This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on November 23, 2015.

GEORGE TOWN: Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has slammed five PKR state lawmakers for their actions in the recent Penang Assembly sitting, which he said was as good as backing the opposition Barisan Nasional against the Pakatan Harapan state government.

Lim also described the actions of the five state assembly persons as an “act of mutiny from within”, when they decided to abstain during a house vote on a motion that had been brought up by an Umno legislator.

Lim, who is DAP secretary-general, said the actions of the five also raised questions as to whether they can be counted on as a reliable partner and ally of the Penang government.

“Abstention by the ‘PKR 5’, as a BN daily emphasised, is as good as supporting Umno’s motion and an act of mutiny from within”, Guan Eng said in a statement yesterday.

“Can the PKR 5 be counted upon as a reliable or dependable partner, ally or member of the Penang state government? This is politically untenable as one cannot run with the hares and yet hunt with the wolves,” he added.

The Penang government is made up of eight DAP lawmakers and three from PKR. The deputy speaker is also a PKR assemblyman.

“This is a clear sign of dissatisfaction by the PKR 5 or even a mutiny against the four PKR ADUNs (State Assemblymen) holding government posts.

“If true, this shows that there is a party within a party in PKR, one comprising those holding government posts and the other comprising backbenchers who appear to be backed by national PKR leaders,” Lim said in a statement yesterday.

According to Lim, the motion had first been brought by the Umno assemblyman from Pulau Betong Muhamad Farid Saad last Friday to oppose land reclamation projects in the state.

The five PKR representatives abstained from voting on the motion, while four others, Datuk Maktar Shapee, Datuk Mohd Rashid Hasnon, Datuk Abdul Malik Abul Kassim and Dr Afif Bahardin, voted against it.

DAP assemblyman Teh Yee Cheu of Tanjung Bunga had supported the Umno motion, Guan Eng said, but he has since repented and apologised to the party.

“Voting in support of Umno’s motion against his own party is unacceptable and warrants stern disciplinary action.”

Guan Eng said the actions of the PKR 5 were not that of lone assemblymen, but something pre-planned and organised.

“PKR whip Ong Chin Wen, the ADUN for Bukit Tengah, told reporters that the PKR 5 abstained in accordance to their conscience and that it ‘reflected the current political situation,’ ” Guan Eng said.

“Does this mean that their own four PKR ADUNs holding government posts, who voted against Umno’s motion have no conscience?”

“What type of current political situation is he talking about when the Umno ADUNs had earlier opposed PKR’s motion to ask that imprisoned PKR leader, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, be given medical treatment of his choice as well as refusing to answer questions relating to the RM2.6 billion donation scandal?” — The Malaysian Insider