After DAP nominates Chow again, group calls off 'Chinese-only CM' event

The Penang Chinese Town Hall has cancelled an event calling for the next chief minister to be only from the Chinese community, hours after DAP named incumbent Chow Kon Yeow for the post again if the party wins in the coming state polls.

"As we've just received the announcement by the DAP secretary that the central selection committees have unanimously decided to continue supporting Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow to be the next CM of Penang, we hereby inform that our invitation/call to attend 'Support Chow to be the next CM' on July 14 at 10am at PCTH is hereby cancelled," the organisation, which represents Chinese business interests in Penang, said today.

Yesterday, the group invited media outlets to attend a press conference titled "Support the Continuity of the Penang Chinese Chief Minister".

"It is our responsibility to safeguard the rights and interests of the Chinese community in Penang," it had said.

It comes even as a storm continues over DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng's speech warning Penang voters that the "green wave", DAP's reference to Perikatan Nasional (PN), would trample on non-Muslims' rights if it comes into power in the state.

"We are the people of Penang, not Wu Sangui," Lim was quoted as saying by China Press on July 7, referring to an ancient Chinese general who betrayed the Ming Dynasty by letting the Manchu army conquer China.

Last night, DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke said party leaders have unanimously endorsed Chow to remain as chief minister.

He said the move was also backed by deputy chairman Gobind Singh and vice-chairman M Kulasegaran.

"The decision has been relayed to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who has approved it in his capacity as the chairman of Pakatan Harapan," Loke said.

Penang, long considered a DAP stronghold, is one of the six states to hold elections on Aug 12 and is widely seen as a referendum on Anwar's eight-month-old coalition government.

PN, which currently rules Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah, has said that it is also focusing on capturing Penang, besides Negeri Sembilan and Selangor – the three states where Pakatan Harapan has joined hands with Umno in the coming polls.

Since independence, Penang has had five chief ministers, all of whom are ethnic Chinese.