By Neville Spykerman
PUTRAJAYA, Dec 21 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak today said he does not want any further debate about Gerakan’s position as the head of the Penang Barisan Nasional (BN) state liaison committee.
“No more debate on this,” said the Prime Minister at Perdana Putra today, when asked to comment on the proposal by state Umno chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (picture).
Ahmad Zahid ruffled Gerakan feathers when he said recently that Umno should lead the state because it held all of BN's state seats in Penang following the March 8 general election last year.
Najib, who is BN chairman, said yesterday any decision would be based on consensus, while Ahmad Zahid maintained his proposal was to restore public confidence in BN.
However, Penang Gerakan today reminded their Umno counterparts not to take the party or their BN state leadership for granted.
The party’s state liaison committee acting chairman Teng Chang Yeow said Gerakan has been in the forefront in efforts to wrest Penang from Pakatan Rakyat (PR).
“To say Gerakan has been inactive is Penang is utter nonsense,” said Teng, who pointed out the party had been supporting all BN lawmakers during state assembly sittings and had been making the DAP-led state government account for all decisions it makes.
“Our efforts are no less than that of Penang Umno” he said, adding that Ahmad Zahid’s demand, which is contrary to established convention, was causing more harm to the coalition in Penang.
Gerakan has been holding the state BN chairmanship for 35 years now and any change will not be acceptable to the party, said Teng.
He said Penang Umno should focus on taking on the Penang state government instead of its BN partners.
“Instead of focusing on winning back the state, certain quarters still behave as though the BN is still in control; we are not and it is high time we accepted this reality.
"How can BN take back the state government if we continue taking each other on?" asked Teng.
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