GEORGE TOWN: Perikatan Nasional must recognise the political reality and uniqueness of Penang by not harping on the issue of appointing a Malay chief minister if they win in the upcoming state election, says Chow Kon Yeow.
The state Pakatan Harapan chairman described the issue as ended, following Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s reply during a meet-and-greet session with federal and state civil servants at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) in Permatang Pauh last month.
The Penang Chief Minister said this to reporters after attending a Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house at Iman Society Penang building here on May 1 (Monday).
Chow claimed Perikatan brought up the issue to most likely encourage more support from their supporters and to fish for votes in the upcoming state polls.
When asked if such tactics would secure votes for Perikatan, Chow said he did not think the opposition coalition would bring it up again as it was not an issue at all.
At the event at UiTM last month, Anwar said some people had raised the issue of having a Malay as the chief minister to lead Penang.
Anwar asked what was wrong with having a Chinese chief minister if he practised good and clean governance.
He said Penang is dominated by non-Malays, so it is a non-issue that a Chinese was appointed the chief executive of the state.
He also said the state government of Penang has an outstanding performance, so no one should harp about race.
Perikatan is banking on its good performance during the 15th General Election (GE) where the coalition won the Tasek Gelugor, Permatang Pauh and Kepala Batas parliamentary constituencies.
Their votes in several constituencies such as in Bayan Baru and Balik Pulau have also increased.
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