PAKATAN RAKYAT leaders in Penang started to trade hurtful blows in public after former Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) state chief Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohd Hashim publicly lashed out at Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng. Labelling him a “dictator", "chauvinist” and “communist-minded”, Zahrain reflected that CM Lim had failed to deliver general election promises. “Lim may be reluctant to push for local council election because it will diminish his power if Penangites use that as an avenue to pass verdict on the state’s performance... He also promised an open tender system, but he has made the process worse by personally chairing the tender board.”  Read here and here

• PKR de facto chief Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim took steps to paper over cracks in his Pakatan Rakyat coalition by declaring his support for CM Lim and sending his critic to be disciplined. “We reject and condemn his views on the Penang chief minister,” he said, adding that Zahrain’s attack was uncalled for. Read here
• Deputy Chief Minister I Mansor Othman, who is the state PKR chairman, said the party’s central committee would meet to discuss Zahrain’s outburst. He said while the party allowed leaders to make criticism, it would not tolerate name-calling in the press. Read here
• Nibong Tebal MP Tan Tee Beng, who recently attacked Lim for for practising "vengeful politics", warned that PKR would end up with nothing if the leaders are weak and continued to bend to Lim’s will. “In Penang, PKR is like an opposition party. We MPs have no allocation and the state is not helping us at all... In Selangor, the ruling party is PKR but all Pakatan MPs get a RM100,000 allocation for their constituency and RM50,000 for office expenses from the state government. In Penang, nothing ... zero.” Read here
• In response, the Penang state government stated that it is not allowed to give any allocation to Members of Parliament (MPs) and if it does so, it would be in trouble with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). Deputy Chief Minister II (DCM II) Dr P. Ramasamy said the state only gives allocations to assemblymen. “I receive an allocation from the state in my capacity as DCM II and as Prai assemblyman, but no allocation is given to me as Batu Kawan MP.” Read here
• Nevertheless, echoing Tan’s views were several PKR lawmakers who has hit out at the Penang government for not giving financial assistance to Pakatan Rakyat MPs. Kelana Jaya MP Loh Gwo-Burne said the Penang government should emulate governments in Selangor and Kelantan and provide allocations. Read here

Meanwhilie, for a more indepth take on Pakatan's state of affairs and how the "PR parties are working at cross-purposes as each tries to carve out a political niche for itself at the expense of the other," read here. All these are happening in a wider political scenario where disgruntled Pakatan leaders are allegedly being lured to join pro-Barisan Nasional independent parties like the Parti Cinta Malaysia (PCM). Many allegedly claim frustration on how CM Lim is running the state. Read here and here.

Other news

• Penang govt lends a hand to cash-strapped MPSP: The state government has come to the aid of the cash-strapped Seberang Perai Municipal Council (MPSP) to buy much needed equipment and funding for facilities. Read here
• ‘No money to fund school activities’: The Penang government does not have the budget to fund co-curricular activities in schools and will leave the matter to the Education Ministry. Read here
• Draft of Penang Local Plan to reflect higher density: The draft of the Penang Island Local Plan will include new adjustments to reflect higher density in areas of new developments, especially along the public transportation corridor. Read here
• Tech centre, education revamp to aid Penang's push for science and technology: Setting up a Penang Technology Centre modeled after the famed San Jose Tech Centre in the US and recalibrating Penang's education agenda were among the ideas put forth by industries and academia to spur students' interest in science and technology. Read here
• Malays winning majority of Penang open tender jobs: Some 70 per cent of two state firm’s open tenders have been won by Malay contractors, showing the community to be as competitive as others, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng. Read here
• Speakers' Corner for Penang?: Penang may soon set up the country’s first public Speakers’ Corner. (I use the term ‘public’ because a Speakers’ Corner at the Perdanasiswa Complex in Universiti Malaya has just been re-opened). Read here

For more news on Penang from January 25 to 31, 2010, please click here

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