PKR snub a blow to Guan Eng, says Penang Umno

PKR’s decision to snub DAP’s proposal for snap elections in Penang is a blow to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s ego, said Penang Umno chairman Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Osman.

He claimed that the delay in PKR’s decision also showed that Lim had lost the confidence of the 40-member state legislative assembly.

“As suspected the PKR stand is that they are not convinced with DAP’s proposal to hold snap elections in Penang,” he said in a statement on Wednesday.

“This is a blow to Lim and DAP’s ego which have failed to get the support of their main coalition partner to hold an early state election.

"Lim's failure to convince his political allies to support his proposal has tarnished his dignity and credibility as a main leader in the opposition alliance," he said.

Zainal Abidin claimed the proposal to hold snap elections was a hasty move done in a panic by Lim and DAP after he was charged with two counts of corruption.

Looking at PKR’s meeting on Tuesday, he said it meant that 10 PKR assemblyman in Penang had yet to agree on the dissolution of the state assembly, while one PAS and 10 Barisan National assemblyman disagreed with the proposal.

“Therefore, we can assume that only 19 DAP state assemblymen have supported the proposal as of now,” he said.

Zainal Abidin said this meant 21 out of 40 state assemblymen disagreed and only 19 supported it.

“We can conclude that Lim has lost the trust of the majority of the Penang state assemblyman members,” he said.