Teng CY regretted attending "fake BN rally". Was he betrayed from within?
The Penang BN chairman and Gerakan secretary-general Teng Chang Yeow had mentioned that he should not have attended the so-called "Himpunan Rakyat Bersatu Pulau Pinang" if he had known the main organizer was the racist and extremist group Perkasa. In this way, Teng has admitted that he has regretted attending the rally, which was seen to have used the banner of Barisan Nasional (BN) as a cover-up.
What we could tell Teng in this case was, he has been systematically cheated by Umno.It was understood that the organizers of the rally which also comprised of Perkasa had send invitation earlier via Umno who then extended the same to Teng in his capacity as state BN chairman, claiming that the rally has been organized by a group of NGOs in support of the BN for the upcoming general elections.
But what awkwardly was seen in the crowd was mostly members of the Perkasa, Pekida and the other pro-Umno extremist groups. Only a small number of supporters from MCA, MIC, Gerakan and PPP turned up but even then, their presence has been swallow up by these band of Perkasa and the other extremist group by the time the crowd grew.
It demonstrates the weakness of Teng, as the Penang BN chairman because as at to-date, he has yet to establish full control over the entire state BN leadership and machinery. What make things far worst was the internal enemy he has in Gerakan. At the national level, Teng is only the party secretary-general and Penang Gerakan state liaison committee is currently chaired by a conservative, Dr Teng Hock Nan who heads the other faction who is in firm control over the party in the state. During the allocation of electoral candidates for the party, the Penang BN chief was not given any of his preferred seat in the island as all the alloted ones were eventually given to Dr Teng's supporters.
So, many observers has seen that Teng would have no choice but to take up a some sort of "safe" seat in the mainland instead. It is also learned that Teng has not been servicing his old stronghold at Padang Kota nor any other areas in the island since he lost the seat in the last general elections in 2008. His earlier intention to contest in Tanjong was also rejected as the elder Dr Teng wanted to put up one of his strong supporters in the hot parliamentary seat which is currently held by the state DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow.
Another challenge the younger Teng currently facing is so-called "tai ko" Umno. The dominant party in the BN coalition who is use to flexing its muscle onto Gerakan president Dr Koh Tsu Koon when the later was Penang chief minister. The major concern here is, whether Teng would become such in near future.
It looks like Teng would be facing the same situation if he does not find ways or means to assert full control over the coalition by first taming the tiger (Umno) and then later the cat (Dr Teng Hock Nan), otherwise, his role as the state BN chairman would be like some sort of ceremonial post and he would eventually end up as another Dr Koh Tsu Koon.
The question here is, who will back him up to present himself with a stronger image, powerful and effective leadership role from Gerakan in particular and the BN coalition? In Gerakan, we are now seeing that the Dr Koh has completely threw away Penang for good and he has no focus in the state ever since. Dr Koh is currently an appointed senator and a federal minister in Putrajaya, as well as the chairman of the Gerakan Wilayah Persekutuan state liaison committee.
Who else would lend support to Teng in MCA, MIC or PPP? Penang MCA is still embroil with factional infighting (a Pahang MCA leader is current charing the state MCA liaison committee), while MIC has yet to come up with an effective leader of its own after the party was completely defeated in the last general elections and PPP, is still working its way up in the state coalition by asking for some seats to contest.
Will Teng be able to stand alone in this fight?
What we could tell Teng in this case was, he has been systematically cheated by Umno.It was understood that the organizers of the rally which also comprised of Perkasa had send invitation earlier via Umno who then extended the same to Teng in his capacity as state BN chairman, claiming that the rally has been organized by a group of NGOs in support of the BN for the upcoming general elections.
But what awkwardly was seen in the crowd was mostly members of the Perkasa, Pekida and the other pro-Umno extremist groups. Only a small number of supporters from MCA, MIC, Gerakan and PPP turned up but even then, their presence has been swallow up by these band of Perkasa and the other extremist group by the time the crowd grew.
It demonstrates the weakness of Teng, as the Penang BN chairman because as at to-date, he has yet to establish full control over the entire state BN leadership and machinery. What make things far worst was the internal enemy he has in Gerakan. At the national level, Teng is only the party secretary-general and Penang Gerakan state liaison committee is currently chaired by a conservative, Dr Teng Hock Nan who heads the other faction who is in firm control over the party in the state. During the allocation of electoral candidates for the party, the Penang BN chief was not given any of his preferred seat in the island as all the alloted ones were eventually given to Dr Teng's supporters.
So, many observers has seen that Teng would have no choice but to take up a some sort of "safe" seat in the mainland instead. It is also learned that Teng has not been servicing his old stronghold at Padang Kota nor any other areas in the island since he lost the seat in the last general elections in 2008. His earlier intention to contest in Tanjong was also rejected as the elder Dr Teng wanted to put up one of his strong supporters in the hot parliamentary seat which is currently held by the state DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow.
Another challenge the younger Teng currently facing is so-called "tai ko" Umno. The dominant party in the BN coalition who is use to flexing its muscle onto Gerakan president Dr Koh Tsu Koon when the later was Penang chief minister. The major concern here is, whether Teng would become such in near future.
It looks like Teng would be facing the same situation if he does not find ways or means to assert full control over the coalition by first taming the tiger (Umno) and then later the cat (Dr Teng Hock Nan), otherwise, his role as the state BN chairman would be like some sort of ceremonial post and he would eventually end up as another Dr Koh Tsu Koon.
The question here is, who will back him up to present himself with a stronger image, powerful and effective leadership role from Gerakan in particular and the BN coalition? In Gerakan, we are now seeing that the Dr Koh has completely threw away Penang for good and he has no focus in the state ever since. Dr Koh is currently an appointed senator and a federal minister in Putrajaya, as well as the chairman of the Gerakan Wilayah Persekutuan state liaison committee.
Who else would lend support to Teng in MCA, MIC or PPP? Penang MCA is still embroil with factional infighting (a Pahang MCA leader is current charing the state MCA liaison committee), while MIC has yet to come up with an effective leader of its own after the party was completely defeated in the last general elections and PPP, is still working its way up in the state coalition by asking for some seats to contest.
Will Teng be able to stand alone in this fight?
