The most honourable decision Ong Chin Wen and Cheah Kah Peng should make is to voluntarily resign from any positions in the state GLCs

Media statement by DAP ADUN for Kampung Tunku Lau Weng San on 22^nd February 2016 in Petaling Jaya:

The Two PKR Penang ADUNs ought to be dropped from their positions in Penang State GLC for abstaining in voting against a motion to halt all reclamations in Penang, which was brought forward by UMNO ADUN in the Penang State Legislative Assembly.

Many people criticized the duo’s termination. Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng was bombarded as a hypocrite when he claimed to “stand up for diverse viewpoints and yet he label those who do not share the same opinion as backstabbers and traitors”.

For those who looks at the termination on the surface, this will be the natural response they can draw from. But one ought to look deeper into the issue before they can jump straight into the conclusion.

When the motion was tabled in the Penang State Legislative Assembly, all ADUNs have sufficient opportunity to participate in the debate. Being part of the backbenchers, the five PKR ADUNs what they should do the following if they were to abstain:

1.    They should seek an appointment with the Chief Minister and the EXCO or a meeting with all Pakatan Harapan ADUNs in Penang to discuss on the motion, via a closed-door meeting or during backbenchers’ precouncil meeting,

2.    They can also seek for a private meeting with the Chief Minister too to discuss the matters,

3.    If they are reluctant to meet the Chief Minister, they can always act through the Political Secretary to the Chief Minister, who in this case is also their fellow Assemblyman in the Penang State Legislative Assembly, Hon. Wong Hon Wai,

4.    They can even choose to convey their concern to the Chief Minister or the EXCO meeting through PKR representative in the State EXCO. In this case, PKR currently has three EXCO members in the Penang State Government, any one of them should be able to assist, or

5.    They can also choose to debate on the matter in the State Legislative Assembly and openly declare and explain their decision, as what was done by DAP Assemblyman for Tanjung Bungah, Hon. Teh Yee Cheu.

In short, they should communicate with the Chief Minister on what they wish to do. Unfortunately, PKR5 did not do any of the above and it has been presumed that PKR, DAP and PAS Assemblypersons in the House would have voted against the motion. In contrast, all three PKR EXCO voted against the motion in the House.

Therefore, the decision of PKR5 to abstain from voting against the motion not only comes as a shocking moment, not only it is an act of backstabbing, but it is also an act of ambush.

I was reminded by many statement issued by various PKR leaders when the PKR has decided to change Selangor Menteri Besar and Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim has been instructed to resign and vacate the position, in which his refusal to do so resulting in him sacked from PKR.

In this case of Ong Chin Wen and Cheah Kah Peng, if they were to dissociate themselves from the state government and if they are holding true to their own stand, at the very minimum I believe the most honourable decision they should make is to voluntarily resign from any positions in the state GLCs.

Lau Weng San

ADUN Kampung Tunku