Do you need to be assemblyman to be mentor, MCA veep asks Guan Eng

 

MCA vice-president Ti Lian Ker wondered if Lim Guan Eng would have the time to be a mentor as he was now the DAP chairman, an MP and also had to deal with his court cases.

PETALING JAYA: An MCA vice-president has questioned DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng’s rationale for defending the Air Putih seat in the Penang state polls, saying it made little sense.

Ti Lian Ker wondered why the former Penang chief minister only wanted to mentor newer party members now.

“What has Guan Eng been doing for the past 20 years? Did he not think of mentoring anyone back then?” he told FMT.

Ti said that as the DAP chairman, Lim could still play a role as a mentor without having to be an assemblyman.

Lim has served as a Penang assemblyman for three terms, was a chief minister for the state, finance minister and an MP.

“Do you need to be an assemblyman for another term just to be a mentor?

“Wouldn’t it be better to play the role of a mentor by allowing a younger person to stand in Air Putih? All Lim needs to do is to get someone he sees as a potential leader and get the person to contest the state seat.

“He can then groom the person if he or she is elected as an assemblyman.”

Ti also wondered if Lim would have the time to be a mentor as he was now the DAP chairman, an MP and also had to deal with his court cases.

Lim, in justifying his decision to defend his seat, told FMT in an interview that he would oversee a leadership transition within the party.

He said he wanted to lay the foundation for leadership, succession and transition, adding that a succession plan was vital.

The former finance minister then drew parallels with successful leadership transitions in other countries, notably Singapore, where succession planning has had a positive effect.

“But the party is already under Loke Siew Fook’s leadership. Stop with the bollocks,” Ti said.

Lim is aiming for a fourth consecutive term as a state assemblyman. He has also been an MP since 1986. - FMT