is looking forward to “shaking up” Penang.
Lim, who was at the Penang DAP Chinese New Year open house here yesterday, also urged the moderates to unite against racialism and religious bigotry as the state elections will pit them against the extremists.
“We want the moderates to stand up and be counted. Unite our forces against those out to betray the country’s founding principles of multiculturalism and pluralism. They must be stopped.”
His message was echoed by Penang DAP chairman and Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, who said the party must be ready to fight slander, which will be used by its rivals to win support.
Other leaders who spoke about party preparations were Penang DAP vice-chairman Zairil Khir Johari, Wanita DAP chief Chong Eng, party veteran Lim Kit Siang and Penang Deputy Chief Minister P. Ramasamy.
Later, Lim said he did not attend a gathering during Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s visit to Penang last Sunday because he was on vacation somewhere in the country.
“I was away for four days and could not attend,” he said in response to speculations that he boycotted the event. – The Vibes, January 27, 2023