Pakatan Rakyat not breaking up, says Lim

GEORGE TOWN: Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has poured cold water on speculations that Pakatan Rakyat (PR) is on the verge of breaking up.

He said the political pact going their separate ways was just "wishful thinking" from Barisan Nasional (BN).

"When we meet (on Aug 10), there are issues that has to be addressed, by PAS and also by DAP," he said in a press conference today when asked about the controversy and fallout over the Selangor Menteri Besar's post.

PR in recent weeks has been on the back foot following stalled moves to oust incumbent Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim and replace him purportedly with Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

The situation was made worse after a leaked chat group message among PAS central leaders saw them discussing scenarios of leaving PR and teaming up with Umno in a racist tone.

Lim also played down the issue of replacing the incumbent, saying the matter at hand now was to get a consensus from all political parties that womem were qualified to become mentri besar or even the Prime Minister.

"Are we going to reject her candidature because she is a woman? It is important for every political party to say that 'we have no objection for a woman to be MB'.

"Our stand is that we are inclusive and are for diversity," the DAP secretary general said, adding that women were qualified to hold top leadership positions.

Earlier, Lim announced that the country's first bicycle sharing system is expected to be up and running by May 2015.

He said the system was to be built, operated and maintained (BOT) by Public Bike Share Sdn Bhd who won the Request for Proposal (RFP) with their RM9.2million project.

He said the Penang Island Municipal Council had granted the company a 12 year concession to run the system which is expected to have 1,000 bicycle docks and 500 bicycles in George Town when starting.

He said the company was to pay the concession fee to the council beginning on the seventh year with RM100,000, RM200,000 in the eighth year and RM300,000 each year to the 12th year.

"This will help reduce traffic congestion and realise a low carbon emitting future for Penang," he said.