By DAP MP for Tanjung and Assemblyman for Padang Kota, Lim Kit Siang, in Penang on Thursday, Oct 25, 1990:
DAP’s offer to co-operate with the Penang Gerakan and the seven Gerakan Assemblymen to form a government which reflects and fulfills the wishes of the people of Penang will always remain open
Personally, I congratulate Dr. Koh Tsu Koon for his appointment as the Penang Chief Minister.
Politically, I feel that he will be heading a Penang State Government where the real power will be in UMNO hands, for the simple reason that UMNO has 12 as compared to Gerakan’s seven Assembly seats.
It is because the new Penang State Government will be UMNO-led and UMNO-dominated with the real power in the hands of UMNO that for the first time, there would be a Deputy Chief Minister in the person of the UMNO Penang Secretary, Dr. Ibrahim Saad, and where apart from the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, UMNO would have another four State Executive Councilors and Gerakan only three Executive Councilors.
When it comes to a vote on any issue, the UMNO will be able to outvote Gerakan anytime. This political reality will determine the power structure of the Kog Tsu Koon State Government. This means that although Dr. Joh Tsu Koon will in name be Penang Chief Minister, the real power will be the Deputy Chief Minister, Dr. Ibrahim Saad of UMNO!
Why does Dr. Koh Tsu Koon want to become such a Chief Minister?
In the new line up in the Penang State Government, Gerakan also lost the Speakership to UMNO.
I do not believe that this is what the people of Penang voted for in the general elections on Oct 21. In fact, I am sure that this line-up goes against the wishes of the voters who voted for the 11 Gerakan Assembly candidates on Sunday.
Although Dr. Koh Tsu Koon has been appointed Chief Minister and the new State Executive Council has been formed, the choice between forming a government to reflect and fulfill the wishes of the people of Penang or having a UMNO-led and UMNO-dominated State Government could still be made.
All that is needed is for the Penang Gerakan and the seven Gerakan Assemblymen to realize that their decision is wrong and unacceptable as it frustrates the will and wishes of the people of Penang.
For this reason, the DAP’s offer to co-operate with Penang Gerakan and the seven Gerakan Assemblymen to form a government which could reflect and fulfill the wishes of the people of Penang will always remain open.