‘LGE a Chinese hero, but…’

Gerakan says the CM has bought his status at the high cost of social polarisation.

GEORGE TOWN: A Gerakan leader admitted today that the Chinese regard Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng as a hero of their community but said he had won that status at the cost of disharmony among citizens of the state.

Chia Kwang Chye, a vice-president in Gerakan, appeared careful not to use the phrase “racial disharmony”, preferring to talk of “polarisation at every stratum of society” without elaborating on it.

“The Chinese community wanted a hero and Lim somehow fits the bill,” he told FMT.

“But at the same time, he should also act out the virtues of a popular leader, such as uniting rather than disharmonising communities.”

Chia also repeated a frequently heard criticism of Lim’s political style – that he is too combative against detractors.

“While it may be good in some instances to be single-minded about issues,” he said, “it can be counter-productive as Penang’s diverse communities and critical-minded society would prefer an engaging and consultative personality rather than one who keeps talking down on them and politicises every issue imaginable.”

He advised Lim to tone down his aggression, saying his street-fighter style of politics gave an impression that he was superficial.

He said that perception was strengthened last week when Lim, reacting to an online news report, challenged Penang BN chief Teng Chang Yeow to contest against him for the state seat of Padang Kota.

“If one reads the report carefully,” he said, “Teng did not challenge Lim. He just said he was ready to meet Lim in the election. Yet the good honourable chief minister thought it was an outright challenge.”