Since Pertubuhan Bunga Tanjung was not an exclusive association for spouses of Barisan Nasional state assemblypersons and parliament representatives in Penang, the club should not have been dissolved.

More so on March 9, the day after the present DAP-led Pakatan Rakyat had captured the state government from BN with a two-third majority during the national polls.

The state government has demanded former chief minister and Bunga Tanjung advisor Dr Koh Tsu Koon to publicly explain how this could have happened.

lim guan eng interview 290408 02 Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said there was no hurry or just cause for Bunga Tanjung to be dissolved since it was a non-government body meant for wives of state assemblypersons and members of both the Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara from the ruling party.

After all, its official address was the Chief Minister's Office at Level 28 of Komtar. A perusal of the Bunga Tanjung constitution revealed no clause stating it was a ‘BN only’ club.

Since Pakatan Rakyat is the ruling party in Penang while BN is the opposition, Lim said it was ideal for Bunga Tanjung to be handed over to the new administration.

Koh's wife Chui Kah Peng was the last Bunga Tanjung president when the association was dissolved during its annual general meeting attended by 45 members.

Waving a copy the Bunga Tanjung constitution, Lim expressed curiosity over the reasons behind the hasty dissolution of the association.

"The BN wives may have not thought that their husbands would lose power and we too never thought we would wrest power.

"Well it happened, thanks to the political tsunami on March 8 polls. So ideally the association should have been handed over to us and indeed I should be its advisor by virtue of its constitution," he told newsmen when officiating his Air Putih constituency service centre yesterday.

'Don't hide behind the skirt’'

According to Chui, members at the AGM decided to donate the association's remaining funds of more than half a million ringgit to various organisations.

The Association of Wives of Federal Ministers and Deputy Ministers or Bakti was the biggest recipient with RM550,000 while the Bureau on Learning Difficulties (Bold) received RM220, 000 to support the Bold-Bunga Tanjung Centre activities in Penang mainland.

The remaining RM20,665 was distributed among three organisations – Penang Cheshire Home, Mental Health Association of Penang and Mount Miriam Hospital.

Lim also demanded Koh to enlighten the state government on how it was possible for Bunga Tanjung to "donate" a total of RM590,665 remaining in its account to various organisations.

"We want Bunga Tanjung advisor not to hide behind the skirt, but to come out in open to explain," he said.

He said the state government would prefer the association’s former advisor Koh, and not his wife, to publicly explain all prevalent issues pertaining to the association.

"I'm sure the former president had sought the advice of her husband, the ex-chief minister, on matters pertaining to its dissolution and the subsequent distribution of funds. So let him explain," said Lim.

Chui was one of the founding members of the association which was registered under the Societies Act 1966 in 1992.

It was formed to provide the wives of current and past BN representatives in Penang a platform to strengthen relationship amongst the members and to carry out welfare and charitable work.

The association received an annual grant of RM10,000 from the state government to assist it in its yearly operating expenses, while all other funds were raised through fund–raising events and advertisements in its publications.

Lim’s chief of staff Ooi Chuan Ann had labelled Chui and the other members as "desperate housewives" on his blog.

An infuriated Chui has since challenged both Lim and Ooi to a public debate on the matter and gave them 48 hours to respond.

Meanwhile, her husband later told the press that he does not owe Lim and explanation and that he has full confidence in his wife and her colleagues to handle the matter.