I refer to your report Procession-gathering: LGE strikes out at Utusan, KJ.

I've seen a copy of the letter dated Feb 5 signed by the deputy state secretary (management), Penang, clearly indicating that the procession celebrating the birthday of Prophet Muhammad, PBUH, was cancelled (‘dibatalkan’).

Assuming that the copy is genuine, any non-befuddled reader of that letter would definitely come to a conclusion that the procession was, indeed, canceled.

As to why it was decided so, perhaps, only the chairperson of the organising committee for celebrating the birthday of the Holy Prophet, PBUH, in Penang, would be able to answer.

Subsequent to the uproar created by those waiting to pounce on any misdemeanour acted out by the Pakatan Rakyat government in Penang, clearer minds and wiser counsel prevailed and the procession was ‘reinstated’ as part of the celebrations.

In my mind, however, damage has already been done to Lim Guan Eng's credibility when he tried to sidestep the case for the cancellation and ascribed the hue and cry raised to ‘opposition grandstanding’.

It would have been more appropriate for Lim to admit that some personality entrusted with Islamic administration in the state of Penang had some ‘better’ ideas for celebrating the holy occasion and came out with the notion that having an indoor cerebral discussion on the holy birthday would be a much wiser methodology of highlighting the spiritual aspects of it than walking and chanting verses along the roads of Penang, as has been done for ages.

Instead of doing this and admitting that it was, perhaps, not politically savvy to undertake such a major change in the way the holy birthday was celebrated, Lim went on to attack the combative opposition.

As an unbiased observer, I say admit it when errors in decision-making are made, apologise for the lapse and take whatever actions necessary to ameliorate the situation. Do not try to twist and turn when the letter dated Feb 5 is there for all to see and interpret.