Penang Gerakan's Thor and BN's Teng to swap seats in GE

BUKIT MERTAJAM: Penang Gerakan committee member Dr Thor Teong Gee and state Barisan Nasional (BN) chairperson Teng Chang Yeow (pix) are likely to swap seats in the coming general election with Thor slated to represent the party in the Bukit Tengah state seat on the mainland while Teng moves to Sungai Pinang on the island.
Thor, a doctor by training, was selected for the seat, currently held by Ong Chin Wen, a two term PKR elected representative, due to some differences within Penang Gerakan on his candidacy.
The insiders said that Thor would not contest in the Sungai Pinang state seat - the one he stood for in the last round with members preferring Teng, the state Gerakan chairperson to contest there instead.
"It is because the Jelutong division members do not want Thor to be the Sungai Pinang candidate when the state party conducts a meeting on the candidate name list," insiders told theSun when contacted.
It was reported that the 46-year-old Thor decided to quit all party posts but remains as an ordinary member after he was accused of not being active in Jelutong since 2016.
On Teng's status, the insiders said that although the state chairman previously said he would not be contesting in the next election, his name remained on the list.
The insiders believed that Teng would still contest, especially with the party needing someone to take on the might of Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.
When contacted to verify the matter, Thor said the party had appointed him as the Bukit Tengah coordinator since Dec last year.
He stressed that up to this moment, no one had been confirmed as a candidate but the matter would be announced by BN chairperson and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak.
"Although Sungai Pinang is my personal preference, but it is not an important matter. Let the party make its decision."