Lim Guan Eng challenges Zahid to remove Umno from Penang government

Lim Guan Eng challenges Zahid to remove Umno from Penang government

GEORGE TOWN – DAP adviser Lim Guan Eng has challenged Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to call for Umno to be removed from the Penang state government after Zahid challenged Pakatan Harapan (PH) to remove the party from the Federal Government.

Lim said Zahid had openly challenged the PH-led coalition government to remove Umno from the Federal Government in Putrajaya during the Umno General Assembly, which ended two days ago.

“The question is, why does Zahid not dare to challenge PH in Penang to remove Umno from the state government?

“Umno has representatives in the Penang State Executive Council, two local authorities (PBT), as well as state government-linked companies (GLCs),” he said in a statement on Monday.

Earlier, media reports said Umno had issued an ultimatum to the Unity Government to either seek a renewed mandate through the 16th General Election (GE16) or formally remove the party.

Zahid said the call was made after taking into account demands for Umno to no longer be part of the Unity Government.

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Meanwhile, Lim, who is also an Air Putih assemblyman, said Zahid should make the same call in Penang if he was confident in his position.

Lim also questioned whether the Deputy Prime Minister had refrained from doing so because he knew the PH-led Penang government could retain its two-thirds majority in the state legislative assembly even without the two Umno representatives.

“Does Zahid not have the courage to do so because he knows that even without the two Umno state representatives, the PH government still enjoys a two-thirds majority in the Penang state legislative assembly?” he said.

Guan Eng said Umno should not take advantage of what he described as hesitation and uncertainty among PH leaders in Penang over the party’s role in the state government.

He said this was particularly apparent as Umno was seen cooperating with opposition party Perikatan Nasional (PN) while remaining part of the state government coalition.

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“PH supporters can clearly see that Umno and Pas will continue to practise extreme politics and divisive rhetoric to gain power by any means necessary,” he said.

Meanwhile, Lim urged the Penang government to adopt a more people-oriented approach in dealing with what he described as an opportunistic, unprincipled and hypocritical Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) leadership.

He proposed that the state government close the door to Umno, Pas, MCA and Gerakan by postponing all increases in charges and fees, land taxes, water tariffs and parking rates.

He said postponing the increases could address remaining grievances among the people and restore public confidence in the state government.

“The postponement of increases in charges and fees, land taxes, water tariffs and parking rates by the state government will eliminate any remaining grievances and restore public confidence.

“At the same time, it will close off any opportunistic attempts by BN and PN to gain political mileage from issues that have yet to be resolved,” he said.