Conflicting views in Penang BN leadership
Gerakan secretary-general Teng Chang Yeow was recently appointed the new Penang BN chairman to replace the unpopular Dr Koh Tsu Koon who previously held the position.
Soon after his appointment, Teng started to sound his war drums by announcing to the people strings of goodies, proposals and projects to be initiated by the state BN in order to regain Penang in the next general elections. The plans announced for Penang should BN were to recapture the state are, establishing a global financial hub in the state, building an innovation park, an aquaculture hub, an tourism hub and the most important one - to seek for the return of free port status to the state.
Teng, supported by Penang Umno chief Datuk Zainal Abidin Osman also bravely took up the challenge and said he would "fight it up policy by policy" for the state.
However, two weeks after his announcement, his bitter rival, Penang Gerakan chief Teng Hock Nan together with Balik Pulau Umno division chief Datuk Dr Hilmi Yahaya suddenly came out from nowhere by downplaying the free port idea, saying that it may not be the best idea for the state.
Instead Dr Hilmi who is also the Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB) chairman proposed a designated CIQ (customs, immigration and quarantine) zone to be constructed in the state's mainland in order to enhance trade.
It was so clear that the older Teng (Penang Gerakan chief) is trying to embarrass the younger and energetic Teng (Penang BN chief). Then the later tried a convincing statement by saying that he would raise the matter with the prime minister and the "PM said that he would look into it positively".
Unfortunately, things are not going well for the younger Teng when the prime minister who is also Umno president Najib Razak informed the parliament that the state already had five large free trade zones and the free port concept for the state is now non-existent, therefore no longer valid.
Wow! Were all those flip flops some sort of miscommunication? What went wrong inside the Penang BN leadership? What we saw here is the Gerakan secretary-general has yet to gain an affirmative support from even his state party apparatus which is still being held firmly by the elder Teng Hock Nan who is the state party chairman. Both are seen to be bitter rivals with the elder one nearly being toppled in the party's last EGM.
Worst of all, what had transpired between Teng Chang Yeow and Najib? Has Najib forgotten that he promised Teng that he would look into it positively? Or has Teng raise that matter with Najib then? Not only he has been embarrassed by the state leader of his own party, even the prime minister who appointed him the state BN chief did that.
It shows that the state BN committee currently led by the younger Teng is still not intact. Some strong factions within Gerakan and Umno are still looking into outdoing each other. It has been seen that even as Teng Chang Yeow is at helm as the state BN chairman, the elder Teng Hock Nan still holds the command baton as the state BN working committee chairman, thus causing a conflicting structure within the BN leadership itself.
With this, the younger Teng needs to get rid of the enemies from within his party first before he could firmly hold to the state BN leadership. Good Luck then!
Soon after his appointment, Teng started to sound his war drums by announcing to the people strings of goodies, proposals and projects to be initiated by the state BN in order to regain Penang in the next general elections. The plans announced for Penang should BN were to recapture the state are, establishing a global financial hub in the state, building an innovation park, an aquaculture hub, an tourism hub and the most important one - to seek for the return of free port status to the state.
Teng, supported by Penang Umno chief Datuk Zainal Abidin Osman also bravely took up the challenge and said he would "fight it up policy by policy" for the state.
However, two weeks after his announcement, his bitter rival, Penang Gerakan chief Teng Hock Nan together with Balik Pulau Umno division chief Datuk Dr Hilmi Yahaya suddenly came out from nowhere by downplaying the free port idea, saying that it may not be the best idea for the state.
Instead Dr Hilmi who is also the Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB) chairman proposed a designated CIQ (customs, immigration and quarantine) zone to be constructed in the state's mainland in order to enhance trade.
It was so clear that the older Teng (Penang Gerakan chief) is trying to embarrass the younger and energetic Teng (Penang BN chief). Then the later tried a convincing statement by saying that he would raise the matter with the prime minister and the "PM said that he would look into it positively".
Unfortunately, things are not going well for the younger Teng when the prime minister who is also Umno president Najib Razak informed the parliament that the state already had five large free trade zones and the free port concept for the state is now non-existent, therefore no longer valid.
Wow! Were all those flip flops some sort of miscommunication? What went wrong inside the Penang BN leadership? What we saw here is the Gerakan secretary-general has yet to gain an affirmative support from even his state party apparatus which is still being held firmly by the elder Teng Hock Nan who is the state party chairman. Both are seen to be bitter rivals with the elder one nearly being toppled in the party's last EGM.
Worst of all, what had transpired between Teng Chang Yeow and Najib? Has Najib forgotten that he promised Teng that he would look into it positively? Or has Teng raise that matter with Najib then? Not only he has been embarrassed by the state leader of his own party, even the prime minister who appointed him the state BN chief did that.
It shows that the state BN committee currently led by the younger Teng is still not intact. Some strong factions within Gerakan and Umno are still looking into outdoing each other. It has been seen that even as Teng Chang Yeow is at helm as the state BN chairman, the elder Teng Hock Nan still holds the command baton as the state BN working committee chairman, thus causing a conflicting structure within the BN leadership itself.
With this, the younger Teng needs to get rid of the enemies from within his party first before he could firmly hold to the state BN leadership. Good Luck then!
