CM Lim puzzled by PAS stand on third vote

BUKIT MERTAJAM: Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng (pix) today said he is puzzled over PAS leaders' rejection of local government elections.

He said there was no disagreement when he discussed the matter with PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and secretary- general Datuk Mustafa Ali.

He said he was shocked after Abdul Hadi reportedly claimed that such elections could lead to racial riots.

He questioned why the PAS leadership was making an issue out of the matter now as it was nothing new.

"Where is the trustworthiness?" the DAP secretary general asked after attending a DAP seminar on political education.

Local government elections were brought into the spotlight after Abdul Hadi claimed such polls could lead to another May 13 incident and was not part of the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) common platform.

His remarks came after the Islamist party received heavy criticism from its Pakatan ally, DAP, over the move to implement hudud (Islamic criminal law) in PAS-ruled Kelantan.

Local government elections were suspended during the confrontation with Indonesia in the 1960s and abolished when the Local Government Act 1976 was enacted.

Penang had tried to restored the elections by filing a petition in the Federal Court but the court ruled the state had no power to conduct such polls last August.

Lim also stressed that DAP had consulted PAS on restoring local government elections but pointed out PAS had not consulted DAP on implementing hudud.
At another event in Seberang Prai, Lim urged Penang residents to destroy mosquito breeding grounds after dengue cases in the state recorded a 200% increase in 2014.

He said Penang recorded 3,141 cases last year.

He said there were 11 dengue related deaths last year compared to seven the year before.

"Two deaths have been recorded so far this year," he said at the launch of the statewide gotong royong (clean up) campaign here.

Lim called on homeowners to do their part to curb the spread of the mosquito-borne disease.

He said the public could play a role by allocating 10 minutes a week to check their homes for breeding grounds.