Penang CM blasts Umno, Koh for 'violent behaviour'

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has squarely accused Umno for staging the noisy protest outside the Penang state legislative assembly last Tuesday.

Lim (left), who had reserved comment until he witnessed a video recording of the incident, said this was the first time that a state assembly or parliament had been attacked in such an "unruly" fashion.

"We are shocked that this (protest) can be sponsored by Umno leaders," he told reporters at the state assembly lobby today.

"This unruly action is supported for their own political interests... the Umno YBs can surrender themselves to the violence."

The video, which Lim (replayed for reporters at the assembly lobby today, showed a group shouting at the entrance gate of the assembly, while a man had chained himself to the gate, shaking it vigorously.

They had demanded to meet with Lim to hand over their memorandum on complaints of land acquisition by the state in Balik Pulau and the recent hike in water tariff.

However, they grew impatient and their voices became louder when Lim did not show up. He was then presenting the 2011 state budget in the legislature.

Lim advised Umno not to resort to violence if it wanted to play politics, and he warned the citizens to be wary of the Malay dominant party that was seeking to regain power in Penang.

Should Barisan Nasional or Umno rule the state again, he cautioned, they would treat the people in a similar manner - with aggression.

'They will rule with violence and aggression'

"They will rule with violence, with aggression. They are already acting in this manner while in the opposition, and it would be worse if they take power," he added.

During the debate on the motion to condemn the "unruly" protest, Umno assemblypersons insisted that they were not behind the protesters who comprised Balik Pulau residents, Komtar traders and members of Parti Cinta Malaysia, an offshoot of Gerakan.

Sungai Dua assemblyperson Jasmin Mohamed refuted allegations that Umno wanted to seize power, saying if it were true, the party, which leads the country, would not call for general elections.

Permatang Berangan assemblyperson Shabudin Yahaya asked Umno's detractors to confirm the party's members were the only ones who joined the rally when there were also Chinese and Indian protesters.

"They are protesting the land and water issues, they are not members of Umno, these Chinese and Indian protesters. Please prove your allegations in the Dewan, or else retract your statement," he demanded.

Lim at the press conference also criticised Gerakan president Koh Tsu Koon (left) for vowing to change his laid back "tai chi" leadership style to a more aggressive "praying mantis" kung fu.

"While we condemn those who protested violently until the gate nearly collapsed, we also do not condone Koh's action of wanting to be a more aggressive praying mantis kung fu warrior," he said.

"We want to reproach Gerakan: don't resort to violence by showing that you can play kung fu.

"If you want to fight, go to a boxing ring; but this is not a healthy approach," he stressed.

Yesterday, Koh, who is also a federal minister, said he might have been more of a "tai chi" leader because he had learnt this martial art since he was nine.

However, he has now learnt the "praying mantis kungfu", from his younger brother, who is a coach.

"So now I can be firm when needed because the latter is a more hardened form of kung fu," he said when winding up the debate at Gerakan's 39th national delegates conference at Wisma PGRM in Kuala Lumpur.

Lim said with Umno continuing to use violence in its actions, it now appeared that Gerakan would also follow suit, if Koh's statement was anything to go by.