The spat between DAP and PKR over the removal of two PKR representatives from their posts in Penang government-linked companies shows 'consensus' does not exist in Pakatan Harapan, said minister Salleh Said Keruak.

In fact, DAP does as it wants just as it did in Pakatan Rakyat, the minister of communications and multimedia said in a blog posting today.

Salleh said this was going by what Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said with regards to the issue which was, “DAP decides what happens as far as Penang is concerned”.

“As much as they try to impress upon us that Pakatan Harapan is different and is better than Pakatan Rakyat, what actually happens on the ground does not give that impression.

“So there is no guarantee that Pakatan Harapan will not eventually face the same fate as Pakatan Rakyat,” said Salleh.

Pakatan Rakyat disbanded after DAP and PAS locked horns over the hudud issue after which Pakatan Harapan was formed comprising DAP, PKR and PAS splinter party, Parti Amanah Negara.

Lim yesterday said that he had dropped two PKR assemblypersons - Ong Chin Wen (Bukit Tengah) and Cheah Kah Peng (Kebun Bunga) - from their GLC director's posts because they could no longer be trusted.

This was after the duo chose to abstain from voting (rather than against) on a state legislative assembly motion last year by an Umno assemblyperson, on the issue of land extension works in Penang.

PKR deputy president and Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali said PKR stood by the two assemblypersons whom he said were only doing their jobs as elected representatives.

Azmin said the Lim, who is DAP secretary-general, could have discussed the matter in a more harmonious manner.

'An ambush'

Commenting on this, DAP’s Kampung Tunku assemblyperson Lau Weng San said the PKR backbenchers should have sought a meeting with the CM on the matter before deciding to abstain from the vote.

He said the PKR assemblypersons could have also expressed their views through one of the three PKR representatives on the state executive council.

Lau said the PKR assemblypersons could also have also aired their grouses by debating the matter in the House, instead of just abstaining from the vote.

“ In short, they should communicated with the chief minister on what they wished to do.

“Unfortunately, (they) did not do any of the above and it was presumed that all PKR, DAP and PAS assemblypersons in the House would have voted against the motion,” he said in a statement today.

“ Therefore, the decision […] to abstain from voting against the motion not only comes as a shock, not only it is an act of backstabbing, but also as an act of ambush,” he said.

He said if the PKR reps did not believe in state policies, the 'honourable' thing to do would be to resign from state posts, including posts in state GLCs.